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