Tips and Talk – September 2007

Well, the summer (and I use the word advisedly) holiday is over. As well as a grey, sometimes wet, but nonetheless enjoyable two weeks in Brittany, I have enjoyed having the time to catch up on reading: Joseph Le Doux, ‘The Synaptic Self’ was a fascinating and demanding read, and I too now know the final outcome of Harry, Ron and Hermione’s adventures!

I have recently been looking through some past Practitioner projects (my you are a creative bunch!) and I came across a collection of quotations. Reading through them got me thinking, one in particular sent me along a particular trail.

‘First we form habits; then our habits form us. Before we know it, we see the world only from our own perspective. When that happens, we begin to stagnate. Sound familiar?’ 
                     Anon

I had been watching Professor Richard Dawkins C4 series ‘Enemies of Reason’; this episode took medicine as its focus. I found the language used throughout the programme interesting. The introduction talked of the advances made in our knowledge of bacteria and germs in the opening days of the twentieth century; how this led to the development of vaccines and ‘drugs that work’ (this despite evidence that apparently the highest percentage of deaths in the USA is as a result of prescribed medicines!). Professor Dawkins went on to say that ‘this happy story started to falter’, that today ‘health has become a battleground’ and that ‘tried and tested scientific medicine’ is under attack, as we ‘indulge in healing magic’ and that we no longer revere scientists. Health couldn’t help but become a ‘battleground’ with language like that!

What was even more interesting was the restricted frame through which he viewed the subject – believing really is seeing. There was no mention of the professional jealousies, the desire for personal kudos and financial gain that prevented scientists involved in the search for a vaccine for AIDS to share their findings. I could cite more examples, but I’m not out to lambaste western medicine, I wouldn’t be here without it. What I found saddening was the ‘tunnel vision’ ….

I wouldn’t think like that …… would I?  I considered another work of Professor Dawkins, ‘The God Delusion’, where he does for God what he did to complementary medicine. Here I found myself on much shakier ground. Like him, I have not had much time for organised religion: like him I feel that it has been responsible for much violence and hatred: and like him I have been just as guilty of ‘tunnel vision’.

My mind drifted to a wedding I attended a few weeks ago. The bride and groom are committed Christians and the church was full to bursting with friends from their charismatic church. The genuine, heartfelt pleasure in the happiness of the day was palpable and, unlike most weddings I have attended, they raised the roof with singing.

The reception, on a village green with a view money couldn’t buy, was similarly relaxed and happy – everyone, children included was welcome and celebrated. People ate and drank probably more alcohol than was really good for them: there were even a few risqué jokes and nobody tried to thrust their beliefs down anyone else’s throat.

 They were truly ‘blessed’ with one of the very few picture book summer days of the year (students of the ‘Law of Attraction’ take note: they had complete faith that the day would be fine)….. as my thoughts drifted on, I found myself asking, ‘If my car was to break down late at night, who would I hope would come by? …. Well anyone from that group of ‘Charismatic Christians’ would certainly get my vote!

The point is that if we keep looking at the world through the restricted frame of our own beliefs and prejudices, then we will only ever see a very small piece of the picture.

                                                                                                    
NLP Tales …..Stories from ‘Everyday NLP folk’

                       The Emotional ‘Pull’ of Language
Recent experiences have highlighted for me how little information I receive from actual words spoken, I tend to gather more from the implied message, particularly when not dealing with factual, more concrete information. It is as though the message is almost unconsciously absorbed by the brain, along with any (probably assumed) emotional elements, presumably always endeavouring to gain ‘the complete experience’.

So … what have I noticed? Well, there are many written instances of digital language in my work, eg. ‘I am confident that standards are being maintained at the highest level’, ‘…college provides a service that is student-centred IN its context, design and delivery and encourages continuous improvement, excellence, enterprise and innovation’ – a whole run of nominalisations.

Within spoken language, two particular instances spring to mind. One was meeting which I left feeling uncomfortable and knowing I needed to process the comments made. To set a context, comments were made by colleagues suggesting changes should be made to my team’s working practices. These were couched in generalisations:

• ‘Your team doesn’t understand what my team does’
• ‘Every student would like individual tuition.’

Which led to me feeling that these were not valid points as they were too non-specific, and resulted in my concluding that my ‘team’ were ‘miss – understood’ and devalued. This in turn led me to think, and express my thoughts in generalisations, deletions and distortions:

• ‘There’s a subtext here I don’t understand’.
• ‘They’re getting at us!’

.This has led me to consider how negativity can be generated in the recipient by the use of generalisations and distortions. In this encounter I had to ‘chunk up’ – ie. Generate the level at which we were able to agree. From here I was able to ‘chunk down’, ie. Put forward proposals that were then accepted by all parties.
                                                                                                       S. T. Teacher

We are really keen to keep these NLP Tales going and would welcome any and all contributions. If you have an interesting or enlightening tale to share, please email it to us: info@innersense.info

News of Courses              

• Emotional Clarity – places are filling up for the October course

‘I first qualified in Time-Line TherapyTM in 1994 and was immediately enthralled by it.  My work as a teacher did not call for much use of it, although several friends and family members felt its benefits.
When in 2003 I became self-employed, as my interest has always been with self-improvement, I wanted to let other people experience the benefits I had found from using NLP and Time-Line techniques.   Always wishing to keep improving my own quality of life, I had several sessions with Johnny Lovell and noted that, although he was doing Time-Line TherapyTM, somehow or another we were getting to the core of my problems quickly and thoroughly: there seemed to be a qualitative difference between this and the TLT I had learnt.
I started to question Johnny about what he was doing and said somewhat wistfully, ‘I wish I could do that’.  Well now I can, and now so can you.  I am amazed at how Johnny’s teaching has helped turned my coaching sessions into powerful therapeutic interventions – all through understanding how to work through his fail-safe  Emotional Clarity © process.  I have trained to Trainer level NLP, and Time-Line Master Practitioner  and I can categorically say that nothing compares with Johnny’s Emotional Clarity © process for potent practical benefits.’
                                                                                               Nina Guilfoyle

 NLP Diploma

4 Days of NLP insights, skills and strategies for only £200!

• NLP Diploma – we had so many people wanting to do the course, but unable to make the September dates that we have put in more dates for 2008. Feb 2 (Sat)   10 (Sun)    Mar 2 (Sun)   9 (Sun) 
  

• EFT Level 1, 2 and 3 Gary Craig and AAMET approved

These courses will be starting early 2008. I know many of you have expressed
interest in EFT. If you have NLP experience, this course will show you how to
incorporate that experience into your EFT; if not then you will also learn NLP
core skills that will enhance your delivery of EFT.

Tip of the Month

Think about some of the people or situations that you may have developed ‘tunnel vision’ for. Imagine putting a frame around your impressions/awareness. Physically enlarge the frame to let in more of the available information. Notice what a difference it makes to your perception of that person/situation

original frame

larger frame

even larger frame

It is useful to do this at the end of the day, particularly if it has been challenging.

                   Have fun!

        Jenny and John

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