Constantly Curious

Ingo Swann

In Short

Ingo Swann is often regarded as one of the most influential figures in the remote viewing field, bridging the gap between informal “psychic work” and a more rigorous, scientifically oriented approach.

Ingo Swann (1933–2013) was an artist, author, and pioneering figure in the development of remote viewing—particularly what became known as Controlled Remote Viewing (CRV). Here’s a concise background:

  1. Early Life and Interests
    • Born in Telluride, Colorado, Swann served in the U.S. Army, after which he pursued an interest in art and psychic phenomena.
    • His artistic side often intersected with his later experiments in psychic research—he was known to be creative, independent, and open-minded in his approach.
  2. Work with SRI (Stanford Research Institute)
    • In the early 1970s, Swann began collaborating with researchers Hal Puthoff and Russell Targ at SRI.
    • He participated in experiments that attempted to describe distant locations or hidden objects—what was then simply referred to as “remote viewing.”
  3. Development of CRV Protocols
    • Swann noticed the need for a structured approach to avoid guesswork and imagination overshadowing raw perceptions.
    • Through trial, error, and collaboration at SRI, he helped refine a multi-stage methodology designed to keep data collection and analysis separate—eventually systematized as Controlled Remote Viewing (sometimes called Coordinate Remote Viewing).
  4. Contributions to Government Programs
    • Swann’s protocols and training methods became the backbone of various government-funded psychic research projects, loosely grouped under what is commonly referred to as Project Stargate (though Stargate had many sub-programs and code names over time).
    • His emphasis on disciplined procedures influenced the way the U.S. Army and intelligence agencies tested and trained remote viewers.
  5. Legacy
    • Apart from his government research, Swann wrote extensively on psychic phenomena and the nature of consciousness, arguing that everyone has some innate psychic potential.
    • Many of the core principles he championed—such as ideograms, analytical overlay (AOL), and staged data collection—remain foundational in contemporary remote-viewing practices.