Though she lives in Virginia, Parvin's journey to the Monroe Institute came via Peru. On a trip to visit Machu Picchu after reading The Celestine Prophecy, she met Richard Tilson, a Monroe Outreach Trainer.

Parvin explained she was at first uncomfortable with the word institute. In Iran, where she’s from, mental health patients were kept in an institute. But the meaningful conversations she'd had with Richard tugged at her.

Parvin had shared about her Baha'i faith and the main principle of Oneness and Unity of Humanity and Religion. Richard had shared about the work of consciousness exploration, left brain and right brain, and the use of sounds in meditation exercises.

It was two years before she participated in her Gateway Voyage retreat. As Parvin recounted, "I didn't use the headphones; I thought someone would be working on my brain. Even without the sound, during the exercises, I saw a man who looked a lot like the man in photos on the walls at Monroe. I soon learned the man I was seeing was Bob Monroe, the founder of the Institute!

I relaxed and realized there is no agenda, but working on myself. I used the headphones to allow the sounds to help guide me through my exploration. I began to enjoy the wonderful foods, great conversations, and, of course, I was busy taking notes. 

Although I had started the program with anxiety and confusion by the end of the program I felt confident, happy and focused. After Gateway, I took seven programs in two years. My challenging divorce became final and the depression I had been experiencing disappeared."

Parvin has taken 36 residential programs since 2001. She is a "superuser" of Monroe technology!

It is for people like Parvin and you, that the Monroe Institute exists. A place where, as Parvin says, "we can meet our brothers and sisters from around the world that we have not met physically yet and many remain lifelong friends."

Your financial contribution to the Monroe Institute helps bring more courses to an online format.

Since March 11 retreats and courses have been fully converted to an online format.

In just the past month, many of you have made generous contributions totaling more than $70,000. Thank you!

It will take approximately $630,000 more to create a fully functional online department. We have work to do!

“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.”
- Vincent Van Gogh