Winds of Change Fall 2012

Winds of ChangeNewsletter for Members of

The Windbridge Institutefor Applied Research in Human Potential

Vol. 5, Issue 3 Fall 2012

Happy Autumn!In this issue, we present the results of our members survey along with answers to some of your most frequently asked questions (page 3). The results of the survey were enlightening. We found that, for the most part, members fall into two camps: The first reports that our current member benefits package is enough. The second feels that we do not provide enough value-added content. We will be implementing a few changes which we hope will meet at least some of everyones needs while we continue keeping research our main priority. We also have an article about a yet-to-be published study (the Air Pressure Study, page 5) and the abstract from our latest research which I presented last month at the 55th Parapsychological Association conference. Finally, we feature two upcoming and exciting conferences that Windbridge Institute researchers will be attending. In October, Julie and Chad will host a discussion about the potential therapeutic benefit of mediumship readings in the treatment of grief at the annual meeting of the American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE) and in November, Julie will presenting Can We Communicate with whe Spirit World? at the Forever Family Foundation meeting. More information about these conference can be found starting on page 9. As always, we hope you enjoy this issue of Winds of Change and thank you for your support.

Inside this issue:Welcome, About the Windbridge Institute The Windbridge Team Windbridge Certified Mediums Member Survey Results and FAQs Notes from the Lab: The Air Pressure Study Overview Notes from the Lab: The Equipment Study The Immortality Project Upcoming Events Is the Spirit World Real? The Forever Family Foundation Therapeutic Issues of STEs ACISTE 2012 Annual Conference In the Media... Get the Most out of Your Membership Wishes Do Come True! What We Are Reading 1 2 3 3 5 8 9 9 10 12 13 14 15 15

Mark

Mark Boccuzzi Director of Operations

About the Windbridge InstituteThe Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential is concerned with asking, What can we do with the potential that exists within our bodies, minds, and spirits? Can we heal each other? Ourselves? Can we affect events and physical reality with our thoughts? Are we connected to each other? To the planet? Can we communicate with our loved ones who have passed? The Windbridge Institute investigates the capabilities of our bodies, minds, and spirits and attempts to determine how that information can best serve all living things.2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Page 1

Winds of Change Vol. 5, Issue 3

Winds of Change is a quarterly publication of The Windbridge Institute forApplied Research in Human Potential and is provided free to our members. We include articles from a variety of authors writing on topics that relate to the mission of the institute. Views presented by authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Windbridge Institute. Have a research question for Dr. Beischel? A question for a Windbridge Certified Research Medium? A suggestion? A comment? Please send them to: [email protected]

InvestigatorsJulie Beischel, PhDDirector of Research

Scientific Advisory BoardCarlos Alvarado, PhD Loyd Auerbach, MS Stephen E. Braude, PhD Etzel Cardea, PhD Sally Rhine Feather, PhD Bruce Greyson, MD Erlendur Haraldsson, PhD Peter Hayes, PhD Jane Katra, PhD Emily Williams Kelly, PhD Edwin C. May, PhD John Palmer, PhD Dean Radin, PhD Lu Rudolph, PhD Mark A. Schroll, PhD Lance Storm, PhD Jim B. Tucker, MD Nancy L. Zingrone, PhD

Mark BoccuzziDirector of Operations

Adam Rock, PhDAdjunct Research Fellow

Chad Mosher, PhDResearch Associate

Michael BiusoResearch Assistant

Advisory CommitteeMembers of our Advisory Committee provide strategic and technical advice regarding the direction, scope, and progress of the Windbridge Institute.

David Cooper, MBA, MA, MAcc Susan Cooper, MA, MS Phran Ginsberg, MBA Robert Ginsberg David Jespersen Bill Kaspari Debra Martin Doreen Molloy Karyl O'Leary Michael O'Leary

The Windbridge Institute for Applied Research in Human Potential 1517 N Wilmot Rd #254 Tucson, AZ 85712 [email protected] www.windbridge.org


2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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Windbridge Certified Research MediumsAnkhasha Amenti Samara Anjelae Traci Bray Dave Campbell Carrie D. Cox Joanne Gerber Laura Lynne Jackson Daria Justyn Nancy Marlowe Debra Martin Doreen Molloy Tracy Lee Nash Troy Parkinson Ginger Quinlan Eliza Rey Kim Russo Marisa Ryan Renata Santorelli

Member Survey Results and FAQsby Mark BoccuzziThanks to all of you who took the time to complete our on-line members survey. If you did not yet complete the survey, you can still give us your feedback here: http://tinyurl.com/WIMembers From your feedback we learned that we serve a very diverse audience with very different (and sometimes even conflicting) needs. As a result, we will be implementing a few changes in the hopes of serving you better. We are very grateful for the support our members provide and we truly want to give something of meaning and value back to them.

Our goal in offering memberships is to provide people with an opportunity to support the research and give them access to the most up-to-date information about our work.

Before going into the details, I think that it is important to remember that the Windbridge Institute does not have marketing, PR, communications, media, or development departments. The primary job of everyone here is research. When it comes to these other tasks, everyone pitches in and helps as they can. So, while we would love to provide documentaries, YouTube videos, and summaries of other organizations research, we simply dont have those kinds of resources. Our goal in offering memberships is to provide people with an opportunity to support the research and give them access to the most up-to-date information about our work. Based on your feedback, we will be implementing the following changes over the next few months:

Shorter Updates (slightly) More Often:Most of you told us that you do not hear from us often enough. At the moment, we send out larger updates about once every three months. Starting in October, you can expect to receive one or two email updates from us a month with the newsletter posting every quarter (as it does now). These updates will feature upcoming conferences and breaking news about new research and new findings as it becomes available. In addition, we will be making an effort to highlight relevant research and news from other organizations on our Facebook page. And because not all of you use Facebook, all our updates are set to public so you can read our latest posts without having an account. It really is the fastest and most cost-effective method for these types of updates. You can read our posts and/or Like us at https://www.facebook.com/Windbridge.Institute

Better Access to Researchers:Many of you told us that you would like better access to the researchers. To accommodate this, you can now send emails to [email protected] with any questions or suggestions. Messages sent to this address will be placed in a high priority queue and answered directly by a member of the research team.continued on page 4... Winds of Change Vol. 5, Issue 3 2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Page 3

Continued from page 4Member Survey Results and FAQs

Membership Payment Options:Some of you told us that the $19.99/year membership fee is too high to pay in a single payment, so to make memberships and renewals more accessible, we will be offering a pay-per-month option. When it is time for you to renew, you can now choose to pay in a single payment, or use automatic, monthly, credit card billing.

Easily Accessible Research Findings:Most of you indicated that while you still want access to the full research papers, you also want the research and findings condensed into an easily readable and accessible format. Our solution to this is to provide you with Research Briefs. These short (one or two page) documents summarize an area of research and provide the latest findings. You can view all the current briefs at http://windbridge.org/publications.htm#briefs. We will email you updates as new briefs are published and posted on the Windbridge Institute Members Site (WIMS).

Members Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):In addition to specific feedback and suggestions, we also received a number of questions which we have compiled into a list of FAQs. Here are the top three questions and we will address more in future newsletters:

1. How do I become a Windbridge Certified Research Medium (WCRM)?The WCRM training and screening program is now closed and we do not foresee it reopening any time in the near future. Funding for the WCRM program was provided by several research grants. These grants are now complete and there are no funds to continue this tremendously time and labor intensive procedure. In addition, our current group of 19 active WCRMs is sufficient to complete our current projects. Should future research projects require a larger pool of WCRMs and there is funding, we will resume the program.

2. What is the future direction of your Afterlife Research Program?To date, our research with non-denominational, mental, US-based mediums has been both proof- and processfocused. We are now in the final phases of these lines of research. Future afterlife studies will be focused in the following areas:

Applied mediumship research with an emphasis on (1) the potential role of mediumship as part of a clinical intervention for those who are grieving the loss of a loved one or a companion animal and (2) forensic mediumship Mediumship in the general population Physical mediumship Instrumental Transcommunication and Electronic Voice Phenomena (ITC/EVP) Ghosts and hauntings Afterlife Cosmology

Of course, progress in any of these areas will be dependent on funding. If you are interested in providing financial support to any of these future research areas, please contact me at [email protected]

3. What should I do if I have a question about my membership, my renewal, my WIMS password, etc.?For the fastest response to any of your membership questions, simply email [email protected] Thank you again for all your support!



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Notes from the LabThe Air Pressure Study Overviewby Mark BoccuzziIntroduction: In May of 1907, Duncan McDougals research on measuring the weight of the soul was published in the Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research. As a result of these experiments, McDougal concluded that, we have experimental demonstration that a substance capable of being weighed does leave the human body at death. While these experiments are not without their limitations and controversy, they raise interesting questions about the possible physical nature of the soul. For example, if it should turn out that the soul has weight, might it also have volume, that is; does it take up physical space? Expanding on this thought, if a ghost entered a space, would it displace the air around it?

An electronic sensor could be used to measure air pressure, but changes in its output could be the result of mind-matter-interactions on the electronics of the sensor itself rather than an actual change in air pressure.

To test this idea, I designed and, with the help of Windbridge Institute volunteer Ryan G., constructed an airtight chamber that allowed for the measurement of small changes in its internal pressure. I then asked a discarnate to enter the chamber and touch a photographic target which was placed inside. In addition, feedback about the experiment was collected from the participating discarnates via two blinded Windbridge Certified Research Mediums (WCRMs). This study produced three types of data: (1) the actual measurement of the air pressure change in the chamber; (2) feedback from the discarnates via the WCRMs; and (3) general comments from the WCRMs about the experiment. This article will review the equipment, methods, data, and results from this study. The Chamber: For this study, I used a large plastic jar and fastened an elastic membrane over the opening to create an airtight chamber. A small, silver, optical mirror was affixed to the membrane so that any movement of the membrane would cause the mirror to tilt. A tripod-mounted laser was then aimed at the mirror so that the lasers beam would reflect off of the mirror and land on a white target mounted to the opposite wall about 10 feet away. This configuration (see figure below) is very sensitive to small changes in air pressure. If the pressure in the chamber increases or decreases, the membrane expands or contracts and moves the mirror; this then changes where the reflected beam hits the target.

continued on page 6... Winds of Change Vol. 5, Issue 3 2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Page 5

Continued from page 5Notes from the Lab: The Air Pressure Study Overview by Mark Boccuzzi

While electronic sensors exist that can be used to measure changes in air pressure, for this study, I was interested in capturing evidence of physical changes on a macro level. Changes in the output of an electronic sensor can be the result of mind-matter-interactions on the electronics of the sensor itself and, thus, may not be evidential of changes in the actual air pressure. This is a confounding factor that needs to be recognized in any experiments using electronic equipment. Measuring Change: During the experiment, the laser target was video recorded using several video cameras. During positive control sessions in which I manually changed the pressure inside the air-tight chamber by adding or removing specific volumes of air using a syringe, small changes in the laser position on the target were easily detectable in the recorded videos. The alternative explanations for changes in air pressure in the chamber or the movement of the laser including temperature and stray vibrations were controlled for and monitored. Discarnate Participant: For this study, I invited my deceased father to participate. He always had an interest in building mechanical devices, and I thought he might have an interest in helping me succeed with my research. In addition, I invited a coordinator discarnate. We have been told by several mediums that this discarnate is interested in working with us and in helping coordinate communication with those on other side. Photographic Target: In order to give the participant something to touch, I placed a photograph of my fathers wife (my mother who is still living) in the chamber. Method: There were three experimental conditions: (1) a control condition in which the discarnate was asked not to enter the chamber; (2) an experimenter condition in which I tried to astral project myself into the chamber and touch the target photo; and (3) a discarnate condition in which I asked the discarnate to enter the chamber and touch the target. For data collection, six trials of the three conditions were run and the order of the conditions was randomized for each trial. Each condition lasted two minutes with a one-minute washout period in between. The experiment was run twice resulting in a total of 36 trials (12 of each of the three conditions). After all the data were collected, a second experimenter (Julie) asked two WCRMs who did not know anything about the discarnates or the experimental set up for their feedback regarding: (1) if the discarnate participated in the study, and (2) if they did, were they successful in accomplishing what Mark requested of them. Julie was blinded to the specifics of the experiment and I was blinded as to which WCRMs participated. Analysis and Results: After the trials were complete, the video feeds from all the cameras were digitized and converted into sets of individual frames. The center of the laser spot in each frame was identified and its x,y coordinates recorded using image processing software. The location of the center of the spot was then compared across all frames. No change in the position of the laser on the target was found for any of the 36 trials. In short, during the experiment, the laser spot did not move and, thus, no change in air pressure was detected. Review of WCRM Comments: On the next page is a representational sample of comments made by the WCRMs (WCRM:) with my feedback (MB:).continued on page 7... Winds of Change Vol. 5, Issue 3 2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Page 6


General comments about the experiment: WCRM: It feels like there were two living researchers present, though one seemed to be less focused on what was going on than the other. MB: Both Julie and I were in the location at the time. She was working on a different project in a different room. WCRM: I keep seeing a small light, like a clear, white Christmas light on a board, like something Edison would have played around with or created. MB: This could have been the laser on the target board or on the mirror (though the laser was red). The idea for how to measure small changes with a mirror is based on the design of the original trans-Atlantic cable telegraph system; while not directly related to Edison, it is a bit Edison-esque. Feedback about the experiment: WCRM: They do not have the solid mass of the researcher to move. MB: The point of the experiment was to test if they had volume, or some type of physicality that could be measured. WCRM: This does not seem easy. There feels like a veil between what the discarnate wants to do and what they are able to do, like the energy between the discarnate and the task is thick, kind of like fog with matter. They have to figure out how to make it work and they really want to make it work, but it is the how factor they are puzzling over. MB: If it was hard to do, perhaps this is why we didnt see an effect. WCRM: The discarnate seemed to be trying to figure out how to affect the thing via the center of his forehead like a third eye, not with hands. I think this was part of the confusion of the process, like the researcher was thinking of it in terms of hands and discarnates are more conjuring the energy from the room almost in a circular spinning pattern to make things happen. MB: Perhaps my instructions werent specific enough or I had inaccurate assumptions about the capabilities of discarnates. I asked that the discarnate put his hands in the chamber and try to touch the target, which might cause the mirror to move. It is interesting that the WCRM refers to hands. WCRM: I feel like one of the discarnates was able to give a faint signal. MB: It is possible that the device was not sensitive enough to detect the signal or the imaging software missed a very slight movement. There is some level of noise in the system and if their signal was within the noise, it would have been missed. WCRM: The discarnate I saw participating in the experiment has male energy. There is a male who has a sense of humor and is amused by (not laughing at) the experiments Mark runs. The experiments are very interesting and intriguing while at the same time being entertaining for this discarnate. This discarnate was at the experiment and is still around Mark. MB: The first invited discarnate was male. My father liked to build things and always enjoyed people with clever ideas. I could see where my homemade equipment and experiments might amuse him. Id like to think that he thinks I was being clever. WCRM I saw him actually trying to manipulate a silver colored metal object. MB: This description accurately describes the mirror used in the experiment.

continued on page 8...



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WCRM: They are willing to participate. But they are showing me and telling me that the experiment can be improved for better results. They want Mark to see if he can improve how he is doing the testing. I am feeling and being shown that Mark should continue this vein of experimentation. He is on to something and the discarnates want to help him succeed. MB: This is encouraging me to continue this line of research. Discussion: I presented a description of this experiment along with some of the WCRMs feedback at the 2011 annual meeting of the Society for Scientific Exploration. The focus of my talk was actually on the experimenter condition (where I tried to project myself into the chamber) and how I had little belief that I could accomplish that task. Since belief is one of the factors that impacts psi performance, it was of little surprise to me that this condition did not produce a result. However, I had a high level of belief that the discarnate condition would produce a result. So how can I explain the failure? If we are willing to go down the rabbit hole a bit, we might find some hints in the WCRMs feedback which indicated that the participants may not have fully understood the instructions, that the task was difficult, and that, if there was an effect, it was too small to be detected with the current equipment. My plan is to improve upon this study and try it again.Funding for this study was provided by Windbridge Institute Members. Thank you!

Invited Ostensible Discarnate Interactions with Electronic Equipment: A Pilot StudyFunded by a grant from the Helene Reeder Memorial Fund for Research into Life after Death Mark Boccuzzi, Julie Beischel, & Ryan GebhartPresented at the 55th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association, August 2012, Durham, North Carolina, USA

Abstract: Humanitys eons-old concern regarding what happens when we die has currently manifested as a saturation of the United States popular culture with the topics of ghosts and hauntings. This, in turn, has led to an explosion in the occurrence of hobbyist groups of ghost hunters who, during investigations of allegedly haunted locations, often utilize environmental monitors to attempt to detect ghosts. And while the equipment used, including electromagnetic field meters and temperature sensors, can be logically associated with historical reports of haunting phenomena and experiences, the use of this equipment to detect and interact with discarnate entities has not been scientifically demonstrated. Furthermore, individuals experiences with ghosts or apparitions are often discounted as the result of fraud, psi, hallucinations, the misinterpretation of normal events, and abnormalities in normal physical forces resulting in neurological anomalies. The design of this pilot study removed the percipient and, accordingly, these factors as explanations for haunting phenomena. The study, instead, relied on commonly used ghost hunting sensors and equipment (as well as some atypical devices) to investigate the ability of two specific deceased individuals (discarnates) to affect the objective output of this equipment. The design then acquired feedback from the discarnates (via a credentialed medium) regarding the success of the attempts. This protocol expanded upon previous studies by other investigators in which sensors were placed in environments where discarnates were contacted by sitters as well as those in which discarnates were asked to interact with objects being monitored by equipment. In addition, the study design attempted to address both conscious psychokinesis by the living (by using blinding and randomization) and normal ambient environmental fluctuations (by employing environmental shielding) as explanations for the results. Findings from this pilot study included a statistically significant difference in active and control sessions for one of the discarnates with one of seven devices [i.e., an electrical lighting circuit (p = 0.048)], a difference that approached significance for that discarnate with a second device [i.e., a random event generator (p = 0.066)], and relevant and specific information from the medium regarding several of the devices and events occurring at the laboratory. The full paper for this study is currently in progress.Winds of Change Vol. 5, Issue 3 2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Page 8

The Immortality ProjectEarlier this summer, the John Templeton Foundation announced that it had awarded a $5M grant to University of California-Riverside philosopher John Martin Fischer to create The Immortality Project. The project is intended to address questions about personal immortality that are central existential concerns that know no geographical or cultural bounds. Half the funds ($2.5M) have been earmarked for research grants to investigate: 1. Empirical studies that seek to make progress on the question of whether and in what forms persons survive bodily death. 2. Empirical research on belief in, or hope for, post-mortem survival. 3. Empirical research on technological approaches to physical longevity. Grant awards will average $250,000. In early September, the project website posted the official Request for Proposals (RFPs) which includes information about the submission process and eligibility. In order to apply, The PI [Principal Investigator] must have a Ph.D. (or comparable terminal degree) and be in or contracted to a faculty position at an accredited college or university before 1 July, 2013. Because the Windbridge Institute is an independent research organization with no direct affiliations with educational institutions, we are ineligible to apply directly for this grant. For more information about The Immortality Project, visit http://www.sptimmortalityproject.com/

Upcoming EventsACISTE 2012 Annual Conference Therapeutic Issues of Spiritually Transformative Experiences Conference: October 18-20, 2012 Certificate Workshop: October 21, 2012 San Mateo, California, USA For more information, see the article on page 11 Forever Family Foundation 6th Annual Afterlife Conference Is The Spirit World Real? A Scientific Investigative Presentation November 9-11, 2012 Phoenix, Arizona, USA For more information see the article on page 10

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Is the Spirit World Real? A Scientific Investigative Presentationby The Forever Family Foundation The 6th annual conference of the Forever Family Foundation will be held the weekend of November 10th, 2012, at the Phoenix Airport Hilton, Phoenix, Arizona. The conference, titled Is the Spirit World Real? A Scientific Investigative Presentation, will feature five leading authorities in their fields of research and two certified mediums as they discuss evidence of an afterlife. This years conference will feature an innovative interactive format that addresses the five most often asked questions about existence beyond the physical.

How Do We Know The Spirit World Exists? Loyd Auerbach, MS Can We Visit The Spirit World? Eben Alexander III, MD Where Is The Spirit World? Claude Swanson, PhD Can We Communicate With The Spirit World? Julie Beischel, PhD What Is The Spirit World Like? Stafford Betty, PhD For more information about the presenters, visit http://tinyurl.com/fffspeakers In addition to their individual presentations, the esteemed group will also participate in panel discussions where attendees can ask specific questions. The conference will be held at the Phoenix Airport Hilton, and will be preceded on November 9th by a dinner/ fundraiser featuring TLCs Long Island Medium Theresa Caputo, who will be conducting spirit communication for attendees. More information can be found by visiting www.foreverfamilyfoundation.org or calling 631-425-7707.

Forever Family Foundation is a science-based, not for profit volunteer foundation that seeks to educate the public about evidence that suggests we survive physical death.



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ACISTE 2012 Annual Conference: Therapeutic Issues of Spiritually Transformative ExperiencesThe American Center for the Integration of Spiritually Transformative Experiences (ACISTE, pronounced assist) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that supports individuals who have had spiritual experiences. The mission of ACISTE is to address the integration needs and further the well-being of those who have had neardeath or similar spiritually transformative experiences through research, education, and support. According to a 2004 survey by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, 35.7% of the adult US population has had at least one life-changing religious or spiritual experience. These experiences can be catalysts for profound physical, emotional, and spiritual transformations and challenges. The large percentage together with the subsequent transformations would suggest that these experiences are not flukes of consciousness, dreams, or delusions but are a healthy and integral part of the human spirit. Rather than attempt to theorize how near-death, out-of-body, kundalini, spiritually emergent, after-death, mystical, or other experiences occur, ACISTE works to research, educate, and support people who have had these experiences. Their surveys have indicated that only 5% of respondents had no challenges following their spiritually transformative experiences (STEs). The remaining portion expressed needs that ranged from wanting to connect and discuss their experiences (67.2%) to wanting to see a competently trained therapist or counselor to help them cope with particularly difficult challenges related to their STEs (14.6%). Deep experiences can affect most, if not all, aspects of an experiencers life. Alienation, depression, and even suicide have been reported. Of the survey respondents, 30% said they had contemplated suicide in order to return to the other side. Careers, religious beliefs, families, and relationships are deeply affected. Finding new love and purpose in life may come only after years of integrating the deeper meaning and value of the experience. STEs are highly diverse in content and can affect people of different ages, health conditions, and cultural backgrounds in a multitude of ways. According to ACISTEs surveys and research, there appears to be no simple, universal, one-size-fits-all approach. Several studies have indicated that in order to support people who are dealing with particularly difficult challenges, these experiences are best seennot as isolated eventsbut as an integral part of the experiencers individual needs, character, behavior, attitudes, and conditions in life. One of the main services of ACISTE is to provide training for professionals who wish to increase their competency and develop their expertise in working with clients who have had STEs. To that end, ACISTEs first conference will bring together researchers, experiencers, and practicing professionals to present their expertise in this growing field of specialization and awareness. The conference will serve to educate, train, and certify mental health professionals, pastoral counselors of all faiths, spiritual directors, life coaches, and other professionals. The conference provides 12-13.5 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for California MFTs, LCSWs, and RNs as well as for other psychologists and social workers.Julie Beischel (L) with Yolaine Stout , founding director of ACISTE [from March, 2009] continued on page 12...



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Continued from page 11ACISTE 2012 Annual Conference: Therapeutic Issues of Spiritually Transformative Experiences

The conference will take place at the Marriott SFO in San Mateo, California (in the San Francisco Bay Area), from Thursday, October 18th to Saturday, the 20th with a half-day certification workshop following the conference on Sunday, the 21st. The conference will include main sessions by presenters including David Lukoff (keynote), Stanley Krippner, Jan Holden, and Ryan Rominger as well as breakout sessions with other counselors, psychologists, and researchers. In addition, on Saturday, the 20th, Windbridge Institute researchers Julie Beischel and Chad Mosher will be leading one of the lunch Tables by Topic. They will be discussing Healing Messages: The potential therapeutic benefit of mediumship readings in the treatment of grief. For more information about the conference and to register, visit: http://www.aciste.org/index.php/2012-conference In addition to the conference, ACISTE has or is in the process of developing a variety of programs to address the range of needs expressed in their surveys and elsewhere. Those programs include peer support and discussion groups, online forums, workshops, webinars, and retreats. Additionally, there will be a support and referral line manned by trained volunteers, and a directory of trained and certified therapists, coaches, and volunteer mentors. More information about ACISTE can be found on their website at www.aciste.org Individuals who have had spiritual experiences are invited to participate in ACISTEs free online forum: http://tinyurl.com/ACISTEFORUM

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In the Media...Experts say Non-Human Animals have Consciousness: The Cambridge Declaration on ConsciousnessWe declare the following: The absence of a neocortex does not appear to preclude an organism from experiencing affective states. Convergent evidence indicates that non-human animals have the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neurophysiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviors. Consequently, the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Nonhuman animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates. Download the full declaration (PDF) here http://fcmconference.org/img/CambridgeDeclarationOnConsciousness.pdf Related links: The First Annual Francis Crick Memorial Conference website has links to videos and other materials. http://fcmconference.org/ Discovery News: A prominent group of scientists signs a document stating that animals are just as conscious and aware as humans are. This is a big deal. http://news.discovery.com/animals/animals-consciousness-mammals-birds-octopus-120824.html

Meetings and ConferenceParapsychology and Intellectual Integrity: Words of Advice from Dr. Krippner by David Metcalfe http://www.teemingbrain.com/2012/08/14/words-of-advice-from-dr-krippner/ 55th Annual Convention of the Parapsychological Association: Program and abstracts http://www.parapsych.org/section/41/2012_convention.aspx Blog about the 36th International Conference, Society for Psychical Research, September 7-9, 2012 http://tinyurl.com/8m4v8sx (Here is the link to main SPR site: http://www.spr.ac.uk/)

Other Items of InterestNear-death experiences between science and prejudice by Enrico Facco and Christian Agrillo http://www.frontiersin.org/Human_Neuroscience/10.3389/fnhum.2012.00209/full Doctors testify to patient's spirit return Within hours of Burke being pronounced dead at the hospital, two members of the medical team who had treated him received a visitation from Burke in their own homes before they knew that he had passed on. What's more, the men had never met. http://www.paranormalreview.com/articles/20120715



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Get the Most out of Your MembershipHere is the information youll need to access all of your Windbridge Institute membership benefits. Windbridge Institute Members Site (WIMS) at www.windbridge.org/wims As a member, you can participate in WIMS as much or as little as youd like. WIMS gives you access to the most up-to-date news, research, media, and newsletters. WIMS is also the Institute's social network allowing members to interact and connect with researchers, advisors, Windbridge Certified Research Mediums, and each other. We built WIMS to include: discussion forums; photo galleries; research reports; media downloads; an events calendar; and more! In addition, as a member, you have your own profile page which includes space for your own blog, photo uploads, and a Wall where other members can leave you notes. HOW TO ACCESS WIMS: Setting up your account on WIMS is simple! 1. Go to http://www.windbridge.org/wims 2. Click on the word Register which is on the right side of the page, under the Login button 3. Fill out the short registration form You will need your Member ID number to register. This number was emailed to you when you purchased your membership. If you need it resent to you, please email [email protected] 4. When you have finished filling in the required fields, click on the Register button at the bottom of the page. 5. Follow the remaining confirmation instructions which will be emailed to you Once your account is activated, you can log in to WIMS at www.windbridge.org/wims by entering the username/email and password you set up during registration. After logging in to WIMS for the first time, you should visit the FAQ page for important information about the site. You can find a link to the FAQ page under the Main Menu once you are logged in. We hope you enjoy your WIMS visits. Well see you there! Winds of Change Newsletter Archive Did you know you can access and download all the back issues of Winds of Change? Once your WIMS account is active, simply log-in and click on the Newsletters link under the Main Menu (top left of the page). In addition, you can access the New Year Notes from 2010, 2011, and 2012 include Years-in-Review from 2009, 2010, and 2011, respectively. These reviews provide extensive overviews of the research, publications, events, media, and news from those prior years. The New Year Notes can all be accessed from the Stay Connected page on our website. Recommended Reading Lists and Bookstore Our recommended reading lists, items related to the topics we study, books written by Windbridge Certified Research Mediums (WCRMs), and new and featured items are available in our Amazon Bookstore which can be accessed by clicking here.

If you ever have questions about your membership email [email protected]



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Wishes Do Come True!Since we started our Amazon.com wish list, a number of members have shown their generosity and support by gifting us items from the list. To date, we have received about a dozen books and a printer! All of these items have been incredibly helpful to our work. The latest item arrived just today! Windbridge Institute Member David Metcalfe generously provided us with a new Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder. The recorder will be used in a new Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) study we will be kicking off in the next few weeks. In recognition for his contribution, David will be acknowledged as a supporter in any presentations and papers resulting from the use of the recorder. Thank you, David!

Using the Wish List is easy!Follow this link to visit the Wish List: http://www.amazon.com/wishlist/1QYHNGJKQKMPM

Example items from the Wish List:Making Sense of Near-Death Experiences by Mahendra Peera (Editor) Price: $29.95

Chose an item youd like to contribute and click on the Add to Cart button. Click the Proceed to Checkout button. Select The Windbridge Institute, Tucson, AZ as the shipping address. Complete the normal Amazon.com checkout procedure.The costs of items sent to the Windbridge Institute are NOT tax-deductible. Amazon will not disclose your payment method or any credit card information.

Extech HD450 Datalogging Light Meter Price: $259.99

What We Are Reading...First Sight: ESP and Parapsychology in Everyday Life By James Carpenter ...an exciting and elegantly written book that simultaneously makes a major theoretical contribution to the science of psychic functioning while providing an accurate, non-technical overview of the field accessible to the interested general reader. Daryl Bem The Departed Among the Living: An Investigative Study of Afterlife Encounters By Erlendur Haraldsson Ph. D. The Departed Among the Living is a profound challenge to the assumption that human consciousness is annihilated with the death of the brain and body. Dr. Erlendur Haraldsson's meticulous, fascinating research will validate those who already believe in life after death, and should stimulate serious reflection in those who do not. Larry Dossey

Be sure to visit the bookstore for these and other great picks! Book sales support research!

Thank you for all your support! Look for the next issue of Winds of Change in the Winter. Until then, make sure to check out our email updates for all the latest news and send any comments or questions to [email protected], Julie, and the Windbridge Institute TeamWinds of Change Vol. 5, Issue 3 2012 Windbridge Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Page 15

Winds of Change Fall 2012

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