Over the centuries, human beings have developed many techniques to gain access to their inner wisdom and improve learning. One technique that many people have found very beneficial is to have an imaginary guide that they can call on for advice and insight. A modern variation of this technique has been developed by intelligence researcher Dr. Win Wenger and it is detailed in his book "The Einstein Factor" This exercise is sometimes called "Putting on the Experts Head" This technique enables you to access some of the enormous untapped potential that resides in the mind of every individual. This technique can even accelerate your ability to develop a new skill. It gives you access to parts of yourself that you are normally not aware of. It can improve your ability to come up with new creative ideas. The first step is to decide what knowledge or skill you would like to develop in yourself. What are you interested in that you would like to do better? You might wish to improve your skill at archery, sculpture or painting, doing mathematics, or playing a musical instrument. Once you have decided what skill or knowledge you would like to develop, take some time to think about those people you consider an expert in this chosen field. Whose skills do you admire? Who do you think of as a great role model and expert in the field? The person need not be currently living. Before you move ahead with this exercise, you may wish to research the life of the person you have chosen. You might even decide you want to see the world from the perspective of your favorite animal or bird, such as a wolf or an eagle. When you are ready to do the Expert's Head exercise, prepare yourself by deeply relaxing your body and your mind. Take some time to get comfortable in a place where you will not be disturbed. Internally scan your body for tension, and allow your muscles to relax. Breathe calmly and smoothly in a relaxed way. Now think: is there a particular place where you would like to meet your imaginary expert? You might want to meet this guide in your own home, but feel free to imagine another site. For example, you could visualize meeting in a beautiful garden, in a forest, on top of a mountain, or some other location. You can improve your ability to visualize imaginatively by speaking out loud your inner impressions to a tape recorder, or to another person. Eventually, even the slightest glimmer of imagination will be reinforced and amplified by consistent practice of this exercise. If you are not yet able to easily imagine a location in which to meet your chosen expert, don't worry. Simply move forward to the imagined encounter with this person, whenever you are ready. Your imaginary encounter may go exactly as planned, or there may be surprises in store for you. Perhaps someone you werent expecting shows up. Perhaps your chosen expert does not want to participate. If no one appears in your mind's imagination, ask for someone to come forward, and then wait. When your imaginary guide appears, handle the encounter with as much politeness and respect as you would a real life encounter with a real person. Do you feel comfortable in the presence of this expert? Do you have the sense that the expert feels comfortable with you? Even if these guides are figments of your inner mind, you still need to be sure you are accessing a part of yourself that wants to promote only the best for you. If you get any sense of discomfort between you, thank the expert for coming, and politely dismiss him or her. Think of another expert you admire in your chosen field and create an imaginary encounter with that person. You may even have to create a totally fictitious character to be your imaginary expert. Once you have established a meeting with your chosen expert, mentally picture yourself and your visiting expert standing facing each other in an attitude of great respect. Gently put your arms out and slowly remove the experts head from his or her body. Since this is only an imaginary person or animal, the head should come off quite easily. Place the expert's head above your own, facing the right way, and lower it over your own head. Now believe that you are looking out at the world through the eyes of your chosen expert, hearing through the expert's ears, smelling through the expert's nose. Take the time to allow the expert's mind to slowly merge with your own mind. Now gently pull the expert's body towards you, and step into it. Feel as if it fits you perfectly. Feel that you have merged with the expert's mind and body and can feel and do the same things. When you feel that you are actually in the expert's body, notice what seems different to you. Does the world look different in any way? Do any of your attitudes feel different? How does your body feel different? Can you feel the confident attitude of the expert? Memorize the sensation. Focus on the differences you notice and start to talk about them out loud. Spend at least five minutes doing this step. When you have finished, gently step out of the borrowed imaginary body and carefully remove the expert's head from you own. Respectfully return the head and body to the expert. Thank that person for allowing you to have this experience. You can use the Expert's Head technique to improve your skills at some desired activity, to develop new creative insights, or to accelerate your ability to learn to do something you have never done before. First spend a few weeks performing the Expert's Head exercise daily to familiarize yourself with it. Each time you do it, spend about 10 15 minutes mentally being the character of the expert, wearing the experts head and body. After about fifteen minutes, gently remove the experts head and step out of the experts body. Thank the expert for the use of his or her body, mind and talent. Ask the person to continue filling your mind with more of their expert knowledge and ability even when you are not practicing this exercise. Before the experience starts to fade from your memory, spend a few minutes writing down or speaking out loud everything you can remember. Write down or speak everything you can remember that was really different when you were in the experts mind and body, rather than as yourself. When you wish to improve a particular skill, first spend about 15 minutes mentally doing it as yourself. Then slip into the expert's head and body to continue the exercise in real life for another fifteen to thirty minutes. If you repeat this process about three times a day, you will experience a greatly accelerated ability to master the skills you desire. Please realize that advice and knowledge received in this manner is not infallible. Do not feel obligated to act on any advice received from your inner dialogue with your imagined guides unless you are absolutely convinced it is appropriate for you at this time. This technique can greatly increase access to your inner creativity and wisdom, but you will still need to make informed and reasoned decisions about what you do. |
