Physics has built a hugely impressive picture of the world. We have a broad understanding of structure from the microverse within the atom to the universe of galaxies and clusters. The evolutionary history of the cosmos is also well mapped, right back to the earliest moments of the Big Bang.

There is, however, one conspicuous absence from this grand design—us. Much of the success of physics, and science in general, has come from deliberately excluding the subjective. The physicist’s universe is a rather arid lunar landscape devoid of the colour that comes with consciousness, mind and spirit.

Most physicists believe that this is fine. It’s not their job to deal with messy and unreliable emotions, qualia and subjective experience. Some go even further and say all our personal life is an illusion.

Meanwhile, a significant number of people have experiences that are mystical, anomalous, synchronistic and personally transformative. The plural of anecdote is data: these events are happening, and they contain important clues to the nature of reality.

It is time to seriously discuss how physics might be extended to accommodate consciousness, mind and spirit.

In this series of conversations and workshops with Professor Bernard Carr and Dr. Jonathan Allday, we will explore the bounds of current physics from M-theory in the microscopic domain to the multiverse in the macroscopic domain, probe the nature of space and time, push into the esoteric worlds of cosmology and black holes, and ask whether some  final theory which amalgamates relativity and quantum mechanics can accommodate consciousness and associated anomalous phenomena.  We speculate that physics will need to take a broader view of reality if it is ever going to complete its mission.

Professor Carr has been at the forefront of this movement for most of his career. With a well-respected research profile in cosmology, black holes and the anthropic principle, he is well-placed to speak with authority on the nature of current physics. Bernard has also had a long-standing interest in Buddhism, psychical research and spiritual experience. He’s been President of the Society for Psychical Research and is currently President of the Scientific and Medical Network.

Participating in an event at the Pari Center is more than joining a program, it is entering an experience unlike any other. This is no ordinary conference in a city hotel, nor a retreat hidden within a bustling resort. Instead, it is an invitation to step into an unspoilt medieval village in the Tuscan hills, where time slows and life unfolds at a rhythm that allows you to think, feel, and reconnect.

At the Pari Center, learning becomes a way of being. David Peat often described Pari as an alchemical vessel—a transformative space designed for reflection, renewal, and personal growth. It is a rare and welcoming environment for anyone seeking something deeper.

You will share traditional Tuscan meals and conversation with presenters and fellow participants, taste local wines, mingle with the village’s tiny community, and take in the beauty of the surrounding countryside. All of this unfolds within a gentle way of life, far removed from the hurry of work and the noise of city living.

The Pari Center gathers world-renowned thinkers, scholars, and innovators from diverse disciplines and traditions. Our mission is to explore the mysteries woven into everyday life: the subtle, essential questions that shape who we are and who we are becoming. Through rigorous inquiry, creative dialogue and participatory activities, we aim to illuminate the origins, nature, and possibilities of human experience.

We invite you to discover why so many visitors regard the Pari Center not only as a place of learning, but as a place of personal transformation.