In spite of research spanning several decades, it appears painfully obvious that, where distant mental interactions are concerned, we are merely shooting experimental arrows in the dark. Observation-supported theory is the foundation of any science, but in spite of our tremendous advances in theoretical physics, we still seem unable to connect fact and theory when it comes to psi research. As Savely Savva pointedly argues in his article (see Paper Reviews), we are dealing with a new science, which means that we need a new way of thinking about reality. Relevant questions and relevant experiments will come only on the heels of a theory capable of unifying our current observations into a meaningful whole.

One extremely interesting model that promises to answer many of the questions raised in this paper is Matti Pitkanen's Topological Geometrodynamics (see articles in this issue).

According to TGD, entanglement between two subsystems (shared experiences) can occur on a cognitive (ie in p-adic domain) OR real level, which results in the formation of "join along" boundaries and wormholes through which electromagnetic fluxes can flow from one system (spacetime sheet) to the other. This is possible only between systems which possess the same local topology.

Under normal circumstances (awake state), entanglement of the self with other subsystems is unlikely because of the decomposition of spacetime into real and p-adic regions, implying an island-like separation between cognitive domains. However, during sleep or trance the self's topology changes to that of the surroundings, and entanglement with other subsystems occurs, which translates into mental images.

If this is correct, then one can begin to understand the mechanism of remote viewing and remote healing as a "directed entanglement" whereby an altered state of mind (trance) would allow a portion of the self's topological hierarchy (ie a subself's topology) to transform (mimic) according to a given cognitive spacesheet = the "coordinate" given in the RVor healing session; moreover, distant healing would involve transfer of specific electromagnetic frequencies through the Planck-length wormholes and join-along boundaries postulated by TGD, which would allow for the near-instant transfer of information.

It is also possible that focusing on an adjunct modifies its p-adic topology (the equivalent of Poponin's "subvacuum structure" ?), which in turn may entangle with the healee's cognitive topology and trigger specific brain EM frequencies which are then transmitted along the perineural system as per our previously discussed model (Sidorov, 2001). This form of p-adic-to-real phase transition at the neuronal level has been described by Pitkanen in (7), and is similar to other scenarios where amplification leads to macroscopic effects starting from quantum-level processes. The observation that brain synchronization between sender and receiver (Hirasawa & al, 1996) follows an occipital-to-frontal alpha wave propagation suggest that specialized modules in the brain are where this initial phase transition occurs. In fact, TGD views the brain as a sensory organ for our extended, electromagnetic selves, which have a length scale at least the size of the Earth's diameter - making for an interesting convergence with ideas presented in (Sidorov, 2001). During normal awake states, the "sensory aperture" of the brain restricts perception to an area immediately adjacent to the body; however, in trance or sleep states this aperture seems to widen and allow the self's perceptive field to expand to its full scale, making possible phenomena like out-of-body experiences. Whether this "wavelength window" is the result of predominant brainwaves characterizing such states remains to be seen.

One interesting observation that might relate to this comes, again, from Joseph McMoneagle (McMoneagle, p 245-6), who noted marked differences between his RVand OBE perceptions: " While out of body, you know that you have gone somewhere and left your body behind. [...] You see exactly what you would have seen with your physical eyes, only it looks clearer, sharper; there is more color. In order to see something on the other side of a wall you must move through the wall to see it. [...] You can see what appears to be the molecular energy fields within objects..." In RV, "the information comes in numerous ways: symbols, sounds, feelings, tastes, pictures [...] and holistic impressions. [...] There is a lot of information available in the remote viewing state that is not available in the out-of-body state. For instance, in the out-of-body state it is impossible to see what language a person speaks at the target, you can't tell someone's nationality unless it's obvious by dress, you can't tell how someone feels. In the remote viewing state, you can discern all that without "seeing" it".

Although this is a purely subjective piece of data, such testimony coming from a highly experienced and respected professional must be taken into account: if so, it does seem to present strong evidence that Pitkanen's preliminary results are correct, and that we are probably dealing with two non-local mechanisms - topological cognitive entanglement in the case of RV, and classical EM perception in the case of OBEs.

Finally, a very intriguing (and important) point to consider is the principle governing the direction of energy/information transfer between two entangled spacetime sheets. Many remote healers have emphasized the need for "protection" against the possibility of picking up the disease they are trying to heal (Benor p. 59, 61); there is also evidence from experimental work with cell cultures that disease information can be transmitted via biophotons or other "subtle mechanisms" (Rubik, 1993). Given that most forms of healing involve a "re-normalization" of the organism's biofield, one has to wonder why it is that the correct program (frequency?) manages to entrain the abnormal one, rather than the other way around - and under which circumstances the reverse may be true. Somewhat related is question we approached earlier - that is, does a Qigong master using "universal energy" precipitate a p-adic-real phase transition to create a negative energy spacetime sheet in order to absorb EM energy from the surroundings via boundary wormholes? (see Benor p70, Higuchi & al 1999, a,b)

These are only a few of the possibilities raised by TGD and similar theories. It cannot be overemphasized that a close working relationship between theoretical and experimental groups will be the key to meaningful progress across this terra incognita. Furthermore, we believe it is imperative that the subjective and empirical observations of those directly implicated in psi performance (such as qigong masters, remote viewers and others) be gathered and considered with the utmost seriousness by those charting the course of future research: given that all we can currently measure with scientific methods are second-level effects of the biofield, it is time to accept that the subjective experience of such individuals is the closest we'll come to observing "un-camouflaged" reality.