The Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society
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The Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society
Roland O'Conner's "The Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society" ventures into a bold, if contentious, territory: using remote viewing to adjudicate historical disputes. The premise itself—applying a technique honed by Cold War intelligence agencies to the question of who penned the Shakespearean canon—is audacious. O'Conner details the supposed activities of a group attempting this, focusing heavily on the Edward de Vere hypothesis. The strength of the book lies in its imaginative application of remote viewing to a concrete, well-known historical debate. However, its primary limitation is the inherent difficulty in verifying psychic data as historical fact; the narrative often relies on the reader accepting the premise of remote viewing's accuracy without independent corroboration. A particularly striking passage describes the group attempting to 'view' the Globe Theatre during a specific performance, attempting to glean insights into authorship from the psychic impressions of the era.
Ultimately, the book serves as a compelling thought experiment on the boundaries of knowledge and perception.
📝 Description
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Roland O'Conner's 2019 book suggests trained psychics can perceive past events to solve historical mysteries.
The Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society, published in 2019, proposes remote viewing as a method to investigate history. Roland O'Conner details how individuals with psychic abilities might bypass traditional research to witness past occurrences. The book describes a secret group that used these skills to tackle historical puzzles, with a particular focus on the debate over who wrote Shakespeare's plays.
This work appeals to those interested in the connections between consciousness, history, and unconventional scientific ideas. Readers curious about parapsychology, especially remote viewing, and those who doubt accepted historical accounts will find it engaging. It also draws in individuals interested in Elizabethan history, the Shakespeare authorship question, and alternative research methods, regardless of their initial skepticism.
This book enters a lineage of thought that questions established historical records through non-traditional means. It connects to modern interest in government psychic research programs like the Stargate Project, which became more public around the time of its publication. The work also revives older debates, particularly the centuries-old discussion about Shakespeare's true identity, proposing Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, as a potential author. This aligns with esoteric traditions that seek hidden truths beyond conventional understanding.
💡 Why Read This Book?
• Learn about the principles of remote viewing as applied to historical investigation, understanding concepts like perceptual displacement as presented in the text. • Explore the specific arguments and evidence presented within the book concerning Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, as the potential author of Shakespeare's works. • Consider the philosophical implications of using consciousness-based methods to challenge established historical consensus, as detailed through the society's purported experiments.
⭐ Reader Reviews
Honest opinions from readers who have explored this book.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What is remote viewing and how is it used in "The Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society"?
Remote viewing is a psychic ability allowing individuals to perceive distant or unseen targets using their minds. In the book, it's employed to 'look' into the past, specifically to investigate historical events and figures like those involved in the Shakespeare authorship question.
Who is Edward de Vere and why is he a candidate for Shakespeare's authorship?
Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, is a prominent candidate in the Shakespeare authorship question. The book suggests he possessed the education, experience, and potential motive to have written the plays attributed to 'Shakespeare'.
What was the CIA's involvement with remote viewing?
The book references the CIA's Stargate Project, a real, albeit controversial, program that investigated psychic phenomena, including remote viewing, for intelligence gathering purposes during the Cold War era.
Does the book offer definitive proof of who wrote Shakespeare's plays?
No, the book presents a speculative investigation using remote viewing. It aims to explore possibilities and present findings from the society's experiments, rather than offering conclusive, universally accepted proof.
What historical period does the book primarily focus on?
The book centers on the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras, roughly the late 16th and early 17th centuries, corresponding to the period when Shakespeare's plays were written and performed.
Is this book based on scientific evidence?
The book explores concepts related to parapsychology and consciousness, which are considered fringe sciences. While it references real historical projects like the Stargate Project, its core methodology and findings are presented as speculative.
🔮 Key Themes & Symbolism
Remote Viewing as Historical Tool
The book posits remote viewing, a psychic ability to perceive distant targets, as a viable method for investigating historical events. It details how members of the 'Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society' purportedly use this technique to bypass conventional research limitations. The core idea is that direct psychic perception can yield information unobtainable through documents or archaeology, offering a unique lens through which to re-examine established historical narratives and uncover hidden truths about the past.
The Shakespeare Authorship Question
A central focus is the enduring debate over who truly authored the works attributed to William Shakespeare. The book specifically champions Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, as the prime candidate. It explores the societal belief that a nobleman of his stature might have written plays under a pseudonym, examining biographical details and alleged connections to support this theory through the lens of remote viewing.
Consciousness and Perceptual Limits
The work looks at the nature of consciousness and the potential for human perception to transcend conventional physical boundaries. It questions the accepted limitations of time and space, suggesting that consciousness might be a more flexible medium for accessing information. This theme encourages readers to consider alternative ways of knowing and understanding reality beyond empirical observation.
The Esotericism of Historical Inquiry
By applying remote viewing to historical mysteries, the book frames historical research itself as an esoteric pursuit. It suggests that hidden knowledge and deeper truths about significant historical figures and events can be accessed through non-traditional, intuitive, or psychic means, moving beyond the academic consensus into domains of subjective experience and potential revelation.
💬 Memorable Quotes
Direct passages from the work, attributed to the author.
“Why not use remote viewing to look in on the past?”
— This provocative question captures the book's central thesis, challenging readers to consider unconventional methods for historical research and suggesting that psychic abilities could offer new perspectives on past events.
“The CIA used it to spy on the Russians during the cold war.”
— This statement grounds the concept of remote viewing in a real-world, albeit controversial, historical context, lending a degree of credibility to the idea that such abilities could be harnessed for practical, albeit clandestine, purposes.
“It's not perfect but it works.”
— This candid admission acknowledges the limitations and potential inaccuracies inherent in remote viewing, while still asserting its efficacy. It strikes a balance between acknowledging skepticism and promoting the technique's value.
“Could it be Queen Elizabeth had something to do with it?”
— This question highlights the speculative nature of the authorship debate, suggesting that even prominent historical figures might have been involved in the creation of Shakespeare's works, pushing the boundaries of conventional historical understanding.
“Or perhaps it was the Sixteenth Earl of Oxford.”
— This directly introduces Edward de Vere as a primary candidate for the authorship, setting the stage for the book's detailed exploration of his potential role as the true playwright behind the Shakespearean canon.
🌙 Esoteric Significance
Tradition
This work aligns with modern esoteric traditions that explore the potential of consciousness to interact with reality beyond physical limitations. It draws parallels with concepts found in parapsychology and the broader New Age movement, which often investigate psychic phenomena as pathways to hidden knowledge. While not directly tied to a single ancient lineage like Hermeticism or Gnosticism, it appeals to the alchemical principle of transmutation—here, transforming historical understanding through altered states of perception.
Symbolism
The primary symbol is the act of 'remote viewing' itself, representing the expansion of consciousness beyond the mundane and the physical. The figure of Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, functions symbolically as a hidden genius, representing the idea that profound creative or intellectual achievements can be masked by conventional identity or societal expectations. The plays of Shakespeare, viewed through this lens, become coded messages or artifacts accessible through unconventional means.
Modern Relevance
The book's approach to using consciousness for inquiry finds echoes in contemporary mindfulness practices and neuroscientific explorations of perception. Thinkers and practitioners interested in altered states of consciousness, the nature of subjective experience, and non-traditional research methodologies might draw inspiration from its speculative framework. It speaks to a modern desire to find deeper, hidden meanings and to challenge established narratives through personal or intuitive discovery.
👥 Who Should Read This Book
• Individuals interested in parapsychology and the practical applications of remote viewing, particularly those curious about its use beyond intelligence gathering. • Enthusiasts of the Shakespeare authorship question looking for alternative theories and methodologies to explore the debate beyond traditional literary criticism. • Readers drawn to speculative historical fiction and alternative research who enjoy exploring unconventional ideas about consciousness, history, and perception.
📜 Historical Context
Published in 2019, "The Edward de Vere Remote Viewing Society" arrived at a time when renewed interest in declassified government experiments like the CIA's Stargate Project had made remote viewing a topic of popular fascination. The book taps into a well-established fringe theory within literary circles: the Shakespeare authorship question. This debate, which gained significant traction in the mid-19th century, posits that William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon was not the true author of the plays. Candidates like Sir Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe, and Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, have been proposed for over a century. O'Conner's work situates itself within this lineage of skepticism, offering a parapsychological approach to a literary and historical puzzle. While academic circles largely dismiss the authorship question, O'Conner's methodology engages with esoteric traditions and consciousness studies, setting it apart from purely literary analyses.
📔 Journal Prompts
Reflect on the concept of 'perceptual displacement' and its potential applications to your understanding of personal history.
Consider the arguments for Edward de Vere as the author of Shakespeare's plays, as presented through the society's remote viewing efforts.
How might the CIA's use of remote viewing during the Cold War influence your perception of its potential capabilities?
Explore the idea of historical figures having hidden identities or motives, as suggested by the authorship debate.
Contemplate the limitations and possibilities of accessing past events through non-physical means, as detailed in the book.
🗂️ Glossary
Remote Viewing
A psychic ability claimed by some to allow perception of targets at a distance, without using normal sensory channels. In this book, it's applied to perceiving past events.
Shakespeare Authorship Question
A debate questioning whether William Shakespeare of Stratford-upon-Avon wrote the plays attributed to him, proposing alternative candidates like Edward de Vere.
Edward de Vere
The 17th Earl of Oxford, a prominent candidate proposed by some as the true author of the Shakespearean plays, known for his patronage of the arts and travels.
Perceptual Displacement
The concept that consciousness can transcend physical limitations of time and space to perceive information or events remotely, as utilized in remote viewing.
Stargate Project
A U.S. government-funded research project, primarily run by the DIA and CIA from the 1970s to the 1990s, investigating psychic phenomena, including remote viewing.
Elizabethan Era
The period of English history during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603), a significant time for English drama and literature.
Jacobean Era
The period of English history following the Elizabethan era, during the reign of King James I (1603–1625), also a fertile period for theatre.