Countless factors can mitigate against self-observation in Western society. Charles Tart, PhD, noted psychologist and author of Waking Up, suggests we begin by learning to focus on seemingly trivial details such as bodily sensations. Through repeated and diligent practice, he says, the process of self-observation leads us to a larger view of ourselves and our [...]

One of America’s foremost parapsychology researchers, Charles Tart, PhD, discusses his own research as he examines factors that facilitate ESP scoring in the laboratory. These range from feedback learning strategies to methods for shielding the human body from random electromagnetic and geomagnetic influences. Dr. Tart is the author of Psi: Studies in the Scientific Realm and Learning to [...]

Here he observes that, in previous generations, people suspected of using psi abilities for harmful purposes (i.e., witches) were burned at the stake. Fear of psi is akin to religious fear of the devil. It is also akin to what scoffers refer to as their fear of the “rising tide of superstition”. Many in academia [...]

In this 2016 interview, he discusses the career and work of the early twentieth century mystical teacher, George Ivanovich Gurdjieff. He particular stresses the notion that, according to Gurdjieff, human beings typically go through life in a mechanical state akin to sleep. Such a life is not worth living. Various exercises help unify the divergent [...]

Here he describes the “decline effect” in parapsychology research as the result of a psychological “extinction paradigm”. Having subjects repeat a boring task without feedback, in many different disciplines, results in a decline of ability. His research involved training ESP using an automated system, involving forced choices with feedback. Subjects were pre-screened for ESP ability. [...]