A year ago, I became interested in the Power of 8 as described by Lynne McTaggart. I sponsored a group for several months and witnessed how individual intentions, often to my amazement, came to pass. I became a true believer. Unfortunately, my group had to be cancelled due to covid. Several months later, after taking Lynne McTaggart’s online course on the Essentials of the Power of 8, I decided to start a new group online. While Lynne discourages adding anything new to her protocols, I have taken the liberty to include my professional knowledge of brain science to increase the potential of this amazing process. I still adhere to her guidelines very closely, only with slight modifications.
To get the most from attending a Power of 8 group, I suggest you read all four books by Lynne McTaggart: The Power of Eight, The Intention Experiment, The Field, and The Bond. If that is too much of a commitment, then at minimum, watch Lynne’s 8 minute YouTube video on Power of 8.
How This Works
There is something quite unique about this experience. By gathering a group of like-minded individuals who are open to new possibilities, I can only say that magic appears to happen. There is a group energy field that strengthens based upon belief and the directed and felt expression of love and kindness. It’s much like a group prayer, only without any religion. What starts out as unique EEG patterns synchronizes into one collective EEG pattern, interestingly resembling the mystical state that is typically reserved for long term meditators. This group experience can quickly place everyone into altered states of consciousness. We all raise our consciousness together, while doing good work. Each person who focuses on giving this way receives far more in return.
The Group
The very first meeting is devoted to members getting to know each other and discussing ideas from the books by Lynne McTaggart. At the end each person has the homework assignment of writing out their intention. A group session typically lasts for one hour at a time, and meetings are held weekly. So each person has a full week to think about what they want to accomplish personally.
Your Intention
This is where we all begin. We are in this group because there is something we want different in our lives. It might be resolving an emotional issue, reducing pain, healing a physical ailment, getting a better job, or repairing a relationship. Before the meeting, make sure you have written down your major intentions for the month or year. Make your intentions highly specific and directed. The more detailed, the better. Your entire intention should include who, when, where, why, and how. While you may wish to focus your attention to other loved ones, for our PO8, it’s better to make it personal to you.
The Process
Each meeting begins with two minutes of silence. At the beginning of the second meeting the moderator asks who would like to share their intention. One person volunteers and types it in the Zoom chat room. Other members may offer suggestions on how to refine the wording of the intention to maximize probabilities it will be manifested. Once the wording of the intention is agreed upon, the volunteer verbalizes the intention followed by the vow, “And I will do everything in my power to make this intention a reality.”
The moderator will slowly say to the volunteer, “Close your eyes. Slow your brain down to the alpha frequency. Focus your attention on your heart as though you are sending light to it. Observe the light spreading from your heart to the rest of your body. Send a loving thought to yourself of “May I be well and free from suffering.” On the out breath, imagine a white light reading radiating outward from your heart and as you do think, “I appreciate the kindness and love of all living creatures. May all others be well.” First think of all those you love, then your good friends, and acquaintances, and finally to those people you dislike. For each stage, think, “May they be well and free from suffering.”
“During the next 10 minutes, visualize yourself being in the middle of the circle with other members around you holding hands. Relax your sense of self and allow yourself to merge with your intention. For the first minute visualize the outcome of your intention with all of your five senses. Feel the feelings as if it has already happened. Believe it has already happened, and give gratitude for it. Drop any idea of how it’s going to happen. When your brain distracts you, gently bring it back into focus. Believe in the process. Do not allow yourself to think of failure. Once you have done this, let it go. Drop your attachment to the outcome. The power to manifest your intention does not originate with you. Trust and believe in these invisible forces. Accept and allow the healing energy that is being directed at you.”
The moderator then gently asks members to bring forth loving kindness toward the person, repeats the intention one last time, and sets a timer for 10 minutes of silence. During the silence, members imagine the volunteer to be in the center of a circle while imagining they are all holding hands around him or her. Each member is allowing images and thoughts to enter their mind based on the person’s intention. More often than not, these images and thoughts are very valuable to the person later during sharing. At the end of 10 minutes, the volunteer shares their experience. This is followed by each member sharing what they “saw” and felt.
This concludes a round of intention, and another member now states their intention and the process repeats. A typical one hour session includes enough time for two volunteers. It’s better to go slowly and deeply.
At the close, the moderator will slowly and deliberately recite a short metta meditation.
May you be in peace
May your heart remain open
May you be healed from all separation
May you be a source of healing for all beings
May you awaken to the light of your true nature
May you never feel separate from the source of loving kindness
May you be happy
The Third Meeting and Beyond
After the opening two minutes of silence, the moderator asks for a follow up from those who shared an intention the previous meeting. Once that is done, another volunteer will share their intention and the process repeats. Ideally, each person will get an equal turn, however there is no set rule for this and each group finds their own balance.
Once the group has coalesced, the moderator will ask for consent to strengthen the power of the group. We are attempting to create a hyper brain, one that consistently entrains a collective EEG pattern that resembles a mystical state. To maximize this we increase the empathic connection of its members. This is a process of opening the heart and feeling compassion for each other. The recommended exercise is gazing into each other’s eyes. Bring yourself to the present moment. Relax all your muscles in the face, jaw, neck, shoulders, and arms. Think about someone you deeply care for or recall an event in your life that brought you deep satisfaction and joy. Imagine you are right there, with that special person, or and that special place and feel that special smile light up your face. This creates a Mona Lisa half smile with gently gazing eyes. This look fosters a feeling of safety, empathy, and connection. One person at a time is selected to gaze directly into another members eyes (on Zoom) for 10 seconds until they have seen everyone. Then the next person does the same until everyone has completed the exercise. This will make it more likely we will be able to create the hyper brain that we all benefit from.
These meetings are informal, yet follow a standard protocol. Over time, members get to know and trust each other and friendships are formed. Ideally, the group number should be eight, however, often a few have other obligations that may require them to miss a session. Some groups have asked absent members to sign in and post their photos on the Zoom even though they won’t be there in person. Other groups have elected to call in angels to replace absent members to get the total to 8.