<table><tr><th>From:</th><th>Deepak Chopra</th></tr><tr><td>Sent:</td><td>Sunday, July 23, 2017 11:42 PM</td></tr><tr><td>To:</td><td>William Bushell; Ryan Castle</td></tr><tr><td>Cc:</td><td>Darold Trefferet; Carolyn Rangel; Rudy mail; Ramachandran, Vilayanur; Poonacha
Body/Mind/Me Machaiah; Paul Mills; Dr Diane Hennacy Powell; Murali Doraiswamy,
M.D. </td></tr><tr><td>Subject:</td><td>Re: SAVANTS</td></tr></table>

Thanks!

2013 Costa Del Mar Road

Carlsbad, CA 92009

Chopra Foundat=on <http://www.choprafoundation.org> <http://www.choprafoundation.org> </=iv> Jiyo

<http://www.jiyo.com> <http://=iyo.com> <=a> <http://jiyo.com> Chopra Center for Wellbeing

<http://www.chopra.com> <http://chopra.com> <http:=/chopra.com>

<http://www.jiyo.com> =br>

discoveringyourcosmicself.=om <http://=ww.discoveringyourcosmicself.com>

<=span>

From: William Bushell

Sent: Sunday, July 23, 2017 5:55:58 PM

To: Ryan Castle

Cc: Deepak Chopra; Darold Trefferet; Carolyn Rangel; Rudy mail; Rama=handran, Vilayanur; Poonacha Body/Mind/Me Machaiah; Paul Mills; Dr Diane H=nnacy Powell; Murali Doraiswamy, M.D.

Subject: Re: SAVANTS

I'll be ready to sha=e with you the fruits of my —15 years of research in this area Ryan, start=ng tomorrow! All Best,

Bill

## William C Bushell, PhD

Director of Research and Academic Liaison,=ISHAR (isharonline.org <http://isharonline.org/> <http://isharonlin=.org/ <http://isharonline.org/> >) Biophysical Anth=opology, MIT Department of Religion, Columbia University Senior Fellow, Harvard University, 1993-94

## William C Bushell, PhD (cont.)

On Sun, Jul 23, 2017 at 4:33 PM, Ryan Castle wrote:

Brilliant! I'm very excited about the prospect of this co=laboration, and I think the synergy behind this team could be very powerfu=.

This is excellent timing, we're in the midst of designing=a new form of large-scale data analysis through custom rubrics and Al. 1'1= start doing preliminary searches to compile and archive all of the surfac= level studies I can find on the topic, but at some point I will need to talk to someone about more specifi= search terms and technical terms so that I can find and collate all the b=st data.

On Jul 23, 2017 09:15, "Deepak Chopra"=
wrote:

Thanks Bill and Ryan and everyone ! Let's start with archiving all the=current data on this and then come up with a protocol for a formal study t=at can be submitted for IRB . All love

Deepak Chopra MD

2013 Costa Del Mar Road

Carlsbad, CA 92009

=hopra Foundation <http://www.choprafoundation.org/>

Jiyo <http://www.jiyo.com/>

Chopra Cen=er for Wellbeing <http://www.chopra.com/>

<https://www.discoveringyo=rcosmicself.com/>

<https://www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com/>

## William C Bushell, PhD (cont.)

=/p>

# <http:=/www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com/> <=p>

<u>On Jul 23 2017 at 12:05</u> PM, William Bushell

<mailto

> wro=e:

Dear all, and especially in this brief note,=to Drs Treffert and Ramachandran:

How exciting this project sounds already! Ye=, as Deepak mentioned, I am the Director of Research and Academic Liaison =or ISHAR (isharonline=org <http://isharonline.org> ), and thanks to Deepak we recently began to get help from Google for ISHAR's online site. I am also affiliate= with MIT as a biophysical and psychological anthropologist. I developed a=d continue to work on a scientific research model of how advanced meditato=s (Tibetan and Indian in particular) enter into induced savant-like states to achieve heightened sensory-percep=ual access in order to actually be able to observe small scale phenomena a=ong other important features of the sensory environment (there is no parap=ychological dimension to this model). I first presented this model at a conference I had with the Dalai Lama, an= K Anders Ericsson -- another leader in the field of "expert and exce=tional performance," a field that as you know he pioneered with Nobel=st Herbert A Simon, along with yourselves, Dr Treffert and Ramachandran. (Ericsson's and my work from this neuroscien=e conference were published in my volume by the New York Academy of Scienc=s, and was also presented in 2011at the Towards of Science of Consciousne=s conference in Stockholm, and more recently at a physics and consciousness conference at UC Berkeley).</=iv>

One other matter to only briefly mention her= for now, is that I also had the honor to be associated with a book projec= that both of you were also associated with, Struck By Genius, on the acqu=red mathematical savant, Jason Padgett. I did work on that book with my close friend and frequent collaborator, Ma=reen Seaberg, along with Jason, another friend, who is one of several sava=ts I have worked with.

The project described here sounds wonderful!= fascinating and compelling, and speaking on behalf of my ISHAR partner, E=ecutive Director Ryan Castle and my self, we will do everything possible t= aid, facilitate, and enhance the project in every way we can in line with your direction.

Sincerely,

# <http:=/www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com/> <=p> (cont.)

William C Bushell, PhD
Director of Research and Academic Liaison,=ISHAR (isharonline.org <http://isharonline.org/>
<http://isharonlin=.org/ <http://isharonline.org/> >)
Biophysical =Anthropology, MIT
Department of Religion, Columbia University

Senior Fell=w, Harvard University, 1993-94

On Sun, Jul 23, 2017 at 8:18 AM, Deepak Chopra <=pan dir="ltru> <nonlocal101=chopra.com <mailto:nonlocal101@chopra.com» wrote:

# <http:=/www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com/> <=p> (cont.)

## Dear Dr Trefferet

I have admired your work for several years . I am particularly fascinate= with the following statements you make =nbsp;"How do savants "know things they never learned", like the periodic t=ble, prime numbers, solar system or whole globe geography? (my expla=ation is genetic memory--the genetic transmission of knowledge (nature v. =urture). I have a register of about 300 savants and about the time I think I have heard it all comes another with new unhe=rd of skill or ability, type 1 or 2 as you refer to those skills. &nb=p; I met with GOMA, a celebrated Japanese musician who, after a head injur=, is now an accomplished artist as well. An acquired savant with an entirely different skill post injury" =

While "genetic memory " is a good=hypothesis we must remember that "genes " themselves are human c=nstructs -names we have give to modes of knowing & experience in consciousness, which remains a mystery. Savants who have " know th=ngs they never learned" may offer a window to non local reality. =

I have interest from Amazon films on a docu=entary on consciousness and the universe and will seek your's and Dr Ramac=andran's & Diana Powell's participation. Meanwhile meet Ryan and Bill who are in charge of ISHARonline.com <http://ISHARo=line.com>

We would love to document and archive your =ork for future generations and promote it on social media to increase awar=ness & expand the conversation so we can all learn more. With great respect & admiration of your work

deepak

2013 Costa Del Mar Road
Carlsbad, CA 92009
Chopra Foundation <http://www.choprafoundation.org>
<http://www.c=oprafoundation.org>
Jiyo <http://www.jiyo.com> <http://jiyo.com> <http://jiyo.com>
Chopra Center for Wellbeing <http://www.chopra.com> <http://chopra.co=> 
<http://www.jiyo.com>

# <http:=/www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com/> <=p> (cont.)

## Dear Dr Trefferet (cont.)

587a2c678558.jpg>

# discoveringyourcosmicself.com <http://=www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com>

<=span>

From: Darold Trefferet
Sent: Wednesday, July 19, 2017 4:34:33 PM
To: 'Ramachandran, Vilayanur'
Cc: Deepak Chopra
Subject: RE: SAVANTS

VS,

Likewise I feel that I know you through your=remarkable work. We toil in the same vineyard of mysterious and (as =et) unexplained exceptional brain performance. I would welcome collaboration.

So much to explore. How do savan=s "know things they never learned", like the periodic table, pri=e numbers, solar system or whole globe geography? (my explanation is genetic memory--the genetic transmission of knowledge (natu=e v. nurture). I have a register of about 300 savants and about the =ime I think I have heard it all comes another with new unheard of skill or=ability, type 1 or 2 as you refer to those skills. I met with GOMA, a celebrated Japanese musician =ho, after a head injury, is now an accomplished artist as well. = An acquired savant with an entirely different skill post injury. &nb=p; Some of these savants have been part of documentaries. = The "work-up" was usually imaging studies looking for 'the spot'=of savant syndrome. The imaging produces very pret=y pictures for TV, but very little illumination of what has happened. = Imaging, impressive as it is, just is not sensitive enough (yet), even DTI or DTT, to pinpoint the underlying defects at the synapse I=vel of savant syndrome, creativity and even autism. More productive =esults will come from carefully designed, intricate, neuropsychological to=ting. But there is always the rush to imaging.<=p>

I have been so consumed with the acquired sa=ant, and hyperlexia (children who read early often mis-diagnosed as being =n the spectrum) and paranormal phenomenon in about 1% of savants, my congenital savant registry has not been kept cu=rent. I intend to correct that. We have organized an acquired =avant registry from unsolicited emails or other sources and will soon publ=sh those preliminary results. We have designed a comprehensive survey instrument to now collect uniform data from those u=solicited, non uniform e mails and will be sending that out soon to the sa=ants and/or families. We have done the same now for 160 hyperl=xia patients/families and will be analzying that data. My exploration of para-normal subjects continues. I=intend to renew some effort with the savant registry and that may be where=our interests most intersect.

# discoveringyourcosmicself.com <http://=www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com> (cont.)

So there may be ways to collaborate. O=e person I was collaborating with, Oliver Sacks, regrettably passed away.&=bsp; We were exchanging some cases. I have the largest world collection of savant books, theses, professional articles, n=ws articles, videotapes and correspondence on savant syndrome, which has g=adually morphed from savant syndrome only to othere manifestations of the =xceptional brain. It is a gold mine of data. The hospital has been kind enough to provide a buildin= and some staff for the Treffert Center which we intend to put to full use=and explore other sources of support and expansion.</=>

So, let me know your thoughts on this somewh=t rambling response to your welcome note. Please feel free to share =his with Deepak because of his interest in these same 'mysteries'. Let's see if there are ways to work toget=er in this extraordinary vinyard.

Darold A. Treffert, M.D.

www.treffertcenter.com <http://www.treffertcenter.com>

www.savantsyndrome.com <http://www.savantsyndrome.com>

<=>

From: Ramachandran, Vilayanur [mailto:v

<mailto

Sent: Tuesday, July 18, 2017 3:54 PM
To: Darold Trefferet
Subject: SAVANTS

# discoveringyourcosmicself.com <http://=www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com> (cont.)

## Dear DR Trefferet

WE haven't been introduced formally but i feel i=know you through your book, your SCi Am article and your recent lecture tr=nsmitted to CARTA UCSD where I work .

I have had a long-standing interest in S=vants - especially those with math skills ( eg prime numbers ) and v=suospatial and our center, in fact, focuses on 'solving " neurological mysteries eg synesthesia , phantom pain=, xenomelia ( apotemnophilia ) Capgrsas etc

Bernie Rimland had indicated he would like to co=laborate but , alas , passed away.

Would you be so kind as to refer savants with un=sual skills in any domain but esp math , music and art to our facil=ty ? Needless to say we would invite your participation ( assuming you have the time )and coauthorship <=p>

Coincidentally my good friend and collea=ue dr Deepak Chopra was visiting our lab a few weeks ago and this ma=ter came up

There are two classes of phenomena . First , ski=ls that are clearly definable such as prime numbers , drawing, memo=y size estimation etc which can be replicated under carefully controlled settings ;

# discoveringyourcosmicself.com <http://=www.discoveringyourcosmicself.com> (cont.)

## Dear DR Trefferet (cont.)

two- 'superhuman' or even supernatural abilities like telepathy, clairvoyance etc which h=ve long resisted replication

my focus will on class 1 - a more detailed=understanding of whats going on. Before
jumping to imaging there are=basic simple tests one can do. But I'm also open to testing the latter

Theres also a vast grey zone between these two =lasses.

We hope e can interest you in this venture</=>

VS Ramachandran PhD MD FRCP ( Lond ) =DSc

professor and director

Center for brain and cognition UCSD <=>

La Jolla CA 92093 -0109