Does Change Have to be Scary?

What is it that causes us to fear things? 

Some people fear the unknown ~ which would also include 'Change' . . .

Others live in fear of the known. . .

Whilst some even, feel more comfortable with their present fears than the possibility of the fear of change . . . being different . . . thinking differently . . . feeling differently . . . and it can sometimes seem beyond belief that change can also be for the better!

So what makes us hang on tight to those old fears, beliefs & behaviours that are unhelpful and no longer support us (or even hold us back)?
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist I often come across some clients who think they want change, but are also resistant to change. There is a saying that goes like this . . .

"If you keep on doing what you've always done, you'll keep ending up with what you've always had" 

So change is a huge part of the process, to embrace those changes however big or small they might be . . . and as I tell my clients ~ It's often the way that all those small differences add up to making an even bigger difference to you in your life and the changes you wish to make! 

Change happens everyday . . . it's part of nature . . . part of life . . . nothing stays the same.
So it's a good thing to learn about embracing change, and because nothing is permanent or forever it also means that problems & issues can change too. All it takes is an experienced guide and a willingness to step into the unknown . . . to venture forwards and start to imagine how you'd like to be . . . who you'd like to be . . . and take action around some of those changes that can begin to move you in the right direction.

So the only thing to fear really is yourself ~ and once you realise that it is only yourself holding you back, then change is in your hands and you can control it.

If you would like to know more about the change process, Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy, then contact me today and start 2014 as you mean to go on! A New Year and a New You too!

Best wishes
Harshani

www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Kettering, Northants

Why worry about all those worries?

This morning I read today's beautiful reading from Sri Swami Satchidananda's book "The Golden Present".
And I'd like to share it with you here: ~

Hundreds of Worries

How many wants do you have? How many things do you worry about?
"I don't have this."  "I didn't get that."  "I don't have a nice enough office." "I didn't get the car I wanted." "I don't have an air conditioner."  "I didn't get what I wanted to eat." . . . . 

There are all kinds of unnecessary worries. Hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of worries.

How can you even lift a small blade of grass with that kind of attitude?

The mind is the main source of health and happiness. 

The same mind can completely rob you of all your health and happiness, if you don't train it properly.

Heat, humidity, cold, hunger ~ all these conditions are nothing if your mind is calm and balanced.

So many things we take for granted, so many things we worry about needlessly, taking up energy and making us unwell. Emotional stress can effect our daily lives. So try putting your worries into context. Try seeing them from a different perspective. Train the mind to see positives rather than negatives. Once you realize it's all in the mind, it's easier to re-frame it towards something that supports you, instead of weighing you down.
I teach my yoga students and therapy clients how to train their minds in a positive way, so daily stresses and concerns can be let go of far more easily and the mind can become more peaceful, easeful and useful.
You can find out more here www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Remember that golden song . . .  "Don't worry . . . be Happy!"
Wishing you a peaceful week ahead.
Harshani
Cognitive Hypnotherapist, Reiki Master Teacher and Integral Yoga Teacher
Mind Body Wellbeing
Islip, Kettering, Northants.,

Hypnosis for Fear of Flying

This time of year is an exciting time for many, as we come into the holiday season.
Maybe you have already been away . . . maybe your booked holiday is coming soon . . . or maybe you are yet to book a last minute deal or go later in the year.

The big question really is . . . "Do you feel free to holiday where you like, or does the Fear of Flying stop you?"

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I know only too well the debilitating experiences that have clouded many clients lives before coming to see me to overcome their phobias and fears around flying.
The fear of flying has many different aspects ~ for some it's the fear of being out of control, for others it's around the fear of heights, for others it's the fear of death or dying often linked to the "What if . . ." question, for example ~ what if something happened, the plane was hijacked, or exploded or crashed . . . etc etc.

As with all phobias, there will be specific triggers which start the thoughts, fears and phobic responses into play. These triggers will have often been sparked from an unconscious thought process from our childhood, whether connected to planes or flying or something else. It simply becomes a habitual behaviour and emotional response towards the source of your fear/phobia.

As with all phobias, phobic responses to flying are unique to each individual, and through the Cognitive Hypnotherapy approach the patterns can be changed, reframed and resolved in the ways that are right for you personally. Cognitive Hypnotherapy tailors hypnosis and positive psychology methods to each client, helping them move through their fears and phobias in a way that's just right for them.
Hypnosis techniques connected to overcoming phobias are powerful and supportive ways, which not only help you feel 'back in control', but also much more confident in yourself in many different situations. Fears simply hold us back and stop us from living our lives to the full. Resolving these fears, frees you up to enjoy being you and feel comfortable in yourself and your surroundings, wherever you are, whom ever you are with. . .
You can fly and feel free to enjoy flying too!
Contact Harshani at Mind Body Wellbeing in Islip, Kettering, Northamptonshire, for a confidential consultation, and start looking forward to that sense of freedom being yours, sooner than you once thought possible.

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate!!!

Chocoholics everywhere love Easter time . . . all that chocolate everywhere . . . total indulgence . . . white chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate . . . Easter eggs in an array of shapes, colours, sizes and temptations.
And I must admit, that I too have times when I can easily allow myself to get hooked on chocolate if I let myself . . . because chocolate has that feel good quality . . . it makes you smile . . . it can lift any dull moment and make you feel better . . . instantly!

So what is it about chocolate that drew Charlie into the Chocolate factory . . . was it the smell of chocolate (you know that smell, you can think of it now . . . if you wanted too!) was it the taste (that melt in the mouth sensation) . . . or is it all about the happy hormones that release from chocolate which make it addictive and desireable.

Now, if you don't like chocolate and are really not bothered by the stuff, then great, you have no need to read any further . . . However for most others (and especially it seems to be more of a female thing) chocolate can have such a hold over you that you secretly eat it, or over-indulge, feel guilty about it, and have a weight problem because of it. Not the best outcomes for something as innocent as a little peice of chocolate. And there lies the problem, if only you could just have a little bit! It can be for some people that once the taste buds for chocolate have lit up, then it all has to be eaten . . . something inside saying . . . oh, just one more peice . . . only a little more . . . oh, there's only one left now, I shall have to eat it anyway ~ shame to waste it!
Does any of that resonate with you???

So my way of breaking those addictions is that every year, for the past 5 years I have given up chocolate for lent. None has passed my lips since Shrove Tuesday and I will re-convene if I choose to on Easter Sunday, along with the rest of the population. I don't stop eating chocolate for any specific religious reasons, I do it to make sure that I can! It's good to check that self discipline from time to time, and I fully endorse that you try it too ~ okay so you may have missed starting for lent this year, however you could start today and go up until Easter . . . or choose one month a year (say May or June ~ so you can focus on reducing those excess pounds for Summer)
Any craving or addiction really means that 'IT' (whether that's chocolate/alcohol/wine/cheese) is in control of you . . . and it's important that YOU can gain control of 'it' back.

You are in control if you can feel indifferent about something, something you can take or leave . . . content either way.
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I'm all too aware of how the mind plays tricks on us, can torment us, says "Oh, go on . . . have it, no one will know unless you tell them . . . it's our secret!"
So I'm always amused when my mind starts doing that too, and the first non-chocolate week was probably the hardest. Everytime I opened the fridge, I would be drawn unconsciously to where I normally have chocolate and then notice that slight sinking feeling that came up inside me which said "There's none there!". Gradually those moments get less and less, as you re-affirm "No, I'm allowing myself to have a break right now." Friends round for dinner and my husband suggesting "Let's make a nice chocolate cake?"  . . . my reply being "Remember I'm doing lent, how do you fancy a lemon drizzle cake instead?" . . . because I know that once you get the taste again the spell breaks and it's chocolate time again, so if you're going to put yourself in control, you have to prove to your mind that you really mean it. What you find then, is after those first few tests, it gives up and let's you get on with your determination to prove you can do it. . . letting you be in control once more.

There are some great helpful techniques which I teach my weight loss clients to put them in control of their cravings. My last HypnoSlim weight loss group had a chocoholic turn away from it completely and has not bothered with it since! So to discover more about how it might be supportive for you too see ~ http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Weight+Loss-26.php

Put yourself in control and have a healthy relationship with those Easter Eggs!
Happy Chocolate Free Easter!

     

Smoking ~ Do you think you choose to smoke or what?

Today is National No Smoking Day! 

I'm sure for many smokers, they think . . . here we go again!
Everyone telling us about the harm smoking causes & why we should stop smoking.
Probably for some it's a day they forget to remember, as they are happy to continue enjoying those cigarettes and perhaps even think that it's their choice . . .
they choose to smoke . . .
or do they actually choose at all?

You see the thing about choice means YOU are in control, which also means you can take it or leave it. And if you can do that with your cigarettes, then yes you are in control of the choices you make ~ but for nearly all smokers, they are far from being IN control, in fact the habit, addiction and cigarettes control them. So what might start as a choice thing, something which you choose to do, then gradually as the addictive and habitual aspects of the cigarette and nicotine kick in, what actually happens is that you no longer choose to smoke . . . the cigarettes and nicotine are now controlling you . . . and your freedom of choice as to whether you can take it or leave it . . . has gone!
Because if you were totally in control, then if you wanted to stop, or choose to go without smoking for as long as YOU wanted to, then you would have that sense of indifference about your cigarette, something you could take or leave. . . maybe forget even, if you chose to.
But what most smokers find is the minute they think they can't have a cigarette or may have a time without them, those mind games start . . . they may have extra cigarettes (to top up) beforehand, so they don't miss out . . . or they may smoke like a chimney afterwards to make up for it . . . but what all will find is that they keep thinking about them . . . craving them . . . planning when or where the next one will be . . . etc etc and that cigarette has got control of you.

As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, I'm fully aware of the struggles that smokers go through to stop smoking, the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the previous failures, the mental torture . . . and this is why actually having hypnosis can really support a smoker through the process of getting back into control, being more able to forget about cigarettes more and more, to overcome cravings, and learn others ways to relax and de-stress. Which helps to make the process of stopping smoking much more accessible and dare I say more comfortable (especially by helping to reduce the mood swings).

So to read more about it then see my link here on the benefits of hypnosis to stop smoking today ~

http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive+Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Stopping+Smoking-22.php

Because ultimately we all want to feel like WE are in CONTROL of our lives and the choices we choose to make. . . don't we?

Fertility Success with Hypnotherapy

There's a great article in today's Daily Mail about a fertility success story, where a lady contacted Paul McKenna after hearing him talking about Hypnotherapy and the mind on a radio interview.
Read more here :~

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-149826/Hypnotism-gave-baby-I-longed-for.html

Great work Paul and thank you for spreading the positive message about Hypnotherapy.
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist myself, I fully appreciate the journey my clients are going on, whether they are seeing me for weight issues, fertility, confident childbirth, phobias, self-esteem or other concerns, I help them to un-lock the blocks in their minds which get in the way of them progressing themselves and help them move forwards towards the successes they are looking for.
It always amazes me how much can shift and how quickly clients can move on, once these stumbling blocks have gone.

As explained in the article, fertility is about helping reduce fears, worries and stress, enabling the positive flow of energy to be conceived. As with most things in life, the more you worry about something, then the worse it often gets. So changing this starts that shift, so that positive visualizations of you holding your baby can feel more real and achievable.
Some of my fertility clients who are on an IVF program come and see me to help them overcome a phobia of needles, or anxiety around the birth. In helping them through these, they feel more prepared and excited about the process.

If you'd like more information on how I work with fertility using Cognitive Hypnotherapy, then please contact me via my website www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

I see clients in Harley Street and Northamptonshire.

   

Reiki ~ energy, flow, harmony, healing . . .

Reiki is a Japanese natural energy healing technique, now taught and practiced worldwide.
It was founded by Mikao Usui around the early 1920's, a leading inspirational light in the powers of natural healing. 'Rei' means universal and 'Ki' means life force or energy.
Ki energy is within us and around us, creating Reiki a universal energy that is all encompassing.

Our life force energy is respected and understood widely in Eastern cultures, however in our Western lives we have often lost this knowledge, wisdom and connection with this energy which is unseen yet can be felt.  

'Ki' is a subtle force within us, moving through an invisible network called our Meridians. These meridian lines are recognised in many therapies including :~ Reflexology, Kinesiology, Acupuncture, Acupressure, Emotional Freedom Technique, Thought Field Therapy . . . to name but a few . . . as well as Reiki.
This subtle energy is also respected in Feng Shui, Ki Gong, Tai Chi, Yoga, and so many more areas of flow which you might not have thought about until now.

When I first experienced a Reiki treatment myself, it was the most deeply relaxing, yet re-energising therapeutic treatment I'd ever had. I was so amazed at the connection with an inner flow or energy, and the level of healing possible, that I knew I'd found something which I knew was right for me ~ on many different levels ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It was a huge turning point for me in my life, and even though I was told that at the time, it wasn't until later looking back when I realised how much it helped me turn my life around.    
14 years on and I've never looked back.
I feel very humbled and honored to have been taught Reiki, to give treatments on clients and to teach and train others in Reiki too. It can open up your mind and world to our deepest layers of existence.
As a treatment, Reiki to me, is quite unique. Each treatment is different because the client draws upon whatever 'Ki' energy they need at that moment in time ~ physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Every day is different and so are we. So Reiki tunes into our current needs to help return our balance, sense of equilibrium and inner flow. A client may feel warmth or coolness, tingling sensations flowing through the body, they may become aware of colours or images, feelings of floating, or just drift into a deep feeling of sleep ~ like the one when you feel you are still there, but somehow at the same time you're not there too. (it almost reminds me of hypnosis and different layers of trance states). For more information on the Reiki Healing Treatments and the Reiki training courses I teach visit  http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Cognitive%20Hypnotherapy-Kettering-reiki-33.php  or What's On Page

Reiki is taught at 4 different levels ~ Reiki level One is known as Sho-den and is all about self-healing and connecting with 'Ki' your life force energy. Everyone has the capacity and ability to learn Reiki and connect with flow, it is a gift we all possess . . . not just a few.
It may be the start of something special for you too. . .

My next Reiki Sho-den course in 2013 is 16th and 17th March.

May 2013 light your path . . .

Hypnotherapy Hypnosis Self-Hypnosis ~ it's all in the mind.

All Hypnosis is Self-Hypnosis.
Well, if you think about that, it means we are all 100% responsible for our thoughts, our behaviours, our interpretations of the world around us. Ultimately it's all in the mind. And what is great to know, is that we can change our minds. Thoughts are just thoughts, they can be shaped, molded, changed, guided towards whatever direction we choose to take them into. . . ( . . . if we really want to!)
So if all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, then how come we're not all channeling our thoughts and lives to how we want them to be?
Well all hypnosis IS self-hypnosis, but sometimes we live our lives in a trance of ignorance, only seeing what we want to see, not imagining that things could change and be different. 
As a Cognitive Hypnotherapist, part of my job is to guide clients towards realising that change is possible, that things can be totally different from how they've always been. The answers are always within, but sometimes we need to be shown the way, the journey into understanding, discovery and realisation of many different things, that mean we can be different.

The light needs to be switched on, so clarity can be found. . .




Through clarity, we can learn from the past, accept, forgive, heal, in whatever way is right for us personally, to be able to let go and move on in a positive and empowering way.

To me, Hypnotherapy is like a torch being gently shone into the darker shadow aspects of the mind, so that these shadows can become lighter and lighter until that clarity and understanding are there, the shadows and confusion have gone, leaving you with a much more positive outlook towards yourself and your life . . . change happens, freeing you up to be who you want to be.

So the only person ever holding you back in your life . . . is YOU.

Only you can take yourself to where you need to be for change to take place. Which means that you are always in control of how light or deep you go into hypnosis. You have total control of your mind. Nobody can make you do what you don't want to do. So the most important thing to think about is do you really want to create change and are you truly ready?
The saying goes "You can take a horse to water, but you can't make it drink"

So, if you're reading this and thinking about some of the aspects of your life that weighs you down, or you wish were different and could change . . . then you are in the perfect place to actually DO something about it. Because to actually change . . . you have to take action, to do something that starts those wheels of motion turning.
Take responsibility.
Be back in control of your life and outcomes.
You will feel so much better when you do, which is a good thing to know that the professional guidance of an experienced Cognitive Hypnotherapist is a positive one. You can have fun feeling better as you change those shadows into lighter brighter places!

We are all different, unique in many ways of how we think and perceive the world through our own eyes. Cognitive Hypnotherapy flows beautifully with uniqueness, being a flexible therapy model tailored to suit our thoughts and perceptions. This personal approach means you can move through those shadows at the right pace and speed for you to get to where you need to be, in the way that is right for you.
You can discover more about my Hypnotherapy practice in Harley Street, London and Northamptonshire by visiting www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk 

Or you may know of someone who is searching for answers, looking for change, or stuck in their own shadows and share this knowledge with them . . . it could be the start of a very positive New Year in 2013. 

Every Pregnant Mum-to-Be can feel like Royalty

Congratulations to Prince William and Kate on the announcement of Kate Middleton's pregnancy ~ what wonderful news and such a special time for them over the coming months that lie ahead.

No doubt, Kate and William will have the ultimate care and attention paid to them, to ensure the wellbeing of Kate and their baby-to-be. The national papers have already been speculating about the in's and out's of what they may or may not consider ~ will they do ante-natal classes together? will she do Pregnancy Yoga? will they opt for the HypnoBirthing route?

What I'd like to float out to all expectant parents and mums-to-be is another approach, which you may or may not have heard about as yet (although it has been around for approx 8 years) ~ and that is the Confident Childbirth programme which is a very personalised approach to hypnosis during Pregnancy and labour. Confident Childbirth practitioners are based in several counties across the country, and as one of them myself I see Confident Childbirth clients in Northamptonshire and in Harley Street, London.
Confident Childbirth is Hypnotherapy for birth ~ tailoring positive Hypnosis techniques to suit the individual needs of each Mum-to-Be, through a caring Cognitive Hypnotherapy approach to Hypnobirthing.

Research shows Hypnosis can help to :~

• Reduce Fear, Tension and Pain
• Increase ability to Relax both Mentally and Physically
• Reduce need for Pain Medication
• Help Shorten Labour
• Reduce incidence of Surgical Interventions
• Promotes higher Apgar 'Baby Wellbeing' score
• Shortens Hospital Stay
• Reduced Post-Natal Depression
• Promotes Lactation

Who is it For?
The Confident Childbirth courses are for those who have already attended an NCT course or other antenatal education class. Partners are most welcome to join you too.

What will I Learn?
During your Confident Childbirth sessions, which are personal and individual to you and your needs, you will be taught a range of very effective tools which include :~

• Self Hypnosis
• Relaxation Techniques
• Pain Management Techniques

Alongside this my clients also receive Free Personalised Hypnosis downloads for them to enjoy listening to and benefitting from throughout their pregnancy, guiding them towards a calmer more confident labour experience. All of which can really help support expectant mums and their partners, to having the best possible birthing experience . . . preparing them well to meet their new born baby.

How Long is the Course?
The Confident Childbirth course is generally over four 1 hour sessions, which can be at whatever stage of your pregnancy suits you best ~ whether taken altogether over a shorter period of time or spread out at different stages of your pregnancy, the choice is always yours. To find out more about how to book these then please contact me via my website www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

So whether you are a first time mum (like Kate Middleton) or a mum to many, the Confident Childbirth approach of hypnobirthing is a wonderful way to embrace this special time in your life, and begin to feel positively different. Those special connections made with your baby will help to reassure them too!
We can all feel like we're being treated like 'royalty', with this very personalised and supportive care . . . . because naturally we all think of our babies as being precious ~ just like a prince or princess . . . so why would we not want to give them the best possible entrance into this world?

Harshani Curbishley-Brown
Cognitive Hypnotherapist and Confident Childbirth Practitioner
www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Looking after You Just Like Royalty!

The Beauty of Friendship

How very special to know you have friends ~ whether you can count them all on one hand or many, it really doesn't matter ~ but what if we could think wider . . . or even wider than that?

What if everyone could become an image of friendship . . . and creating that all started within ourselves?

Today, I'd like to share the beautiful inspirational teachings of Sri Swami Satchidananda from his book of daily readings called "The Golden Present": ~

Become a Friend

           You don't make a friend. You become a friend. Then you automatically will have friends.

If you relate to people in a very friendly, affectionate way, by loving and caring, sharing and helping, then naturally they will see you as a good friend. When they see you as a good friend, then they become your friends. It begins with you. You should always try to do something nice for people. 

Never hurt anyone's feelings. The secret is to always look for opportunities to help others; look for ways to be nice to them. Sometimes they might even be nasty to you; if so, ignore it, forget it. Maybe that is the way they are; but we should be nice to them. Even if someone says, "Oh, you're a fool," you should say "Thank you." Don't retaliate with the same kind of words. Soon they will get tired of all that. Afterwards, they will even feel ashamed.

         The great sage, Thiruvalluvar said that if people do something wrong to you or hurt you, do something really good for them in return. That is the best punishment. Why? Because they will be so embarrassed to have done that to you. It is in our hands. We can always make friends with anyone and everyone if we have the right attitude. If we have the patience and understanding.

So as your day today comes towards a close, try to see how many friendships you can create around you and the next day and the next and the next. . .

Peace of mind, starts within.
Healing starts within.
Wellbeing starts within.

It's all in your hands to create change and others are there to help, guide and support you along the way too.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti

www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk

Boost Your Immune System

Well today in Northamptonshire the cold Autumnal weather has finally arrived, as I'm sure it has all around the Country too! I had a lovely facebook message from a dear Yoga friend in Finland saying it snowed yesturday. . . as beautiful as it is, I'm thankful we don't have any yet.

With seasonal change often comes challenges to our Immune System, the starts of coughs and colds are already floating around. So alongside our extra doses of Vitamin C, Zinc and Echinacea I thought I'd share my offering of an easy immune system tonic recipe which I've used for many years now, which is an old wives remedy health drink ~ Cider Vinegar, Honey & Water.

As easy as ~ 2 tblsp Apple Cider Vinegar + 2 tsp Honey (to taste) + 5 tblsp water (warm or room temp)

Simply mix the vinegar and honey first until dissolved, then add the water and drink! It's a bit like a sharp apple juice, so adjust the honey and water suit your tastes.
Recommended daily to help maintain health, or soothe throats, or help clear chest infections. Try it out to see how you might like it too!

And if this finds you already feeling under the weather (so to speak!) then please click on this link and you can download my FREE "Healing Garden" hypnosis track to help speed up the healing process and increase your sense of wellbeing.

http://www.mindbodywellbeing.co.uk/Hypnotherapy-Kettering-Downloads-23.php

Wishing you a happy and healthy Autumn!

Pass it on and share with others . . .

    

Whats Your Paunch Type Gentleman?

An excellent article in the Times Body and Soul supplement on Saturday the 15th of May 2010 by a Doctor John Briffas who insists you lose the paunch.He describes how fat on the outside ( the paunch) presents real health risks as it is what the fat is doing on the inside called visceral fat that presents the greater risk than looking out of shape! Visceral fat reaches round your internal organs which can lead to chronic health problems. Dr Briffas recommends a low carb diet to decrease the waist line increase energy and feelings of well being so which paunch type are you? The pod? The button buster? The when-are-you due? Or the blob? With hypnosis it makes the process of realigning your eating habits so much easier with some well defined goals and outcomes and a plan of action you could soon say goodbye to the paunch and hello to your toes!!

Check out the article at http://www.timesonline.co.uk/

The Holographic Brain

I picked up a book this week off the bookshelf off my "unread pile" called Imagery and healing by Jeanne Achterberg: a fascinating look at shamanism and modern medicine.It really gets to the heart of what is understood about shamanic practices and the relationship with western modern medical practices. An area of neuroscience which I had looked at at whilst studying for my masters degree is discussed which is that of the holographic brain. A fascinating subject, in particular in relation to hypnosis. The holographic model begins to resolve some of the brain behaviour paradoxes those that relate too the storage of memory and its retrieval. That,if the brain indeed operates like that of a hologram it is unnecessary to have leg to process leg information it is only necessary to have once had a leg or even thought about having a leg. The brain sets up patterns of storage. Similarly in the context of body boundaries: where do I begin and end? According to the holographic model we have a choice, so say for instance I decided to hug my wife from over 100 mile away my holographic brain begins to recreate what I have experienced about this event; the physical sensations, the emotions, and the symbols I have idiosyncratically adopted all of which are stored without reference to time and space . The image if strong enough will recreate the whole situation in my being. Karl Pribram who proposed the holographic model suggests that "imagery and feelings are like ghosts -but they are ghosts which inhabit my own and my patients subjective worlds they are our constant companions and I want to explain them" suggesting that words and behaviour are not enough to explain without recourse to a map IE an image of some sort. He goes on to say that when images are regarded in the holographic manner their omnipotent influence on physical function logically follows and that the image the behaviour and the physiological associations are a unified aspect of the same phenomenon. That is the the extant to which change can take place in the body and mind depends upon how much activity there is at the neural junctures and how many patterns are activated or in other words the belief system. If you do not believe that you have the ability to consciously effect mental and physical change with the imagination then you never even try! Healing requires work both physical and mental ; it does not happen accidentally. So lets just say for example a person was feeling stressed and anxious ; it would make sense to form an image of the body being relaxed and calm , and the precise body functions that would be required to bring that about so to attending to the breath, breathing deeply releasing tension in the muscles, remembering a time when they were completely calm and relaxed activates the neural patterns that are required to bring this about. This is where hypnosis and timeline therapy can be immensly helpful in allowing the mind to remember that it has all the resources required within to effect change in a postitive and meaningful way.
Best Wishes
Edd

How We Talk To Ourselves

Walking around our garden at our premises in Northamptonshire where we practice as Hypnotherapists using hypnosis to help others create change in their lives.
I was talking away to myself inside my head and making a list of gardening jobs which needed my attention and being a little cross with myself because something I had planned had not worked properly.Noticing that internal conversation and taking note of the tone of voice I was using, then noticing how I felt, then taking a moment or two to reflect on those thoughts.It occurred to me do we listen often enough to how we talk to ourselves? How can the tone and quality of what we say to ourselves (in other words our internal dialogue) impact on our lives in both a positive and negative sense?
Consider this statement
THE WAY WE TALK, IS THE WAY WE THINK, IS THE WAY WE FEEL,
by considering that statement and listening honestly to your own inner voice how do you talk to you? How does what you say to yourself impact on the way you think and others think of you? How do you feel, and how do others feel about you?
At Sahasrara in Northamptonshire we use Hypnosis,and Hypnotherpeutic interventions to help create change, enabling our clients use their internal voice to have a positive and motivated effect on themselves and others.Change is an option available to everyone! In the words of the Jedi you do or do not - their is no try -just do it contact Sahasrara today and boook your hypnosis session.
Edd

Magic, Snowballs, & Hypnosis

Hypnosis, Hypnotists,Hypnotherapy, Hypnotherapeutic interventions what are they and I am often asked "just how does hypnosis work"? my answer is, its "magic" or in many cases it can be just like a "snowball effect". Lets look at the two effects separately.
The magical effect is when a client has an hypnosis session and its as if a magic wand has been waved over them and their presenting issue has gone instantly- fantastic! - as if by "magic"!
The snowball effect is experienced by a number of hypnosis sessions each session reinforcing the previous session thus creating a "snowball effect" - or in other words a momentum or gathering together of new behaviour over a period of time.
Both effects have created real change permanently,reinforcement ensures that change lasts.
At Sahasarara in Northamptonshire in the midalnds all our clients are given a personalised CD or MP3 download to help the process along.
Hypnosis, hypnotherapy, is a truly amazing method to rapidly change responses and behaviours.
All behaviour and responses are learned, hypnosis rapidly allows the process of unlearning and relearning so that new behaviours and responses are automatic.
Rapid learning is allowed by bypassing the conscious critical factor of the mind/brain,(the critical factor is thought to be a relic of evolution in that it slows down the process of learning for survival purposes),hypnosis does this quickly effectively painlessly and safely.
Sometimes learning something new can take a little time, remember learning to ride a bicycle, drive a car, swim or read and write. Generally speaking you were shown the basics and the methodology then with practice this was reinforced until it became automatic.
In conclusion; hypnosis enables rapid and permanent change, learning anything new requires practice or reinforcing so hypnosis can be both "magic" or "snowball gathering snow" Begin your practice at Sahasrara consultancy for hypnosis, hypnotherapy,NLP,TFT,And Timeline Therapy
Edd
:)

Heart Attacks Plummet after Smoking Ban

Sat in my office in Northamptonshire in the midlands where we practice as Hypnotherapists I am reflecting on a conversation with a client who has recently stopped smoking having had a hypnotic intervention.A recent article in the Times newspaper (wwww.timesonline.co.uk/news) reported a larger and sharper fall in the incident of heart attacks since the smoking ban was introduced in England in 2007. Causing rates of heart attacks to fall by about 10%, the percentage gain is even higher in Scotland which introduced the ban a year earlier. There, rates of heart attack have fallen by about 14%. According to the Times this is one of the most significant gains to public health that Britain has ever seen! Although less is known of cigarette smokes ability to to trigger heart heart attacks than its role in lung cancer its contribution to its effects are beginning to be better understood, Ellen Mason a senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation said "Exposure to cigarette smoke induces rapid changes in blood chemistry ,making it prone to clotting.In someone who has narrowed or damaged coronary arteries, smoke exposure can cause a heart attack."
At Sahasrara consultancy in Northamptonshire in the Midlands we have had great success helping individuals overcome their cigarette habit using Hypnosis Hypnotherapy, and Hypnotherpeutic techniques without our clients feeling that they are giving anything up, only gaining a healthier and wealthier future!
Edd

Back To Study?

Back to study after the summer holidays? Sat in my office in Northamptonshire in the Midlands I read many studies on Hypnosis,Hypnotherapy, Hypnotic techniques and trance states of hypnosis.
Have you experienced the moment when you have read something and then thought "what on earth have I just read"? This sometimes is the minds way of escaping from physical or mental overload resulting from intense mental concentration over too long a period of time, when this happens its possible to experience a hypnotic trance. Its commonly known that we experience trance as an everyday experience like when you are driving and arriving somewhere without knowing how you got there, or putting your keys down at not being able to find them only for someone to find them "right under your nose" where they have been all the time.
Its important to have a strategy for success and to eliminate unproductive study time. Research has proven that after 40 or 50 minutes our minds begin to wander our concentration begins to wane and we find it difficult to retain information.This has nothing to do with intelligence but is the minds way of signaling take a break , to do something different. A good tactic would be to build in a rest or something different every 40-50 minutes to maintain concentration and aid integration of information .A great way of doing this would be take a short walk or go and have a cup of tea or if your feeling particularly energetic a light stretching session.Use the alarm function on your mobile phone to divide your study time up into manageable chunks.
Not enough attention is paid to diet when studying, its important to maintain a steady blood sugar level by eating sensibly, and maybe having a bowl of fresh fruit on hand to snack on, as an alternative to crisps, chocolates and sweets. This will help prevent hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia which is to little or to much sugar in the blood stream and also making sure that by drinking enough fluid dehydration is avoided another obstacle to effective study.
Some may find it helpful with their studys to book one or two sessions on focus and motivation to really sharpen up their study skills or pehaps look at coaching over a longer period of time to really "add the edge" especially when studying. Hypnosis NLP and timeline therapy are really useful tools to helping with a postive outcome around study. At our therapy room in Northamptonshire in the Midlands we are able to help many focus and relieve the stress of study using hypnosis, hypnotherpay, hypnotic, and hypnotherpuetic techniques and suggestion.
Edd

Hypnosis and relaxation

Sitting in my office in Northamptonshire in the Midlands having completed a hypnosis session with a client who calls me her hypnotist not hypnotherapist,some clients still insist in calling us hypnotists rather than hypnotherapists in the profession of hypnosis there is a very distinct difference
A recent article brought to my attention in the independent newspaper www.independant.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families Advising that relaxation is key to good health and well being advice which has been known by practitioners of yoga and meditation alike for thousands of years
Its only recently that science has been able to provide "hard" evidence that relaxation methods used by long term practitioners of yoga and meditation have indeed increased disease fighting genes, those who practised no form of relaxation at all were found to have very few of these beneficial genes at all.
Professor Herbert Benson who lead the research at the Harvard medical school reported "we found that a range of disease-fighting genes were active in the relaxation practitioners that were not active in the control group" they describe the protective genes that control disorders such as pain,infertility,high blood pressure,and even rheumatoid arthritis as "switched on" or "induced" by what was described as the relaxation effect.
Hypnosis is seen as a particularly effective method of deeply relaxing. By deeply relaxing we are able to reduce the negative effects of the stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol, which raise the heart rate and blood pressure, weaken the immune system and can lower fertility, by deeply relaxing we are able to counter stress which is linked to the sympathetic nervous system or the "flight or fight syndrome" and instead introduce higher levels of feel good chemicals hormones such as serotonin and growth hormone which promote the repair of cells and tissues. When we are in a state of "flight or fight" or stress, muscles which are useful to be used for danger tighten and contract and processes which are deemed as non essential like the immune system and digestion are ignored.
One can use hypnosis as a very effective technique to switch on the parasympathetic nervous system which operates when we are relaxed to promote health and well being . To gain full benefit from relaxation techniques including hypnosis it is important to practice them regularly on a daily basis for a minimum of 15 minutes.As part of our service to our clients we are on request able to teach them self hypnosis to enable them to fully benefit from our hypnotherapeutic sessions, and continue to practice hypnotic states as part of their strategy to help them relax.
Best Wishes
Edd

Irritable Bowel Syndrome

At our therapy room in Northamptonshire in the Midlands where we practice as hypnotherapists, using hypnotherapeutic techniques, and hypnosis we often see clients who suffer from IBS. Research has shown that 18-20% of women and 10-12% of men suffer in the UK from irritable bowel syndrome this figure could be a lot higher as many sufferers (mainly men) do not report this to a Doctor through fear of embarrassment or Doctors diagnosing in many different ways.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)which is an independent organisation, dedicated to promoting good health and preventing and treating ill health in 2008 identified how hypnosis, hypnotherapy and hypnotherapeutic techniques can play an important part in reducing the symptoms of IBS. This was a met analysis of research carried out in the UK and the USA from studies taken over a 4 year period. In one study it was reported that the overall improvement of symptoms and welling scored weekly on a scale of 0-3 (where 0 is no improvement and 3 is maximum improvement)showed that patients in the study receiving hypnotherapy increased from baseline 0 (no improvement) to a mean weekly value of 2.95 which is statistically significant or in other words hypnosis nearly achieved maximum improvement. Similar success was replicated in reducing the symptoms of bloating the benefit being that overall quality of life was improved . Although in some quarters hypnosis remains a controversial intervention a body of evidence would suggest and indeed support, that along with a sensible lifestyle programme, hypnosis, hypnotherapy, hypnothepeutic techniques can be very effective indeed in reducing the symptoms of IBS.
Edd
:)

consciousness

I have just finished reading a really interesting article by the philosopher Roger Scruton published in the Sunday Times magazine on the 5th of July regarding how we view neroscience and the subject of consciousness. Beginning the article with his understanding of the smallest word in the language which is "I" and what does "I" mean, am "I" seperate from my body or a part of it and how that reflects on our understanding of the self has the "I" been reduced to a function within the brain. He describes the advances in medical science which can capture the activity of the brain on an MRI scan and show which part of the brain is responsible for moving an arm and the belief that amongst some neurosurgeons and pyschologists that the self is "located" in the "mirror neurons" which fire when people instinctivley imitate the expressions and gestures that they observe . The neurons responsible for intentional activity trigger before we are conscious of "making up our minds" therfore there is no free will. He goes onto discuss that it assocciates ideas with parts of the brain but says nothing about the self about free will,about spiruality or the magnificence of the world around us, it just tells a story of neurons!Brain imaging or neuroscience will not help to understand the emotion surrounding a beautiful piece of music or a tragic event in our lives, it will do nothing to lead to a better understanding of personal accountability and the ability to change our behaviour, it will never give us what it means to be truly motivated which is why I am so curious how altered states of consciousness,through hypnosis and timleline therapy can have such a positive effect on our lives.If you are reading and would like an appointment to see us our practice is based near Kettering Northamptonshire.
Edd
:)