Use the power of your subconscious to replace unwanted habits with healthy ones
Recently while attending one of Bob Podolsky's "Soul Bonding" workshop (a self-knowledge centred course created to help facilitate harmonious teamwork in groups) I was introduced to an awesome way to change unhealthy habits using the power of the subconscious mind!
It might take a little practice to see dramatic results if doing this without a facilitator, but if you do this 3-4 times than I predict that you will start letting go of those habits that are dragging you down with very little effort. The reason for this is that you will be incorporating the most creative and helpful parts of your subconscious mind, so that your conscious and unconscious parts are all in alignment with your new healthy habits. Sounds interesting? Then let's play the..
6 Step Reframe!
Step 1. Greet Your Subconscious
Once you have identified your unwanted habit, close your eyes and calmly greet your subconscious (aloud or silently). Ask your subconscious if it is willing to communicate with your conscious mind. "Subconscious, are you willing to communicate with me in consciousness?"
Now pay close attention to any sensations, images, words or sounds that arise in the mind after this question. This will be known as a "yes" signal from your subconscious mind. After thanking your subconscious for communicating with you , ask it to give you an example of a "no" response. It may help to ask it, "Do you mind communicating with me in consciousness?"
Once you have a determined a "yes" and "no" response you are ready for step 2.
Step 2. Form a Committee
Ask your subconscious to group all the parts of yourself involved in the unwanted habit, include all the most creative parts of your subconscious, and finally ask to include the "dream maker, " the creator of your dreams. When you receive a "yes" that this is done, move to the next step.
Step 3. 10 New Behaviors
Have your committee create 10 alternative behaviors to the unwanted habit. You don't have to consciously know what all these behaviors are.
Step 4. Test the New Behavior
Ask the committee to imagine a moment when you would normally be doing the unwanted habit, and replace that behavior with 1 of the 10 new healthy habits. If imagining this behavior doesn't feel good then ask the committee to delete the new behavior and replace it with another from the list of 10. Continue this process of testing until you have at least 3 new behaviors that feel good when you think about them.
Step 5. Test While Dreaming
Ask the dream maker to test and come up with suggestions of new healthy habits while you sleep, so that in the end you have at least 10 tested and approved healthy habits to replace your unwanted one.
Step 6. Real World Testing
Ask your committee to test your new healthy habits in the real world as the opportunity arises. The healthy habits that successfully replace your unwanted habit are to be kept, while ones that fail are to replaced by the subconscious committee.
That's it! Thank your subconscious for its help with this endeavour. Get up, stretch and have fun trying out your new healthy habits. As I said this can take a little practice for it to really stick, but you are on your way to a new healthier lifestyle!
<3 Graeme
Our conversation with Bob Podolsky, creator of the Octologue
