Subtle Energies and Uncharted Realms of the Mind

Subtle Energies and Uncharted Realms of the Mind
An Esalen Invitational Conference
July 2 - 7, 2000

Electromagnetic and Other Subtle Energies in Psi Research
Beverly Rubik, Ph.D.

Beverly Rubik opened the formal presentations with some interesting theories and data that, when taken together, pave the way to a possible relationship between subtle energies and psi. From the start, Rubik pointed out that psi research is still unconsciously rooted in the paradigm of physics. In other words, when trying to explain psi phenomenon, theorists automatically turn to quantum theory without considering the fact that psi is mediated through embodied, biological organisms, namely humans, plants, and animals. Thus, Rubik challenged the psi field to move beyond the old paradigm, in which physics predominates, towards a "life-source" paradigm, in which the life sciences are central. In this new paradigm, researchers would start with the assumption that things are alive with sentience and bio-information, as opposed to the old paradigm, in which researchers unconsciously assume a life-less and mechanical context in which humans are the only living beings. Furthermore, Rubik also pointed out another unconscious tendency in psi research, which is to seek out a singular explanation for its behavior. In contrast, Rubik offered that there may be multiple mediating forces at work in psi phenomena, and our challenge is to be open to them all rather than always try to explain things via physics, and quantum theories of non-locality in particular.
Does "Energy" Mediate Psi?


At the beginning of her presentation, Rubik addressed this enigmatic issue. Most psi phenomena betray the normal laws of physics. For example, psi seems to be independent of space and time in that repeated experiments have shown that distance does not reduce the effects of psi, nor can psi be shielded by a Faraday cage. This has lead theorists to turn immediately to quantum concepts (particularly John Bell’s theorem of non-locality) to explain psi. Rubik, however, asked the conference participants to entertain the idea that psi may be mediated by an energy that is so low in frequency that is not detectable by our current instrumentation. Unfortunately, the use of the word "energy" is very problematic because it has so many associations. Thus, Rubik and a number of the participants discussed the need for a new word that would match the new paradigm that Rubik and others are tying to foster.

Bioelectromagnetics


Coming from her background in biophysics, Rubik discussed the emerging field of bioelectromagnetics, which looks at the electromagnetic field that surrounds living organisms. To demonstrate the power of a even just a slight increase in strength in this field, Rubik pointed out that a salamander can regenerate a full leg after it has been amputated, while a frog cannot. This is due to the fact that the salamander has a slight difference in the milivolts of power of its electromagnetic field.

Turning to humans, Rubik discussed how SQUID machines use liquid helium to measure our various magnetic fields. Interestingly, the human heart emits the largest electromagnetic field, while the second largest is produced when we open our eyes in the morning (called an occulargram). Surprisingly, our brain waves are low on the list, even below the field generated by our muscle activity.

To explain how psi information gets transmitted to our physical bodies, Rubik theorized that low level electromagnetic waves may activate receptors on the surface of our cells. Thus, a small amount of energy coming from a psychic or subtle energy healer would be capable of having a larger physical effect. To understand how this works, Rubik pointed out that what is important is not the energy content in a transmission but the information content. The physicist Fritz Popp coined the term "electromagnetic bio-information" to describe this. Rubik speculated that the electromagnetic bio-information is encoded in the human biofield (aura), and maybe our bodies receive and decode signals that then translate into physical healing. Importantly, Rubik emphasized that the wave frequencies that carry healing information are most likely ELF (extra low frequency), meaning they have less than 300 waves per second and cannot be shielded by a Faraday cage.

Measuring the Biofield


Rubik presented a number of attempts that have been made by various researchers to measure the biofield:

1. John Zimmerman used a SQUID machine to measure the magnetic emission of a therapeutic touch practitioner during the act of healing. He measured 7 to 8 hertz emitting from the hands of the practitioner.
2. Elmer Green has measured healers in copper lined rooms with surges of up to 100 volts.
3. Researchers at the Heart Math Institute have measured greater coherence in the EKG (meaning the electrocardiogram) patterns of those who are meditating on loving-kindness.
4. At a convention in New York city a few years ago, Rubik herself measured the electrostatic potential of Dr. Yan Xia by using a multimeter measuring the atmospheric potential. While the meter was 50 feet from Dr. Xia, Rubik noted a spurt in the energy up from the baseline of 35 milivolts. At the end of the conference, she measured up to 100 milivolts of energy.
5. Using a solid state photon counting device made by Hamamatsu, Eugene Wallace measured biophotons from people’s hands. When they intended to emit more energy, more photons were measured.
6. Hokoba Greenberg Ziberbrau put loving couples in separate Faraday cages. When one partner was given a visual stimulus, the second partner measured an evoked potential, even though the second partner did not have a visual stimulus. Marilyn Schlitz noted that Leon Standish got grant from the National Institutes of Health to do that same study.
7. Dan Winter did experiments with trees in which people did loving meditation towards a tree and thereby influenced the local geo-magnetic power spectrum.


Geomagnetic and Geocosmic hypotheses


Rubik emphasized the importance of including the magnetic field of the earth itself into the larger pool of theories of how psi is mediated. She noted that every 11 years there is aberrant geomagnetic activity that correlates with the sun spot cycle.

Rubik also discussed the Schumann resonance pattern, which is a natural resonant frequency that circles the earth and is produced by the resonant cavity between the earth and the ionosphere and all the lightening storms that bounce off the earth. The normal resonance is 7-8 hertz, but it is disrupted during geomagnetic storms and disruptive solar activity. All the wave lengths are in the ELF range. Rubik emphasized that the Schumann resonance is a virtually identical frequency to the human brain alpha emission, which is associated with relaxation. Barbara Brennen noted her experience that healers having a good day are in resonance with the Schumann frequency. Rubik added that Scott Hill wrote a book called Cycles of Heaven in which he looked at how the changes in Schumann resonance change human behavior. Most research on this topic is happening in Eastern Europe and Russia.

Turning from the earth to the universe, Rubik also asked us to consider cosmic hypotheses for psi effects. When looking closely at what time is most conducive for psi effects, the parapsychologist, Ed May, found that 13.5 hours sidereal time is the most optimal moment. One theory to explain this proposes that when the Milky Way galaxy is on the horizon instead of directly overhead, our earth is more exposed to empty space. Dean Radin added that we may need to consider how our relationship to the Milky Way influences the amount of radiation impinging upon the earth. Rubik noted briefly that Gaussian distributions for random processes (such as nuclear decay) are not so random after all, because they seem to correlate and coincide with certain cosmic cycles.

In conclusion, Rubik stated that we are creatures of our solar system, and as such, it is possible that our energies, our consciousness, and even our psi abilities are linked to the larger cosmic picture.