umwelt-practice

Trigger: /umwelt-practice

Sensory augmentation exercises for extending awareness of your own senses and imaginative exploration of other organisms' perceptual worlds. Based on von Uexkull's umwelt theory (1934) and Carl Hayden Smith's umwelt hacking concept. CONTRAINDICATED for dissociative disorders.

Agents

• Hyperhumanism Researcher - Umwelt theory and embodied cognition evidence
• Umwelt Facilitator - Practice design and dissociation safety
• Content Writer - Practice language and framing
• Ethics Guardian - Dissociation safety review (CRITICAL)

Inputs

Input	Required	Description
focus	Yes	Practice focus (e.g., "sensory inventory", "bat sensing")
level	No	inventory, foregrounding, perceiving_as_other
organism	No	Target organism for Level 3 (forest, octopus, bat, etc.)

Outputs

• umwelt-practice.md - Complete practice guide
• sensory-map.md - Before/after sensory awareness template
• grounding-guide.md - Return-to-default protocol

Examples

Sensory inventory:

/umwelt-practice "sensory inventory" --level inventory

Proprioception foregrounding:

/umwelt-practice "proprioception focus" --level foregrounding

Forest perceiving-as-other:

/umwelt-practice "forest sensing" --level perceiving_as_other

Practice Levels

Level	Duration	Safety	Screening Required
1. Sensory Inventory	10-15 min	Standard	None additional
2. Sensory Foregrounding	15-20 min	Enhanced	Standard mental health
3. Perceiving-as-Other	20-25 min	Maximum	Full Tier 2 dissociation
4. Integration	5-10 min	Standard	None additional

Target Organisms

Organism	Key Senses
Forest	Chemical signaling, root networks, light spectrum
Mycelium	Chemical gradients, moisture, network signaling
Octopus	Distributed intelligence, chemotactile, body morphing
Bat	Echolocation, ultrasonic hearing, spatial sound
Whale	Low-frequency communication, pressure, magnetic nav

Safety: Perceiving-as-Other (Level 3)

CONTRAINDICATED for:

• Active dissociative disorders (DID)
• Active depersonalization/derealization
• Active psychosis
• Severe PTSD with dissociative features

Required safety features:

• Full Tier 2 screening before Level 3
• Maximum 5-minute imagination segments
• Grounding between every segment
• "Imagine" language throughout (NEVER "become" or "you are")
• Return-to-Default Protocol (MANDATORY)

Return-to-Default Protocol

1. Name 5 things you can see
2. Say your full name aloud
3. Touch a solid surface and describe its texture
4. State today's date and your location
5. Take 3 normal breaths before standing

Research Basis

Evidence level: Established (umwelt theory) / Preliminary (practice)

Von Uexkull's umwelt theory (1934) is established biology. Embodied cognition research supports the idea that directed sensory attention shifts perceptual experience. Smith's umwelt hacking concept — deliberately shifting perceptual frames through practice — is a theoretical framework. Perceiving-as-other is an imagination exercise, not actual perceptual access.

Quality Gates

Before output is finalized:

• Level-appropriate content and safety
• Dissociation screening present for Level 3
• "Imagine" framing consistent (never "become")
• Perceiving-as-other segments max 5 minutes
• Grounding between every Level 3 segment
• Return-to-default protocol present and complete
• Umwelt concept attributed (von Uexkull 1934)
• Contraindication list present
• Stop-anytime messaging

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Every creature carries a world within its senses. Noticing your own is the first revolution.