05-11-2011, 12:00 AM
Does the Unconscious Mind Hear Negatives?
Irene Colville
July 2003
Hypnotherapists are told not to use negatives in their hypnotic
suggestions, because, we are told, "the subconscious mind doesn't "hear"
negatives". The theory is (and remember it is only a theory) that we
are not to say "don't" or "will not" or "no longer" or any other
negative form of suggestion when we are talking to clients with the
intent of helping them make positive changes in their lives. This, we
are told, is because the subconscious mind does not hear the negative
and therefore any negative suggestion will be heard in the positive; it
will be heard, by the client's subconscious mind, as the therapist
giving the client permission to carry on doing whatever they said they
wanted to change! Students are taught this, they take it as "a given"
(factual). And, so, it is perpetuated without question.
I find this
whole concept rather strange (to say the least). In fact, I believe that
only hypnotherapists believe the subconscious mind cannot hear
negatives! Who said that that this is so? How do they know this? I find
it quite extraordinary - how many people are so sure of what goes on in
the subconscious mind. I am amazed by such people, because - whatever is
in MY subconscious is usually out of my conscious awareness! Isn't that
the definition of the sub/unconscious mind - whatever is in it is out
of our conscious awareness? So how can anyone be so sure what the
unconscious mind hears - or doesn't hear?
It is my understanding
that the conscious mind is the analytical, critical, judgmental,
thinking mind, and the subconscious mind accepts what is put into it
WITHOUT QUESTION because it is the non-analytical, non-critical,
non-judgmental, non-thinking mind. This is what I was taught in various
modes of study, and this is what is repeatedly said in many books, and
this is what is taught in hypnotherapy schools. Surely, therefore, this
points out the contradiction in believing the subconscious mind does not
hear or accept negative language? For the subconscious mind to negate
negative language, it must first of all hear the negativity, and then it
must have some process of understanding it to be negative, and of
negating it. This would imply that the subconscious mind hears the
negative, then thinks about, judges or analyzes it, and decides to
ignore it, and strengthen the material it was aimed at changing! Unless,
of course, the idea is that the subconscious mind is aware of the
subject matter being dealt with and simply "absorbs" the energy of
anything remotely connected to that subject thereby increasing the
strength of the material the person is trying to change? If this is so,
how does that relate to the concept that my un/subconscious mind is
wise, and smart, and its role is to protect me? If this latter concept
is true, why would it ignore something I want, something I know is for
my "highest good", something that will have positive consequences on my
life - just because the suggestions were given in the so called
"negative"? We simply cannot say both concepts are true. The unconscious
mind either is non-thinking and accepts whatever is put into it - no
matter how it is presented, or it is there for my benefit, and it's role
is to do what it needs to do for my "highest good" - which means it has
the capacity to "think, judge, analyze, decide".
Whilst I
personally prefer to put my suggestions to clients into the positive
form, there are times when I cannot think of how to say something (the
reverse of the negative) when I need it. I have therefore been known to
give so-called "negative" suggestions to clients - and guess what? They
worked - they had a positive effect! The client changed the behaviour,
despite hearing me (at some level) saying "don't" or "no longer" or
"will not". I also know other hypnotherapists who report the same
phenomena. So, how can this be accounted for in the light of what we are
taught is not possible?
Unlike trained hypnotherapists, most of
my clients have never heard of the concept (and that's all it is) that
the subconscious mind cannot hear a negative. The clients (and their
subconscious minds) therefore accept my suggestions - even when they are
occasionally presented in a negative format. I personally believe that
people make changes to the level of their own "Intent". They come to me
because they have decided they need help to achieve a specific goal, and
if they are fully committed to the Intent to Change, then they will
accept that help - however it is verbalized to them. The subconscious
mind may need to be reminded of the need to change, and the positive
reasons for the desired change, but once that is achieved, the
suggestions - whether presented in the so called "positive" or
"negative" format - will be accepted - because they are perceived (and
received) as being aimed at helping the person to achieve that positive
change.
I think we do the unconscious mind a gross disservice by
limiting its manner of understanding and knowing to the words it hears. I
believe that building rapport with the client is a priority, and that
when that is achieved the energy of the client's unconscious mind joins
with the energy of the therapist in relation to the changes being
discussed or worked on. When rapport is established the client knows,
and trusts, both consciously and unconsciously, that the therapist's
"Intent" is to assist in achieving the positive change required. That's
what rapport is! It's at this higher energetic level that the
unconscious mind accepts suggestions given, whether they are expressed
in "positive" or in "negative" ways - because it accepts they are aimed
at positive change. In this sense, to speak of "negative" or "positive"
words is nonsense - the unconscious mind takes - I believe - the INTENT
of the therapist. It absorbs not only the words, but the overall MEANING
of the sentences TOGETHER WITH the energetic INTENT within the
verbalized suggestions.
Irene Colville
July 2003
Hypnotherapists are told not to use negatives in their hypnotic
suggestions, because, we are told, "the subconscious mind doesn't "hear"
negatives". The theory is (and remember it is only a theory) that we
are not to say "don't" or "will not" or "no longer" or any other
negative form of suggestion when we are talking to clients with the
intent of helping them make positive changes in their lives. This, we
are told, is because the subconscious mind does not hear the negative
and therefore any negative suggestion will be heard in the positive; it
will be heard, by the client's subconscious mind, as the therapist
giving the client permission to carry on doing whatever they said they
wanted to change! Students are taught this, they take it as "a given"
(factual). And, so, it is perpetuated without question.
I find this
whole concept rather strange (to say the least). In fact, I believe that
only hypnotherapists believe the subconscious mind cannot hear
negatives! Who said that that this is so? How do they know this? I find
it quite extraordinary - how many people are so sure of what goes on in
the subconscious mind. I am amazed by such people, because - whatever is
in MY subconscious is usually out of my conscious awareness! Isn't that
the definition of the sub/unconscious mind - whatever is in it is out
of our conscious awareness? So how can anyone be so sure what the
unconscious mind hears - or doesn't hear?
It is my understanding
that the conscious mind is the analytical, critical, judgmental,
thinking mind, and the subconscious mind accepts what is put into it
WITHOUT QUESTION because it is the non-analytical, non-critical,
non-judgmental, non-thinking mind. This is what I was taught in various
modes of study, and this is what is repeatedly said in many books, and
this is what is taught in hypnotherapy schools. Surely, therefore, this
points out the contradiction in believing the subconscious mind does not
hear or accept negative language? For the subconscious mind to negate
negative language, it must first of all hear the negativity, and then it
must have some process of understanding it to be negative, and of
negating it. This would imply that the subconscious mind hears the
negative, then thinks about, judges or analyzes it, and decides to
ignore it, and strengthen the material it was aimed at changing! Unless,
of course, the idea is that the subconscious mind is aware of the
subject matter being dealt with and simply "absorbs" the energy of
anything remotely connected to that subject thereby increasing the
strength of the material the person is trying to change? If this is so,
how does that relate to the concept that my un/subconscious mind is
wise, and smart, and its role is to protect me? If this latter concept
is true, why would it ignore something I want, something I know is for
my "highest good", something that will have positive consequences on my
life - just because the suggestions were given in the so called
"negative"? We simply cannot say both concepts are true. The unconscious
mind either is non-thinking and accepts whatever is put into it - no
matter how it is presented, or it is there for my benefit, and it's role
is to do what it needs to do for my "highest good" - which means it has
the capacity to "think, judge, analyze, decide".
Whilst I
personally prefer to put my suggestions to clients into the positive
form, there are times when I cannot think of how to say something (the
reverse of the negative) when I need it. I have therefore been known to
give so-called "negative" suggestions to clients - and guess what? They
worked - they had a positive effect! The client changed the behaviour,
despite hearing me (at some level) saying "don't" or "no longer" or
"will not". I also know other hypnotherapists who report the same
phenomena. So, how can this be accounted for in the light of what we are
taught is not possible?
Unlike trained hypnotherapists, most of
my clients have never heard of the concept (and that's all it is) that
the subconscious mind cannot hear a negative. The clients (and their
subconscious minds) therefore accept my suggestions - even when they are
occasionally presented in a negative format. I personally believe that
people make changes to the level of their own "Intent". They come to me
because they have decided they need help to achieve a specific goal, and
if they are fully committed to the Intent to Change, then they will
accept that help - however it is verbalized to them. The subconscious
mind may need to be reminded of the need to change, and the positive
reasons for the desired change, but once that is achieved, the
suggestions - whether presented in the so called "positive" or
"negative" format - will be accepted - because they are perceived (and
received) as being aimed at helping the person to achieve that positive
change.
I think we do the unconscious mind a gross disservice by
limiting its manner of understanding and knowing to the words it hears. I
believe that building rapport with the client is a priority, and that
when that is achieved the energy of the client's unconscious mind joins
with the energy of the therapist in relation to the changes being
discussed or worked on. When rapport is established the client knows,
and trusts, both consciously and unconsciously, that the therapist's
"Intent" is to assist in achieving the positive change required. That's
what rapport is! It's at this higher energetic level that the
unconscious mind accepts suggestions given, whether they are expressed
in "positive" or in "negative" ways - because it accepts they are aimed
at positive change. In this sense, to speak of "negative" or "positive"
words is nonsense - the unconscious mind takes - I believe - the INTENT
of the therapist. It absorbs not only the words, but the overall MEANING
of the sentences TOGETHER WITH the energetic INTENT within the
verbalized suggestions.