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How to Channel a PhD

An Intuitive Researchers Guide to

Inspirational Thesis Writing

Marcus T Anthony, PhD

www.marcustanthony.webs.com

This 24 000 word booklet tells you everything you need to know about how to write your

dream dissertation and have a ball doing so! The author, Marcus T Anthony shares with you

the way he completed a PhD dissertation, published a dozen journal articles and an academic

book all in four years - while working full-time as a teacher and educational administrator!

This eBook is regularly updated by the author. For the latest Kindle version go to

Amazon.com.

* * *

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. How I came to Develop Integrated Inquiry

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Below, I will outline five intuitive research tools which can be used by

researchers. Together they form an approach to research I call

Integrated Inquiry (INQ). Although the title of this booklet addresses

doctoral candidates, there is no reason why researchers and students atany level undergraduate or postgraduate cannot use INQ in their

research or studies. It can be used by professional and lay researchers

everywhere.

The modern researcher

Most students embarking on a higher degree have spent many years

and made great sacrifices learning their trade. Most have spent nearlytwo decades in a modern education system. This educational

experience shapes not only the way they use their minds and conduct

their research, but creates strong beliefs about what constitutes

rational, as well as what ways of knowing are valid. They have

learned to identify problems, design projects, ask questions, construct

experiments, conduct literature reviews, collect data, calculate, analyze,

cite sources, and report findings. These processes and their rationalways of knowing are all part of the formal research process.

Such is the restrictive nature of conventional research, and the

training process so long, that by the time a research student has come to

write up her masters or doctoral thesis, it is almost inevitable that she

has forgotten about an entire range of cognitive processes that are

actually very natural to human beings. These are the other ways of

knowing which have been left off the map of modern research, andneglected by the entire modern education system, and our science.

They have been largely rejected by developed civilisations, both East

and West. For underpinning the modern research project is a

hegemonic process which has both retarded and silenced

mystical/spiritual ways of knowing, and removed potentially invaluable

information and tools from the research process.

InHow to Channel a PhD, I want to share with you some of theskills and processes of Integrated Inquiry. I believe that INQ can be

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utilized by all researchers to make research and learning more

passionate and fun. Whats more, the processes I outline can actually

make your work more efficient, because once you have learned to trust

your intuitions you can skip a lot of the guessing that is involved inrelying too much on rational methods of inquiry! However you have

to be willing to open your mind - literally.

In Part 1 of this booklet I describe how I came to develop the

theory of Integrated Intelligence (INI) - a human mental capacity which

exists both within and beyond the brain, and encompasses mystical

insight. This section includes how I developed my own intuitive

abilities. In Parts 2 and 3 I provide an explanation of IntegratedIntelligence and brief historical overview of it (if you are only

interested in the hands-on applications of INI, you might like to skip

these sections). Parts 4 and 5 represent the crux of this booklet. They

detail the practical intuitive processes which you can start using right

away in your research. These are the INQ Tools. These two sections

include very practical examples from my experience as a researcher,

and excerpts from the study diary I kept as a doctoral candidate. In Part6 I present some other useful tools which will help keep your mind and

heart on your research, even during tough times. Part 7 addresses

several issues you may face as you apply these kinds of tools to your

research.

The approach I recommend in this booklet may be an affront to

seasoned researchers. However, in the spirit of my own academic

discipline 1

Deep Futures - I like to challenge common conceptions. Ioffer this booklet as an act of dissent a challenge to prevailing

methods and the dominant paradigm.

Finally, please keep in mind that How to Channel a PhD is not a

work of science. It reflects my personal approach to knowledge, and

this has emerged from many years of engagement with my subject

matter including formal research. I can only encourage you to engage

1 For an overview of Deep Futures, see Article of the same name, which I wrote for Nanyang TechnologicalUniversity:http://www.mindfutures.com/articlepdfs/artpdf25.pdf

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in this exciting topic with all the passion and enthusiasm you can

muster. If you can do that, you will truly know what it means to love

learning.

1. How I came to develop Integrated Inquiry

I have used all the tools and processes I outline in this booklet for many

years. I adapted them from intuitive abilities I learned long before I

became a researcher. From about 1993-2002 I spent much of my time

engaging in meditative states, recording and analyzing dreams and

visions, as well as engaging in inner child work and emotional healing.2

At one point in the 1990s I read almost nothing for five years, instead

focusing upon experiencing other ways of knowing and being. This

initiation into the intuitive mind taught me a lot about the limits of the

rationality that dominates modern education and science. I came to

see that human knowledge and understanding can be greatly enhanced

by developing mental abilities and processes that are not currently

accepted in the Western world (and many other parts of the world, too).When I came to research and write a doctoral thesis beginning in

2002 (the topic was about Integrated Intelligence), I deliberately

employed these intuitive ways of knowing alongside the rational

mental processes expected of me by the system. As a result I was able

to complete a 110 000 word thesis and publish a dozen or so research

booklets within the space of four years all while working full-time as

a teacher and educator. My thesis was accepted for publication, andformed much of the research detailed in my book Integrated

Intelligence (Sense Publishers, 2008). What is more, the experience of

writing and researching my doctoral thesis was often a joyful one! At

times it was effortless, as I entered a relaxed state of non-ordinary

consciousness. Ideas and understandings often gushed out of me like

water from a fountain.

2

You can read about my early intuitive experiences in more detail in the introduction to my BookDiscover YourSoul Template(Inner Traditions, 2012). This book also details the INQ Tools in greater detail, in relation to theway they can be used in real life situations.

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Yes, I channeled my PhD! (Well, at least part of it).

My thesis received very strong reviews from my three

independent examiners. One wrote:

This doctoral thesis is an exceptional document. I am hard

put to adequately express all the thoughts it brings to mind. I am

first most impressed by the fact that, based on where I see the

hopeful discourse for our time headed, this thesis seems to have

leaped ahead and got to where the discourse will, if we are lucky,

arrive in maybe another decade or more.

I see this thesis as being the sort of island or rock uponwhich one can build a very significant career either as an educator

or as a writer, or as both. Again, I must stress I see (Marcus T

Anthony) as having reached where others will arrive, and most

not so well, some years yet ahead in time.

His marshaling of references is very impressive. Rather than

simply tie his presentation to one or more powerful established

positions, he has fought his way clear to achieve what seems tome a rare independence and maturity of mind.

My doctorate was officially awarded under the discipline of

Policy Studies. I read a lot of literature in Futures Studies and

intelligence theory, and the qualitative methodology I used was

developed by futurist Sohail Inayatullah. I compared and contrasted

modern dominant theories of intelligence with alternative mysticaltheories, drew conclusions about the validity of mystical insight, and

then suggested possible applications for the modern knowledge

economy and education. However there is no reason why any

dissertation writer in any discipline or science - regardless of whether

the methodology is qualitative or quantitative - cannot use INQ to

enhance their research. Of course you will have to adhere to the

protocols of your field. But there is nothing stopping you from usingIntegrated Intelligence as you plan, design and write your thesis; as you

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ask questions and identify problems; and as you, locate and analyze

information, diagnose problems, synthesize bodies of thought and

communicate your results. The mental applications if INI, which I

outline in Part 3 below, are perfectly suited to aiding in all theseprocesses.

2. A Brief history of rational & intuitive ways of knowing

Western civilization has established rational ways of knowing as the

dominant cognitive processes which underpin the way we access

knowledge. However at the same time it has largely forgotten about theintuitive mind and mystical intuition. I believe this is a significant

problem, because it is mystical intuition which helps us understand the

deeper context and meanings hidden within information. It also

prevents us from connecting with Inspiration, which is an incredibly

valuable tool for any researcher. This problem has its roots in the

atomistic and analytical philosophy of ancient Greece, the influence of

scholastic universities in Europe in the middle ages, and in the

scientific and industrial revolutions.

Around the 1500s the scholastic movement developed in Europe.

Scholasticism featured classification as its prime way of knowing. By

1800 analysis had developed in the social sciences, and around 1850

experimentation became crucial in the sciences (Pickstone 2000).

Finally, the birth of the modern personal computer after the mid-

twentieth century heralded a new way of knowing. The computer

became a prime mediator of knowledge, and with it came the advent of

computer rationality (Klein 2003) as a highly influential way of

knowing. The separation between observer and subject became even

more distinct. Data was mediated via the machine on the desktop. As

just one example, where once weather forecasters had relied, in part,

upon an intuitive connection with the environmentgoing outside to

check weather vanes, to feel the wind on their faces and the humidity in

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the airnow they sit before computers and analyze data fed to them by

sophisticated computer models.i

The development of modern science thus brought a rapid increase

in our ability to process and develop knowledge and technologies. Yetthis tremendous progress in the hard and soft sciences has come at a

great price. It has created a split in the Western mind, as Richard

Tarnas (2000) has pointed out.

By the turn of the twentieth century another domain of

knowledge had become suppressed, silenced. For it was by this time

that the once-influential Romantic Movement lost momentum. Its

prime ways of knowing had involved intuition and featured an emotiverelationship with nature and the cosmos: the deep connection of knower

and the known. This intuitive cognitive process stood in complete

contrast to the detachment of the emerging scientific method, which

necessitated that the observer be disconnected from the subject of

observation. Even in the analytical and humanistic disciplines,

academics were eventually forced to remove emotional language and

first person references.This is how the alienated mind was born.ii The alienated mind

is consciousness which exists in separation from its environment, and

by implication, from the intuitive and emotional body. As the twentieth

century progressed, and life became increasingly individualistic and

focused upon career, achievement, and entertainment, this

estrangement from inner worlds became entrenched across the Western

world. It has now, I believe, become the norm in many Asian culturesas well, especially in East Asian countries with a Confucian culture.iii It

is the intuitive mind which has been the obvious victim of this

historical process. People in modern societies have few opportunities to

access and employ the intuitive mind, and it plays no formal part in

education and research.3

3

If you wish to explore this historical process, I go into it in more detail in my book IntegratedIntelligence.

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The essential point I wish to make here is that not only have we

jettisoned much superstition and ignorance, we have also discarded a

great deal of wisdom and lost touch with something vital Integrated

Intelligence. The baby has been thrown out with the bathwater. Itstime to correct the mistake.

Mundane and Mystical Intuition

Yet, what exactly is intuition? There are multiple definitions, but for

the sake of manageability I like to break intuition into two main

categories. The first is mundane intuition, which involves the

subconscious processing of information in the brain. This intuitionmakes itself known through subtle feelings which bubble up from just

below the surface of conscious awareness. Because this intuition is

explained in terms of known brain physiology, it does not challenge

mainstream scientific thinking about human consciousness. There is a

body of legitimate research available on mundane intuition (e.g. Torff

& Sternberg 2001).

It is the second kind of intuition mystical - which is central tothe ideas presented in this booklet. Mystical intuition has been featured

relatively little in academic research, and is thus poorly understood.

Few researchers want to touch it, because mystical intuition contains

references to spiritual, mystical, and religious experience. It requires a

discussion of psi phenomena and the so-called paranormal, and the idea

of the extended mindthat consciousness transcends the brain. There

is an effective psi taboo (Radin 2006) in modern science, making thisdomain of research unattractive for most researchers.

3. What is Integrated Intelligence?

Integrated Intelligence, in which the individual draws upon

transpersonal information, has been a key theme of my research. But I

have not merely investigated INI intellectually by reading, analyzing,

and writing academic booklets and popular books and articles. I have,

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in the tradition of the Romantic vision, systematically applied these

alternative ways of knowing during my life and my research. The result

is the concept of Integrated Intelligence, which incorporates a more

complete range of cognitive processes and ways of knowing thantypically found in mainstream discourses on mind and intelligence.

Let me be a quite specific. Integrated Intelligence is:

The deliberate and conscious employment of the extended mind,

so that an individual can solve problems or function successfully

within a given environment.

In turn I define the extended mind as:

The state of personal awareness whereby personal experience is

infused with a transpersonal consciousness that transcends the

confines of the individual mind and the limits of the sensory

perception.4

Finally, integrated inquiry is:

The deliberate application of Integrated Intelligence during

research and learning.

Using Integrated Intelligence

There are seven mental applications and two outcomes of theemployment of Integrated Intelligence.iv The mental applications of

Integrated Intelligence are:

1. Integrated Perception

2. Location

3. Diagnosis

4 I have borrowed the term the extended mind from Rupert Sheldrake (2003).The term integratedintelligence is my own.

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4. Evaluation

5. Fore-sense

6. Creativity and Inspiration

7. Recognition

The outcomes of using Integrated Intelligence are:

1. Wisdom

2. Personal and Social Transformation

Tables 1 and 2 (below) list these, and provide applications,evidence, and examples.v

Table 1: The Mental Applications of Integrated Intelligence

Cognitive

Process

Potential Applications Anecdotal Examples Other Evidence &

References

Integrated

Perception

Integrated perception of

the underlying order &meaning of systems, &

intelligence within those

systems - including

cosmos.

Enhancing spiritual

worldview; meaning &

sense of relationship with

nature & cosmos.

Perceiving the connection

between & amongst

concepts & schemata.

Mystic Edwin Buckes

(1991) immediateperception that Cosmos is

not dead matter but a

living Presence.

Mystical & spiritual

traditions. Non-ordinarystates of consciousness

(Psychiatrist Stan Grof

2000, Sheldrake,

Terrence McKenna, &

Ralph Abraham (2001),

Ken Wilbers (2000)

empirical mysticism),

claiming that mystical

experience transcends

culture and time.

Location Determining location of

important objects (Russel

Targ & Jane Katra 1999:

139-141). Also location of

information & data for

research; finding relevant

people & places.

Researcher Michael Talbot

employs deeper & more

intuitive abilities in

locating research data

(Talbot 1992: 137).

Remote viewing,

including scientific

remote viewing (Braud

2003, Radin 2006,

Sheldrake 2003).

Dowsing (the scientific

data for dowsing is

unsupportive - seeWikipedia).

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Diagnosis Diagnosis of medical &

mechanical problems;

safety, health &

environmental hazards; &

sources of human error(Targ & Katra 1999: 141).

Spiritual & psychological

introspection.

Accounts of intuition,

dreams & spiritual

guidance to facilitate

diagnosis of problems.

Hawkins (2002)intuitively diagnosed

patients illnesses. Carolyn

Myss (2001), medical

intuitive (see example of

Integrated Perception in

Part 5, below).

Larry Dosseys (2003)

research into healing &

prayer, distant mental

influence.

Evaluation Evaluating design &

construction alternatives,

investment choices,

research strategies, &

technology alternatives

(Targ & Katra 1999: 139).

Evaluation of life, career,

& relationship choices.

Individuals who employ

intuition & spiritual

guidance to make choices

(e.g., novelist Richard

Bach 1986 - see fore-

sense, below).

Card guessing

experiments from

parapsychology, e.g. the

Rhine ESP experiments

(Dean Radin 2006: 83-

89).

Fore-sense Foresight of natural

disasters, political

conditions, technological

developments, wear

conditions, & investmentopportunities (Targ &

Katra 1999: 142). Sensing

where to look for

information sources. To

determine consequences

of choices.

Richard Bach (1986).

Using an introspective

visionary technique, he

sees the disastrous

consequences of leavinghis partner& adjusts his

choice accordingly.

Scientific experiments

into presentiment

(Dean Radin 2006: 161-

180), which suggest that

emotional events fromthe future subtly effect

the body before they

occur.

Creativity &

Innovation

The individual draws

upon the extended mind

to facilitate increased

inspiration & creativity in

work, business, research,

competition, or leisure.

Chemist August Kekule

was seized with the

notion of molecular

nature of benzene ring in

dream (Kafatos & Kafatou

1991:166); Otto Loews

understanding

transmission of neuronal

impulses while asleep

(Broomfield 1997: 80). vi

Indigenous and mystical

conceptions of creativity

being influenced by

ancestors and spiritual

entities (John Broomfield

1997, Lawlor 1991).

Similar claims by

numerous artists, writers

and creators (e.g.

William Blake, Wayne

Dyer).

No known empirical

studies.Recognition Having an intuitive sense Indian mystic No known studies

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of knowing somebody

or something, without

conscious awareness of

having seen or met them

before.

Paramahansa Yoganandas

(1979) immediate

recognition of his future

guru at first meeting while

walking past him on thestreet.

(admittedly the subject

matter is difficult to

define, let alone study).

Table 2: The Outcomes of Integrated Intelligence

Cognitive

Process

Potential Applications Anecdotal Exemplars Other Evidence

Wisdom Having intuited underlying

causes, meanings &

functions of various life

processes, the individual is

able to make intelligent

choices which enhance

happiness, well-being &

spiritual development of self

& the human collective.

The life of Mohandas

Karamchand (Mahatma)

Gandhi. Gandhi combined

an austere, mundane

existence with political &

intellectual acumen, &

combined these with

spiritual tools, insight, &

wisdom to forge a

powerful & effective life.

The links between

spirituality, spiritual

guidance & wisdom

from anecdotes &

tradition

(Broomfield 1997,

Lawlor 1991).

Personal &

SocialTransfor-

mation

Optimal human & cosmic

evolution; may includeaspects of all mental

applications, with purpose

of evaluation of personal

goals & choices within a

greater planetary & cosmic

dynamic. Potential for

increased hope & meaning.

Buckes cosmic

consciousness (Tart1993); Hawkins (2002)

experience of being

protected by a bright,

warming light while stuck

in a snow storm;

transformative power of

near death experiences

(Grof 2000);

synchronicity (Jung

1973).

Field consciousness

studies (Radin2006).

There is much evidence for the extended mind, including that

from studies into comparative religion and anthropology, extrasensory

perception, premonitory dreams, near-death experiences, crisis visions,

psychedelic experience, and so on (Combs, Arcari & Krippner 2006,

Grof 2000). If we peruse the literature on mystical experience in

general, endless anecdotal examples can be added. Empiricists tend to

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reject anecdote, but there are some domains of human experience that

are not easily studied empirically, and mystical and intuitive experience

is one of them. There are simply too many extraordinary stories of

premonitions, insights, inspiration and spiritual guidance for the data tobe dismissed out of hand. That would be far more irrational than any

mystical experience itself. A wonderful book which outlines many of

the incredible cases on record is Lawrence LeShans (2009) A New

Science of the Paranormal.

Some theorists writing outside of the boundaries of mainstream

discourses on mind and intelligence believe that there is a need to

develop a new paradigm of science which includes non-localexchanges of information, via a transpersonal consciousness. These

researchers agree that consciousness must be incorporated into our

understandings of the working of the universe (Bradley 2004, Grof

2000, Laszlo 2004, Sheldrake 2012, Wilber 2000). Of these works I

highly recommend Sheldrakes (2012) The Science Delusion as an

excellent and very readable overview of some of the problems facing

modern materialist science, including its understanding ofconsciousness. If you are interested in a more specific examination of

consciousness, I can endorse none more highly than transpersonal

psychiatrist Stan Grofs (2000) Psychology of the Future, which

summarizes much of the evidence for the extended mind and presents it

in accessible fashion. Grof was a pioneer scientist who studied the

effects of LSD on the mind during the 50s and 60s. His understandings

of consciousness are almost identical to my own. However he has usedpsychotropic drugs and breath work, while my understandings have

come from non-ordinary states of consciousness and general life

experience without the aid of any drugs.

Despite these progressive thinkers, modern mind science still

tends to classify mystical intuition and psychic experiences as

delusional, psychotic or superstitious; or they are represented as

stemming from unresolved childhood conflicts and dependencies. Yetthe truth is that the evidence for the extended mind invites a more open

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intellectual stance than we presently find in mainstream science. The

definition of a skeptic is one who favors deep-questioning - but has an

open mind; not an inflexible philosophical standpoint of complete

rejection of data which challenges the critical/rational worldview. Thelatter attitude is best described as dogmatism, as Rupert Sheldrake has

long argued.

It is my belief that in paradigmatically rejecting in toto the

extended mind and psi experience, mainstream consciousness and

intelligence discourses have failed to accommodate the totality of

human mental abilities. We need a greater openness to alternative

hypotheses, theories, models, and methods especially if we are goingto write an inspirational thesis, and have fun doing so!

Finally, I emphasize that INI is a tentative theory, and requires

much further development to establish itself in academic terms. Ideally,

this would include testing of some sort. The theory is based on

academic research, but predominantly personal experiences.

Integrated Intelligence as a provocationOne way to consider beginning to use integrated intelligence in

your research is to think of it as a deliberate provocation. Here I use the

term as employed by Edward de Bono (2009), where it refers to the

employment of an idea or suggestion which lies outside our normal

experience or understanding. As de Bono points out, there is a

mathematical necessity for provocation in any self-organizing system

(de Bono 2009: 57); otherwise the system gets stuck in equilibrium. Forthe researcher, the system is the critical/rational worldview and its

self-limiting knowledge boundaries and ways of knowing.

Thus the provocation becomes: Minds extend beyond the brain

and are part of an intelligent cosmos, and humans have the capacity to

consciously draw information and guidance from that system. If we

are using this statement as a provocation, we do not have to insist that

Integrated Intelligence is real. We can consider it as a means of

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lateralizing our thinking, and to see what creative outcomes can be

achieved. We are looking at how it can make our research better.

In the world of conventional science and academia, research is

conducted with the implicit assumption that knowledge is localized in arandom universe without intrinsic intelligence, meaning, or purpose.

When you use Integrated Intelligence, either as a believer in INI, or as

a provocation, we go about research assuming that consciousness is

non-localized within an integrated, intelligent, and deeply meaningful

cosmos.

Therefore, it is in the accessing and processing of information

that the idea of Integrated Intelligence provides unique opportunitiesfor researchers. Integrated intelligence is an invitation to employ

methods, tools, and behaviors that stretch far beyond those accepted in

conventional research. In my own research and creative endeavors, I

have developed specific integrated intelligence tools (INQ Tools)

which can be used in the assumption that the mental applications of

Integrated Intelligence are genuine.

4. The INQ Tools

Okay, enough with theorizing and philosophizing. Lets get down to

the practical side of things.

Fortunately it is not necessary to wait for science to catch up with

practice before you start using INI in your research. I have employed

the tools of INI extensively in my own research, including during the

writing of my doctoral thesis. In the remainder of this booklet I am

going to relate some of my experiences in writing my thesis (and

occasionally in regard to other research projects) using these tools. This

will include some excerpts from my study diary, which I kept during

my doctoral candidature.

The mystical components of Integrated Intelligence may well

lie beyond the comfort zone of some researchers. Given this, I simply

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suggest a suspension of disbelief as you try the tools and processes I

outline, below. I can report that the benefits are many, including

making research more exciting, fluid, efficient, and of course, intuitive!

Parapsychologist Dean Radin (2008) states that only about 0.3per cent of university staff will publically admit to an interest in psi

research. This is due to what he calls the psi taboo. Integrated

Intelligence has obvious links with psi research, as the concept of the

extended mind is related to such psi phenomena as extra-sensory

perception, clairvoyance, precognition, and so on. While there are

transpersonal researchers who do employ related tools formally in their

research (Hart, Nelson & Puhakka 2000), in the process I amsuggesting here, the five INQ Tools are not formally incorporated into

research methodology, but are background tools which enhance the

research process.

You do not have to have any specific belief in a mystical

interpretation of intuition to use the INQ Tools. It is necessary,

however, to temporarily suspend doubt. After all, the suspension of

doubt is the stance of the true skeptic.I see Integrated Intelligence as a means of facilitating and

enhancing other ways of knowing. There is certainly no requirement to

do away with critical thinking or traditional research methods. May I

suggest that you begin with whichever of the INQ Tools you feel most

comfortable. You can modify them according to your particular needs

and preferences. I developed these tools through experimentation, and

through adapting and modifying other peoples ideas.vii

I continue towork and experiment with them. I invite you do the same.

Here I will categorize the tools according the mental applications

of the theory of Integrated Intelligence, as outlined previously

(Anthony 2006, 2008a, 2008b): integrated perception, location,

diagnosis, evaluation, fore-sense, and creativity and inspiration.

While there are numerous ways of utilizing intuitive thinking and

Integrated Intelligence in the research process, in this introductorybooklet I am going to focus upon just the five tools. They are: the

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Intuitive Diary, Free-form Writing, Meditative States, Harnessing

Synchronicity and The Feeling Sense. Below, I will briefly outline how

you can use them in general. Then in Part 5 you will find more specific

applications.

Using an Intuitive Diary

This is a diary where you record your intuitive feelings, images,

prompts and so on. I consider it to be the most important of all the tools

for those just beginning to use intuitive ways of knowing. It is the one

that will most easily establish a close link between left and right-brain

thinking, and get you in touch with the subtleties of the intuitive mind.You will need a large hard-cover diary. It is worth buying a good

one, because you want it to last. All the things you record in it may not

make sense at the time of writing, but when you look back later, maybe

even years later, you may find your recordings invaluable.

Alternatively you can put your Intuitive Diary on your computer, but as

with all important writings, make sure you have at least one backup file

saved elsewhere!I recommend that you use your Intuitive Diary to record your

dreams, intuitions, the synchronicities you experience from day to day,

impressions of meditations, and any auditory, visual or feeling

impressions that come to you at any time during the time of your

research project. I like to record not only the dreams, images and

feelings about things, but my interpretations of them also. Analyzing

intuitions helps you gain a conscious, intellectual understanding ofthem.

When I started keeping an Intuitive Diary many years ago I wrote

in it almost every day. It is up to you how much time you want to

invest in it. But do it as often as possible.

Free-form Writing

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Free-form writing is stream-of-consciousness prose, written

fluidly, quickly and without immediate editing or too much conscious

analytical thinking. It is essentially effortless writing.

I used Free-Form Writing extensively throughout the writing of mythesis, but particularly in the first two years. A book which inspired me

greatly in developing this process was Joan Bolkers (1998) Writing

Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day. Bolkers book is about

writing a thesis through approximately four stages: the zero draft, first

draft, second draft, and beyond.

In something of a synchronicity, I first came across the book

while scrolling through Amazon.com. Even before I had formallyenrolled in my doctoral program in Australia, a friend told me about

Phillips and Pughs How to Get a PhD (which I also recommend for

the logistical and technical aspects of obtaining a PhD). So I went to

Amazon to check it out. I did in fact buy Phillips and Pughs book, but

just happened to see Bolkers book there too. The title looked a bit

gimmicky, but I felt a strong urge to buy it (a case of The Feeling

Sense). So I didIt was Bolkers concept of the zero draft which really me.

Bolker recommends writing from day one of the doctoral enrolment.

Bolker suggests writing at least fifteen minutes a day, no matter what.

The principle here is basically that you condition yourself to write

habitually, so that on days that you do notwrite you actually feel bad!

The zero draft involves writing whatever comes to you, and without

editing, proof-reading or censoring yourself. There is no going back,not even for typos! Whatever ideas come into your mind about the

thesis topic connections, distinctions, hypotheses, questions, guesses,

confusions, whatever - you write it down during your daily writing

time.

Bolkers argument is that inevitably, amongst all the ramblings of

the mind, some useful ideas will come out. Even if the good bits

represent a mere ten per cent of what you write, you will still have a lotof potentially usable writing after six months. In Bolkers system, it is

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only later on that you begin putting together a first draft. That is when

the process begins to look more like a traditional approach to writing a

thesis, with a succession of drafts. I highly recommend Bolkers book

for anybody in the early stages of writing a thesis. In fact, I highlyrecommend it to any researcher in any discipline.

Bolker does not link her idea of a zero draft to mystical

inspiration. However I adapted Bolkers method to my understandings

of Integrated Intelligence. Previously I had used Free-Form Writing

when writing poetry and stories. I just wrote whatever came to me, and

went back later to see if it was any good. Bolker made me realize I

could use a similar process in the early stages of thesis writing - or anyacademic writing for that matter. Thus when I actually began typing, I

simply allowed myself to enter a fluid stream of consciousness, and let

the words pour out. I typically found that there was just so much

wanting to be released from my mind, that fifteen minutes was just not

enough. I adapted Bolkers system so that I set myself a goal of writing

five hundred words a day, every day, first thing in the morning.

Just as Bolker argues, I found that this writing process reallyclarified my thinking. During my Free-form Writing time ideas came

together, and links between people, ideas, and historical and

philosophical concepts suddenly began to make sense. I did not stop to

check if the ideas were valid. I just kept writing.

This is thinking as you write, not thinking before you write.

As is obvious from this booklets subject matter, my worldview is

rather mystical. I believe that there is a greater intelligence whichcontributes to the evolution of humanity, and indeed to the entire

cosmos. So, where I differed from Bolker is that I adapted the process

to my mystical/spiritual perspective. Before I started my daily writing

session I began with a prayer or affirmation to Spirit. The word

Spirit, for me, has both an impersonal and a personal dimension. The

impersonal aspect emerges from the innate connectedness of all things,

and is not mediated by any individual or spiritual entity. But I have alsolong had a strong sense of personal spiritual guidance also, and I

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believe that we can call upon spiritual guides for help including

during research! So when I engaged in my little morning prayer, it was

both made to the universe and to whatever spiritual guides may have

been tuning in.At the beginning of a writing session I would say aloud

something like this (using examples from my own research).

Spirit, lead me through this writing process, so that this work that

I am writing may be in alignment with Spirit.

There were often questions I would ask, and sometimes writedown, to guide the whole process. For example:

I dont understand how Wilbers thinking fits in with

ancient thought like that of Lao Zi. Is it even the same

thing?

Where can I find evidence that the mind is not localized to

the brain. Why is this psi taboo so pervasive in intelligence theory?

How can I create a schema which helps situate all these

theories of intelligence into a system that will make sense to

my examiners?

Or the questions might be more general in nature:

I need help in turning this chapter into a coherent whole.

Please help me make sense of Eric Jensens g concept.

Im struggling with it.

Im stuck with my writing. Please help it to flow.

Would it be best to continue to research Gardners theory

of multiple intelligences right now, or is there more energy

on investigating Sternbergs successful intelligence?

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After putting out one or two questions (dont ask more than a

couple at one time, as it is too much for the mind to process at once) I

would begin to write.Note that in the very last question I used the term energy on.

For me this is a general term which helps me to gain a sense of where

the intuitive flow is heading at any given time, so that I can move along

that river of energy. Of course I use the term energy loosely, as it

doesnt refer to any of the four known forces of physics. What this flow

is in scientific terms I do not know. All that I can say is that from my

long experience in working with Integrated Intelligence, consciousnesscan align itself with a greater intelligence, and in doing so access the

path of least resistance. When I am seeking the energy on a particular

research route, I am therefore seeking that path of least resistance. Ill

write a little more about how to tap into optimal research paths a later

in this booklet.

When beginning your Free-Form Writing (or any aspect of your

research project which requires clarification) I suggest you use anaffirmation or prayer that you feel comfortable with, one that reflects

your particular worldview and belief system. And you dont need to

verbalize them, just in case you are in a public place.

Due to some administrative issues, my enrolment at The

University of the Sunshine Coast (Queensland, Australia) was delayed

by several months. Thanks to my habit of Free-form Writing, by the

time I came to my official enrolment date, I already had about fortythousand words written on my computer, all related to my thesis topic.

Later I began to put the ideas into longer arguments about certain

aspects of the thesis as I saw it developing. Almost all of this initial

work came together easily, if not effortlessly.

I emphasize that at least initially, I wrote about things that I was

drawn to, to that which moved me filled me with a sense of

excitement (using The Feeling Sense see below). In those early days Irarely even thoughtabout what I was going to write before I sat down

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to write. Sometimes I would wake up in the morning and an idea would

come into my head, and I would go with that. Other times I would

begin with nothing. This may be difficult to believe, but there was not a

single time in my entire period of enrolment when I had writers block.Just as Bolker suggests, I went through drafting phases. Without

doubt I enjoyed the earlier part of the writing process more than the

later stages. I am naturally creative, but not much of a natural stickler

for detail! When it came to the endless editing of chapters, it became a

real test of self-discipline for me. I also found that my sense of

connection to Integrated Intelligence dropped off as the process became

more and more left-brained. This is probably an inevitable part of thethesis writing process. Inspiration is not really needed when you are

crossing endless Ts and dotting endless Is!

My policy of writing consistently paid off. I completed my thesis

in less than four years while working as a teacher and administrator

very full-time (up to twelve hours a day of working/commuting at

times). When I enrolled in August 2002, I had not a single academic

publication. By the time I was granted my PhD I had a total of over adozen publication credits (either published or about to be published),

including several book chapters. I had also completed the writing for

my book Integrated Intelligence, which was based on my thesis

research (Anthony 2008a).

In Part 7, below, I outline in more detail how to move from initial

Free-form Writing into successive drafts and a final thesis

Meditative States

Meditative States can be of great benefit to researchers. You can

cultivate meditative and non-ordinary states of consciousness as a

deliberate means of accessing the intuitive mind, insight and inspiration

about your research topic. To utilize Meditative States you simply quiet

the mind, put out questions to the greater intelligence of the cosmos (or

your subconscious, if you prefer), and wait for the answers to come inany sensory modality images, auditory prompts, subtle feelings etc.

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It is well appreciated by mystics and many parapsychologists that

cultivating non-ordinary states of consciousness is invaluable in

accessing intuitive and spiritual knowledge (Grof 2000, Sheldrake

2003, Radin 2006, 2008). Throughout my life after my mid-twenties Iused these states very deliberately to glean data from what I believe are

transpersonal sources, and my subconscious. Meditative states are an

intimate part of the development of Integrated Intelligence. You can

familiarize yourself with this tool through deliberate meditation, or by

taking advantage of the drowsy state between sleeping and waking

the hypnogogic state. This state occurs naturally when you are falling

asleep and waking up. But you can enter it deliberately throughmeditation also.

To bring about this sleepy state, sit quietly in a chair (or sit/lay

wherever you feel comfortable), and relax. Focus on your breath, and

breathe deeply in and out. As thoughts move into your mind, just allow

them to pass. If you like, you can imagine them being placed inside

balloons and floating away. A good time to do this is when you are

actually feeling tired, such as in the middle of the afternoon or justbefore bed. This way you will naturally tend to drift towards sleep

when you sit and relax deeply. After some practice, you will be able to

do it more readily even when you are feeling alert.

This process is a little different from some other forms of

meditation, in that you are deliberately trying to begin to fall to sleep.

In most forms of meditation it is important to remain alert as you enter

deep states of consciousness, and the images that come before the mindmay be seen as a distraction. But not with the Meditative States process

that I am referring to here.

As you relax, you may find yourself becoming too drowsy or

nodding off. If so, simply persist in bringing yourself awake but not

fully awake. If you practice this meditative process regularly, you will

become adept at moving towards sleep, but not quite succumbing to it.

When you find yourself just shy of sleep, put questions out to Spirit/the

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subconscious mind (as you prefer). Then observe what comes before

your awareness in the form of feelings, images, sounds and words.

Be patient with this process. If you get no definite answers,

simply repeat the questions every minute or so. This is a receptiveprocess. You might like to think of it as feminine in nature, because it

is about yielding to something that is not within immediate control, not

overpowering and controlling something in the masculine sense. So

when you repeat your questions, do so gently. You are not tacking list

of demands to the boss door! Remember, even if you get no answer

during the entire meditation, one may spring into your mind at a later

date, or during a dream. A synchronicity in your everyday life mayanswer the question for you. Regardless, your subconscious will go to

work on the problem, and begin to pull information and data together,

both from mundane and (I believe) spiritual sources. viii Just trust that

the answer is on its way. Regardless of whether you believe in the

extended mind, the brain is a self-organizing system. The mere act of

asking questions persistently will activate your subconscious, and it

will go about seeking answers.Keep in mind that some questions and problems have complex

answers. A full understanding of them may take some time, maybe

even years with some big issues (but hopefully not that long!). Many

will require further physical investigation, particularly in the sciences.

Some questions have no definitive answer, and merely present an

opportunity for a deepening appreciation of the problem.

Yet other answers may come in an instant. As you developwisdom and come to understand how Integrated Intelligence works

more fully, you will be able to discern more easily how such answers

develop, often as a process.

I recommend you employ Meditative States in short bursts. These

could be as short as a minute or two for lighter questions, or could be

ten to fifteen minutes for more in-depth issues. When you finish the

meditation, record what you have experienced in your Intuitive Diary.This is very important. If you want, you can later analyze the meaning

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of what you have seen or experienced. You will not be able to

conduct this analysis during the meditation, because the analytical

mind cannot operate effectively while in deep states of relaxation, and

vice versa.There is one thing you will notice as you use Meditative States.

After some time you will be able to slow the mind and access these

deeper states of consciousness in very little time, perhaps even

instantly. You will also become more aware of the way the

subconscious mind is constantly operating, even during normal states

of waking consciousness: bits and pieces will sneak through from the

deeper levels of mind even as you are going about your everyday life.

The Feeling Sense

Just as with using intuition in general life, you can also allow your

feelings to guide you as you research. The more you become

comfortable with inner worlds, the easier it will become to distinguish

amongst the many subtle feelings from within. You have to learn the

difference between a true intuitive pull and other competing voicesfrom within the ego, desire, wishful thinking, fear of the unknown

and so on. This is not something that can be learned from reading a

booklet like this. It is something you learn by trial and error.

I cannot emphasize how important it is to trust your intuitive

feelings if you want to develop your innate Integrated Intelligence.

None of the INQ Tools will work well if you do not have an intimate

relationship with your emotional body. The Feeling Sense underpinseverything I write here. Even understanding and interpreting images

and verbal prompts you get from meditations and dreams requires a

well-developed feeling sense. And here is a key point you may find

difficult to manage at first. When you develop Integrated Intelligence

to a high degree, the rational (left-brained) part of your mind will

begin to cede power to the intuitive mind. In other words, you will

begin to trust feelings, even when there appears to be no rational basisfor it, no definitive evidence that the feeling is right. This can be a

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scary development, and will be uncomfortable. But persist with it. Use

your research project as a life experiment, a way of challenging

yourself! I write a little more about how the mind will resist this

letting go and how to overcome that resistance - in the final part ofthis booklet.

One morning while working on my doctoral thesis at home I

began reading a book by Howard Gardner and two of his academic

colleagues (Gardner et al 1996). However I found my mind wandering.

Something just did not feel right. So I put the book down. I walked

over to my bookshelf, and I immediately felt drawn to another text and

pulled it down. The book, which was about postmodern thought, wastotally unrelated to the first book. However, as I skimmed through the

text, some key insights came to me. The study session went smoothly

after that. There was a sense of flow, as if the entire process of writing

a doctoral dissertation was continuing smoothly.

The key question in this little anecdote is this: why continue to

struggle with something that does not move you in the moment? You

may simply become stuck, disinterested, and the whole flow of theresearch may be impeded. Unless you have been assigned the reading

by a teacher, or it is an absolute must read, put it aside. You may well

find that at a later point it does feel right to read.

This way of approaching readings is about doing the right thing at

the right time. You might protest that reading isnt always fun, or that

some academic stuff is simply as dry as a bucket of dust. This may well

be the case, but my experience is that most of the time when we arereading uninspired writings just for the sake of things, or because we

believe we must, putting aside those readings often has no disastrous

effect on the ultimate thesis we produce. But dont just blindly believe

what Im saying. Try it!

Another way to honor the Feeling Sense is when looking through

the bibliography of a text. You can allow any subtle feelings about the

listed books and articles to grab you. As with Michael Talbot in theopening anecdote of this booklet, you can walk through libraries and

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book shops and wait for books to choose you. I have done this more

times than I care to remember.

A good way to begin honoring The Feeling Sense is to do the

following exercise.ix

Prepare a selection of, say, five books or bookletsyou might like to read for your research project. Sit with the

books/booklets in front of you, breathe deeply and relax. Ask yourself

any research questions that you are trying to answer. Then allow

yourself to get a feeling about each book/booklet. You might even like

to pick up the books/booklets and sense how they feelto read. Here is

where I tend to allow a subtle sense of excitement to guide me. If it

feels exciting, it is a good bet that the reading is going to be aproductive one. This process is a little like the Romantics merging of

subject and object. You can imagine yourself connecting with the

book/article, and feel it merging with you.

The more you honor your intuitive feelings, the more they will

speak to you. This is too valuable an advantage for a researcher to pass

up. In my opinion, you would be mad to ignore this simple tool! It can

cut a lot of hassle out of the research process, save much time andenergy, and lead to an invigorating experience of research and writing.

Harnessing synchronicity

Synchronicities are meaningful coincidences. Carl Jung (1973, 1989) is

perhaps the best known theorist of synchronicity. For Jung, the cosmos

was not the great machine of the modernists. His principle of

synchronicity transcended the linear mechanics of the Newtonianframework. Jung was keenly interested in the developments of modern

physics, as well as the paradoxical. There is not room here to explore

the theory or the phenomenon itself at depth. It is sufficient to say that

the idea is fully compatible with the mystical/spiritual worldview,

where matter and consciousness are in interplay in an intelligent

cosmos.

The Feeling Sense can really help synchronicity unfold, and theentire adventurous process can help you choose the subject of research,

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what is read, and even clarify when things are best read. During the

writing of an academic paper on the same subject asHow to Channel a

PhD, I was walking past a small bookshop not far from my workplace

in Hong Kong. This shop has no more than a few dozen English titles(almost all books are in Chinese), so I rarely went in there. However,

on this occasion I felt a subtle sense of excitement as I walked past

(something I have trained myself to notice). I walked in and

immediately found Edward de Bonos (2009) Think! Before Its Too

Late. I picked it up, and again felt that same sense of excitement. I

knew the book was right for me. I bought it.

de Bonos book helped me clarify some crucial distinctions forthe writing of that paper (and this booklet). In the instance above,

trusting both The Feeling Sense and Fore-sense allowed the

synchronicity to unfold. In traditional research, conducted within the

critical/rational worldview, this entire scenario would be considered

absurd, deluded, or perhaps even insane. Personally, I choose not to

trouble myself too much with such judgments! The skeptical reader

might like to think of this point as a provocation in itself.The key point to using The Feeling Sense during research is to go

with what excites you.

It is my experience that a serendipitous and adventurous approach

to research facilitates synchronicities. A key point is the requirement of

bringing the mind fully into the present moment. Mystic Leonard

Jacobson describes this beautifully in the video Bridging Heaven and

Earth, which you can see on YouTube. In the exalted state of completepresence, it is as if the cosmos comes alive. The deeper meaning and

purpose of things becomes known even as they unfold, as and as if the

psyche and cosmos are in open dialogue. This is somewhat akin to the

state of flow, usually reported in mainstream psychology in mundane

and reductionist terms (Czikszentmihalyi 1994). In Part 6 of this

booklet, I present some useful tips on how to bring the mind into

presence.

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Being present is extremely simple, but it is a skill that most

academics and researchers often have great trouble with, as they are

used to living in the head. Though this point may seem trite, there is

no more fulfilling experience in life than that of being fully present.This is why I encourage you to explore the art of presence. Besides

enhancing your ability to sense synchronicities during your research, it

will make your life immeasurably richer.

The experience of synchronicity is, in its most exalted form,

almost a kind of spiritual rapture. It is a direct affront to the

critical/rational worldview. If the researcher can suspend disbelief,

synchronicity contains serendipities which can be an invaluable aid toresearch.

5. Using INI in research

Now I turn my focus to some more specific applications of the five

INQ Tools. I will outline ways in which you can apply the mental

applications of Integrated Intelligence. Again, I emphasize that this is

not an exhaustive list of potential applications. My intention here is just

introduce you to some successful applications that have worked well

for me. You can experiment with these. Choose the ones that draw you

in. Feel free to modify them.

Mental Application 1: Integrated Perception

General applications: 1. Seeing the underlying order & meaning of

bodies of knowledge, disciplines, schools of thought, individual

thinkers and systems, including the intelligence within those systems.x

Integrated Intelligence can help in coming to an understanding of the

connections within fields of knowledge and specific domains of

enquiry. It is important in the writing of an article, book or thesis to

appreciate the way that things fit together, and to grasp the

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relationships between various facets of the research problem. Such

understandings often come in leaps of intuition, or Aha! moments. It

is my experience that Integrated Intelligence can help facilitate this

process. It does not necessarily require Integrated Intelligence to mapout the big picture. But it can be employed to do so.

A perfect example comes from medical intuitive Carolyn Myss

(2001). She recounts that before the writing of her bestselling book

Anatomy of the Spirit, she was struggling to come to terms with certain

aspects of the proposed text. Sometime after experiencing a confusing

dream, she recalls how the key insight came to her.

Shortly after that dream, I was still frustrated that I had not yet

found the core message ofAnatomy, but as I was lecturing to a

group of twenty-eight students, I turned to write something on a

white flip chart and instantly downloaded an image that merged

three great mystical traditions and their biological implications:

the seven chakras of the East, the seven Christian sacraments, and

the ten sefirot of the Tree of Life from the Jewish Kabbalah. Inless than a second, I received, I understood, I accepted, and I

started the book over again (Myss 2001 p 35).

Note that Myss was able to integrate the connections amongst

three mystical traditions and sense their biological implications. Her

anecdote not only demonstrates the immediacy of Integrated

Intelligence, but shows the importance of several other relevant aspectsof this intelligence. She received the information, indicating that the

source was not her conscious mind. Secondly she understood it. I

suspect that her long working experience with intuitive ways of

knowing allowed her to grasp the overall meaning immediately.

Without this step, the following steps could not have been taken.

Thirdly, Myss accepted the experience. Without the acceptance of

the mystical experience and its knowledge, no learning could havetaken place.

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Myss has a strong connection with her intuition. This kind of

connection naturally improves as an individual begins to use the kinds

of tools I am outlining here. The more you tap into the right brain, into

the subtle intuitions and feelings within, the more the language ofthat part of your mind will become recognizable to you.

Watch out for diagrams and images that come to you in dreams

and meditations. August Kekule saw the molecular configuration of

the benzene ring in a dream (Kafatos & Kafatou 1991 p 166).xi Note

synchronous or Aha! moments, especially when images in books, on

advertising billboards or during TV programs suddenly jump out at

you. Use your research diary to record feelings, intuitions, images etc.that come to you at any time. Although they might not mean much at

the time of writing, they may later have some relevance. I also use the

note-taking facility on my mobile phone to record insights that come to

me in public spaces or at work.

An extract from my doctoral Intuitive Diary describes one such

instance where an image inspired my thinking.

I awoke a little early this morning, and lay half awake. Suddenly

it all came together. Everything about the education chapter and

the thesis just began to weave itself into one great whole. I saw

the model of integrated education, the dynamic model/diagram

with self at centre, and the universal feedback loop. I saw M.

Scott Pecks ideas of synchronicity and psychotherapy as spiritual

growth weaving in with James Moffetts and Michael Petersideas of healing/growth/transformation/learning. It all came

together in a new vision.

Notice that the entire process was quintessentially inspirational. I

was following my sense of excitement. There was a sense of wonder at

participating in something more expansive than my conscious mind.

The diagram referred to in the extract ended up in my thesis, and alsoin the final chapter of my book,Integrated Intelligence.

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Another simple process you can employ is to ask for meaning.

Here you put out the problem or the question in a meditation or

reflective moment, and then start writing, drawing, singing, moving

(whatever you prefer). You can use Meditative States, The FeelingSense or Free-form Writing to seek the answer. Again, the answers

may not come straight away. Keep putting the question out, and trust

that the answer is coming - sooner or later.

Mental applications 2 & 3: Evaluation & Location

Evaluation, general applications: The capacity for evaluating the

wisdom of choices, and the value of competing concepts orpossibilities.

Location, general applications: Locating and evaluating alternative

designs, methods, sources of data, research foci and strategies.

Here I have combined two mental applications of my theory of

Integrated Intelligence into one subject heading. This is because of theobvious overlap: location can be seen as a subset of the idea of making

choices in your research.

These two mental applications constitute perhaps the most

obvious ways that Integrated Intelligence can be of assistance to the

modern researcher. With the information explosion there is just too

much knowledge out there to be properly processed in a purely rational

way. As intuition experts such as Malcolm Gladwell (2005), GaryKlein (2003) Roy Rowan (1991) and (Gigerenzer 2008) xii suggest, the

world today is just too complex to comprehend using only the

analytical mind, based upon the data we have at hand. This is because

that data will inevitably be partial, to a greater or lesser degree. Roy

Rowan (1991) in his excellent bookThe Intuitive Manager, refers to

analysis paralysis, where we become so obsessed with analyzing data

that we lose valuable opportunities to act assertively within the presentmoment.

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The conclusion of all these thinkers who have researched the

intuitive mind is that we can and should - employ our intuition more

often. My own perspective is that researchers can also use intuition in a

number of very beneficial ways in evaluating the direction of theirresearch, including with specific smaller choices they may make along

the way.

You can use intuitive insights when you have a number of

research options to choose from. The following entry, taken from my

Intuition Diary is a good example. This describes a time during my

doctoral candidature when I was working at my computer, and had

previously downloaded more than a dozen academic articles on mindin ancient Greece, as well as hundreds more on subjects relevant to my

thesis topic.

11.01.04. I opened up the folder under Greek thought, and saw

that there were about 15 files there. So I asked which one to read

(I had two hours tonight to do some research). I heard Number

one. It was a very faint voice, and I wasnt sure where it camefrom, but I decided to follow it. So I went into the first file (the

files are not named clearly, so I wasnt sure what was in it).

Anyway, it was perfect: about the ancient Greeks influence on

Freud. I read that Freud selectively chose aspects from Greek

thought which fitted his mechanistic prejudices (and ignored the

rest.). I wrote about 900 words on the subject, and it flowed really

easily.

I am downloading a lot of files from the databases onto my

computer at the moment. There are thousands to choose from.

After I do the search, I am intuiting which ones I should save

onto the computer. I am also just focusing for a moment, and

going into my feelings. If I dont get a clear sense, I usually dont

save it, although I admit sometimes things seem a bit hazy, so Ijust save it or not according to logic

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Once again, it can be seen that I used a combination of more

mundane and rational research processes and some more intuitive

prompts. What I had done in this instance was to go into databases anddownload onto my computer hundreds of articles on subjects related to

my thesis. With the modern computer you can just search for a word or

phrase and the links to the documents will appear. If there are a lot of

documents which come up from a conventional search, you can use

intuition again to select which ones you want to dip into. Of course you

can also just read the name of the article the old fashioned way!

However sometimes the name might not be clear, or the precise contentof the article somewhat vague. This is when intuition becomes

invaluable. You could spend a long time wading through a dozen or

more articles trying to find the right one.

In the situation described above I used the feeling sense and an

intuitive measurement technique I call the Quick Check (see Part 6,

below) to decide which articles to save. If I did not get any strong

feeling, I did not save a given article. Later, when I returned to actuallyread articles, I used the same two intuitive methods again to select

which ones to dip into to read more carefully.

Notice also that the process was not perfect. The feelings and

measurements were not always clear. When this was the case, I

sometimes reverted to more mundane methods in deciding which files

to save, or to read.

Of course there is no guarantee that intuition will bring forwardthe right information. Sometimes you may not find something fruitful.

However it is my experience that intuition can be developed to such a

degree that the hits far outweigh the misses.

You can use INI when you have several research options to

choose from. At the beginning of 2009, I was working on two books

simultaneously, Sage of Synchronicity and Beyond the Frontiers of

Human Intelligence. They are two quite different kinds of books. For awhile I was working on Frontiers. Then I suddenly had the feeling to

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get back into writing Sage, and did so. The writing flowed well and

then, just a few days after making the commitment with Sage, I awoke

in the middle of the night, and there was a song playing in my head. I

have learned the value of listening to all intuitive prompts, and thisincludes the music in my head. The song that came to me that night

was Gold, by the 80s pop group Spandau Ballet. The words to that

song have strong personal meaning for me, and I felt strongly that this

was a vindication of my decision to work on Sage. I made a

commitment to follow through and complete the book, which I did.

Much to my delight the book was picked up by Inner Traditions in the

United States, and was released asDiscover Your Soul Template. Thiswas my first major mainstream book publication.

Here are some other intuitive methods you might like to

experiment with when browsing databases or multiple files/articles.

These are all related to the mental applications of Evaluation and

Location.

Decide upon your research focus area for the study session andstate your question(s) (preferably out loud). Then bring up the

files on your computer screen. Ask a question related to your

question(s), and then run your finger over the screen. When you

feel your finger being attracted to a file stop, and open it. When

I do this I sometimes feel a tingling in my finger, other times it

feels like there is a [wall which stops my finger moving past a

particular file. The process is a bit like some divination methods,such as pendulum swinging. The key is to let go and trust the

process. Do not try too hard to determine the outcome.

Write the file names (or numbers) on pieces of booklet or cards,

then turn then face down. Shuffle them so you do not know what

card is where. Use the same process as above, making sure your

question is clearly stated. Then allow yourself to be drawn to

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one of the pieces of paper, and turn it over to see which file to

read.

Stand back a little from the computer screen, relax and take a

deep breath. When you feel very relaxed, ask the question youwish to focus upon, and wait for the answer. Take note of what

you see, feel or hear. A document icon may flash at you, come

alive, or seem to become attractive. Go into that file and open

it, keeping the question in mind.

You can use the same processes when deciding upon which books,

chapters, articles web pages or even which paragraphs to read. Again,use these methods in conjunction with standard research methods and

rational processes.

Be clear on what you are looking for

When it comes to the mental applications of evaluation and location it

is vital that you be clear about what you are looking for with your

research. A clear set of questions to guide your research is crucial.During the research undertaken for my doctorate I had a clear policy

that I never read anything without first writing down or repeating to

myself the questions I wanted to answer. I suggest you do the same.

This is even true at the very beginning of your research project.

Here the questions might be quite general.

What really interests me about this topic? What areas of this topic really require further research?

What am I truly drawn to as a possible focus of my thesis?

As you clarify your research topic, the research questions should

become clearer, and more specific. Eventually they should all tie

together.

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In the writing of my thesis I allowed my intuitive feelings to guide

much of the direction of the research. My preference for the intuitive

was nowhere more apparent than when I chose my thesis topic. Here I

followed my intuition fully. I was simply not prepared to focus on anarea that was not of importance to me, or that I was not passionate

about. I believe that intuitive intelligence works best - including the

five key tools mentioned in this booklet - when we are on purpose

with our research, and indeed with our lives.

I have to admit I just do not understand the mentality of many

postgraduate students who choose the name of the institution before

their topic. I read recently of a mature Asian man who related that hehad not enrolled in a PhD program because he had not yet found a

university with a prestigious name who would accept him. To my

mind, this is pure vanity in action: the substance of knowledge and

passion for subject matter become secondary to the surface packaging

of institution and credential and pure human vanity. xiii This has become

a genuine problem in modern education systems. In truth, it is not

entirely the students fault in thinking this way, as education hasbecome heavily commoditized. In turn the problem reflects the fact that

many people do not develop what I call spiritual maturity. A

genuinely mature individual does not establish his sense of self by

elevating himself in status, gaining face, or trying to win the approval

of peers.

By the way, I am not suggesting you ignore market forces or

institutional and cultural boundaries when selecting your researchtopic. You should be absolutely clear about your reasons for embarking

on your thesis. If your intention is to get a specific job or go into

academia, of course you must think carefully about the subject matter.

There would be little point in writing up a thesis on Nepalese poetry

(regardless of how much it excites you) if you want to teach at a

university in Los Angeles! In such a situation I would suggest you find

a subject matter that both motivates you, and has potential value in theeducation market place.

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Ultimately, the choice of what thesis topic and subject matter was

suitable for me was actually no choice at all. I chose the topic that I had

spent so much of my adult life focused upon: Integrated Intelligence. I

also decided I wanted to base my research in the discipline of FuturesStudies. Of course, at first I did not have the name Integrated

Intelligence. Nor did I know exactly how it would pan out. I did not

know the chapter headings, and I did not know the methodology I

would employ. I did not even know the specific questions I would ask.

That all came later. But let me backtrack a little, and tell you how I

actually came to enroll in a doctoral program in the first place.

What and where?

In 2001 I was living and working in Taiwan as an English teacher. I

loved Taiwan, but after a couple of years there a sense of being

unfulfilled began to descend upon me. There was a nagging feeling that

I simply wasnt on track with my life. One morning I awoke and there

was a song playing in my head: Nowhere Man, by the Beatles. This

was the intuitive prompt I needed to rouse myself into action. I wasbeing told that I was drifting along in life and wasting my talents and

abilities. I was thirty-five years old, and was entering an important

phase of my life where I needed to get some clarity about my career

direction.

Then, during a meditation a day or two later, three letters suddenly

appeared before my inner eye: PhD. About five years earlier, I had

deferred my enrolment in a doctoral program at the University ofNewcastle, and headed for New Zealand to work in an international

school. Now it appeared that my intuition was nudging me towards

resuming my studies. Yet it was a huge decision. Writing a doctoral

thesis would take several years, and there was no guarantee that I

would be awarded the degree after submission. Doubts came welling

up from within. Maybe I wasnt smart enough. I might fail. What about

all the other things in life I would miss out on as I pursued a doctorate?

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Yet I knew what I had to do. After some reflection, I chose to

resume my studies. But what would I focus upon?

It was just a few days later, when doing some restful stretching in

the morning, that a small but life-changing message came to me. I wasin relaxed presence, my mind quiet, when a voice said, bear, and I

stopped. Straight away, I remembered a book I had read a few years

previously, Education for the 21st Century. It was written by two

Australian academics, Hedley Beare (pronounced bear) and Richard

Slaughter.

I grabbed the book from my bookshelf, and leafed through it. The

book holds a spiritual view of education, and its themes resonateddeeply with me. I contacted both the authors by email. They then put

me on to a futurist and academic named Sohail Inayatullah. It was

Sohail who would eventually become my doctoral supervisor. Sohail is

a brilliant academician, working via three different universities in

Australia and Taiwan. One of them, The University of the Sunshine

Coast, had a program which permitted me to research and write about

the frontiers of human intelligence. The university was relatively new.It couldnt grant me academic status, but it would enable me to pursue

my Bliss. I enrolled.

I could have gone with the call of ego and e