| There's an old Chinese proverb that states: "One | | | | the idea and landed back where you started. |
| picture is worth a thousand words." In conveying | | | | Make up your mind, consciously, that you will |
| suggestions to the subconscious, we have found | | | | work with untiring sincerity and perseverance. I |
| that picture images are more effective than the | | | | know of no therapy that leads straight to positive |
| words that are implanted. For example, it isn't | | | | results without obstacles and intermittent |
| sufficient to say, "I will be confident." The words | | | | setbacks. Success comes in spite of intervening |
| must be augmented by a picture of yourself as | | | | failures because the ultimate direction has been |
| the confident person you want to be. If you say, | | | | clearly thought out and charted. Self-hypnosis will |
| "I can't visualize myself as a confident person | | | | finally work because you are constantly |
| because I have never been that way," you can | | | | conditioning your subconscious to react in a |
| "borrow" those personality traits that you want | | | | positive, constructive manner. The program must, |
| for yourself. Imagine yourself endowed with the | | | | of necessity, become automatic in nature. When it |
| characteristics of some confident person that you | | | | does, you will suddenly find yourself feeling the |
| know. The qualities that you seek may even be | | | | way you wanted to and doing the things that you |
| borrowed from a famous person. If this isn't | | | | set out to do with the aid of self-hypnosis. You |
| possible, make up a personality which is a | | | | actually cultivate those feelings that you want. |
| composite of all the things you want to be. See | | | | Self-hypnosis works because we are able to |
| yourself walking, talking and carrying on activities. | | | | condition ourselves to various stimuli. We condition |
| Keep fortifying this image with the mental | | | | ourselves consciously and unconsciously to many |
| suggestions that are needed. It won't be long | | | | activities. When we experience anxiety, it stems |
| before these mental impressions give rise to the | | | | from a conditioning process which could have |
| confident feelings that you seek. As you keep | | | | been conscious or unconscious. In self-hypnosis, |
| implanting these images, they will become a | | | | the individual consciously works toward |
| natural part of your conscious personality. | | | | implementing and strengthening his own inherent |
| Many people expect immediate results when they | | | | strength and resources. These objectives, when |
| begin to use self-hypnosis. If they don't get the | | | | attained, result in feelings of confidence, relaxation, |
| results they anticipated immediately, they want to | | | | self-mastery and well-being. |
| know "what's wrong?" My answer is usually that | | | | Furthermore, hypnosis utilizes a natural mental |
| "nothing is wrong" and that they need only keep | | | | process. We all know that placebos work very |
| at it. Certainly, you don’t become a proficient | | | | well in numerous cases. The dictionary defines the |
| musician, actor or athlete because you have | | | | word placebo as, "an inactive substance or |
| mastered the basic techniques. It takes time to | | | | preparation, administered to please or gratify a |
| acquire proficiency and results. | | | | patient, also used in controlled studies to |
| Let me assure you that anyone using and | | | | determine the efficiency of medicinal substances." |
| applying this technique can benefit from it. One of | | | | Many controlled experiments have shown that |
| the troubles in dealing with any problem is getting | | | | people achieve similar results whether they take a |
| past resistance. You can incorporate posthypnotic | | | | placebo (which they think is the real medication) |
| corrective measures in the suggestions that you | | | | or real medication that was prescribed. Many such |
| give yourself. However, I believe that they must | | | | tests have been carried out with antihistamines to |
| be dealt with on a conscious level as well. You | | | | prevent colds. The results were always the same. |
| must believe that you can conquer your difficulties | | | | We are interested in what makes the placebo act |
| no matter how long you have had them. If you | | | | as effectively as the true medication. It stands to |
| are prepared to work with self-hypnosis in a | | | | reason that a chain reaction is set up, actually |
| consistent manner, you will achieve the self-help | | | | causing a physiological result from a psychological |
| that you seek. Now and then, you can anticipate | | | | reaction. The unsuspecting patient declares, "I've |
| a setback in your progress, but this should not | | | | never felt so good in my life." Yet, this would |
| discourage you from your overall task. Resistance | | | | never have happened if he didn't think he was |
| is an indication that you are growing and reaching | | | | taking the marvelous new medicine. A recent |
| outside your comfort zone. Recognize this and | | | | scientific study by one of the leading |
| you will begin to greet resistance positively, as an | | | | pharmaceutical houses concluded that one third of |
| indication that your therapy is working. Then you | | | | the effectiveness of any medication depends |
| can simply release it with love and continue on | | | | upon the faith and trust that the patient has in |
| your progress. Recognize and be grateful for | | | | the prescribing physician. |
| the progress you have already made. If you have | | | | I am sure that the placebo results and the |
| a "let-down" because you expected quicker and | | | | patient's faith in the physician as contributing |
| more dramatic results, remember that this is a | | | | factors to the effectiveness of medications do |
| common feeling. Remember, also, how long you | | | | not come as a revelation. We are all aware of |
| have had the problem. | | | | such information. Our problem is how to harness |
| No doubt, you have tried other methods and | | | | this unconscious process for constructive goals. |
| became discouraged because you weren't making | | | | The answer is through self-hypnosis. |
| the progress you had anticipated. You dropped | | | | |