| This Practice is rather unique,
yet still quite simple to perform. In order to make the instructions
as clear as possible, the instructions read quite a bit longer
than when I teach this Practice in person.
The purpose of this Practice is to help you understand how
the way you use your body creates a different experience of
the challenges you face.
It will be best to first read through the instructions once
or twice so that you will not have to interrupt yourself later
on, by needing to read every step in detail.
As always, breathing and taking your time with this Practice
are of paramount importance.
Materials that you will need to perform the Practice:
A. Several hardcover books if available.
Soft cover books or even newspapers are also fine. When you
stack the books one on top of the other the stack should
be roughly six to eight inches high. At least two of
the books should be about one inch high when sitting flat
on a desk.
B. A clock which clearly show the seconds
ticking away. Best if you have a clock that you can place
in the room as you like.
Again, as always, this Practice is designed to be done numerous
times over a period of time. The results you get over time
might be somewhat magical, but the Practice itself is not
at all magical. The "magic" shows up in the doing!
Performing the Practice numerous times will give you great
value.
1. Determine and state a relationship
or behavior that you would like to better understand as a
result of doing this Seishindo Self-hypnosis Practice.
In Seishindo we strongly suggest exploring what you would
like to better understand, rather than striving to change
a behavior or relationship. All too often people attempt to
change something in their life, without fully understanding
the circumstances involved. Our belief is: If you truly understand
a situation or relationship, both cognitively and emotionally,
you will almost certainly find that a "problem"
no longer exists.
Please make a clear statement of intention now. For instance,
"I would like to better understand my relationship with
eating and food."
2. Create an "I am"
statement.
Here is how to develop an "I am" statement:
Make believe that you have ALREADY ACCOMPLISHED your intention
as just stated above. Make a statement that describes how
your feel, and experience "life" and or yourself
having ALREADY achieved the results you desire. For instance,
if you are wanting to have "a better understanding of
my relationship to food" you might say, "I am enjoying
my healthy relationship with food and eating, and feeling
good."
It is very important that you make an "I am" statement
that gives you the mental image and emotional feeling of how
you look and feel having ALREADY accomplished your goal, rather
than using negative terms that describe how you do NOT want
to be. An incorrectly formulated "I am" statement
would be "I am no longer overweight and I feel good about
myself." In the same way, a successful athlete would
NOT say to herself "I am no longer missing field goals
during the important moments of a game." Instead, state
what you ARE doing, having already accomplished your goal.
The athlete might say, "I am feeling confident as I continue
to make my field goals." It is important to keep your
"I am" statement simple. In general, the simpler
the better.
In particular, people often struggle with how to make a statement
in regard to "smoking" or "stress".
We do NOT want to say something like "I am better understanding
my relationship to smoking/stress." because such a statement
would have us continuing to think about "Smoking/Stress"
Much better to say something like (Depending on your circumstances
of course.) "I am in a healthy relationship with my
whole self, and feeling fit and fine." Or, "I
am having healthy reactions to life's many ups and downs."
It is quite likely that your "I am" statement will
change during the course of this Practice, or you might find
that your "I am" statement changes the next time
you entertain the same issue. This is fine. As long as you
continue to state your "I am" statement in positive
terms, welcome a change in your statement, if and when a change
does occur.)
Take the time now to write down your initial intent, and
the "I am" statement that you have created.
3. With your shoes off, stand
with one foot on the floor and your other foot resting on
top of your stack of books that is roughly between six to
eight inches in height. Shift about 60% of your weight to
the foot that is on top of the books.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
If you are in a suitable space, it is best to make your "I
am" statements out loud.
4. Switch to having your other
foot on top of the books.
Once again, make your "I am" statement out loud,
and then breathe deeply three times. It is important that
you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while doing
this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
5. Now switch the set up of
the books. Work with the two books that are only about one
inch thick. Place one book under the ball of your right foot
and the other book under the heal of your left foot.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
6. Switch feet. Place one
book under the ball of your left foot the other one under
the heel of your right foot.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
7. Now switch the set up of
the books again. Working with the two books that are only
about one inch thick, place each book under the ball of each
foot.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
8. Now switch the set up of
the books again. Working with the two books that are only
about one inch thick, place each book under the heel of each
foot.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
9. Continuing to stand with
the books under both heels, tighten up your face muscles,
raise and tighten your shoulders, and tighten ALL of your
other muscles as well.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
10. Stand in a "regular"
manner with both feet on the floor. Rock slowly and rhythmically
from front to back.
Stand and rock like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
11. Stand in a "regular"
manner with both feet on the floor. Rock slowly and rhythmically
from left to right.
Stand and rock like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
12. Stand in a "regular"
manner with both feet on the floor. Nothing special to do
this time.
Stand like this and make your "I am" statement
out loud, and then breathe deeply three times. It is important
that you breathe deeply and expansively. Take your time while
doing this.
After taking your three deep breaths, just stare out into
the distance, as then begin to repeat your "I am"
statement to yourself in a slow repetitive fashion. Take about
one minute for this. Be certain to speak to yourself slowly,
and to take at least one deep breath in between your statements.
The "active" part of the Practice is now complete.
Note to yourself your "I am" statement now. Is
it the same as before? As I said up top change is fine if
it comes, but either way is OK.
Note how you feel now, and how you feel in regard to your
original intention and your "I am" statement(s).
You might find it useful to take some notes.
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