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The Intention Experiment

The Intention Experiment

Using Your Thoughts to Change Your Life and the World
by Lynne McTaggart 2007 320 pages
4.03
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Key Takeaways

1. The Universe is Interconnected and Mutable

The existence of the Field implies that all matter in the universe is connected on the subatomic level through a constant dance of quantum energy exchange.

Quantum reality. Contrary to classical physics, the universe is not a collection of separate, fixed objects. Frontier scientists have shown that at the subatomic level, all matter is interconnected through a vast energy sea called the Zero Point Field. This constant exchange of quantum energy means that everything influences everything else.

Mutable matter. Experiments, like those by Tom Rosenbaum and Sayantani Ghosh, demonstrated that even macroscopic matter, such as a tiny salt crystal, exhibits quantum entanglement. Its atoms can align and behave as one giant atom, overriding external influences like temperature or magnetic fields. This suggests that physical matter is not solid and stable, but fluid and open to influence.

Observer effect. The act of observation plays a central role in shaping reality. Quantum physics reveals that subatomic particles exist as "clouds of probability" until observed, at which point they "collapse" into a particular state. This implies that consciousness is not merely a passive observer but an active participant in creating and influencing the physical world around us.

2. Humans are Coherent Energy Transmitters

Every thought we have is a tangible energy with the power to transform.

Human antenna. Pioneering research by Gary Schwartz revealed that the human body acts as both a receiver and a transmitter of invisible information. Simple movements generate electrical charges, and focused thoughts create measurable energy fields. This suggests that our thoughts are not confined to our brains but are constantly radiating outward.

Coherent light. Fritz-Albert Popp's discovery of biophotons—tiny particles of light emitted by all living things—provides a mechanism for this transmission. These biophotons are highly coherent, meaning they act like a single, superpowerful frequency, similar to a laser. Healing intention, for example, manifests as organized waves of light, capable of influencing other living systems.

Energy manifestation. Experiments by William Tiller showed that directed thoughts produce demonstrable physical energy, even over remote distances. This energy can alter the molecular structure of water and other substances. Our intentions, therefore, are not just abstract mental processes but tangible forces that can reshape physical reality.

3. Life Forms are in Constant Communication

Somehow, a constant stream of messages was being sent out, received, and replied to.

Primary perception. Cleve Backster's controversial but compelling experiments with plants demonstrated their ability to react to human thoughts and emotions, even at a distance. This "primary perception" suggests that all life forms, from bacteria to humans, are exquisitely attuned to their environment and constantly exchange telepathic information.

Biophoton signaling. Fritz-Albert Popp's work with biophotons further elucidated this communication. He found that organisms absorb and emit light, coordinating with their neighbors and even other species. This light acts as a sophisticated communication system, allowing living things to register and respond to subtle changes in their surroundings, including human intentions.

Environmental attunement. Konstantin Korotkov's Gas Discharge Visualization (GDV) technique visually confirmed that human emotions and intentions profoundly affect the energy fields of others and even plants. Negative thoughts diminish an organism's energy field, while positive thoughts enhance it. This constant two-way flow of information means every thought we have impacts the light and well-being of life around us.

4. Intention Synchronizes and Attunes Bodies

When you send an intention, every major physiological system in your body is mirrored in the body of the receiver.

Physiological mirroring. Studies on Direct Mental Interaction with Living Systems (DMILS) show that when one person sends focused intention to another, their physiological systems can become synchronized. This mirroring effect has been observed in brain waves, heart rate, skin conductance, and even gut activity, suggesting a deep, unconscious connection.

Entrainment phenomenon. This synchronization is akin to "entrainment," where two oscillating systems fall into rhythm. For instance, a sender's brain waves or heart rhythms can entrain those of a distant receiver. This implies that intention is a powerful form of energetic attunement, allowing one person's coherent energy to influence and "reorder" another's.

Anticipatory responses. Research by Dean Radin and Rollin McCraty revealed that recipients can unconsciously anticipate incoming intentions or future events. The heart, in particular, appears to receive intuitive information moments before the brain, suggesting it acts as a primary "antenna" for nonlocal information. This highlights the body's innate capacity to perceive beyond conventional senses.

5. Mastering Intention Requires Inner Transformation

The monks had conditioned their brains to tune in to happiness most of the time.

Brain plasticity. Intensive meditation, as studied by Herbert Benson and Richard Davidson, demonstrates that sustained focused attention can permanently alter brain physiology. Monks, through years of practice, exhibit heightened gamma-band activity—a state of peak intensity and heightened awareness—and increased cortical thickness in attention-related brain regions. This shows the brain is plastic and can be remodeled by conscious thought.

Ego surrender. Successful healers and "master" intenders consistently describe the importance of surrendering their ego and sense of individual self. They visualize merging with the person to be healed and with a greater, universal force. This "channeling" approach, where the individual becomes a conduit rather than the source of power, appears to be crucial for potent transmission.

Thin boundaries. Psychological research suggests that individuals with "thin boundaries"—those who are open, unguarded, and easily merge with others' identities—are more adept at remote influence. This capacity for profound dissociation and absorption allows them to access a state of joint consciousness, where an impersonal self can facilitate healing or influence.

6. Context and Belief Amplify Intention

The best outcomes were among those who had received Johrei and believed they had received it.

Specificity and connection. Large-scale prayer studies often failed due to a lack of specific intention and a personal connection between the pray-ers and the recipients. In contrast, successful healing studies, like Elisabeth Targ's AIDS research, provided healers with detailed patient information, fostering a meaningful bond and a clear, targeted intention.

Healer's well-being. Gary Schwartz's experiments with Reiki and Johrei practitioners revealed that a healer's own emotional and physical well-being significantly impacts the outcome. Healers who felt well had a beneficial effect, while those feeling unwell sometimes had a deleterious one. This suggests that the sender's internal state is a critical factor in the efficacy of intention.

Shared belief. The placebo effect powerfully demonstrates that belief in a treatment can create real physiological changes. Schwartz's studies further showed that patients who believed they were receiving healing experienced better outcomes, regardless of whether they actually received it. A shared belief system between sender and receiver, along with a positive emotional state, appears to amplify the power of intention.

7. Timing and Location Matter for Potent Effects

To send intention effectively, we would have to take account of these energies.

Geomagnetic influence. Michael Persinger's extensive research revealed that Earth's geomagnetic fields (GMFs), influenced by solar activity, profoundly affect human biology, particularly the heart and brain. While telepathy and ESP are enhanced during geomagnetic calm, psychokinesis (mind-over-matter intention) appears to increase when the Earth's energy is agitated.

Optimal timing. For effective intention, it's beneficial to align with periods of increased geomagnetic activity. Checking space weather forecasts (e.g., NOAA's Space Environment Center) for a K index of 5 or more, or an A index over 200, can optimize transmission. Additionally, specific times like 1:00 P.M. local sidereal time have shown enhanced psychokinetic effects.

Conditioned spaces. William Tiller's "black box" experiments demonstrated that human intention can "condition" a physical space. Labs where intentions were repeatedly sent began to manifest rhythmic fluctuations in temperature and pH, suggesting a higher state of coherence in the Zero Point Field. This "charged" environment can then amplify subsequent intentions, creating a lasting positive effect.

8. Thoughts are Mental Blueprints for Reality

The brain sent the same instructions to the body, whether the skiers were simply thinking of a particular movement or actually carrying it out.

Mental rehearsal. Elite athletes routinely use "mental rehearsal" to enhance performance. By vividly imagining every detail of a desired outcome from their own perspective, engaging all five senses, they train their brains to execute complex movements flawlessly. This practice lays down neural pathways, making physical execution easier and more precise.

Brain-body connection. Electromyography (EMG) and electroencephalography (EEG) studies show that the brain does not distinguish between a thought and an action. The same electrical impulses and neural patterns are activated whether a movement is imagined or physically performed. This means that simply thinking about an action can prime the body to carry it out, even increasing muscle strength without physical exercise.

Placebo power. The profound impact of the placebo effect underscores the body's responsiveness to mental instructions. Belief in a treatment, even a sugar pill, can trigger the body's self-healing mechanisms, releasing neurochemicals like dopamine and altering physiological processes. This highlights that our conscious intentions and expectations can directly influence our physical health and well-being.

9. Negative Intentions are Also Powerful

In both experiments, negative intention was more powerful than positive intention.

Harmful thoughts. Disturbingly, scientific studies suggest that negative intentions can be as, or even more, powerful than positive ones. Experiments by Dick Blasband and Jean Barry showed that intentions to stunt growth or inhibit bacterial mutation had measurable, deleterious effects on living organisms. This implies that our negative thoughts, conscious or unconscious, can also manifest physically.

Unintended consequences. The "gremlin effect," where individuals inadvertently cause electronic equipment to malfunction, hints at the pervasive influence of unconscious negative states. Similarly, studies suggest that negative emotions or unresolved conflicts within relationships can physically impede healing processes, such as wound repair.

Protection and redirection. While negative intentions can be potent, some research suggests that consciously framing intentions as a request for "natural order" rather than destruction can be more effective for healing. Additionally, practices like John Diamond's "homing thought"—focusing on one's ultimate purpose—are proposed as ways to ground oneself against unwelcome influences.

10. Time is Fluid; Past, Present, and Future are Interconnected

The very act of measuring Alice at a later time influenced and indeed changed how it was polarized earlier.

Retrocausation. Groundbreaking studies, like Leonard Leibovici's "retroactive prayer" and Helmut Schmidt's time-displaced REG experiments, suggest that intention can influence events that have already occurred. This challenges the conventional linear view of time, implying that our present thoughts can reach back to affect past outcomes.

Non-linear reality. Physics theories, including those involving scalar waves and the observer effect, propose that at the quantum level, time and space are not absolute but exist as a "smeared-out present." This means that all information in the universe is potentially accessible at any moment, and our consciousness plays a role in "collapsing" potential realities into existence, regardless of conventional time sequence.

Future influencing past. The concept of "time-reversed interference" suggests that future events can influence earlier nervous system responses. This implies that our future choices and possibilities are constantly interacting with and shaping our present actions and decisions. Our intentions, therefore, are not just about creating a future, but also about influencing the very fabric of our past.

11. Collective Intention Can Create Global Change

One well-directed thought may be a gentle but effective way for men and women on the street to take matters of global interest into their own hands.

Group consciousness. Research from the Global Consciousness Project demonstrates that intensely felt collective emotions, particularly during major global events like 9/11, correlate with measurable deviations from randomness in REG machines worldwide. This suggests the existence of a "group mind" capable of exerting a psychokinetic effect on physical systems.

Threshold effect. The Transcendental Meditation (TM) organization's "Maharishi Effect" claims that when a critical percentage of a population practices advanced meditation, it can significantly reduce crime rates and conflict. While controversial, these studies suggest a "super radiance" effect, where coherent group consciousness can order disordered frequencies in the environment.

Mass impact. The initial "Intention Experiment" with readers of this book, targeting algae and a human subject in Germany from London, showed a significant decrease in biophoton emissions, similar to the effect of an experienced healer. This pilot study suggests that collective positive thinking, even from a distance, can have a measurable healing effect on living organisms, hinting at the potential to address global challenges like climate change.

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Review Summary

4.03 out of 5
Average of 3.0K ratings from Goodreads and Amazon.

The Intention Experiment receives mostly positive reviews for its scientific approach to exploring the power of intention and thought. Readers appreciate the extensive research and experiments presented, though some find the technical details tedious. The book challenges conventional thinking about consciousness and reality, drawing connections between quantum physics and spirituality. Critics argue some conclusions may be questionable. Many readers find the concepts fascinating and potentially life-changing, while others struggle with the dense scientific content. The book's invitation to participate in ongoing experiments intrigues many readers.

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About the Author

Lynne McTaggart is an American journalist, author, publisher, and lecturer currently residing in London. She is known for her work exploring the intersection of science and spirituality, particularly in the areas of consciousness and intention. McTaggart has written several books on these topics, including "The Field" and "The Intention Experiment." Her writing often draws on scientific research to support concepts traditionally associated with spirituality or metaphysics. McTaggart's work has garnered both praise and criticism, with some viewing her as a pioneer in bridging science and spirituality, while others question the validity of her interpretations of scientific studies. She frequently lectures and conducts workshops based on her research and theories.

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