Authentic Self

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION

I work to know who I am. I work to know who I'm not. Through my work I experience a solid sense of Self...Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

These are a powerful group of affirmations that work together. As you continually etch them, you will be invited to become deep friends with your authentic self. From this authentic or real position, you will be able to enhance your ability to see and evaluate your inner belief systems. As they play out you will know which ones to keep, discarding the others. It's another form of cleaning and clearing.

Your belief systems represent the original programming of your subconscious mind, the guiding force to how you see and think about yourself. You know this as your self-image and self-esteem. As you clean and clear with your authentic self by your side, you will be actively enhancing these major mind programs with their corresponding mindset.

Many people assisted in placing these original programs into your subconscious mind, most without your permission. For most of us, this didn't happen just in our early childhood years. Unless you are a super-extraordinary being, more than likely it's still happening to you. Hopefully, your self image and esteem are strong, thereby allowing you to quickly see what's going on, so you can release mind programs that are negative in value.

It's important to remember that not all negative mind programs come from outsiders. We are also guilty of delivering these to ourselves & perhaps this is the best place to begin our heightened awareness work; checking thoughts and emotions before allowing planting.

This group of affirmations, like thousands of others, play an important part in my audio/CD design. All my programs have active affirmations that are linked to specific imagery that the listener actually self-designs through inner coaching. Affirmations can be direct or implied. Both work well in directing the subconscious mind towards specific goal-orientated action.

To help you along, here are few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Making Changes - Affirmations & Imagery
Blending Work & Personal Goals

PLANTING AN ACTIVE AFFIRMATION

I work to know who I am. I work to know who I'm not. Through my work I experience a solid sense of Self...

If you are working along with me in this workshop/blog, you already know what to do with the above affirmational set. I'll just cue you along. First take yourself into the mind-state of "full & purposeful intention." This will require being on your own and preferably in a quiet place where you will prepare to not be interrupted for the next fifteen minutes or so. If part of you argues with this, send that part to the playground of the mind. That happens to be a child-emotion who wants to rule your life and right off the bat, let's be clear that child-emotions do not run our lives. This is the responsibility of our mature-adult self and no other.

Relax your body and now deepen the relaxed state. I've shared different ways for you to do this. After awhile you'll find your favorite way. Mine happens to be a quick body scan, drawing colored circles around my head, neck, shoulders right and left, arms, chest, lower abdomen, legs and then upper, middle and lower back. Then I'll turn on the magnets. Eyes closed and tilted slightly upwards, identifying the mind-screen. If you need help with this, either go to the http://thoughtwareprograms.blogspot.com/">archives or feel free to contact me.

It's time to build a containment for this set of affirmations. I like to use a garden path that regresses, or goes back in time. I place a separate garden for my different age groups and have a representative child in each garden. Each child has a coat rack that holds a selection of coats. Some are obviously dirty, others looking fine. Some are favorites of the child and others are just the opposite. It's interesting to note that in relation to my child, some of the favorites are also dirty. This is because she enjoys playing the victim. Perhaps you'll be able to identify some of your child's favorites.

The coats were given as gifts by others. Others could include parents, siblings, relatives, friends, teachers, clergy, school-mates and even people who simply passed through the life of the child. For one reason or another, they left a coat for the child to wear.

When we play the "authentic game", the adult-self goes to the different gardens for the purpose of cleaning and clearing. The child does not decide. You decide as the mature, adult-self. What is best for the child? Remember, the child was born a pure being and coat-less. There is no reason, whatsoever, to keep coats that do not reflect the best in all arenas. In the active imagery practice, simply remove the coats. There is no discussion. You choose. Personally, I like to throw the coats in a bottomless garbage can. I'm not into recycling negative-coats, even in the theater of my mind.

Perhaps you would like to weave a coat for the child, one that represents all that you want for her. Weaving doesn't take long in the practice of Interactive Self-Hypnosis. Think it done and it is done.

Each time you come back to re-etch this affirmational group and to visit the garden imagery, or whatever you may choose, the authentic child will become stronger and more balanced. You will sense this as your life experiences play out. You'll also become much more aware of individuals who attempt to deliver negative-threaded coats to any of your gardens. You will sense yourself standing tall, being the mature, honest and actively preserving your self image and esteem, always remembering that to err is human. You demonstrate self-forgiveness and self-compassion to each and every child on your path.

If you enjoy working in this particular area, you might like to order the Authentic Self CD or mp3 and work the full program.

If you are interested in reading the archives from this blog, you can find them at the following link...

Workshop of the Mind - 2

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION

My mind is a mental workshop. I can build anything I want in my mind. I actively communicate with it...Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht



In the practice of Interactive Self-Hypnosis we work with containments. These are simply images that surround or hold things that we choose to put in them. The above affirmation is a series of three, the primary being a containment called the mental workshop or workshop of the mind. Whenever we choose to place something in this area, the subconscious mind knows exactly what it is expected to do. The second & third affirmations in this series do just that, thereby inviting focus and time management. Further, the more we etch or repeat this specific containment, the more the subconscious mind will want to bring it forward and then to act on it.

This affirmation, like thousands of others, play an important part in my audio/CD design. All programs have active affirmations that are linked to specific imagery that the listener actually self-designs through inner coaching. Affirmations can be direct or implied. Both work well in directing the subconscious mind towards specific goal-orientated action.

To help you along, here are few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Making Changes - Affirmations & Imagery
Blending Work & Personal Goals

WORKING THE AFFIRMATION

My mind is a mental workshop. I can build anything I want in my mind. I actively communicate with it...

This is a favorite containment of mine that I utilize on a daily basis. If you continue to visit this workshop/blog, you will find it coming up in relation to other affirmations I'll present to you. There is just something powerful and creative about the image of a workshop. Think about it for a moment. What comes to mind when you think about or image a workshop? For me, it is a place to make things, as well as to solve things. I love getting to the bottom of issues, problems and my goals. I've learned over the years that when a goal is visited and then activated at it's foundation, the building goes smoother, in addition to the outcome often being better than originally planned.

If you've been following along, you already know how to relax deeply into the moment. There are many ways to deeply relax. Yesterday I addressed the importance of intention. Actively practicing intention can be very valuable to the formation of goals in all areas of your life and of course, that includes your health, as well as your performance. Now you might think that this is logical, and while it should be, it simply isn't what most people do. Practice this for a bit and you may be surprised to find out that you, yourself have plenty of growing space in this area.

It's so easy to critique or call foul on seemingly simple things and then to just skip over them. My experience in this field tells me over and over that champions are made by those who pay attention to the simple details, do them in order over and over, and then go back and do them again. If you listen to champions in sports or any other field, you will hear this subject addressed, so don't make that mistake in your own life. You may not be in contention for an Olympic medal, but the things you would like to achieve are no less important.

Now that's off my chest, so go ahead and deepen your focus. Use the decreasing number method or the magnets. No need to go into a very deep trance state to plant an affirmation. Also, when working by yourself, you will need to stay in a focused-awake state to get this accomplished. When your body feels a bit mellow and the thoughts have slowed somewhat, go to the written affirmation and repeat it slowly, out loud if possible. Speaking out loud is a very powerful tool because you are not only voicing something you want, as if you already had it, but you are also hearing yourself present these beliefs. Yes.........affirmations are beliefs that you are planting "as if" they were already in full action. You are convincing your subconscious mind of this and you already know that whatever you believe, your subconscious mind will believe as well. That's why positive affirmations are so important and that is also why it's so important to recognize negative affirmations or beliefs and to discharge them.

Utilize your mind-screen. See or sense your workshop in great detail. It's easy to do this when the brain waves are slowed. See the building, noticing how it is positioned on the land. Where is this? Look at the surroundings. Is it by the beach, in the mountains, by a stream or in the middle of a city? What city? Pay attention to what you see or sense. Notice the shape of the building, the color, position of the windows, doors, shrubs, etc.

Now notice you are in the mind-screen, right in front of your workshop. Feel the key in your pocket. Take it out and look at it. Your name is engraved on it. This is your private place and no one can come without your permission, and then only to work in your behalf. Place the key in the lock, turn it........hear the tumblers fall. Now push the door open and go ahead in.

Take some time looking around. You've already furnished it and have brought lots of your things here. Pay attention to the details of things. Walk around and touch some of them. Go over to the window and look out. Once again.........details.

Notice there are different areas in your workshop. Some invite deep relaxation. Others are about building and engineering projects or change. There is a library filled with books, tapes, CD's, magazines, etc. There is a tool bench. There is an idea center with a paging system for calling in "mind-assistants." As you walk around, becoming familiar with your "workshop", repeat the affirmation...

My mind is a mental workshop. I can build anything I want in my mind. I actively communicate with it...

Now notice you are observing yourself doing just that. Spend a few moments here or as long as you like. This is a very important containment and you will be working here very frequently.

If you are interested in reading the archives from this blog, you can find them at the following link...

http://thoughtwareprograms.blogspot.com/

Life Circumstances

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION

I look for the circumstances I want. I ask my subconscious mind to light these up on my mind screen...Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

It's interesting to look at life circumstances through different lenses. In other words, paying attention to what's going on in your life, and while we can certainly make "more circumstances", often as not, we already have an abundance. The above affirmation helps us to wake up to these through the direct suggestion to the subconscious mind.

Affirmations play an important part in my audio/CD design. All programs have active affirmations that are linked to specific imagery that the listener actually self-designs. Affirmations can be direct or implied. Both work well in directing the subconscious mind towards specific goal-orientated action.

To help you along, here are few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Making Changes - Affirmations & Imagery
Blending Work & Personal Goals

PLANTING THE AFFIRMATION

I look for the circumstances I want. I ask my subconscious mind to light these up on my mind screen...

If you've been working with my programs or actively reading this workshop/blog, you already know how to prepare your mind-set for planting new affirmations. Remember, once they are planted, you can further etch them in any moment you choose. The more etching, the deeper the affirmation program, thereby determining the level and speed of change.

Let's plant this one together. The first thing we want to do is to develop a "planting mind-set." Some of the things I may tell you seem very obvious, but don't turn your back on these. One of the reasons people tend to fail is because they either skip the simple instructions or choose to hurry. Here we want to practice something called "intention." In other words, you are going to "fully intend" or want to or have hot desire to plant this particular affirmation. Sit quietly for a few moments and bring forth an inner feeling of truly wanting to do this seemingly simple thing. By the way, practicing intention is a very important exercise and doing so can change your life in big ways.

When you are ready, go ahead and deepen your relaxation. You are going to enhance your focus by releasing stressors or interrupters including random thoughts, emotions or body sensations. You can utilize your body scanning skills, or simply count backwards from five to one. I also like to incorporate the image of magnets pulling me down gently into the area where I'm resting.

Let's go ahead and dissect the affirmation. The subconscious mind is now ready, not only to accept it, but to work within it, following your directional cues. I'd like to achieve this by appearing in the mind-screen and observing myself there. This is called disassociation. It reminds me of being the writer, director, producer of a play. Right now I'm sitting in the back row of the theater and observing myself on the stage or mind-screen. Now I need some images for circumstances. My mind is suggesting that these will be represented by different players who have dark shirts and light shirts. The dark shirted players are circumstances with negative tones and the light-shirted players are happier and more positive. Some of the shirts have words written on them and others host images. Some are clear and some aren't. However, it's obvious from observing the stage/mind-screen, that all are welcome.

I notice the subconscious mind librarian has a light that she is shining on different circumstances, one by one. There is no hurrying, but there is action. The individual playing me is sitting there, paying close attention. As the light hits the circumstance, that particular individual opens a door on the stage, inviting my actor-self to enter and explore all the possibilities offered by this particular circumstance. I'm happy to notice that my actor-self seems comfortable in doing so. It's clear that no negative emotions are around blocking this activity and this is certainly a change. Besides noticing what's present, I notice what's not present, especially the negatives. So here we have an additional opportunity to plant additional suggestions.

In closing, I've come to understand through this affirmational visit, that I have many more resources than I ever imagined. This understanding helps to break my hopeless-helpless cycle, especially on those days when I feel locked or depressed about what life has delivered.

If you are interested in reading the archives from this blog, you can find them at the following link...

http://thoughtwareprograms.blogspot.com/

Seeds of Success

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION

The seeds of my success are in my imagination in this very moment. I choose to access them right now... Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

We tend to think of success as something external that we are either going towards or away from. This affirmation suggests to look at success in a completely different way, asking you to acknowledge that seeds of success, no matter what arena, are already present, simply waiting to be activated. This is a very powerful & creative thought with no limitations, moving one from many negative mind-sets including, limited, hopelessness, helplessness, etc.

Below I'll address this particular affirmation directly, while designing some working images. All of my audio programs have active affirmations that are linked to specific imagery that the listener actually self-designs. The subconscious mind works so quickly in this regard. All it needs is a good leading direction.

To help you along, here are few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Enhancing Creativity
Dreamscaping

PLANTING THE AFFIRMATION

Take some quiet time & read the affirmation, either aloud or quietly to yourself. As before, dissect it. If your mind is in a wandering mode, work on releasing first. Simply relax deeply into the chair where you are sitting, sensing magnets pulling you down gently. You can either count backwards from 5 to 1, or circle different areas of your body, coloring them in with a hue of soft blue. If you have worked with other deepening exercises, or meditation, these will work very well for you in allowing your mind to clear.

AFFIRM - The seeds of my success are in my imagination in this very moment. I choose to access them right now...

In a relaxed mind-set, locate your mind-screen. As you know, this is where you program your subconscious mind. In this instance you are planting or etching an active affirmation. If you are visual, certainly imagine the successful seeds on the mind screen. If I were working with this affirmation, I would like to have seed boxes or containers for different areas of my life, some general & some specific. For example, I'd want a container for success in relation to my health, relationships, work, future, etc. Specifically, I'd like a container for my weight management program, the book I'm writing, a relationship with a difficult person in my life & perhaps one for a book I'm considering writing in the future. I'm sure you get the idea.

I'm working with this image as I'm writing this blog entry. I sense myself walking amongst the containers that are holding my seeds and I'm reading the labels. This is further affirming that I know these seeds are present. I'm placing my hand inside one of the containers and feeling the seeds.

Now I'm taking a handful and walking towards one of my inner gardens. The land is obviously fertile. I can see it, as well as smell it. Now I'm sowing the seeds into the fertile ground.... noticing that as I do so, little plants are popping up "right in the moment." This is an example of mind-expanding an affirmation. In a way, it's not very different from writing an article or a book. It's rather like the affirmation grows itself with the help of the subconscious mind. Remember, the subconscious mind works backwards. Here the plant is growing and so the plans for this particular seed's growth are already in process and are currently being executed by the subconscious. I can expect to have some break-through ideas or even find myself doing things differently. These things could be subtle or quite obvious. I'll just have to stay in positive expectation .... wait & see.

I can either choose to retrieve and plant other seeds, or I can further fertilize these little plants or perhaps even harvest a few, especially if I need them in my current moment.

I'm going to do something a bit different. I'm going to sow the same seeds into different arenas or gardens in my life. I happen to have health seeds in my hand. I'm headed over to my relationship with myself garden where I'll place these, noticing how they are co-joining other small plants that are not obviously health-related. What I'm suggesting to my subconscious mind is to show me an original outcome from this cross-seeding experiment. This is simply an opportunity to work in a creative way and I have no idea of the outcome.....but one thing I know for sure and that is there will be an outcome.

If you are interested in reading the archives from this blog, you can find them at the following link...

http://thoughtwareprograms.blogspot.com/

Changing Momentary Mindsets

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION
My obstacles will always look large or small to me, depending on my mindset in that moment. I have the power to change momentary mindsets... Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

We are surrounded by affirmations or mini-mind programs. Some arrive by request, but most do not. The truth is that we can all benefit from more positive ones, especially if we work to plant them instead of just having them move through. All of my audio programs have active affirmations that are linked to specific imagery that the listener actually self-designs. The subconscious mind works so quickly in this regard. All it needs is a good leading direction.

To help you along, here are few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Enhancing Creativity
Dreamscaping

INWARD FOCUS

Today I've chosen a powerful affirmation that is designed to work with obstacles, as well as awareness of mindsets. Here it is again...

My obstacles will always look large or small to me, depending on my mindset in that moment. I have the power to change momentary mindsets...

It is one thing to read an affirmation and another thing to dissect it and then plant it. Most of us tend to live on fast-forward, perhaps reading something, but not really being there for it. Think about other reading experiences. Do you ever find that having read a paragraph, or even a page in a book that you simply don't recall what it was about? This is a living example of lack of focus and automatic pilot. The mind is off doing it's own thing and the words of the page have had no impact. In our work with affirmations, we want to stay aware of our tendency to rush on through, so here we will dissect and then plant hypnotically.

DISSECTION

<My obstacles will always look large or small to me

What does this mean to you? To me, I'm reminded that first, I do have obstacles and they can look either large or small. As I dissect I like to play the images on my mind screen. You can do this with your eyes open or closed. I like practicing with my eyes open, because I like to train myself to work on my mind-screen even when I'm actively involved with others. This is key for sports, but also is tremendously beneficial in other life arenas. So, I'm looking at images now that resemble obstacles. Some are big and others are small. Now I'm ready to move on.

depending on my mindset in that moment

What does this say to you? For me, first this means that I have something called a mindset and second, it is changeable in any moment. In other words, my mindset is fluid. Back to my mind-screen and designing a mind-set image. I'm seeing/sensing this as a hat on my head. I also placed shelf where many mind-set hats are sitting. They are labeled according to their positivity or negativity. It is truly helpful for me to have this organization or hypnotic containment.

I have the power to change momentary mindsets...

Now I'm ready to join the obstacles with the mind-sets. I'm noticing that large obstacles have negative hats and small ones have the less-toxic or small positive ones. Since an obstacle is something that blocks my path, I do want to remove or disassemble them and so I'm going to need a large, positive mind-set hat. These are available on my shelf. I simply go and get one, placing it on top of the obstacle.

INSIDE THE AFFIRMATION

There are many things I can do with this affirmation to actually program my subconscious mind in this very moment.

I can label the path that is taking me towards a specific goal. Now I have the full attention of my subconscious mind.

I can label the obstacle or obstacles if I know what they are. If not, I can just leave the label without a name. This tells my subconscious mind that I do want to know what's blocking me and if I do know what the blockage is, that I'm not afraid to face it straight on.

Next, I can choose to change the mind-sets right in this moment. I might even bring in a very powerful memory with it's positive emotion and have it disassemble the obstacle before my eyes.

I can enjoy walking on the cleared path and sense the freedom this affords me.

This simple imagery just takes a few moments, but the changes can be profound. In addition to the obvious, the subconscious mind will continue to work on this, bringing it to your consciousness for other obstructed paths or even working behind the scenes or subconsciously.

Beginning Affirmational Planting

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION
It's really quite simple. What you think is what you get....
Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

Planting affirmations is very exciting. Think about it for a moment. Just by suggesting a few actively motivated words to yourself, you can change your life direction & spur your inner creativity. Sounds like a bargain to me. To help you along, here are few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Enhancing Creativity
Dreamscaping

READY TO FOCUS

You now have a good working knowledge of the individual tools. Now you can weave them in new ways throughout your daily life. Thought-talk is very powerful. What you think is what you get. Earlier on you learned that every thought is a goal waiting to happen. You also know that your thoughts are actual goals, ignited by your emotions and their crayons. In your earlier interactive awareness work you practiced editing and changing emotional states, but there are many other ways to enhance your goals and mind programs. The more tools you have, the better for you.

KNOWLEDGE HOOK
Change is always a matter of choice. Awareness or knowledge is usually not enough to motivate change. As you walk through the workshop of the world you will hear people who have identified their problems, but not the tentacles under the surface, having no motivational or action programs to propel them into the actual desire to change. Sometimes they will begin, but if the programs for persistence and consistency are missing from their tools belts, they will end up quitting at the first road-block opportunity.

You might even notice that they appear “happy” to see the road-block, as they have been looking for some excuse along the path to assist in their rationalization of not pushing forward. You will hear it in their language and see it in their expressions, both big and small. If you look closely you might see a secondary emotion underneath the presenting one. For example, in the heat of rationalization look for a glimmer in the eye, or a small “almost smile” sitting on the lips. You may have even felt this in one of your moments!

The higher your awareness, the easier it is to keep the path clear and to stay open to choice. Keep in mind that both conscious and subconscious thought can lead you down the path of unimaginable incredible success if you so choose.

Affirmations, or self-talk help to keep the path clear and aid in the heightening of awareness. These mini-mind programs that can be utilized independently, right in the moment. For instance, if you want to build motivation in a particular garden, you might work with affirmations designed for that particular goal. There are thousands of affirmations already written and ready to be planted. Your local bookstore is filled with choices for you. But, once again, it is not enough to simply read or have knowledge. It’s like holding a packet of seeds in your hand. No matter how long you hold it, the flowers will never grow there. They have to be planted and nurtured.

Why do affirmations work for some people and not for others? What can you do to get great results from your affirmation planting?

As with everything else, it’s best to start at the beginning. If you have worked with affirmations in the past, review in your mind why you decided to do so, as well as how you went about it. Also check out your attitude and energy. There are some very common mistakes that people make in working with affirmations. It is certainly not sufficient to just say something to yourself over and over. If you were your subconscious mind, how impressed would you be with that delivery?

It is absolutely vital to literally sell the affirmation to the inner mind, conveying belief in what you say and what you want. Without this kind of energy backing the planting, you could go along mumbling affirmations to yourself forever without ever seeing any change at all. If you’ve given up on affirmations, have another look for they are a great investment in your time.

MIND EXERCISE

In our work here, you will be sending Affirmation Plants to your Inner Librarian and firing them with hot imagery. There are lots of choices below, as well as in later chapters. Always choose those that are meaningful to you. You might also like to write them out on individual cards to be placed within your view throughout the day. Once the accompanying imagery is planted, all you need is a cue card to remind you to play the mini-program.

I will design the imagery to fit the goals of this book, but you can apply the affirmations to other areas of your life as well. Also, your own subconscious mind may prefer to build your own imagery, so go along with it as long as it is positive. Never, ever plant a negative affirmation!

Approach each affirmation as if it were a gift sitting on the table, waiting for you to open. it. I suggest you work in the level of deep relax. Each time you sit down to work in this section, simply place your fingertips on your lower abdomen and allow it to fill with a deep yawn breath. Quietly observe as your fingers ride up and down on your lower abdomen. Now allow your body to become heavy in the chair where you are resting. After reading this paragraph close your eyes gently and tilt them up about 20 degrees, just as if you were sitting in the second row of a movie theater. You will begin feeling the internal changes in your body. This is relaxation.

Your brain waves will have slowed, stress chemicals will have diminished and you will be at the door of your subconscious mind. Stay here for a few moments and enjoy how easy it is for you to go even deeper down, allowing your body to become even heavier than before. You can then open your eyes and choose to feel alert, focused and ready to begin subconscious exploration.

Remember, practice makes perfect. Take your time and don't rush the process. Sell these to your subconscious mind as if you life depended on it. Whatever your mind comes away believing you will achieve! Make certain it is what you truly want!

I AM ADAPTABLE.

Ask yourself what it means to you to be adaptable. Think about your work in managing addictions or eating disorders. If you're working with another issue, bring your focus to that arena. Image the word adaptable next to the subject of your work. Verbalize this to yourself internally and also speak out loud.

With your eyes tilted up slightly, go back in time and find a memory link where you adapted easily to some situation. Now mind-write the word adaptable over this memory picture. Bring the picture forward and make it brighter. Perhaps see it as a memory-movie. Allow yourself to feel the emotion of self-power as you view this.

Repeat the affirmation with animation and emotion connected. Now future pace. See yourself sometime in the future or in a particular area of your life being adaptable and feeling the emotion of the memory. Image your work with managing sugar addiction or whatever other arena you are working in, connecting the feeling memory file with these images. You have now placed a future mind program into your subconscious mind that is energy and emotion driven.

Each day we'll be working with different affirmations. If you would like to suggest one, or have a specific arena in your life that may benefit from affirmational plants, please let me know.

Workshop of the Mind - 1

ACTIVE AFFIRMATION
I design my world & bring it to action... Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

We are all creative beings, but in order to experience this inner force, you must awaken & then feed it. If you've not experienced this type of mind-work, I invite you to do so. Here are a few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Each are filled with active imagery & affirmations.
Self-Image Affirmations
Enhancing Creativity
Dream Scaping

WORKING WITH THOUGHTWARE AFFIRMATIONS

I've been working in our book Sugar...the Hidden Eating Disorder & now I'd like to switch gears & include some thoughtWARE Affirmation programs that can be applied in everyday life to enhance health & performance. Each day I'll be posting a living affirmation along with interactive self-hypnosis suggestions for planting into the subconscious mind. These are part of our thoughtWARE - Daily Affirmation books & CD programs.

But first...

In the last chapter you set up gardens on your goal-den path. You met up with your Master Gardener, your Higher Self, learned something about weeds, your early belief systems, along with ways to change past self-image and esteem programming. Now you are going to locate old subconscious mind files, filled with all kinds of gifts to help you manage your addiction issues and your life balance. You are also going to design future mind programs to plant in your gardens.

Interactive Awareness and Self-Hypnosis can be utilized in hundreds of creative ways. Throughout this book you have been working with many of these. Now you will experience some of the more creative ones. Keep in mind that each and every moment holds opportunities for practice, including re-programming your subconscious mind. As you begin to truly wake up to this extraordinary power that you have in place, you can become overwhelmed. Therefore it’s a good idea to set some goals for building skill levels, for programming awareness, also for etching new subconscious mind programs.

KNOWLEDGE HOOK

You already know the power of awareness and how key it is to change. There are all levels of awareness, each carrying gifts. Some are small and some are big. Awareness requests are set-up subconsciously. We literally request the mind to make us aware of something that we know will benefit us. For example, you might request your subconscious librarian to make you aware of low-level emotions, thoughts or behaviors that connect to your addiction or disorderly eating. Your subconscious mind will consciously "key" you into these, where you will be able to diminish them right in the moment, then move to re-program your inner files related to these behaviors. You are learning to stop something before it gets out of control for you. Pre-behaviors or prodromals are very important in changing habits, behaviors, as well as automatic pilot programs.

If you have any particular triggers, you might want to request changing your inner files in reference to these. For instance, if your reactions to certain people's behaviors tend to make you tense, you might want to be more aware of these, then work with diminishing and/or re-programming. One does not need to be in a deep trance state to do this work. You can do all of it "right in the moment" if you like.

Knowledge Hook - Induction

Induction is nothing more than slowing the brain waves in increments by using a particular deepening system, such as counting backwards, or choosing images that do the same. There are many levels of trance or deep relaxation, each having their own ease of execution and benefits. In early postings of this blog/workshop I included deepening exercises that can also be utilized in beginning a hypnosis session.

In short, induction is the route you take to get out of your own way, side-stepping all emotions and judgment, stepping into a place where suggestions are readily accepted by the subconscious mind. If you work with a hypnotist or hypnotherapist, you may be taken even deeper into trance where the therapist is able to access the needed information, but in self-hypnosis you are determining the level where you can affect your own work. If you work with audio it is a bit easier to go deeper down, because even if you fall asleep, your subconscious mind will pick up the suggestions from the recorded program.

You might like to review the blog/workshop entries on mental biofeedback and practice inducing self-hypnosis with body communication skills. This is particularly effective as a stress-releaser, preparing the mind for the acceptance of suggestion. Whatever the route you choose, do know you are on your way to the tools below.

Knowledge Hook

After inducing a self-hypnotic state, you are ready to begin planting subconscious mind programs, also called suggestions. The above affirmation is a mind program waiting to be placed. In future blog postings I'll be giving you an affirmation and then some active suggestions for planting it.

The subconscious mind enjoys organization and so it works to your benefit, assisting you in building special containment metaphors for planting inner programs, as well as editing past and future ones.These containments are useful as well for managing emotional states, locating hidden resources and building resilience. All containments are “user-friendly”. As you welcome them into your consciousness, don’t be surprised if you find them appearing automatically to help manage your life needs.

Exploring the Interactive Self-Hypnosis Workshop

You might like to review this powerful containment at the alpha state. You already know how to reach this slow brain wave state. In the last chapter you began the design of your goal-den path. As you walk down your path and past the gardens, you will see a signpost for your inner workshop. Follow the route and soon you will come upon it. The workshop is a place in your mind where you go to work on yourself. It is a private place and while others are welcome, they only come by your invitation and to work in your behalf. This is especially important for those with addiction who are so used to putting everyone else’s needs first.

Right now see the image of your workshop in your mind’s eye. Build it exactly as you like it. There might be a building or a place in the past that you would like to utilize for this purpose, and that is fine. Sometimes we have a safe place from childhood. For me it is an old barn that sat on the property of my best friend where I could escape the outside world to adventure in my dreams. It was here that I calmed myself while designing my future fantasies. If you don’t have such a place in your memory bank, simply go and build one for yourself right now. You can place it wherever you like, be it at the ocean, high in the mountains, or even in the middle of a city. Whatever meets your fancy is just fine. Choose the structure, color, windows, roof pitch, landscaping, etc. Details, details!

Feel the entrance key in your pocket and open the front door. Look around, noticing the furnishings, floor coverings, windows, collectibles, perhaps plants, books and even toys. Time to lighten up! Walk through the workshop, noticing the details of the different rooms and how comfortable you feel here. In my Workshop I have a big room, a kitchen, a spa bath, several libraries and a board meeting room. You’ll read about these in detail later on.

Look out the window and admire the view. Pay attention to the wild life, the plants, the sky and how the weather is in this moment. Your weather is a great metaphor for your current emotional crayons. Bring in some additional senses. You might tap on the window pane, hearing the tapping sound resonating in your ears. Sit down in one of the chairs, feel the texture of the fabric, how your body positions into the chair and relax deeply. This is a time set aside for you and your work. Enjoy this idea. It’s helpful to bring in some powerful emotional states, especially positive expectancy, wisdom and inner peace. Emotions appear automatically, as well as by request. In this case scenario, do request those that will be skillful in designing inner programming. In the paragraphs below I will be directing you to other parts of your workshop.

Hide & Seek

The route to awareness is different for each of us. Some of us like others pointing the way, but for others this simply doesn't work. In fact, it can lead to further defending & hiding. Decide to locate your own preferences & work diligently with those, because until you are willing to wake up & see, little can be accomplished...Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht

We are all creative beings, but in order to experience this inner force, you must awaken & then feed it. If you've not experienced this type of mind-work, I invite you to do so. Here are a few complimentary mp3 downloads. Each is a full interactive self-hypnosis session & part of a complete 2-3 track series. Current ones include...

Self-Image Affirmations
Enhancing Creativity
Dream Scaping

I'll be changing these soon, so be sure to take advantage of their presence.

HIDE & SEEK

Yes, it is difficult to acknowledge one's short-comings & the idea of going out to search for them can be very frightening. That's why it's common to play the mind-game of defend & hide. Sometimes the name of the game is "hide" & then when found out, to "defend." Powerful emotions are involved in both games, the most toxic being fear, shame & guilt....some having been programmed in the past by others, or self-delivered. I ask you to look for these patterns in yourself, because you will want to disassemble them. They were never helpful & certainly they are not helpful now.

I bring this subject up today because several of my new patients & online group members brought their "game boards" into their discussions with me. I'm always taken with the desire to be honest & I must admit, that sometimes I'm surprised by this, because no one truly needs to do so. I tend to think this happens because there comes a time when "enough is enough." People seem to know if they truly want to be helped, they must begin to reveal themselves. But, this revelation is just the beginning & in itself, it's not enough.

ACKNOWLEDGING THE GAME BOARDS

If I'm working with individuals, it's my job to interview the "game board." If you are working alone with your game board, you can follow the same techniques. Just as if the "game board" was a living entity, there are things I want to know. First, I'm interested to know how old they are. The ones brought in this week originated over 30 years ago, one as old as fifty years. Those are pretty old games & a close look at the boards & pieces can tell us alot about the development of the individual's addiction & eating disorder.

Astrid has been hiding many aspects of her eating disorder & addictions for her entire adult life. She began her eating disorder behaviors & formulating her patterns early in childhood. Significant others in her life "had noticed" her need to over-eat & continually brought this to her attention, sometimes in very critical & demeaning ways. This infuriated Astrid, but at the same time made her feel guilty & filled her with shame. As Astrid tells it, there was a part of her that enjoyed "living on the edge" while "hiding her behaviors." She was only five years old when she became a closet eater & a manipulator of the food in her family's cupboards & fridge. As she puts it, she could re-arrange a box of cookies or even a bowl of jello, as to make it difficult to know that much of it was gone. As she grew older, she would buy a new box or cookies or make a new bowl of jello & make it look "exactly" like the box or bowl that had originated in the cupboard or fridge.

She became an expert at building "imposters" & each time she got away with it, which was almost always, her inner-self sang out praises of her successful deceiving behaviors. Of course, this was most enjoyable & rewarding to her inner self. Astrid continues to do so today, only now she is much more skillful than she was as a child. Part of her doesn't want to give up this seemingly successful part of her "inner self-value." Unfortunately, these behaviors support Astrid's eating disorder & if she truly wants to get well & stay well, she will have to give this up. Those of us who have been there can be sympathetic to her inner conflict & can understand why this part of her is in hiding.

Judith also has an eating disorder & while she is in hiding with different facets of her disorder, her situation is completely different. However, the techniques for dealing with her "game board", remain the same. Judith must be willing to come out & stand in the sunshine with the elements of her board held straight out for all to see.

Judith doesn't remember when her eating disorder began. Part of the reason for that is that she doesn't want to see the depths of her problems. That area of her life is extremely painful & it is impossible for her to separate those issues right now. I truly feel that she will be able to do so in the future, but for now it is hard enough for her to show us part of her "game board" & to acknowledge when & where she's hiding.

Judith is a professional woman who holds a highly visible executive position in a leading industry. She appears competent & in control as she manages a large staff. She is meticulously dressed & well manicured in every aspect, but once she goes home & changes her clothes, she becomes a full-blown food addict that includes bingeing & purging. She has special places to buy her "supplies" & "drugs of choice", for indeed, that is what they are. Parts of Judith love this "second-self", while other parts simply deplore her & wish she were dead. As Judith explains it, "that part doesn't come forth until after I've completed the shopping, eating, bingeing & purging." The part that partakes in the active patterns is so excited to get going. The release is tremendous & quite honestly, I don't want to give it up. That part of me says, "why should I? I deserve to release & be free. This is my true self & to deny it would be wrong. Actually my professional self is my sick self."

TRUTH IN THE PUDDING

Yes, there are many truths in what Astrid & Judith share. They both do need to release & relax deeply & they certainly deserve the freedom of doing so, only this type of freedom isn't "truly free" & comes with an enormous price including damage to the body, mind & spirit. There are many aspects of their Selves that need to be addressed & although their patterns are different, the tools remain the same.

Awareness & coming out of hiding is key. Hiding behaviors speak for themselves. They are simply not healthy for self-image & esteem. We need to be able to hold out our truths in front of us & to feel free of the need to defend them. We need to be willing to be self-responsible for caring for all parts of ourselves without judgement or any other kind of put-down, seeing all aspects of our behaviors for what they are..... a need to release. Then we are ready to self-evaluate & decide to change what doesn't work & here's the key..........to replace each facet or aspect of the behavior with something better & more effective.

Judith & Astrid are presently working on this utilizing Interactive Self-Hypnosis & will be bringing their suggestions in the next blog/workshop entry.