Jacobo Grinberg-Zylberbaum

Early Career and Education

Jacobo Grinberg-Zylberbaum was born in 1946 in Mexico City. He studied psychology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) before traveling to New York in 1970 to study psychophysiology at the Brain Research Institute, where he earned a PhD focused on the electrophysiological effects of geometric stimuli on the human brain. His early work bridged mainstream neuroscience with experimental parapsychology, positioning him at the intersection of rigorous laboratory science and anomalous consciousness phenomena.

The Syntergic Theory

Grinberg's most significant contribution was the development of the Syntergic Theory, a framework proposing that consciousness arises from complex multidimensional interactions between the neuronal field and the structure of space-time itself. Rather than the brain generating consciousness, Grinberg theorized that consciousness is decoded from an underlying field of pure information he termed "the Lattice"—a continuous space-time-energy matrix functioning as a holographic informational framework that underlies all reality. Each sensory quality, he argued, results from specific congruent interactions with particular bands within this lattice, creating what he called "syntergic bands," operating like orbitals of consciousness.

This theory drew inspiration from physicist David Bohm's concept of the "implicate order," a serious theoretical physics idea about reality possessing an enfolded, holographic substructure. Grinberg's work suggested that all individual minds are fundamentally linked to one another via this non-local matrix—a proposition with profound implications for understanding telepathy, remote viewing, and anomalous cognition.

Consciousness Research and Shamanism

In 1987, Grinberg founded the Instituto Nacional para el Estudio de la Conciencia (National Institute for the Study of Consciousness, INPEC) in Mexico City, where he conducted his most influential investigations. His research bridged indigenous Mexican shamanism, Eastern contemplative disciplines (meditation, yoga), and rigorous laboratory neuroscience. He studied how meditators in separate, electromagnetically shielded rooms exhibited correlated EEG activity at statistically significant levels (p < 0.005), providing peer-reviewed evidence that consciousness could operate non-locally.

Grinberg collaborated extensively with shamans, incorporating ethnographic and experiential material into laboratory research on telepathic interaction and claims of vision without normal sight. He termed his experimental protocol "transferred potential," demonstrating that a properly prepared brain could create non-local interactions with others—a finding that remains controversial in mainstream neuroscience but suggestive to researchers studying consciousness anomalies.

Mysterious Disappearance and Legacy

On December 8, 1994, Grinberg disappeared from Mexico City under circumstances that remain unexplained. His computers, research files, laboratory notebooks, and personal records vanished with him. Despite police efforts, no trace was found. The disappearance occurred just as his consciousness research was gaining international attention and influenced by his growing interest in non-ordinary states and anomalous phenomena—circumstances that have led to speculation and conspiracy theories, though no definitive evidence of foul play has emerged.

Grinberg's theoretical work experienced a significant revival with the 2026 documentary "Mind Traveler," directed by Greg Mallozzi in collaboration with consciousness researchers and former associates. The film examines his contributions to consciousness studies and explores connections between his Syntergic Theory and contemporary UAP research, bringing renewed scholarly and public interest to his work decades after his disappearance.