2026 Programme

This talk suggests that humans are one of infinitely many manifestations of a Psychophysical Cosmic Mind—a form of primordial conscious energy whose complementary aspects of consciousness and energy underlie all manifestation. Primordial consciousness real-izes existence while primordial energy gives consciousness its infinitely varied forms—a form of Western Cosmopsychism that converges closely with the Integral Vedanta of Ramakrishna, Vivekananda, and Aurobindo.

This presentation introduces an ongoing research programme investigating communication in individuals with nonspeaking autism. Using a combination of structured communication tasks, observational case studies, and interviews with participants, families, and professionals, the project examines how individuals with nonspeaking autism access and convey information. The goal is to rigorously evaluate communication while minimizing alternative explanations and to contribute empirical evidence to our understanding of communication, cognition, and consciousness in autism.

Drawing on an unexpected journey from serving as a U.S. Navy Commander and aide to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to becoming an evidential medium, Suzanne Giesemann explores how openness to experience can expand our understanding of consciousness. Through compelling evidence suggestive of consciousness beyond the brain, personal investigation, and the practical framework of The Awakened Way, she examines the complementary roles of objective evidence, first-person experience, and self-inquiry in exploring consciousness. Rather than asking what to believe, this presentation invites participants to consider how curiosity, direct experience, and rigorous investigation together may reveal new insights into human potential, intuition, healing, compassion, and our interconnected nature.

Near-death experiences often include a profound sense of timelessness, interconnectedness, expanded consciousness, and a reality perceived as more fundamental than ordinary material existence. Remarkably, modern physics has also challenged our everyday assumptions about time, separateness, and objective reality.

This talk explores how both modern physics and accounts of near-death experiences depart from our ordinary experience of reality—and where striking parallels seem to emerge. It will examine timelessness and oneness in physics and NDEs, while also asking where the explanatory limits of materialism may lie.

Without claiming that physics proves near-death experiences, the talk considers whether the two perspectives can illuminate different aspects of reality and, when brought into dialogue, help us develop a broader understanding of consciousness and existence.

Following a spontaneous awakening experience in 1990 when he was pursuing the idea of a conscious computer, Federico realized that consciousness and free will must be fundamental properties of the quantum fields, not properties of the brain. In his talk, he will elaborate on the theory that the One seeks to know itself through a hierarchy of interacting self-conscious quantum fields that are observers, observed, and agents with free will and wish to know themselves. In his theory the meaning of inner experiences is the ultimate ontology, not information. This is a monistic theory with three fundamental, integrated, and irreducible aspects: matter, mind, and spirit that are always present in every manifestation of a holistic One. This theory has fundamental implications for the way in which we live our lives and relate to each other.

Experiences at the end of life, including dreams and visions, testify to our greatest needs: to love and be loved, to be nurtured and feel connected, to be remembered, and forgiven. Although medically ignored, such experiences are near universal experiences often provide comfort and meaning. To date, the research team at Hospice Buffalo has published multiple studies on this topic and documented over 1,500 end-of-life events, many of which are videotaped.

The lecture will focus on our published research that describes and validates patients dreams and visions at the end of life as well as the impact on the bereaved Dr. Kerr will explore how these near universal experiences often provide comfort and meaning as well as insight into the life led. The presentation includes videos of patients and families describing the meaningfulness of these powerful end of life experiences.

This talk will look at the ways in which certain psychedelic experiences can be understood in terms of academic metaphysical stances such as those of idealism, dualism, monism, physicalism, and transcendentalism – suggesting the possibility of metaphysical psychotherapy. We shall then focus on a more specific metaphysical position proffered by Bergson but employed by Huxley in his Doors of Perception: the notion of the brain and body act as a reducing valve that as such filters an exogenous mind-at-large. This will be complemented by the process philosophy of A. N. Whitehead, a thinker who inspired and was inspired by Bergson.

Daniel Bourke will present accounts of déjà rêvé from ancient folktales, historical letters, modern internet reports, and offhand references in the memoirs of authors, politicians, and ballet dancers. Highlighting in particular the experience of dreams that foretell love encounters, Bourke explores the way these dreams draw people together, illustrating just how extensive and deeply human this phenomenon is. He delves into folk practices and spells for how to dream of a lover, such as placing cards or herbs under a pillow, looking into a candlelit mirror, or praying to the moon. Dreamers can learn the exact name of their future lover or spouse; however, they may not encounter them until years after the dream. Showing how déjà rêvé spurs people to real world action, Bourke also features stories of saints, shamans, religious figures such as the Buddha, and other visionary mystics. These dreams themselves can be astonishingly literal or deeply veiled in symbolism, but are commonly specific and highly memorable—one of the hallmarks of the déjà rêvé experience.