Free Prophecy. An ARKANE thriller. (Book 2) by J.F. Penn Page B

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    “Huxley is well known for his novel ‘Brave New World’ but he also spent many years experimenting with various alternative states of consciousness. ‘Doors of Perception’ was written as a recollection of a trip using mescaline, at a time when it wasn’t restricted.”
    “What did he see?” Nechiffe asked. “Did it work?”
    “He explained the experience with the analogy of Plato’s ‘Being but not separated from Becoming’,” Maria replied. “This is a complicated concept for those of us who haven’t experienced it but it could be described as a few timeless hours outside the world. There was no striving, just an experience of being.   I was particularly interested in his description of not being concerned for survival anymore and I interpreted this experience as a way to open the unconscious further to the suggestions we might plant with binaural technology.”
    Harghada wasn’t finished with her and cut back in.  
    “Huxley was on mescaline, so why LSD for your trials?”
    “They’re both psychoactive but mescaline leaves the subject mostly lucid and coherent, whereas LSD is characterized by confusion and disorientation. Mescaline has a stronger euphoric effect, but it also makes people want to lie down and relax, whereas LSD is more of a stimulant. We wanted people to be able to actively behave in a way we suggested, so we needed more of a stimulant. But these were tiny trials with willing participants in a highly regulated environment. We were testing whether a variant of the psychoactive drug could be used in extreme cases to reduce the negative side effects of anxiety but still enable the behavioral response.”
    “And what do you see as the potential uses of this technology, Doctor?” Milan asked. He was so keen to know more that Maria was sure she would be getting her research funding approved.  
    “In applying it to the therapies Zoebios currently offers, we could use it with schizophrenia medication to encourage self-care and override self-harm. With post-traumatic stress, we could use it for promoting well-being and preventing suicide. It could be applied to treating addiction, in helping people give up smoking or stop taking harmful drugs. It could be used to ensure people follow regimes like weight loss for obesity. These initiatives could transform healthcare as they are non-invasive and have few side effects. Taking it further, the punitive aspect could be used in prisons for sex offenders and murderers. Research has shown that these categories of subjects respect a specific and different kind of authority.”  
    “And what are you asking for today? What is your funding proposal?”
    Maria clicked the final slide.  
    “The next phase would be to move to more extensive trials by releasing the headsets to specific groups of people already using Zoebios’ audio programs and counseling. We can also pair with the clinics to test drug regimes, with the permission of the participants, of course. I would also like to publish some papers on the research. It has far reaching implications so it can only be a good thing if the data is shared.”
    Milan stood, his eyes hooded as if shutters had come down on his enthusiasm. Maria felt a shift in the room. Had she asked for too much? Her confidence sank a little. She knew the amazing potential of her work, but did they recognize it?  
    “Thank you Dr Van Garre. We’ll discuss your proposal along with some of the others made today. If you would wait in the ante-room, you will be notified shortly.”
    “Of course. Thank you your time today, gentlemen.”
    Maria unplugged her laptop, picked up her papers and walked to the door where Milan Noble’s sharp nosed personal assistant waited to show her to the ante-room. Maria sat on the edge of the chair and waited.

    *****  

    In the Boardroom, Milan addressed the group around the table.  
    “Gentlemen, I think you will agree that this research isn’t our core competency. Therefore