“Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”
-Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826); 3rd president of the United States
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Getting Things Done
“Determine never to be idle...It is wonderful how much may be done if we are always doing.”
-Thomas Jefferson (1743 - 1826); 3rd president of the United States
Monday, June 2, 2008
The Biology of Belief
I saw this information years ago while I was training to be a hypnotherapist, and it’s very impressive. I’m currently reading his book - “The Biology of Belief,” which is a bit more technical than I’d like, yet easy enough to follow.
Basically, he’s a cell biologist who demonstrates that perception and belief - not genes - determine our lives.
From his website:
His research at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, between 1987 and 1992, revealed that the environment, operating though the membrane, controlled the behavior and physiology of the cell, turning genes on and off. His discoveries, which ran counter to the established scientific view that life is controlled by the genes, presaged one of today’s most important fields of study, the science of epigenetics.
This is a description of the below video, taken directly from Google Video:
Recent advances in cellular science are heralding an important evolutionary turning point. For almost fifty years we have held the illusion that our health and fate were preprogrammed in our genes, a concept referred to as genetic determinacy.
Though mass consciousness is currently imbued with the belief that the character of one's life is genetically predetermined, a radically new understanding is unfolding at the leading edge of science. Cellular biologists now recognize that the environment, the external universe and our internal physiology, and more importantly, our perception of the environment, directly controls the activity of our genes.
This video will broadly review the molecular mechanisms by which environmental awareness interfaces genetic regulation and guides organismal evolution
Below the video is a brief bio of Dr. Lipton.
Basically, he’s a cell biologist who demonstrates that perception and belief - not genes - determine our lives.
From his website:
His research at Stanford University’s School of Medicine, between 1987 and 1992, revealed that the environment, operating though the membrane, controlled the behavior and physiology of the cell, turning genes on and off. His discoveries, which ran counter to the established scientific view that life is controlled by the genes, presaged one of today’s most important fields of study, the science of epigenetics.
This is a description of the below video, taken directly from Google Video:
Recent advances in cellular science are heralding an important evolutionary turning point. For almost fifty years we have held the illusion that our health and fate were preprogrammed in our genes, a concept referred to as genetic determinacy.
Though mass consciousness is currently imbued with the belief that the character of one's life is genetically predetermined, a radically new understanding is unfolding at the leading edge of science. Cellular biologists now recognize that the environment, the external universe and our internal physiology, and more importantly, our perception of the environment, directly controls the activity of our genes.
This video will broadly review the molecular mechanisms by which environmental awareness interfaces genetic regulation and guides organismal evolution
Below the video is a brief bio of Dr. Lipton.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Destroying Hypnosis Myths
“Are you going to make me cluck like a chicken?”
“Only if you want to.”
Let me tell you, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve had that exchange…
Here we are, forging our way into the 21st Century… we carry our ten thousand “favorite” songs around in our ipods, NASA is blasting probes into comets just as in those horrible (horrible) movies from 1998, scientists are able to clone anything that moves, and an overwhelming majority of the civilized world still thinks hypnosis is something that causes you to behave like a fool in public.
I’m here to bust up a few myths for all of you interested in gaining some enlightenment. Today...
MYTH #1: The hypnotist controls his subjects.
The Truth: The hypnotist’s subjects cooperate with him.
Stage hypnosis shows can be highly entertaining. Unfortunately, they also do a great job of convincing people to NEVER allow themselves to be “controlled” like those morons on stage. Truthfully, no one can be hypnotized against their will. One must willingly follow instructions to be hypnotized.
Once a person is relaxing in a nice, deep trance, those nervous feelings of self-consciousness can disappear for a while. Think about it… relaxation is the exact opposite of tension. You can’t be both at the same time. Once a person is relaxed, as long as the hypnotist doesn’t suggest anything that is against that person’s moral code (ex. “kill the guy sitting next to you”), they’re more or less willing to follow along.
Hypnosis loosens up inhibitions… almost like a couple of stiff drinks. The difference is that afterwards, instead of feeling worse, you feel great.
Context has a great impact on what a person will do in a trance. For example, if a client seeks my assistance to stop smoking, and in the middle of the session I throw in a suggestion that he’ll have a strong desire to wash my car on his way through the parking lot, he has the presence of mind to ignore that bogus suggestion (though I often wish it did work that way).
Those people on stage know they’re up there to have a good time. They know they’ll be asked to do strange things. Remember, they volunteered in the first place. They weren’t dragged from their seats and chained to the stage.
A hypnotized person arguably has more control than normal, since his mind is free from distractions and focused on the moment. At any time while hypnotized, he is able to awaken and return to a normal state of awareness. However, most people find that it just feels better to hang out in a trance for a while.
So remember, when you see a magic show it’s not really magic that’s happening up there... we all know that. In a hypnosis show, the illusion often being presented is that the all-powerful hypnotist controls his subjects like puppets on strings.
The truth is much less impressive, yet makes for an equally entertaining show.
“Only if you want to.”
Let me tell you, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve had that exchange…
Here we are, forging our way into the 21st Century… we carry our ten thousand “favorite” songs around in our ipods, NASA is blasting probes into comets just as in those horrible (horrible) movies from 1998, scientists are able to clone anything that moves, and an overwhelming majority of the civilized world still thinks hypnosis is something that causes you to behave like a fool in public.
I’m here to bust up a few myths for all of you interested in gaining some enlightenment. Today...
MYTH #1: The hypnotist controls his subjects.
The Truth: The hypnotist’s subjects cooperate with him.
Stage hypnosis shows can be highly entertaining. Unfortunately, they also do a great job of convincing people to NEVER allow themselves to be “controlled” like those morons on stage. Truthfully, no one can be hypnotized against their will. One must willingly follow instructions to be hypnotized.
Once a person is relaxing in a nice, deep trance, those nervous feelings of self-consciousness can disappear for a while. Think about it… relaxation is the exact opposite of tension. You can’t be both at the same time. Once a person is relaxed, as long as the hypnotist doesn’t suggest anything that is against that person’s moral code (ex. “kill the guy sitting next to you”), they’re more or less willing to follow along.
Hypnosis loosens up inhibitions… almost like a couple of stiff drinks. The difference is that afterwards, instead of feeling worse, you feel great.
Context has a great impact on what a person will do in a trance. For example, if a client seeks my assistance to stop smoking, and in the middle of the session I throw in a suggestion that he’ll have a strong desire to wash my car on his way through the parking lot, he has the presence of mind to ignore that bogus suggestion (though I often wish it did work that way).
Those people on stage know they’re up there to have a good time. They know they’ll be asked to do strange things. Remember, they volunteered in the first place. They weren’t dragged from their seats and chained to the stage.
A hypnotized person arguably has more control than normal, since his mind is free from distractions and focused on the moment. At any time while hypnotized, he is able to awaken and return to a normal state of awareness. However, most people find that it just feels better to hang out in a trance for a while.
So remember, when you see a magic show it’s not really magic that’s happening up there... we all know that. In a hypnosis show, the illusion often being presented is that the all-powerful hypnotist controls his subjects like puppets on strings.
The truth is much less impressive, yet makes for an equally entertaining show.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Milton Henry Erickson, MD (1901 - 1980) was a psychiatrist and psychologist regarded by many as the foremost practitioner of medical hypnosis in his time.
He wrote "Hypnotic Realities" and many other books dedicated to the "Art of Hypnosis" and which document the many things he learned while treating the many patients he encountered.
He was a scientist and deeply gifted hypnotist.
He was founding president of the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis, as well as a fellow of several APAs: The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, and The American Psychopathological Association.
He was noted for his often unconventional approach to psychotherapy, such as described in the book “Uncommon Therapy” by Jay Haley; for his extensive use of therapeutic metaphor and story as well as hypnosis; and for coining the term Brief Therapy for his approach of addressing therapeutic changes in relatively few sessions, often only a single session.
Erickson’s work and techniques were 'modeled' by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, the co-founders of Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).
For a very in-depth look at Erickson, written by Jay Haley while Erickson was still alive, click here.
He wrote "Hypnotic Realities" and many other books dedicated to the "Art of Hypnosis" and which document the many things he learned while treating the many patients he encountered.
He was a scientist and deeply gifted hypnotist.
He was founding president of the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis, as well as a fellow of several APAs: The American Psychiatric Association, The American Psychological Association, and The American Psychopathological Association.
He was noted for his often unconventional approach to psychotherapy, such as described in the book “Uncommon Therapy” by Jay Haley; for his extensive use of therapeutic metaphor and story as well as hypnosis; and for coining the term Brief Therapy for his approach of addressing therapeutic changes in relatively few sessions, often only a single session.
Erickson’s work and techniques were 'modeled' by Richard Bandler and John Grinder, the co-founders of Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).
For a very in-depth look at Erickson, written by Jay Haley while Erickson was still alive, click here.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Be Like Mike... or Tiger... or whoever
Granted, Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are gifted athletes. But there are many other athletes who have similar (even superior) physical abilities. So why have these two dominated their sports with such regularity? Aside from the amount of time they devoted to practicing, the answer is: they learned how to handle pressure.
Not coincidentally, these two remarkable athletes have some experience with hypnosis themselves. Since the age of 13, Tiger Woods has worked with his mental coach, Jay Brunza. Jordan and the Bulls practiced hypnosis daily with the help of head coach Phil Jackson.
Mentally, golf is perhaps the most demanding game around. It is well known among golfers that much of the score depends on how a golfer thinks. Jack Nicklaus has stated many times that he believes that golf is 90% mental preparation and only 10% skill.
He prepares by visualizing problem putts and mentally rehearsing how he will play each shot.
Almost sounds like what we do with hypnosis!
Hmm....
Not coincidentally, these two remarkable athletes have some experience with hypnosis themselves. Since the age of 13, Tiger Woods has worked with his mental coach, Jay Brunza. Jordan and the Bulls practiced hypnosis daily with the help of head coach Phil Jackson.
Mentally, golf is perhaps the most demanding game around. It is well known among golfers that much of the score depends on how a golfer thinks. Jack Nicklaus has stated many times that he believes that golf is 90% mental preparation and only 10% skill.
He prepares by visualizing problem putts and mentally rehearsing how he will play each shot.
Almost sounds like what we do with hypnosis!
Hmm....
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Garbage In, Garbage Out
Everyone has heard the phrase “You are what you eat.” Sometimes I think that phrase has lost its meaning, as even the people who say it will admit to eating junk food far too often. However, it’s the logic behind the statement that warrants another look.
If you truly are “what you eat,” then shouldn’t it come to follow that you are also “what you see” and “what you hear?” Many health-conscious people, who frequent farmer’s markets and health food stores, spend an awful lot of time watching mind-dumbing “reality” TV shows (a topic worthy of further discussion) and listening to shock-jock talk radio.
So the question is...
Shouldn’t you be just as cautious about what you watch on TV and what you listen to on the radio as you are about what food you put into your body?
Think about it. We can joke about watching “Big Brother” or “American Idol,” since we all know these shows are devoid of any true intellectual value, but at the end of the day, aren’t these shows, by virtue of failing to inspire creative thought or stoking the fires of the imagination, actually making us less intelligent?
“Use it or lose it” is another saying that comes to mind.
It makes me wonder: if you find yourself checking your brain at the door too often, will it still be there when you need it?
And if it’s gone... how will you ever find it?
If you truly are “what you eat,” then shouldn’t it come to follow that you are also “what you see” and “what you hear?” Many health-conscious people, who frequent farmer’s markets and health food stores, spend an awful lot of time watching mind-dumbing “reality” TV shows (a topic worthy of further discussion) and listening to shock-jock talk radio.
So the question is...
Shouldn’t you be just as cautious about what you watch on TV and what you listen to on the radio as you are about what food you put into your body?
Think about it. We can joke about watching “Big Brother” or “American Idol,” since we all know these shows are devoid of any true intellectual value, but at the end of the day, aren’t these shows, by virtue of failing to inspire creative thought or stoking the fires of the imagination, actually making us less intelligent?
“Use it or lose it” is another saying that comes to mind.
It makes me wonder: if you find yourself checking your brain at the door too often, will it still be there when you need it?
And if it’s gone... how will you ever find it?
Friday, February 8, 2008
Seeing is Believing
I didn’t really believe it until I saw it for myself.
I was halfway through a comprehensive training program to become a clinical hypnotherapist, and although I was learning amazing techniques and had benefited personally from hypnotherapy in the past, I was naturally curious as to whether it would work for me.
One day as we were having lunch, a classmate mentioned to me that she had a paralyzing phobia of cats that she had been suffering from for thirty-two years.
I mentioned that I had been learning some techniques outside of class, and that I may be able to help her.
Naturally, she was skeptical. After all, I had no previous experience curing anyone of anything, and she had been suffering from this intense phobia since she was nineteen years old.
After some prodding, she eventually agreed to come to my house and do a session. In my own estimation, this was done out of courtesy on her part, and not out of faith in my abilities.
Now, the interesting part about this story is that I happen to live with two cats. So before she would agree to come over, my friend insisted that my cats be isolated in another room, and placed in their cages.
When she arrived at my home, she had a wide-eyed glare that was similar to what you see in horror movies when the babysitter goes outside to investigate a strange noise. I assured her that the cats were locked safely away, she came inside and we got to work.
After two hours, I calmly asked her if she would like to meet my cats. She thought it over a moment, nodded and said “okay.” We walked into the adjoining room, let the cats out of their cages. She held them in her arms and started to cry... tears of joy.
In that moment, I knew that seeing was believing... but I discovered something even more significant: that you don’t always have to see before you believe.
Here’s the testimonial from my classmate and friend, in her own words:
“Hi Sean,
I finally got to show my family that I could be in the room with a cat and when they saw me holding one they just could not believe it... my husband and children were absolutely in shock! They could not believe it, and after only one session. Wow !! I made believers out of them!!
Thank you so much!"
-Ja Spruill
Atlanta, GA
I was halfway through a comprehensive training program to become a clinical hypnotherapist, and although I was learning amazing techniques and had benefited personally from hypnotherapy in the past, I was naturally curious as to whether it would work for me.
One day as we were having lunch, a classmate mentioned to me that she had a paralyzing phobia of cats that she had been suffering from for thirty-two years.
I mentioned that I had been learning some techniques outside of class, and that I may be able to help her.
Naturally, she was skeptical. After all, I had no previous experience curing anyone of anything, and she had been suffering from this intense phobia since she was nineteen years old.
After some prodding, she eventually agreed to come to my house and do a session. In my own estimation, this was done out of courtesy on her part, and not out of faith in my abilities.
Now, the interesting part about this story is that I happen to live with two cats. So before she would agree to come over, my friend insisted that my cats be isolated in another room, and placed in their cages.
When she arrived at my home, she had a wide-eyed glare that was similar to what you see in horror movies when the babysitter goes outside to investigate a strange noise. I assured her that the cats were locked safely away, she came inside and we got to work.
After two hours, I calmly asked her if she would like to meet my cats. She thought it over a moment, nodded and said “okay.” We walked into the adjoining room, let the cats out of their cages. She held them in her arms and started to cry... tears of joy.
In that moment, I knew that seeing was believing... but I discovered something even more significant: that you don’t always have to see before you believe.
Here’s the testimonial from my classmate and friend, in her own words:
“Hi Sean,
I finally got to show my family that I could be in the room with a cat and when they saw me holding one they just could not believe it... my husband and children were absolutely in shock! They could not believe it, and after only one session. Wow !! I made believers out of them!!
Thank you so much!"
-Ja Spruill
Atlanta, GA
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