He is also notable as one of the founders of the Jefferson Cable Corporation; the first cable company to cover central Virginia.

Biography

According to his own account, while experimenting with sleep-learning in 1958 Monroe experienced an unusual phenomenon which he described as sensations of paralysis and vibration accompanied by a bright light that appeared to be shining on him from a shallow angle. Monroe goes on to say that this occurred another 9 times over the next six weeks, culminating in an out-of-body experience. Monroe recorded his account in his 1971 book Journeys Out Of The Body and went on to become a prominent researcher in the field of human consciousness.

Monroe later authored two more books Far Journeys and Ultimate Journey and in 1978 he founded the Monroe Institute. A non-profit education and research foundation that described itself as being "devoted to the exploration of human consciousness".

Hemi-Sync

In 1975, Monroe registered a patent for an audio-visual device designed to stimulate brain functions until the left and right hemispheres became synchronized. Monroe held that this state, dubbed Hemi-Sync (hemispherical synchronization), could be used to promote mental well being or to trigger an altered state of consciousness. Monroe's concept was based on an earlier hypothesis known as binaural beats and has since been expanded on a commercial basis by the self help industry.

Bibliography

Robert Monroe was the author of three books:

• Journeys Out of the Body ISBN 0-385-00861-9
• Far Journeys ISBN 0-385-23182-2
• Ultimate Journey ISBN 0-385-47208-0

See also

• Hemi-Sync
• Parapsychology
• Out-of-body experience
• Astral projection
• Remote viewing
• Lucid dreaming
• Bruce Moen

References