A Vision for the Future

by Paul Rademacher, TMI Executive Director
Summer/Fall 2007

In 1986, while vacationing in Toronto, Canada, my wife, Jacquie, and I casually walked into what was then called “The World’s Largest Bookstore.” It was a reader’s paradise, with millions of titles stretching as far as the eye could see.

Suddenly, out of that sea of tempting possibilities, one book jumped off the shelf at me. It was Robert Monroe’s Far Journeys . I was riveted from the first page.

Six years before that time, I had fallen off of a roof, fracturing my left hip. As I had spiraled downward in anxiety and pain, I had suddenly broken through to a mystical dimension more wondrous than anything I could have dreamed.

In search of a deeper understanding of that magical world, I had entered seminary as a prelude to becoming a Presbyterian pastor. But by the time Far Journey s fell into my hands, I was terribly frustrated and isolated because so few in the church were comfortable with the language of mystery.

But as I devoured Monroe’s book, it was clear that he was a kindred spirit. Even though he couldn’t have cared less about traditional religion, here was a person who could speak to my deepest longing.

That book would be the beginning of my own journey that has led through numerous TMI programs , the completion of my OUTREACH Facilitator certification, and seven years as a TMI Residential Facilitator. Through the years I have seen the effects, not only in my own life, but in the lives of countless others as new worlds of awareness have become available to ordinary people. So compelling were my experiences with TMI that in 2000 I left the ministry to devote more time to writing about, and working with, this passion of mine.

Through it all, I could have never imagined that one book could have such an impact on my life. Neither could I have ever imagined I would one day be selected as the executive director of this amazing place. It is an honor and responsibility that I am still trying to comprehend.

One of my first responsibilities will be the creation of a vision for TMI’s future. I am convinced, however, that such vision, to be effective, must be shared among as many people as possible. Over the coming months, in order to gain insight from a broad spectrum of people, I will be visiting areas with large concentrations of graduates, Professional members, OUTREACH Facilitators, Residential Facilitators, and Advisory Board members. Together we will create a common vision designed to meet the needs of those who have been touched by the wonderful work of TMI.

In the meantime, as a way of beginning the conversation, I am including excerpts from my application for the executive director’s position. If you have comments, reactions, additions, or entirely new ideas, please email them to us or send a letter to my attention . I can’t reply to all your comments, but they will be read, considered, and compiled. Just as one book changed my life, so can the grandest changes emerge from the smallest beginnings. Your idea may be the crucial piece in the emerging future of TMI.

Your voice is essential to our common vision. Thank you in advance for your collective wisdom and insight.

Excerpts from a Preliminary Vision for TMI

The exploration of human consciousness is the next great frontier. It emerges from the very core of what it means to be, to perceive, to experience, to search for meaning. Therefore what we do at The Monroe Institute® is not ancillary to the human condition, it is central and of critical importance.

Over the years that I have been connected with TMI, I have occasionally overheard comments about the need to preserve Bob Monroe’s legacy. There is a deep appreciation for all that he achieved and a genuine commitment to seeing that those achievements are passed on to future generations.

But talk of legacy can be tricky. When that legacy is identified with the products of Bob’s work, it can lead to unintended consequences. While the TMI programs, the buildings, the grounds, the research, the memberships, and Hemi-Sync® are wonderful and effective tools, it is a mistake to think that these things alone constitute Bob’s legacy. If we do, it seduces us into maintenance as the overriding mandate. Unconsciously, our mission can become limited to preserving, improving, and expanding what has already been done. Risking bold new initiatives can take a back seat.

I would suggest that Bob’s true legacy is something altogether different. In the Intuition documentary created several years ago, Bob made a very telling comment during his interview. Noting that a shift happened once he got over the fear of OBEs, he remarked, “and that only brought up something much more devastating … and that was curiosity.” I would suggest that creating a culture of curiosity is one thing that sets us free from a mind-set of maintenance and preservation.

But there is something else that was just as vital to Bob’s legacy. That was the creativity he brought to the pursuit of his curiosity. He not only developed his own innovations and methods, but he was open to borrowing from other pioneers in the field, when appropriate, and then integrating their insights in a unique way.

Curiosity and creativity in the exploration of consciousness are Bob’s genuine legacy. That perspective sets the stage for a new vision.

The time has come for TMI to consider expanding its mission. To date, we have been identified with Bob Monroe’s seminal work in OBEs and consciousness exploration, his books, the Hemi-Sync process, and the Institute’s educational programs. These have served the Institute well and will continue to do so. Bob Monroe has been cited as a towering influence in countless publications and testimonials. Thousands of enthusiastic participants from around the world testify to the effectiveness of those methods. As a result TMI has developed an excellent global reputation.

Expanding our mission would free us to explore numerous additional approaches to consciousness study and allow us to create mutually beneficial alliances with other leaders and organizations in the field. It is crucial that we expand the limits of our conversation so that we become seen as essential contributors to, and facilitators of, the rapidly emerging dialogue over human awareness and perception.

Such dialogue means that selected researchers, teachers, writers, and leaders need to be given a venue for sharing their discoveries, without specific endorsement or association with the Institute’s reputation. This does not mean that Hemi-Sync, educational programs, and research are to be abandoned or neglected. Rather, they are seen as vital pieces of an expanded vision comprised of interlocking and mutually reinforcing elements. This network of elements will work to enhance the TMI image as a hub for the exploration of consciousness—a place inspired by curiosity and creativity.

But there may be an even more fundamental value that is at the core of a nonprofit organization, and that is the mandate for service. While it is essential that we have sound fiscal strategies and intelligent business practices, that is not our primary reason for being. We exist to serve the public while fulfilling our particular mission to further the exploration of human consciousness.

A culture that celebrates curiosity and creativity will provide an irresistible attractive force to bring the right people into the right positions. This attractiveness can be dramatically enhanced by the intentional creation of a culture dedicated to openness, transparency, collegiality, win/win strategies, cooperation, collaboration, active listening, assumptions of abundance, and mutual respect—values already embraced by the Board of Directors and the staff at the Institute. These are all ingredients of an enlightened business strategy and a highly regarded organization.

Piecing together interlocking and mutually reinforcing elements as the components of an expanded vision will provide a solid basis for long-term stability while also encouraging bold initiatives. An emphasis on service will speak to the deep human need to lead lives of profound significance.

TMI is well situated to be a leader in the ever-expanding field of consciousness. We are at a crossroads. The time is right for a new energy to emerge that may be beyond anything we could imagine.

© 2007 by The Monroe Institute