Walking in Your Shoes

Abstract

This article reports research in "Walking in Your Shoes," an empathic way of deeply relating to one another. Stating one's intention to be another person and walking with that intention, one is able to experience a subject's energetic style, how he or she is in the world, and what abilities are used to cope. The awarenesses that arise as one walks with no conscious intention of imitating or calling on one's cognitive knowledge about the person can be used to glean information otherwise not available to one's consciousness. In the walking, one experiences a shift in awareness and, continuing to walk, shares that new awareness with the subject. Later, one notices his or her attention shifting to the subjects more repressed and constricted faculties. People who have been "walked" frequently report that they have never before felt so understood and accepted. The Buddhist, existential-phenomenological, and self psychology premises underlying the walking are discussed.