We do not have words for the types of perceiving we do in he Afterlife/ non-material realms. Our physical senses do such a good job in the physical world that we expect hem to work in the non-physical. But hey aren' made for that.
To develope his explorations in the non-physical,
Bruce asks that
    " Whenever I desire to be aware of non-physical energies, they are to be brought to my awareness by whatever ability there is to sense them."
----Why not just say "show me!' Why is how you set your intent so important?
:)

Setting Intent is always important. I did this years ago so that I would be able to see/sense what I needed to during retrievals. After that it just automatically came whenever I've gone into the non-physical. I don't even think about it anymore when I do a retrieval. It just automatically happens because of my first Intent to see/perceive what I need to according to where I'm going. ;-)

Love, Mairlyn

Bruce had to overcome his deeply embedded belief that seeing is believing.  He felt that if he couldn't see in non-physical reality then he wouldn't believe there was anything to perceive.  This belief blocked his perception until he decided that he would allow himself to perceive in whatever manner was available to him.  

I believe that how you set your intent is important because it helps focus your desire and define your expectation.  This is good in the sense that it in turn de-focuses your attention away from everything else, what I call the junk.  But you don't want to create a narrow expectation of your ability to perceive.  Leave that open to any necessary possibility.  

betson wrote on Aug 21^st, 2006 at 10:37am:

We do not have words for the types of perceiving we do in he Afterlife/ non-material realms. Our physical senses do such a good job in the physical world that we expect hem to work in the non-physical. But hey aren' made for that. To develope his explorations in the non-physical, Bruce asks that     " Whenever I desire to be aware of non-physical energies, they are to be brought to my awareness by whatever ability there is to sense them." ----Why not just say "show me!' Why is how you set your intent so important? :)

thanks Vicky, I knew you could find some words! ;)

We do expect to perceive with the five senses. I believe according to my experiences and the reflection afterwards, that the nonphysical senses are extentions of the physical 5 senses. when Bruce says "brought to my awareness by whatever ability there is"

I think I can interpret his words this way, that he is leaving the show "open" by not utilizing or depending on previous conceptions, expectations how the display will appear, but he just allows for what will come forth. this way of doing it, might be related to an experience he had with Monroe. He came to a TMI program one day, to my recollection and was full of high expectations, which were actually acting to block his otherwise open mind. Monroe perceived him correctly and dashed his expectations so to speak, in order to open him up even beyond his greatest expectations.

The way I see some explorations, in the beginning and even later, is to see pictures unfolding, vague or not, and just "play along" as if I'm actually getting somewhere, a matter of trust for me. trust in myself, trust in the hidden guides.

then upon getting to the locations set by desire and intention, I do find some of my physical senses could be involved, especially if I make sure that is a part of the intention as well, and then the experience tends to produce it's own personal verifications, or inner knowings.
love, alysia

ps. sorry it take me so long to find you here dear Bets!

That's fine Alysia, to bring this up again!  :D
It's part of the timeless universe , with alittle help from the www,
that we can carry on a conversation with breaks of almost a year or so!  Fun!

What started this thread was Bruce saying/writing
"Whenever I desire to be aware of non-physical
energies, they are to be brought to my awareness
by whatever ability there is to sense them".

And in these last months I've experienced more of what you--Alysia, Vicky, and Mair,  are talking about. Today, reading your responses, I think I understand that it's OK not to see details or even a flow of images, because when I set my intent firmly, I'm getting enough info to have the situation 'brought to my awareness.'

So I guess I've wasted alot of time envying Kurt Leland for all the images he reports in 'Otherwhere."   :D

Bets

well you're a fine energy moderator here no matter that u think you're coming up short, when you compare Lelands stuff he got...he is a word person anyway..some of us are better with expressing what other's can't, the way I see it. :) and I so appreciate his book and others.

Bets said:  What started this thread was Bruce saying/writing  
"Whenever I desire to be aware of non-physical  
energies, they are to be brought to my awareness
by whatever ability there is to sense them".
_____

exactly some good words. Bruce leaves it up to us again to gleam what we can, find whatever means or ability to sense and gain understanding in these areas. Bruce is the best teacher I've ever found because he always thrusts me into my own journey by saying something totally vague.... ;D   (then other times in his books, it hits me between the  eyes, so theres 2 sides to everything)
_____

as far as we just glimpse parts of the picture of our own journeys, its like that over here too Bets...I get frustrated when I know I'm obe, or lucidly "there" and get I'm fed but a tidbit of whats in store for me. yet we can deal with the frustration of receiving just a glimpse by relaxing and just giving thanks we even got that little bit of info, or feeling, or experience.

somehow what I plugged into insofar as gratitude, that it causes greater insight into our explorations by opening us up to accepting ourselves the way we are, whatever part of the path we are stepping on.
the day I accepted your advent here on this board was a day of gratitude, even if I don't tell you much, everyone here is special to me for their open search, which is what we all are doing.
Sometimes my affirmation is "be still and know that I am god." or to put it another way Be still and know you are already in possession of all your knowledge.

hugs! bring on the shift! we're there and don't know it! haha! :)