The Mentalist Painting Legs on a Snake There is an old saying “A picture tells a thousand words” and, when it comes to the subconscious mind, this is very true. Symbology and metaphors are a clinical hypnotist’s best friend, especially when creating the clients desired changes at a subconscious level, thus these becoming a part of their program.
A few times I have had the experience of a client who would not go into traditional hypnotic trance - eyes closed and so forth - so I just chatted with them. Eventually, I could tell by the many signs of expanded awareness, their physiology, breathing and blink rate that they had gone into what is known as waking trance. At this point, had I used direct suggestions, such as “And you will no longer smoke,” they may have snapped out of the trance state. However, by hiding the suggestions in symbology and metaphor, by simply telling them stories, the suggestions were taken on
50 Supernal Magazine
and they gained their desired behavioural change. When we have dreams, or are in a meditative or trance state, we may obtain information via feelings and symbology. Most of us have a tendency to allow our logic brain to get in on the act, which inevitably corrupts the information. To learn to trust the information without doubting ourselves can be difficult, so allow me to explain this by painting you a picture using symbology and metaphor.
“There is an old saying “A picture tells a thousand words” and, when it comes to the subconscious mind, this is very true.” There was once a great master of Gung Fu who was nearing the end of his mortal existence. Tradition dictated that he would hand down the secrets of his style and school to his most senior student. The problem was that the master
By Jason D. Varga
had two students of equal time served and equal skill. To choose which student would become his successor, he devised a test.
“Most of us have a tendency to allow our logic brain to get in on the act, which inevitably corrupts the information.” He told the two students to go outside and draw an animal in the sand. The first student to draw an animal that was instantly recognisable would become the next master. The two students grabbed a stick each, ran outside and began to draw. The first student drew a long letter S in the sand and was about to stand up, until he noticed that the second student was still drawing. Feeling worried that perhaps he had been too hasty; he began to add to his drawing. He began drawing a series of strokes that were meant to represent legs and feet. He was
