ESP and Other Psi Powers Are Real

(Sylvia Engdahl's background information for her novel Stewards of the Flame)

BACKGROUND ON CONTROVERSIAL
TOPICS DEALT WITH IN
STEWARDS OF THE FLAME

Closer than you may think

Remote health monitoring

Implanted microchips

Compulsory healthcare


Truer than you may realize

Mind's influence on health

Advanced neurofeedback

ESP and other psi powers

Fire immunity


Worse than you may know

Medical overtreatment

Harmful psychiatric care

Prolonged death


There is no doubt whatsoever that so-called "paranormal" abilities such as ESP exist. This has been proven over and over again by responsible scientific investigation, as explained in the books listed below, quite apart from the extensive evidence from human history. But the issue is generally confused by all the other things, often silly things, associated in the popular mind with the terms "paranormal," "psychic," and "parapsychology," and by the use of the word "supernatural" in connection with psi phenomena. Those that are real aren't in any sense supernatural; they are simply human (and in some cases animal) capabilities that we don't yet understand.

Properly speaking, parapsychology is the scientific, usually academic, study of psi: that is, extrasensory perception (ESP) -- telepathy, clairvoyance (now often called remote viewing), and precognition -- and psychokinesis (PK). It generally does not involve investigation of ghosts, although some scientists do include the question of survival after death and/or reincarnation, which I personally consider a separate issue, within its purview.

Skeptics are fond of pointing out that many people who claim to be psychics are frauds. Of course they are; but there is, after all, plenty of fraud in other areas. This does not mean that no one has real psi abilities. We do not stop buying cars because some used car salesmen are crooks, nor do we distrust stockbrokers in general because some of them sell phony stocks. Genuine psychics with conscious control of their powers are rare, to be sure; most telepathy occurs unconsciously and the faculty for it exists in everyone. In my opinion unconscious telepathy has been, and still is, vastly more prevalent than anyone imagines and has had a major impact on human history. Why isn't this recognized? Why do so many otherwise open-minded people, scientists in particular, vehemently reject evidence for psi that in any other context would be indisputable? Kira's explanation in Chapter 27 of Stewards of the Flame, now elaborated throughout Defender of the Flame and Herald of the Flame, seems to me the most likely one -- plus the fact that scientists have built their careers on a worldview that rules out anything non-physical, and they subconsciously reject any indication that their premises might be false.

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Even people who do believe in the existence of psi have tried to think of a physical explanation for it, such as invisible radiation of some kind. This has been as true of researchers as of New Agers who postulate "energy fields" or "auras." Even the symbolic pictures on this Web page depict telepathic communication in the form of rays. Such conceptions are metaphors, which are necessary because we have no other way of envisioning things beyond our present comprehension. Currently, parapsychologists are speculating that the explanation of psi may have something to do with quantum physics, and it's noteworthy that this too is based on an assumption that physics underlies everything. But since there is a great deal science doesn't understand about quantum physics, I think it's possible that ultimately psi will shed light on quantum physics rather the other way around. Personally I believe there is an aspect of reality that is totally outside the realm of the physical, and that underneath skeptical scientists sense this, which accounts for their antagonism toward psi.

As I've said, I believe the question of survival after death, and of alleged communication with departed spirits, is an entirely separate one from the existence of psi capabilities, and should not be confused with it. I have not seen any evidence for communication with the dead that cannot be explained by unconscious telepathy among the living. One highly-regarded book on this subject claims that the evidence cited could not have been obtained via telepathy because the only person alive who had the information wasn't thinking about it, which completely ignores the fact that most telepathy occurs on an unconscious level. Be that as it may, however, I think it's a mistake to tie the two issues together because neither is dependent on the other. There is plenty of evidence for psi that has nothing to do with survival after death; moreover it is quite possible that if spirits do survive death, they don't hang around long enough to communicate with anybody. The universe is vast, and personally I can't conceive of spirits no longer associated with physical bodies remaining involved in the affairs of one small planet in a particular physical location. I certainly do not believe they'd return as ghosts. In any case, the assumption that acceptance of psi implies acceptance of life after death, or vice versa, interferes with progress in the understanding of what abilities living human beings possess.

I believe the conscious development of human psi abilities lies in the future -- that it will be an evolutionary advance, not, as some people think, a return to something lost in the past. My original idea for Stewards of the Flame was to explore how, and why, a civilization might begin to move from the present level of ours to the level of Elana's people in my novel Enchantress from the Stars, who had very advanced psi powers. It would be a long process, taking place over many generations, but it would have to start somewhere. And I believe, as I said in the book, that it would not be adaptive in the evolutionary sense for it to start (except on an individual level) before a civilization had developed the technology necessary for expansion to many worlds. To turn to "inner space" before spreading into outer space, as some people advocate, would be self-defeating, since colonization of space is essential to a species' long-term survival. So though Stewards of the Flame is about psi and other issues rather than about space, it is not really a departure from what I've been writing about all along.

For more about my personal view of psi, read my essays The Role of Psi in Human Affairs and The Roots of Disbelief in Human Mind Powers here at this website and in my book The Future of Being Human..

Some links to some websites with good material on psi

There is quite a bit of information about psi on the Web, but there is also a lot of nonsense. In searching for articles and books, be aware that the term "parasychology" is often misused. Parapsychology is the scientific study of psi phenomena by systematic methods, primarily in laboratories. Parapsychologists are not psychics, nor do they train people to develop psychic ability; and they do not investigate appearances of ghosts or UFOs. The term parapsychology (unlike "paranormal") shouldn't be used for these activities, but it often is.

Head with rays Website of Dr. Dean Radin, a foremost parapsychologist who has written several excellent books about his research and has frequently been interviewed. His site contains many links to scientific papers on psi as well as podcasts and videos.

Website of Dr. Charles Tart, another prominent researcher who has written many books about parapsychology and related fields. His site contains articles plus links to other resources.

Psi Phenomena by Daryl J. Bern. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), August 10, 2000. "As our understanding of the world changes, a phenomenon that seemed extraordinary at an earlier time may no longer seem so -- even if the quality of the evidence has not changed."

They Laughed at Galileo Too by Chip Brown. New York Times, August 11, 1996. "Psychical phenomena seem to extend what we can know about ourselves, our capabilities, what Radin calls 'our deep interconnectedness.'"

Feeling The Future: Is Precognition Possible? by Jonah Lehrer. Wired, November 15, 2018. "Bem's paper . . . provides the first testable framework for the investigation of anomalous psychological properties."

Dramatic Study Shows Participants Are Affected by Psychological Phenomena from the Future by Christian Jarrett. British Psychological Society Research Digest, November 12, 2010. "A new study involving hundreds of Cornell undergrads has provided a dramatic demonstration of numerous ‘retroactive’ psi effects "

It's About Time: The Scientific Evidence for Psi Experiences by Cassandra Vueten. Huff Post, November 17, 2011. "Why is the existing literature on psi phenomena routinely dismissed by the scientific community and virtually ignored within the broader academic community?"

Parapsychology has Been Unfairly Sidelined, Claims a New Review of the Field by Alex Freders. British Psychological Society Research Digest, July 2, 2018. "Today the field is cordoned off; and when it encroaches into mainstream publications . . . furore typically follows."

The Reality of Psi: Leading Journal Publishes a Paper Revealing the Evidence for Superpowers of the Mind. Daily Grail, June 8, 2018. "The official peer-reviewed academic journal of the American Psychological Association has published a paper that reviews the research so far into parapsychological (‘psi’) abilities, and concludes that the “evidence provides cumulative support for the reality of psi."

head with rays Parapsychological Association, an affiliate of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This is the international professional organization of scientists and scholars engaged in the study of psi.

Parapsychology Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation which provides a worldwide forum supporting the scientific investigation of psychic phenomena.

The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), a nonprofit membership organization that conducts and sponsors leading-edge research into the potentials and powers of consciousness. Its research is headed by Dean Radin.

GotPsi.org, a site containing online tests you can take to see how much psi ability you have. It is maintained by the IONS.

The Rhine Research Center, an institute for the study of consciousness that furthers the work of Joseph B. and Louisa Rhine, who pioneered the scientific study of ESP beginning in the 1930s.

Society for Scientific Exploration, a multi-disciplinary professional organization of scientists and other scholars committed to the rigorous study of unusual and unexplained phenomena that cross traditional scientific boundaries.

Society for Psychical Research (SPR), a British society, established in 1882, which was the first organization to examine allegedly paranormal phenomena using scientific principles.

American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR), the oldest psychical research organization in the United States, founded in 1885, which supports scientific investigation of extraordinary or as yet unexplained phenomena that have been called psychic or paranormal.

The Global Consciousness Project, an international, multidisciplinary collaboration of scientists, engineers, artists and others who have been collecting data from a global network of random event generators reflecting patterns that are not random and may be attributable to human consciousness.

International Remote Viewing Association (IRVA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the responsible use and development of remote viewing. It offers detailed information and links, including some to sites of remote viewers asociated with the former military remote viewing program Star Gate.

The Windbridge Institute, an organization whose goals are to normalize reports of psi functioning (precognition, telepathy, clairvoyance, and mind-matter interactions); optimize psi functioning through the use of traditional mindfulness practices, new emerging technologies, and creative expression; and utilize psi to solve real-world problems.

Public Parapsychology, a blog dedicated to advancing public scholarship in the fields of parapsychology and anomalistic psychology; it has news, articles and book reviews.

In-print books on psi that I especially recommend to general readers (listed alphabetically by author).

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Science and Psychic Phenomena: The Fall of the House of Skeptics by Chris Carter. (Originally published under the title Parapsychology and the Skeptics: A Scientific Argument for the Existence of ESP), Inner Traditions, 2012 (2007).

Phenomena: The Secret History of the U.S. Government's Investigations into Extrasensory Perception and Psychokinesis by Annie Jacobsen. Little Brown, 2017.

Connected: The Emergence of Global Consciousness by Roger D. Nelson. ICRL Press, 2019.

The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomena by. Dean Radin. (UK edition titled The Noetic Universe. HarperOne, 2009 (1997).

Real Magic: Ancient Wisdom, Modern Science, and a Guide to the Secret Power of the Universe, by Dean Radin. Harmony, 2018.

Supernormal: Science, Yoga, and the Evidence for Extraordinary Psychic Abilities by Dean Radin. Crown, 2013.

Dogs That Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home: And Other Unexplained Powers of Animals by Rupert Sheldrake. Three Rivers Press, 2011.

A Short History of (Nearly) Everything Paranormal: Our Secret Powers: Telepathy, Clairvoyance and Precognition. by Terji Simonsen. Watkins, 2020.

Reading the Enemy's Mind: Inside Star Gate -- America's Psychic Espionage Program by Paul H. Smith. Forge Books, 2006.

The Reality of ESP: A Physicist's Proof of Psychic Abilities by Russell Targ. Quest, 2012.

The Secret Science of the Soul: How Evidence of the Paranormal Is Bringing Science and Spirit Together by Charles T. Tart. (Originally published under the titlle The End of Materialism.) Fearlesss Books, 2017 (2008).

Some books that explore further details about psi.

Some of these books are out of print or expensive, but used copies and/or Kindle editions are available. I have not included self-help books or books focused primarily on spirtuality and/or transpersonal psychology, nor have I listed books about survival of consciousness after death. There are many excellent books on those subjects rhat deal in part with psi, but adding them would make this list much too long.

Distant Mental Influence: Its Contributions to Science, Healing and Human Interactions by William Braud. Hampton Roads, 2003.

The Limits of Influence: Psychokinesis and the Philosophy of Science by Stephen E. Braude. University Press of America, 1997.

The Gold Leaf Lady and Other Parapsychological Investigations by Stephen E. Braude. University of Chicago Press, 2007.

Outside the Gates of Science: Why It's Time for the Paranormal to Come in from the Cold by Damien Broderick. Thunder's Mouth Press, 2007.

Parapsychology: The Controversial Science by Richard S. Broughton. Ballantine Books, 1991.

Parapsychology: A Handbook for the 21st Century by Etzel Cardena, John Palmer and David Marcusson-Clavertz, eds. McFarland, 2015.

First Sight: ESP and Parapsychology in Everyday Life by James C. Carpenter, Rowman & Littlefield, 2012.

Suddenly Psychic: A Skeptic's Journey by Maureen Caudill. Hampton Roads, 2006.

The Premonition Code: The Science of Precognition, How Sensing the Future Can Change Your Life by Theresa Cheung and Julia Mossbridge. Watkins, 2018.

The Power of Premonitions: How Knowing the Future Can Shape Our Lives by Larry Dossey. Dutton, 2009.

The Gift: ESP the Extraordinary Experiences of Ordinary People by Sally Rhine Feather. St. Martin's Press, 2005.

Tracks in the Psychic Wilderness: An Exploration of Remote Viewing ESP Precognitive Dreaming and Synchronicity by Dale E. Graff. Element Books, 1998.

Frontiers of the Soul: Exploring Psychic Evolution by Michael Grosso, Quest, 1995.

Soulmaker: True Stories from the Far Side of the Psyche by Michael Grosso. Hampton Roads, 1991.

The Psychic Wars: Parapsychology in Espionage -- And Beyond by R. Elmer Gruber. Blandford, 1999.

Mind-Matter Interaction: A Review of Historical Reports, Theory and Research by Pamela Rae Heath, McFarland, 2011.

Consciousness and the Source of Reality: The PEAR Odyssey by Robert G. Jahn and Brenda J. Dunne. ICRL Press, 2011.

Margins of Reality: The Role of Consciousness in the Physical World by Robert G. Jahn and Brenda Dunne. Harcourt, 1987,

Jung on Synchronicity and the Paranormal by C. G. Jung. Princeton University Press, 1997.

Irreducible Mind: Toward a Psychology for the 21st Century by Edward Kelly and Emily Williams Kelly. Rowman & Littlefield, 2009.

Channeling: Investigations on Receiving Information from Paranormal Sources by Jon Klimo. CreateSpace, 1998.

Debating Psychic Experience: Human Potential or Human Illusion? by Stanley C. Krippner and Harris L. Friedman, eds. Praeger, 2010,.

Science and the Akashic Field by Ervin Laszlo. Inner Traditions, 2007.

A New Science of the Paranormal: The Promise of Psychical Research by Lawrence LeShan. Quest Books, 2009.

World of the Paranormal: The Next Frontier by Lawrence LeShan. Helios Press, 2004 (1984).

Mind Trek: Exploring Consciousness, Time and Space through Remote Viewing by Joseph McMoneagle. Hampton Roads, 1997.

The Stargate Chronicles: Memoirs of a Psychic Spy by Joseph McMoneagle. Crossroads, 2013 (2002).

The Intention Experiment: Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World by Lynne McTaggart. Free Press, 2008.

ESP Wars: East & West: An Account of the Military Use of Psychic Espionage as Narrated by the Key Russian and American Players by Edwin C. May and Victor Rubel et al. Crossroad Press, 2015.

Extrasensory Perception: Support, Skepticism, and Science (two volumes) by Edwin C. May and Sonali Bhatt Marwaha, eds. Praeger, 2015.

Extraordinary Knowing: Science, Skepticism, and the Inexplicable Powers of the Human Mind. by Elizabeth Lloyd Mayer. Bantam, 2007.

The Roots of Consciousness: The Classic Encyclopedia of Consciousness Studies Revised and Expanded by Jeffrey Mishlove. Da Capo, 1997.

Psychic Exploration: A Challenge for Science by Edgar D. Mitchell, Cosimo Books, 2011 (1976).

The Future of the Body by Michael Murphy. Tarcher, 1993.

Synchronicity: The Marriage of Matter and Psyche by F. David Peat. Pari, 2014 (1987).

Twin Telepathy: The Psychic Connection by Guy Lyon Playfair. Vega, 2002.

The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena by Diane Hennacy Powell. Walker, 2009.

Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality by Dean Radin. Paraview Pocket Books, 2006.

Extra-Sensory Perception by J.B. Rhine, (many editions, orig. 1964).

Best Evidence: An Investigative Reporter's Three-Year Quest to Uncover the Best Scientific Evidence for ESP by Michael Schmicker. iUniverse, 2002.

Remote Viewers: The Secret history of America's Psychic Spies by Jim Schnabel. Dell, 1997.

The Parapsycholgy Revolution by Robert M. Schoch and Logan Yonavjak, eds. Tarcher, 2008.

The Psychic Powers of Animals by Bill Schul. Open Road, 2014 (1977). Opening to the Infinite by Stephan A. Schwartz. Nemoseen Media, 2007.

The Sense of Being Stared At: And Other Aspects of the Extended Mind by Rupert Sheldrake. Park Street Press, 2013.

Psychic Literacy & the Coming Psychic Renaissance by Ingo Swann. Swann-Ryder, 2018.

The Synchronized Universe: New Science of the Paranormal by Claude Swanson. Poseidia Press, 2003.

The Holographic Universe: The Revolutionary Theory of Reality by Michael Talbot. Harper Perennial, 2011 (1991).

Mind-Reach: Scientists Look at Psychic Ability by Russell Targ and Harold Pithoff. Hampton Roads, 2005 (1978).

The Mind Race: Understanding and Using Psychic Abilities by Russell Targ and Keith Harary. Villard Books, 1984.

Limitless Mind: A Guide to Remote Viewing and Transformation of Consciousness by Russell Targ. New World Library, 2004.

Body Mind Spirit: Exploring the Parapsychology of Spirituality by Charles T. Tart, ed. Hampton Roads, 1997.

Psi: Scientific Studies of the Psychic Realm by Charles T. Tart. Dutton, 1977

Mind at Large: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Symposia on the Nature of Extrasensory Perception by Charles T. Tart, Harold E. Puthoff, and Russell Targ, eds. Hampton Roads, 2002 (1979).

Parapsychology In The Twenty-First Century: Essays On The Future Of Psychical Research by Michael A. Thalbourne and Lance Storm, eds. McFarland, 2004.

Dream Telepathy: Experiments in Nocturnal Extrasensory Perception by Montague Ullman and Stanley Krippner. Hampton Roads, 2003 (1973).

Incredible Coincidence: The Baffling World of Synchronicity by Alan Vaughan. Signet, 1980.

Mind to Mind: Studies in Consciousness by Rene Warcollier. Hampton Roads, 2001 (1948).


Last updated in June 2019
Text copyright 2019 by Sylvia Engdahl
This series of pages about background for Stewards of the Flame is not meant to be a comprehensive or balanced overview of the topics covered; it merely offers support for the ideas expressed in the novel.


BACKGROUND ON CONTROVERSIAL
TOPICS DEALT WITH IN
STEWARDS OF THE FLAME

Closer than you may think

Remote health monitoring

Implanted microchips

Compulsory healthcare


Truer than you may realize

Mind's influence on health

Advanced neurofeedback

ESP and other psi powers

Fire immunity


Worse than you may know

Medical overtreatment

Harmful psychiatric care

Prolonged death