Sensory Awareness Beginnings

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If you didn't do it yet, take the Belief Questionnaire to get a better sense of some of your beliefs around intuition and consciousness.

Following are some Sensory Awareness exercises to practice, to help you develop your intuition and other extended human capacities.

It is my belief that how we perceive normally has a large influence on the nature of our intuitive perceptions. Thus skills we have already attained using our ordinary senses will likely come into play intuitively as well. An artist will find it easier to sketch an intuitive image since she is already familiar with communicating visual information.

Also any practices that are done to increase awareness of internal processes, emotions, thoughts and even body sensations will also assist intuitive functioning. Thus, if you meditate or do yoga or if you already do dreamwork, certainly continue practicing these skills. You will find that intuitive functioning can easily blend with these awareness practices. If you do not meditate, then I encourage you to experiment with a technique or practice that appeals to you. Meditation can be helpful for training your mind and in training an awareness of the various states of your mind. However, if you feel you can't meditate, or you have tried it unsuccessfully, not to worry. This doesn't mean you can't be intuitive, you simply have a different way of perceiving, thinking and doing. It is my feeling that everyone is intuitive and can increase their intuitive abilities by augmenting and amplifying skills that they already have. Enjoy the following exercises and you will begin to understand how you perceive the world around you. These same insights will carry over into your intuitive explorations!

Just another note, a warm-up to intuitive experiences. When you receive intuitive information it appears to your consciousness in much the same way regular perceptions do. These perceptions may be fleeting and blurry, but they simply come into your awareness. Say to yourself now, "Imagine a color." Then notice which color first comes into your awareness. You may remember a color you've experienced recently or even one you particularly like. In the same way, intuitive information is received, quickly and almost effortlessly. Try it again, "Imagine a sound." What do you hear? The difference with intuition is that your intent goes outwards into the unknown. In a way, you are remembering something you haven't experienced yet.(Think about that!) When you begin working the intuitive exercises below, remember to allow the free flow of any perceptions or information without judgment. If you haven't experienced something yet, if you really don't know what it is, wait and see, you may be surprised. And by all means have fun and enjoy the creative playfulness of learning and discovery.

Write down everything you do with these exercises and keep these notes as a journal. This will help you get in the habit of writing down perceptions, also you can use them for further guidance.

1 - Describe an object. Pick an object in your home or at work and describe it as accurately as you can using all of your senses. Write down your perceptions. Try not to use complex ideas or concepts like; cup, toy, clothing, etc. Stick to the basic sensory perceptions of the object: smooth, bumpy, red, blue, sweet, etc. If you don’t have a word, describe what you are experiencing, a texture or a color for instance, come as close as you can. You can also draw the basic shapes of the object separately, don’t try to draw the whole object, just the parts—a line, an angle, a circle, a pattern of color, etc.

Initially, you may often find that you describe as sensation with a comparison: it’s like..., or it’s similar to a (banana), etc. That’s fine, but try to describe it just using perceptions. You may ask yourself, "How is it like a (banana)?" That may lead you to a clearer description. Do this exercise at least once a day. (10 minutes)

2- Imagine an object in your mind’s eye. You can use the same object you used for exercise #1 (if so, allow several hours in between) or pick another; an object that sits on your desk, your kitchen table, or perhaps in your garage. Remember it with all of your senses. Try to bring it clearly into your awareness, without straining too long, and allow your awareness to move over the object and to move between sensations. As you do this exercise, you may notice that it is easier to perceive one sense, like vision, or texture, smell, or temperature. This will probably be your natural dominant mode of perception. Enjoy that clarity with your preferred sense, but also keep working on the other senses. Again, write down everything! Do this exercise at least once a day. (5 - 10 minutes)

3 - Describe your personal state of being. This exercise involves observing yourself at different points during your day. Observe whatever you are experiencing, this includes emotions, mental activity, physical sensations, etc. Are you fatigued or relaxed? Alert or fuzzy? Excited or Calm? Write down your observations, move from one observation to the next and notice how and if they change when you become aware of them. The main objective of this exercise is to become self-aware at any given time. You should feel no pressure to change any of your perceptions or feelings, just notice them. This awareness becomes very important when you start receiving intuitive information.

Do this exercise at least once a day. (5 minutes)

Here's an example of what I'm feeling now, as I'm editing this document: Hot, back is tight, somewhat tired but not uncomfortable, little pressure in my head, emotionally calm and focused, heat on face and neck, tension in jaw. I could go on as my awareness moves from point to point I've already responded to some of those sensations...

4 - Reality check. Simply stop wherever you are and become aware of your environment. Notice what stands out in your awareness. Notice the full range of your sensations: vision, sound, touch (air, warmth, etc.), smells, tastes and possibly a sense of motion. Notice in each sense how there are layers, some more apparent, then others not so apparent. As in the earlier exercises, can you describe what you are experiencing?