Powerball

(This blog was originally posted on January 8, 2016)

Image courtesy of Microsoft

The local news reported that the Saturday, January 9, 2016 Powerball Lottery jackpot had reached $800 million. People were shown purchasing lottery tickets from electronic machines and over the counter at their local grocery or liquor stores. Some favored venues where previous (albeit, considerably lower-value) winning tickets had been purchased in the hope that the location would bring some of the same luck to them. Others chose numbers that represented a significant dates in their lives—wedding anniversary, the age of a pet or child, spouse’s birthdate—in the hope and belief that these digits would show up on each of the winning balls. A recent AP report had punters estimating that the grand prize would surpass $1 billion for the next drawing if no one has the right numbers tomorrow night.

That’s a lot of money.

When asked what they will/would do if they win the jackpot, many people said they would pay off credit-card debts. Buy a new car. Pay off the mortgage on their home and/or even buy a new house—maybe a gift for a senior parent. Some fantasized about going on a shopping spree, taking a cruise around the world. There were so many options and so much money to be spent…

The thing interesting thing about coming into a lot of money so quickly is how quickly it also disappears. We often hear about that actor or athlete who once commanded a high paycheck, or a lucky Lottery winner, is suddenly broke and in debt. How did that happen? we wonder. Where did all the money go?

How a person earns, spends and saves money has a lot to do with the individual’s subconscious mental script about finances. According to Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D., everyone follows a subconscious mental script that is created very early in our lives. We behave and even think in ways that are consistent with that script even when it does not facilitate achievement of our personal goals. Depending on the subconscious mental script about having and handling money, the future winner (or winners) of this Powerball jackpot may have some challenges when it comes to saving or spending all that cash.

For example, someone who grew up having to scrimp and save every penny may continue to behave as if there he does not have any financial security throughout the rest of his life even when this is no longer the case. It doesn’t matter that when he grew up, he got a good job with health and retirement benefits; maybe he even made some good financial investments and is now able to live quite comfortably on the dividends. He may even be a millionaire by now. However, his subconscious mind only knows how it feels to be “poor” and his lifestyle reflects this belief. Consequently, he still drives the same car he’s owned the past 15 years (and will until it can’t be repaired anymore), wears clothes he’s owned for 30 years, never goes on vacation and rarely treats himself with a meal at a restaurant. After all, who knows where money for the next meal is coming from? He is careful to save every penny he has, because that is what he “learned” while he was growing up. This is what he knows how to do.

Conversely, that person may follow a different mental script that says he should spend every penny that comes his way. He watched his parents earn and spend money. Whether the family possessed a lot of money at one time or just a little, there was usually enough for basic needs. And when there was a little bit extra on-hand, they spent that, too. After all, who knew when that opportunity would come around again? If the individual was consistently exposed to this kind of “feast or famine” attitude about money, he likely learned to assuage his physical or emotional discomfort (e.g., hunger or envy) was to spend cash when he had it. Unfortunately, these spending sprees often lead the person back to the “famine” part of the cycle because, at the end of the day, this state is more comfortable (“known”) to his subconscious mind.

Each scenario poses distinct challenges for the future winner of this Powerball jackpot. Someone who is used to conserving money will likely need to learn how to feel comfortable spending some of it. On the other hand, someone who is used to or even feels compelled to spending money whenever he has it will need to learn how to feel comfortable about choosing not to spend that winning ticket. 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified clinical 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/.

© 2017

The Cubical Release

(This blog was originally posted on August 18, 2016)

Photo by Rick Hustead

“Cubical release” refers to the volume of sperm a man releases in an ejaculation. According to John Kappas, Ph.D., there is a significant difference between the amount of sperm that a Physical Sexual male versus an Emotional Sexual male release during sex (penetration or masturbation).

According to the Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder, a Physical Sexual man wants to dominate his (female) partner and prove he is her best lover. By releasing one cubical of sperm in each ejaculation he can have as many as four releases in the duration of an encounter. This individual often represses his orgasm to increase the intensity of the experience and to work to pleasure his partner. However, repressing an ejaculation this way can increase the man’s risk of prostate trouble later in life.

Conversely, an Emotional Sexual man has one goal in sex: to achieve orgasm. Whether he masturbates or has intercourse, he will release three cubicals of sperm in one ejaculation and is generally “done” with sex for the night after that. He may be able to have 1 ½ ejaculations before needing recovery time. However, the Emotional Sexual male risks having a “dry” release as a consequence of repeated sex if he does not control the amount of sperm released in each ejaculation. An exception would be if the relationship is new or if it is in the honeymoon stage, during which he is generally more amenable to and interested in sexual congress. 

Cubical release is tied into the stages of development in terms of what the man was taught about masturbation and sex as he was growing up and his early/previous sexual experiences. For example, his first sexual experience as a teenager may be highlighted by the need to rush to ejaculate quickly, before his parents came home unexpectedly and he got caught having sex with his girlfriend. Or, if a man’s partner was not responsive to his sexual overtures he may subconsciously inhibit his sexual desire or ejaculatory response (e.g., the three-day cycle for sexual receptivity or Emotional and Physical incompatibilities). Cultural taboos about intercourse or masturbation may also affect a man’s sexual desire, behavior and/or ability to ejaculate in some situations.

However, during hypnosis the hypnotherapist can use suggestions to replace the negative associations about sex, ejaculation or orgasm that the man or his partner may have that also contribute to the sexual dysfunction. The hypnotherapist can also explain techniques for the couple to incorporate in their sexual repertoire, including oral sex and changing positions to control the cubical release and thus increase a man’s ability to have intercourse.

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/.

© 2017

A Day With the Wolves

Many years ago, my family spent part of each summer at a cabin in Lake Arrowhead, California. This became one of my favorite places to visit. The temperature was always about 10 to 20 degrees cooler up there, the air was clear and heavily scented with pine, and being in the mountains was an entirely different world from the hustle-and-bustle of a city. It was like time stopped and the opportunity to experience the “wild” of the wilderness. Of course, wildlife in Lake Arrowhead consisted mostly of squirrels (a lot of squirrels), blue jays and crazy-big spiders. There was also a wolf.

Whitey was actually a wolf-dog hybrid. He belonged to the people who owned the cabin next door and spent most of his time outside. He was a fairly big animal, as I recall; his long white fur was coarse and his head and face seemed larger than most dogs I had ever seen. I can’t remember if Whitey’s eyes were amber like his lupine relatives, or if his teeth were larger than a typical dog’s. But the moment I found out that this canine was part wolf, I couldn’t spend enough time with him. I wasn’t afraid of him. He was always gentle and affectionate, although I probably should have been a little more cautious around him. (His daughter, Tia, was another story and I was much more wary and aware around her.) But my first experience with a wolf—or part-wolf—was definitely positive. As I write this blog I can only wonder if those interactions with Whitey created a subconscious known/subconscious mental script that formed my lifelong interest in and passion for these animals.

Last summer I had an opportunity to attend a presentation about wolves at the Placerita Canyon Nature Center. Despite the heat, at least 100 people came out to see the animals, Damu and Cael, from Project Wildsong. You could hear the collected intake of breath as the organization’s executive director, Kimmi Kraus, and one of her colleagues brought the wolves out. She explained that they were actually wolf-dog hybrids, with 90 percent wolf DNA and 10 percent domestic dog. That was initially disappointing—I expected to see true wolves—but I agreed with her explanation that it would be counterintuitive and counterproductive to remove a wolf from the wild to teach people about these endangered animals. Damu and Cael certainly looked like true wolves with their long, long legs, large feet and sharp facial features. (In fact, one of Cael’s cousins reportedly had a starring role as a Dire Wolf in Game of Thrones on HBO.) They certainly had many lupine behaviors, Kraus reassured, which Damu promptly demonstrated when he easily jumped onto a picnic table and looked back at—watched—everyone staring, awe-struck, at him.

Ms. Kraus described the history of wolves as being alternately reviled and beloved animals, explaining their role as a keystone species like bears and mountain lions that help to maintain a healthy balance between predator and prey species. She pointed out the wolves’ physical features and showed Damu’s paws. At one point, she had him open his mouth so we could look at his teeth: FYI, they are much bigger than the average domestic dog’s. 

For me, the highlight of the event happened at the very end, after the presentation had concluded and audience members were starting to leave. Damu was sitting on the picnic table again—he switched spots with Cael earlier—and I found myself in front of him waiting to ask Ms. Kraus a question. For a moment, we were face to face, and Damu leaned forward and licked me a few times. Many people were petting him or scratching his back, but until that moment I hadn’t tried to touch him. Of course, once he licked me I inferred the gesture was an invitation for contact (emotional suggestibility); I only barely restrained my urge to give him a hug and settled for stroking his left shoulder and back. 

When I finally stepped back and started to make my way back to my car, I checked over my shoulder and saw that the wolf still looking for me. It was like a blast from the past, reminding me how I used to cuddle and play with Whitey, the first wolf I ever met. All I can say about both experiences is that nothing compares to the way a wolf looks at you, through you. I still have goose-bumps.

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/.

© 2017