Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS), leverages science to explain phenomena not previously understood, harnessing the best of the rational mind to make advances that further our knowledge and enhance our human experience.
As scientists focused on what are common but not often understood phenomena, they are also aware of the vast historical records of wisdom practices that also speak to the mysteries and possibilities which allow us to access more of our human capacities.
At IONS, scientists apply the rigors of their respective disciplines to explore such phenomena, with a focus on understanding humanity’s inherent interconnectedness and the inner wisdom common to us all. When we collectively embody our true interconnection and embrace our inner wisdom we envision the creation of a more compassionate and thriving world.
This inner wisdom is inherent to our humanness and has been accessed for millennia through meditation, prayer, yogic practices, and other ancient methods. At IONS, they draw on the evidence of these age-old traditions to construct carefully-formulated hypotheses about the power of interconnection and its potential to help us thrive, both individually and as a collective. Through direct-experience research, we apply the lens of modern science to topics often perceived as mysterious or elusive, such as the power of belief to accelerate healing or the connection between intuition and invention.
Evidence from every domain—from medicine and technology, to education and business—demonstrates that when we access our innate knowing to gain clarity and discover deeper truths about ourselves, it fuels progress for everyone. Every day, the team at IONS is using the power of science to reveal the link between an individual’s inner wisdom, the interconnectedness which unites us all, and its power to enhance our lives.
IONS Discovery Lab
IONS is conducting the largest study ever done on the effects of transformative practices and experiences on well-being, self-transcendence, and extended human capacities.
IONSx
IONS is making its moonshot – an application driven, multidisciplinary research program to reliably and robustly demonstrate the influence of human intention on a physical system.
Infusing Noetics into Daily Life
IONS is developing and delivering experiential programs that provide tools and practices to access inner wisdom and experience interconnectedness.
Uplifting Culture
IONS is driving communications and partnerships that amplify our work, enabling noetics to permeate and uplift culture around the world.
Strong Foundation
IONS is the steward of noetic sciences, safeguarding the field for future generations and aligning people management with noetic values through a sustainable, integrity-driven business model.
The IONS Consciousness Transformation Model
Central to the Institute’s research has been investigation into the phenomenon of transformations in consciousness—significant changes in the way that people perceive and shape their reality. Such transformations often lead people to experience more meaning and purpose in their lives, becoming more compassionate and service-oriented and becoming agents for positive change in their communities and beyond. How do these transformations happen? What are the facilitators? What are the barriers to transforming?
IONS believe that the more we learn about this complex and mysterious process, the more successful we’ll be in helping individuals, communities, and institutions to cultivate the paradigm shifts that are needed today. To that end and for over a decade, IONS researchers engaged in a series of studies that included analysis of individual narratives of personal transformations; focus groups with teachers of transformative processes; in-depth interviews with 60 representatives of ancient and modern wisdom traditions; surveys of over 2000 people who had experienced their own transformations; and longitudinal studies of people engaged in transformative practices.
This led us to develop a working model of consciousness transformation that is depicted in the diagram below. It shows that transformation begins with a subjective experience of inner (noetic) knowing and then follows a continuing process of exploration and practice, leading to the enrichment of both the individual and the collective. Implicit in our model of transformation is the belief that bridging individual experience, the wisdom of the world’s spiritual traditions, and the rigor and discernment of science leads to new knowledge, understanding, and practical applications of the powers and potentials of human consciousness. This particular intersection of the objective with the subjective is also what we call the “noetic sciences.” And just as geographical maps facilitate in-depth exploration of specific territories, this working model frames the transformative process in a way that guides much of the Institute’s work.
