Hundredth Monkey Theory July 15, 2008

“Quantum Monkey is based on the “Hundredth Monkey Theory,”  which has demonstrated that once critical mass is achieved, profound changes can take place. This theory developed from actual observations of monkeys on islands in the South Pacific. After World War II, the Japanese took possession of several unoccupied islands in this region. The soil proved to be ideal for growing vegetables, which they cultivated throughout the land.

Despite their success with farming, the Japanese encountered a problem they hadn’t anticipated. The monkeys living on the islands were delighted with the new foods and began to raid the fields. To deter them, the farmers began giving the monkeys sweet potatoes. They would take the sweet potatoes down to the beach — as far away from the fields as possible — and dump them there for the monkeys. To the monkeys’ dismay, the sweet potatoes were covered with sand, which they had to spit out with every mouthful. This unpleasant practice continued for some until one day, on the island of Koshima, eighteen-month-old female monkey was observed washing her sweet potato in the ocean. Her mother noticed, and soon she too began washing her sweet potato in the ocean. Gradually, more and more monkeys on the island began to imitate this ritual, particularly the youngest ones.

Researchers named and tagged the monkeys and continued to monitor their behavior. Within about five years, approximately fifty-eight monkeys on Koshimo were regularly washing the sand off their sweet potatoes. As it happened, an identified monkey took one of the sweet potatoes and began washing the sand off it in the ocean. This newcomer was dubbed “the hundredth monkey.” By that evening, almost all the remaining monkeys in the tribe were washing their sweet potatoes before eating them. The added energy of “the hundredth monkey” had created an ideological breakthrough! But this was not all. The researchers observed that other colonies of monkeys on nearby islands — monkeys that had never seen another monkey wash sweet potatoes in the ocean — mysteriously began washing their sweet potatoes as well. Thus the theory evolved that when a critical number of individuals achieves an awareness, this new awareness may be communicated from mind to mind.

Although the exact sum may vary,  the “Hundredth Monkey Phenomenon” means that when a limited number of people know of a new way, it may remain the conscious property of these people. However, there is a point at which if only one more person becomes attuned to this new perspective, an energy field is strengthened that allows this knowledge to be available to almost everyone.”