Emergent Mind (JNLRMI)
EMERGENT MIND and
JOURNAL OF NONLOCAL & REMOTE MENTAL INTERACTION (JNLRMI)
This site has been set up as an open venture between scientists, scholars, meditators and all those who believe that we are approaching a conceptual threshold in our understanding of how
physics, physiology and consciousness interact.
For the past few decades, experimental evidence has been accumulating in almost all areas of
science that non-local and mind-directed effects upon the physical world are more ubiquitous thanwe had so far cared to admit. As institutional research becomes more open about these matters,a theoretical framework is beginning to emerge. We may have, at this point, a vague idea aboutthe extraordinary potential lying in store for humanity, but we are still very much at a loss abouthow to approach this "new science".
The East has the benefit of thousands of years of experience in this field, but the language of itsinvestigations seems so intuitive, so subjective, that it is almost untranslatable in scientific jargon.And yet, translate we will have to: the greatest challenge lying ahead in the decades to come will bethe design of appropriate experiments and "test particles" in order to explore the strange geometry ofthe mind-matter continuum.
We believe that both East and West can benefit from joining efforts at this point. Such steps havealready been taken (for example, by the repeated meetings between the Dalai Lama and westernscientists, as described in the Mind-Life series). If this endeavor is approached with the right mix of humility, awe and determination (as opposed to the arrogance that has characterized much of ourscientific progress), we believe that the goals of both traditions can come to fruition: for a persuasiveproof of the "holographic paradigm" is most likely to tear down the barriers of fear and cynicism andfacilitate a mass transition toward the ideals of compassion and spiritual fulfillment.
The History or Story Behind My Site
As mankind winds down its survey of the globe and its cultures, there seem to be but two directions left to our restless sense of adventure: the exploration of outer space, with its implicit quest for other worlds and civilizations; and that of the Mind - or our inner dimensions. Both ought to be pursued in parallel - for while space offers us continuing challenges and inspiration, it is only through the mastery of qi, our mental and spiritual potential, that we will ensure a fulfilling future for our species.
What we propose, therefore, is that we look at this Mind - not with the neuroscientist's eye, not with the theologian's eye, but from the pragmatic point of view of, say, a martial arts student trying to cultivate his/her inner abilities. Joseph McMoneagle, one of the first and most prominent "explorers" of Remote Viewing, has eloquently argued that the discipline and mind frame required to make any significant progress along this path is very much like that required of a serious martial arts practitioner: in fact, he jokingly calls it "RV-do". The cultivation of an ego-free attitude, perseverance, objectivity, open-mindedness, an ability to accept failures no matter how great one's skill, and a healthy, playful curiosity that keeps one looking ever-forward - these are, recognizably, not only the marks of a good qigong student, but also those of a good scientist.
We will therefore adopt the metaphor of martial art for the exploration of what we believe is both a new science and a new ethics: as physics, parapsychology and complementary medicine converge upon the mind's hidden dimensions, let us re-think the discipline and aesthetics of our daily lives.
JNLRMI
Iona Miller serves on the Editorial Board of JNLRMI as Associate Editor, along with Executive Editor Lian Sidorov and Leanne Roffey Line, Associate Editor.
JNLRMI is a free online journal offering its readers a forum for the scientific investigation of our human potential. Based on current research in physics, parapsychology and complementary medicine, and drawing on the discipline of meditative arts such as qigong, the discussion will revolve around the nature of space-time, causality, and individual selves; focused intentionality as a tool for shaping personal and social reality; the cultivation of mental energy and "psi" abilities; and the creation of global resonance to ensure a peaceful, meaningful and humane future for our planet.
The function of JNLRMI is to:
1. create a network of physicists, biologists, physicians, healers and consciousness researchers to identify the frontiers of our theoretical understanding of nonlocal mental interactions
2. develop concrete proposals with respect to the possible mechanisms and dynamics of nonlocal communication
3. pool our experimental expertise and equipment in order to design and carry out innovative protocols based on these proposals
4. promote this area of research to the scientific mainstream
5. establish contacts with potential sponsors for future experimental studies