Chapter two of meaningful reminders:
The Reasons subconscious brings us certain thoughts and feelings.
Last week I left you with the “Why?” question. If you are still wondering why, let me explain some of the reasons. For there are lessons to be learned here.
We lay down memories by association. We learn by association. We recall by association. We emote by association. We respond and even react a great deal by association.
Many of our associations are formed as we receive information cognitively, and through our senses; these bits of information as gathered are stored so deep in our minds, even without our conscious knowledge that we are taking them in at the time. They go deep into the the uncocncious. It is called cryptonesia: Buried memory. Also things we are aware of at the time are often long forgotten, yet subconsciously stored, waiting for the right moment to surface.
It happens like this, too: A client comes into my therapy room chatting about something that at the moment doesn’t seem relevant to the work. However, as I listen it gives me leads to follow and guide him or her into a process that in turn leads to an important positive shift in consciousness. The associations are then used productively and serve their purpose in therapy..
When clients ask, “Why am I telling you this right now?” it is because they don’t know that their subconscious has prompted them to talk about something that will be helpful. It is one of the attributes of my Whole Mind Hypnotherapy to help my clients realize that their subconscious is always present and always participating in the therapeutic process, and always there to be helpful.
My subconscious also often comes up with a subject in the therapy room that at the moment seems irrelevant, yet it turns out to be relevant for my clients and stimulates them to reveal something crucially important to their therapy.
For example, they may say something like, “Funny you should be talking about that Elaine, because….” I may have not consciously registered all of those little clues the person has been giving me all along, and I may wonder where this is coming from and for what purpose. But my subconscious has recorded important Information without my conscious awareness and found its relevance in that moment, and prompts me with queues to talk about it. It always stimulates a response from my client that enables us to move forward. And, very importantly, their musings about so called every day events give me the language and fuel for suggestions I will give them during their hypnosis. The more they talk, the more I hear their subconscious coming through. The more you listen within yourself and pay attention to those things that rise up from deep within you the more self awareness and insights you will glean for your benefit.
There is of course an intuitive element to all these inner to outer mind communications; and we all know how important it is to trust our intuition. I have learned to trust it in my hypnotherapy practice and it works wonders in my every day life!
Another example of meaningful reminders from the subconscious:
Certain weather conditions could evoke a mood because it is reminiscent of an event. Haven’t you been drawn back in time because the way shadows fall on the lawn, or the way the sun reflects on water or shines through a window? …Or certain lines in songs or a piece of music arouse emotions based on experiences you have had… Or when an aroma or a scent causes you to feel happy or sad, or remember a person you haven’t thought of in a long time.
Do you consciously seek the sources?
You might say. “This reminds me of something or someone.”However, do you seek to know the reason your subconscious wants you to recall that someone at this particular time when it hasn’t asked you to other times?
For surely there have been many times when those things have been present in your awareness without sponsoring reflections.
Again, there is always a reason.
Our up and down moods are often based on associations with events and emotions originating in the past; not necessarily based on what is going on in our lives at the moment. For example, I had never been negatively affected by the weather, rain or shine; weather had always been something I accepted, although, like others, I have my preferences. Yet for the longest time cold windy gray days would bring with them a depressed feeling and I’d feel weepy. I didn’t connect the dots correctly right away; I thought perhaps I was developing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) because we had spent so many winters in sunny Arizona. It was when I dialoged with my subconscious about what was causing me to feel so sad that it enabled me recognize the association. It helped me realize that I was associating the weather with a profoundly painful loss; it was a call from my subconscious to acknowledge the association, also a reminder that there is no need to continue to experience those discomforts. It was using the association to advise me to do some inner mind work to resolve issues associated with the loss of that person. Through this process I was able to resolve those issues and then use those days to focus on the fact that that special person had lived, that he had made a positive impact on my life and the lives of others: And make a point to recall on those cold windy dreary days the sunny bright days of our times together and all the joys and laughter we shared. Then those cold windy grey days no longer saddened me nearly so much.
When we pay attention this way we are able to make good use of the associations our subconscious brings to consciousness; for so many times it intends for us to work within ourselves to heal, to change, to let go of what no longer serves a useful purpose. Or to bring back a good feeling, or a lesson long forgotten that is relevant in the now.
So reflect now on those times when you have had a mood you couldn’t explain, or inkling or urge to do something that seemed inappropriate for the moment, or found yourself remembering something that you hadn’t thought of in ages. Listen, pay attention, and know that everything your subconscious brings to you is for a reason. And most importantly, your subconscious is there to help you.
Sincerely from Elaine Kissel