GONDOLA WISH ASSESSMENT REPORT - 25 AUGUST 1978

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: STARGATE
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96-00788R002000160001-3
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: November 4, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 19, 2000
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: August 25, 1978
• Content Type: REPORT

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GONDOLA WISH ASSESSMENT REPORT (U)
25 August 1978
Prepared by:
902d Military Intelligence Group
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GONDOLA WISH ASSESSMENT REPORT (U)
25 August 1978
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1. (S) This office has been investigating the intelligence threat
posed by Soviet state-of-the-art parapsychology since September 1977.
This investigation revealed a serious threat posed by the Soviet
parapsychological intelligence collection capability, and demonstrated
a need for a comprehensive countermeasures program. This report
details the criteria under which the Monroe Institute of Applied
Sciences (MIAS), Afton, VA, was selected as the organization to
train MI personnel in a parapsychological intelligence collection
technique, so that they can mimic Soviet collectors in an operations
security (OPSEC) support effort. This project is referred to as
GONDOLA WISH.
2. (S) The parapsychological technique to be used is known as
out-of-the-body experience (OOBE). An OOBE is a parapsychological
experience in which one's center of consciousness seems to be in a
spatial location separate from that of one's physical body. An
OOBE differs from what Stanford Research Institute {SRI), Menlo
Park, CA, calls "Remote Viewing."
3. (S) Intense liaison with CIA, DIA, and the Foreign Technology
Division (FTD), USAF, was conducted prior to contacting MIAS, in an
attempt to determine any prior US Government evaluation of MIAS. A
thorough study of scientific material concerning MIAS technology was
conducted to evaluate the feasibility of the MIAS training technique.
Appropriate security checks were made to insure the loyalty of MIAS
personnel.
4. (S) Robert A. Monroe, Executive Director, MIAS, was eventually
contacted, and agreed to conduct a training pro ram in OOBE for MI
personnel on a confidential basis for a fee of $2,000 during the
months of October and November 1978. ICF for payment of the $2,000
training fee was approved by BG John A. Smith, Jr., Deputy Commander
for Security, INSCOM, on 19 July 1978.
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GONDOLA WISH ASSESSMENT REPORT (U)
25 August 1978
1. (S) GONDOLA WISH is a program designed to integrate the Soviet
and East European parapsychology intelligence collection threat into
the all-source operations security (OPSEC) support scenario. This is
to be accomplished by training MI personnel to mimic Soviet
intelligence collectors, and then utilize these trained personnel
to demonstrate the parapsychology intelligence collection threat,
identify EEFI exploitable by parapsychological means, determine
vulnerabilities, and develop and recommend countermeasures. An
organization which can provide the necessary training, the Monroe
Institute of Applied Sciences (MIAS), Afton, VA, has been contacted,
and has agreed to conduct training of MI personnel on a confidential
basis. The remainder of this report details the criteria under
which the MIAS was selected by this office for utilization in
conjunction with GONDOLA WISH.
2. (S) This office has been investigating the intelligence threat
posed by Soviet state-of-the-art parapsychology since September 1977.
This investigation has involved liaison with the Medical Information
and Intelligence Agency (MIIA), the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA),
the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), and the Foreign Technology
Division (FTD), USAF. This investigation has also included a review
of official government documents on parapsychology, independent
government contractor reports, numerous open source publications,
and interviews with scientific personnel. This investigation revealed
a serious threat posed by the Soviet parapsychological intelligence
collection capability, and demonstrated a need for a comprehensive
countermeasures program.
3. (S) During March 1978, the name Robert Monroe surfaced during
a review of an open source document concerning Dr. Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross, a psychiatrist highly respected within the medical
community for her work with terminally ill patients. Dr. Ross stated
that she had undergone a training program in out-of-the-body
experiences (OOBE) conducted by Robert Monroe, and succeeded in
mastering his techniques without difficulty. (An OOBE is a
parapsychological experience, either spontaneous or induced, in
which one's center of consciousness seems to be in a spatial
location separate from that of one's physical body. An OOBE
differs from what Stanford Research Institute (SRI), Menlo Park,
CA, calls "Remote Viewing," in that during Remote Viewing the
subject does not perceive himself to be at the target location,
but only observing it. In an OOBE, the subject perceives himself
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to be actually at the target location. The product of Remote
Viewing is usually only a graphic depiction of the target area,
whereas the product of an OOBE may include not only a graphic
picture of the target location, but also a record of subliminal
telepathic communication with individuals at the target location.)
4. (S) This office queried DIA as to the advisability of
contacting Robert Monroe. Individuals at DIA were knowledgeable
of Monroe, and stated that the CIA had shown interest in him in
the 1973 - 1974 time frame. DIA contacted the CIA, and learned
that the CIA had no interest in Monroe at the present time. The
CIA's assessment of Monroe during the 1973 - 1974 time frame was
very casual, and did not lead to any conclusions concerning
Monroe's abilities. CIA representatives stated that Monroe was
"OK" from a security standpoint, and they had no objections to
having this office approach Monroe. DIA also contacted government
scientific parapsychology experts at FTD, who stated that they
were most interested in Monroe's work, but had not, as yet, had
the time to evaluate it. FTD recommended that Monroe be contacted,
and requested that they be kept informed of any work with Monroe,
as his technique could have significant impact on their program.
(FTD has the mission to verify Soviet parapsychology research and
development by duplicating known efforts of the Soviets. To this
end, contracts have, in the past, been let to SRI because of their
success with Remote Viewing. SRI has not dealt with OOBE, even
though there appears to be Soviet research and development in this
area, This situation is a product of the 10 to 12 year scientific
lag in parapsychology research suffered by the US.) DIA then
queried SRI scientists about Monroe. SRI representatives stated
that they had not evaluated Monroe's teaching technique. SRI's
research is with Remote Viewing, not OOBE, and SRI has had some
success at teaching Remote Viewing. Scientists at SRI (Dr. Targ
and Dr. Puthoff) also stated that they knew Monroe personally,
and believed him to be a credible individual who has had parapsychol-
ogical experiences which are not beyond present understanding.
Based on DIA's inquiries, they suggested this office contact Monroe,
if it was determined that such contact would be beneficial to our
investigation of parapsychology.
5. (S) This office then requested routine security files checks
be made on Monroe to insure his loyalty. These checks were
conducted, and no derogatory information was developed. Further
investigation of Monroe revealed that he has a scientific laboratory
known as the Monroe Institute of Applied Science in Afton, VA. The
training program offered by Monroe in conjunction with the Institute
is highly regarded by a number of individuals knowledgeable of
parapsychological phenomena. Dr. Thelma Moss of the University of
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California at Los Angeles is aware of Monroe's work, and researchers
of altered states of consciousness at the Menninger Foundation,
Topeka, KS, recently validated the concepts behind Monroe's
patented technique with their "theta-gateway" principle. Dr.
Charles T. Tart, professor of psychology at the Davis campus of
the University of California, and a respected scientific
investigator of parapsychology, has conducted investigations
of Monroe under laboratory conditions and is convinced of the
validity of Monroe's experience. Dr. Tart recently recommended
that anyone wanting to learn about OOBE should contact MIAS, as
they were the most knowledgeable in the area. At this point, it
appeared as though Monroe would at least be a valuable individual
with whom we should talk.
6. (S) On 6 April 1978, Robert A. Monroe, Executive Director,
MIAS, P.O. Box 57, Afton, VA 22920, was interviewed at MIAS
concerning his training program. The salient points of that
interview are as follows: In 1958, Monroe, then a New York
broadcasting executive, began having experiences that drastically
altered his life. Unpredictably, and without willing it, Monroe
found himself leaving his physical body to travel, via a "second
body," to locales far removed from the physical and spiritual
realities of his life. With some trepidation, he wrote a book
about his experiences. The book, Journeys Out of the Body, was
published in 1971, and brought out as a second edition in 1977.
Throughout the book, Monroe maintains the stance of a careful,
objective reporter who often reports his own confusion in this
unusual area. He relies upon personal experiences for
interpretation, rather than any occult, religious, or spiritual
framework. In the 1960's, Monroe became interested in the
possible connection between non-verbal audio patterns and brain
wave rhythms. From his long experience with sound, he advanced
from rotating disc circuit breakers to sophisticated, custom-
built signal generators, and the production of tape recordings
in which he has as many as sixteen patterns of sound mixed
together on stereo channels. Drawing upon his discoveries and
the work of others, he employs a system of binaural beats to
create a frequency following response (FFR) by the brain wave
rhythms. The FFR not only gives some control over the brain
wave emission of each hemisphere, it also promotes brain wave
synchronization between the two hemispheres. In May 1975,
Monroe received a generic patent for this method. For
approximately two years, Monroe has offered an instructional
program using his audio technique for individuals who wish to
expand their perspectives beyond the physical world: Monroe
has recently expanded his training program, and offers classes
at several locations CONUS-wide. Monroe's public training
program is not designed to engender OOBE, as the requirements
for such a state are different for each individual. The audio
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tapes used during the public training sessions reflect general
audio patterns which have proven effective for a number of
individuals, and which are designed to aid in the inducement
of an altered state of consciousness which may provide the
student with an environment conducive to OOBE. However, by
monitoring brain wave frequencies and receiving verbal feedback
in a laboratory environment, Monroe can generate the OOBE state
for individuals who are properly motivated and receptive.
7. (S) At this point, it became necessary for this office to
return to the scientific literature for further research.
Because Monroe's technique involves altered states of
consciousness (ASC), particular emphasis was placed on
research which had been done concerning ASC and its relation
to parapsychological phenomena. In all cases, it was found
that the occurrance of parapsychological phenomena always
parallels an ASC. An ASC is not unusual--sleeping, day
dreaming, or concentrating on a problem can all be defined
as ASC. Brain wave frequencies are used to monitor ASC, and
certain frequencies of brain waves are characteristic of
specific states. The delta range, 0.5Hz to 4Hz, is evidenced
during sleep or when an individual is otherwise unconscious.
Alpha rhythms, from 8Hz to 13Hz, are associated with a more
aware state than theta or delta. Alpha usually occurs when
a person closes his eyes and relaxes for a moment. ~ Specific
ASC can be induced by drugs, hypnosis, meditation; and otherr
techniques. In Monroe s case, an---ASZ is induced and controlled
by means of audio stimulation. Without detailing scientific
resear__C_h?6"f more an BO experimental studies, the results
of this research can be simply stated as follows: When the
subject is in a state of sensory relaxation, minimally
influenced by ordinary perception, and experiencing an ASC,
parapsychological functioning is enhanced.
8. (S) It was at this point that the GONDOLA WISH concept
of training MI personnel was finalized. On 3 May 1978, Monroe
was recontacted and gi-ven a security indoctrination on the
sensitive nature of MI involvement with him and his training
program. Monroe agreed to keep all contact with this office
on a confidential basis, and not to discuss our involvement
with other members of MIAS, the press, other government
agencies, or anyone else. Monroe has agreed to train three
MI personnel in OOBE at his laboratory during October and
November 1978, for a fee of $2,000. This office is currently
in the planning phase for this training, and is ready to
proceed on schedule. This is to be a pilot training program.
If the program is successful in generating the OOBE state,
further training with Monroe may be negotiated to refine the
technique and enhance the intelligence collection component
of the OOBE.
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