internal awareness and control

[reframethis]

I have been studying NLP/hypnosis for several years now and have a rather extensive understanding of the concepts and techniques that comprise this field, yet for the life of me, i still can't get some of the basics of NLP to work for me.

The meta-model i undestand, milton model i undestand, reframing i undestand, values and criteria i understand, rapport i understand, well-formed outcomes i understand, strageties i understand, anchoring i understand, but as much as i've read about submodalities (a lot) i still can't make these distinctions in my internal cinema.

When i consciously think of memories, and attempt to elicit submodality distinctions, all i get are glimpses at images that squirm away under the focus of my attention. It's not at all like the experience of comparing two photographs, as so much of the literature tends to portray, but more like if i were to take those photographs and hold them in my peripheral vision and only then compare and contrast their qualities. Dozens of times i have put forth concerted effort to "learn to use submodalities" but to no avail. Different memories, different emotional charge, makes no difference, my internal cinema is so vague and ambiguous when i go meta and attempt to pin down qualities.

Changing submodality qualities has similar issues, where these qualities don't seem to exist in the first place, so trying to change (brighter, bigger, different location) them has no meaning. These issues are not restricted to the visual modality, but also with auditory, and to a lesser extent kinesthetic. Auditory qualities are recognizable, but changing them is a challenge i have been unable to achieve these many years. Kinesthetic i can recognize basic features, but Bandler's more recent work on feeling the movement of emotions eludes me.

Another problem i've encountered is related to associating with resource states. I have been unable to simply "remember when you felt x, seeing what you saw, hearing what you heard, feeling what you felt". I have some concept of this memory as having a hazy elusive image and usually some auditory digital track of my own internal voice repeating back something that was said, but if i try and relive the experience, it has my voice trying to fill in patches of dialogue i don't really remember and seeing broken images i'm trying to fit together that are indistinct as i described above.

As much as i believe in the power of NLP i am left feeling stuck with my own abilities to affect change in my life. It seems every really powerful NLP technique i read or hear about i think, "god, that's exactly what i need!" then i try it out, and end up with the same problem i always have - an indistinct internal cinema with controls i can't seem to get to work, which are usually prerequisites to perform most of the magic in NLP.

Anyone who has any useful suggestions for improving my internal awareness and control, please share!

Thanks much,
Tim.

[TaffyE]

Tim,
I'm mind reading here, it seems as though you are trying to hold two memories in your mind at the same time.

The trick imo is to hold the pictures one at a time and note the submodalities, especially the significant ones (the drivers of the memory) then change the submods of the picture you want to change to those of a positive event.

[Terry (existing)]

Just like Taffy, I am mind reading, based on what you wrote, which of couse is what we usually do, since we don't know anything about you other than what you choose to tell in a very short post. First I envision that you have spent some time reading books on the subject, but when you attempt to put this leaning into practise, you fail, or perceive yourself as failing? Does it occur to you that you have only used vision for your learning, and are therefor very lacking in skill and confidence? Had you used a little time to take training with a practitioner, you would have developed confidence in your abilities, and would at this time be using what you learned properly. Lack of confidence in self is very widespread, and therefor normal as we understand normal...... We can't do any better for you, since you would be reading what we attemted to teach, just like book learning. Get a local to help you, it may cost a little, but it will be worth your while and your money....... Let me ask, after reading something in Readers Digest, about removal of wart say, by using a scalpel, would you feel comfortable in attempting to remove such a wart from your finger? I am betting you would be scared to death that the scalpel might slip, and you would lose a finger. On the other hand, how valuable is your mind to you? Aren't you scared to mess with it without proper training?