Removing Negative Imprints with Hypnosis
By: Kevin Linehan
Imprints are subconscious beliefs that we hold about ourselves. Negative imprints are those beliefs that hold us back from achieving our desires. Imprints are established through either internal or external stimulants. An example of an internal stimulant that creates an imprint is self-talk. Do you ever catch yourself saying, “I can’t do that”, or “I’m no good at this”? An external stimulant that generates a negative imprint might be hearing your father tell you that, “You’ll never be as good as your sister”. Hearing the same message over and over, or even one time if delivered in an emotional way, may have created an imprint. We have all heard from authority figures as children, teachers, parents, and other relatives. As a child we do not have the ability to filter out things that do not make sense or those that are simply not true. As adults we consciously recognize many of the earlier beliefs are wrong however, we continue to behave in a way that fits the subconscious imprint.
How do you know if you have an imprint that prevents you from becoming the person you desire to be? Here is a brief checklist, not all are required.
* Have you been experiencing the problem for more than five years?
* Do you experience small successes followed by setbacks?
* Are you able to recall a specific event where the problem began? This would normally be during an emotional upset.
Small successes followed by setbacks can be frustrating. Wanting to lose 40 pounds, actually losing 10 or 15 pounds followed by putting it all back and sometimes more is a pattern that is very common when an imprint is in place. Using will power to quit smoking, struggling through the withdrawals, only to be smoking again a week or a month later seems like a waste of time and effort. Having good fortune or achieving success is often followed by a string of difficulties if your imprint (subconscious belief) is that you will not amount to much or you don’t deserve to have success in life.
Since imprints are subconscious hypnosis is an excellent tool to remove or to modify them. Bypassing the conscious mind allows change to take place. I know of at least 15 different ways of removing or changing a negative imprint. At the same time a limiting, negative imprint is removed a positive imprint that supports the change you desire can be instilled. Following is an example of a way an imprint can be modified or eliminated. Since each person is unique you can expect their imprints and response to the techniques to remove them will be unique as well.
Perhaps you smoke. What need could smoking possibly satisfy? Consciously you know the impact to your health. You may also realize that excuses to keep smoking such as, it relaxes me, I don’t want to gain weight etc. are rationalizations of your conscious mind to explain away behavior that you consciously know is not in your best interests. What if the need that is satisfied by smoking is based on an imprint that was made when you were 14 years old and desperately wanted to belong? The imprint might tell you that to be accepted you need to smoke. Consciously you know that in today’s world the opposite is more likely true but we are dealing with the subconscious mind. One way to address this imprint would be to use a process called “that was then, this is now”. Using this process the subconscious mind is not told that it made an error in the past but rather some things that seemed true or important at one point in your life need not be true or important to you as an adult. You had what you considered to be a valid reason to smoke, a reason that satisfied your desire to belong. When using the “that was then, this is now” technique your subconscious mind can now understand that smoking has not been satisfying that desire, what may have been true for you at one time is no longer true for you. Once realization is made at the subconscious level your desire and ability to quit smoking forever will allow you to achieve that goal.
One way to eliminate current negative imprints or to prevent future imprints would be to use an affirmation several times each day. Affirmations are best given just before you arise in the morning or just before you fall asleep at night. Since these are given while conscious on in a very light trance repetition will be very helpful. Keep at it and you’ll notice changes that will bring you closer to the person you desire to be within a couple of weeks. A very good affirmation follows, simply fill in your goal in the space at the end.
There is no person, thought, idea, memory, image, feeling, or sensation, out of the past, in the present, or ever to arrive in the future that could stop me from _________________________.
Self-hypnosis classes are held monthly, contact Kevin or Christine at OnTrac Hypnotherapy Inc. at 603.362.8868 or email ontrachypnosis@aol.com. We also offer hypnosis CD’s for Weight Loss, Stress Management, Smoking Cessation and Golf Score Improvement.
Is there anything related to hypnosis that you would like to know more about? Feel free to give me a call; I’ll be happy to address your question in a future article.
