Jeffery A. Martin

Embark on a transformative journey as we navigate the fascinating landscape of so-called higher levels of human consciousness as illuminated by our project’s nearly 20 years of research into the Persistent Non-Symbolic Experience (PNSE; i.e.: enlightenment, nonduality, persistent awakening, Fundamental Wellbeing, unity consciousness, etc.), informed by our interactions with over 10,000 individuals who purported to have gone from Seeker to Finder, and further advanced by our assisting over 5,000 research subjects in making the transition so that we could measure what changed in and for them immediately, and over time.

In this talk, we will collectively delve into the intricate tapestry of this large multinational project, drawing practical insights and unearthing profound implications from this part of the vast canvas of human subjective experience. We’ll discuss the nature of PNSE, exploring its depth, its links to the brain, and the varied methods people successfully employ to transition into these remarkable ways of experiencing life.

Our path will lead us through an emerging taxonomy of Fundamental Wellbeing (the Martin Matrix), which provides a universal yet nuanced understanding of the farther reaches of human happiness, wellbeing, and potential. Together, we’ll decipher these multidimensional aspects of Fundamental Wellbeing, bringing to light a fresh perspective to perceive and evaluate these human experiences.

Aligning with this year’s EUROTAS theme, “Waking Up Out of the Cave: Ready for the Leap,” we will explore the individual, societal and cultural implications of a wider acceptance of practices leading to PNSE. And how we, the transpersonal community, can employ these insights to effect global positive transformation.

Come join me as we step out of the shadows of our individual and collective caves, and into the light of elevated understanding of human potential, consciousness, and wellbeing. Together, we can illuminate the path towards transcending the conventional boundaries of psychology, fostering a deeper comprehension of these so-called higher reaches and how they inform the full range of human experience.

Jeffery A. Martin, PhD is an academic researcher, serial entrepreneur, technologist, and investor who specializes in advancing the highest forms of human wellbeing. For over a decade he has conducted the largest international study on ongoing and persistent forms of non-symbolic experience, which includes the persistent types of consciousness commonly known as: enlightenment, nonduality, fundamental wellbeing, the peace that passeth understanding, unitive experience, and hundreds of other terms. This resulted in the first reliable, cross-cultural and pan-tradition classification system for these types of experience. More recently, he has used this research to make systems available to help people obtain profound psychological benefits in a rapid, secular, reliable, and safe way. Jeffery is also the founder of the Transformative Technology space, which has grown to become a trillion dollar ecosystem that promotes the use of science and technology to substantially raise human mental and emotional wellbeing. In addition to his wellbeing work, Jeffery is a bestselling author and award-winning educator who has authored, co-authored, or co-edited over 20 books. The latest book on his research is The Finders. His work has regularly been featured at leading academic conferences worldwide, as well as major public forums such as Deepak Chopra’s Sages and Scientists Symposium, Wisdom 2.0, H+, the Science and Nonduality Conference, the Asia Consciousness Festival, and TEDx. He has been covered in media as diverse as the South China Morning Post and PBS’s Closer to Truth, and has been an invited speaker at many top universities including: Harvard, Yale, University of London, and the National University of Singapore. Jeffery is currently the Director for the Center for the Study of Non-Symbolic Consciousness, Dean of Research at the California Institute of Human Science where he also founded and directs the Laboratory for Consciousness Science, a Research Professor and Director at the Transformative Technology Lab, and a Lecturer and Adjunct professor at Stanford University. He was formerly the William James Professor of Consciousness Studies and VP/Dean of Research at Sofia University and a visiting professor in the School of Design at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, among other appointments.