A New Kind of Seeing
In 1972, a classified research program began at Stanford Research Institute that would fundamentally challenge our understanding of consciousness and perception. Led by physicists Russell Targ and Hal Puthoff, with psychic pioneer Ingo Swann as their star subject, Project Stargate would run for over 20 years and produce results that remain controversial and compelling.
Remote viewing is the trained ability to perceive distant targets - people, places, events - using only the mind. Unlike “psychic” claims, remote viewing developed rigorous protocols, double-blind methodologies, and documented statistics. It was science applied to the anomalous, and what they found changed everything for those involved.
Remote viewing suggests that consciousness is not confined to the brain - that perception operates outside the constraints of space and time.
The Signal Line
Information about any target exists in what viewers call “the Matrix” or “signal line” - a non-local information field accessible to trained consciousness. The viewer’s job is to tune in to this signal while filtering out the noise of imagination, memory, and analytical overlay. The signal is always there; the skill is reception.
Remote viewing theory proposes that all information exists in this field, always available - the challenge is accessing it clearly without contamination from the viewer’s own mind.
The coordinate or target designator serves as an “address” in the Matrix. The viewer’s intention to perceive that target, combined with the protocol structure, allows information to flow through. The viewer doesn’t “go” anywhere - they tune to a frequency.
If the signal line exists, consciousness is fundamentally non-local. Information isn’t bound by space or time. The universe may be holographic, with each part containing information about the whole. This aligns with both quantum theory and ancient mystical models.
Coordinate Remote Viewing (CRV)
Coordinate Remote Viewing is the structured methodology developed by Ingo Swann that made remote viewing trainable and repeatable. CRV proceeds through six stages, each with specific rules. The structure prevents the analytical mind from contaminating the signal by keeping it busy with protocol while the deeper perception operates.
Stage 1 - Ideogram: Upon receiving the coordinate, make an immediate mark on paper. This ideogram is an automatic gesture encoding the target’s basic gestalt - manmade vs natural, water vs land. Decode the ideogram for basic categories.
Stage 2 - Sensories: Record basic sensory impressions: colors, textures, temperatures, sounds, smells. Keep responses brief and fast. No analysis - just raw perception.
Stage 3 - Dimensions: Begin sketching - not drawing the “thing” but capturing dimensionality. Height, depth, angles, spatial relationships.
Stage 4 - Emotionals/Concepts: Capture emotional impressions and abstract concepts - the “feel” of the target, its purpose, intangible qualities. This is where meaning begins to emerge.
Stages 5-6: Interrogate the signal for specific information, build 3D models, and integrate all data. These advanced stages require solid mastery of earlier ones.
Analytical Overlay (AOL)
The greatest enemy of remote viewing is AOL - the mind’s tendency to guess, interpret, and construct narratives from fragmentary signal data. You perceive “round, metallic, shiny” and your mind screams “coin!” - but it might be a hubcap. AOL must be recognized, declared, and set aside. The signal is in the raw perceptions, not the conclusions.
The mind desperately wants to make sense of things. You perceive “tall, vertical, metallic” and your brain instantly suggests “flagpole!” But it might be an antenna, a streetlight, or a rocket. The analytical guess contaminates all subsequent perception.
AOL has characteristic signatures: it feels like a conclusion rather than a perception. It comes with visual imagery. It’s often the first thing that “makes sense.” Learning to recognize AOL is a primary viewer skill.
When AOL occurs, declare it: write “AOL: flagpole” on your paper. This acknowledges the guess without suppressing it. Then return to raw perception - the actual data that triggered the guess. “Tall, vertical, metallic” might be correct even if “flagpole” isn’t.
When AOL takes over a session and the viewer can no longer distinguish signal from noise, that’s “AOL-drive” - usually grounds for ending the session. Better to stop than to contaminate the data.
The Key Figures
Ingo Swann
Ingo Swann (1933-2013) was the artist, psychic, and researcher who developed the protocols that made remote viewing trainable. His greatest contribution was developing Coordinate Remote Viewing - transforming an unreliable “gift” into a teachable skill.
Swann’s breakthrough was recognizing that the signal exists but gets contaminated by the analytical mind. By structuring the viewing process to prevent analysis, raw signal could be captured. The ideogram, the stages, the AOL declaration - all came from Swann’s self-observation.
In 1973, before NASA’s Pioneer 10 flyby, Swann described rings around Jupiter - which were not confirmed until 1979. This remains one of the most striking cases of remote viewing preceding scientific discovery.
Every remote viewer today uses methods that trace back to Swann. He proved that psi abilities could be trained, not just inherited.
Joseph McMoneagle
Joseph McMoneagle was the first remote viewer recruited for the military unit - viewer #001 - and remains the most documented psychic in history.
McMoneagle was a Chief Warrant Officer with Army intelligence when he was identified as having exceptional psychic potential. He worked in the classified unit from 1978-1984, then continued as a civilian contractor. His thousands of documented sessions provide unprecedented data.
McMoneagle located hostages, identified Soviet submarine designs, described foreign weapons systems. His session describing a giant new Soviet submarine - later confirmed as the Typhoon class - is one of the program’s most impressive operational hits.
McMoneagle’s abilities intensified after a near-death experience in 1970. Like many experiencers, NDE seemed to “open” capacities that had been latent.
From SRI to Stargate
The program began as Project Scanate at SRI in 1972, funded by CIA. When results proved promising, it expanded through various code names - Grill Flame, Center Lane, Sun Streak, finally Stargate. Funding came from CIA, DIA, Army Intelligence, and other agencies. At its peak, the military unit at Fort Meade included some of the most talented viewers ever developed.
SRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) was where remote viewing research began and the protocols were developed. Starting in 1972, physicists Russell Targ and Hal Puthoff began researching remote viewing at SRI’s Menlo Park facility. They published peer-reviewed papers demonstrating significant anomalous cognition.
The program was cancelled in 1995 after an AIR review - but not because it didn’t work. The review acknowledged anomalous cognition but questioned operational utility. Many viewers continued working privately, and training programs spread worldwide. The skills Monroe mapped with technology, the viewers achieved through protocol.
Whatever the ultimate explanation, remote viewing demonstrates that consciousness interfaces with information in ways our models don’t account for.
The Evidence
Stargate accumulated over 20 years of documented sessions. Notable hits include describing Jupiter’s rings before Voyager confirmed them, locating hostages, and identifying secret Soviet installations. Statistician Jessica Utts concluded the effect was real; critic Ray Hyman agreed the data was anomalous but disputed the explanation. The debate continues.
Critics argue that 20+ years of government investment should have produced more if the effect was real. Supporters note operational successes and the challenge of integrating anomalous intelligence into conventional frameworks. The debate remains unresolved.
How to Begin
Basic Protocol: Start with random number targets from a target pool. Someone else (the tasker) selects and knows the target; you don’t. Record impressions rapidly without analyzing. Compare only after the session is complete. Build statistics over time.
The Ideogram: The first mark you make when given the target coordinate - a spontaneous, almost automatic gesture. This ideogram encodes information about the target’s basic gestalt before the conscious mind can interfere. Learn to read your own ideograms.
AOL Management: When your mind produces a guess or interpretation, write “AOL:” and the guess, then continue with raw perception. Don’t suppress AOL - acknowledge it and set it aside. The discipline of declaration breaks imagination’s grip.
Session Structure: Keep sessions short (15-45 minutes). Fatigue degrades signal. Work in a cool, dim environment. Move quickly to stay ahead of analytical mind. Record everything - even “noise” sometimes contains signal that makes sense later.