The following is an extract from THE HAND BOOK,  a textbook on hand reading,
written by Neal Criscuolo and Tony Crisp. The book is published in the UK by
Optima, and soon in the USA by Dell. The material is copyright.

This extract is from the chapter on how to use intuition as a means of
handreading, but the technique is applicable in many other situations.
It specifically explains how to use mental imagery as a way of accessing
ones intuition.

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The Intuitive Imagery Approach

All the ways one might call on intuition are based on the way we call on our memory and
experience to respond in everyday life. When someone asks us what our name
or telephone number is, we do not have to struggle to find the answer. The
question itself provokes the response. We witness the response and tell it
to the questioner.

This is precisely the same action we perform when using intuition - except
we may need to look in a slightly different direction within ourselves for
where or how the response appears.

If you give a little consideration to how memory responses occur, you will
realise that it might come in various ways. Many of our most frequently used
memories, such as our name, address or telephone number, have long been
coded into words. Some things we store as an image, and only express in
words when describing. Thirdly our memories may be stored as emotions or
feeling tones.

Usually we allow our inner responses to the demands we make occur with
hardly any awareness. We barely notice what happens when we use our
resources of skill or memory. In developing access to our intuition however, we may
at first need to use our faculties a bit more consciously. If we do not do
this, our old habits of simply accessing memory and the already known
information will probably assert itself instead of the intuition. Habits
are very powerful, and until we get our intuition well grounded, we need
to consciously direct the process. This is not a great task however.

The imagery approach asks the unconscious to present information about the
person in the form of a picture, a symbol, or a moving tableau. This is
easy for the unconscious. It naturally forms imagery around inner material
that has not been put into words or been formally thought about. It does
this every time we dream. As the unconscious is a master of this technique
we do not need to develop this aspect of it. What we do need to learn is to
observe the imagery produced when we use the technique.

The steps to learning and using this technique are as follows:

1.      First it is necessary to turn your attention away from usual
exterior impressions or trains of thought and clear a quiet space within
yourself. This is like having a busy telephone line on which you are always
telephoning friends, so there is no space for an incoming call. You must
create a comparatively empty space. An easy way to do this is to learn how
to watch the screen of your consciousness and observe what is happening on
it.

        To learn this sit comfortably alone, or preferably with a friend
you can practice with. Close your eyes and notice what you are feeling in
your body, whether it is comfortable, tense, warm, cold etc. Whatever you
notice report it to your partner, or speak it quietly to yourself. Do not
develop a conversation with your partner, simply report your observations
in a few words.

        Go on to observe what is happening with your feelings. Notice
whether you feel sad, calm, irritated, jubilant, etc. This might be a new
thing for you, but see if you can put into words what you observe.

        Notice next what thoughts and mental images float into
consciousness. Catch these fleeting impressions by speaking them to
yourself or friend. Continue with an overall view of what is happening
within you for about ten to fifteen minutes. In other words notice physical,
emotional and mental experience and report it.

        This first step needs to be practised enough times to make you
feel easy with it. It is so important you could use it for months and
still gain from it. At times you might find emotions arising strongly. Do
not be afraid of this. Observe and allow them to be felt. They will
gradually fade away, perhaps having led to personal insights. Unless your
emotions are free enough to be felt in this way, they are not available to
be used as senses in responding to other people.

2.      To take self-observation and description into intuitive appreciation
of another person, you set the process going in a slightly different way.
As you relax prior to self-observation, mentally say to yourself "I now
want my unconscious to present in picture form any intuitions it has of
the person before me (or I am asking about)".

3.      After this close your eyes and self-observe just as was done in
the previous exercise. Hold the idea that you are particularly looking for
mental images. Accept that your unconscious will immediately present a
mental picture relating to what you have asked. If you are relaxed and not
throwing up masses of self doubts, or conscious attempts to think of answers
to your question, a picture will emerge.

        Take whatever emerges as relevant to the person you are inquiring
about. The picture may not be like a painting in which all the characters
are still. It may come as moving scenes. For some people it comes with
accompanying emotions and subtle feelings a part of the information.

4.      Observe until you feel you have got a sense of the scene. This may
mean that you see the picture but you have no idea of what it means. You
may be able to ask your unconscious to help you understand what it
represents, and this can bring clarity. If this does not occur report what
you have seen to the person concerned and ask them if what is described
means anything to them. If so ask them to explain. If they want to know
more you can then ask for further images to explore the direction more.

        The unconscious can be questioned just as a friend can. Remember
that the original response was from a question - what is intuited regarding
this person? So to explore whatever the issue in the person's life is more
deeply presents no problem. In fact it is always helpful to ask the person
if they have further questions about what has been said.

5.      When you first start practice this with people you feel at ease
with. When you have gained confidence and experience you will feel ready
to meet and express your intuitions to strangers.

Using Intuition With Hand Reading

When you feel at ease using any of these intuitive approaches, you can
then use it in connection with hand reading. This is very simple in that
you simple take the person^Rs hand and use the technique, reporting to them
the impressions that arise.

In the beginning stages of learning however, it is important to practise
with a friend, and constantly check the accuracy of the impressions arising.
This will sharpen your perceptions and the use of your intuition.

Tony Crisp - 100337,2126.