VISUALISING

Nearly two weeks of self-isolation and we’re still shell-shocked by what’s happening to us all.  The news from a variety of TV stations is keeping us in touch with the superficial stuff, but what’s going on at a much deeper level is hard to fathom.  After I’ve written this piece, we’ll be watching the London Real TV interview with GREG BRADEN (author, lecturer, educator).  We like what this man has to say.  The title of the interview is ‘Covid 19 and Consciousness’.  If I think it will be helpful, I’ll put up the link.

Yes, it was, long if you suffer from ADD but not if you want to know more.  Here it is.

A GARDEN AND A DOG

We’re lucky to live where we do, in a small, attractive village with a garden, wonderful neighbours and fields and woods to walk Monty.  Also we (mostly I) have plenty to do around the house.  But we’re feeling very cut off as I’m sure are thousands, even millions of others worldwide.  The exchange of energy that is human-to-human contact is missing and we feel COLD without it.

We’re social animals, well, most of us are, and it’s through interaction that we thrive.  Of course, there are those who’ve decided to opt out, usually because they don’t like the modern world.  Simple as that.  Neither do we but we admit we need the company of close friends and family to maintain good emotional and spiritual health.

How are we coping?  We’re as okay as we can be under the circumstances although there have been a couple of disquieting events in the last week.  I will report on them anon.

FAST BECOMING A THERAPY ROOM

On the positive side, we have our ‘ditty box,’ our chill-out cabin and it’s proving invaluable for both of us.  This morning I settled Leaf under a warm blanket, with candles and rosemary oil in the burner and Steely Dan stirring his treasured memories of the 70’s.  He was happy.

When the CD was over, I joined him.  To the sound of Reiki music, I took him through a relaxing process and a creative visualisation (I recommend Shakti Gawain’s methods).  I finished with some hypnotic suggestion to keep him calm and free from anxiety.  It worked.

A POPULAR VISUALISATION

He was quiet content to stay in the ditty box and enthusiastic when I suggested I read another chapter of his book.  This was one of my favourites when he travelled the length of India on a pilgrimage that would change his life.  I carried on with the story of the time we met.   We both ended up in tears.  It was highly therapeutic.

Back in the early eighties I bought a book by Pam Young ‘Personal Change Through Self-Hypnosis’ – (it’s not easy to find a seller).  There were things I wanted to change and the idea of  ‘putting myself under’ appealed.  By recording a standard hypnosis induction, a Basic Script aimed at relaxing the body, ridding our thoughts of anxiety and stress and suppressing the conscious mind, I would then be open to accessing my subconscious.  The book covered a range of deep level scripts to treat all sorts of problems and conditions.  My three were blushing, self-consciousness and fear of public speaking.  The last was particularly important as I was due to address a large group of television critics in a London cinema prior to the showing of a three-part series I’d produced.  The idea terrified me and the prospect haunted me until I read the book and tried the appropriate scripts.  Around four sessions did the trick on all three counts.  It was amazing.

Many people are terrified of the idea of being hypnotised.   Mainly, I suppose,  because of sensational stage acts, the practice has generated enough ‘bad press’ suggesting that those who succumb, could be made to do all sorts of silly stuff and, heaven forbid, might reveal something horrendous about themselves whilst under!   Maybe there’s the frightening prospect of losing control and setting free some awful demon lurking inside?  Seriously though, I think there are quite a few people who fear what they might do and say.

GOING UNDER WITH THE PENDULUM METHOD

With self-hypnosis, we’re completely in charge and, as we’re the ones who have recorded the scripts, there isn’t anything to be afraid of.

Luckily, Leaf has nothing to hide.  As many readers will know, he’s revealed all in his autobiographies, as have I.  You can’t write a believable memoire unless you’re prepared to be completely open and honest.  There are ego-trippers, of course, and they make themselves obvious in the first few pages.

On the basis of today’s success, I will now be looking for a really effective script to try and help Leaf access those memories and mental abilities he’s lost.  There are several on YouTube specifically for dementia patients.  It’s definitely worth a try.

THE DITTY BOX – TINY BUT COSY

When I conceived the idea of the ditty box, little did I dream we would be creating an invaluable space, a truly therapeutic space.  If you have a small, unused room or garden shed (you could even buy a little one), in today’s troubled world, a chill-out space of some sort could even be considered a necessity.