Program Title: “Foundations of Reality, and/or From Here to Eternity.” Our June 20, 2026 program will
feature a talk by Robert J. (“Bob”) Beringer, a Hot Springs, Virginia based entrepreneur, innovator, educator, human performance engineer, bio and consciousness hacker.
We all know that human DNA is comprised of 23 pairs of chromosomes, while all other primates have 24 pairs. The reason for this genetic discrepancy between humans and other primates eluded scientists for decades, until recently, when it was discovered that the 23rd and what would have been the 24th pair of chromosomes appear to have been fused together to produce the 23 pairs which render the human genetic signature unique. Whether this fusion occurred naturally or artificially remains a mystery, but many speculate it results from intentional tweaking by Enki, that member of the Sumerian pantheon of gods referred to as the Anunnaki, Enki being the one among them credited with having created humanity through genetic tinkering and manipulation of existing hominins. If that or some other version of that was the first great leap forward for our species, we now may find ourselves at the threshold of the second. Now that Earth has entered 4th Density, its human occupants have a window, according to the Ra, of just over 700 years left in which to either align with its frequency (by elevating their consciousness from that of the stomach chakra to that of the heart) or find another 3rd Density planet to hang out on. This is what humanity’s so-called “great awakening” is all about, and there are seemingly endless varieties of how this awakening can be best accomplished. Bob Beringer, drawing from a combination of his IT background, his work with disabled veterans, and his work with The Monroe Institute (as a former member of its Board of Directors), is seeking to make his own contribution to this awakening through the Human Performance Center he has developed in Bath County, Virginia. Bob’s talk will focus on his approach to that work and the potentials he sees for it.
Another not-to-be-missed program for all who can attend! See you there!
About Our Presenter: Robert Beringer is a Hot Springs, Virginia based entrepreneur, bio and consciousness hacker, Quantum Computer Certified Programmer, and author, responsible for developing the supercomputer for the X-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the $2B Pentagon Shield II Laser Beam project, standing up in the Unted States Computer Emergency Response Team, protecting U.S. fiscal resources globally for the U.S. Department of Treasury, manufacturing cryptography for the U.S. Government among many other high level projects. He is a highly skilled instructor that attended his first Microsoft Train the Trainer Course in 2000. He is a Bulletproof Life Coach, Human Performance Coach, Breathology Instructor, as well as a seasoned intelligence professional and recognized security expert. He also is a former Board member of The Monroe Institute and has developed a facility on his property in Bath County, Virginia called The Human
Performance Center.
About Central VA IONS Community Group: Central VA IONS Community Group is an unincorporated association and a local community group of The Institute of Noetic Sciences, an international association based in Novato, California (www.noetic.org). Central VA IONS is not associated with any religion, religious organization, doctrine or set of beliefs or practices and is open to all. Central VA
IONS is entirely dependent upon voluntary donations of its members and friends to support its programs, mailings and other costs, and a love offering is requested at each meeting from those attending in-person or online. Central VA IONS meetings are held each month at locations announced in its program notices and are open to all. Our website is at www.richmondions.org.
Where/When: In person and online, through ZOOM (Meeting ID: 865 1815 1952, Passcode: 142841) and in
person at Unity of Richmond, 800 Blanton Avenue, Richmond, VA 23221, on Saturday, June 20, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
to 12:00 noon, with Potluck Lunch at conclusion.
Upcoming Meetings:
July 18, 2026: Jen Bushman, New Mexico based medical intuitive, channel and visionary.
August 15, 2026: Price Wood, “Things we don’t understand, things we cannot comprehend.”
September 12, 2026: Sandy Ward, Richmond area psychic medium.
October 17, 2026: Mattie Coll, Richmond area pet whisperer and healer.
In the early 1990s, a series of formative experiences—including communications with her late father, a Chinese Buddhist—led Carole Louie to recognize her abilities as a medium and to pursue reincarnation research. Born to a Southern Baptist mother and a Chinese Buddhist father, Carole discovered her destiny to bridge the past, present, and future. Carole will share her explorations on how memories of past lives have shaped and expanded her worldview. Carole has dedicated much of the last 35 years exploring and often verifying other lifetimes she/her soul has lived and acting as a facilitator for others to pursue similar interests, seeking through her work to explore the spiritual dimensions of consciousness and reincarnation.
What if one of the most powerful catalysts for human evolution has been hiding in plain sight—so familiar we’ve underestimated it? In this experiential presentation, Emmy Award-winning composer and filmmaker Gary Malkin draws from the core arc of his TEDx message and his forthcoming book, The Resonance Revolution, to explore music not as entertainment or mood enhancement, but as an underutilized human technology for state regulation, emotional range, and collective connection. Through guided demonstrations—spoken wisdom set to carefully composed music, immersive contemplative media, group alignment experiences, and practices that cultivate comfort with silence—participants will investigate how music can settle overstimulated cognition and create conditions in which the analytical mind and the heart’s discernment work in partnership rather than tension. At a deeper level, Gary’s inquiry will address a civilizational threshold, i.e., that we cannot sustain outer peace without cultivating inner peace, and inner peace remains elusive without developing grief and trauma literacy. In a world shaped by unprocessed loss, polarization and chronic overstimulation, music may offer a reliable pathway toward the emotional maturity required for unity consciousness—not as ideology, but as lived experience. This session invites the Richmond IONS community into a grounded exploration of music as a bridge between science and spirituality, regulation and reconciliation, personal coherence and collective transformation, and ultimately, toward a world that works because we have become mature enough to sustain it.
The tug-of-war between spirituality and materialism has been a central issue of Western philosophy for at least 2,500 years, since Socrates and Democritus or even earlier. More commonly referred to today as the mind-body problem (whether mind begets body or body begets mind), the way we choose to answer this question has enormous implications for us, both individually and collectively, on a multitude of levels. Our distinguished 30th anniversary guest speaker, Ed Kelly, has been studying unusual manifestations of consciousness, through the lens of psi phenomena, for nearly 54 years, and has been responsible for several of the most groundbreaking and scholarly works ever published on the subject.
Our December 13, 2025 program will feature a talk by Mary Ruberry, artist and author, on her book, Messages from The Tara. We know that we are beings of Light and Love, yet often we find ourselves engulfed in the 3-D world of distractions and busy-ness, and lose sight of our true nature. As we move into the New Golden Age, humans are transitioning away from leading with the rational mind and instead leading everyday life from the heart — or “heart mind.” Mary will discuss simple techniques for overcoming challenges to achieving a Pure Heart in the quest to live heart-led. She will also discuss what the great Tara has imparted in her divine messages to help us transform from outmoded paradigms and into enlightened patterns of thought that align with Nature. Some of the topics addressed by The Tara include: Free Will, Sadness/Depression, Unity Consciousness, Ego, Emotions, Patience, Time, Energy, and the Higher Self/Divine Will. She will also detail elements of the New Age that we are entering, and gives advice about how to navigate the changes. The Tara explains her inspiration as follows: “I am giving you these messages to help those who want to rise above the commonplace. There are luminous individuals who can make a significant difference in this present time. I want to reach those people as much as possible to: (1) encourage them on their path, in their leadership role, (2) show them clearly and simply how to peel away modern thinking and habits that hold them back, and (3) I want to spur them on to new patterns of thought, new ways of perceiving, new ways of leading, new practices to replace those that do not work.” The Tara’s insights are profound indeed and Mary is thrilled to have the opportunity to share some of her wisdom with you (from her book: Messages from The Tara: A Book of Wisdom for New-Age Leaders). She will have books to purchase if you are interested.
The Druze are a unique and deeply spiritual community whose roots trace back to 11th-century Egypt, yet whose cultural and metaphysical traditions remain largely hidden from public view. In this engaging and thought-provoking presentation, Khattar invites us into the heart of Druze identity—where culture, ethics, and the soul’s journey through multiple lifetimes are intimately intertwined. This talk will explore the foundational beliefs of the Druze faith, including its esoteric origins, its emphasis on unity and divine knowledge, and its strict tradition of spiritual secrecy. We’ll examine how Druze culture has preserved its distinct identity across centuries, despite political upheaval and geographic dispersion. At the center of the presentation is the Druze belief in reincarnation—known as taqammus—a concept that is not metaphorical but lived and accepted as fact within the community. Khattar will share compelling stories of Druze children who recall past lives with astonishing detail, and how these memories are investigated and often validated by elders. We’ll also compare Druze reincarnation with similar beliefs in Hinduism and Buddhism, and reflect on what these ideas suggest about consciousness, memory, and the continuity of the soul.
Nelson Marquina, MSc, PhD, DC, President, Founder and Chief Science Officer of Laser Biotech International.
If you were told you only have a few months left on earth, what would you do? What enormous decisions and intimate details would fill up your weeks, days, minutes, and seconds? Now, imagine if those final months belong not to you, but to the person you love most in the world. Susan’s life changed forever on the night of December 15, 2016 when her daughter Jessica was rushed to the Pediatric Emergency Room. The doctors feared it was appendicitis, a scary and potentially life- threatening condition. Within 24 hours that diagnosis would change to something no one ever could have imagined… Stage 4 colon cancer. Jessica had just turned 17. Jessica escaped her body, after a 17-month battle, on the day after her high school graduation, but the “everyday angels” who crossed their path throughout the journey, and the messages from Jessica after her “death” have been extraordinary. Winks from Heaven chronicles Susan’s journey after Jessica’s death, and the extraordinary stories of everyday angels who showed up to guide her path. Immediately, Susan began receiving heavenly “WINKS” of hope. But what began as a trickle exploded into a flood of communication–from strangers, sayings, symbols and signs with miraculous messages from beyond the veil—Message threads which knit her entire journey together and prove miracles can and do show up for ordinary people. And the most important message of all? LOVE NEVER DIES. Susan has collaborated with the Department of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia and has received endorsements and support from literary luminaries including Mitch Albom, Bob Goff, Bill Guggenheim, Dr. Eben Alexander and Dr. Bruce Greyson.