The Mind Explained

In scientific terms the mind is as yet poorly understood.  It is intangible, it has no definite location, and yet it seems to be responsible for much of what makes us who we are.

The mind is sometimes seen as the personalisation of the brain, depending on the unique pattern of links between brain cells which builds up over our life time as we grow and develop according to our individual experiences.  Some say that the mind also extends to every cell in the body.  Then there is the question of the apparent division into the conscious mind and the subconscious.

Conscious or Subconscious?

For the purposes of hypnotherapy with Life Changes Now, it's helpful to use the metaphor of an iceberg.  The top part, the bit above the water, represents the conscious mind, and the part hidden below the water line represents the subconscious (some people refer to the unconscious mind).

What is understood about icebergs is that the visible part is a tiny proportion of the whole.  The majority of what makes the bulk and power of an iceberg is concealed most of the time.

In the same way, as we go about our daily lives, we are usually aware only of our conscious thoughts.  But we are really cntrolled by our subconscious drive.  From the urge to survive, to eat, to avoid danger, to interact with others, through the storage of memories, the triggering of emotions, the development of habits and behaviours, to the complete management of every cell in the body, the subconscious is responsible.  Funny how we hardly think about it most of the time.

Making changes

So is it really surprising that it is so difficult to make changes with the conscious willpower alone, when it is up against the might of the subconscious?

There are three ways of making changes to the mind.  One is through repetition, where over a period of time some new way of behaving moves from the conscious to the subconscious.  When you learn to drive it seems incredibly complicated, but with practice it becomes easier and eventually becomes so automatic you don't give it a second thought.

The second is when there is a very strong emotion associated with the change (and of course strong emotions come from the subconscious)  That feeling of being totally fired up and focused on a new project so that you just know that you'll go through with it is an example.

And the third is of course through hypnosis and hypnotherapy and thought field therapy.  Whilst the conscious mind alone is largely ineffective against the power of the subconscious, through these methods we can get in touch with that deeper part of ourselves and make positive and lasting changes at a fundamental level.

Trying to work for us

It is important to remember at this point that the subconscious is nearly always trying, albeit in its own way, to work for us, even if this seems to be against what we consciously desire.

Take the overeating habit for example. It is a primitive instinct to eat when there is plenty of food because at some level we may not know where the next meal is coming from.  Small wonder that in modern western society where food, often the wrong kind, is constantly available, many of us put on weight. But by understanding our deep down subconscious relationship with food and eating we can usually make the changes we consciously want effortlessly and easily.

In fact much of my work is about helping my clients resolve the apparent conflicts between what they consciously want and what they seem to get. You may want a good night's sleep but keep waking in the early hours. You might want to travel but have a flying phobia or you may want to be calm but find yourself stressed or anxious.

And you can do a lot for yourself by simply learning the art of self hypnosis, although one-to-one therapy is best for the more severe issues.

The Power of the mind

Never underestimate what can be achieved with the power of the mind.  There are many stories of people, through deep determination, overcoming terrible injuries, illness or trauma, against all odds, and astounding the medical profession.

The mind is awesome. Remember that there is always room for change, nothing is fixed, and you have many more resources than you think you do which you can harness to bring about beneficial change.