EFTA02386055.pdf

From: Deepak Chopra Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2017 11:42 PM To: William Bushell; Ryan Castle Cc: Darold Trefferet; Carolyn Rangel; Rudy mail; Ramachandran, Vilayanur; Poonacha Body/Mind/Me Machaiah; Paul Mills; Dr Diane Hennacy Powell; Murali Doraiswamy, M.D. Subject: Re: SAVANTS Thanks! 2013 Costa Del Mar Road Carlsbad, CA 92009 Chopra Foundat=on <http://www.choprafoundation.org> <http://www.choprafoundation.org> </=iv> Jiyo <http://www.jiyo.com> <http://=iyo.com> <=a> chttp://jiyo.com> Chopra Center for Wellbe=ng <http://www.chopra.com> <http://chopra.com> <http:=/chopra.com> <http://www.jiyo.com> =br> discoveringyourcosmicself.=om <http://=ww.discoveringyourcosmicself.com> <=span> From: William Bushell Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2017 5:55:58 PM To: Ryan Castle Cc: Deepak Chopra; Darold Trefferet; Carolyn Rangel; Rudy mail; Rama=handran, Vilayanur; Poonacha Body/Mind/Me Machaiah; Paul Mills; Dr Diane H=nnacy Powell; Murali Doraiswamy, M.D. Subject: Re: SAVANTS I'll be ready to sha=e with you the fruits of my —15 years of research in this area Ryan, start=ng tomorrow! All Best, Bill William C Bushell, PhD Director of Research and Academic Liaison,=ISHAR (isharonline.org <http://isharonline.org/> <http://isharonlin=.org/ <http://isharonline.org/») Biophysical Anth=opology, MIT Department of Religion, Columbia University Senior Fellow, Harvard University, 1993.94 EFTA_R1_01405567 EFTA02386055 On Sun, Jul 23, 2017 at 4:33 PM, Ryan Castle wrote: Brilliant! I'm very excited about the prospect of this co=laboration, and I think the synergy behind this team could be very powerfu=. This is excellent timing, we're in the midst of designing=a new form of large-scale data analysis through custom rubrics and Al. 1'1= start doing preliminary searches to compile and archive all of the surfac= level studies I can find on the topic, but at some point I will need to talk to someone about more specifi= search terms and technical terms so that I can find and collate all the b=st data. On Jul 23, 2017 09:15, "Deepak Chopra"= wrote: Thanks Bill and Ryan and everyone ! Let's start with archiving all the=current data on this and then come up with a protocol for a formal study t=at can be submitted for IRB . All love Deepak Chopra MD 2013 Costa Del Mar Road Carlsbad, CA 92009 =hopra Foundation chttp://www.choprafoundat=on.org/> Jiyo <http://www.jiyo.com/> Chopra Cen=er for Wellbeing <http://www.chopra.com/> chttps://www.discoveringyo=rcosmicself.com/> <https://www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com/> 2 EFTA_R1_01405568 EFTA02386056 =/p> <http:./www.discoveringyourcosmicself.comh <=p> <mailto On Jul 23 2017 at 12:05 PM, William Bushell > wro=e: Dear all, and especially in this brief note,=to Drs Treffert and Ramachandran: How exciting this project sounds already! Ye=, as Deepak mentioned, I am the Director of Research and Academic Liaison =or ISHAR (isharonline=org <http://isharonline.org> ), and thanks to Deepak we recently began to get help from Google for ISHAR's online site. I am also affiliate= with MIT as a biophysical and psychological anthropologist. I developed a=d continue to work on a scientific research model of how advanced meditato=s (Tibetan and Indian in particular) enter into induced savant-like states to achieve heightened sensory-percep=ual access in order to actually be able to observe small scale phenomena a=ong other important features of the sensory environment (there is no parap=ychological dimension to this model). I first presented this model at a conference I had with the Dalai Lama, an= K Anders Ericsson -- another leader in the field of "expert and exce=tional performance," a field that as you know he pioneered with Nobel=st Herbert A Simon, along with yourselves, Dr Treffert and Ramachandran. (Ericsson's and my work from this neuroscien=e conference were published in my volume by the New York Academy of Scienc=s, and was also presented in 2011 at the Towards of Science of Consciousne=s conference in Stockholm, and more recently at a physics and consciousness conference at UC Berkeley).</=iv> One other matter to only briefly mention her= for now, is that I also had the honor to be associated with a book projec= that both of you were also associated with, Struck By Genius, on the acqu=red mathematical savant, Jason Padgett. I did work on that book with my close friend and frequent collaborator, Ma=reen Seaberg, along with Jason, another friend, who is one of several sava=ts I have worked with. The project described here sounds wonderful!= fascinating and compelling, and speaking on behalf of my ISHAR partner, E=ecutive Director Ryan Castle and my self, we will do everything possible t= aid, facilitate, and enhance the project in every way we can in line with your direction. Sincerely, 3 EFTA_R1_01405569 EFTA02386057 Bill William C Bushell, PhD Director of Research and Academic Liaison,=ISHAR (isharonline.org <http://isharonline.org/> <http://isharonlirmorg/ <http://isharonline.org/») Biophysical =Anthropology, MIT Department of Religion, Columbia University Senior Fell=w, Harvard University, 1993-94 On Sun, Jul 23, 2017 at 8:18 AM, Deepak Chopra <=pan dir="ltru> <nonlocal101=chopra.com <mailto:nonlocal101@chopra.com» wrote: Dear Dr Trefferet I have admired your work for several years . I am particularly fascinate= with the following statements you make =nbsp;"How do savants "know things they never learned", like the periodic t=ble, prime numbers, solar system or whole globe geography? (my expla=ation is genetic memory--the genetic transmission of knowledge (nature v. =urture). I have a register of about 300 savants and about the time I think I have heard it all comes another with new unhe=rd of skill or ability, type 1 or 2 as you refer to those skills. &nb=p; I met with GOMA, a celebrated Japanese musician who, after a head injur=, is now an accomplished artist as well. An acquired savant with an entirely different skill post injury" = While "genetic memory " is a good=hypothesis we must remember that "genes " themselves are human c=nstructs -names we have give to modes of knowing & experience in consciousness, which remains a mystery. Savants who have " know th=ngs they never learned" may offer a window to non local reality. = I have interest from Amazon films on a docu=entary on consciousness and the universe and will seek your's and Dr Ramac=andran's & Diana Powell's participation. Meanwhile meet Ryan and Bill who are in charge of ISHARonline.com <http://ISHARo=line.com> We would love to document and archive your =ork for future generations and promote it on social media to increase awar=ness & expand the conversation so we can all learn more. With great respect & admiration of your work deepak 2013 Costa Del Mar Road Carlsbad, CA 92009 Chopra Foundation <http://www.choprafoundation.org> <http://www.c=oprafoundation.org> Jiyo <http://www.jiyo.com> <http://jiyo.com> <http://jiyo.com> Chopra Center for Wellbeing <http://www.chopra.com> <http://chopra.co=> chttp://www.jiyo.com> 4 EFTA_R1_01405570 EFTA02386058 <OutlookEmoji-1483997936424_email-signature-plain.jpge7ef45a6-=8df-46fc-94a6- 587a2c678558.jpg> discoveringyourcosmicself.com <http://=ww.discoveringyourcosmicself.com> <=span> From: Darold Trefferet Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 4:34:33 PM To: 'Ramachandran, Vilayanur' Cc: Deepak Chopra Subject: RE: SAVANTS VS, Likewise I feel that I know you through your=remarkable work. We toil in the same vineyard of mysterious and (as =et) unexplained exceptional brain performance. I would welcome collaboration. So much to explore. How do savan=s "know things they never learned", like the periodic table, pri=e numbers, solar system or whole globe geography? (my explanation is genetic memory--the genetic transmission of knowledge (natu=e v. nurture). I have a register of about 300 savants and about the =ime I think I have heard it all comes another with new unheard of skill or=ability, type 1 or 2 as you refer to those skills. I met with GOMA, a celebrated Japanese musician =ho, after a head injury, is now an accomplished artist as well. = An acquired savant with an entirely different skill post injury. &nb=p; Some of these savants have been part of documentaries. = The "work-up" was usually imaging studies looking for 'the spot'=of savant syndrome. The imaging produces very pret=y pictures for TV, but very little illumination of what has happened. = Imaging, impressive as it is, just is not sensitive enough (yet), even DTI or DTT, to pinpoint the underlying defects at the synapse I=vel of savant syndrome, creativity and even autism. More productive =esults will come from carefully designed, intricate, neuropsychological to=ting. But there is always the rush to imaging.<=p> I have been so consumed with the acquired sa=ant, and hyperlexia (children who read early often mis-diagnosed as being =n the spectrum) and paranormal phenomenon in about 1% of savants, my congenital savant registry has not been kept cu=rent. I intend to correct that. We have organized an acquired =avant registry from unsolicited emails or other sources and will soon publ=sh those preliminary results. We have designed a comprehensive survey instrument to now collect uniform data from those u=solicited, non uniform e mails and will be sending that out soon to the sa=ants and/or families. We have done the same now for 160 hyperl=xia patients/families and will be analzying that data. My exploration of para-normal subjects continues. I=intend to renew some effort with the savant registry and that may be where=our interests most intersect. 5 EFTA_R1_01405571 EFTA02386059 So there may be ways to collaborate. O=e person I was collaborating with, Oliver Sacks, regrettably passed away.&=bsp; We were exchanging some cases. I have the largest world collection of savant books, theses, professional articles, n=ws articles, videotapes and correspondence on savant syndrome, which has g=adually morphed from savant syndrome only to othere manifestations of the =xceptional brain. It is a gold mine of data. The hospital has been kind enough to provide a buildin= and some staff for the Treffert Center which we intend to put to full use=and explore other sources of support and expansion.</=> So, let me know your thoughts on this somewh=t rambling response to your welcome note. Please feel free to share =his with Deepak because of his interest in these same 'mysteries'. Let's see if there are ways to work toget=er in this extraordinary vinyard. Darold A. Treffert, M.D. www.treffertcenter.com <http://www.treffertcenter.com> www.savantsyndrome.com <http://www.savantsyndrome.com> <=> : Ramachandran, Vilayanur [maiIto: <manta Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2017 3:54 PM To: Darold Trefferet Subject: SAVANTS Dear DR Trefferet WE haven't been introduced formally but i feel i=know you through your book, your SCi Am article and your recent lecture tr=nsmitted to CARTA UCSD where I work . I have had a long-standing interest in S=vants - especially those with math skills ( eg prime numbers ) and v=suospatial and our center, in fact, focuses on 'solving " neurological mysteries eg synesthesia , phantom pain=, xenomelia ( apotemnophilia ) Capgrsas etc Bernie Rimland had indicated he would like to co=laborate but , alas , passed away. Would you be so kind as to refer savants with un=sual skills in any domain but esp math , music and art to our facil=ty ? Needless to say we would invite your participation ( assuming you have the time )and coauthorship <=p> Coincidentally my good friend and collea=ue dr Deepak Chopra was visiting our lab a few weeks ago and this ma=ter came up There are two classes of phenomena . First , ski=ls that are clearly definable such as prime numbers , drawing, memo=y size estimation etc which can be replicated under carefully controlled settings ; 6 EFTA_R1_01405572 EFTA02386060 two- 'superhuman' or even supernatural abilities like telepathy, clairvoyance etc which h=ve long resisted replication my focus will on class 1- a more detailed=understanding of whats going on. Before jumping to imaging there are=basic simple tests one can do. But I'm also open to testing the latter Theres also a vast grey zone between these two =lasses. We hope e can interest you in this ventures/=> VS Ramachandran PhD MD FRCP ( Lond ) =DSc professor and director Center for brain and cognition UCSD a> La Jolla CA 92093 -0109 7 EFTA_R1_01405573 EFTA02386061