The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind (25 page)
Read The Genie Within: Your Subconscious Mind Online
Authors: Harry Carpenter
While the logical side of the brain is engrossed in the music or story, quietly read affirmations in the left ear. These affirmations will be carried to the right side of the brain. The right side is associated with feelings and global thinking, characteristics of the subconscious mind. Thus the affirmation bypasses the critical mind and goes directly to the uncritical, subconscious mind.
ONE-WORD AFFIRMATIONS
Words have two meanings. One is the definition found in dictionaries. Words also have connotations attached to them. These connotations are beyond the logical definition and are associated with our personal feelings. For example, the definition of “flag” is a piece of cloth that represents a country, etc. But when we think of the word “flag” many thoughts, emotions, and images come into consciousness from the subconscious mind.
These connotations and images can be used to our advantage as one-word affirmations.
“
TRY
”
The connotation of “try” is to attempt to do something but not do it. Try to pick up something within reach, say a pencil. Did you pick it up? If you did, you did not “try” to pick it up. When you “try” to pick it up, you fail to pick it up. Thus, the word means, to the subconscious mind, “to fail!”
Now that you know the connotations in this word, why would you ever use it? Do not use it! When you ask Sally if she will come to church at six a.m. to help set up decorations for a special event and she says, “I’ll
try
to be there,” she will not be there. If you ask Shirley and she says, “I’ll be there,” you can count on her.
Eliminate this insidious word from your vocabulary. First, it is self-defeating and, second, there is always a better word. Why
try
to do something? Just
do
it. Why try to hammer a nail? Hammer a nail. Why try to read the book? Read the book. Why try to get into college? Study hard and get into college. Why try to be a better person? Be a better person.
There are two exceptions. One is in writing. Clear, easy-to-read writing requires the use of simple, short words and
“try” fits both requirements. The use of the synonyms, “attempt,” “strive” and “endeavor,” are not as pithy. So use it in writing if you must, but not in conversation.
Two, another definition of “try” is “to test.” This is a legitimate use. But considering the dozens of times you use the word “try” every day, very few, if any, are used to mean, “to test.” So rather than use the word “try” for this legitimate use, use another, better word that is more precise. Don’t “try” a piece of pie; “taste” a piece. Don’t “try” another newspaper; “read” another one. Don’t “try” another car; “drive” another car.
“DELETE”
When a TV ad for a cold remedy comes on and the announcer says “When you catch your next cold...,” immediately think the word “DELETE.” When someone says, “You do not look well,” immediately picture “DELETE.” Picture yourself at your computer. Visualize the negative statement on your monitor screen. Highlight it and “DELETE” it. These are suggestions you do not want impacting your subconscious mind. The word “DELETE” is a command to your subconscious mind to ignore what was just said or seen.
“CANCEL”
Use this word the same as above. Add power to this word by imagining a big neon sign flashing the word “CANCEL” in vivid colors.
“DONE”
Everyone at times has a task that seems too big. Have you ever arrived at work and found your desk piled with papers that need immediate attention? Or come home from school with several big assignments that had to be done that night? Most people give themselves self-defeating affirmations like, “How will I ever get all of this done?” Or, “I can’t do all of this!”
Instead, picture the word “DONE.” A good affirmation depicts the thing you want in the present time. The thing you want is for the work to be “DONE.” You know it will be “DONE” if you simply get busy and do it rather than feel sorry for yourself. Whenever you feel you have too much work, simply picture the work “DONE.” Then add power to the one-word affirmation by seeing yourself dancing on a clean desk or seeing yourself handing your completed assignments to your teachers.
“GOING”
Emile Coué reported much success on patients with pain. He had them say, “It is GOING” ten times as rapidly as they could. Cleverly, he reasoned that when the patient said the short sentence as fast as they could, the conscious mind had to think about the
saying
, not the meaning. Thus, the suggestion of “GOING” went into the subconscious mind.
“GONE”
Use for any malady, such as a cold or a wart.
“CHANGE”
When you are worried about something, or have a negative thought running around in your head, think
“CHANGE.” Think “CHANGE” and then think about something else. You can only think of one thing at a time so you have a choice of what to think about. Change your thought and exercise your ability to think of something positive. Think of something happy and something that will keep your attention, like reliving a special vacation.
“NUMB”
When you slam your finger in the car door, your reaction is to think and say “ouch.” “Ouch” connotes pain and pain is not what you want. Instead, get in the habit of reacting with the word “NUMB.”
“NORMAL”
After you slam your finger in the car door, your body reacts by sending fluids to that area that cause swelling. Often the swelling does more damage than the smashing, so use these words together, “NUMB and NORMAL!”
“DRY”
If you feel the sniffles coming on. Think “DRY and NORMAL.” Associate “DRY” with something vivid. Recall the opening scene in the movie,
The English Patient
. The hero was flying low over the vast Sahara desert. No vegetation was visible from horizon to horizon, only sand. That is DRY.
“REACH”
Need to be creative? Think “REACH.” Imagine “REACHING” for ideas out of thin air and inserting them inside your head.
SUMMARY
Many other words can be used as one-word affirmations. A word will be especially powerful for you if you provide connotations to it. For example, you want your conscious mind and subconscious mind to work together. Think “TOGETHER” and imagine two people hugging, a two-person volleyball team showing teamwork skills, or two lumberjacks working one of those old two-man saws. Now every time you think of “TOGETHER,” you activate and strengthen the affirmation and remind your conscious mind and subconscious mind to work “TOGETHER.”
PARABLES
To add even more power to your one-word affirmation, make up a parable to go with it. Parables impress your subconscious mind better than merely words or static images. They supply wisdom and energy at a subliminal level. Writers and storytellers have used parables for ages because of their impact. Once you hear a meaningful parable, you never forget it.
An example of a parable to use with the one-word affirmation “TOGETHER” is given below.
“A farmer owned a hundred oxen but the oxen would not plow his fields no matter how much he beat them with a whip. One day the farmer found that one of the oxen could talk. The ox told him the oxen would not work for the farmer because he gave them confusing orders, abused them, and did not credit them for their effort. The farmer became wise and compassionate. He gathered the oxen together in the field. He
explained that if they worked “TOGETHER” with him, he would thank them profusely, he would share the harvest with them, and he would house them in a barn during the long, cold winter. He added that plowing would be effortless if the oxen followed directions and worked “TOGETHER.” Combined they were much more powerful than when alone. The oxen complied and farmer and the oxen prospered.”
Now when you think of “TOGETHER” it will impress your subconscious mind even more. Making up your own parable will mean more to your subconscious mind than one made up by someone else.
Here is an example of a parable for getting rid of the excess baggage, such as grudges, envy, regrets, unfulfilled desires, poor decisions, etc.
“An elderly man with a gaunt, troubled face was walking through a village. He drew a lot of attention from the villagers because he was carrying so many objects with him. One little boy, who did not know it was impolite to ask, stopped the man and asked him why he had an iron stove on his back. “Oh, that” said the man. “I really do not need that for where I am going and it is very heavy. I will leave it here.” The man walked a little farther when an old lady asked him if he really needed the cast iron curling iron he had attached to his belt. “No, I do not need that. I did not know it was there,” he replied. He gladly gave her the curling iron. A little later, a younger man approached and asked if he would sell the iron anvil he was balancing on his head. “I was so used to carrying
that anvil that I forgot it was there,” the old man said. “You may have it for I am glad to rid myself of it.” The old man went through the village unburdening himself of all that was unnecessary and only caused him grief. By the time he walked through the village he was free of all his burdens. He was enormously grateful to those who helped him realize he was carrying things that made his life harder and that were unhealthy. His pace increased and he smiled broader than he had for years. He whistled all the way home, where he lived many, many more years, and had a happy, fulfilling, and healthy life.”
SUBSTITUTION
“Always think of yourself as you want yourself to be.” Most of the time thinking positively is easy. But there are times when you may have a problem or ailment that you keep thinking about. Remember you can only think of one thing at a time and your conscious mind has free will. So you have a choice of what you think about. Here are a few ideas to use when you are having trouble keeping your conscious mind off negative thoughts.
First, do all directed activity items you can think of. Do not break the Natural Cycle: Energy —>Idea —>Directed Activity—>Rest —>Energy —>etc. Doing something positive helps in two ways. You burn energy in a constructive way instead of suppressing it, and doing something positive gives you a feeling of being in control.
Second, every time your conscious mind turns to the negative thought, substitute it:
• Picture a positive “One-Word” affirmation.
• Visualize a symbol, such as a happy face.
• Envision a pleasant scene, possibly a place where you had a happy time.
• Chant a positive phrase, such as “I am happy” or, if you are religious, “God is my strength.”
• Sing a happy song.
• Send love to someone or to a special group.
• Think about a pertinent story or fable. Make up an apt parable.
• Stimulate your Joy Center.
You have no excuse for dwelling on a negative thought.
OVERLAYING
Overlaying is used to replace a dislike, fear, or bad habit with a positive one. It works like this. Go into the alpha state. Picture in your mind the thing you dislike, say, being stuck in a traffic jam. Now shrink that picture to the size of a postage stamp. Then picture a pleasant scene or experience. Attach strong emotion to your pleasant scene. Hold the positive though for a few seconds and then repeat the sequence three times. Next time you get stuck in traffic, your neurological system will not react negatively because it will associate the event with the positive feelings.
Another variation is to write the thing that bothers you on a piece of paper. Close your eyes, go into alpha, and then visualize something very positive and happy. Then open your eyes and look at what you wrote on the paper. Repeat three times. Now when the negative thing comes up, it will be associated with positive emotions so that it will not bug you and you can face it objectively.