cover image Your Sixth Sense: Activating Your Psychic Potential

Your Sixth Sense: Activating Your Psychic Potential

Belleruth Naparstek. HarperOne, $22 (256pp) ISBN 978-0-06-251359-5

You don't have to be special to access psychic ability, according to psychotherapist Naparstek (Staying Well with Guided Imagery). Moreover, she says, development of the intuitive skills that access information existing outside the boundaries of ordinary logic can be cultivated. In this extensive, well-written study, Naparstek examines the backgrounds and current practices of 43 psychics and analyzes the ways in which they have enhanced their powers. Although the intuitively gifted often have an inherited predisposition to psychic intelligence, and although such experiences as trauma, terror and near-death can catalyze the onset of psychic knowing, with practice, Naparstek contends, these abilities can become available to most people. Yoga, meditation, prayer, guided imagery and other activities that accelerate the development of psi ability are explained, as is what happens in the mind before and during a psychic experience. She also points to scientific theories and interpretations that may explain psychic abilities. Clear, step-by-step imagery exercises are provided to help achieve the favorable mind-states that enable psychic information to pass more freely into consciousness. Brief biographies, with addresses and phone numbers, of the interviewed psychics are given in the back of the book, along with the questions each was asked. While not a definitive work on psychic phenomenon, and while Naparstek scants the persistent warnings voiced by many religious traditions against self-development of psychic abilities (which are generally viewed as sidetracks from the road to God or enlightenment), this is a particularly sensible work on how to develop those abilities--for those who care to do so. $35,000 ad/promo; author tour. (Apr.)