CALL FOR PAPERS to be presented at the 2025 IRAS Conference June 22 to June 29, 2025: Star Island, NH

​Scientific, philosophical and theological research on the processes involved in “spiritual” transformation has generated a science-based understanding of physical, psychological, and substance-induced approaches which promote intentional opening to spiritual experience. There is evidence that we may have a spiritual core biologically wired into us and that there are ways to engage that core, resulting in “mystical/numinous” experiences and a comprehensive agape for ourselves, others, and life itself. These experiences have been linked to creativity, vitality, a sense of wholeness and purpose, communion with others, and awe/wonder. 
We encourage professionals across disciplines to submit proposals for papers that address this theme. Possible questions to be considered might include:
  1. How does the reality of immanent spiritual experience impact specific areas of science, philosophy and/or theology?
  2. What might a new field of “ontology of Being” look like in the overlapping worldview of science, philosophy and/or theology?
  3. What additional practices can be added to promote personal spiritual experience/ awakenings?
We also invite professional teacher/practitioners to submit proposals for workshops in transformational healing practices such as yoga, shamanistas, body/breathwork, sound healing, meditation, and other arts.​
Submissions
  • Submit a 500-word abstract or workshop description to [email protected], with “IRAS 2025 Proposal” in the subject line, by March 15, 2025. Abstracts must not include identifying information. Please send a separate cover letter with author details.
  • Proposals will be peer reviewed, with a limited number accepted. The top two will be awarded Shapley-Booth Scholarships that cover conference registration and room/board. Authors may later submit their papers to Zygon for full text peer-review and potential publication.  
  • A pre-conference article by the Conference Chair Calvin Chatlos MD and Commentary from other scholars may be of interest and can be found in Zygon https://doi.org/10.16995/zygon.17372. The article is a summary of the thinking and work of Dr. Chatlos which led to the development of the conference and it highlights some questions to be addressed during the week. 
  • Decisions will be made and proposers notified by April 1. 
For general questions about the call for papers/workshops, contact Calvin Chatlos: [email protected] 

    Submit an Abstract