Description:
Russell Targ is a parapsychological genius. He is one of the most successful and insightful parapsychologists in history. He is a man of magic! Last April, he celebrated his 91st birthday. The second book in the New Thinking Allowed Dialogues series is titled "Russell Targ: Ninety years of ESP, Remote Viewing, and Timeless Awareness." It contains transcripts of fifteen conversations between Russell and Jeffrey Mishlove.
Targ, a laser physicist, cofounded the remote viewing research program at SRI International. He is coauthor of Mind Reach, The Mind Race, Miracles of Mind, The Heart of the Mind, and The End of Suffering. He is author of Limitless Mind and The Reality of ESP: A Physicist's Proof of Psychic Abilities. He is also coeditor of the anthology, Mind At Large.
Targ's Background and Start of the SRI Program (11:00–20:00)
At 91, Targ reflects on his career shift from lasers to psychic research. In 1972, after building lasers for NASA, he pitched an ESP program to Werner von Braun at a conference, using an ESP teaching machine (a feedback device with colored squares or images; now available for $1). Von Braun, a "closet psychic," endorsed it, leading to a meeting with NASA administrator Jim Fletcher and astronaut Edgar Mitchell. This secured funding for the Stanford Research Institute (SRI) program, co-led with Hal Puthoff. Targ notes synchronicities, like attending Bobby Fischer's (his brother-in-law) chess championship in Iceland before starting.
Early experiments included Ingo Swann (who coined "remote viewing" in 1974) and Hella Hammid (initially a control subject who outperformed Swann). Publications: a 1974 Nature paper on Swann's RV (1 in 10,000 significance) and a 1976 IEEE paper on Hammid's EEG-linked perception (1 in a million significance), proving direct mind-to-mind connection without feedback.
Key RV Concepts and Examples (20:00–35:00)
Targ defines RV as an innate ability to perceive across space and time, unlimited by distance or duration. Examples:
- Annie Besant (Theosophy founder) psychically described a hydrogen atom in 1895, resembling quarks (invented by Murray Gell-Mann in 1964).
- Swann's 1973 prediction of Jupiter's ring (confirmed by Pioneer 10; 500 million miles away, perceived instantly).
Targ emphasizes non-locality: no separation in consciousness, akin to entanglement.
He discusses Ingo Swann's book Psychic Sexuality, introducing "telesthesia" (heart-to-heart connection) and Aleister Crowley's astral explorations. RV is not guessing but expanding awareness.
Interactions with Skeptics and High-Profile Figures (35:00–45:00)
Targ shares RV successes with skeptics:
- Israeli physicist Yakir Aharonov saw "ducks" (matching a duck pond target).
- U.S. Under Secretary of Defense described a brick tower cafe (Allied Arts Guild).
- Ted Owens (the "PK Man"): Ended a drought and caused an April snowfall in Palo Alto (1976). Mishlove took over studying Owens, leading to a documentary with Lance Mungia.
Pat Price's feats: Described a secret NSA site (Sugar Grove) given log cabin coordinates, noting hidden things "shine like beacons." Price was "stolen" by the CIA in 1974 due to his abilities (e.g., reading desk documents remotely), but died mysteriously in 1975 (possible heart attack, KGB, or CIA involvement; he leaked to Scientologists).
Precognition and Associative RV (45:00–1:05:00)
Targ recounts his own RV: While Puthoff vacationed in South America (1974), Targ drew an island airport (San Andres) matching feedback photos, suggesting precognition of the image.
- Associative RV: Psychic Keith Harary forecasted silver market changes 9/9 times (1979–1980), earning $250,000. No initial target; feedback drove precognition. Later attempts failed due to pressure and delayed feedback.
Viewer Q&A and Practical Insights (1:05:00–1:30:00)
- Distinguishing RV from Imagination/Memory: Through practice and interviewer guidance; focus on "surprising images."
- Who Can RV?: Almost everyone; Targ succeeded with skeptics. No need for expensive classes—books suffice. Meditation helps quiet mental noise.
- Feedback Essential?: No; Price described a Soviet sphere (Semipalatinsk) years before confirmation.
- Non-Military Uses: Finding lost items (e.g., Targ located a diamond tennis bracelet by visualizing posts). Avoid accidents, dowsing for resources.
- Sensory Modalities: Primarily visual, but could include sounds/smells; dowsing is a form of RV.
- Bobby Fischer: Targ shared a postmortem chess game (via medium, vs. Victor Korchnoi); Fischer confirmed it as "real" but didn't discuss ESP deeply.
Other topics: SRI's shielded room (for Uri Geller, not essential for RV); Targ's stage magic background (parallels RV in guiding perception, e.g., card forces).
Retrocognition and Closing (1:30:00–1:44:00)
Price's water purification plant drawing (1972) included tanks absent for 50 years (retrocognition). Targ links RV to spirituality (mind-body, parapsychology). The session promotes Mishlove's book and CIHS.edu's parapsychology programs. Targ expresses gratitude; Mishlove teaches at CIHS.
Overall Themes and Impact
The interview highlights RV as evidence of non-dual, entangled consciousness, bridging ancient philosophy, quantum physics, and empirical science. Targ's anecdotes emphasize ease, ethics, and real-world applications, demystifying RV while cautioning against ego or misuse. It's inspirational, with viewers expressing honor. The discussion underscores Targ's legacy: 50 years of RV research, influencing military (e.g., CIA) and civilian fields.
