Positive Health Online

Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi

Introduction

Everyone has something that they would like to change about themselves. Maybe it is that you feel you are shy, lack confidence, feel ill all the time and wish you weren't. In the back of the head is that voice holding you back, that voice telling you that you aren't good enough or that you really are ill.

Those beliefs that hold you back are buried deep in your subconscious mind, waiting to surface every time, just in time to sabotage your efforts to change or get better. Your internal negative dialogue is powerfully setting your expectations and preventing you from making the change you want to make.

But changing these beliefs is possible, both simply and painlessly. To make positive change, your negative beliefs can be reversed by direct communication with the subconscious. Today in the UK, this is most commonly performed using hypnotherapy, but an alternative using subliminal communication technology, using the power of the mind to understand inaudible positive messages is growing in its use within the professional therapist community as an effective way of helping make changes.

Subliminal information processing can be used by everyone to positively change their lives.

History/Background

The popular history of information processing without awareness is commonly known by the public under one general label – subliminal communication. Early examples include quotes from the Sunday Times in 1957, giving an account of a New Jersey cinema in which ice cream advertisements were flashed onto screen during the showing of the film. This resulted in an otherwise unaccountable increase in ice cream sales. The Sunday Times referred to this technology as a "sub-threshold effect".

The subject of subliminal communication was a keen interest of Sigmund Freud and his contemporaries. Freud determined that unconscious processes predetermine conscious choices and thus behaviour. Aggregating attitude and behaviour constitute personality, which can become very rigid in nature and difficult to modify.

Trying to consolidate the research being widely undertaken, in 1973 Professor Benjamin B Wolman developed a categorization of subliminal stimuli into four descriptive stimuli:

1. Below the level of registration;
2. Above the level of registration and below the level of detection;
3. Above the level of detection and discrimination but below the level of identification*;
4. Below the level of identification only because of a defensive action.
   * InnerTalk and audio subliminals fall into category three.

Professor Wolman then went on to assert that:

1. Subliminal stimulus does leave an influence upon the content of subsequent cognition;
2. Subliminal stimuli have affected and can affect secondary process thinking;
3. There are neurophysiological findings which appear to concur with registration without awareness;
4. Subliminal stimuli can measurably influence a variety of subsequent behaviours;
5. Conscious thinking can be influenced by stimuli outside of awareness.

With research pointing to the impact of subliminal communication, the legal status was tested in the US courts 30 years ago in a wrongful death action brought against the rock group Judas Priest and CBS, after it was suggested that subliminal messages caused a fan to commit suicide. The Judge in the case ruled that it was a First Amendment violation to use subliminal information "without consent". For this reason, the use of subliminals in advertising is not permitted, whilst using subliminal communication for self-help is not at issue.

Whatever the ultimate interpretations or direction of this controversy, one thing is certain – subliminals are here to stay.

Peripheral Perception is Natural

Subliminal communication is a most powerful technology. It can literally rescript the pre-conscious mind, stripping away negative expectations and self doubt, and replacing these destructive patterns with positive input, thereby bringing about positive changes to people's lives in an effortless and natural way from the inside out. Therefore, subliminals can be used in a very positive way indeed.

However, there is nothing mysterious about all this. An audio subliminal message could be defined as a verbal stimulus perceived below the threshold of awareness. The key word is 'awareness'. A whisper from a great distance is below the threshold of awareness, but it is not perceived. In order for perception to occur, there must be sufficient stimuli to trigger a neuron in the brain. Every day, the process of stimulus from sub-threshold events happens to us millions of times without us ever consciously thinking about it. It is totally natural.

The Power of the Subconscious Mind

Everyone has, at one time or other, desired to change something about themselves and found it to be exceedingly difficult, if not sometimes impossible. Still, there are many who alter various aspects of their behaviour and beliefs successfully. The question seems obvious: What does it take to realize each of our total potentials, and why do we sometimes succeed and at other times find only disappointing results?

When it comes to personal development there are many experts with as many solutions as there are problems. Nevertheless, these experts often suggest, if not state directly, that the real power in human development is that of the development of the subconscious mind. If this is so, why then can I not just instruct my subconscious mind to think differently and produce the results I desire?

The fact is that the subconscious mind is basically indiscriminate in the manner in which it accepts information. The problem is then twofold. First, there are already years of indiscriminate acceptance in my mind and, second, I act in reliance upon this information which some behaviourists suggest that for every one input of positive messaging there are 100 bits of negative!! This, therefore, means that if these negative messages have caused us pain or fear, we then adapt our behaviour accordingly to incorporate those beliefs and around avoiding those circumstances and/or outcomes.

All behaviour is behaviour of choice, even if the choice is made at a subconscious level. What happens is that we build defence mechanisms in order to protect us from former bad experiences and possible future rejection. These defence mechanisms often defeat our own best interest. The fact is, every time we tell ourselves something like "I am good!", the subconscious reacts with "Really! Good at what?".

The power of hypnosis exists largely in the direct communication with the subconscious. The conscious mind is generally in abeyance during hypnosis, although one's defence mechanism can still play a significant role in the outcome. The advantage of sub-threshold communication is that it bypasses all conscious awareness. Unlike hypnosis, where attention and conscious assistance are often necessary, sub-threshold messages are not attended to by the conscious mind in any necessary manner and thus are extremely easy and effective to use.

The positive messages on a subliminal CD eventually overtake the negative information contained in the subconscious. They literally re-script our own 'Inner Talk', thereby priming positive self-beliefs which begin the cycle of self-fulfilling prophecies. When this happens, the subliminal beliefs that formerly were self-limiting begin to change.

The Whole Brain Approach

In a very real sense, every human being has two brains. These two brain hemispheres are commonly referred to as the left and right brains. For the vast majority of people, the left hemisphere is the analytical brain, the right hemisphere being the spatial brain. The left hemisphere is in charge of such things as mathematical and language skills, whilst the right hemisphere is the creative and emotional centre.

The right hemisphere is indiscriminate while the left is the logic and reason centre with defence mechanisms such as rationalization built around logic and reason. Most researchers assign logic and conscious reasoning to the left hemisphere and emotional and subconscious learning to the right hemisphere.

The WholeBrain InnerTalk technology appeals to the two hemispheres appropriately, according to the primary hemispheric function. The left brain then is interested in literal correctness while the right is more interested in overall associations or relationships. It is believed that the left brain views language literally and according to the rules of language, while the right brain views language spatially and emotionally, tumbling the words in a process called subconscious cerebration and even seeing the words as our eyes see the world upside down.

Using the basis of this research, Progressive Awareness Research (PAR) developed the patented InnerTalk technology using an entirely new electronic encoding process. On one channel, accessing the left brain, are forward-masked, permissive affirmations whilst, on another channel, accessing the right brain, are directive messages, recorded in metacontrast. Since the hemispheres are task-oriented, both the left and the right brains become involved according to their specialities. The channel differentiated messages shadow each other from conscious recognition and thus become inaudible to the human ear.

Change… From the Inside Out

What happens to the user of a subliminal CD? How do changes manifest themselves? As we have reviewed from our own personal experiences, it becomes very obvious that the benefit is gradual and from the inside out, almost intuitive in its inner direction. Each day you act differently because you are thinking differently. Gentle nudges from the inner mind, just like those that are intuitive, begin to guide one's choices. For many, creativity becomes natural and new ideas, concepts and the like flow where previously subconscious barriers stopped them arising.

What we believe in our subconscious is who and what we are! In order to change, we need to change the way we think. Speaking directly to the subconscious is the way to achieve this. One day there will just seem to be more positive than negative information in the subconscious and the old inner beliefs about ourselves and the world around us can be released.

Without doubt and without fear

Most people would like to change something about their lives. For some, it is getting a better job, losing weight, improving memory, accelerating learning abilities, adding charisma to their personalities and so forth. Indeed, there are very few who would find nothing they wished to improve or change.

The agency of change is within each of us. Change is not a thing. For example, should someone wish to be more prosperous, they must think in a different order of magnitude than one who is content with just getting by.

At least one element in their life strategy must alter before the change takes place. But what if that person had been raised to believe that 'money was the source of all evil'? This subconscious belief will literally work to sabotage any effort to become more prosperous. In this instance, the mind will perceive safety as avoiding evil (i.e. money).

Competing strategies exist in nearly everyone. They often underpin what psychologists call cognitive dissonance – the process of holding two mutually exclusive beliefs without noticing the inherent opposition. It is easy to see why change can be so difficult. Plus, change means giving something up.

The something may be a counter productive belief, a competing strategy or it may be something tangible such as a favourite food. To most, giving something up means filling it with something else. The cigarette smoker is dramatically affected by this, but, in reality, giving up smoking is not about the cigarette, but rather the feelings associated with the use of cigarettes.

Finally, change can quite simply produce resistance! Resistance is the process of avoiding change and is a major obstacle to progress.

True change is never effortless, but, with using subliminal communication to modify your subconscious thinking, this process can be eased. But you must be committed for change to occur. Nothing changes until you do!

Conclusion

In summary, the subconscious mind contains within it our bio-computer programming. Most of us have acquired this programming in much the same way as we acquired our basic language. Without conscious choice, subliminal beliefs have been scripted in most of us as a result of the 'no-don't' syndrome and the response to avoid rejection.

Basic to an understanding of this model is the essential human need for acceptance. The greatest human fear is that of rejection. Our world essentially consists of two types of stimuli:

• Real – a tiger chasing me;
• Synthetic – the rejection I feel when ridiculed by parents, peers etc.

Our primitive mind responds to fight/flight stimuli automatically via the function of the thalamus and the autonomic nervous system. The mind responds to synthetic stimuli with anxiety and depression through cortical interpretation of perceived threats and threats of rejection. The threat of rejection produces a fear which, in turn, results in anxiety and depression.

In this way we often perpetuate self-defeating subliminal beliefs.

Adding everything together (input we receive and our own self-talk), for most of us the subconscious is so grossly overweighed by negative message units that it refuses to cooperate with the conscious mind. This gives rise to additional negative programming – "You knew you couldn't do it!"

In order to behave or choose differently, one must have within the subliminal mind the alternative desire. What can't get in, can't get out.

InnerTalk subliminal programmes simply converse directly with the subliminal mind, bypassing the conscious sentry which often argues against the change. This is a truly effective way of inputting enough positive message units to prime inner talk and begin to re-script the self-imposed limitations that have accumulated over one's lifetime.

Good luck on your journey – life is truly a wonderful adventure.

Resources

Taylor E. Wellness: Just a State of Mind. Publisher's Press. Salt Lake City.
Taylor E. Thinking without Thinking. RK Book. Boulder City. 1995. Dr Eldon Taylor is a certified psychotherapist and diplomat with the American Psychotherapy Association (APA) and a certified hypnotherapist with the American Guild of Hypnotherapists. Dr. Taylor is President of ProgressiveAwareness Research, Inc. www.progressiveawareness.org

Further Information

InnerTalk: over 200 self-help titles available. Currently used by over 400 UK therapists and professionals in their treatments and practices. Tel: 01628-898366 www.innertalk.co.uk

InnerTalk Charitable Programme: for those in need we distribute free CDs for the following issues (*)

• Cancer Remission;
• Forgiving and Letting Go;
• Loss of a Loved One.

(* Postage of £1.95 charged, please order for genuine need only, one CD per order only).