Who Host the Largest Remote Viewing Conferences?
Only a handful of organizations regularly host high-quality conferences with well-known speakers. These are the ones to know.
Top Remote Viewing Conferences
People attend conferences for different reasons. Some meet future business partners or make friends who share the same interest. Others want to hear the latest research, learn new things, or talk directly to experts.
The nice thing is that the remote viewing community is small. Unlike industries with thousands of experts, this one is much easier to navigate. There are probably only around 100–200 well-known experts worldwide, and fewer than 50 names that almost everyone recognizes. The number of major organizations is even smaller, and there are only a handful of well-known schools and remote viewing apps.
Because of that, it has only 2–4 conferences that gained global recognition. Most people see these organizations as the leaders in the field. Read about them below.
International Remote Viewing Association (IRVA)
IRVA was founded in 1999 to support research, education, and responsible public discussion about remote viewing.
For most people, the IRVA Conference is the biggest event on the calendar. It brings together military viewers, civilians, researchers, psychologists, and complete beginners. You can spend several days listening to presentations, attending workshops, and talking to people who have worked in the field for decades.
A common comment from attendees is that the conference saves months of reading. Instead of learning from books alone, you can hear pros explain what actually worked for them, what mistakes they made, and where they think the field is heading.
For example, Daz Smith explained the signal line and creativity in his The Art of Remote Viewing talk at IRVA 2024. People on Reddit then said the presentation finally made it click for them.
IRVA conferences usually include:
- presentations on research
- practical workshops
- panel discussions
- networking sessions
- book signings
- Q&A with instructors
The organization also supports the community outside North America. IRVA Europe, based in Germany, regularly organizes seminars, workshops, and educational events for European practitioners.
One reason IRVA conferences stay popular is the quality of the speakers. Some of the speakers you will often see include:
Paul H. Smith – one of the best-known Controlled Remote Viewing (CRV) instructors and a former member of the U.S. government’s Stargate program.
Lyn Buchanan – former military remote viewer, founder of Problems>Solutions>Innovations, and a long-time teacher who regularly gives lectures and workshops.
Dale Graff – former manager of U.S. government PSI research programs and a frequent conference participant.
Debra Lynne Katz – researcher, instructor, and IRVA president from 2022 to 2025.
Tom McNear – former military remote viewer who often speaks at IRVA conferences, especially international events.
Hakim Isler – founder of Psi Games and one of the most active modern speakers on consciousness and psi topics.
Other familiar names include Gregory C. Radabaugh, Jenifer Prather, Cindy Miller, Henry Gilroy, Lori Lambert Williams, and Angela Thompson Smith, who has appeared at many previous conferences.
If your goal is to meet active practitioners, IRVA is probably the best place to start.
Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS)
IONS was founded in 1973 by Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell after his return from space. Mitchell became interested in questions about consciousness and believed they deserved serious scientific study.
IONS is not a remote viewing organization. Its focus is much broader. The institute studies topics such as consciousness, intuition, meditation, healing, and exceptional human experiences.
But people often attend IONS events because they want to understand the bigger picture. Instead of learning only viewing techniques, they hear researchers discuss consciousness, neuroscience, psychology, and philosophy.
IONS looks at the larger questions surrounding consciousness and regularly invite experts from different fields.
Some well-known speakers include:
- Ken Wilber, known for his work on integral theory.
- Deepak Chopra, who speaks about integrative medicine and consciousness.
- Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist studying spirituality and the brain.
- Stuart Hameroff, known for theories connecting consciousness and quantum biology.
- Gregg Braden, who writes and lectures about consciousness and human potential.
- Mark Gober, author and speaker on consciousness philosophy.
- Lynne McTaggart, who has spoken about intention and collective consciousness.
- Rupert Sheldrake, known for his ideas about morphic resonance and related topics.
Rhine Research Center
Another organization worth knowing is the Rhine Research Center that hosts occasional conferences.
Founded in 1935 by psychologist J. B. Rhine and Louisa Rhine, it is one of the oldest organizations dedicated to scientific research into parapsychology. The center has played an important role in studying ESP, precognition, psychokinesis, and other related subjects. Compared with IRVA, its audience is broader and often includes psychologists and statisticians.
In the end, you really can’t go wrong. All of these organizations are known for putting together well-organized conferences. Attendees usually mention the friendly atmosphere, interesting practical exercises, and the chance to spend time with speakers outside the presentations.