Robert Monroe considered himself a rational man.
When his out-of-body experiences began spontaneously at age 42, it was 1958 — not a time in our culture particularly welcoming of the unorthodox. Bob took a rational approach to his non-rational experiences and thereby constructed a basis on which his esoteric material could be intellectually grasped.
With the development of Hemi-Sync® the entire process became supercharged. Readers of Journeys Out of the Body realized he was onto something big. They asked him to teach them what he knew. He agreed. What is now the Gateway Voyage program was born!
He harnessed his rational mind to reinforce his intuitive exploits. And he had quite a bit of help doing so. Bob reports at length about his helpers, guides, and other nonphysical friends in Journeys Out of the Body, Far Journeys, and Ultimate Journey.
He became adept at employing his rational mind in two essential ways:
- to remain focused on his objectives while in the out-of-body state; and,
- to retain and recall his experiences with great clarity later in a normal waking state.
It was through this process of deepening a partnership between the rational and intuitive that Bob found himself on a path of mystery, adventure, and learning he never could have imagined. Early on, he realized that if this esoteric practice of entering ultra deep states at will and maneuvering within them could be learned, it could then be taught.
Bob’s strong desire to serve humanity in some way dovetailed beautifully with his growing expertise in navigating the nonphysical. With the development of Hemi-Sync® the entire process became supercharged. Readers of Journeys Out of the Body realized he was onto something big. They asked him to teach them what he knew. He agreed. What is now the Gateway Voyage program was born!
Stepping through the Gateway Voyage workshop is an experience personal and unique to each participant. It contains the intuitive wisdom and experience Bob amassed during his journeys—a map of the unknown, replete with “driving” instructions, tourist information, exotic destinations, and recommended etiquette.
The now familiar Focus Levels were first inaugurated in the Gateway Voyage program. With them, Bob was able to clearly demonstrate seeming movement through sequential levels of awareness. Through the lens of the Focus Levels, the rational mind is better able to grasp the concept and operate in an intuitive environment.
As word spread of these unique consciousness exercises driven by a powerful, patented audio technology, requests flowed in. It became clear to Bob that now was time for the next step in program development. Once again, he took his cues from personal experience. His OBEs had risen to a new level. He had begun to connect powerfully with other intelligences and derived unimaginable value from the relationships.
Bob’s great desire was for humanity to experience the tremendous benefit of connecting consciously with guidance. The Guidelines program was the result of that passion.
In the years before he died, Bob was to personally create two more transformational training programs with a little help from his "friends," Lifeline and Human-PLUS, both beneficial. But for the pure experience of tapping into one's greater awareness, and connecting both intuitively and rationally with that limitless energy field, I suggest the Gateway Voyage and Guidelines programs.
This segment filmed during the 1970s features Bob Monroe's welcome talk to a Gateway Voyage program group. From the perspective of his decades of OBE explorations, Bob explains some of the pitfalls and recommends strategies for getting the most out of consciousness exploration during program exercises.
There are many practical applications of "expanded awareness." The Monroe Institute® (TMI) continues researching and discovering new ways to apply Monroe tools and technologies for developing consciousness, optimizing wellbeing, leveraging energy, and accessing profound levels of guidance. There are still unknowns to be discovered and explored. The potential for improving the human experience is vast but TMI's core programs remain a great place to begin.
As Bob Monroe famously inscribed in many of his books, and in reference to Focus 12, the "state of expanded awareness" —