The following article was published in “Soul Travel” magazine, 29th August 2004

Former Astronaut and founder of the Institute for Noetic Science says: "non local communication forms, such as Remote Viewing and telepathy, are possible forms for ET communication, and claimed by some", and in another context he adds: "it is time to release the constraints on UFOs and extra terrestrial information that has been avoided or hidden by most nations, and/or in agreement with Extraterrestrials themselves".

Interview and text by Torbjorn Sassersson

Updated: [ August 29, 2004 ]

These are astounding statements coming from a highly educated, awarded and intelligent man with a lot of credibility and is to be taken seriously. Also keep in mind that he is the founder of IONS a research institute studying parapsychology, the mind and human consciousness. The institute has, by the way, the known researcher Dean Radin author of the book, "The Conscious Universe", in its staff.

To be fair as an article writer I do not however want to make the impression that Dr Mitchell in his work at IONS pursue means of ET communication nor work in any UFO disclosure project.

Edgar D. Mitchell was the sixth man to walk on the moon. He did this with Alan Shepard as part of the Apollo 14 mission on February 9 back in 1971. Mitchell obtained a Doctor of Science degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. He also has two Bachelor of Science degrees. He was awarded honorary doctorates from several universities. Mitchell's academic interests include consciousness and paranormal phenomena.

In 1974, he founded the Institute of Noetic Science (IONS). The aim of the non-profit Institute is to conduct and sponsor research into areas that mainstream science has ignored, including psychic events.

A Secret Telepathy Experiment in Space

Mitchell describes that being in space looking down on Earth had a profound impact on his mind and his thoughts about man and our place in cosmos. But even before this moment, as he described as a "spontaneous epiphany experience", he was open-minded enough to perform a telepathy experiment without NASA knowing it during his Apollo mission in space.

This amusing information Edgar Mitchell admits in a radio interview with Art Bell for Coast-to-Coast AM in 1996 (Download info about the complete audio interview content). He had to do the experiment, which turned out to be very successful, secretly since NASA in those days where not too (openly) interested in neither Extraterrestrials nor paranormal phenomena.

For example, according to Mitchell, NASA had no ET protocols to follow in case of an unexpected encounter in space. That may have come handy since several former astronauts, according to certain Internet sites and books, speaks of seeing big discs, cigar shaped objects and strange lights in space and on the Moon, something that Edgar Mitchell denies.

However the information about the secret telepathy experiment leaked out somehow and that was good. Otherwise this little story might never have reached the public.

A Need for a More Complete Cosmology

When you listen to Edgar Mitchell it is not hard to tell where he has both his Heart and Mind. It's in the area where knowledge meets the frontiers of the human consciousness. He speaks of the Soul as a hologram and our interconnectedness with the Universe.

Mitchell asks in his book "The way of the explorer", isn't awareness the fundamental nature of matter and he claims that human kind has reached a point where its evolution has come under conscious control.

In the task to inhabit outer space and pursue even more sophisticated technological advancements on Earth there seem to be an eminent need for proper guidance. There is a need for guidance by our spirit meaning that the human spiritual development has to level with our technological achievements, he says. What value systems are needed to evaluate new technologies as such?

In order to make a scientific case of these thoughts Mitchell has put considerate efforts to evolve our understanding of the so-called Zero Point Field. The Zero Point Field is thought to be an ocean of subatomic vibrations in the space between things, interconnecting everything in the universe.

What this exciting new science offers is a radically new view of the way the Universe as well as our bodies work. The mind and body are not separate from their environment, but rather energies constantly interacting with a vast sea of other energies. This creates a new scientific theory, which could explain paranormal phenomena.

In order to put this into practice on the individual level Edgar Mitchell and IONS has developed a close co-operation with the Monroe Institute founded by Robert A. Monroe. This institute is specialized in helping people having direct experience of their true energy nature and the mobility of the mind as a vehicle for consciousness.

This is done by inducing Out-of-body experiences, experiences of awareness of our insides and outsides, of presence in the Sea of Everythingness.

The interview

What made you lay the foundation of the Institute for Noetic Science? Was it your experiences of watching Earth from space that changed your direction in life?

Edgar Mitchell: "Yes, the view of the cosmos and Earth from outer space caused a spontaneous epiphany experience, that has caused me to question many of our cultural assumptions about cosmology and our place in the universe."

"Understanding consciousness, and its many facets, attributes and states, and its evolution have been my primary interest for 30 years, and the reason for founding IONS."

Are you still in contact with the other former astronauts?

Edgar Mitchell: "The Association of Space Explorers is the organization representing all those who have flown in space from all nations. It is one means of maintaining contact with all astronauts and cosmonauts."

IONS sponsors: "leading-edge research into the potentials and powers of consciousness" and explores "phenomena that do not necessarily fit conventional scientific models, while maintaining a commitment to scientific rigor." What are the major findings of IONS so far?

Edgar Mitchell: "The work at IONS, independently, and in conjunction with affiliated organizations, has helped make the case for conscious choices and intentionality as a basic cause in creating reality. That is to say that Cartesian dualism and scientific materialism are demonstrably flawed concepts."

Does IONS regard the Out-of-Body phenomenon to be of interest in your research efforts?

Edgar Mitchell: "Out-of-body experiences (OBE) are an interesting phenomenon for study. Quantum principles suggest, however, that OBEs are a variation of remote viewing (RV) of non local quantum information, and that nothing is really "out" of the body."

Have you yourself experienced OBEs, lucid dreaming, clairvoyance or remote perception?

Edgar Mitchell: "Yes, all of the named experiences."

You have repeatedly over the years claimed that you have seen proof of Extraterrestrial highly intelligent life forms. Can you please tell us some more about that?

Edgar Mitchell: "Not so. I have never had first hand experiences of ETs or UFO phenomena. Rather, I rely upon the testimony of trusted "old timers" and more modern government and military personnel whose official duties and need to know, placed them in position to have such experiences. I have been briefed by such individuals."

Are you sure these life forms are extraterrestrial? Could it be that they are extra dimensional?

Edgar Mitchell: "No valid case has yet been demonstrated in physics for the existence of extra spatial dimensions. If ET visitation is real, it is not likely extra-dimensional."

There seem to be an obvious connection between altered states of consciousness and Extraterrestrials in terms of communication. Could telepathy, Remote Viewing or the OBE state function as communication bridges?

Edgar Mitchell: "The non local communication forms, such as Remote Viewing, telepathy, are possible forms for ET communication, and claimed by some. I have no direct knowledge of these communications."

When do you think it is time for us humans on a wider scale to know and understand that we are not alone in the universe and that we have been visited by these "space brothers" for a long time?

Edgar Mitchell: "I think it is time (now) to release the constraints on UFOs and Extraterrestrials information that has been avoided or hidden by most nations, and/or in agreement with Extraterrestrials themselves. The evidence for existence and visitations is now widespread enough that enormous upheaval of earthly institutions is unlikely."

Thank you very much for your time Dr. This has been most interesting/ Torbjorn Sassersson

Final words

To add to the ET mystery Edgar Mitchell, in an article published in February 18, 2004, by Waveney Ann Moore a St. Petersburg Times Staff Writer, he says:

"A cabal of insiders stopped briefing presidents about Extraterrestrials after President Kennedy".

Edgar Mitchell was brought up in Roswell, New Mexico, in the notorious little town where it is said an Extraterrestrial vehicle crash-landed in 1947. In the interview with Art Bell mentioned above Mitchell says he is certain it really happened and that over a 100 witnesses with direct knowledge and experience of the event have come forward to tell their story.

But no governmental confirmation about UFOs in Roswell has ever surfaced. Instead they maintain that it was a weather balloon, and later on changing their story to "revealing" it was an experimental spy balloon that fell from the sky.

And that is where we end up again. We ordinary people are put on hold both regarding a presumed Extraterrestrial presence as well as the truth about paranormal phenomena. On the other hand today there exists means to find out the truth anyway.