To minimize risk of exposure to and spread of the COVID-19 virus and COVID-19 variants, I am continuing to suspend in-person hypnotherapy sessions with me in my office. Meanwhile, phone, and Zoom consultations ARE and WILL REMAIN AVAILABLE!
(This blog was originally posted on August 19, 2014)
When I was an
editor at Black Belt® magazine, I often came across the
following quote in which martial artists were urged to practice mushin no shin or “mind of no mind”
during combat or competition. Basically, this term philosophy urges you to empty your mind and turn off your emotions
so you can think and perceive what’s going on around you. I had an opportunity
to practice this philosophy while I hung out with Galahad this afternoon.
The time I
spent with my horse was not in combat but in a kind of moving meditation as I
groomed him. Once I had him secured in the cross-ties, I turned all of my
attention to making him feel relaxed while I gently curried away shedding hairs
and dirt. He did a lot of sighing and fluttered his nostrils a few times, so I
am pretty sure he was beyond comfortable and probably a little blissed out
during his mega-grooming session. (My trainer has commented several times that
my horse is a bit hedonistic.)
Unlike Galahad,
complete relaxation has never been easy for me; it is a rare day that I am not doing two or three things at one
time. Even spending quiet time at the barn is not an inherently relaxing
activity. For example, I always need to know where my feet and hands are to
avoid being accidentally stepped on or nibbled when I give Galahad a treat. I
have to be careful not to let my horse walk directly behind me when I lead him
or he could run right over me if something spooked him and he bolted forward.
When I ride, I must use various parts of my body to ensure that I communicate
exactly what I want my horse to do and he understands what I am asking for. In
addition, my entire body must be soft and relaxed while I remain aware of my
surroundings and alert to anything that could spook my horse, including changes
in my body that indicate I’m not focused on what I’m doing.
Of course, the
reason why I sometimes have so much trouble quieting my mind and directing my
focus is, multi-tasking is my go-to behavior. It is my known. Even though I was physically relaxed while I groomed my
horse—the repetitive motions of currying and brushing are actually hypnotizing,
pun intended—my mind was anything but. Random thoughts kept popping into my
head: What should I blog about today? Has
so-and-so received my e-mail? I have to get ready for that meeting tomorrow,
etc. Whenever my thoughts drifted away from what I was doing with Galahad,
he would politely by pointedly change his posture as if to remind me to pay
attention to what I was doing. After all, this was his time to be with me and get fussed over.
Spending time
with my horse is my favorite time of day and my absolute favorite thing to do,
but I sometimes have trouble completely turning off the rest of the world even
when I’m with him. Today was one of those days. I know I shouldn’t have to work
so hard at relaxing but, let’s face it: sometimes tuning out is really hard
work. My conscious mind knows that it should not be more stressful to relax and
take time to decompress from the day than it is for me to multi-task various
responsibilities I must fulfill and projects to complete during the day. My
subconscious mind knows otherwise: Multi-tasking is my default, go-to behavior.
It is a subconscious known, an established behavior, a mental
script. Furthermore, according to John
Kappas, Ph.D.’s Theory
of Mind, I reinforce that behavior every day, when I am working (e.g.,
preparing for a session, working and following up with clients after their
appointment and taking continuing education courses). Then I go out to the barn
and ride/hang out with my horse, where I typically do several things at the
barn just to stay safe. (As much as I love and trust Galahad, I know that I am
physically no match against his 900-pound might if I ended up in the wrong
place at the wrong time.)
Well, I have
been working very diligently to rewrite that old subconscious
mental script that says I have to multi-task every minute of my day. I’m
pleased to say that after a few false starts this afternoon I was finally able
to get into a groove with Galahad when I was able to tune out that extra
chatter in my head for longer and longer periods of time. When I caught myself
thinking about something that didn’t have to do with him, I simply re-directed my
attention back on Galahad where it belonged. By the end of our afternoon
together, the image and sound of him contentedly nibbling on grass and the
earthy smells around me were the only thoughts on my mind.
Mind of no mind.
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Hi, there. I am Tom Neil and I want to describe how life had been for my younger brother living with schizophrenia and how he had been permanently able to overcome this debilitating disease via a naturopathic, herbal method.
ReplyDeleteMaicon - my kid brother was twenty years old when he was brought to the emergency room by the campus police of the college from which he had been suspended several months ago. A professor had called and reported that he had walked into his classroom, accused him of taking his tuition money, and refused to leave.
Although he had much academic success as a teenager, his behavior had become increasingly odd during the past year. He quit seeing his friends and no longer seemed to care about his appearance or social pursuits. He began wearing the same clothes each day and seldom bathed. He lived with several family members but rarely spoke to any of them. When he did talk to them, he said he had found clues that his college was just a front for an organized crime operation. He had been suspended from college because of missing many classes. My sister said that she had often seen him mumbling quietly to himself and at times he seemed to be talking to people who were not there. He would emerge from my room and ask my family to be quiet even when they were not making any noise.
My father and sister told the staff that Maicon's great-grandmother had had a serious illness and had lived for 30 years in a state hospital, which they believed was a mental hospital. Our mother left the family when Maicon was very young. She has been out of touch with us, and they thought she might have been treated for mental health problems.
Maicon agreed to sign himself into the psychiatric unit for treatment. The whole family except I had agreed to have Maicon transferred to a mental asylum. I knew inwardly there was still some plausible means by which my kid brother could overcome this condition. I knew botanical means of treatment will be more favorable than any other type of treatment, and as such, I had taken a keen interest in the research of naturopathic alternative measures suitable for the treatment of schizophrenia. I had pleaded for some little patience from the family in the delay of the transfer, I was looking forward to proving a point to the entire family, of a positive botanical remedy for this condition.
It was during my ceaseless search on the internet I had been fortunate enough to come across Dr. Utu Herbal Cure: an African herbalist and witch doctor whose professional works had majored on the eradication of certain viral conditions, especially schizophrenia, ( improving the memory capacity positively), via a traditional, naturopathic process and distinguished diet plan. It was by the administration of this herbal specialist that my brother had been able to improve his condition for better.
Before the naturopathic remedy - Maicon's story had reflected a common case, in which a high-functioning young adult goes through a major decline in day-to-day skills. Although family and friends may feel this is a loss of the person they knew, the illness can be treated and a good outcome is possible.
My brother Maicon is just like many other patients out there suffering from this disease. Although he was able to overcome this condition via a naturopathic herbal remedy administered by this African herbal physician and saved completely thus, rekindling the lost joy which had been experienced by the family members.
I wish to use this opportunity to reach across to anyone who may happen to be diagnosed with this disastrous condition to spread the hope of an everlasting herbal remedy that is capable of imposing a permanent end to this disease.
For more information concerning this naturopathic herbal remedy, feel free to contact this African herbal practitioner via email:
drutuherbalcure@gmail.com