Geoff Boltwood / "Tareth" - Psyhic Healer

Particleman · 7th October 2009, 01:40 PM

Hi Forum,

In a discussion with a friend at work, the subject of 'Faith Healing' came up when he mentioned that he'd visited a Psychic Healer who goes by the name of Tareth (previously, Geoff Boltwood). You can visit his webpage by googling 'Tareth' and going to the first link (apparently I can't post links yet).

The claims of Tareth are numerous; ranging from psychic healing to producing oils from his hands. He has also demonstrated that he can make seeds sprout in his hands and is allegedly a dab hand at alchemy. My friend had also visited him for pains in his back which were auspiciously cured by Tareth's powers. Tareth was also able to tell him medical facts about him and could generate an unnatural amount of heat from his hands.

Sound familiar? Of course it does, such claims have been made many times before and in each case found to be bogus upon closer inspection. This of course doesn't prove that Tareth is fake as well, but it's a very good reason to deploy the sceptical face.

Anyway, the reason for my posting is to ask the forum if anyone has ever heard of this guy, and if so has his work been debunked or exposed before? In my discussions at work I was frustrated by a lack of knowledge about this guy, and could only point to other examples of people with similar claims who have been debunked before (Peter Popoff, Uri Geller etc). Naturally, this claim was 'different' and I could make no headway in the debate.

Towards the end I changed my approach slightly, pointing out that the existence of such a person would call into question almost huge fundamental aspects of how we understand the universe, and that this man is incredibly selfish for not submitting himself to proper study.

How does the forum approach such situations? Have you ever heard of this man?

It seems very likely to me that the 'Oils in the Hand' and the 'Sprouting Bean' miracles really the old 'Oils in the Hand' and the 'Sprouting Bean' magic tricks. Unfortunately I have no idea how the 'Sprouting Bean' magic trick is done. Could anyone give me a quick explanation of how to demonstrate something similar myself? I think this would be a powerful demonstration of how these effects can be replicated through trickery.

All feedback welcome.

pakeha · 7th October 2009, 01:48 PM

Here's a link to Tareth's homepage
http://tareth.co.uk/

Welcome to the forum!

Particleman · 7th October 2009, 01:53 PM

Thanks! (and happy 1000th post!)

pakeha · 7th October 2009, 02:20 PM

You're welcome and thank you.

I found this link to his book's first chapter:

http://books.google.es/books?id=SsFA...age&q=&f=false

Amazing stuff.

shandyjan · 7th October 2009, 03:58 PM

The post from Jeff Wagg on the homepage today is interesting, the same kind of thing about proof....

jimtron · 7th October 2009, 04:20 PM

Quote:

The claims of Tareth are numerous; ranging from psychic healing to producing oils from his hands. He has also demonstrated that he can make seeds sprout in his hands and is allegedly a dab hand at alchemy. My friend had also visited him for pains in his back which were auspiciously cured by Tareth's powers. Tareth was also able to tell him medical facts about him and could generate an unnatural amount of heat from his hands.

The claims made by many psychics are pretty vague, but this stuff with the hands would surely be easy to test. Of course, I'm confident Tareth will come up with plenty of excuses not to be tested.

Particleman · 10th October 2009, 06:42 AM

Anyone else able to help?

Steve Knight · 16th October 2009, 01:54 AM

Would you believe that Uri Geller once offered to put up his own money in a "psychic challenge" to Mr. Boltwood? If he could produce oils from his finger-tips under "proper conditions" (supervised by magician David Berglas) then Uri was going to pay Mr. Boltwood something like £50,000. It never happened of course.

jimtron · 16th October 2009, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by Steve Knight

Would you believe that Uri Geller once offered to put up his own money in a "psychic challenge" to Mr. Boltwood? If he could produce oils from his finger-tips under "proper conditions" (supervised by magician David Berglas) then Uri was going to pay Mr. Boltwood something like £50,000. It never happened of course.

Geller challenging a psychic? That's rich.

Steve Knight · 17th October 2009, 03:40 AM

I can't find the source of this quote either in my files or on the internet but somewhere or other I found this a few years back.

"I first saw another 'psychic' do this. His name was Geoff Boltwood. Back around 1988 or 1989 Boltwood did his seed sprouting on a television programme in London. The television programme was broadcast live on a Friday evening, although Boltwood's appearance may have been filmed.
After that appearance Uri Geller challenged him to do it under controlled conditions and said he'd pay Boltwood GBP10,000 if he succeeded. The week following Boltwoods appearance Uri was ready to test him on the live programme, along with Uri's friend, Magic Circle Chairman David Berglas, and Tony Scofield, a scientist from London University who was a supporter of Boltwood's. Although he had previously agreed to turn up for the test, Boltwood finally didn't appear. Uri's comment was "Well, to be quite fair, I don't blame him. I wouldn't come either. It's a tight situation. He's nervous. The offer is still there. But I don't blame the man."

I tried contacting Mr. Scofield for further details but received no response.

ETA: I just found the original source:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/sci...c8c67ddca96810

Particleman · 24th October 2009, 07:18 AM

So how would a magician produce oils from his hands? I guess you'd just have to palm a capsule of oil and break it at the right moment.

jimtron · 24th October 2009, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by Particleman

So how would a magician produce oils from his hands? I guess you'd just have to palm a capsule of oil and break it at the right moment.

We're not supposed to expose magic methods on the forums, but it surely wouldn't be hard to do.

jimtron · 24th October 2009, 10:28 AM

I just Googled "Tareth" and this thread is the first hit.

Moochie · 24th October 2009, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by jimtron

The claims made by many psychics are pretty vague, but this stuff with the hands would surely be easy to test. Of course, I'm confident Tareth will come up with plenty of excuses not to be tested.

In Chapter One of that book pakeha linked to (thanks pakeha!), Boltwood basically asserts that it is "impossible to 'test' a healer's ability." This is pretty much what they all say, in one way or another. The whole thing's a closed circle, probably to keep reality out.

M.

pakeha · 24th October 2009, 05:51 PM

No worries, Moochie. I live for links.
I think your assessment is correct. The longer I'm here at JREF the more clear it is to me that woo is woo- self delusion, manipulation and moolah.

EHocking · 24th October 2009, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by Particleman

So how would a magician produce oils from his hands? I guess you'd just have to palm a capsule of oil and break it at the right moment.

So that's where palm oil comes from...

7th October 2009, 01:40 PM	#1
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	Geoff Boltwood / "Tareth" - Psyhic Healer Hi Forum, In a discussion with a friend at work, the subject of 'Faith Healing' came up when he mentioned that he'd visited a Psychic Healer who goes by the name of Tareth (previously, Geoff Boltwood). You can visit his webpage by googling 'Tareth' and going to the first link (apparently I can't post links yet). The claims of Tareth are numerous; ranging from psychic healing to producing oils from his hands. He has also demonstrated that he can make seeds sprout in his hands and is allegedly a dab hand at alchemy. My friend had also visited him for pains in his back which were auspiciously cured by Tareth's powers. Tareth was also able to tell him medical facts about him and could generate an unnatural amount of heat from his hands. Sound familiar? Of course it does, such claims have been made many times before and in each case found to be bogus upon closer inspection. This of course doesn't prove that Tareth is fake as well, but it's a very good reason to deploy the sceptical face. Anyway, the reason for my posting is to ask the forum if anyone has ever heard of this guy, and if so has his work been debunked or exposed before? In my discussions at work I was frustrated by a lack of knowledge about this guy, and could only point to other examples of people with similar claims who have been debunked before (Peter Popoff, Uri Geller etc). Naturally, this claim was 'different' and I could make no headway in the debate. Towards the end I changed my approach slightly, pointing out that the existence of such a person would call into question almost huge fundamental aspects of how we understand the universe, and that this man is incredibly selfish for not submitting himself to proper study. How does the forum approach such situations? Have you ever heard of this man? It seems very likely to me that the 'Oils in the Hand' and the 'Sprouting Bean' miracles really the old 'Oils in the Hand' and the 'Sprouting Bean' magic tricks. Unfortunately I have no idea how the 'Sprouting Bean' magic trick is done. Could anyone give me a quick explanation of how to demonstrate something similar myself? I think this would be a powerful demonstration of how these effects can be replicated through trickery. All feedback welcome.
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	Last edited by Particleman; 7th October 2009 at 02:08 PM.

7th October 2009, 01:48 PM	#2
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099	Here's a link to Tareth's homepage http://tareth.co.uk/ Welcome to the forum!
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099

7th October 2009, 01:53 PM	#3
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	Thanks! (and happy 1000th post!)
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5

7th October 2009, 02:20 PM	#4
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099	You're welcome and thank you. I found this link to his book's first chapter: http://books.google.es/books?id=SsFA...age&q=&f=false Amazing stuff.
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099

7th October 2009, 03:58 PM	#5
shandyjan Graduate Poster Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: N/W England Posts: 1,013	The post from Jeff Wagg on the homepage today is interesting, the same kind of thing about proof....
	__________________ Losing an illusion makes you wiser than finding a truth. ~Ludwig Börne

7th October 2009, 04:20 PM	#6
jimtron Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,341	Quote: The claims of Tareth are numerous; ranging from psychic healing to producing oils from his hands. He has also demonstrated that he can make seeds sprout in his hands and is allegedly a dab hand at alchemy. My friend had also visited him for pains in his back which were auspiciously cured by Tareth's powers. Tareth was also able to tell him medical facts about him and could generate an unnatural amount of heat from his hands. The claims made by many psychics are pretty vague, but this stuff with the hands would surely be easy to test. Of course, I'm confident Tareth will come up with plenty of excuses not to be tested.
	__________________

10th October 2009, 06:42 AM	#7
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	Anyone else able to help?
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5

16th October 2009, 01:54 AM	#8
Steve Knight Student Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 40	Would you believe that Uri Geller once offered to put up his own money in a "psychic challenge" to Mr. Boltwood? If he could produce oils from his finger-tips under "proper conditions" (supervised by magician David Berglas) then Uri was going to pay Mr. Boltwood something like £50,000. It never happened of course.
Steve Knight Student Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 40	__________________ Steve Knight www.zem.demon.co.uk

16th October 2009, 12:07 PM	#9
jimtron Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,341	Originally Posted by Steve Knight Would you believe that Uri Geller once offered to put up his own money in a "psychic challenge" to Mr. Boltwood? If he could produce oils from his finger-tips under "proper conditions" (supervised by magician David Berglas) then Uri was going to pay Mr. Boltwood something like £50,000. It never happened of course. Geller challenging a psychic? That's rich.
	__________________

17th October 2009, 03:40 AM	#10
Steve Knight Student Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 40	I can't find the source of this quote either in my files or on the internet but somewhere or other I found this a few years back. "I first saw another 'psychic' do this. His name was Geoff Boltwood. Back around 1988 or 1989 Boltwood did his seed sprouting on a television programme in London. The television programme was broadcast live on a Friday evening, although Boltwood's appearance may have been filmed. After that appearance Uri Geller challenged him to do it under controlled conditions and said he'd pay Boltwood GBP10,000 if he succeeded. The week following Boltwoods appearance Uri was ready to test him on the live programme, along with Uri's friend, Magic Circle Chairman David Berglas, and Tony Scofield, a scientist from London University who was a supporter of Boltwood's. Although he had previously agreed to turn up for the test, Boltwood finally didn't appear. Uri's comment was "Well, to be quite fair, I don't blame him. I wouldn't come either. It's a tight situation. He's nervous. The offer is still there. But I don't blame the man." I tried contacting Mr. Scofield for further details but received no response. ETA: I just found the original source: http://groups.google.co.uk/group/sci...c8c67ddca96810
Steve Knight Student Join Date: Oct 2001 Posts: 40	__________________ Steve Knight www.zem.demon.co.uk Last edited by Steve Knight; 17th October 2009 at 03:46 AM.

24th October 2009, 07:18 AM	#11
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5	So how would a magician produce oils from his hands? I guess you'd just have to palm a capsule of oil and break it at the right moment.
Particleman New Blood Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 5

24th October 2009, 10:27 AM	#12
jimtron Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,341	Originally Posted by Particleman So how would a magician produce oils from his hands? I guess you'd just have to palm a capsule of oil and break it at the right moment. We're not supposed to expose magic methods on the forums, but it surely wouldn't be hard to do.
	__________________

24th October 2009, 10:28 AM	#13
jimtron Master Poster Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 2,341	I just Googled "Tareth" and this thread is the first hit.
	__________________

24th October 2009, 12:26 PM	#14
Moochie Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,371	Originally Posted by jimtron The claims made by many psychics are pretty vague, but this stuff with the hands would surely be easy to test. Of course, I'm confident Tareth will come up with plenty of excuses not to be tested. In Chapter One of that book pakeha linked to (thanks pakeha!), Boltwood basically asserts that it is "impossible to 'test' a healer's ability." This is pretty much what they all say, in one way or another. The whole thing's a closed circle, probably to keep reality out. M.
Moochie Philosopher Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 5,371	__________________

24th October 2009, 05:51 PM	#15
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099	No worries, Moochie. I live for links. I think your assessment is correct. The longer I'm here at JREF the more clear it is to me that woo is woo- self delusion, manipulation and moolah.
pakeha Illuminator Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 3,099	__________________ It's a perfect time of year. It's your hemisphere that's all wrong. from "The Wisdom of Akhenaten, the Heretic Pharaoh", vol. 12.

24th October 2009, 07:03 PM	#16
EHocking Master Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,250	Originally Posted by Particleman So how would a magician produce oils from his hands? I guess you'd just have to palm a capsule of oil and break it at the right moment. So that's where palm oil comes from...
EHocking Master Poster Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 2,250	__________________ "A closed mouth gathers no feet" "Ignorance is a renewable resource" P.J.O'Rourke Prayer: "a sophisticated way of pleading with thunderstorms." T.Pratchett "It's all god's handiwork, there's little quality control applied", Fox26 reporter on Texas granite Forum Birdwatching Webpage