Okay, so here's a potentially new way for you to change your self-talk. This idea arose while attending Wendi Friesen's "radio" show earlier today: she asked us how we changed our negative self-talk and I remembered a process I do for something different that could be adapted to this purpose. Wendi liked it so much she made it the "homework" for the group today (she's going through manifesting all week this week, so if that's something that interests you, be sure to drop by tomorrow at noon Pacific).

So what is this wonderful process? Let me explain how I currently use it first, and then get to using it for self-talk.

This was originally a memory technique, for remember phone numbers to call later or other short bits of information. For example, I'd be driving on the freeway, listening to the radio, and I'd hear an ad I wanted to follow up on. Only problem is, I can't write while driving (that's not a safe thing to do) and I'm not in the habit of bringing a voice recorder with me (and the few times I've tried, I often can't understand what I said, and I tend to forget to check the thing when I get home). So instead, I write a "mental note" and file it in a "For Later Recall" slot.

Here's my specific visualization for that. I see a piece of paper, note-sized, kinda parchment-like. The whole scene is lit in a soft golden glow. I see the letters of the message forming as though they were being written, and sometimes I imagine the pen as well. Once I have the entire message there (and I look at it as a whole when done to "cement" the message on the paper), the paper is folded, then slid into a slot on the wall labeled "For Later Recall" or "To Remember When You Get Home" or "To Recall After 5 PM" or ... you get the idea.

Then I stop thinking about it.

This does work; I've used it many times to remember a number and name from a radio ad and had the recall hours later. The reasoning behind seeing the letters forming as opposed to "just there" is that it makes it more real, in a way, more permanent.

Now, how to turn this into a reprogramming tool? If you're as smart as I think you are, you're probably ahead of me on this. Write the new self-talk message down on the paper and put it in a slot marked "For Reprogramming" or whatever works for you.

It may take a little practice to get this process down, or it may start working immediately. I don't know which will happen, but I do know it will have a positive effect on you.

Okay, enough with the double binds already. I haven't tried using it this way yet, but I will do so tonight before going to bed. Given its success as a memory technique, however, I do feel confident it'll work for this as well ... don't you? ;)

Joshua

PS. As you no doubt noticed, this is a very visual process. It can easily be modified for the other modalities, I think; for auditory, you could "imagine" instead of visualizing and add in the audio of the message, with maybe a bank teller voice accepting the new program "for deposit" or something. For kinesthetic, *feel* the pen writing the message, the texture of the paper, the smoothness of the wall and the gap where the slot is, etc., while "imagining" the visual aspects. Heck, even if you're visual, throw in the other stuff, too! The more senses involved, the better, right? :D

Okay. I'm back from the Walkabout Trance Beach Resort Getaway and I think a review is in order. But before that, I need to apologize for my most recent post; I didn't get a product up in time. I'd intended to, but didn't quite get anything finished before I left.

Now for the review. Hypnoticon was fun, though it definitely was a mixed group. It was an inclusive event, so people from all walks were there: recreational, stage, clinical, metaphysical. All in all, everyone got along and treated each other with respect and learned from each other. Which was, after all, the entire point.

There was a workshop on balancing different aspects that had useful information; even if you're not into the more recreational aspects, many people do a combination of stage and clinical. And it's important to decide which one is more important to you, and which one you'd be willing to sacrifice if you had to. Also, you need to decide on your level of openness. Are you comfortable with people knowing both aspects, or do you need one or the other to be more private?

The first day of the convention had a beginner track and an advanced track. The advanced track was taught by Brian David Phillips and included several of his instant inductions, along with an exercise for coming up with an induction on the spot. This exercise was a lot of fun.

Take 5 to 7 people and line them in two lines facing each other (like this: ---> <----). One of the two people in the front of the lines is the hypnotist and the other is the "trance partner" (Brian's preferred term). One of the other people in the line is the "challenger," who comes up with an everyday object, idea, concept, etc. (or a specific induction to use, depending on how you want to work it), then the hypnotist has a limited amount of time to start talking and complete the process. For example, start talking within 15 seconds, and the whole process takes less than 3 minutes.

There were some ... creative inductions invented during this exercise. One group had a "jock strap" induction. Not sure how practical that is, but ... ;)

During the lunch break, we broke off to do walkabout trance sessions. This didn't go too well, as pretty much everyone went to the same place for lunch, so the waitresses were too busy taking care of us hypnotists to have the time to be hypnotized.

Saturday and Sunday were the other workshops and seminars. Tom Vizzini gave a 2 hour seminar on his 3D Mind process, which was interesting. John Cerbone and Richard Nongard gave a 2 hour seminar on their Speed Trance techniques and were very entertaining. There were several stage shows in the evening, as well.

Now to the Walkabout Trance event I just got back from. This was held in Hermosa Beach, CA, and was also very fun. In some ways, it was a repeat of Brian's advanced track at Hypnoticon, only more in depth. This one had more therapists than recreational hypnotists, I think, so the atmosphere was a bit different.

This time, when we broke for the walkabout sessions, things actually happened. That may have been partially because of the different environment (on a beach full of young people, and in an area open to the "woo-woo") and partially because Brian learned his lesson from Hypnoticon and did *not* arrange for a particular establishment to expect us.

So we didn't all go to the same place this time. ;)

I would have loved more time going around doing the hands-on stuff, personally, but I had a great time down there nonetheless. I got to meet some of the people I've only known online; Seth-Deborah, Stephanie Rothman, and others. And I got to see Wendi again, which is always fun. I even went clubbing with Wendi Saturday night! :o

I'd recommend attending either of these if they're offered again. I know Hypnoticon is planned to be done again next year, and I don't know for sure about the Walkabout Trance event. Great people and great tips and techniques.

Joshua