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Remote Viewing: Exploring the History and Examples of Psychic Perception

Remote viewing is a controversial technique that involves using psychic abilities to perceive distant or unseen targets

Introduction

In recent decades, the practice has gained attention due to its
purported use by various government agencies, including the CIA and the military. Despite its controversial nature, there have been numerous documented instances of successful remote viewing sessions, which have led many to question the true potential of this psychic phenomenon.

The idea of remote viewing can be traced back to ancient times, with various cultures using different techniques to achieve a state of psychic perception. In modern times, remote viewing gained prominence during the Cold War, when the US government began researching the potential of psychic abilities for intelligence gathering. In the 1970s, the CIA launched a remote viewing program called Stargate, which continued until the early 1990s. Since then, numerous private individuals and organizations have continued to practice remote viewing, leading to further advances in the field.

 

The Controversy Surrounding Remote Viewing

Despite the many claims of successful remote viewing sessions, the practice remains highly controversial among many scientists and skeptics. Some argue that the phenomenon is not scientifically proven and that any apparent success is likely due to chance or bias. Others suggest that any successful remote viewing can be explained by conventional means, such as through subconscious cues or prior knowledge.

Critics of remote viewing argue that there is no scientific evidence to support the notion that people can perceive distant or unseen targets through extrasensory perception. Skeptics point out that the vast majority of remote viewing sessions produce results that are no better than chance, and that any apparent success can be attributed to luck or statistical probability. Furthermore, critics argue that remote viewing is a highly subjective and uncontrolled process, which makes it difficult to distinguish between genuine psychic abilities and other factors, such as cognitive biases and wishful thinking.

 

Skeptics also suggest that any successful remote viewing sessions can be explained by conventional means. For instance, some argue that remote viewers may unconsciously pick up on subtle cues or hints from their surroundings or from the people around them. Others suggest that remote viewers may have prior knowledge of the target or may be able to infer details through logical deduction. In these cases, any apparent success in remote viewing can be explained by conventional means rather than by psychic abilities.

Despite these criticisms, many proponents of remote viewing argue that there is ample evidence to suggest that the phenomenon is real and can be reliably demonstrated under controlled conditions. They point to the many successful remote viewing sessions conducted by government agencies, such as the CIA and the military, as evidence that the phenomenon is real and can be used for practical purposes. Moreover, they argue that the fact that the US government and other organizations have invested significant time and resources into researching the potential of remote viewing suggests that there may be more to the practice than mere chance or bias.

Origins

The concept of remote viewing, or the ability to perceive objects or events that are located in distant or unseen locations, is not a new one. In fact, the idea of remote viewing can be traced back to ancient times, with various cultures using different techniques to achieve a state of psychic perception.

For instance, in ancient Greece, the Oracle of Delphi was said to have possessed the ability to perceive distant events through a state of altered consciousness induced by inhaling fumes from a sacred spring. Similarly, in ancient China, Taoist monks used meditation and other techniques to achieve a state of heightened awareness, which they believed allowed them to perceive distant events.

In the Middle Ages, European mystics and alchemists also developed various techniques for remote viewing, such as scrying, which involved gazing into a crystal ball or other reflective surface in order to perceive distant events or receive messages from the divine.

 

In more recent times, the concept of remote viewing has been popularized by various occult and spiritualist movements, such as the Theosophical Society and the New Age movement.

These groups often promote various techniques, such as meditation, visualization, and psychic development exercises, as a means of achieving a state of psychic awareness and accessing higher levels of consciousness.

However, it was not until the 20th century that remote viewing became the subject of serious scientific investigation. In the 1930s, J.B. Rhine, a psychologist at Duke University, conducted a series of experiments on extrasensory perception (ESP), including remote viewing, which he believed could be demonstrated through rigorous scientific testing.

In the 1970s, the US government also became interested in the potential of remote viewing for intelligence-gathering purposes. The CIA and other agencies conducted a series of classified experiments on remote viewing, which became known as the Stargate Project. These experiments produced some remarkable results, which convinced many researchers that remote viewing was a real and potentially useful phenomenon.

The History of Remote Viewing

The modern history of remote viewing can be traced back to the 1970s when the United States government initiated a program known as Stargate. The goal of the program was to develop and utilize remote viewing for military intelligence purposes. The program was highly classified, and its existence was not made public until the 1990s. During this time, the program trained numerous individuals in the art of remote viewing and conducted a range of operations to test the effectiveness of the technique.

One of the most famous remote viewers associated with the Stargate program was Ingo Swann. Swann was a highly gifted psychic who was able to provide accurate information about a range of remote locations, including the planet Jupiter. Swann’s abilities were studied extensively by the Stargate program, and his work helped to establish remote viewing as a legitimate field of study.

Since the closure of the Stargate program in the late 1990s, remote viewing has continued to be studied by scientists and researchers around the world. While the technique remains controversial, there have been numerous examples of successful remote viewing documented over the years. These examples range from identifying the location of a missing person or object to providing insights into the layout of a foreign military base.

 

Examples of Remote Viewing

One book that provides a detailed exploration of remote viewing is “The Seventh Sense: The Secrets of Remote Viewing as Told by a “Psychic Spy” for the U.S. Military,” written by Lyn Buchanan. In this book, Buchanan shares his experiences as a remote viewer for the Stargate program and provides numerous examples of remote viewing in action.

One such example involves a remote viewer tasked with identifying the location of a missing plane. The viewer was given no information about the plane’s last known location or any other details about the situation. Using only their intuition and visualization abilities, the remote viewer was able to provide accurate information about the plane’s location, allowing search and rescue teams to find the wreckage and recover the bodies of those onboard.

Another example from the book involves a remote viewer tasked with identifying a Soviet submarine base. The viewer was given a set of coordinates and asked to provide any information they could about the location. The remote viewer was able to provide detailed information about the location and layout of the base, including the number of submarines docked there. This information was later verified by satellite imagery and other intelligence sources.

There have been numerous documented instances of successful remote viewing sessions, which have led many to believe in the phenomenon’s potential. For example, in Joseph McMoneagle’s book “Remote Viewing Secrets,” he shares an example of a remote viewing session in which he accurately identified a Soviet missile testing facility, despite being given no prior knowledge of the location. In Russell Targ’s book “The Reality of ESP,” he provides an example of a viewer accurately describing an oil rig located in the middle of the ocean, despite having no prior knowledge of the target location. These and other documented instances of successful remote viewing have led to further research and exploration of the phenomenon.

  • “Remote Viewing Secrets: A Handbook” by Joseph McMoneagle
    In this book, McMoneagle shares several examples of remote viewing he conducted while working for the US military. One such example involves a remote viewing session in which he was tasked with identifying a Soviet missile testing facility. Despite being given no prior knowledge of the location, McMoneagle was able to describe the facility’s layout and the presence of missiles, which was later confirmed by satellite imagery.

  • “The Reality of ESP: A Physicist’s Proof of Psychic Abilities” by Russell Targ
    Targ provides an example of a remote viewing session in which a viewer was asked to describe a target location hidden from view. The location was a set of coordinates in the middle of the ocean, and the viewer was asked to describe any features they could perceive. The viewer described seeing waves, dolphins, and a large metal structure. Later, it was discovered that the target location was a specific oil rig, and the viewer’s description matched the structure of the rig and the presence of dolphins in the surrounding waters.

  • “The Psychic Battlefield: A History of the Military-Occult Complex” by W. Adam Mandelbaum
    This book provides an overview of the history of remote viewing and its use by the military. One example mentioned in the book involves a remote viewer who was tasked with identifying a target location that was shielded from view by a series of large buildings. Despite the obstacle, the viewer was able to provide accurate information about the location’s layout and the presence of personnel and equipment.

  • “The Ultimate Time Machine: A Remote Viewer’s Perception of Time, and Predictions for the New Millennium” by Joseph McMoneagle
    In this book, McMoneagle provides an example of a remote viewing session in which he was tasked with identifying the location of a missing person. The person had disappeared in a large city, and McMoneagle was given no prior knowledge of their whereabouts. Despite the challenge, he was able to provide detailed information about the person’s location, which was later confirmed by law enforcement.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Remote viewing remains a fascinating and controversial subject, with proponents and skeptics on both sides of the debate. While the exact mechanisms behind the phenomenon remain unclear, the documented instances of successful remote viewing suggest that there may be more to the practice than mere chance or bias. As research into the subject continues, it is likely that we will learn more about the potential and limitations of remote viewing, and whether it may have practical applications in various fields.

 

REMOTE VIEWING
LINKS

  1. The International Remote Viewing Association (IRVA) – A nonprofit organization dedicated to the study and practice of remote viewing. Their website contains resources, events, and information about remote viewing: https://www.irva.org/

  2. Farsight Institute – A research institute that specializes in remote viewing, with a focus on applications in science, technology, and archaeology. Their website contains information about their research, courses, and projects: https://farsight.org/

  3. The Remote Viewing Consortium – An online community for remote viewers and enthusiasts. Their website offers resources, discussion forums, and training programs for remote viewing: https://www.remoteviewingconsortium.org/

  4. The Monroe Institute – A nonprofit organization that offers training programs and research on altered states of consciousness, including remote viewing. Their website contains information about their programs and research: https://www.monroeinstitute.org/

  5. The Applied Precognition Project – A research group that studies precognition and remote viewing, with a focus on applications in sports betting and financial forecasting. Their website contains information about their research and projects: https://www.appliedprecog.com/