Lynne McTaggart, author of The Intention Experiment and sponsor of the associated experiments, talked about the power of intention to alter lives and change the world.

McTaggart's extensive research of numerous scientific studies involving 'spiritual healing' has led her to conclude that the human mind has the capacity to change physical matter. As an example, she cited Elisabeth Targ's study, which examined the effects of distant healing and prayer on a group of patients with AIDS.

McTaggart reported on the results of her initial intention experiment. In this experiment, she instructed a group of 16 experienced meditators in England to direct their intentions to four remote targets (two kinds of algae, a jade plant and a human volunteer -- all under stress) located in physicist Fritz-Albert Popp's laboratory in Germany. According to McTaggart, Popp and his team measured a change in the amount of light being given off by the targets during the times intentions were sent by the meditators.

McTaggart provided details on an intention experiment developed by psychologist Gary Schwartz, in which a group of 400 conference attendees were asked to focus their intentions on increasing the biophoton emissions of one of two geranium leaves. Using sensitive CCD cameras, Schwartz found a significant difference in the amount of light being given off from the target leaf, she said. McTaggart also discussed her web-based intention experiments, as well as Schwartz's upcoming 'ecosphere' experiment.