A computer-implemented method of directing mental exercise includes providing, by a first output component, a stimulus representing an imagined perception, experience or activity that a user should attempt to generate in their mind providing, by a second output component, an instruction for the user to perform a mental exercise that includes instructing the user to generate an internal felt sense of the imagined perception, experience or activity receiving, at a user interface, an input that characterizes the users internal felt sense, where the input includes an overt response from the user determining, by a processing module, an attribute of the received input determining, by the processing module and based on the determined attribute, a next instruction storing at least one of the determined attribute and the determined next instruction in one or more memory locations and training the user, including presenting the determined attribute, and providing the next instruction.
