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eNewsletter
- May 2003
CONSCIOUSNESS AND THE COSMOS
A pair of related articles this month:
You feel you're being stared at - and you are.
Most of us have had the feeling. Suddenly, you are convinced someone is staring at you; you turn round and, sure enough, someone has their eyes fixed on you. Biologist Dr. Rupert Sheldrake suggests this sense is common today because it has provided an evolutionary advantage. "Whereas telepathy works best with a family or circle of friends, the sense of being stared at is something that operates between strangers," he notes. "Obviously, in the relationship between predator and prey the sense of being stared at would have survival value." In a new book Dr. Sheldrake explores what sort of sensory apparatus the human body must have in order to sense such stimuli, and suggests that science may need to look beyond the flesh and blood to find this apparatus. He suggests that we turn our attention to the energetic field that surrounds the living body. This field is not merely incidental energy, he says, but may have an organizational structure which can sense and convey information on an energetic level
in ways not dissimilar from how our limbs can sense and convey information on a physical level; informing our mind's perception of and interaction with the world. If his hypothesis is correct and we do have an energetic component, we will need to ask where does one living person end and another begin? Beyond causing people to turn around, how else are we and other life affecting each other? Perhaps, he suggests, these questions may help inform our sense of self and our sense of responsibility for others for the better. If his theory is correct, then "we are no longer imprisoned...our minds separated and isolated from each other. We are no longer alienated from our environment and alienated from other species. We are interconnected."
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Research indicates the existence of a 'sixth sense'
Experiments conducted at the University of Glasgow by Professor Archie Roy over the past four years suggest that mediumship is real, even if not all mediums are. The experiments, during which the medium and the subject were in separate rooms, contradict an assertion promoted by a leading anti-research association in the US that mediums rely upon picking up signals from body language, or on guesswork and prior knowledge, to give the impression that one is receiving information about a stranger's life. Now Prof Roy wants to discover how the information is obtained. "One theory is that the medium can access information in other people's minds," Prof Roys says, while the medium who participated in the study offers that "A lot of scientists would argue that I am downloading the information from somewhere and I wouldn't argue with that. There's not always a spirit contact."
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THE JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY & SOCIAL CHANGE
The Center's online Journal features contributions from some of the leading experts in the fields of psychology, spirituality and social change.
Submissions are welcomed! The latest articles include:
A Devil's Bargain
by Meryl Johnson
The debate over spirituality and science has continued for more than 100 years, largely because of semantic problems and misunderstanding the use of metaphor as fact. The events of 9/11/01 illustrate both the worst and best aspects of the human spirit and provide insight into collective actions that express "spirit" in its various manifestations.
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AUDIO CD OF DR. JOHN MACK'S BEST PRESENTATION
Studying Intrusions from the Subtle Realm: How Can We Deepen Our Knowledge?
by John E. Mack, M.D., is now available on audio CD as part of our new Signature Series, which presents the best talks given by Center staff. On this CD, Dr. Mack speaks about the larger cultural implications of the alien encounter experience: "In the focus on the material realm to the exclusion of the subtle realms, we have virtually rid the cosmos of nature, rid nature of spirit and, in a sense, denied the existence of all life other than that which is physically observable here on Earth..."
The CD has artwork printed directly on the disc's surface, and comes in a plain sleeve to keep your cost low. However if you'd like, you can print your own cover - we are making cover art available as a free download! It includes the track list and a brief bio of the speaker. Simply print, fold, and tuck into an empty CD case! Get the CD information and the free cover art here:
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TOUCHED completed its premiere run at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and is now available to come to your city. If you represent a venue which shows independent films, or know someone who does, please contact the filmmaker, Laurel Chiten, at Blind Dog Films dot com. Boston's Weekly Dig says Touched "offers a uniquely contemplative perspective on the alien abduction phenomenon [and] presents the 'experiencers' and their stories with sensitivity and without judgement" The film is winning praise from "skeptics" and open-minded thinkers alike: A fan of Carl Sagan (in the skeptic camp) writes, "I'd recommend the film highly... The film tells human stories; the physical truth behind them is left to the viewer." (Though we'd question his assumption and ask: "Must something be physical to be true?"). Visit blinddogfilms.com
Visit our website's community discussion area: www.centerchange.org
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About the Center for Psychology & Social Change
Founded in 1982 by Harvard professor of psychiatry John E. Mack, M.D., the Center runs programs in a wide variety of areas, such as ecopsychology, spirituality and health, therapeutic counseling and extraordinary experience research. The Center's efforts are designed to invite a new way of looking at the world that could lead to sustainable, equitable, and peaceful ways of living.
If the links in this email are not working properly due to variations in service from internet mail services, the online version of this newsletter with fully functional links is available at the Center's website, www.centerchange.org
To suggest items for future issues of Crossroads, please email the editor at info@centerchange.org.
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