Exploring Consciousness

ICRL at a Glance

ICRL is a 501(c)(3) NFP organization founded in 1996 by Dr. Robert Jahn and Dr. Brenda Dunne as a vehicle to continue and build upon the research begun at the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Laboratory (1979-2007). What made the PEAR program so impactful to the field of consciousness studies was its rigorous, scientific approach to the study of anomalous phenomena such as PK and remote perception, thereby establishing the reality of such effects beyond any reasonable doubt.

The three pears in ICRL’s logo represent our approach to continuing PEAR’s legacy via the pillars of research, education, and applications. These pillars manifest through a variety of initiatives that range from engaging people in discussions about the nature of consciousness (and the implications of that nature), providing experiences aimed at expanding our worldview, publishing books and articles, undertaking scientific research projects, and promoting partnerships across a growing network of organizations.

The tree in our logo represents the importance of recognizing all life as an interconnected and interdependent ecosystem. That interconnectedness, the reality that each thing in the universe is simply a facet of the larger everything, is the foundation through which so-called anomalous phenomena manifest. Through expanding the scope and application of the scientific method to include subjective elements of reality we see that such phenomena are not really anomalous at all, and shine a light on what humanity is truly capable of achieving.

Our Vision

ICRL envisions a future of acceptance and balance, where a person is not asked to choose between their mind and their body, the intuitive and the logical, or between science and art. In this future, people recognize that consciousness and conscious choice play a critical role in the formation of reality, not only in establishing meaning and giving value to personal experiences, but in influencing the behaviors and the very nature of that which is considered external to the self. People take responsibility for who they are, what they think, and how they treat both other people and the environment. Further, they recognize that the health and happiness of all beings, and of the world in which they exist, has a very real and substantive impact on their own wellbeing.

Our Mission

Our mission is to catalyze individual and societal changes that bring us towards ICRL’s Vision. We leverage playful exploration, a focus on gratitude, and open-mindedness in undertaking a threefold agenda: 1) Scientific investigation of the nature of consciousness and its relationship with reality; 2) Forging communities that promote health, balance, and acceptance at every level, from the individual through the world’s ecosystem; and 3) Developing resources that enhance self-awareness, and thereby enable people and societies to overcome past trauma, grow from current challenges, and undertake future explorations with confidence and joy.

Specific activities central to this mission are:

Expanding the scope of science to respect and encompass subjective experience,
Embracing the power of art as an indispensable language of the spirit, and
Providing nurturing environments in which people can safely explore their own nature and connections to the rest of the universe.

Our History

In 1979, Robert Jahn, Dean of Princeton University’s School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, established the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Laboratory to explore the potential vulnerability of sensitive engineering systems to the effects of human intention. Over the next 28 years, he and his colleague, laboratory manager Brenda Dunne, together with their interdisciplinary staff, accumulated an immense database that demonstrated that such effects were real, albeit anomalous. But it soon became evident that these effects were indications of how consciousness played a role in the establishment of physical reality.

In 1990 they brought together a group of colleagues from various countries and academic disciplines in an informal consortium to explore the nature of consciousness. This group was the seed that grew into the International Consciousness Research Laboratories (ICRL). As the PEAR laboratory prepared to close its university operations, ICRL’s membership was expanded to include other professional colleagues, along with a number of former PEAR interns, and the organization was officially incorporated as a
501(c)(3) Not-For-Profit entity.

ICRL initially focused on scientific research into anomalous consciousness-related phenomena, but through the addition of ICRL Press it quickly expanded the scope of its focus and audience. Today, the organization serves as a vehicle for efforts and collaborations that further our understanding of the nature of consciousness and explore how that understanding can contribute to the betterment of society, whether through science, education, the arts, health, or any other field of discourse.

Our Board

Jeffrey Dunne (Chairman)

Jeffrey Dunne is Chairman of the Board of ICRL, and a Chief Scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, where he undertakes research in data sciences and artificial intelligence. He has degrees in both engineering and physics, and a diverse history of intellectual pursuits in energetics, consciousness and cognition, philosophy, linguistics, acoustics, information management, data fusion, virtual and augmented reality, and communications. Jeff’s current research foci include syntropy and the nature of time, and his personal interests include acting and the writing of plays, books, and music. His first published book, Nexus, introduces – in the guise of a fictional novel – the concept of syntropy, and emphasizes the criticality of balance, open-mindedness, and other key insights central to consciousness studies.

Lynn Ann Cornell (Secretary)

Lynn Ann Cornell, Secretary of ICRL, holds a BA degree from Hollis University and has accumulated a diverse work experience, spanning multiple disciplines: education, technology, business and law, predominately in support and administrative roles. She currently works for the College of New Jersey in its Office of Disability Support Services. Lynn Ann has been an administrative assistant to ICRL’s President since 2011, and has extensive familiarity with the organization’s structure and activities, along with a deep commitment to its mission.

Vasileios Basios

Vasileios Basios is a physicist, conducting interdisciplinary research on the foundations of complexity science and nonlinear systems, self-organization and complex matter. During his formative years, he was tutored by Ilya Prigogine, at ULB where he received his PhD, and by Emilios Bouratinos on meditation and philosophy. He is currently interested in the complex interface between action and information. Other interests include the history of ideas in science and their role in the transformation of science beyond the prevailing naïve, materialistic, mechanistic-reductionist world-view. With others from PEAR, he initiated the Mind-Matter-Mapping Project and has since published several essays for ICRL. He is also a member of the Board of the Scientific and Medical Network and the Steering Team of the Galileo Commission. Vasileios is inspired by the prospect of introducing self-reflection into the practice and understanding of science, and the emergence of a Self-Reflexive Science of Consciousness.

Ian A. Cook

Ian Cook is a Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, where he directs the UCLA Depression Research and Clinic Program at the Semel Institute and was the inaugural holder of the Joanne and George Miller and Family Endowed Chair in Depression Research at the Brain Research Institute. He has been a part of the PEAR/ICRL family since 1980, when he was among the first undergraduate students to conduct research at the PEAR lab. He graduated from the Yale School of Medicine and pursued his residency training and research fellowship at UCLA. His research has focused on understanding the relationships among the mind, the brain, and the body, and in translating developments in technology into more effective treatments for disorders of mood and cognition.

Robert Cohen

Bob (Brahmatirtha) was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1949, completed his B.S. in Chemistry at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1971, and received his M.S. in Geology from Rutgers University in 1975. After a twenty-year career serving as a geologist and vice-president of a large regional environmental company, he currently works as an environmental consultant to state governments. He has been a member of the Bhaktivedanta Institute since the inception in 1976, giving a presentation at their First International Conference on Life Comes from Life in 1977, and working on a multitude of projects with R.L. Thompson (Sadaputa) from 1995 through 2008. He is also a certified court mediator. He now serves as the Director of the Bhaktivedanta Institute for Higher Studies.

Carolyn North

Carolyn is a writer and dancer, two avenues that support her central purpose as a healer. Through her numerous books she teaches that every moment brings unbidden opportunities from the universe, that every day of is filled with beauty and surprise. Ecstatic experience is the goal of her work, the personal to the cosmic.

The scope of ICRL’s activities continues to expand and evolve. We continue to do research in order to explore the complexities of how consciousness interacts with the universe and likewise continue to publish books and articles to share the findings and insights that result from that research. We also share information through presentations and discussions, with a strong emphasis on interaction because simply put, people learn better and are more engaged when they are active participants in an interaction.

Peruse the below sections to learn more.

The Recorded 'Word'

Sharing knowledge about the nature of consciousness (and the implications of such nature) has been a core mission for ICRL since the very beginning. In our formative years, that primarily meant expanding access to the PEAR publications as well as continued writing of ICRL technical articles. In 2009, we began our own publishing imprint, ICRL Press, with the goal of producing affordable books (both physical and digital) that fell into the general topic area of ICRL’s interests. Originally these were primarily technical and written at the post-collegial level, but that focus quickly expanded to include a broader range of topic and to appeal to a broader range of audience. In 2023, we officially established the Wyrder Books imprint to distinguish novels that aim to provide education in the guise of storytelling.

Of course, today in 2025 we must recognize that publishing on paper – even digital paper – is just a one medium for getting the word out into the world, and a very limited one at best. ICRL is starting to pursue other mechanisms for reaching people. We already produce recordings of talks and other events (such as the ICRL Meetups), and have begun to explore the use of cinema, theater, and other forms of artistic expression.

The Spoken Word

ICRL is very active in presenting information about consciousness, both in terms of the research that has been done and the implications of that research for making the world a better, healthier place.

The hosting of ICRL Meetups is a tradition for us for many years now. Through these events, we invite experts in a wide variety of fields to share their insights, their stories, and even new opportunities with the ICRL family. Information on most of these events are preserved on this website, and the majority include video recordings as well.

Members of the ICRL family are very active in giving presentations in other venues around the world, such as conferences, workshops, podcasts, and more. Many of these events are recorded, and we aim to collate those links whenever possible.

Sharing Insights

Receiving the thoughts of others – whether reading, listening, or watching – is a starting point, but research and experience conclusively show that the best way to understand something is to be actively involved in the exploration. For this reason, ICRL places a strong emphasis on bringing people together to explore ideas in safe, collaborative environments. Several of our initiatives are listed here:

Exploring Consciousness: In this ongoing initiative we bring people together online to have focused, moderated conversations on a wide variety of topics. Group size is limited to ensure that everyone has a chance to engage. Sessions are held on selected Saturdays, with registration for each session.

Share Your Light: This ongoing weekly session is focused on developing the practice of gratitude, the benefits of which are both significant and underappreciated. We come together online to share reflections of what was positive in the past week, and to appreciate the good things that are still out there, even if we sometimes lose sight of them. In the early session this included a visual art aspect, which produced some beautiful images.

The Information Field: This series of discussions (which has concluded) brought together roughly a dozen people on a monthly basis to undertake a deep exploration of the core ideas that underlie the nature of information and how it relates to consciousness.

Sharing Experiences

Listening is good; interacting is better. Best of all, however, is when that sharing isn’t just a fleeting moment. Personal exploration, interpersonal growth, societal evolution… these all benefit from sustained interaction. It harmonizes language and transforms good ideas into enduring habits. While ICRL has not yet figured out how to create a 24/7/365 program, we are continually exploring new ways to make awareness of the nature of our consciousness a consistent part of people’s lives.

The newest effort, still in the development stage with expectations of being piloted this fall, is called the Lotus Project is an initiative in which participants register to receive small, weekly challenges designed to promote mindfulness, to help keep us aware of the role that consciousness plays in our day-to-day lives. People share back the outcomes of these challenges, and in doing so become part of a community focused on living deliberately and sensibly.

ICRL also runs a variety of extended, in-person events. These began in the 1990’s with the ICRL Academies, where dozens of people convened for a week to discuss research, practices, and insights – and to build lasting relationships. We are continuing these events, but reimagined with the emphasis in the other order: to build community and relationships that are mutually supportive in many endeavors (including research).

Additionally, in partnership with the BIHS, we have been coordinating a series of retreats called Consciousness Dialogues. These arose out of a recognition that one of the greatest hurdles to effective consciousness research is language, specifically the lack of commonality in how we use words to describe the core ideas underlying the research. We soon realized that exploring the concepts and vocabulary as an intellectual pursuit was only the beginning, and so these immersive experiential retreats were born.

Exploring Reality

Surely one thing that an organization named the International Consciousness Research Laboratories must do is research, and we certainly do. But at ICRL we emphasize that scientific research is just one of many methods for exploring our reality, of discovering new ideas and perspectives. The scientific method, with its systematic approaches, is a powerful tool, and more powerful still when used alongside other modes such as intuition, art, and play. With these tools we explore the world around us, the worlds inside us, and perhaps most important of all, for discovering that these worlds are not as separate as we are often led to believe.

ICRL believes that to continue to make progress in understanding the nature of the universe, we will need to expand the scope of where we apply the scientific method, bringing back a respect and appreciation for, and focus upon, the subjective aspects of human experience. In such a Science of the Subjective we would recognize that the very boundary delineating objective from subjective is itself a subjective measure based on consensus of perspectives.

We have undertaken a wide range of research projects over the years. Continuing to leverage REGs, recent research activities have included projects focused on Out-of-Body experiences, end of life events in ICU and hospice environments, and swarming events for bees. Other efforts we hope to initiate in the near future, pending the procurement of sufficient funding, include examining implications of influencing random number generators such as those used for encryption and decryption, continuing past investigations related to the ability of plants to influence REGs, and examining the impact of intention on generative AI systems.

Another strong focus of research for ICRL is through our Consciousness Dialogues initiative, in which we are working towards alignment in the language used to discuss matters of consciousness. We are also running an art-based project named Facets of the Human Experience in which we are asking artists to contribute to an art installation that looks at both the role and capabilities of art to communicate beyond spoken language. We are also in the early planning stages of a variety of projects that will combine REG technology with artistic expression.

The scope of our discovery-focused activities is driven primarily by the generosity of people who believe that the world needs (now more than ever) a transformation in the way humanity sees itself. If you are such a person, please consider supporting ICRL’s mission, whether through contributing your time and energy, financially, or any other way.

Over the decades, ICRL has built an extensive set of resources to support people and organizations who are pursuing an understanding of the nature of consciousness, whether for personal growth, academic research, or practical impacts in life.

Leveraging ICRL's 'Products'

Sharing knowledge about the nature of consciousness, and the resulting implications, is a core mission for ICRL. Towards this end we provide access to an extensive collection of technical and non-technical articles, essays, and papers, as well as a broad collection of physical and digital books through ICRL Press.

We also offer a tremendous array of other content. On this site you will be able to access a great deal of video content, such as recordings of past ICRL Meetups and Exploring Consciousness sessions, the (imminently forthcoming) PEAR Proposition DVD set, and a (very soon to be) growing collection of interviews, podcasts, and presentation recordings.

More interactive content s soon to include a catalog of ICRL classes (single session) and courses (extended sessions) on consciousness-related topics.

Finally, we are in the process of establishing an online store for obtaining ICRL swag, such as shirts, mugs, and some even more creative surprises. Check back later this year for more on this.

Leveraging ICRL's People

Recorded knowledge is helpful if you know specifically the knowledge you seek, but often it is answers to the questions one doesn’t think to ask that are most helpful. This requires interactive discussion, and ICRL offers many avenues for that. Our ICRL Meetups always include opportunities to ask questions of experts, and our Exploring Consciousness discussion series is a great way to engage with ICRL’s president, Jeff Dunne. As a distinguished public speaker, Jeff is also available to give presentations, lectures, and even custom-designed courses in a wide range of topics. Typical subjects in the past have included: PEAR’s history, consciousness research (design and methods), syntropy, the nature of time, synchronicities, artificial intelligence, and more. Dr. Dunne is also an expert on more ‘traditional’ topics, such as data science, information representation and data management, database systems, as well as writing (both narrative and scripts), and is always excited to bring together unique combinations of topics for interested audiences. Beyond this, the broader ICRL family includes many other experts in numerous fields. If you are looking for help and/or expertise, get in touch to explore the best way to engage with ICRL’s experts.

Leveraging ICRL's Spaces

ICRL has grown substantially from its origins in Princeton, NJ. While we work with people located around the globe on projects centered in many countries, we also maintain a physical presence in two locations, with a third on the way.

The majority of our work is done out of Maryland, although that is steadily shifting to a beautiful 72-acre property outside of Roanoke, Virginia. Since 2024, this location has been the site of informal gatherings, our rekindled Academy gatherings, and the official kickoff of the Consciousness Alliance.

We are also in the process of establishing an ICRL presence on the Mediterranean coast of Spain, between Alicante and Valencia, which will hopefully become active in 2026.

If you are interested in making use of these spaces, you can use the below form to start the conversation.

Running an organization focused on consciousness, there are some questions that come up on a recurring basis. Below is a set of bite-sized answers that can hopefully serve as the beginning of further conversation.

What is consciousness?

This obviously comes up a lot, especially in the context of understanding the relationship of consciousness to the physical form.

It’s not an easy question to answer, but not because the answer is complicated, but rather because our languages are not well-prepared to address it. We are trained to go to an either/or interpretation (it’s either consciousness or it’s the physical body), and that sets us off in the wrong direction.

We believe that consciousness is what we are, what everything ultimately is, and here we really mean everything. Humans, dogs, cats, plants… but also rocks, stars, and even the non-physical, such as light, laughter, etc. Consciousness is that ‘thing’ that has awareness and exercises intention.

To understand, then, the relationship between that concept of the self and the body, one might say that consciousness is the thing, while the body is one description of the thing (one of many possible descriptions, each capturing different facets). A decent metaphor/analogy is this: consciousness is the story, and the manifestation of consciousness (in physical form in the case of humans) is the book. We must realize that all aspects of a story are not captured by a single book, just as stories change when told from different perspectives (The Wizard of Oz vs. Wicked) and stories go on, leading to additional books.

An important implication of this is recognizing that when the body ends, that is not the end of the consciousness, but merely the end of that one particular description of that consciousness.

What is/isn't conscious?

Everything.

But… that does not mean that everything is conscious in the same way that a human is conscious. Nor does it mean that everything experiences a universe that looks like the universe as humans envision it. We organize our experiences and awarenesses using the tools of time and space, and likely some other forms of consciousness do that too.

It is important, however, to realize that this is not the only way to organize things, to describe reality. And what makes that important is that in so realizing, we are better equipped to think about those aspects of reality that do not conform to the traditional concepts of time and space, for there are many such examples.

What was PEAR, and what made it unique/important?

The Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research (PEAR) Laboratory was a research program at Princeton University that was run by Dr. Robert Jahn and Dr. Brenda Dunne, one that took a scientific/engineering approach to examining phenomena that defied the mainstream scientific model of reality – notably the ability of consciousness to interact with the rest of reality outside the so-called “normal” channels. This included studies of interactions both physical (such as affecting the behavior of physical and/or energetic systems) and informational (such as remote perception of distant locations).

What made PEAR particularly important in the field was its approach. Rather than seeking out gifted individuals and studying their abilities, PEAR’s research participants (called operators by the program) were everyday people, and instead of looking at a few spectacular events, PEAR collected millions of trials to perform a statistical assessment of the phenomena.

It was the establishment of this large database of evidence with very high statistical significance that laid the foundation for scientists to move beyond the realm of trying to demonstrate that these phenomena are real and into the stage of studying how it all works.

What are the key findings of the PEAR research program?

The PEAR program ran for nearly thirty years, so naturally there were a great many findings over that time. Perhaps the most important of them are:

Psi phenomena are real and have been verified with overwhelming amounts of scientifically-rigorous evidence.
These phenomena are not limited to only a few individuals; everyone has the capacity, albeit to greater or lesser extents. This also includes not-humans as well, such as animals and plants.
The degree of one’s abilities depends on their perspectives, expectations, and worldviews.
Neither time nor space are relevant factors in psi phenomena (excepting to the extent that, as mentioned in the prior bullet, time and space relate to a person’s perspectives, expectations, and worldviews).
These effects manifest most readily in systems that include some aspect of uncertainty in their operation (e.g. randomness).

How can we use an understanding of consciousness to make things better?

There are many answers to this question; to keep this brief, we’ll include only one. But know that there is a great deal more to be expressed.

Perhaps one of the most powerful outcomes of an increased understanding of the nature of consciousness is the resulting increased understanding of the nature of ourselves, the nature of the rest of reality, and the connection between them. Recognizing that our interconnectedness is more than just an untested hypothesis changes the way we consider our situation and informs us of better ways to overcome challenges. Similarly, it helps us to resolve apparent paradoxes that arise from an inaccurate belief about the nature of reality, and to ask better questions, i.e. questions that are less likely to incorporate misconceptions that lead us away from the answers we seek.

Is consciousness limited... To the physical? In time? In space?

No.

Next question.

Okay, but more seriously, it is worth noting that not only does the evidence show that consciousness is not limited to time or space, systematic analysis of the data strongly suggests that the most consistent interpretation is that time and space are actually cognitive constructs of consciousness, not properties of some objective (beyond consciousness) reality.

What is syntropy, and is it related to synchronicity?

The concept of syntropy describes the principle by which circumstances have an influence on things at prior moments in time. Alternately said, just as entropy describes the flow of information and energy in the forward time direction, the complementary principle of syntropy describes energy and information flowing backwards in time. The consequences of syntropy are profound, for it gives rise to the idea of purpose (that things happen in order to lead to a future state) and is evidence that everything in the universe is interconnected.

In this way, one can think of syntropy as being the physics behind the presence of synchronicities.

What is the connection between Art and Science, and why are they important to ICRL?

Art and science are often considered complementary disciplines in the sense of approaching reality from different directions. At ICRL, we view them as complementary, but not in the sense that one looks at the world differently than the other.

Science is a disciplined way of exploring the nature of the world. In leveraging the Scientific Method, we are most effective in discovering new aspects of reality and understanding their implications.

Art, like mathematics, is a language. Where mathematics, which is often perceived as intrinsically connected to science, is tailored to describing precise things, art is most effective at communicating about things that are not so well-defined, aspects of reality that do not fall into clean categories.

Such things comprise most of reality – and certainly the subjective things like consciousness.

To our thinking, science and art are critical tools, not either/or options. After all, one can create art scientifically; one can perform science artistically. Both the methodology and the language are essential if we are to expand the current scientific framework into a Science of the Subjective.

Why do we need a Science of the Subjective?

A few hundred years ago the field of science became hyper-fixated on the objective world. While that focus led to some amazing discoveries and understandings, it had an unfortunate side-effect: people began to think that objective things were in some way superior to the subjective aspects of reality. This is particularly ironic, given that the definition of what establishes something as objective is consensus, which is a fundamentally subjective distinction.

We have reached a point where the best path forward requires us to recognize that subjective facets of reality playing an important role. We can no longer ignore personal experiences as a vital source of scientific evidence, and must step up our scientific game to learn how to incorporate this data effectively.

The development of a Science of the Subjective, therefore, is a critical next step in the study of consciousness, of the natural universe, and the recognition that those are two sides of the same coin.

What's an REG, and what's a Murphy?

PEAR used a wide variety of experiments to study psi phenomena. The mechanisms hit all essential dimensions of the physical – motion of physical objects, fluid mechanics, acoustics, light, heat, quantum processes, and so forth. Two of the most famous experiments were Murphy and the REG studies.

Along one of the walls of the PEAR lab was a Random Mechanical Cascade machine. It comprised a series of pegs through which thousands of balls would fall into bins, creating a Gaussian distribution, and operators would attempt to influence the balls to fall more to the left or the right. The device was named Murphy while it was being built because it seemed to be the embodiment of Murphy’s Law – anything and everything that could possibly go wrong invariably did, and generally with the result that the laboratory staff had to spend hours picking up 9000 marbles from the floor of the lab.

The largest dataset collected at PEAR used Random Event Generators, or REGs. These devices were essentially electronic coin flippers that produced a series of 1’s and 0’s; operators were instructed to influence the machines to produce more 1’s than 0’s or vice versa.

While all of the experiments demonstrated the same kind of effects, the REG experiments were the most commonly performed for a few reasons. They were considerably quieter than the process of dropping thousands of balls through pegs, the data collection was simpler and faster, and as electronics reduced in size, the REG technology eventually became very portable.

Where is all of the PEAR research equipment now?

When the PEAR lab closed in 2007 all of the equipment went into storage, where it expertly supported an agenda of dust collection for many years. In the early 2020’s, however, we were contacted by a group in Yorkshire, England who was interested in establishing an installation they were calling the Wyrd Experience with the goal of raising awareness about the work of PEAR. Shortly thereafter, ICRL arranged for the equipment to be loaned to Wyrd to support this wonderful goal, and that is where it can be found today.

International Consciousness Research Laboratories

Understanding Consciousness for a Better Tomorrow