Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Words, Symbols, Pictures and Images

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/.
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