Navigating Consciousness with Rupert Sheldrake

Holy Trinities: Threefold Models of Reality - Live in London

Across decades of reading and travel, something has struck me again and again: wildly different traditions, from Daoism to Hinduism to Christianity, converge on a threefold or Trinitarian model of ultimate reality. In this talk I trace that pattern through philosophy, theology, and modern physics, and suggest it reflects something fundamental about the nature of things. Many churches will be celebrating the Holy Trinity on Sunday May 31, Trinity Sunday. This talk was recorded live at St James’s ...

Science, Spirituality & the Practices That Transform Us, with Dr. Jessica Harland

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/0_Lkku3QH-c What if gratitude isn't just good manners, but measurably changes your wellbeing? What if the medieval Christians were right about nature being alive, and we've spent the last 400 years getting it fundamentally wrong? And why are half a million people now walking ancient pilgrimage routes across Europe when rationalist materialism promised to free us from such "superstitions"? In this wide-ranging conversation at Hampstead Parish Church, I explore t...

How do Animals Predict Natural Disasters? London Society for Psychical Research

For more see Rupert’s Substack article on this topic 👉 https://rupertsheldrake.substack.com/p/animal-warnings-of-earthquakes Recorded on November 4, 2017 at the Society for Psychical Research in London. When disasters strike, it is often animals who seem to know first. Long before seismographs were invented, people noticed that snakes, rats, dogs, and birds behaved strangely in the days leading up to earthquakes. Similar reports come before tsunamis, avalanches, air raids, and even medical cris...

Consciousness and the Mysteries of Everyday Life – How the Light Gets In Festival

What if the “weird” feelings we shrug off—being watched, knowing who’s calling, waking seconds before an alarm—aren’t glitches but signals? In this talk, given at the How The Light Gets In festival, September 21st, 2025, Rupert Sheldrake argues that these everyday hunches point to mind-to-world reach (projective vision), mind-to-mind links (telepathy), and mind-to-future sensitivity (presentiment). How do we decide what counts as evidence, who gets to ask taboo questions, and how science should ...

Ancestors and Pilgrimages, with Bishop Marc Andrus at Hollyhock

A dialogue on praying for ancestors and on pilgrimage: Hollyhock, Cortes Island, BC; August, 2016. See Rupert’s Substack for the Latest articles and early access to videos 👉 https://rupertsheldrake.substack.com

Detoxifying Christianity, with Bishop Marc Andrus at Grace Cathedral

For many people, Christianity is like a toxic brand. Why is this so and what can be done about it? A dialogue with Marc Andrus, the Bishop of California, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco; September, 2015. See Rupert’s Substack for the Latest articles and early access to videos 👉 https://rupertsheldrake.substack.com

What is a blessing? Is it just wishing someone well, or is there more to it? ...with Marc Andrus

A dialogue with Marc Andrus, former Bishop of California, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, in August of 2016. See Rupert’s Substack for the Latest articles and early access to videos 👉 https://rupertsheldrake.substack.com

What Insights Can Psychedelic Experiences Give Us? University of York

Watch on Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/rupertsheldrake/p/psychedelic-experiences-what-insights This is a talk I gave recently to the Drug Science and Bioscience Societies at the University of York. I first became interested in psychedelics when I was at school in the 1950s and a young doctor friend was involved in some of the early research on the effects of LSD. When I was 17, before going to Cambridge, I worked in a pharmacology research lab on the effects of LSD and mescaline on chic...

Spiritual Practices and Transformative Experiences in a Scientific Age

A talk delivered to the Conference of the International Network for the Study of Spirituality, University of Northampton, UK in June 2025. The INSS is a unique international network for people interested in bringing the study of spirituality to life through research, scholarship, education and practice. https://spiritualitystudiesnetwork.wildapricot.org/conference-2025

God in Nature and Nature in God - Panentheism

In this talk, Rupert Sheldrake explores panentheism—the idea that the divine is not separate from the world but present throughout it, while also transcending it. With the grip of mechanistic materialism loosening, Rupert invites us to reconsider how we see nature, mind, and spirit. Tracing a broad arc from ancient philosophies and Christian mysticism to AI-generated worldviews, panpsychism, and psychedelics, he reflects on how the sacred presence in nature—-long affirmed by spiritual traditions...

Reconnecting With Religious Roots, with Bishop Marc Andrus

A dialogue with Marc Andrus, former Bishop of California, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. Our ancestors’ lives from birth to death were shaped and structured by spiritual traditions but today many people are no longer connected to religious festivals or practices. This loss of religious faith in unprecedented, and in 2016 in the UK a survey showed that for the first time in history a majority of the population say they have no religion. In this dialogue Rupert and Marc discuss the possibility...

The Healing Power of Animals, with Bishop Marc Andrus at Grace Cathedral

A dialogue with Marc Andrus, former Bishop of California, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. Many people who keep pets have experienced their ability to comfort and heal. There is now a pet therapy movement where people take dogs and cats into hospices and children’s hospitals, and the human animal bond can help many physical and mental issues. In this dialogue Rupert and Marc discuss the many powers of animals and explore to what extent animals themselves live spiritual lives.

Is Christianity a victim of its own success? with Bishop Marc Andrus at Grace Cathedral

A dialogue with Marc Andrus, former Bishop of California, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. European civilisation has been shaped in many ways by its Christian heritage. In the Middle Ages the Church started schools, universities and hospitals, and set up systems for caring for the sick and the poor. In the twentieth century, the hospice movement was started by Christians. Even the principles of democracy and human rights are rooted in the Christian doctrine that all people are equal before God...

Holy Days and Festivals, with Bishop Marc Andrus at Grace Cathedral

Many traditions include holy days or ‘holidays’ as days of festivity to celebrate and many traditional festivals revolve around the cycles of creation including solar and lunar cycles, harvests, death and rebirth. Festivals help connect individuals and the community to the pulse of nature. Rupert and Marc explore the on-going relevance of festivals and holy days in the modern secular world.

All Souls Day, with Bishop Marc Andrus at Grace Cathedral

A dialogue with Marc Andrus, former Bishop of California, at Grace Cathedral, San Francisco. All Souls Day — the day of the dead — falls on November 2, and is particularly spectacular in Mexico. Hallowe'en, or All Hallows' Eve, is the eve of the festival of the dead, which starts with All Saints' Day on November 1.

Angels and the festival of Michaelmas

Rethinking Education: From Passive Learning to Holistic Understanding with Dr. James Mannion

In this episode of the "Rethinking Education" podcast, I join Dr. James Mannion to explore the state of modern education and its implications for science and spirituality. We discuss the dominance of the passive voice in science education, the impact of a moral vacuum, and the need for a more holistic, hands-on approach to learning. Drawing from my experiences, I argue for reimagining education to embrace interdisciplinary connections, practical engagement with nature, and a broader understandin...

Consciousness, Temples, Mysticism, and Science, with Praveen Mohan

In this episode, I join Praveen Mohan to explore the deep connections between science, consciousness, and spirituality. We delve into the purpose of ancient temples, the resurgence of pilgrimage in both India and Europe, and the implications of panpsychism and morphic resonance. This conversation offers fresh insights from my experiences living in India, discussing the mystical roots of sacred places with someone steeped in the culture. Tune in for a thoughtful exchange on how science and spirit...

Finding God in Nature and Consciousness; from the Realizing God Online Summit

In this interview with Dr. Marc Stollreiter for the Realizing God Online Summit, Rupert Sheldrake shares his journey from atheism to spiritual awakening, discussing the intersection of science and spirituality, the power of prayer, and the revival of pilgrimage in modern times. Attend the Summit https://realizing-god.com Running from 02/07/2025 - 02/16/2025, the summit includes workshops, Satsangs and interactive sessions led by esteemed spiritual guides from around the world....

Vision Quests, with Marc Andrus, Bishop of California

Many cultures have rites of passage, especially for people entering adulthood. Among many Native American communities boys often underwent a vision quest by going out into the wilderness alone and fasting. Rites of passage for girls were generally quite different. Monastic retreats also offer a kind of vision quest although people on retreat do not have to encounter the external struggles of the physical landscape, but like the early hermits have to wrestle with internal struggles. In this dialo...

Fields as Formal Causes, with David Bentley Hart

Watch the talk: https://youtu.be/dU0NIU5d4BI In this conversation, Rupert Sheldrake and David Bentley Hart delve into the concept of fields in physics, discussing their nature as non-material formative causes and their historical context in scientific thought. They explore the idea that fields, such as gravitational and electromagnetic, act as top-down causes, aligning with Aristotle's formal and final causes, and argue for a re-evaluation of these ancient concepts in modern science....

Dying, Death and Beyond, with Satish Kumar & Guy Hayward

Watch the talk: https://youtu.be/j91Er2Zh3j4 Join Satish Kumar and Rupert Sheldrake in an expansive conversation covering death, reincarnation, the afterlife, cycles, intentional dying, NDEs and more. Hosted by Guy Hayward, this discussion delves into personal memories, cultural practices, and philosophical views on death and what lies beyond. Interview questions were designed in collaboration with death doula Sierra Campbell. Video recorded in Hampstead, London, Dec 7, 2023, by Leslie Knott (Ti...

The Power of Chanting: Exploring Sonic Resonance and Morphic Fields

Watch the full talk: https://iai.tv/video/discovering-the-world-beyond-science-rupert-sheldrake Dive into the fascinating world of chanting and its profound impact on personal and collective resonance. In this enlightening talk, we explore the vibratory power of mantras across different religious traditions. Through a series of simple experiments, discover the physical and spiritual resonance of chanting, from the basic "Amen" to the universal "Om," and learn how these sounds can transform our b...

The Nature of Phantom Limbs

Video: https://youtu.be/v0i1xc-khTQ After the amputation of a limb, most amputees experience a phantom limb in the place where their limb used to be. Subjectively, these phantoms feel real even though they do not behave like normal limbs and can be pushed through solid objects. The standard theory is that these phantoms are produced as illusions inside the brain, but Rupert suggests they may be the subjective experience of the fields of the missing limbs, which are located exactly where they see...

Anatheism: Rediscovering God in a Secular Age

March 20th, 2024 St. James's Church, London Video: https://youtu.be/QuicgRaE7E8 In this talk, Rupert Sheldrake explores the theme of finding God again, in an increasingly secular society. Drawing from personal experiences in India and his journey through various spiritual traditions, Rupert provides insights into anatheism, or returning to God, and how this process is unfolding in a post-Christian world. He touches on the connections between science and spirituality, the value of pilgrimage and ...

Presentiment: Waking Before Alarms, Making Millions Through Day Trading

Most people have had the experience of waking soon before an alarm clock goes off and some can even wake before a specified time without an alarm. The usual assumption is that this depends on an exquisitely sensitive time sense, but Rupert argues that it may be explained better in terms of presentiment, or ‘feeling the future’, or even in terms of an ‘extended present’. We already know that our sense of the present is not a mathematical instant, but has width, and perhaps it widens over ranges o...

My scientific explorations through fieldwork in Asia and Europe

March 18th, 2024 University College London Expeditions and Fieldwork Society In this talk given Rupert Sheldrake explores the allure of expeditions and fieldwork, delving into his own adventures exploring Mayan ruins in Mexico and studying tropical plants in Malaysia. Throughout the talk he illustrates how these experiences broadened his scientific and spiritual horizons, connecting this intrinsic human curiosity to our ancestral hunter-gatherer roots.

The Science Delusion: TEDx Whitechapel, the "banned" talk

TEDx Whitechapel, Jan 12, 2013 The theme for the night was Visions for Transition: Challenging existing paradigms and redefining values (for a more beautiful world). In response to protests from two hardcore materialists in the US, the talk was taken out of circulation by TED, relegated to a corner of their website and stamped with a warning label. Room for discussion was made, but those who condemned the talk never showed up. The vast majority of those who spoke out were outraged, including tho...

Desert Island Discs in Hampstead: Music in Rupert’s Life

Modelled on the BBC radio series, this long-standing local programme was produced live by a group in Hampstead, London, in 2023. As the castaway on a theoretical desert island, Rupert could bring with him eight pieces of music (listed below), a few books, and one luxury item. 1:07 If you had not been a scientist what would you have been? 2:27 Getting to the island 4:47 Bach, Mass in B minor (Gloria) 7:25 Purcell, Music for a While 16:47 Monteverdi, Madrigal 24:33 Beatles, Because 36:41 Subbulaks...

Psychedelics and Consciousness, University of Sussex

A lecture for the Psychedelic Research Society at the University of Sussex, Nov 6th, 2023. https://www.facebook.com/sussex.uni.psychesociety/