Mind At Large with Michael Grosso

Michael Grosso, PhD, is author of The Man Who Could Fly: St. Joseph of Copertino and the Mystery of Levitation. He also edited and wrote commentary for Wings of Ecstasy: Dominico Bernini's Vita of St. Joseph of Copertino (1772). His other books include The Millennium Myth: Love and Death and the End of Time, Final Choice: Death or Transcendence?, Soulmaking: Uncommon Paths to Self Understanding and Smile of the Universe: Miracles in an Age of Disbelief.

Here he acknowledges that the term "Mind At Large" originated with Aldous Huxley, who employed it to explain the many phenomena experienced under the influence of the psychedelic drug, mescaline. Grosso points out that it also offers a working explanation for the empirical data of parapsychology, as well as the many documented reports concerning religious miracles. He points out that Mind At Large differs from the concept of a deity.

New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980).

(Recorded on September 18, 2020)

LINKS TO OTHER BOOKS AND AUDIO RECORDINGS DISCUSSED IN THIS INTERVIEW:

Michael Grosso, Wings of Ecstasy: Dominico Bernini's Vita of St. Joseph of Copertino (1772) –

Michael Grosso, Soulmaker: True Stories From the Far Side of the Psyche –

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[briankraemer]

What a marvelous conversation! I love every interview. You have amazing guests and well deserve them for all the years you've faithfully been interviewing them. :)

[larry]

As usual, a wonderful interview.
You and Mr Grosso are so complementary the ideas unravel effortlessly.
I can’t wait for you to chat with Tom Campbell, specifically because you’re less similar to each other (and I’m fond of both you) which will engender even more wonder and discovery!

[amandaterrio]

This was a really good interview. Thank you! I enjoyed it.

[LuisReyes-stjx]

What Michael says about the need to be so immersed in mystical thinking in order to manifest any of these extraordinary effects is absolutely true. This is the key, in my view.

[MrSanford]

I believe the fact that we can communicate with each other to influence the physical movements of other bodies through language alone is in itself paranormal because it violates classical laws of physics which state that something can only move if acted upon only by the Physical force of another . Yet We are able to project abstract meaning to each other to cause the movement of other bodies. To an outside observer this would appear paranormal. It seems as though the mind can act as proxy for the physical body in dealing with other individuals which would make it transcendent of the material world

[MANHATTANBEEFMAN]

Excellent, common sense perspective/interview regarding the 'real'(experiential), the possible and the potential explanations about...what is/may be life/existence.

[annelimartini]

Wonderful to listen so deeply rewarding thank you both for sharing and giving - I love this.

[tyanite]

I thoroughly enjoyed it. Deepest thanks.

[darfish]

I treasure his ideas and the way he expresses them. My two experiences of telepathy convince me that in most people there is some sort of governor in the brain that inhibits us from communicating telepathically but some humans may not possess a governor. My two experiences involved people who were able to enter my mind. I was able to experience their minds/emotions but they initiated this experience. It changed my entire orientation to reality.

[michellestjane]

What an amazing invitation! New Thinking Allowed - lights me up.

[voovvoov]

Psych abilities as latent potentials in death. Wow. What an interesting distinction. Ty.

[marineboyecosse]

Good conversation. The critical question about a Mind At Large is, why are we in a state where it is Not-At-Large? If it is a wonderful and benign spiritual reality, why are we trapped in a conflict-ridden universe? Most of all, why do we have to die in protracted illness or chronic pain just to be able to leave this condition? How benign does that seem to you? It's the same question about NDEs. If a wonderful, perfect and benign state exists, then what on earth are we doing here....let alone (as some people argue) coming here on purpose? If there is a benefit to doing that then what is it, and how is this benefit realized? At some point, we are going to have to go beyond stories on eternal repeat.

[robertb.macnaughton]

Well, 'mind at large' seem to work well as a Little Picture concept that would plug-in quite nicely with the existent Big Picture view which is delimited by Consciousness-as-fundamental. The latter certainly needs a workable empirical version of the former.
Good Luck in your plug-in work, Jeffery, Michael and whoever else wishes to pitch in.

[n-Fold]

Enjoyed this interview very much... I feel prayer is intention. And group intention can come in many forms. I would love to hear his perspective on the Eastern Orthodox Church practices and the role of the ancient language of Glagolitsa. As my cherished friend, (sadly deceased now), artist Jan Berdyszak, from Poland who was also a philosopher, felt it was important and related to computer programming language. It is also called Old Church Slavic. And I have seen old texts in US Greek Orthodox Churches. These Churches also rely on many icons, (so images), on which to focus when praying.

[Chicken_Little_Syndrome]

It seems to me that consciousness might be best described as an electrical phenomenon that requires the existence of the Aether. Just something to think about.

[DesignIdeas]

"But the world is full of zanies and fools
Who don’t believe in sensible rules
And won’t believe what sensible people say

And because these daft and dewy-eyed dopes
Keep building up impossible hopes
Impossible things are happenning every day!" ~ Impossible - Rogers & Hammerstein

[davidwise]

Fascinating discussion. Even Darth Vader and Jesus Christ himself, no disrespect to anyone's religion, recognized their power came from the Force or Source. I love Michael Grosso's line: "Yeah, but it doesn't mean we have to like it." Boom. I need to get my NTA fix in the morning.

[Celticspy]

I can't help asking were samples of statue blood analysed?