Lynne McTaggart’s The Power of Eight isn’t just another book about positive thinking; it is a profound exploration of the science and spirituality behind the collective power of group intention. Through a series of groundbreaking experiments, McTaggart uncovers how focused thought can lead to seemingly miraculous healing and personal transformation when shared among small groups.

McTaggart’s journey into this phenomenon began as a personal exploration into whether thoughts can change physical matter. Inspired by scientific research on consciousness, she wondered: What happens when many people simultaneously focus on the same intention? Does the collective nature of thought amplify its power?

These initial questions sparked an experiment that would become the foundation for her work. Over the next two decades, McTaggart, together with a consortium of scientists from disciplines like physics, biology, and neuroscience, conducted experiments with thousands of participants from over a hundred countries.

The findings were nothing short of awe-inspiring: 37 out of 41 controlled experiments showed measurable, positive changes, sparking a sense of wonder and intrigue.

McTaggart’s project became the world’s largest global laboratory for studying the effects of mass intention. What she discovered not only validated the transformative power of group intention but also upended the traditional understanding of healing and human potential, making us all feel connected and part of a larger community.

The Birth of the Power of Eight Circles

The idea of focusing on intention in small groups came almost by accident. In one of her early workshops in 2008, Lynne McTaggart divided participants into groups of eight and instructed them to focus their collective intention on healing one person in the group.

To her surprise, these gatherings yielded extraordinary results. Participants reported instant physical and emotional healings, many of which seemed beyond the reach of traditional medical science.

For example, Sande, a 63-year-old woman struggling with a knee injury, experienced profound relief. Sande had been scheduled for knee replacement surgery due to chronic pain and instability, which often caused her knee to pop out of place.

However, during a Power of Eight session, she felt a warm pressure enveloping her knee, as though “someone with big mitts” was holding her leg. By the end of the session, she could bend her knee with ease, something she had not been able to do in years. Days later, her knee continued to function normally, eliminating the need for surgery.

Another compelling instance is Beverly, a massage therapist recuperating from a car accident. She arrived at McTaggart’s event with severe pain in her shoulder and ribs. However, during the group session, she experienced a surge of energy that seemed to release the tension from her injury.

Her shoulder spontaneously returned to its proper alignment, and for the first time in weeks, she was able to take a deep breath without discomfort. These transformations endured even months later, marking a profound personal journey of healing and recovery.

Healers Become Healed

One of the most intriguing aspects of these Power of Eight circles is the unexpected benefit to those sending the healing intention. Traditional models of healing assume a one-way flow: the healer helps the recipient.

McTaggart’s experiments showed that the senders often experienced their breakthroughs, suggesting that sending positive intention has a healing effect on the giver as well.

Consider the case of Andy Spyros, a participant struggling with personal limitations that blocked her professional success. She initially joined the Power of Eight group to find her dream job, but without immediate results.

Frustrated, Andy shifted her focus to helping a young boy who had recently attempted suicide. Astonishingly, two days after changing her focus to someone else’s healing, Andy received an unexpected job offer that aligned perfectly with her passion and financial goals.

This reciprocal effect hints at a deeper truth: healing and transformation are not linear processes but interconnected experiences.

Focusing on others enables participants to enter a state of oneness—an ecstatic merging with the group that transcends the ego’s boundaries.

Neuroscientific studies on Power of Eight groups have shown that participants’ brain-wave patterns shift to resemble those of Buddhist monks or Sufi mystics in deep meditation, indicating a state of flow and unity. This altered state of consciousness promotes healing and fosters a sense of connection and well-being.

The Science Behind Group Intention

The remarkable outcomes McTaggart observed led her to collaborate with scientists to explore the underlying mechanisms behind group intention. Their studies revealed several key insights:

1. Amplified Energy Fields: Research suggests that the energy field generated by group intention is far more potent than that of an individual. This aligns with theories from quantum physics, which propose that consciousness and energy fields can influence matter at a fundamental level.
2. Brain-Wave Coherence: Neuroscientific investigations found that participants in Power of Eight groups experience synchronized brain-wave patterns like those in long-term meditators. This coherence likely affects the group’s ability to access deeper awareness and facilitate healing.
3. The Placebo Effect—and Beyond: Initially, McTaggart suspected that the results might be due to the placebo effect. However, the consistency and magnitude of the transformations and the healings experienced by senders suggest that something more profound is at work. The effects extend beyond mere belief, tapping into an underlying field of consciousness that connects all living beings.

The implications of McTaggart’s discoveries are profound. The Power of Eight offers a new model of healing that transcends individual limitations, emphasising the power of collective intention and community. It challenges the traditional view of healing as a passive process—where patients rely solely on doctors or external remedies—and invites individuals to participate actively in their transformation through focused thought.

These findings resonate with ancient spiritual teachings from Western and Eastern traditions.

In Christianity, for example, Jesus said, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).

This idea of collective prayer aligns closely with the principles behind the Power of Eight groups. Similarly, Eastern philosophies like Buddhism and Taoism emphasise interconnectedness and the transformative power of group meditation, suggesting that the group amplifies individual consciousness.

Lynne McTaggart’s The Power of Eight offers a glimpse into the untapped potential of human consciousness. It demonstrates that healing and transformation are not reserved for a select few but are accessible to anyone willing to engage in the practice of group intention. Whether through physical healing, emotional breakthroughs, or unexpected life opportunities, the results speak for themselves: when people come together with focused intention, miracles can happen.

The Power of Eight reminds us of our inherent interconnectedness. It teaches that the path to healing and fulfilment lies not in separation but in community—in joining forces with others to co-create a reality based on love, compassion, and shared intention.

The Power of Eight invites us to embrace a new way of being—acknowledging the power of thought, the importance of service, and the joy of participating in a collective journey toward wholeness.

In doing so, it offers a fast track to the miraculous and a blueprint for a more connected and purposeful life. As McTaggart herself puts it: “Intending in a group is a fast-track to the miraculous” .