This section is drawn from Chapter Four of The Future of the Body by Michael Murphy entitled “The Supernormalities of Everyday Life” (Pages 54-60). The types of extraordinary experiences categorized by Murphy, known as “supernormalities,” are recorded throughout history.
Many, if not most, have extraordinary experiences that are not triggered by formal discipline. Some appear to be spontaneous, but could be conditioned by certain activities or previous work. These may represent a largely unrecognized aspect of human life, its latent (positive or negative) supernormality.
Completing this inventory of the 12 Attributes can help you bring to consciousness unusual events that you may have dismissed without recognizing them as the glimmering of potential extraordinary capacities.
Please go through the list below and place a checkmark next to those you have experienced, even if it was only a glimpse. There are many more examples than the ones listed, so please list any others that you have experienced that don’t appear here.
It may be that you are not able to identify many attributes of this type right now, and that is fine. It does not make you more or less worthy to have had these experiences. There is no judgment here. The goal of this inquiry is to help you find a baseline. When you have finished, go back and notice if there are clusters in certain categories or if there are any that have a special resonance for you and make note of these.
Download The Supernormalities of Everyday Life Inventory Checklist