As I mention in my last post the unconscious mind is symbolic by nature, the conscious mind in order to communicate effectively with the unconscious also process the incoming information transmitted by our senses symbolically as well. The result of this is that when we think our minds process what we see, hear, smell, taste, etc… into what can be best describe as a holographic representation of the experience and then store the memory in our neuro synapses (Karl Pribram, Stanford University, “Holonomic Brain Theory”). Now these representations are individually stored with variances in the qualities of these representations, these qualities and the variations we assign to them actually have a very profound effect on our emotional states and the way we relate to them. We call these qualities in the field of NLP; Submodalities. To illustrate this for you, I would like you to think about a couple of things.
First think of the home you grew up in as a child.
Is the image in color? When you see it do you see your self standing in this place… or, do you see it through your own eyes as if your there? Do you hear any sounds? Are you alone? Is the picture clear or hazy?
Now think of you current home or if you live in your parent’s home by chance, think of a place you want to live some day.
Is the image in color? When you see it do you see your self standing in this place… or, do you see it through your own eyes as if your there? Do you hear any sounds? Are you alone? Is the picture clear or hazy?
Now in comparing the two memories, and notice any difference in the quality of the images, sounds, feelings, does either image have a frame? If they are both in color are the colors more vibrant in one that the other? Does either image seem more realistic?
The differences in these qualities are what make up our attitudes and feelings about everything we experience in life. Believe it or not, just making minor changes to these representations in our minds, can allow us to do many things we at times have thought impossible.
For instance, let’s say you wanted to ask your boss for a raise. Well most people get this small picture in their minds of seeing themselves walk into their boss’s office, and their boss is sitting behind their desk, and talking in a loud voice. The in turn, see themselves asking the boss for a raise in a very meek tone, and of course the boss almost screams “NO!” (or worse) at them and tells them to get back to work. They silently walk back out of the office telling them selves how foolish they were to even ask.
Images such as this have a way of stopping people from doing things long before they even start to do anything.
Most men when they see an attractive woman across the room never walk over to them because they imagine that if they did walk over and actually talk to the woman that they would be turned down right after they said “Hi” I believe this is a over simplified version of what most men picture, but it sums it up neatly enough.
Both of theses examples do however share the theme of losing out, before even trying anything. Believe it or not there is something good to be found in even these examples, if we just change a few of the qualities of these images, sounds, relations to emotions in them, instead of defeating an idea at its inception, it can actually encourage us to ask for that raise or even maybe say “Hi” to the person that may potentially be the love of our lifetime.
The following is an incomplete list of Submodalities that we can notice about the images and sounds and other things that make up the representations we use in our minds to relate to the “reality” and events of our lives.
Visual Submodalities
If you picture something in your mind you might:
- See a movie or a still picture
- See a panorama or a frame
- See it in color or black and white
- Have a focused clear vision or see it blurry
- See it close to you or at a distance
- See it from various angles
- Associated (see it from inside yourself) Dissociated (externally watching yourself)
- See it vibrant and warm in color or washed out and faded
Auditory Submodalities
If you hear sounds in your mind they maybe:
- Loud or soft
- Still or moving
- Of various frequencies – High or Low pitched
- Timber (characteristics of voice like the voice of Mickey Mouse)
- Clear or Raspy
- Of Various Duration – Long or Short
- Talking maybe very fast or slow
- Monotone or excited
Kinesthetic Submodalities
Kinesthetic Submodalities are different as they represent feelings we have as well as actions that concern touching.
Feeling Submodalities
If you have a feeling it maybe:
- Hot or Cold
- Texture (rough or smooth)
- Hard or Soft
- Light or Heavy
- Steady or Intermittent
- Rhythmic
- Location Specific
- Displayed through positions of the eyes
- Displayed with gestures of the hands
Action (Touch) Submodalities
- Grabbing
- Reaching or Withdrawing
- Holding or Letting go
- Grappling
- Hugging
- Kissing
- Rubbing
Pain Submodalities
- Tingling
- Hot or cold
- Throbbing
- Sharp or Dull
- High or Low Pressure
- Location
- Duration
Gustatory and Olfactory Submodalities
Olfactory and Gustatory Submodalities are often grouped into the category of Kinesthetic Submodalities. In most cases their very presence can indicate very important associations that I believe are a key to the basis of everyone’s internal experience.
Olfactory Submodalities
Olfactory senses specifically deal with the sense of smell, so if you have an Olfactory Submodality you might smell:
- Sweet or Sour
- Fragrant or Fowl
- Fresh or Stale
- Familiar or Strange
Gustatory Submodalities
Gustatory Submodalities deal specifically with the sense of taste. If you have a Gustatory Submodality you might taste:
- Salty or Sweet
- Savory
- Bitters
- Dry or Wet
- Acidity
- Strong or Mild
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