In The Reality of ESP, Targ shares the story of his own personal experience as co-founder of the 20-year government-supported ESP research programme at Stanford Research Institute (SRI). From NASA to the CIA, Targ provides the research drawn from this programme that presents the best scientific evidence for the reality of psychic abilities.

Using recently de-classified data, Targ shows readers that during the course of the programme at SRI, psychic viewers were able to find a downed Russian bomber in Africa, describe the health of American hostages in Iran and locate a kidnapped American general in Italy. These viewers also described Soviet weapons factories in Siberia, a Chinese atomic bomb test three days before it occurred and countless other amazing tasks - all using the psychic ability dubbed 'remote viewing'. Targ also demonstrates how he used these abilities to make $120,000 in the silver commodity market.

These abilities - which Targ claims will all possess - can change your life and even your view of reality. The data provided in this book proves that most people can learn to quiet their minds and move their awareness to a much more spacious and interesting perspective - one which is not obstructed by conventional barriers of space and time. This meditative skill is what the Buddhists of the 8th century called moving from conditioned awareness to spacious or naked awareness. In the course of this book, the author shows how to take some surprising steps in this direction.

Final chapters present evidence for survival after death and discusses the ethics of exercising psychic abilities.