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MIRACLES OF MIND: EXPLORING NONLOCAL CONSCIOUSNESS AND SPIRITUAL HEALING by Russell Targ and Jane Katra. Novato, CA: New World Library, 1998. Pp. xviii + 325. $24.95 (hardcover). ISBN 1-57731-070-5.
Miracles of Mind is a synthesis of parapsychology and spirituality, accessible to general readers, that lucidly presents the authors' scientific studies, and at the same time goes extensively into their personal spiritual experiences. The goal of Miracles of Mind is not simply to make a scientific case for psi, but to lead to the kind of spiritual awareness that an acceptance of psi could facilitate. The authors state, "We believe that psi's greatest value will be found in its ability to help us discover a deeper understanding of who we are, to enable us to experience our most intimate relationships with each other, and to learn to more fully appreciate the wonder of the universe and our place in it" (p. 286) . The strength of this book is that it gives an accurate overview of contemporary parapsychology research, while addressing experiential and spiritual questions.
Is psi only a laboratory curiosity, or is it the universal connecting link among all of us? The authors are well-positioned to explore these questions from the points of view of science and spiritual experience. Russell Targ is well known to parapsychologists for his role as a pioneer in remote viewing research and his familiarity with the experimental approach to psi. Jane Katra, as a spiritual healer, brings in the experiential side, with insights into the meaning of psi and its relationship to healing.
The book begins with several chapters reviewing scientific progress in parapsychology, enlivened by Russell Targ's anecdotes. Right at the start, Targ discusses his own psychic...