(This blog was originally posted on December 16, 2014)
One
of my favorite holiday traditions is to watch the 1964 stop-action film, Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Yes, after repeating this activity since I was a very young child, it is now a
subconscious known for me. So, last week I curled up in front of the television
and sipped a home-made eggnog latte while I enjoyed the familiar story one more
time. For fun, I tried to notice “new” things in and about the show that I
might have overlooked in previous viewings. I did: I saw a tuft of bright
yellow hair sprouting between the tiny antlers of Dasher, Rudolph’s new friend
at the reindeer tryouts. And then it dawned on me that that Comet, the “coach”
of the reindeer tryouts, was sporting a baseball cap as well as a whistle. How
had I never spotted those details before?
I know from my
hypnotherapy training that it is normal and natural to not notice every aspect or characteristic about a person or an
event. There are so many physical stimuli in the world that we could perceive
that being consciously aware of each sensation would be completely
overwhelming. To protect us from this kind of overload, the subconscious mind
automatically associates and characterizes information (message units) as being
“known,” or familiar; and “unknown,” or unfamiliar. Over time, we automatically
ignore the known information because after repeated exposure, the SCM knows
there is no associated danger with the stimulus and it can focus on other
things. Conversely, a new piece of information can signify danger, and we will
respond to that stimulus defensively until we feel safe and comfortable again.
This model forms
the basis of Hypnosis Motivation Institute
founder John Kappas, Ph.D.’s Theory of
Mind. According to Dr. Kappas, the
subconscious part of the mind is uncomfortable about and resistant to doing new
or different things even when the conscious mind (logic, reason,
will-power/free-will and reasoning) says that it’s okay to do so. The SCM likes
and wants to stick to what is familiar, comforting and safe: i.e., what it knows. Guess what? The characters
in Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
seemed to behave according to their own specific set of known and unknown
message units, too. Furthermore, the characters’ attitudes and behaviors
mirrored a lot of our own (e.g., bullying, low self-esteem, specific beliefs
about the holidays). Following are more of my observations about the program in
the context of Dr. Kappas’s Theory of Mind.
·
When Rudolph is born, his father, Donner, is
horrified that his son has a shiny red nose. No other reindeer has a red nose.
Even Santa Claus initially dismisses Rudolph as being eligible as a member of
the sleigh team because of it. Donner immediately fashions a cover for the
young buck’s nose to conceal Rudolph’s “nonconformity.” However, when the cover
slips off to reveal Rudolph’s shiny nose after the flying tryouts (which he
wins), his peers laugh at and ostracize him.
·
Meanwhile, back at Santa’s Castle, an elf named
Hermey is having a hard time in the workshop. His boss and colleagues ridicule
him because he wants to be a dentist, not a toymaker.
·
Even though their characteristics and talents
are different (unknown) to each other, the fact that Hermey and Rudolph are
social outcasts in their communities enables them to bond over this shared
status. Later on, they also befriend Yukon Cornelius, a nonconforming mineral
prospector who goes with them to the Island of Misfit Toys in hopes of finding
someplace they all do fit in.
·
The Abominable Snow Monster of the North (The
Bumble) is initially presented as a fearsome beast that only wants to ruin
Christmas and probably bring physical harm to other creatures. He is huge with
shaggy white fur, sharp teeth and long claws. The first time we see The Bumble,
Donner is teaching Rudolph the fine art of being a reindeer. Suddenly there is
a ferocious roar; after evading the Snow Monster by hiding behind a snowdrift,
Donner tells his son how dangerous the monster is and that everyone must always
be careful to avoid it. He doesn’t explain why the Bumble is so frightening and
dangerous, but the young buck immediately files the information his father
provided and the memory of his terrifying near-encounter with the beast as a
new known. By the way, this scene is a great example of how youngsters develop
their suggestibility.
·
Ultimately, as they become more familiar with
each other’s differences, they become more comfortable with and even
appreciative of their individual talents and characteristics. For example, Hermey
the Elf’s dentistry skills also prove useful in rescuing Rudolph and his family
when he removes all of the Abominable Snow Monster’s sharp teeth. Not only does
this action make the Bumble far less scary to the citizens of Christmas Town,
but also reveals the gentle creature he really wants to be. Meanwhile, Yukon
Cornelius discovers that The Bumble’s secret wish is to be useful, and since he
really is a nice guy and conveniently
very tall, he’s given a job placing the star on top of Santa’s Christmas tree.
Of course,
Rudolph’s shiny red nose wins everyone over when Santa realizes that the
now-famous reindeer is the only one that can save Christmas by turning on his
bright nose to guide the sleigh through a ferocious blizzard. And this outcome
is probably the most famous “known” in the story—now legend—of Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer.
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/.
© 2015
