Physicist Albert Einstein is credited with saying "Imagination is more important than knowledge." French psychologist, Emile Coue (pronounced coo-way) said... "When imagination and the willpower are in conflict, it is always imagination that wins, without exception." Many times lack of willpower is blamed for failures in life. If you can't imagine yourself as fit, healthy or anything else that you want, you will struggle. Many may apply willpower to achieve a goal, but fail because they cannot imagine themselves at that place. But, they (and sometimes others) blame a lack of willpower without realizing the real culprit. Simply stated:
IF YOU IMAGINE SOMETHING AS POSSIBLE IT IS POSSIBLE; IF YOU IMAGINE SOMETHING AS IMPOSSIBLE IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. If you can't imagine yourself as successful, willpower alone won't provide success. Psychologist Coue also espoused that "when the imagination and willpower are harmoniously pulling in the same direction, irresistible force will result." Willpower is favorable for resisting short-term temptation or wants to achieve long-term results. Let us use the Cambridge Dictionary definition of willpower as the ability to control your own thoughts and the way you behave. Think of willpower as comprised of * I won't * I will power * I want power (remembering what you want). A growing plethora of research reveals that resisting temptations (alone) depletes you mentally and decreases your willpower. You have only a finite amount of willpower in any given day and it is dependent on numerous factors. If you are not feeling "aces" or are down and out, you will have less willpower than if you're vibrant, refreshed and rested. Let us take a peek at imagination. It is the act or power of forming a mental image of something not present to the senses or never before wholly perceived in reality, as defined by Merriam Webster Dictionary. It is the creative ability to form images, ideas, and sensations in the mind without any immediate input of the five (5) senses. My last post discussed logic vs. emotion, today we go a bit deeper as it relates to hypnosis and why it is usually so successful. Examining the world of imagination and will power for a smoker is a great example. Logically the smoker knows (or should know) that smoking is detrimental to health and a person should use willpower to stop smoking, right? But, lo and behold, something causes them to smoke at certain times of the day. That voice is coming from the imagination and the smoker succumbs to that signal. They do not realize but subconsciously the smoker is following images embedded in the mind, the image of smoking. The same holds true for a person battling with weight issues. Said person applies willpower to eat the right things. However, if this person has an image as an overweight person, the image will win and weight loss cannot be achieved. It is again the battle of logic versus emotion. If I I asked you to walk along a 10 inch wide and 6 foot long board that rested on the floor, you'd probably have no problem accomplishing the easy task. However, if I raise that same board 3 feet you would probably hesitate, and have some trouble completing the request, right? Why? It is the same board! However the hesitation comes from imagining a fall from the 3 foot height. What if it were even higher? Most likely that image of falling would be stronger than your willpower to walk across it. So now you can begin to see the mystery unravel. Willpower is important but is not the total answer. It is true that the decision to change requires your willpower. But once movement to change is started, imagination (usually visualization) comes next. Definite images within the mind pull you toward accomplishing what you imagine. Visualization is a very well-developed method of improving performance and that fact is borne out by scientific studies. Visualization is also used by successful individuals. Seeing something in your mind's eye is crucial for professional athletes too. The brain can change according to neuroscience. If we do something repeatedly, it strengthens neural connections related to that behavior, creating what is referenced as habit. Habit requires repetition for 21 to 30 days in order to create this neural pathway. You must however do this action over and over in order for the imagination and visualization to create the new image in your subconscious; therefore, reinforcing the new behavior. Psychologist Emile Coue in his research states that "suggestions only become permanent with repetition". Another application of this is learning to operate a motor vehicle. Do you remember back then? It was a process of learning a series of coordinating steps to accomplish your task. First, there was focus until sequence was an image in your mind. After repeatedly executing what was in the imagination and through experience, your brain created that neural path for driving a vehicle and now driving is an automatic experience (habit). Hypnosis relies upon the sense of visualization more than any of the other senses. Hypnotists use phrases requiring visualization during every session; phrases such as "see yourself doing...", "visualize something", "as you see yourself in your powerful imagination performing... notice how happy it makes you feel". An imagination built via visualization works because the building blocks of your neural pathways, the neurons, see imagery as equivalent to actions that occur in reality. Emile Coue also came up with the Universal Laws that shows how the mind processes suggestions into a belief system. 1. Law of Concentrated Attention When you repeatedly concentrate on and idea, it tends too become true for you. 2. Law of Reverse Effect The more you think about not doing something the more you imagine yourself doing it and the imagination will win. 3. Law of Dominant Effect Focusing on something is more effective when combined with strong emotion. In essence, the more we associate information gathered by our 5 senses with whatever we imagine the stronger the image becomes. The brain does not distinguish between imagined or real, period! Therefore, a neural pathway can be triggered as simply as imagining it happening. This one simple fact is why hypnosis is a powerful modality for healing and changing lives. Let us remember what Albert Einstein said (see the top of this article), and remember to focus on your imagination, then follow the mental and/or intuitive prompts. So there you have it. Willpower alone does not usually result in complete success in attaining a goal. It's the beginning of that journey, but you need to use that powerful imagination of yours to complete the task. There is so much research that has already been conducted and it is readily available on the internet if you would like to continue learning about this subject. In closing, please note that hypnosis is not something to fear. We spend more than 70 percent of our daily lives in trance, it's a normal everyday occurrence, like breathing. A trained, certified hypnotist is more than capable of helping you help yourself, and most take great pride in helping you attain your goals, no matter how lofty or humble they may be. Please visit lakesregionhypnosis.com to check out other hypnosis articles and some services we provide. In fact if you do not see a service listed, inquire at peacefullighthealers.com and we can either help you or help direct you to another professional hypnotist. Feel free to SHARE this article and please LIKE us on Facebook. Until our next encounter, be safe and be well. BREATHE - RELAX - HEAL
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Welcome to Lakes Region Hypnosis Center's information sharing blogAuthorRich Burke I would like to begin my blogging career (sounds funny for a 60-something to be saying) by just introducing myself and some of the services we provide. My goal is to introduce you all to me and the wonderful worlds of hypnosis and other alternative, less expensive (in the long run) healing modalities we provide and clearly work. My intention is to also educate the public through my blogging.
I am a 67 year old who refuses to retire. I have worn many hats in my many careers, one could say it took me a long time to discover what I wanted to be or do when I grew up. I will say it did take me a while though. I've been part of management team where I was responsible for a multi-million dollar communication budget in a large financial institution. I left the corporate world as a thirty something and became a healthcare worker in a county nursing home. This was a very rewarding vocation by the way, but the greedy corporate world began sticking their fingers in the proverbial pot and infesting that career with their greed and gluttony. But, that's a whole different blogging path for the politically inclined, and does not belong here. I finished my career as a political action coordinator for a national public employee union and was forced out to pasture. Yes folks, even the unions have their dark side. But, I've always wanted to help others along the way, a healer so to speak. Whether a human client or a pet client (Animal Reiki attuned), I have always been driven to open up my heart, mind and arms to those who need some assistance along the way. I began seeking a healing path for myself and something to provide comfort to others. I entered my chrysalis stage, my transition to the more spiritual path, that of a provider of proven alternative healing modalities. I became a Reiki Master/Teacher, actually being attuned through a local Reiki Master from Gilmanton and another from the West Coast. and still felt there there was more. I began various training along the way, as a physical medium, a crystal worker, and so on and so forth. I rounded out my resume at the Thomas Institute of Hypnosis and the National Guild of Hypnotists becoming a Certified Consulting Hypnotist. And this is the "Readers Digest" version of how I got to where I am now. Operating out of Tilton, New Hampshire, ergo the name Lakes Region Hypnosis Center; we also perform Reiki healing sessions under Peaceful Light Healing (or PLH). PLH was my first organization and is now a part of our Lakes Region Hypnosis Center operation. Effectively combining both powerful tools (Hypnosis & Reiki) and we have created a healing modality second to none and without OPIODS. Healing others is a love and passion for us. Continuous education in the art of hypnosis on a regular basis, as well as consuming mandatory reading material is part of our modus operandi and in our operations manual. We also teach healing techniques at various metaphysical facilities and institutions. Sharing information at community events and local libraries, schools, and other public and private venues is always on our agenda. So please, continue to watch this website for updated events. Maybe learn a thing or two about hypnosis, Reiki, or even a bit about physical mediumship. But, be sure to watch my blogs for upcoming information to help demystify hypnosis and bring it to the forefront of where it belongs. The subconscious mind is a powerful tool for healing; and remember this, "if you can think it, it CAN happen". And don't forget about the Reiki! Future posts will include myths and phobias of hypnotism, pain management, healthy living, stress and stressors, encountering negative suggestions and negative self talk, self hypnotism, emotional trauma, mind-body spirit, subconscious mind, daily affirmations and intentions, circumstance or predetermined, deja vu all over again, breathing techniques, Reiki, chakra centers, Past Life Regression "real or not" and many more topics on healing. So until the next post, Breath - Relax - Heal. Namasate P.S. Please let me know how I performed in my first blog post ever. Archives
February 2022
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