I recently learned of an interesting project, “The Telepathy Tapes”. Currently it is available as a podcast with an accompanying website, which introduces the project with these words:
In a world that often dismisses the extraordinary as mere fantasy, The Telepathy Tapes dares to explore the profound abilities of non-speakers with autism—individuals who have long been misunderstood and underestimated. These silent communicators possess gifts that defy conventional understanding, from telepathy to otherworldly perceptions, challenging the limits of what we believe to be real. For years, their parents and teachers have quietly witnessed these remarkable abilities … Read more.
Funds are being raised to create a documentary of the project. Here is a trailer for the planned movie:
As might be expected, there is considerable controversy about the claims. As an example, here is a critical article from McGill University’s Office for Science and Society:
The Telepathy Tapes Prove We All Want to Believe
And here is a critical commentary on the McGill article, including a rebuttal by Dr. Diane Hennacy Powell. (I found Dr. Hennacy’s background to be fascinating, including her journey as a psychiatrist, researcher in autism, and student of ancient wisdom traditions.)
I am interested in this project for two reasons. First, the project deals with autism (or autism spectrum disorder), a kind of neurodivergence. I am becoming aware that I am neurodivergent myself, having ADHD. And a friend recently introduced me to another, less well-known kind of neurodivergence, aphantasia (when your brain doesn’t form or use mental images as part of your thinking or imagination). The Telepathy Tapes deal with autism, and it turns out that, aphantasia, ADHD and autism are somewhat related. A higher percentage of the population has all three of these than you would expect for it to be a coincidence. All this I find quite intriguing! And I love the tagline on Dr. Diane’s website, “what is the full human potential?”
The second reason for my interest is the theme of evidence of consciousness surviving death, touches on in a later episode. For me, Marianne remains a vital part of my life after her passing from the physical plane. Is this real, or simply what I want to believe?
I have deliberately refrained from expressing my own opinion of The Telepathy Tapes, the McGill critique, and Dr. Hennacy’s rebuttal. I would love to hear your thoughts! Please comment if you are so inclined.
The podcasts are audio-only. The website contains an extensive video library of recorded telepathy tests.
There is an interface, a boundary, between the scientific method and spirituality which, if violated from either side, moves the offending party from respectable to laughable.
The scientific method is concerned with three things: Is it observable? Is it measurable? Is it repeatable? Spirituality is by definition concerned with all things not the above. Hope realized is no longer hope, or so says the author of Hebrews. For some reason hope/faith/belief is crucial to all that is spiritual, but when applied to scientific evaluation robs that evaluation of its validity.
Certainly science has over time developed methods to make what was once regarded as spiritual observable, measurable and repeatable. Spallanzani and the belief in spontaneous generation for example. As science adds to our knowledge base it is appropriate to use that knowledge to inform our world view.
When science steps over the interface and attempts to prove a preconceived belief that science loses its validity. Science has to approach all questions objectively with a willingness to accept the results of the method or it becomes invalid at best, misleading at worst.
This research appears to me to fall in the category of an experiment approached with an expectation of outcome–therefore invalid. For the time being we must continue to cling to our anchors of faith, hope, and love as we sift through the various attempts to move the interface between science and spirituality. I’m comfortable with the belief that some things are true, just not measurable.
Thank you for this, Bob. Thank you for involving us in your search.
Dr.Jeff Terrant, who appears in the podcast, was my instructor for the technology assisted meditation course. He was involved in collecting electroencephalogram data for Dr. Hennacy’s research. I had no idea there was a podcast on the way until a few months ago (long after Terrant’s class was over). I listed to the series twice during my daily walks and then began recommending it to everyone who might be open to the idea of telepathic communication.
Dr. Hennesey’s academic pedigree (Go Hopkins!) and controversial past don’t concern me. I read what she had to say but spent most of my time listening to what Ky learns about the children, mothers and family members. I want to believe them especially since those with more advanced communication skills keep pointing to the idea that love is ALL. The claim to be able to visit on “The Hill”. This non-local wordless meeting place reminds me of Rumi’s poem:
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field. I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language, even the phrase “each other” doesn’t make any sense.” -Rumi
Mainly I think, “so what if assisted communication is controversial?” (Yes, I saw some terrible stories about abuse connected to facilitators.) Let’s learn to do it better but not scrap it because of a few unethical teachers! We didn’t give up on medicine because leaches weren’t a cure all. We didn’t give up on AI because it gets facts wrong. Let’s not give up on these kids because we don’t trust how they point. They are in there and they have something to say. Most appealingly of all, they talk about love. That feels worth the effort to me.
I hope you all get a chance to listen- it’s an awesome series.
I am familiar with the Rumi poem, but when I read the lines in the context of your post, Jen, I got goosebumps. The association of Rumi’s field with “The Hill” is eerily apt.