Approved For Release 2000/0 ‘ 8R002000160001-3 GONDOLA WISH ASSESSMENT REPORT (U) 25 August 1978 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1. (S) This office has been investigating the intelligence threat posed by Soviet state-of-the-art parapsychology since September 1977. This investigation revealed a serious threat posed by the Soviet parapsychological intelligence collection capability, and demonstrated a need for a comprehensive countermeasures program. This report details the criteria under which the Monroe Institute of Applied Sciences (MIAS), Afton, VA, was selected as the organization to train MI personnel in a parapsychological intelligence collection technique, so that they can mimic Soviet collectors in an operations security (OPSEC) support effort. This project is referred to as GONDOLA WISH. 2. (S) The parapsychological technique to be used is known as out-of-the-body experience (OOBE). An OOBE is a parapsychological experience in which one's center of consciousness seems to be in a spatial location separate from that of one's physical body. An OOBE differs from what Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Menlo Park, CA, calls "Remote Viewing." 3. (S) Intense liaison with CIA, DIA, and the Foreign Technology Division (FTD), USAF, was conducted prior to contacting MIAS, in an attempt to determine any prior US Government evaluation of MIAS. A thorough study of scientific material concerning MIAS technology was conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the MIAS training technique. Appropriate security checks were made to insure the loyalty of MIAS personnel. 4. (S) Robert A. Monroe, Executive Director, MIAS, was eventually contacted, and agreed to conduct a training program in QOBE for MI personnel on a confidential basis for a fee of $2000 during the months of October and November 1978. ICF for payment of the $2,000 training fee was approved by BG John A. Smith, Jr., Deputy Commander for Security, INSCOM, on 19 July 1978. Approved For Release a a SS eee
Approved For Release 2 ee otsonors GONDOLA WISH ASSESSMENT REPORT (U) 25 August 1978 1. (S) GONDOLA WISH is a program designed to integrate the Soviet and East European parapsychology intelligence collection threat into the all-source operations security (OPSEC) support scenario. This is to be accomplished by training MI personnel to mimic Soviet intelligence collectors, and then utilize these trained personnel to demonstrate the parapsychology intelligence collection threat, identify EEFI exploitable by parapsychological means, determine vulnerabilities, and develop and recommend countermeasures. An organization which can provide the necessary training, the Monroe Institute of Applied Sciences (MIAS), Afton, VA, has been contacted, and has agreed to conduct training of MI personnel on a confidential basis. The remainder of this report details the criteria under which the MIAS was selected by this office for utilization in conjunction with GONDOLA WISH. ° 2. (S) This office has been investigating the intelligence threat posed by Soviet state-of-the-art parapsychology since September 1977, This investigation has involved liaison with the Medical Information and Intelligence Agency (MIIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the Foreign Technology Division (FTD), USAF. This investigation has also included a review of official government documents on parapsychology, independent government contractor reports, numerous open source publications, and interviews with scientific personnel. This investigation revealed a serious threat posed by the Soviet parapsychological intelligence collection capability, and demonstrated a need for a comprehensive countermeasures program. 3. (S) During March 1978, the name Robert Monroe surfaced during a review of an open source document concerning Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, a psychiatrist highly respected within the medical community for her work with terminally i11 patients. Dr. Ross stated that she had undergone a training program in out-of-the-body experiences (QOBE) conducted by Robert Monroe, and succeeded in mastering his techniques without difficulty. (An OOBE is a parapsychological experience, either spontaneous or induced, in which one's center of consciousness seems to be in a spatial location separate from that of one's physical body, An OOBE differs from what Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Menlo Park, CA, calls "Remote Viewing,” in that during Remote Viewing the subject does not perceive himself to be at the target location, but only observing it. In an OOBE, the subject perceives himself Approved For Release 2000 fap Reber Fte8%002000160001-3
96-00788R002000160001-3 Approved For Release 2000/08/08 Fc to be actually at the target location. The product of Remote Viewing is usually only a graphic depiction of the target area, whereas the product of an OOBE may include not only a graphic picture of the target location, but also a record of subliminal telepathic communication with individuals at the target location.) 4. (S) This office queried DIA as to the advisability of contacting Robert Monroe. Individuals at DIA were knowledgeable of Monroe, and stated that the CIA had shown interest in him in the 1973 - 1974 time frame. DIA contacted the CIA, and learned that the CIA had no interest in Monroe at the present time. The CIA's assessment of Monroe during the 1973 - 1974 time frame was very casual, and did not lead to any conclusions concerning Monroe's abilities. CIA representatives stated that Monroe was "OK" from a security standpoint, and they had no objections to having this office approach Monroe. DIA also contacted government scientific parapsychology experts at FTD, who stated that they were most interested in Monroe's work, but had not, as yet, had the time to evaluate it. FTD recommended that Monroe be contacted, and requested that they be kept informed of any work with Monroe, as his technique could have significant impact on their program. (FTD has the mission to verify Soviet parapsychology research and development by duplicating known efforts of the Soviets. To this end, contracts have, in the past, been let to SRI because of their success with Remote Viewing. SRI has not dealt with OOBE, even though there appears to be Soviet research and development in this area. This situation is a product of the 10 to 12 year scientific lag in parapsychology research suffered by the US.) DIA then queried SRI scientists about Monroe. SRI representatives stated that they had not evaluated Monroe's teaching technique. SRI's research is with Remote Viewing, not OOBE, and SRI has had some success at teaching Remote Viewing. Scientists at SRI (Dr. Targ and Dr. Puthoff) also stated that they knew Monroe personally, and believed him to be a credible individual who has had parapsychol- ogical experiences which are not beyond present understanding. Based on DIA's inquiries, they suggested this office contact Monroe, if it was determined that such contact would be beneficial to our investigation of parapsychology. 5. (S) This office then requested routine security files checks be made on Monroe to insure his loyalty. These checks were conducted, and no derogatory information was developed. Further investigation of Monroe revealed that he has a scientific laboratory known as the Monroe Institute of Applied Science in Afton, VA. The training program offered by Monroe in conjunction with the Institute is highly regarded by a number of individuals knowledgeable of parapsychological phenomena. Dr. Thelma Moss of the University of Approved For Release “Sor
Approved For Release 2000 -0§ /88R002000160001-3 California at Los Angeles is aware of Monroe's work, and researchers of altered states of consciousness at the Menninger Foundation, Topeka, KS, recently validated the concepts behind Monroe's patented technique with their "theta-gateway" principle. Dr. Charles T. Tart, professor of psychology at the Davis campus of the University of California, and a respected scientific investigator of parapsychology, has conducted investigations of Monroe under laboratory conditions and is convinced of the validity of Monroe's experience. Dr. Tart recently recommended that anyone wanting to learn about OOBE should contact MIAS, as they were the most knowledgeable in the area, At this point, it appeared as though Monroe would at least be a valuable individual with whom we should talk. 6. (S) On 6 April 1978, Robert A. Monroe, Executive Director, MIAS, P.O. Box 57, Afton, VA 22920, was interviewed at MIAS concerning his training program. The salient points of that interview are as follows: In 1958, Monroe, then a New York broadcasting executive, began having experiences that drastically altered his life. Unpredictably, and without willing it, Monroe found himself leaving his physical body to travel, via a "Second body," to locales far removed from the physical and spiritual realities of his life. With some trepidation, he wrote a book about his experiences. The book, Journeys Out of the Body, was published in 1971, and brought out as a second edition in 1977. Throughout the book, Monroe maintains the stance of a careful, objective reporter who often reports his own confusion in this unusual area. He relies upon personal experiences for interpretation, rather than any occult, religious, or spiritual framework. In the 1960's, Monroe became interested in the possible connection between non-verbal audio patterns and brain wave rhythms. From his long experience with sound, he advanced from rotating disc circuit breakers to sophisticated, custom- built signal generators, and the production of tape recordings in which he has as many as sixteen patterns of sound mixed together on stereo channels. Drawing upon his discoveries and the work of others, he employs a system of binaural beats to create a frequency following response (FFR) by the brain wave rhythms. The FFR not only gives some control over the brain wave emission of each hemisphere, it also promotes brain wave synchronization between the two hemispheres. In May 1975, Monroe received a generic patent for this method. For approximately two years, Monroe has offered an instructional program using his audio technique for individuals who wish to expand their perspectives beyond the physical world, Monroe has recently expanded his training program, and offers classes at several locations CONUS-wide. Monroe's public training program is not designed to engender OOBE, as the requirements for such a state are different for each individual. The audio 3 Approved For Release 20 8R002000160001-3
4. Approved For Release 2000/ Ree Gabefam (Phe fepeFasiaaa2000160001-3 tapes used during the public training sessions reflect general audio patterns which have proven effective for a number of individuals, and which are designed to aid in the inducement of an altered state of consciousness which may provide the student with an environment conducive to OOBE. However, by monitoring brain wave frequencies and receiving verbal feedback in a laboratory environment, Monroe can generate the OOBE state for individuals who are properly motivated and receptive. 7. (S) At this point, it became necessary for this office to return to the scientific literature for further research. Because Monroe's technique involves altered states of consciousness (ASC), particular emphasis was placed on research which had been done concerning ASC and its relation to parapsychological phenomena. In all cases, it was found that the occurrance of parapsychological phenomena always parallels an ASC. An ASC is not unusual--sleeping, day dreaming, or concentrating on a problem can all be defined as ASC. Brain wave frequencies are used to monitor ASC, and certain frequencies of brain waves are characteristic of specific states. The delta range, 0.5Hz to 4Hz, is evidenced during sleep or when an individual is otherwise unconscious. Alpha rhythms, from 8Hz to 13Hz, are associated with a more aware state than theta or delta. Alpha usually occurs when a person closes his eyes and relaxes for a moment. : Specific ASC can be induced by drugs, hypnosis, meditation,, and other techniques. In Monroe's case, an ASC Ts induced and controlled by means of audio stimulation. Without detailing scientific esearch of iore than 80 experimental studies, the results of this research can be simply stated as follows: When the subject is in a state of sensory relaxation, minimally influenced by ordinary perception, and experiencing an ASC, parapsychological functioning is enhanced. 8. (S) It was at this point that the GONDOLA WISH concept of training MI personnel was finalized. On 3 May 1978, Monroe was recontacted and given a security indoctrination on the sensitive nature of MI involvement with him and his training program. Monroe agreed to keep all contact with this office on a confidential basis, and not to discuss our involvement with other members of MIAS, the press, other government agencies, or anyone else. Monroe has agreed to train three MI personnel in OOBE at his laboratory during October and November 1978, for a fee of $2,000. This office is currently in the planning phase for this training, and is ready to proceed on schedule. This is to be a pilot training program. If the program is successful in generating the OOBE state, further training with Monroe may be negotiated to refine the technique and enhance the intelligence collection component of the QOBE. 4 Approved For Release 2000/08/0&< 02000160001-3