Expand your mind, open your heart, and activate your full potential.

August 14–16, 2009
Nine Gates Mystery School Weekend: Explore the Teachings of Ancient Wisdom
Gay Luce, PhD, and Deborah Jones, MA

September 18–20, 2009
Working with Fields of Consciousness: Practical strategies for group leaders
Chris M. Bache, PhD, and Dean Radin, PhD (guest speaker)

September 25–27, 2009
Mindful Motherhood: A meditation & yoga retreat for pregnant women
Cassandra Vieten, PhD, and Jnana Gowan

October 9–11, 2009
Extraordinary Dreams: Working creatively with dreams in your life practice Fariba Bogzaran, PhD, and Patricia Garfield, PhD (guest speaker)

October 24–25, 2009
Circle of Stones: Reclaim your feminine wisdom.
Judith Duerk, author of Circle of Stones
(Public Friday night lecture, October 23)

November 20–22, 2009
Alchemical Divination: Reconciliation with the shadow.
Ralph Metzner, PhD

November 20–21, 2009
David Whyte, Poet and Philosopher

Register online, email workshops@noetic.org, or call 707-779-8224.

See a complete list of 2009 workshops.

Located on 200 acres of beautiful rolling hills just 25 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, we offer meeting facilities, cuisine, and accommodations for up to 120 people. Our clients offer educational programs, workshops, and retreats, with a broad focus on health, personal growth, and transformation. We also welcome weekend workshops and retreats for small groups (less than 25). Many programs are open to the public.

For more information and an Events Schedule: www.noetic.org/retreat.cfm
events@noetic.org

If you thought Roger Ebert was only interested in movies, read "The quantum theory of reincarnation," the latest essay on his award-winning online journal. In it the renowned film critic offers both wide-eyed wonder and speculative rumination on the phenomenon of quantum entanglement, its possible implications, and the role of string theory and ether and of consciousness as "gravitational." A lively series of postings follows. Also featured on the page are a handful of YouTube videos, including the animated double-slit experiment featured in the movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?.

IONS' Dean Radin has his own double-slit experiment underway to further explore how the physical world described by quantum mechanics—as a vast set of potential, simultaneously existing states—becomes the actual states that we experience as everyday reality.

"To explore this issue," Dr. Radin explains, "we are conducting experiments using a double-slit optical system, which is one of the simplest ways to study the quantum behavior of light. In randomly counterbalanced periods, participants are asked to focus their attention toward or away from the optical system while the double-slit interference pattern is recorded by a high resolution line camera. The measurement of interest in this study is the ratio between the spectral power of double-slit vs. single-slit patterns. This ratio is predicted to decrease during periods of observation by a 'nonlocal' aspect of consciousness as compared to periods of no observation.

"The experiment is on-going and no conclusions have been reached yet, but the results so far support the prediction that consciousness is a causal factor in shaping how some aspects of the physical world manifest."

For a useful primer on the field of quantum mechanics, see The God Effect: Quantum Entanglement, Science's Strangest Phenomenon by science writer Brian Clegg (St. Martin's Griffin, July 2009).

New IONS Circle member Elizabeth Thornton is adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at Babson College and its first Chief Diversity Officer. Babson, located in Wellesley, MA, has been ranked number one in entrepreneurship education by US News and World Report for the past 16 consecutive years. In her role at Babson, Thornton is a member of the President's Cabinet and leads efforts to empower students, faculty, and staff with an awareness of cultural issues and a competency in cultural intelligence.

As a member of the entrepreneurship faculty, Thornton has developed a new course for graduate students and business leaders called the Principle of Objectivity. In explaining her program, she writes, "The challenge is that most of us cannot be objective about how we relate to ourselves, our situations, or the people in our lives. In an instant we project our fears, mental models, and experiences onto a situation, person, or event. We then see something as other than what it is—a misperception, or we make a biased judgment about a person—stereotyping, or we exaggerate the value of a circumstance or event—an over-reaction. It is simply the nature of the mind!"

Thornton joined IONS because her passion is consistent with IONS' mission "to serve individual and collective transformation." To facilitate the kind of "shift" that IONS envisions, Elizabeth believes that our leaders must develop tools for increasing their objectivity in order to see clearly, make sound judgments, inspire others, and execute intentionally and effectively. "To improve race relations in this country," she says, "to address the numerous stubborn conflicts around the world, or to ignite a real sense of oneness, community, and collaboration in resolving our many challenges, we need to develop objectivity."

To learn more about IONS' Circle membership, please contact Donor Relations: Deborah Breitbach at 707-779-8216 or Kathleen Erickson-Freeman at 707-779-8232.

The Institute of Noetic Sciences has six office spaces for rent at its beautiful hilltop Petaluma, California, campus. We are looking not only to rent the office spaces but to find a collaborative partner who shares our values and purpose in transforming consciousness and building a better world. Ideally, we would like this person or group to bring their programs to the campus and partner with us by holding events at our retreat center.

These spaces are in a triple-wide modular building with breathtaking views. Also in this building is Veriditas, an organization that facilitates programs based on walking a labyrinth. Veriditas has partnered with us to build a labyrinth on the property, and hosts their meetings and programs at our retreat center. It is this kind of multi-faceted and like-minded collaboration that we are looking for with whomever rents the available spaces.

If you are interested in looking at the space or talking further, please contact Cathy Coleman at ccoleman@noetic.org or 707-779-8171.

The Institute of Noetic Sciences is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research and educational organization located in Northern California that conducts and sponsors leading-edge research into the potentials and powers of consciousness—including perceptions, beliefs, attention, intention, and intuition. The Institute explores phenomena that do not necessarily fit conventional scientific models, while maintaining a commitment to scientific rigor.

We depend on and gratefully accept your financial support.