Wither Scratches

 

(This blog was originally posted on August 13, 2014)

 

 

Photo by Laurel van der Linde

 

Avalon's Galahad with his dam, Alisa

 

 

 

                When my horse gets startled or if he seems anxious or worried about something when I’m riding, I scratch his withers and speak soft words of reassurance to let him that everything is okay. This gesture mimics the way Galahad’s mother would have gently nibbled him there to comfort and reassure her foal, “I’m here. You are safe. I will take care of you.” To put this response in the context of Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D.’s Theory of Mind. When I scratch Galahad’s withers, he responds to this sensation with a deep sigh and fluttering his nostrils (nickering) because I have activated his known association between a specific tactile sensation and feeling secure.

                Consider how a human mother might comfort her fussing infant. Once she is confident that the baby is not hungry and doesn’t need a diaper change, she would probably pick him up and hold the child until he stops crying. She might pat or rub small circles on the baby’s back, between his shoulder blades, and whisper comforting words to soothe him. (This behavior and area of the body that is rubbed is very similar to the wither scratches I described earlier.) The baby learns by association and repetition of this interaction that when he is upset, Mom (or Dad, sibling, etc.) will protect and take care of him. If she doesn’t do any of these things, the baby will create a subconscious association between how she reacts to his distress and whether he will feel comforted and safe. In addition, when that child grows up and has his own children, he is likely to interact with them the same way his parent did, because that is what he knows.

I am not saying my horse thinks and reasons or plans the same way a human does. However, the fact that his training is based on a model of repetition and association suggests that in addition to his instinctive reactions, he also responds to some situations based on what he learned (knows) through his training. Just as a human learns to comfort a child based on his or her experiences being a comforted child, a mare learns from her own mother how to soothe her baby. My mother taught me how good it feels to feel safe and cared for, and a late riding instructor told me where and how to scratch this sweet spot on a horse’s withers to reassure him the same way. Fast-forward to today, Galahad associates particular contact on a specific part of his body as a sign of reassurance from me—someone who is not his mother but learned how to comfort him the way she would have.

 

 

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



Keep on Keeping On

“It matters if you just don’t give up.” – Stephen Hawking

Photo by Sara R. Fogan

Keep On Keeping On

 

 

The February 7, 2015 issue of People magazine features a mini-interview with entertainer Donny Osmond. In it, Osmond describes how he continually does on-line research to stay informed about and keep up with current trends so he can keep his act relevant for today’s audiences. He’s not the only one who does this. Even though he has been an active performer for 50 years, he is aware that his continued success depends on his ability to entertain audiences with fresh and relevant material. If you watch late-night talk shows or Saturday Night Live, etc., you have probably noticed that these successful entertainers incorporate current events as well as references to the media through with they are disseminated in their acts as well.

Musicians often “sample” sounds from nature, urban environments or even a couple bars of another performer’s song to add more texture to their own composition and increase interest in a wider audience. Athletes practice to maintain the effectiveness of current techniques and work with coaches to learn new moves that might help them improve their game during a competition. Who doesn’t feel a vicarious rush of adrenaline when Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White incorporates another death-defying, midair rotation during his run on the SuperPipe? I always look forward to watching Olympic double-gold medalist Charlotte Dujardin perform new choreography for her freestyle dressage tests? Not only do these athletes’ new variations add interest to their performance and competition; they also push the individuals to improve their game. They change, replace or even omit behaviors (techniques) that don’t work for them or impede their personal and professional growth.

Hypnotherapy and therapeutic-guided imagery provide great opportunities to explore these issues and create strategies for achieving and enjoying your accomplishments when they (finally) occur. Indeed, when Malcolm Butler made the game-changing snatch at the end of the Super Bowl XLIX, he told reporters that he had a vision that he would make an important play during the game. The power of this imagery obviously carried forward from his subconscious mind to conscious reality, as the SCM does not know the difference between imaginary and pretend.

While I used celebrities and public figures to demonstrate this model, this principle is true for us all. It is important to regularly take stock of what is going on in every aspect of our life (work, family/relationship, leisure) and continue to strive to improve our “game” in any area that seems to be slacking off. For example, I regularly take specialty-certification classes through the Hypnosis Motivation Institute so I can improve and increase my skill-set as a hypnotherapist. I enjoy helping people achieve new goals using hypnosis and guided imagery because these tools help them slow down and take stock of all areas of their lives while empowering them to accomplish their self-improvement goals.

 What about you? Do you tend to rest on your laurels after a success? Or, do you stop in your tracks to lick your wounds after a defeat? What do you want to do or be doing right now? Next week? Next year? Is your current strategy working to help you achieve that goal? Remember: We are all works in progress. We change, grow and evolve every day. The keys to success lay in noticing and recognizing if or when something needs to change, and the willingness to do something a little (or a lot) differently to make that change occur.

 

 

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

 

Suggestions of a Scent

Photo by Oragamiknight, courtesy of Microsoft/Bing

 

               

                After the New Year I typically do an early “Spring Cleaning” in which I donate clothes or other items that I no longer use to make room for new items I received as gifts over the holidays. When I started sorting this year I came across some old bottles of perfume that I hadn’t worn in ages. Curious, I spritzed one of my favorites into the air and inhaled deeply. Of course the composition of those scents had degraded by now; in their less pure form they were actually more intense. Equally intense was the power of my memories of the emotions I felt back when I used to wear that brand of perfume.

                Good days, not-so-good days—it all came flooding back in a rush. I remembered the friend who introduced me to my former signature scent. Then that recollection reminded me where I was at that time: I was living in a suburb of London and had just started working on my post-graduate degree. In January, it would have been much colder and wetter in London than the current weather in Southern California. In fact, around this time twenty-four years ago, snow fell in Southeast London and blanketed the rooftops and pavements in neighborhood for several days….

                That unexpected trek down memory lane served as a powerful reminder of why I do not wear perfume or use scented candles or incense when I work with hypnotherapy clients. Olfaction (sense of smell) is one of the most powerful triggers of memory and strong, pervasive emotional associations. As I explained in my previous blog titled Anchors, the mind creates a subconscious link or “anchor” between the scent a person perceives and whatever is going on in his or her life at that moment. Even though the details of a specific event will likely fade from the conscious mind over time, exposure to a scent or odor can trigger an unexpected memory that the subconscious mind associates with that moment in time.

                Part of my work as their hypnotherapist entails helping my clients to create new, positive associations that will facilitate the achievement of their self-improvement goals. Therefore, it is important that minimize the possibility that something about me will unintentionally create or trigger a subconscious association between me and a previous, unwanted behavior that could impede the therapeutic process.

                 

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

 

Hypnotized by Super Bowl XLIX

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Office

 

 

A lot of people observed particular rituals on Super Bowl Sunday. Devoted fans of the participating teams donned jerseys sporting a favorite player’s number. Millions of pizzas and chicken wings were prepared and eaten. Seemingly countless glasses of beer were poured and consumed. There were parties, cheering; then celebrating the winning team…or commiserating with/for the losing team. Three or four hours spent watching football and the hilarious Super Bowl ads went by as if no time had passed at all, and at the end of it we may have wondered: So, what happened, exactly? No, seriously: What happened during those hours?

If that scenario sounds familiar, you were likely in a state of light trance or environmental hypnosis. This phenomenon is exactly what it sounds like: whether you were cheering at the football stadium or partying at home or a local bar, the stimuli around you so overwhelmed your conscious mind that you entered a hypnotic trance. (Don’t worry, this kind of environmental hypnosis is a common and natural phenomenon that you have likely experienced before if you have ever been so lost in thought that you missed your freeway exit while driving home.)

Here are some contributing factors of Super Bowl Hypnosis:

·         Overload of sensory stimuli. Before the game even started, you were bombarded by a cornucopia of visual, auditory and olfactory stimuli. You heard the raucous shouts, whistles and cheers of the opposing teams’ fans in the stadium as well as similar noises that you and your friends were making at your party. You saw bursts of color in the stands: people wore their team’s colors and waved team pennants and the bright costumes worn by halftime-show entertainer Katy Perry. Meanwhile, at home, the vision and smells of all those game-day delicacies you and your friends bought or prepared competed for your attention. This sensory overload, combined with any stress (anticipatory anxiety) you were already carrying around as the game progressed, could have easily pushed you into environmental hypnosis.

·         Low-blood sugar effect. When we are hungry and/or after we have consumed alcohol, the level of glucose (sugar) in our blood drops. This state induces a state of hyper-suggestibility to various factors in the environment, warned Hypnosis Motivation Institute founder John Kappas, Ph.D. In addition, a sudden drop in blood sugar can trigger physical symptoms such as shaking, light-headedness and feeling tired, as well as depression, paranoia, irritability and memory problems. These psychological symptoms can be particularly problematic in this kind of a high-energy environment, when emotions are already running high and inhibitions are likely to be low.

·         Food and drink. Chances are high that the goodies you munched on during the game will not be the most healthy food choices you will make during the week. In addition to the veggie platter, there would have also been chips and dips, buttery popped corn, the aforementioned pizza, various sweet treats and, of course, alcohol. If you were already worked up about the game you—especially after having rushing around to purchase and prepare the party spread—these items will have likely made you even more suggestible. Anything that is loaded with sugars and carbohydrates will also negatively affect your blood-sugar level, which likely also increased your suggestibility.

     During their afternoon broadcast KFI 640 AM afternoon on February 2, 2015, co-hosts Elizabeth Espinosa and Mark Thompson described different food-related behaviors while watching the game. One the one hand, Espinosa said she and her friends got so caught up watching the game that they barely touched any food during their Super Bowl party. In this case, environmental stimuli such as interacting with friends, watching the action on the screen and listening to the sounds of fans and themselves cheering, etc., overwhelmed the group from the get-go. Conversely, Thompson reported munching through bowls of potato chips, his admitted favorite Super Bowl snack. This behavior suggests to me that as the components of the chips affected his blood-sugar level, his suggestibility went up and he stopped paying attention to other aspects of his environment but continued because the snack was easily available.

What, if any, symptoms of environmental hypnosis did you experience while you watched the big game yesterday?

 

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

 

 

 

What, if any, symptoms of environmental hypnosis did you experience while you watched the big game yesterday?

 

 

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

Staying Out of Environmental Hypnosis During Super Bowl XLIX

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Office

Whether you will be cheering at the football stadium or partying at home, the intensity of the stimuli around you during the Super Bowl XLIX may so overwhelm your conscious mind that you drift into a hypnotic trance. (Don’t worry: this kind of environmental hypnosis is a common and natural phenomenon. In fact, you have likely experienced before if you have ever been so lost in thought that you missed your freeway exit while driving home.) I suggest the following steps to help you stay completely alert, focused and attentive during the game, halftime performance and all of those entertaining ads:

·         While you are partying, be sure to eat a meal that includes some protein, or at least have a snack that includes cheese or nuts (almonds or peanuts). I recommend eating protein-rich foods because they will lower your level of suggestibility and reduce mood swings that hunger and alcohol consumption (low blood-sugar level) can induce.

·         Limit or avoid drinking alcohol during the game.

·         Practice being Mindful: Take a moment or two every 30 minutes or so to focus on some item in your natural environment, such as the pattern of light and shadow on the field or the sensation of the jersey you are wearing, etc. Make a mental note of each detail that you notice about that object as you draw slow, deep breaths into your lungs. As you exhale, focus on the word “calm” to center yourself as you continue to watch the game.

·         Finally, if (when) you notice that you have started to feel overwhelmed or are eating, drinking or are tempted to buy more souvenirs than you intended to purchase, you are likely drifting into a light state of trance (environmental hypnosis). Simply say the following to yourself: “One, two, three, four, five, [Say your name]; eyes open, wide awake.” These words will count you back up to a fully alert and aware state.

·         If you do drink alcohol, have a designated driver to help you get home safely.

 

Enjoy the game!

 

 

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

 

An Eye-Opening Seminar: Myler Bits

(This blog was originally posted on May 31, 2011)

 

Several years ago Dale Myler, a co-creator of Myler Bits, presented a seminar about the philosophy behind and benefits of their bit system at the Valencia Sport Saddlery in Santa Clarita, California. Following are my notes about the general role and function of bits, various kinds of Myler Bits that are available, how this product facilitates effective communication between riders and their equine partners, and more.

Signs of resistance to the bit: rooting àMB01 (comfort snaffle/narrow barrel)

Ron Myler started the Myler bitting system. RM rides cutting horses. Bob Myler does cowboy shooting.

Don’t expect more from the horse than you put into it.

When you start working with the horse, handle their face. Better-educated horses need very light contact.

How relaxed is the horse when you handle him?

The horse follows his shoulders. The head and neck are balancing points.

Look for: How can you keep the QD, Master of Equine Dentistry, says: The most important thing about bitting a horse is to make sure the mouth is in excellent condition.

Horse age: 1 year of a horse’s life=3 human years

Myler does dentistry 2x year through first 5 years of its life

Wide/think tongue vs. shallow palate

The lip cushions the bar of the mouth, but the skin at the corner of the mouth is very sensitive

Levels of bits:
·         Pressure points
·         Bars
·         Tongue

On the ground, the bit goes into the palate.

A bit will never collapse enough to be free in the mouth and create even pressure=least amount of resistance.

The animal avoids tongue pressure, not bar pressure.

The horse’s tongue twists and elevates when the animal swallows.

Horses are willing to close off their airway to protect their mouth/tongue.

There is a direct connection between the heart and tongue. The tongue is a sensory organ.

Check the color of the horse’s gums and tongue.

Damage to the tongue can cut off oxygen supply.

The tongue is connected to the horse’s sternum and shoulders.

The tongue is the strongest muscle in the horse’s body. It is directly connected to the horse’s sternum and shoulders. Tension in the horse’s tongue creates tension in the sternum…resulting in the inability to round up.

Muscles in the TMJ control balance and proprioception (coordination)

When the tongue is soft, the horse moves more freely. Restricting the jaws and neck movement/creates tension that alters movement patterns.

Robert Miller, DVM, observed “how little the horse world—including me—knows about bits and bitting.”
·         According to Miller, bits are “instruments of discomfort.”
·         “Clinging to bits because they are traditional is not justified.”
·         Prey animals’ instincts/response to pain is to flee, and horses enter “flight” mode.

Most people change bits because of resistance, not connection. The horse is trying to release pressure of the bit.

We don’t bit a horse to hurt it; we bit a horse to handle it. Put a bit on the horse that has no collapse/take some pressure-points away. Don’t presume that the horse is being bullish/belligerent if it evades…the only way it communicate.

99% of recreational horses never need a correctional mouthpiece.

Myler bits only use the part of the bit that you need to achieve the maneuver.

How much freedom can we give you and still be able to handle him?

The more places on the bit that you ask from, the less pressure/easier it is for the horse to find you.

Go to www.mylerbitsusa.com to look at the combination bit.

There should always be an introduction to the bit.

Every time the horse does something/makes and effort to do what you ask, he deserves praise/a reward.

Choose the combination bit when taking into account the pressure-points in a horse’s mouth/face include:

·         Hard palate
·         Nose
·         Bars
·         Tongue
·         Chin
·         Groove
·         Outer lip
·         Poll

Look at the size of the horse’s mouth and bit to determine where he’s comfortable to close his mouth.

Horse=prey. Rider=predator.

The more relaxed the horseßà the more relaxed the rider.

The average human produces 32-51 ounces of saliva per day. The average horse produces 10 GALLONS of saliva per day.

Humans and animals will always seek the comfort zone in the job they’re doing. If the horse is interfered with, it can’t stay in that comfort zone.

When you collect a horse, he collects from the brain first. He has to be relaxed into the bridle to lift his withers and back, to move through the hindquarters.

The brain is the most important thing to the horse. He must be relaxed in his mind so he can lift in his withers and move from the back.

When you bit a horse up and he gets nervous, he starts evading again.

MouthàMindàMouth

The horse must press his tongue against the palate to swallow…imagine the discomfort/pain at the dentist.

Bits will not train the animal. People train the horse. The more relaxed the horse is, the more you can do with/teach it.

We need to figure out and develop equipment that is comfortable for the horse, not develop equipment to force the horse’s mouth closed.

Never put more bit on a horse than we take off.

The point is: How can we go out and have fun with our horse?

You want the horse’s withers and back up so he can carry the rider more easily.

Every time you step up on the horse, he’s learning. But he’ll only show you what he’s learned when his mind can relax.

It’s virtually impossible to develop a good/nice set of hands if the horse is always moving away from you.

Help the horse to get relaxed into the bit/bridle so the rider can learn to use other aids.

Horses are like people: they remember the last thing that happened to him.

MB Level 1 bit: anyplace he goes except where you want him, he applies pressure to himself. Correct position I s comfort.

Will the horse allow you to pick up and school/teach him something new?

Only the horse’s lower jaw moves—like people!

Go to the questionnaire on MB Web-site: www.mylerbitsusa.com

Tradition is held by members of the discipline.

The mouthpiece is for the horse; the shank is for the rider. A long shank is OK for gentle hands.

MB01, MB02 bits are acceptable in dressage competitions!

MB Level 2, 04 combination is for starting the horse.

Transitioning from the O-ring snaffle to the Myler bit is no different from any other bit.

You should have 1 to 1 ½ wrinkles at the corner of the horse’s mouth.

The curb balances the bit; the head-stall pulls the bit back into the horse’s mouth.

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

Imagery for the Super Bowl XLIX Teams

Photo courtesy of Microsoft Office

Super Bowl XLIX is just a few days away.

No doubt the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are preparing for the big game by doing practical things like creating and practicing offensive and defensive strategies to defeat the opposing team. The athletes are probably powering up by drinking water and eating protein and other high-energy nutritious foods to build muscle and increase stamina; hopefully, they are also able to get adequate rest (sleep) so they can be focused and sharp on game day.

 I wonder what they are doing to mentally prepare for the game. I am sure that New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll are giving their respective teams pep talks to help build up the players’ confidence in their prowess on the field. Following are some imagery exercises I would guide them through before they walk onto the field to further increase their confidence so they can focus on the game and earn another championship ring.

·                     Tune out all of the negative discussion, comments and analysis about your team and NFL politics that you may overhear around you. These things have already happened; now it is time to focus on the game you are about to play.

 

·                     Take a minute to relive how confident and enthusiastic and joyful you felt when you won your previous Super Bowl championship. When you have a good image of this experience, draw a deep breath and feel the power, excitement and confidence that washed over you when you made that snap, threw/caught the touchdown pass, ran the football all the way to the end of the field for that touchdown. Release any lingering negativity or doubt as you exhale that breath.

 

·                     Allow your body to do what it already knows how to do. You have successfully done each of these plays thousands of times in practice and during other games. You did them to win your league championship. You did them when you won your last Super Bowl title. Your body knows how to do each of these things, so keep your mind/thoughts out if your body’s way.

·                     Every time you are in possession of that football, notice how every muscle in your body is feeling stronger. Your confidence in your ability to score (or assist that score) a touchdown grows exponentially. You know that you can run faster, throw further, jump higher, block more effectively than your opponent. You catch that football out of the air as if it was already in your possession, and your confidence in your ability to help win this game is twice as strong.

·                     As you play, you know that you are throwing/kicking/catching/running that football the way you have trained all year for this moment to do. You are also throwing/kicking/catching/running that football with all the joy and excitement of that child in you that has always loved this game, dreaming of this moment to win another Super Bowl championship.

·                     Remember: You are already a champion many times over! You are competing in this championship because you earned the right to be there, through the various competitions you have won during the past year.

Good luck, teams!

 

 

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