The Mind Race

1. Psychic Abilities Are Scientifically Proven and Accessible to All

A totally convincing book that demonstrates, based on hundreds of experiments with ordinary people, the accessibility of genuine psychic abilities to anyone who decides to learn about and use them.

Decades of research. Scientific investigations in both the U.S. and the Soviet Union, spanning decades, have consistently demonstrated the existence of genuine psychic abilities. A 1981 U.S. Congressional committee report even acknowledged "mind-mind interconnectedness" and the human mind's ability to obtain information independent of geography and time. This extensive research challenges the popular misconception that psi is fraudulent or impossible.

Normal human capacity. Contrary to media stereotypes and cultist claims, psychic functioning (psi) is not abnormal, supernatural, or exclusive to a select few. Researchers like Russell Targ and Keith Harary assert that psi is a subtle information-processing capability, a latent perceptual ability present in many, if not most, ordinary people. It offers greater access to past, present, and future, transcending the limitations of our five senses.

Empirical evidence. Hundreds of experiments with ordinary individuals, including those with no prior psychic experience, have shown that these abilities can be learned and improved with practice. These findings are based on statistically significant data, with many experiments yielding results far beyond chance expectation, demonstrating that psi is a real process amenable to objective scientific inquiry.

2. Remote Viewing Transcends Distance, Time, and Physical Barriers

We know that the distance that separates viewers from the places they decide to ‘visit’ psychically does not affect the accuracy of their descriptions or make them harder to obtain.

Perception beyond senses. Remote viewing (RV) is a type of psi where individuals can "see" and describe distant locations, objects, and events that are hidden from normal perception, often due to distance. This ability extends to details as minute as a microdot or as vast as an airport, and is not limited by geographical separation. Surprisingly, distant sites can sometimes be easier to perceive psychically, possibly due to reduced analytical interference.

Unaffected by barriers. Experiments have consistently shown that RV accuracy is not diminished by vast distances, such as coast-to-coast viewing from California to New York, or even intercontinental distances like Detroit to Rome. Crucially, electromagnetic shielding, like that provided by deep seawater in submarine experiments, also fails to block psychic signals, suggesting psi is not transmitted by conventional electromagnetic waves.

Diverse targets. RV has successfully described a wide range of targets, from large geographical features like the Louisiana Superdome and Stanford University Art Museum to small objects hidden in film cans or even microscopic images on microdots. The consistency of these results across varied conditions and target types underscores the robust nature of this perceptual channel.

3. Precognition Reveals the Future's Influence on the Present

The findings of psi research seem not to, however, support this view. Neither do many modern philosophical theories about causality.

Challenging linear causality. Precognition, the knowledge of future events by unknown means, challenges our conventional understanding of linear cause and effect. Psi research suggests that future events can, in a sense, "cause" perceptions in the past, without altering the past itself. This implies a more complex, interconnected relationship between past, present, and future than commonly assumed.

Real-world examples. Evidence for precognition comes from various sources. A study by W. E. Cox showed significantly fewer people rode trains that later crashed, suggesting an unconscious precognitive avoidance. Malcolm Bessent's dream experiments at Maimonides Medical Center demonstrated subjects dreaming about experiences that would be prepared for them the following morning, such as ice cubes being dropped on their back.

Laboratory validation. Deliberately precognitive remote viewing experiments, like those at SRI with Hella Hammid, asked viewers to describe targets that would be randomly selected and visited after their descriptions were completed. These trials, and replications at institutions like Mundelein College, yielded statistically significant results, with viewers accurately describing future target sites, including details that were only present in a future photograph, not the actual site.

4. Mastering Psi Requires Distinguishing Signal from Mental Noise

Memory and imagination are the main sources of mental noise.

The signal-to-noise challenge. Clear psychic functioning is akin to achieving a high signal-to-noise ratio in radio communication. The primary challenge for viewers is to differentiate genuine, subtle psychic impressions (the "signal") from internal "mental noise" originating from memory, imagination, and analytical thoughts. This distinction is crucial for accurate interpretation.

Sources of mental noise. Mental noise often manifests as:

• Overly developed, clear images: Especially at the start of a session, these are often fabricated by the mind.
• Comparative analysis: Trying to guess what a target "is like" can lead to describing memories or fantasies rather than the actual target.
• Displacement: Describing an object from a pool of possible targets, but not the actual chosen target, due to psychic association within the pool.
• Recent preoccupations: Thoughts or activities from earlier in the day can intrude on impressions.

Strategies for clarity. To minimize noise, viewers are encouraged to report raw, uninterpreted imagery without over-elaborating or analyzing. Taking short breaks during sessions can help clear the mind and allow subtle impressions to re-emerge. The goal is to let information gradually unfold, rather than forcing a preconceived notion onto the psychic input.

5. Media and Cults Distort Psi, Perpetuating Harmful Stereotypes

Every myth, misconception, and stereotype about psychic functioning has roots deep in human superstitition—and ultimately makes a profit for somebody at the expense of a lot of other people.

Cult exploitation. Cults, numbering in the thousands, actively exploit public confusion about psi for financial gain and control. Charismatic leaders, like Jim Jones, fabricate elaborate psychic demonstrations (e.g., fake healings, "psychic" revelations from garbage searches) to convince followers of their supernatural powers and divine authority. This manipulation creates dependency and alienates members from mainstream society.

Media misrepresentation. Film and television fiction frequently portray psychic abilities as abnormal, frightening, or exclusive to bizarre characters (witches, aliens, demented individuals). Examples include "Carrie" (psychic powers linked to violence), "Scanners" (psychic abilities causing psychosis), and "Poltergeist" (psi linked to ghosts and death). Even seemingly lighthearted depictions, like "Bewitched," reinforce the idea that psi is an unusual talent that complicates normal life.

Consequences of distortion. These pervasive stereotypes lead the public to either dismiss psi entirely or associate it with deviance, mental illness, or the supernatural. This discourages individuals from exploring their own latent psychic potential and leaves a void that cults and charlatans readily fill. Accurate, undistorted information is vital to demystify psi and allow people to integrate it healthily into their lives.

6. Soviet Psi Research Prioritizes Influence and Manipulation

The Soviet psychic research effort is primarily aimed at learning to use psychic functioning to influence human behavior.

A contrasting approach. While Western psi research largely focuses on information gathering and expanding human perception, official Soviet psi research has historically emphasized using psychic functioning for remote influence and manipulation of human and animal behavior. This approach stems from a long tradition of studying distant hypnosis and "mental suggestion."

Aggressive experimentation. Soviet experiments, often conducted in secret government laboratories, have involved ethically questionable methods. Examples include:

• Distant hypnosis: Inducing sleep or awakening in subjects hundreds of miles away, sometimes without their explicit knowledge.
• Pain transmission: Electrically shocking a "sender" to induce pain or suffocation in a distant "receiver," with physiological changes recorded.
• Biological manipulation: Nina Kulagina, a celebrated Soviet psychic, was studied for her ability to psychokinetically stop isolated frog hearts or suppress the vital functions of white mice.
• Disease transmission: Dr. Vlail Kaznacheyev's research on "distant intercellular interactions" involved inducing disease and death in uninfected tissue cultures placed in optical contact with infected ones.

Ethical implications. These studies, often lacking informed consent and involving harm to living systems, highlight a stark ethical divergence from Western research. The emphasis on control and manipulation, rather than humanitarian applications like healing (despite popular interest in Russia), reflects the priorities of the Soviet political system in which this work was conducted.

7. Developing Psi is a Skill Enhanced by Practice and Awareness

Learning to be aware of your psychic abilities can be like remembering something you already know.

Innate, not alien. Psychic functioning is not a foreign ability but an innate human capacity, often dormant, that can be awakened and refined. It's less about acquiring new knowledge and more about becoming attuned to subtle information and deepening one's responses to it. This process is akin to developing any other skill, requiring practice and conscious effort.

Essential skills for development:

• Sensory awareness: Heightening perception of the five senses helps recognize subtle psychic cues.
• Emotional awareness: Recognizing emotional reactions to stimuli, including intuitive ones, provides valuable information.
• Objective expression: Translating subjective impressions into tangible forms like drawings or verbal descriptions, similar to artistic creation.
• Discrimination: Learning to differentiate genuine psychic impressions from mental noise (memory, imagination).

"Psychic sit-ups". Remote viewing exercises serve as "psychic sit-ups," strengthening one's ability to consciously access and interpret psi information. Consistent practice, coupled with immediate feedback, helps individuals understand their unique style of psychic functioning and build confidence. This enhanced awareness can then be integrated into daily life, making intuitive insights more reliable and useful.

8. Associative Remote Viewing Unlocks Analytical Information from Psi

The important point here is that in these experiments the medium is not the message. Analytic information can be obtained, but it requires that the medium (protocol) be nonanalytic.

Bypassing analytical noise. Directly asking for analytical information (e.g., "which stock will rise?") often introduces mental noise, as the viewer's own biases and logical inferences interfere. Associative Remote Viewing (ARV) circumvents this by linking the desired analytical answer to a non-analytic target, such as a specific object or image. The viewer describes the object they will be shown, not the analytical answer itself.

How ARV works. In an ARV protocol, each possible analytical outcome (e.g., "gold price up," "gold price down") is associated with a unique, distinct object. The viewer is asked to describe the object they will be shown after the event's outcome is known. Once the viewer's description is complete, an independent judge matches it to one of the objects, thereby revealing the predicted outcome.

Successful applications. ARV has been successfully applied to various forecasting tasks, including:

• Financial markets: Predicting the direction and magnitude of silver futures prices with high accuracy (e.g., 9 out of 9 correct forecasts in one series).
• Election outcomes: Elisabeth Targ's experiment correctly predicted the Reagan win by having her describe an object associated with each candidate.
• Locating hidden items: Identifying which drawer holds ammunition or which room a person is hiding in, by describing an object linked to the correct location.

This technique provides an intermediate, non-analytic indication of psychic functioning, allowing for verifiable forecasts of future events.

9. Integrating Psi Enhances Everyday Decision-Making and Awareness

An awareness of psi allows you to explore new ways of being with distant friends. It provides techniques that may help you look into the future and perhaps avoid accidents on the highway.

Practical utility. Psi abilities offer a valuable tool for navigating daily life, especially when faced with incomplete information. Intuitive "gut feelings" can guide decisions in business, help locate lost objects or missing persons, and even provide precognitive warnings to avoid accidents, as demonstrated by personal anecdotes like slowing down for a hidden road hazard or Joan Targ's sudden urge to go home, preventing a child's choking.

Heightened awareness. Developing psi involves becoming a more skilled observer of both external and internal environments. Exercises that focus on enhancing sensory and psychological awareness can attune individuals to subtle intuitive impressions. Recognizing the "feel" of genuine psychic information, distinct from memory or imagination, is a crucial step.

Enriching life. Beyond practical applications, integrating psi into one's life offers profound personal benefits. It fosters a deeper connection to oneself, others, and the natural world, transcending the mundane. This expanded awareness can lead to a richer, more meaningful existence, allowing individuals to experience empathy and interconnectedness on a deeper level.

10. Overcoming Internal and External Skepticism is Key to Psi Development

If you feel comfortable with your psychic abilities and are confident in responding to your intuitive impressions, you will be less likely to equivocate about those impressions, to interpret them away or to disregard useful psychic information.

Internal barriers. Years of materialistic conditioning and societal stereotypes can create significant internal resistance to accepting one's own psychic potential. Individuals may fear being labeled "crazy" or "abnormal," leading them to dismiss or rationalize genuine intuitive experiences. Ego involvement, the pressure to perform perfectly, and the psychological strain of processing subtle information can also hinder development.

External challenges. The scientific community's historical skepticism, often fueled by a fear of philosophical implications, and the media's sensationalized or dismissive reporting, create an unsupportive environment. Self-appointed critics, sometimes with ulterior motives, actively work to discredit psi research, further confusing the public and legitimate scientists alike.

Cultivating confidence and balance. To develop psi effectively, it's crucial to:

• Grant self-permission: Consciously allow oneself to explore and trust intuitive impressions.
• Maintain balance: Integrate psi exploration with a normal, healthy lifestyle, avoiding extreme behaviors or isolation.
• Seek supportive environments: Work with people who encourage and validate psychic experiences.
• Develop discernment: Learn to distinguish genuine psi from delusion, especially when dealing with spontaneous experiences.

A relaxed, confident, and responsible attitude, coupled with a sense of humor, is paramount for successful and healthy psi development.

11. The "Mind Race" is a Call to Awaken Our Collective Human Potential

The Mind Race is not a race between nations. Though the U.S. and Soviet governments are heavily involved in psi research, we are all in a more vital and personal race to determine whether we will be able to wake up to our deeper potential before we have exhausted the limited time available to us.

Beyond national competition. While governments like the U.S. and Soviet Union invest heavily in psi research, the true "Mind Race" transcends geopolitical competition. It is a profound, personal, and collective challenge to awaken humanity's deeper potential for extended awareness, empathy, and understanding, before technological advancement and societal alienation overshadow our inherent human qualities.

Reclaiming our humanity. In an increasingly industrialized, mechanized, and dehumanized world, psi offers a vital connection to our innate nature. It reminds us that we are not merely consumers or cogs in a machine, but integral parts of a larger, interconnected universe. As computer scientist A. M. Turing suggested, the ability to experience psi might be the ultimate distinguishing factor between humans and machines.

The Psi Imperative. Developing our psychic abilities is not just about personal gain; it's an imperative for our collective evolutionary future. By fostering compassion, empathy, and a deeper understanding of our interconnectedness, we can counteract forces that lead to alienation and conflict. The choice to actively participate in this "Mind Race" and claim our right to function psychically is crucial for shaping a more fulfilled and meaningful future for all.