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Our third post in the IONS 50th Anniversary blog series was written in 1980 by then-President of IONS Willis Harman. With IONS founder Edgar Mitchell — an astronaut and astrophysicist who experienced the fundamental oneness of all life through a cosmic perspective — and Willis — a futurist and social scientist who understood the mechanics of creating a “global mind change” based on a “new” perspective — IONS set out to help liberate humanity from the scientific and other civilizational paradigms holding us back.

In the intricate realm of consciousness lies a phenomenon that has both puzzled and intrigued humanity for centuries—trance. A type of altered state of consciousness, trance states cause the mind to transcend its ordinary boundaries by quieting the cognitive chatter that often fills our minds and altering levels of self-awareness, cognition, affect, orientation to time and place, wakefulness, and perception. Someone in a trance may not feel the passage of time, may feel that the boundaries of their body have dissolved, a slowness or cessation of thought, and vivid visual imagery. 

Astrology builds on the principle that everything is interconnected. Maybe you’ve heard the saying, “As above, so below.” 

In our day-to-day lives, keeping a good flow of positive energy can be essential for a productive, stress-free day. However, as that can be as difficult as the days are random, why not consider a simple yet powerful technique that can serve as a great antidote for anxiety? That’s where Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) may be able to help you.

It is a truth universally unacknowledged that the majority of our dreams contain precognitive themes, whether that be in showcasing potential future events, emotions, or mindsets. If you have ever experienced déjà vu/reve – on the day or a few days, weeks, months, or even years after a memorable dream, you encounter elements of that dream in your waking reality – you will already have your personal proof that you are a precognitive being.

In the fifty years since this article was first published, the dawn of a new space age has arrived, creating the possibility of an “overview effect” for more and more of humanity. The frontier study of human consciousness has increasingly supported alternative models of reality, of who we are and of who we’re capable of becoming. Today, IONS remains devoted to our legacy of advancing evolutionary milestones through scientific discovery and the “innerview” of personal experience, and grateful to the pioneering supporters who make it possible.  — Claudia Welss

In our recent blogs, What Can AI Tell Us About the Worldview on Frontier Science? and, Artificial Intelligence and Its Impact on Human Consciousness, IONS used AI chatbot ChatGPT to explore artificial intelligence and its interaction with and impact on human consciousness. This month we ask about the capacity for AI to become conscious itself and how that relates to the concept of interconnectedness, which is so fundamental to IONS work. We asked the following questions:

Imagine a world where dreams become more than just fleeting illusions of the night. A realm where you hold the power to shape your dreams, explore your innermost desires, and perhaps even find solace and healing amidst the chaos of life. Recent investigations into the enigmatic world of lucid dreams are shedding light on their potential as a transformative tool for promoting healing and well-being.

Can we alter reality through the power of our minds?

Pranic healing is a form of energy healing where practitioners work with the energy centers, or chakras, to balance the energy and heal disease “from the inside out.” It is not connected to a particular religion or culture but instead built on the philosophy that the body can self-heal given the right conditions.