More than five million Americans are "Anomalously Sensitive Persons (ASPs)". An Anomalously Sensitive Person exhibits uncommonly high levels of sensitivity, not only in the emotional realm, but also in the physiological, cognitive, altered states of consciousness and transpersonal ("metaphysical," "paranormal," or "psychic") realms as well. These characteristics are essentially the same characteristics that identify those who, in New Age parlance, are spoken of as "Star Children," "Crystal Children," "Indigo Children," or "Walk Ins." Whatever the label might be, the book "The H.I.S.S. of the A.S.P." is a tribute to these highly sensitive persons.

Many of history's great artists, scientists and humanitarians, including Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mother Theresa, Leonardo da Vinci and Frank Lloyd Wright, as evidenced by distinctive features in their lives and work, were probably anomalously sensitive persons.

An Anomalously Sensitive Person can have her/his sensitivity manifest in many different ways: in the physiological realm as immune/auto-immune disorders, environmental sensitivity, or sensory hypersensitivity; in the cognitive realm as attention deficit disorder, learning disorders, or memory disorders; in the emotional realm as depression, bipolar disorder, or heightened empathy; in the altered states of consciousness realm as creativity, dissociation, or sleep disorders; and in the Transpersonal Experiences realm as Extra-Sensory Perception (ESP), Psychokinesis (PK), Out-Of-Body Experiences (OOBE), Trance Channeling, or Kundalini Arousal. The traits of the Anomalously Sensitive Person, which originate in the structure and chemistry of the brain, have important psychological, medical, educational and social implications. While persons who are highly sensitive may have a variety of psychological and physical difficulties, including decreased life expectancy, simplistic attempts to correct this condition may be at the expense of undermining potential genius.

Drawing on vivid case histories and concrete data generated by testing hundreds of people with an innovative questionnaire, David Ritchey investigates the links between a person's sensitivity and a host of other factors related to biology ("nature"), history ("nurture") and temperament ("personality"). He explores the origins of anomalous sensitivity, discusses its pitfalls and possibilities, explains how to turn it into a vital asset, and makes the world of the ASP comprehensible.

Combining ten years of solid scientific research with fifteen years of clinical insight, Ritchey's persuasive, leading-edge work in the field of transpersonal psychology carries the reader to the frontiers of higher consciousness and human potential. This is a thought-provoking, life-changing book that has profound significance for the ultimate comprehension of the nature of the human spirit.

The HISS Questionnaire for determining possible ASPness is available elsewhere on this web site.

The book, "The H.I.S.S. of the A.S.P." is available for $34.95 + $3.00 from: Headline Books , P.O. Box 52, Terra Alta, WV 26764