My First MUFON (Mutual UFO Network) Meeting!
So when my friend Janie told me about the upcoming MUFON meeting in downtown Fairfax, I just about came unglued. “Do you want to go?” she asked, “But of course!” It was like a no-brainer, I just had to make sure I was ready on time, which I wasn’t … As usual.
MUFON is the Mutual Unidentified Flying Object Network. According to their website, they are the oldest and largest UFO phenomenon investigative body. They are the people you go to with UFO reports and evidence that we are not alone in this universe.
MUFON Mission Statement: The scientific study of UFOs for the benefit of humanity.
MUFON Goals:
- Investigate UFO sightings and collect the data in the MUFON Database for use by researchers worldwide.
- Promote research on UFOs to discover the true nature of the phenomenon, with an eye towards scientific breakthroughs, and improving life on our planet.
- Educate the public on the UFO phenomenon and its potential impact on society.
The meeting was held at a sports bar and grille called The Green Turtle. Normally I would have been the first in line, but I was a little apprehensive about the crowd we could encounter while talking about UFOs on a Saturday afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised to find that we were in a private party room that was also designed for business presentations, complete with our own waiter.
When I opened one of the double doors, I was quietly welcomed in by a gentleman sitting on a chair. I knew I was at the right place when I saw the MUFON emblem on his polo shirt. Trying not to be nuisance during the presentation, I quickly scanned the room for Janie; nope, can’t see her. Then I grabbed the first open seat at the long table in front of me. I was trying to blend in, but honestly didn’t know how. Did I look like I should be there? What exactly does a UFOlogist look like? It’s amazing how self-conscious you can be at a time like that.
Since I missed the first forty-five minutes, I was trying to hear what I could before the meeting came to an end. And since I didn’t know when that was scheduled to happen, I took out my notebook and paid attention. But from what I understood, I missed out on most of the good stuff — new evidence submitted for review. But I was fortunate to hear the second half regarding information about MUFON such as their chapters, database system that contains all of the evidence submitted over the years, and the people who work for the company.
Like metaphysics, Ufology (the study of UFOs) pulls you right in. I have always been curious about the possibility of life on other planets. In fact, I can’t say that I’ve ever doubted it. Like Dr. Ellie Arroway says in the movie Contact, “So if it’s just us, it seems like an awful waste of space.”
What I didn’t expect is just how much some of the abduction cases resemble Out of Body Experiences (OBEs). I can see now why all of the books I have read so far about OBEs mention this possibility. The similarities are intriguing, but there is no easy answer.
I also met a wonderful woman who works with a group of remote viewers. Remote viewing is the ability to see a location remotely. Back in the 70s, the Army had a project called Stargate to investigate this potential. One of the common ways to practice remote viewing is by using the latitude and longitude of a location. For instance, one of my mentors, Nick Sutcliffe, used to place a folded photo from Google Maps into a sealed envelope and write the latitude and longitude on the front of it. Then he would ask us to hold the envelope and focus on the latitude and longitude for a few minutes. When we felt ready, we would write down anything we received. Did we see anything (houses, buildings, desert, mountains, snow, rain, rivers, oceans, etc.)? Did we smell anything (smoke, dirt, dust, animals, food, etc.)? Did we hear anything (people, trains, boats, birds, ocean waves, etc.)? Did we feel anything (hot, cold, windy, etc.)? Every detail mattered.
Once we were finished writing down the information we received, we would take turns going around the room and share our information with the group. When we were done, we could open the envelope. Sometimes we were pleasantly surprised to see how many “hits” we had. Other times, I was describing a town in Alaska when it was a desert in Arizona.
Historically speaking, remote viewing has not been one of my strongest abilities. Can I do it? Yes, but only about 50% of the time. Because it is such a challenge, I would love the opportunity to practice with like-minded people. It is an ability I consider important to strengthen. Hopefully I will have the opportunity to meet with the remote viewing group in the future.
It is safe to say that I’m hooked and would like to stay involved with the Northern Virginia Chapter; MUFOVA. I think this is one area of interest that goes hand in hand with all my others. And since this is the year of saying, “Yes!” the next step is signing up as a member.
Hugs!
