Evidence for Correlations Between Distant Intentionality and Brain Function in Recipients: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis
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Plain English Summary
Can a healer's focused intention light up someone else's brain from another room? This 2005 study tested that with eleven healer-recipient pairs in Hawaii, spanning Reiki, Qigong, Hawaiian prayer (pule), and Peruvian shamanism. Recipients lay in an fMRI brain scanner while healers sat in a shielded room, sending intentions at random two-minute intervals the recipients knew nothing about. Yet their brains responded anyway. During send periods, specific regions activated significantly (p=0.000127 -- roughly a 1-in-8,000 chance of being a fluke). The activated areas included the precuneus, tied to self-awareness, and the cingulate cortex. The precuneus finding is especially cool because other research links it to meditative consciousness. However, real caveats exist: the same randomization sequence was reused across sessions, and three staff knew the timing -- risking subtle information leakage. Still, as the first fMRI study purpose-built to test distant healing with experienced practitioners, it broke new ground.
Research Notes
First fMRI study specifically designed to test distant intentionality (DI) from experienced healers on brain activation in isolated recipients. Recruited 11 healer-recipient pairs in Hawaii representing diverse traditions (Healing Touch, Hawaiian pule, Reiki, Qigong, Peruvian shamanism). Recipients in MRI scanner; healers in electromagnetically shielded control room. Significant activation found in anterior/middle cingulate, precuneus, and frontal regions (p=0.000127). Key limitation: same randomization sequence was used for all sessions, and 3 research staff in the control room knew the timing β both are design weaknesses. Extends the Standish (2003) fMRI paradigm with a larger sample and healer expertise criteria. The precuneus activation is notable: Kjaer et al. (2002) link this region to self-reflection and resting consciousness.
Using fMRI, this study demonstrated that distant intentionality (DI) from healers correlated with brain activation in sensorily isolated recipients. Eleven healer-recipient pairs from Hawaii participated. Healers sent various forms of DI at random 2-minute intervals unknown to the recipients in the MRI scanner. Significant differences between send and no-send conditions were found (p=0.000127). Activated areas included the anterior and middle cingulate, precuneus, and frontal regions. Healers represented diverse traditions including Healing Touch, Hawaiian pule, Reiki, Peruvian shamanic healing, and Qigong.
Links
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Extends
- Evidence of Correlated Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Signals Between Distant Human Brains β Standish, Leanna J (2003)
- Event-Related Electroencephalographic Correlations Between Isolated Human Subjects β Radin, Dean I (2004)
- Correlations between brain electrical activities of two spatially separated human subjects β Wackermann, JiΕΓ (2003)
- Electroencephalographic Evidence of Correlated Event-Related Signals Between the Brains of Spatially and Sensory Isolated Human Subjects β Standish, Leanna J (2004)
- The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox in the Brain: The Transferred Potential β Grinberg-Zylberbaum, Jacobo (1994)
Companion
- Extrasensory Electroencephalographic Induction between Identical Twins β Duane, T. D (1965)
- The Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Paradox in the Brain: The Transferred Potential β Grinberg-Zylberbaum, Jacobo (1994)
- Using Neuroimaging to Resolve the Psi Debate β Moulton, Samuel T (2008)
- Replicable Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Evidence of Correlated Brain Signals Between Physically and Sensory Isolated Subjects β Richards, Todd L (2005)
- Mental Connection at Distance: Useful for Solving Difficult Tasks? β Tressoldi, Patrizio E (2011)
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π Cite this paper
Achterberg, J, Cooke, K, Richards, T, Standish, L.J, Kozak, L, Lake, J (2005). Evidence for Correlations Between Distant Intentionality and Brain Function in Recipients: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1089/acm.2005.11.965
@article{achterberg_2005_evidence,
title = {Evidence for Correlations Between Distant Intentionality and Brain Function in Recipients: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Analysis},
author = {Achterberg, J and Cooke, K and Richards, T and Standish, L.J and Kozak, L and Lake, J},
year = {2005},
journal = {Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine},
doi = {10.1089/acm.2005.11.965},
}