Robert Monroe

Robert Allan Monroe, also known as Bob Monroe (October 30, 1915 – March 17, 1995), was an American radio broadcasting executive who became known for his books on his out-of-body experiences (OBEs) and for founding The Monroe Institute, which researches consciousness and produces the Gateway Program to teach people how to go out of body. His 1971 book Journeys Out of the Body is credited with popularizing the term "out-of-body experience" (OBE) and for introducing the ability to self-induce OBEs—a practice previously called astral projection—to a large audience. It has sold around a million copies. Monroe's institute developed Hemi-Sync, short for hemispheric synchronization, based on a finding from 1839 that when the brain heard two frequencies, it produced a third that made up the difference between the two. For example, 170 Hz in one ear and 174 Hz in another ear results in the brain producing 4 Hz waves—theta waves. Hemi-Sync was used to generate brainwaves conducive to going out of body. These formed the basis of the Monroe Institute's Gateway, Guidelines, Lifeline, and other audio tapes. He was one of the founders of the Jefferson Cable Corporation, the first cable company to cover central Virginia.