The Science of Telepathy: Rupert Sheldrake on the New Science of Connection

Episode Overview

Rupert Sheldrake—biologist, author, and pioneer of morphic resonance—joins Jeff to explore a question science has long dismissed: Are our minds more connected than we think? From dogs that know when their humans are coming home to the invisible bonds between lovers and family, Rupert walks us through decades of research on telepathy, intention, and the mysterious field of consciousness.

Together, they explore:

• The scientific evidence behind telepathy in animals and humans

• How morphic fields might explain intuition and non-local awareness

• Why modern science still resists consciousness research

• The spiritual dimensions of biology and lived experience

• How religion, ritual, and resonance intersect

• Why deeply connected minds may operate across space and time

Quotes & Highlights

“One of the things that emerges from these researches on telepathy is that typically it occurs between people who are closely bonded.”
Sheldrake lays the groundwork: telepathy isn’t random—it’s about connection.

“Actually, in these experiments, they’re right about 45% of the time”—far above the 25% benchmark.
On telephone telepathy experiments where participants guess who’s calling

“So we have two empirical findings here. There are many more, but these two tell us, first of all, it depends on people who are bonded. And secondly, it's not distance dependent. And now that is very similar to entanglement in quantum theory.”
Telepathy isn’t about proximity—it’s about bonds.

“Entanglement doesn't fall off with distance…And it depends on them being bonded in the first place.”
Sheldrake draws a powerful metaphor to describe connection.

“I’m a practicing Christian… the oppressive force is a sort of materialist dogmatism and a kind of aggressive secularism.”
On his spiritual roots and his critique of scientific orthodoxies.

"All religions start from a direct experience of a consciousness vastly greater than our own. The Buddha's enlightenment, Jesus' realization of his direct connection with God at the moment of his baptism, the Hindu sages and meditating in their caves and so on."
Reflecting on the universal origin behind diverse spiritual traditions.

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About the Commune Podcast

Hosted by Jeff Krasno, the Commune podcast features thoughtful conversations for modern times. Not always comfortable but definitely needed, we explore both humanity and our human-ness. How can we live healthy, purpose-filled lives and be in service of something bigger? Guests include spiritual teachers, poets, scientists, philosophers, and activists for food sustainability, functional medicine, mental and physical health, and collective healing.

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In love,
Jeff