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In an effort to serve you better, we would like to share the following information with you to address commonly asked questions. Please select the topic of your interest from the list below:
If you did not find the information you are looking for, please click here to contact us.
About Senté
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Q: What is the Senté Center?
A: The Senté Center is an innovative private practice and training facility established by Paul and Patty Richards in 1992. The Center offers an understanding of the role of non-ordinary energy in our lives and its power to promote profound personal growth and change. The Center is based on three concepts:
Humans are much more than they appear to be and reality is far more extraordinary than it seems.
It is possible to understand and consciously use your energy senses in a grounded, life-enhancing way with training.
Energy and consciousness form a matrix that support and underlie the physical world. Healthy energy habits therefore contribute to a healthy life.
Q: Who are Paul and Patty Richards?
A: Paul and Patty Richards are both Seers and educated professionals who enjoyed successful careers in aerospace and medicine prior to forming the Senté Center in 1992. They are pioneers in the field of Applied Energetics. Their work is one of the most powerful, practical approaches to embracing Energy in daily life that has yet been developed. Senté promotes the use of simple exercises and practices to help people understand the human Energy field, to perceive the surrounding Energetic environment, and to apply this insight in powerful, proactive ways.
Q: I keep hearing from friends how great their experience has been at the Senté Center. What exactly do you do there and how would I benefit?
A: At the Center, we look at human beings and their lives from the vantage point of the underlying forces that shape them, including Energy and Intent, which we specialize in. Our goal is to contribute to the creation of high functioning individuals who perceive and move from their body center, are capable of creating and sustaining deep intimacy, and have the mastery of attention required for expanded consciousness.
Although humans communicate primarily in energy, we feel it is the least understood area of life in western culture. At the Senté Center we offer clients a useful framework from which to understand the human energy system. Then, using simple creative exercises, we teach people to perceive energy directly so they can recognize and opt out of entanglements, dysfunctional behaviors and attention traps, and instead, explore their true capacity. We find our approach offers people valuable experiences that release obstacles to constructive action, both personally and professionally.
Specifically, we offer readings, individual or group coachings, energy work, seminars, and audio courses and lectures for home study.
Q: What is a Seer? Is this the same as a psychic or clairvoyant?
A: The term Seer, when used by the Senté Center, is a person who has developed true dual perception and the capacity to perceive and act in the physical (ordinary) and energetic (non-ordinary) realms simultaneously. The Seer consciously responds to life situations using either or both of his or her two independent bodies, the Energy Body and the Physical Body. Seers are dedicated to aligning their Intent and freeing up attention and awareness to allow the deeper, more genuine person they are to emerge.
Psychic and clairvoyant are generic terms applied to individuals with a variety of perceptual capabilities outside of the usual range of the physical senses, including perceiving information at a distance, telepathy, or psychometry (reading objects). A Seer embodies a worldview and technology that encompasses vastly more territory than the meaning implied by the words psychic or clairvoyant.
Q: Where did the term Senté come from and what does it mean?
A: The term was coined by Paul Richards in 1994 to describe Senté Energy Work. It is loosely derived from Japanese and translates as “the hand that becomes one with what it touches.” It was discovered only later that the word Senté describes “the wisest or most advantageous possible move” in the intricate Asian game of Go.
Q: I am interested in Senté, but I am sometimes put off by ungrounded, confusing approaches to Energy. What can you say to someone like me who is considering trying out your training courses?
A: Senté is intended to represent a thoughtful, palatable approach to non-ordinary experience, one designed for people who may not relate to other available systems that may be more relaxed about reality testing of phenomena and include higher doses of dramatic “story.” Our suggestion would be to take a close look at the Senté introductory material or book a private session and see if you are one of those who click with Senté precisely because they need an energy-oriented language that works for technically educated men and women.
Q: What does mastery of attention mean?
A: Mastery of Attention involves conscious participation in the largely subconscious process by which we frame and focus our attention moment to moment. For most people, the majority of their attention is caught in habitual habits and “attention traps” that dis-empower them and reduce their capacity to be extraordinary or experience extraordinary states of being. We have found that it is possible to retrieve your attention from these traps, to see the energetic mechanisms that are disempowering you, and to make choices for directing your attention that enhance you as a person.
Senté studies the many forms of attention possible to humans, the process of becoming aware of our attention, and ultimately the process of making choices about our attention as a deep form of personal, spiritual art.
Q: How many people have received in-depth training in Senté and Applied Energetics?
A: The present best estimate is that approximately 2500 people have now received some form of in-depth Senté training. In addition, since 1992, Paul has given an average of over 1000 readings per year.
Q: What other science or technology backs up Paul and Patty’s work, and what sort of data supports the success of this system in comparison to other approaches?
A: The Senté Center maintains a vast archive documenting thousands of physical concrete “hits” (deliberate observations made by means of Energy perception of physical objects or events), in the form of predictions, observations of hidden or distant conditions that were later validated and recorded, and recordings of perceived phenomena that were viewed and described accurately and simultaneously by multiple credible observers.
Q: Why did the Senté Center close its school in 2002?
A: The school was a labor of love, with seven intensive levels of instruction, a large library of textbooks, and a very dynamic instructional program. After eleven years, Paul and Patty decided to end the formal program and devote some personal time to recharging and reflecting on the deep changes that the school experience had offered to them and to others. Virtually almost the entire student body continues to study Energy with Paul and Patty via their private practices and the quarterly talks, occasional workshops, and available products. The circle of friends that has formed around the Senté Center has turned out to be one of the great blessings that came out of theSenté School, and it continues to provide fun and support for Senté scholars.
Q: What spiritual traditions have influenced Paul and Patty?
A: Senté is independent of any overt spiritual agenda and is purely an Energy path. It is true, however, that Senté was founded on the insights of three of Paul’s mentors who had themselves been protégés of three great historical figures. The first of Paul’s three most influential spiritual mentors was a member of the household of Sai Baba in India. The second was a student and follower of Ramana Maharashi up until the time of that great visionary’s death. The third of Paul’s teachers was mentored by a close follower of J. Krishnamurti.
Although both Paul and Patty were raised Catholic, they are most closely aligned with the insights and practices of Buddhism, and are admirers of the Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hahn.
Through the Eyes of Seer Training
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Q: Does a person need to have prior experience with Energy, or believe in any particular spiritual orientation, to benefit from the Through the Eyes of a Seer Course?
A: No, our material starts from the beginning and offers a complete orientation. Senté is about Energy, and is open and available to people of all beliefs. Many people who are naturally quite skeptical, or who have few experiences of their own with Energy, have benefited greatly from the common-sense practices and principles in our trainings.
Q: Just how effective is this material at changing real patterns?
A: The Senté material has been an astounding tool for change for hundreds of people. Every week we receive calls and letters from clients whose lives and relationships are vastly improved by the choices they are now making. But like most things of any value, the study of Energy requires attention and personal motivation. Our material assumes intelligence, the capacity to make effective effort, and the desire for real change.
Q: Is there more material available after I listen to the Through the Eyes of a Seer Course?
A: The Senté Center over the past fifteen years has generated a great deal of material on many fascinating topics. This information was used in the Senté School, which operated from 1992 to 2002 and in the Monthly Talks from 2002-2007. Presently, we are editing and reproducing some of this material so others can enjoy it in updated formats. We suggest you visit our web store to see what is available and get on our mailing list so we can keep you updated as more material becomes available.
Q: What is a Through the Eyes of a Seer Coaching Group?
A: Patty offers live and telephone coaching groups for interested students who want to explore the Eyes of a Seer material in more depth. They are a wonderful way to gain a deeper understanding of the concepts and get some individual help with your skills. Please click here if you would like information and dates of upcoming coaching.
Q: Is individual training available?
A: Some individual phone coaching sessions are available. We require new students to have a reading first. Please click here to contact the Senté center,
Q: I have heard that there are text books from the Senté school, but I don’t see them available on the website. What’s the story on this?
A: Prior to now, we mentored students in the art of Energetic perception only in a live, small-school format. We are not currently publishing all of the manuals and textbooks since we felt that the material is too complex for a new person to understand when not concurrently enrolled in a program. We plan to edit the written material that we do feel people can successfully enjoy and make it available as time permits.
Q: Can I send Paul and Patty a message with my comments on their material or ask a question?
A: Yes. Click here to e-mail your comments.
New Client Information
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Q: I have wandered onto your site and never heard of you before, but your product titles and descriptions interest me. What is the best way for me to check you out?
A: The best way to get to know us is to first listen to the free audio excerpts from the training program, Through the Eyes of a Seer Audio Course. They will give you a glimpse into our worldview and technical approach. If you enjoy the free course audio excerpts, we would suggest you buy the Course or try another short audio product. For those who would like more individual training, we suggest you consider signing up for an introductory live Coaching Group with Patty. Click here to sign up.
Q: I have been referred to this website by a friend who has had a private session with one of your practitioners. What types of sessions are available? What is the cost? Are they available by phone?
A: Paul and Patty Richards, Peter Nelson, Michelle West, and Susan Kay Preslar all offer client sessions through the Senté Center. Three types of sessions are available.
- Readings are private consultations that involve Energetic viewing and reporting on issues of interest to the client.
- Coaching sessions, one-on-one or in small groups, focus on specific training in various aspects of the Senté technology and body of work.
- Senté Energy Work sessions provide adjustments of elements relating to the Energy System of the client and yield remarkable positive changes and growth. Please note: Energy Work is only available to clients who have had a reading and some basic training.
- Many, if not most, sessions are conducted on the phone, with effectiveness equal to the live sessions offered at the Senté Center office. Prices start at approximately $130/session. (Price per session with Paul is $275.)
Q: I have a friend who trained at the Senté Center for several years. How can I join those classes? What are the classes about?
A: Weekly Senté classes were discontinued when the main school was completed at the end of 2002. (Paul still offers Advanced Training Seminars for graduates of the school four times/year).
For newcomers, great training is still available today in the form of individual and group coaching, the comprehensive online training course, Through the Eyes of Seer Audio Course, and occasional weekend seminars. Please explore the website and web store for postings of seminar dates and available training products, or click here to contact the Center for more information.
Senté Appointments and Training Opportunities
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Q: What kinds of topics do you cover in a private coaching session or introductory group?
A: Coaching sessions usually involve examination of Senté concepts and also direct training in specific skills. The needs and recent experience of the client determine the subjects covered. Coaching sessions generally teach people to:
- Perceive and move from body center.
- Opt out of entangling energetic mechanisms that trivialize attention and erode relationships and action.
- Learn to differentiate Energy from psychology or spirituality.
- “See” Energy directly and learn to understand your own perception.
- Meet the needs of their Energy System: gather Energy, get rid of content from past experiences, align Intent, and become increasingly free of the Intent of others.
- Use the Energy Body together with the physical body to support health and enhance personal effectiveness.
- Change problem attitudes and behaviors by moving simple mechanical structures within the Energy Body.
Q: Can I get a reading with Paul or someone else?
A: It is difficult, but not impossible, at this point to get a reading with Paul because his practice is quite full. Appointments are often scheduled 1-4 months ahead. Please email the Sente Center at sente@sentecenter.com for appointment options. Patty is still accepting new clients.
Q: What are readings with Paul or Patty like? What do they do during a reading? Can they “see” me through the phone? Can they diagnose medical conditions?”
A: Readings are gentle, respectful, fascinating, and very down to earth. Paul or Patty will listen to your voice, or if the reading is in person they will ask for a watch or piece of jewelry to hold for a moment. They will ask you to tell them nothing about yourself, why you are there, or what your questions may be. After a few minutes of observation they will offer you a description of what they have seen, concerning yourself and your life that lasts about half an hour. During the second half hour you are invited to ask questions and are free to reveal information about yourself as you choose. They will answer all your questions as honestly as they can. Readings via the phone are just as effective as readings in person.
Paul and Patty do not diagnose medical conditions, but may offer observations that turn out to relate to physical conditions of health or ill health. Readings are not substitutes for medical care and we at the Center suggest that you explore any health issues that come up in a reading with a health professional. Interestingly, Energetic views can relate incredibly well to physical events, but, like all human undertakings, they are subject to apparent error and do not confer omniscience onto a Seer. A Sente practitioner's commitment is to be as honest as possible about what he or she is actually experiencing as an observer, and to report this experience as much as possible in the best interests of the recipient. The issue of requests for forecasts of future events is particularly interesting. Through the eyes of a Seer, futures are probabilistic, and Seers attempt only to estimate likely futures in an inherently uncertain world, rather than offer absolute futures with representations of godlike predictive power.
Readings are portraits more than problem solving exercises; they often bring about new insights and personal change. Ultimately, they are performed to invite serious positive change, in contrast to the common concept of a reader as someone helping a person gain mastery over their fate. We believe life is an extraordinary and beautiful mystery. We enjoy offering our view into the nature of it with you, but ultimately each person must navigate their own course.
Q: I have heard that Paul is an Energetic Seer and offers individual sessions in which he describes what he sees. In these instances, is Paul channeling information?
A: Using his energetic senses, Paul simply observes the recipients of his sessions and describes his observations in a calm, very personal and relaxed way. His process does not resemble channeling.
Q: I am a counselor/health care professional. Can I refer my clients to Paul or other practitioners?
A: Many doctors and counselors have referred clients to Paul and have occasionally conducted joint sessions with him. We encourage referrals from professionals, but we may not be able to accommodate them immediately because of schedule constraints.
Q: What do I need to know prior to having a private reading session with Patty or Paul?
A: We consider your reviewing the information on this website a prerequisite to a reading. After reading this material, if you are interested in proceeding with a reading, click here to contact our appointments administrator or phoning us at (541) 482-7182. If an appointment session is available, you will be directed to further detailed information about the Reading process, as well as to our online automated booking website to schedule your initial appointment.
Senté Talks & Lectures
Q: What is the best way to sign up for a Through the Eyes of a Seer live course or other Talks?
A: We suggest you get on our mailing list and check the listings on this website periodically for the most up to date schedule of events. Click here to be added to Senté Center Training info list.
The Senté View of Energy
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Q. I have what I think are energetic experiences that I don’t understand. What would you suggest I do to bring them under control and make them a positive aspect of my life?
A: Senté offers a great deal to people who are experiencing possible Energy perception or physical effects but lack the grounding and support of a mental structure and set of reliable techniques to help them understand and cope with the effects of spontaneous non-ordinary sensation. We suggest that you study our Through the Eyes of a Seer Audio Course and consider getting an individual reading and/or join a coaching group in order to evaluate whether the Senté approach is right for you.
Q: What is the relationship between Energy as you see it and spirituality?
A: We tend to see all serious paths as spiritual paths, leading ultimately to some great insight and connectedness, if you follow that path with Intent. Senté in that sense is a spiritual path. However, the position of Senté is that Energy and even Intent are not fundamentally more spiritual than are our physical and psychological worlds. Energy is thus not a stepping-stone to God, but is just another extraordinary part of created reality. Seeing and understanding the role of Energy in your life often contributes depth and clarity to your personal development and helps clear away entanglements that may hide or prevent spiritual discernment.
Unfortunately, history is full of examples of people deifying phenomena that are merely Energetic in nature. We invest considerable time and thought pointing out that the study of Energy is a good supporting path for serious spiritual inquiry and suggesting that Senté is not a stand-alone, all-encompassing pursuit. In our view, each person studying Senté should also be engaged in a sound, healthy spiritual path of his or her own choosing, a mind/body practice that is rigorous and supports physical health, a creative artistic practice, and should have access to psychological inquiry, such as counseling, on a regular basis.
Q: What do you mean when you use the term Intent?
A: A good starting point for understanding Intent is to think of it as similar to “the Force” in the film Star Wars. Intent is the power of human awareness to engage, change, and move Energy. It suffuses everything. We can influence it, but we have to surrender to it. At Senté we think of Intent as pure love, and also as pure change. In introductory discussions of Intent, we often describe what it isn’t. Intent seems to be neither intention, nor will, nor visualization, nor desire, wanting, struggling, or controlling.
Q: What are the energy senses that you are talking about?
A: We recognize five distinct energetic senses: linear connection, awareness mote, radiance, resonance, and empathy. Impressions gleaned by means of these senses can be registered and translated into the sorts of impressions we derive from the physical senses, such as visual, auditory, smell, touch, or simply “knowings.” The energy senses can be mapped, which we feel is one of the most important functions that Senté training offers. Mapping the energy senses offers freedom from the wild projections of the subconscious that interfere with the Seeing process. However, many years of study are required to isolate the actions of the various energy senses and validate their use through reality testing.
Q: I find I frequently take on other people’s problems, or even physical symptoms, at work or in my personal life. Is it possible to remain sensitive to others and not be negatively impacted by them?
A: This is a common complaint voiced by newcomers here at the Center. Yes, a major benefit of Senté training is that it promotes comfort and healthy individuation in social settings without requiring individuals to shut down their extraordinary senses.
Senté and Other Energy Systems
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Q: Does Senté Applied Energetics teach about auras and chakras?
A: Not specifically. Aura and chakra are terms by which other paths refer to energy centers associated with the physical body. These energy centers have been well described in other energy-related bodies of work. Senté concerns itself primarily with the more sophisticated structure we call the Energy Body, which can function together or apart from the physical body and which greatly influences all aspects of daily life. You will probably find the Senté material fresh but broadly compatible with other Energy-based systems.
Q: How does Senté Energetics relate to shamanism or Energy healing?
A: Senté training has evoked the concept of the techno-shaman. It is easy to imagine the stereotype of the traditional shaman, who is able to form and sustain a valuable relationship with unseen, powerful forces in nature. Senté holds that this same sort of relationship can be approached by a modern, educated human being who has grown up steeped in physics and material science. Senté studies the Energetics and Intent of healing and wellness, but Senté is one of the few sciences of Energy that does not regard itself primarily as a healing art or a spiritual practice. The study of Energy is an end in itself.
Q: I am a chiropractor and use energy techniques in my practice. Can Senté help me improve my skills?
A: Yes, many chiropractors have used Senté training to enhance their professional effectiveness, and have found the two a fascinating and synergistic combination.
Q: How can Senté help me in my business activities?
A: Senté offers many modalities for assessment of synergy in teams and projects, analysis of roles, compatibilities, communication and enhancement of the clarity and focus required for success. An entire subsection of the Senté body of work is devoted to the Energy and Intent of planning. The guidebook for this subspecialty is titled The Seven Levels of Choice.
Q: Will studying at the Senté Center help me understand the new Quantum Physics principles, such as those described in the movie What the Bleep Do We Know?
A: Yes. The two are pleasantly compatible from our point of view. We very highly recommend What the Bleep and imagine that it was created precisely for the sort of people who would enjoy our work. Senté offers practical, direct pathways to achieve things that are revealed as possible in the film.
Q: I feel like I’m very intuitive. I frequently see things before they happen. Does Senté technology discuss precognition?
A: Senté is a great source of material with which to develop an understanding of what is often called precognition. This is a complex, difficult subject that can nevertheless be approached realistically and in ways that allow people to retain a healthy, positive mental outlook as they explore the possibilities of expanded human consciousness.
Q: I have flying dreams where I’m flying or hovering over my bed, and also lucid dreams. Do you do dream work?
A: Dreaming is one of the twelve practices of Senté, but it is not a practice that we emphasize in training or in our products because of the intimacy involved in sharing dreams. We do offer advice and support relating to dreaming, because energy experiences during physical sleep play a huge role in the development of Seers. We distinguish between dreaming, and sleep Energetics, which often happens when the body is in a sleep state.
Q: Is meditation a part of Senté?
A: Yes, although we leave serious meditation training to the other wonderful paths for whom it is the primary focus. Many Senté students practice yoga, martial arts, and various forms of serious meditation.
Q: How are Senté and Applied Energetics different from the huge variety of other materials that talk about Energy and Intent?
A: Senté’s uniqueness is that it is designed for rigorous-minded professionals who might otherwise not be drawn to the study of Energy and Intent and their effects on daily life. It is the only Energy system we are aware of that does not regard itself primarily as a healing path or a spiritual path.
Q: How similar is Senté to Carlos Castaneda’s work?
A: Many of the techniques and experiences described in Castaneda’s works have direct analogs in Senté. However, Senté is a path that avoids the use of fear and pressure in training. Our model of Energetics is non-predatory and non-conflict-based, in comparison with Castaneda’s more highly charged description of action and colorful characters and serious problems. Senté seeks to avoid drama in the interpretation of Seeing.
Q: How does the study of energy relate to spiritual transformation?
A: Senté, like all serious human paths, may lead some individuals to states that can be described as advanced spiritual consciousness. All paths, in the view of Senté, lead ultimately to a single center.
Q: I have studied in Barbara Brennan’s school for years. Is Senté compatible with her approach and material?
A: Many graduates of Brennan’s school have done very well in Senté. They report that while the two are different, they are harmonious and complementary approaches to the study of Energy.
Wild Attraction
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Q: I am frustrated in my relationship and nothing I do seems to improve our intimacy or reconnects us. I know that much more is more possible. Can the study of energy help me have the depth and enjoyment I want?
A: Energy training is an ideal place to go to improve relationship since Energy is the primary place where communication occurs between people. Through our Energy Body we continually signal one another, act out, make hidden agreements and exchange vital information that can either support or destroy your relationship. Understanding your own Energy system powerfully expands your choices, allows deep, satisfying communication and important self-knowledge to occur, and enables you to see and opt out of repetitive entanglements.
Q: Does the Wild Attraction material include Tantric training?
A: The Wild Attraction material is not a Tantric course. Wild Attraction offers valuable information and unique training that allows healthy dynamics to be in place when choosing a partner. It also offers important Energy techniques for sustaining the high level of intimacy necessary for a successful relationship.
Q: Are Wild Attraction techniques useful for gays, lesbians, and bisexuals?
A: Yes. Same-sex couples, like heterosexual couples, often do not understand how to successfully use Energy to attract and sustain healthy relationships. The principles are the same regardless of your gender preference.
Q: I am curious whether Wild Attraction is designed more for singles or for people in established relationships?
A: Wild Attraction is a wonderful tool for any person wanting to understand and profoundly optimize their own femininity or masculinity. For that reason, people who are not even wanting a relationship will find that they benefit from the personal insight the Wild Attraction material offers. Individuals who are looking for a new relationship or who are already coupled will find that the same Wild Attraction techniques that a single person would use to attract a mate are a necessity in established relationships.
Q: What inspired Paul and Patty to create Wild Attraction?
A: Paul and Patty enjoy a genuinely remarkable relationship—playful, affectionate, deep, and very alive. People around them are often fascinated, and frequently after teaching a course together, they would hear, “I especially loved watching the way you are with each other.” They were often called upon to explain the secret to the vibrancy in their relationship, and they began to share with others that they are always communicating with both their physical and energy bodies. The addition of the energy senses allows them heightened levels of honesty and extraordinary communication. In the context of the Senté School it was natural for them to share the hidden energetic aspects of extraordinary relationship. They would like to see all people experience a fantastic relationship.
Q: Is there any similarity between Wild Attraction and current popular books on relationships?
A: There are many great books currently available on relationship. The majority of them share wonderful expertise in the field of psychology but do not explain or address the Energetics that, in our opinion, can either enhance or diminish intimacy. We see Energetic training as a missing piece in the prevailing contemporary popular and professional science and art literature relating to relationship. Our work is a fine complement to current best sellers on personal psychology.
Senté New Zealand
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Q: What is the history of the relationship between New Zealand and Paul and Patty’s body of work?
A: In the 1980s, after Paul’s initial decade of instruction in Seeing, he set off with his family on an exploratory trip that lasted several years, with New Zealand as one of the key destinations. While traveling, he met a new set of mentors on the North Island, whose influence on him was profound and life-altering. New Zealand, with its remarkable environmental energy, became home for him, and although family circumstances required his return to the United States after a period of residency, Paul has always regarded New Zealand as the center of his personal path and the source of his enthusiasm and most treasured transformations. Today, Paul and Patty divide their time between the USA and New Zealand.
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