David Oates

The Reverse Speech Library

Forty Years Exploring the Hidden Language of the Human Mind

For more than forty years, David John Oates has devoted his life to investigating one of the most unusual and controversial discoveries in the study of human communication: Reverse Speech.

Beginning with an accidental discovery in the mid-1980s while investigating claims of backward masking in popular music, Oates uncovered a phenomenon that would redirect the course of his life. He proposed that ordinary human speech contains a second, unconscious layer of communication that becomes audible when speech is played backwards. Unlike deliberate hidden messages in music, these reversals appear spontaneously during everyday conversation and often reflect thoughts, emotions, intentions, conflicts, and motivations beyond conscious awareness.

What followed was not a single book, but an expanding body of research spanning psychology, linguistics, counselling, metaphor, communication theory, criminal investigation, politics, spirituality, and theology.

The earliest works document the discovery itself, explaining how Reverse Speech emerged from backward masking research and introducing the revolutionary concept of Speech Complementarity—the idea that forward speech expresses conscious thought while reverse speech reflects unconscious processes. These foundational books established the basic principles of Reverse Speech, introduced methods for identifying authentic reversals, and presented hundreds of examples drawn from ordinary conversation, historical recordings, political speeches, and public figures.

As the research matured, the work expanded into a detailed exploration of the hidden structure of human language. Oates developed extensive classifications for reversal types, methods for analysing reversals, and practical guidelines for distinguishing genuine unconscious communication from coincidence. This eventually culminated in comprehensive reference works, including detailed studies of symbolic language, metaphor, and the mechanics of Reverse Speech itself.

One of the most significant developments was the recognition that the unconscious communicates primarily through metaphor. This led to decades of research into recurring symbolic patterns appearing consistently across cultures, personalities, and emotional states. Through these studies, Oates proposed that metaphor functions as a universal language of the unconscious mind, allowing hidden thoughts to be expressed symbolically rather than literally.

Beyond theory, the books explore the practical applications of Reverse Speech across a remarkable range of disciplines. Readers encounter case studies involving psychotherapy, criminal investigations, business negotiations, political interviews, personal relationships, counselling, and communication analysis. Throughout these works, Reverse Speech is presented not merely as an intellectual curiosity but as a practical analytical tool for understanding the deeper dynamics of human behaviour.

As the research progressed further, the books moved into broader questions concerning the nature of consciousness itself. Discussions of Carl Jung's collective unconscious, language formation, memory, oral tradition, symbolism, and cultural transmission attempt to place Reverse Speech within a larger framework of human cognition. Other researchers, most notably Greg Albrecht, contributed alternative interpretations, accepting the existence of Reverse Speech while challenging some of Oates' later conclusions regarding metaphor restructuring and spirituality. These differing viewpoints illustrate that the field itself has continued to develop through healthy intellectual debate rather than unquestioning agreement.

In later works, Oates extends Reverse Speech into the spiritual realm. Drawing upon biblical themes, prophetic passages, and his own theological interpretation, he argues that Reverse Speech represents more than an unconscious psychological process. Instead, he proposes that it reveals what Scripture describes as the hidden condition of the human heart—a voice that exposes motives, deception, conviction, and inner truth. These books explore the relationship between Reverse Speech and prophecy, the teachings of Jesus, spiritual transformation, and the nature of conscience, presenting a perspective that integrates decades of linguistic research with biblical reflection.

The collection also demonstrates the continuing evolution of the field. New books revisit earlier conclusions, refine previous theories, incorporate advances in technology, and apply Reverse Speech to contemporary events and public figures. Rather than presenting a static doctrine, the library documents an ongoing investigation in which theories are continually tested, challenged, revised, and expanded.

Throughout all of these volumes, one central idea remains constant:

Human communication may consist of two simultaneous conversations.

One is conscious, deliberate, and spoken in the normal direction of speech.

The other, according to Oates' theory, is unconscious, symbolic, and hidden beneath the surface, becoming audible only when speech is reversed.

Whether readers approach these books as researchers, therapists, linguists, theologians, skeptics, or simply curious observers, the Reverse Speech Library offers one of the most extensive and sustained explorations ever undertaken into the possibility that human speech contains a hidden dimension.

Together, these books represent more than four decades of research, thousands of analysed speech reversals, and a lifetime dedicated to exploring one profound question:

What if the human mind has been speaking two languages all along?.

Since that time, David has had an active career now spanning 40 years, furthering the field of Reverse Speech as his full time occupation. He has developed new theories, and designed therapeutic and training techniques. He has published more than a dozen books on Reverse Speech, including “Beyond Backward Masking”, “Voices From The Unconscious”, “Its Only A Metaphor”, and "The Great Reverse Speech Lexicon." Overcoming his speech stutter, he has lectured around the world to crowds of thousands, and trained hundreds of students. He has also presented Reverse Speech on 1000s of radio shows, including his own show, “The David John Oates Reverse Speech Show” that ran successfully for 3 years syndicated coast to coast in the United States where David lived for 10 years in the 1990s. In the United States he has appeared on dozens of television programs, including CNNs, Larry King Live, Geraldo, Leeza Gibbons, Strange Universe, Extra to name a few. In Australia, he has appeared on such shows as, Good Morning Australia, Today Tonight, A Current Affair, and Today. His work has also been featured in 100s of papers and well known publications such as The New York Times, Harpers Review, Omni magazine and Discover magazine.

David has been compared to Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell and Nicola Tesla and his work described as being of Nobel calibre with far reaching ramifications in such fields as law enforcement, business and psychology.

He is a certified Hypnotherapist and currently attends to his therapy and corporate consulting business using reverse speech techniques. David is also an accomplished public speaker, maintaining an active international speaking and training schedule as well as a popular guest on many international radio and TV programs.

He currently resides in Adelaide, South Australia.

A Student's Praise for David.

Amanda Tart Rosso

David Oates you are among some of the greatest spiritual intuitives/teachers out there. You know so much, and you can explain it. The difference between you and everyone else is.. they can only provide their knowings and their words, which are wonderful truths, but, you, you are a bridge. You will be the one who, everyone who is lost and who needs proof of the spiritual parallel dynamic, will turn to, when they realize we live in a box of lies and mental boundaries. When people are about to walk off the cliff, you will be the one who will be there to help them redirect themselves, and can help them realize they have a purpose, a real one. Their soul’s purpose. You’re going to be the busiest man ever.. so many don’t realize what that even is or that it’s a real thing. Spiritual teaching will replace this crazy irrelevant mess they cloud our reality with. I’ll be there applauding you every step of the way. You will be in the new world’s history books. ❤️ much love