The base of the ancient Mayan wisdom is their calendar, the Tzol-Kin. A month has 20 days and each day carries a specific quality. All their knowledge and wisdom comes from observation of nature, so the “20 Nawales” as they call these 20 days are archetypical qualities that can be easily grasped in it´s basic meaning, but from there one can go deeper and deeper as they are very profound and complex as well.
The counterintuitive predictions of quantum theory have now been experimentally confirmed with unprecedented rigor. Yet, the question of how to interpret the meaning of these predictions remains controversial. A Wikipedia table summarizing different interpretations of quantum mechanics included no less than fourteen entries at the time of this writing. New interpretations regularly appear.
An important part of IONS mission is to encourage society’s institutions to pay more attention to the connection between science and spirituality to ease suffering and promote thriving. As part of this, we have been engaged in a collaborative effort to help providers and policy-makers in the field of mental health care recognize the importance of spirituality in most people’s emotional and psychological lives.
As a licensed psychotherapist, I encourage people to “hear voices” and to “see” non-physical beings. No, I’m not crazy. In fact, for 12 years I was a subject-matter expert for the Board of Behavioral Science Examiners, which regulates licensing for the State of California. I am even certified by the state to provide Continuing Education Units to train other psychotherapists to help people “hear voices.”
There have been a large number of articles published about Artificial Intelligence lately, most with varying topics of focus. Some discuss how AI applications will eventually replace numerous human jobs, potentially disrupting global economies and bringing about a transition toward a more utopian society. Some discuss the advances in medicine and healthcare which will likely occur, thereby increasing human lifespans and quality of life dramatically (which are actually already occurring). Yet other articles discuss the potential dystopia for General AI to run amok through an accident of logic that leads our machines to protect all of humanity from harm and death… by first killing all of humanity to ensure no additional harm can come to anyone. There… problem solved. And frankly, any and all of these potentials are awaiting to be realized (or not) as we develop AI capabilities and move into tomorrow’s now.
“When I think in terms of how intention can guide you into being in the right place at the right time, that has happened so often in my career that somebody could say ‘well, that’s like magic’.”
– Dean Radin, PhD
IONS was well represented at the Science of Consciousness Conference this year – our CEO Claire Lachance spent much of the week at this academic conference, soaking in the lively discussions and presentations about the nature of consciousness, both in the traditional neuroscientific sense and in the sense of extended consciousness.
BIAL is a Portuguese pharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and provide therapeutic solutions within the area of health. The Fundação BIAL is the non-profit foundation arm of company and is a major funder of the Institute of Noetic Sciences and parapsychology in general. Every two years Fundação BIAL has a conference in Porto, Portugal bringing their grantees together for presentations, discussions, and networking in a stimulating environment. They also have the noble goal of having scientists present on non-controversial topics—stimulating and collegial conversations between mainstream and parapsychological scientists. Many scientists have never heard of the more controversial topics typical for IONS scientists, and thus, expansion of everyone’s worldview ensues.
Since the passing of IONS’ visionary founder, Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell, two years ago, the IONS board, staff, and scientists have continually worked to not only preserve Edgar’s original vision, but to boldly expand IONS impact at a time when our world desperately needs healing, radical innovation, and transformation.