In his book Above Black, Dan Sherman explains that he was told that in the summer of 1960 his mother was visited by aliens, and that random tests were being conducted on the general populace at the time to determine compatibility. Whilst Dan Sherman was still in his mother's womb, he had been implanted ("genetically manipulated") to enable him to make contact with aliens through "intuitive communications". For three years he took part in a programme, called "Project Preserve Destiny" in which he communicated with an alien species. These communications were not spoken, but happened "intuitively," in his mind. His experiences are not unique. Most contactees and abductees report that the extraterrestrials they encountered used telepathy to communicate. Many report how the aliens can read their minds, and transmit 'telepathic visions.'

In these circumstances, it becomes apparent that if we want to interact with ET, our consciousness plays a crucial part. We have to adapt our consciousness, as well as our perceptions.

In Visitors from Within, pp. viii & xii, Lyssa Royal and Keith Priest explained this as follows:

UFOs and visitors do not originate in our reality. Therefore, they do not conform to the laws of our reality. To attempt to understand them using only the laws of our reality will always keep us at arms length from any significant answer.

We need a new paradigm with which to understand the visitor phenomenon. We already know that our encounters with them break the rules of third-dimensional thought, perception and reality. We must then look beyond what we know to be true. We must stretch the limits of our imagination in order to break through the walls that divide our reality from theirs. It is only there - in that realm that is as yet undefined - where we will find our answers. [...]

Thus they cannot approach us in our world directly. But approach us they will; through the back doors, attics and basements of our minds. They must come to us through their perception of them.

These visitors must therefore come to us through the unreal, the realms that we have denied in our daily waking lives - the archetypal and elemental realms, the dream realm, and the realm of our imagination.

Similarly, while explaining how he can communicate with us through space and time, Bashar, an extraterrestrial entity channeled by Daryl Anka, once said: "I find your consciousness within mine".

It is in this context that Rebecca Hardcastle came up with the concept of 'exoconsciousness' :

Humans seem to possess an extraterrestrial consciousness, or exoconsciousness, which is integral to our bodies and our minds. We seem to possess a cosmic consciousness which links us directly to what the ancients called the “star visitors” and we term “extraterrestrials.” Consciousness studies held the potential for research to validate this subjective experience of exoconsciousness. Consciousness research was the fabled breadcrumb path that might lead us home to the stars. ("Exoconsciousness: Beyond the Brain - a Second Chance", in Exopolitics Journal, Vol. 1.2., p. 101).

In order for us to successfully interact and communicate with ET, we have to tap into that part of our consciousness that we have in common with them, i.e. our 'exoconsciousness.'

The study of exoconsciousness is still in its very early stages, but may become a necessity if we want to engage in a dialogue with ET.

Body text from Exopolitics South Africa