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| Photo by Rick Hustead |
How many parents have asked their child, “What weighs more: a ton of
coal or a ton of feathers?”
Many times, the kid’s first response is to say, “Coal!” The answer seems
so obvious. How could those fluffy, white, light-as-air fibers that stuff our
pillows weigh more than a chunk of dark, dense rock?
At this point the parents patiently, lovingly correct the youngster and
explain how and why there is no difference between the total weights of the
objects, although one sample of each object’s weight will obviously be
different. It takes a while, but we eventually understand the difference.
I bring up this example to remind us all how the mind learns and
processes information: in pictures. When you read “lemon” right now, you may or
may not see a yellow, oval object with a fresh scent and tart/tangy taste that
makes your mouth water when you bite into it. Or, is your mind watering right
now just thinking about it? Either way, how you imagine the word comes down to how
and what you know and understand a lemon to be and your suggestibility
(how you learn).
Now, think back to when you were a very little boy or girl, just
learning how to speak. Most likely, the grown-up teaching you a new word paired
the sound coming out of his or her mouth with a corresponding photo or image.
For example, when you learned the word “cat” or “dog” you were probably also
shown a photograph of the animal; or, your parent pointed to your pet if you
had one of those animals at home. Over and over, your repeated exposure to the
word or phrase with its physical or symbolic representation until you
automatically thought/saw/understood the word you saw or heard on its own.
Speaking of animals, your concept of an innocuous, interesting animal
may be very different from that of another person’s. A herpetologist (snake
expert) may find exotic snakes like the black mamba, coral snakes and cobras
dangerous in the context of needing to take special care when studying or tracking
them in their natural environments. However, the person’s fascination with
these species and the need to develop effective anti-venom may not deter the
individual from handling and interacting with them to achieve this goal. Most
people think baby animals like kittens, puppies, foals, and even bear or lion
cubs are adorable. On the other hand, if you have ever been bitten or scratched
even by one of these infants you know that the immediate sensation is usually
some level of discomfort if not genuine pain. If you live somewhere bears, lions
and elephants pose a genuine threat to your safety and that of your family and
livestock, even a picture of the baby or its adult counterpart can induce fear
or phobic anxiety.
What about money? It is more common to see a symbol—$, £, €, ¥, etc.—to indicate
U.S. dollars, English pound sterling, Euros or Japanese yen, etc.—followed by
the numeric value than to see the quantity expressed in words. Most of us
already know what the symbol of our currency looks like and can easily
substitute this short-hand without any confusion. In fact, when I teach my
clients how to use Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D.’s Mental Bank
Concept, one of the first things I tell them is how the mind associates
numbers with value, which is why we pay ourselves “symbolic” money to reinforce
the concept of self-worth.
Since each person’s concept and interpretation of any term or experience
can be so different from another’s, when I work with clients in hypnotherapy I
encourage them to activate these various perceptions through therapeutic
guided imagery. To do this, I suggest that they “visualize, imagine,
picture or pretend” that they are in a specific situation. The options in this
language enable the person to identify and latch onto a concept anyway they
experience it. Whether you see the yellow, oval shape and the porous skin of a
lemon (direct and literal) or your mouth starts to water just thinking about
the fruit’s tart juice (metaphoric), I want you to completely “experience” that
full experience. It is all good. Ultimately, the words, images, pictures and
symbols with which you process the objects, people and events in your existence
will determine how you experience them.
Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist
based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation
Institute in 2005. For more
information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy® and to set up an
appointment, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.
© 2016
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