Introduction
Too much information?
Sometimes attempting to explain a simple technique is like describing the experience of sailing. The description might lead the listener to believe that the experience is much more complicated than it really is. The "Helpful Hints"section contains absolutely everything I could think of that might be relevant, but, might represent information overload for you. So, you only need to pay attention to what fits for your particular situation and ignore the rest. Apologies in advance for the "over-share."
Charlie Johnson
The conscious mind, unfortunately, is exquisite at focusing on one's distressing internal awareness often to the detriment of the individual. This process is also referred to as the "Betty Erickson Technique, "after its originator who was the wife of Milton Erickson, MD.
The Technique
- Find a comfortable place to sit for awhile. It doesn’t necessarily need to be completely quiet. In fact, a little sound will be helpful.
- Fix your eyes, comfortably, on an area in front of you. This technique seems to work best when the eyes and especially the head are kept relatively stable and comfortably focused toward the front. There is no need to fix your eyes on a particular spot, however, just keep it still.
- Out loud, acknowledge five things you notice in your field of vision. Follow this by acknowledging, out loud, five sounds in your immediate auditory awareness. Follow these two sequences with five sensations you notice, out loud, in your physical, bodily awareness.
- Once you have finished the above sequence, start over, but this time acknowledge four sights, sounds and feelings. Follow this by sequences of of three (sights, sounds, and feelings), two (sights, sounds, and feelings), and finally, one sight sound and feeling.
- If you arrive at a desirable state before the end feel free to stop and hang out. If you are still not where you would like to be start over and repeat the sequences.
Helpful Hints
Remember to keep your head still and your gaze fixed on an area in front of you. You can make slight adjustments if you like, especially between rounds.
Don't rush! Many of my more overachieving clients try to get through the exercise as quickly as possible, making several observations within just a few seconds. This of course is the opposite of what will prove helpful. The purpose of the experiment is to locate yourself in real time and space. This means that it will be important to spend a few moments with each observation.
The best way to slow down and notice what’s going on in real time is to take a breath between each observation. You don’t need to take a deep breath or focus on your breathing in any particular way. Just a normal breath. In addition to slowing down and punctuating each observation, normal breathing will enable you to align your body with your consciousness, furthering the process.
Speaking the observations out loud is helpful, especially when first trying this experiment. Obviously, when people are present it doesn't make as much sense.
If you find yourself getting confused, you have succeeded! You may not be sure whether you are supposed to be at a certain place in the process - the “right” number of sights, sounds, and feelings - “Am I supposed to be at 3 or 4 sights?” This is good and it’s a sign that the process is beginning to succeed.
The purpose of the exercise is to depotentiate the conscious mind. That is, getting your conscious mind it to begin to let go its current toxic or ineffective state of internal awareness - anxiety, insomnia, remembered trauma, physical or emotional pain, etc. - and achieving a neutral or even a more relaxed state.
Many clients ask whether they should include a noxious physical sensations such as pain or discomfort. The answer to this is “yes,” denying things that are in your physical awareness will only defeat the purpose of the technique. With this being said, it is important to acknowledge other parts of one’s physical awareness as well. So, while I might have a headache, I can also be aware of the temperature in the room, the feelings of my body in the chair, the fact that I just swallowed, etc. As the process continues, with awareness is of various sights, sounds, and feelings, sensations of discomfort often become less figural.
Finally, it’s important to remember the process of self- hypnosis and trance is usually initially experienced in the form of a wave rather than a straight line. That is, it’s common to experience a kind of “drifting” off for a while and then (sometimes suddenly) coming back to where the process began. It’s important to remember that it’s a common occurrence, especially for beginners, and, that, with practice, the waves will play themselves out and the experience will become deeper and longer. The solution is to start over. In fact the more that this “awaking” is followed by a "restart," the deeper and longer the experience is likely to be.
And, as always, please remember that material found on this site and in this "Tools" section, are in no way to be considered psychotherapy, or a substitute for psychotherapy and / or prudent medical practice, intervention, or participation. Serious psychological or medical problems should always be addressed by an appropriate health care professional in your area.
