Journal of Scientific Exploration
July 7, 2026
Helané Wahbeh, Beth Glick, Erik Brinsmead et al.
This study examined thematic correspondence between two independently sourced corpora: trance-channeled communications attributed to extraterrestrial intelligences (ETIs) and a large-scale archival ufological dataset (UFODex). A curated sample of 52 channeled submissions was collected and processed into a structured dataset, while UFODex, an evolving corpus of books, periodicals, and archival...
OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine
January 7, 2026
Oteja Lightheart, Helané Wahbeh
Older adults in the U.S. have higher rates of depression, stress, and chronic diseases. There is an urgent need for effective interventions to reduce depressive symptoms and enhance overall health and well-being. Meditation presents an appealing therapeutic option due to its cost-effectiveness, minimal risks, ease of use, and active patient involvement, with growing evidence indicating its...
Journal of Scientific Exploration
December 18, 2025
Helané Wahbeh, Sitara Taddeo, Beth Glick
1 citation
Trance channeling, a practice steeped in ancient history involving communication with deities, remains prevalent across diverse cultures. This case study examines the adaptation of a structured hypnotic protocol to explore trance channeling, focusing on shifting consciousness to allow “non-physical beings” to communicate through the participant. Utilizing a protocol developed by Pederzoli and...
Journal of anomalistics
July 24, 2025
James Houran, Debra Katz, J C Williamson et al.
This case study examines the phenomenon of dimensional-slips, i. e., anomalous distortions or perceptions of spacetime that may involve transcendental content or themes. Our investigation specifically centers on “Nell,” a known ‘haunted’ woman who documented four experiences of perceived physical transports to other realms. Using a mixed-methods approach, we employed AI-assisted content...
Frontiers in Psychology
2024
Garret Yount, Sitara Taddeo, Tadas Stumbrys et al.
1 citation
Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) is considered a marker of autonomic nervous system activity in stress research, and atypical waking sAA responses have been reported for traumatized individuals. Lucid dreams, characterized by a dreamer's awareness of their dream state while remaining asleep, have shown promising preliminary evidence of their potential to enhance mental health. This study's...
Journal of Psychedelic Studies
April 27, 2023
Riley D. Kirk, Olivia M. Uhley, Paloma Lehfeldt et al.
AbstractBackgroundEntheogen use is becoming increasingly popular and a potential option for treatment or adjuvant treatment for various medical conditions. Clinical studies are needed to determine the efficacy, safety, and possible role of these traditional medicines in the context of modern society and the Western medicine paradigm. The willingness of patients to participate in such studies is...
Journal of Anomalous Experience and Cognition
April 3, 2023
Helané Wahbeh, Arnaud Delorme, Dean Radin
Objective. Throughout history and across all cultures, many people have believed in some form of afterlife. Recent surveys show that most people worldwide believe they will survive after bodily death. Those who do not believe would require substantial empirical evidence to influence their skepticism. This study’s objective was to evaluate what types of evidence might persuade academic...
Explore (New York, N.Y.)
2023
Marie-Julia Guittier, Helané Wahbeh, Magali Eykerman et al.
Many cultures believe that the first traces of human consciousness during the incarnation may be present before birth. Practices based on this belief exist in many cultures. However, formal scientific inquiry into the possibility of communicating with prenatal consciousness has never been explored. To evaluate if it is possible to communicate with a hypothetical prenatal consciousness of the...
Frontiers in Psychology
June 15, 2022
Helané Wahbeh, Nina Fry, Paolo Speirn
7 citations
Noetic comes from the Greek word noēsis, meaning inner wisdom or direct knowing. Noetic experiences often transcend the perception of our five senses and are ubiquitous worldwide, although no instrument exists to evaluate noetic characteristics both within and between individuals. We developed the Noetic Signature Inventory (NSI) through an iterative qualitative and statistical process as a...
Frontiers in Psychology
2022
Helané Wahbeh, Dean Radin, Cedric Cannard et al.
37 citations
The nature of consciousness is considered one of science's most perplexing and persistent mysteries. We all know the subjective experience of consciousness, but where does it arise? What is its purpose? What are its full capacities? The assumption within today's neuroscience is that all aspects of consciousness arise solely from interactions among neurons in the brain. However, the origin and...
Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine
2022
Helané Wahbeh, Garret Yount, Cassandra Vieten et al.
9 citations
Introduction: Personal development workshops are increasingly popular. This study evaluated the relationships between the measures of well-being, interconnectedness, and extended perception in various workshops and explored which kinds of workshops and individual characteristics predicted changes in these outcomes. Materials and Methods: In a prospective, uncontrolled, within-participant design...
F1000Research
June 25, 2021
Helané Wahbeh, Nina Fry, Paolo Speirn et al.
2 citations
The term "noetic" comes from the Greek word noēsis/noētikos that means inner wisdom, direct knowing, intuition, or implicit understanding. Strong cultural taboos exist about sharing these experiences. Thus, many may not feel comfortable transparently discussing or researching these topics, despite growing evidence that these experiences may be real. The study's objective was to qualitatively...
F1000Research
May 14, 2020
Helané Wahbeh, Garret Yount, Cassandra Vieten et al.
13 citations
Background: Belief in the paranormal is widespread worldwide. Recent surveys suggest that subjective experiences of the paranormal are common. A concise instrument that adequately evaluates beliefs as distinct from experiences does not currently exist. To address this gap, we created the Noetic Experiences and Beliefs Scale (NEBS) which evaluates belief and experience as separate constructs....
Explore (New York, N.Y.)
2020
Helané Wahbeh, Bethany Butzer
24 citations
Historical records suggest that channeling has existed globally, in a variety of cultures, for thousands of years, and recent research suggests that channeling is more prevalent than most people realize. The present study used an online survey to explore mental health factors, personality characteristics, subjective experiences, and the impact of channeling on 83 participants who...
International Journal of Yoga Therapy
November 1, 2019
Helané Wahbeh, Melissa Nelson
Abstract Older adults, a rapidly growing population in the United States, have fewer physiological reserves and are more likely to be affected by stress, making them especially susceptible to depression symptoms. Meditation offers promising potential as an effective treatment; however, few studies have evaluated meditation interventions for this demographic. The objectives of this pilot study...
International Journal of Yoga Therapy
November 1, 2019
Helané Wahbeh, Nina Fry
Abstract Preliminary positive evidence supports the use of iRest (Integrative Restoration) in older adults with depression symptoms. No long-term follow-up measures have been reported on whether the preliminary effects continue beyond initial iRest trainings. The growing population of older adults with depression symptoms is a serious public health issue, and effective interventions to support...
Progress in Brain Research
2019
Tracy Brandmeyer, Arnaud Delorme, Helané Wahbeh
143 citations
Rising from its contemplative and spiritual traditions, the science of meditation has seen huge growth over the last 30 years. This chapter reviews the classifications, phenomenology, neural correlates, and mechanisms of meditation. Meditation classification types are still varied and largely subjective. Broader models to describe meditation practice along multidimensional parameters may...
F1000Research
2019
Helané Wahbeh, Cedric Cannard, Jennifer Okonsky et al.
21 citations
Background: Numerous world cultures believe channeling provides genuine information, and channeling rituals in various forms are regularly conducted in both religious and non-religious contexts. Little is known about the physiological correlates of the subjective experience of channeling. Methods: We conducted a prospective within-subject design study with 13 healthy adult trance channels....
PLoS One
November 7, 2018
Cassandra Vieten, Helané Wahbeh, B Rael Cahn et al.
124 citations
The science of meditation has grown tremendously in the last two decades. Most studies have focused on evaluating the clinical effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions, neural and other physiological correlates of meditation, and individual cognitive and emotional aspects of meditation. Far less research has been conducted on more challenging domains to measure, such as group and...
Medicines
November 2, 2018
Helané Wahbeh
Background: Older adults have fewer physiological reserves and are more likely to be affected by stress. Mindfulness meditation has the potential to be an effective treatment for depression, but little research has been conducted on older adults. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate depression symptom changes in older adults (55–80 years old) taking an Internet Mindfulness...
Explore (New York, N.Y.)
2018
Helané Wahbeh, Amira Sagher, Wallis Back et al.
103 citations
Across cultures and throughout history, transcendent states achieved through meditative practices have been reported. The practices to attain transcendent states vary from transcendental meditation to yoga to contemplative prayer, to other various forms of sitting meditation. While these transcendent states are ascribed many different terms, those who experience them describe a similar unitive,...
Explore (New York, N.Y.)
2017
Helané Wahbeh, Lauri Shainsky, Angela Weaver et al.
13 citations
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious health concern. Current evidence-based treatments for PTSD are efficacious; however, they are not appropriate or tolerated by everyone who needs them. Alternative treatment approaches are needed. Shamanic healing is one such therapy that may potentially be beneficial but no systematic research has been conducted on it for PTSD. The objectives of...
Journal of Clinical Psychology
January 21, 2016
Helané Wahbeh, Elena Goodrich, Elizabeth R. Goy et al.
Objective This study’s objective was to evaluate the effect of two common components of meditation (mindfulness and slow breathing) on potential mechanistic pathways. Methods 102 combat veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomized to: 1) the body scan mindfulness meditation (MM), 2) slow breathing (SB) with a biofeedback device, 3) mindful awareness of the breath with an...
Open Medicine Journal
November 28, 2014
Helané Wahbeh, Matthew N. Svalina, Barry Oken
117 citations
OBJECTIVES: Group mindfulness meditation interventions have improved symptoms in many health conditions. However, many people are unwilling to receive group treatment, so alternative delivery methods such as individual and internet may be a useful option. The study objective was to examine mindfulness meditation intervention delivery format preferences and their relationship to potential...
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
May 14, 2014
Asieh Ahani, Helané Wahbeh, Hooman Nezamfar et al.
165 citations
BACKGROUND: This study investigates measures of mindfulness meditation (MM) as a mental practice, in which a resting but alert state of mind is maintained. A population of older people with high stress level participated in this study, while electroencephalographic (EEG) and respiration signals were recorded during a MM intervention. The physiological signals during meditation and control...