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<\/p>\nUnderstanding how we can communicate with and engage our mind, enables us to generate accurate suggestions for effective change for us and for our clients.\u00a0 There are numerous connections between a range of \u2018Laws of Suggestion\u2019 and \u2018Rules of the Mind\u2019.<\/p>\n
Laws of Suggestion are most commonly associated with French pharmacist Emile Cou\u00e9 (1857\u20131926), who, in his 20\u2019s started working with Ambroise-Auguste Li\u00e9bault (1823-1904) and helped him at his hypnosis clinic at Nancy.\u00a0 Although Cou\u00e9 started working with classical inductions, he became interested in \u2018conscious autosuggestion\u2019, where the individual uses suggestion and imagination for themselves. There are two positive benefits from him naming this approach as such, it indicates to the client that they will be aware (and not unconscious, or asleep as some myths perpetuate) and that the individual is not controlled by the hypnotist, but voluntarily accepts suggestions. Cou\u00e9 worked from the premise that all suggestion is autosuggestion (self-suggestion) and that when the imagination and the will (or intellect) are in conflict, the imagination will always be stronger.<\/p>\n
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Charles Badouin considered Cou\u00e9\u2019s work and the developments of the Nancy School in depth in his book Suggestion and Autosuggestion<\/a> (1920). Here it was considered that in a suggestion there re two stages.\u00a0 Firstly, the proposal and acceptance of a suggestion, and secondly, a transformation in action.<\/p>\n Over time, the Laws of Suggestion have been debated, explored, developed and discussed, yet over 100 years later, they still resonate with the mind of the 21st<\/sup> century human!<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Law of Concentrated Attention<\/strong> <\/p>\n The Law of Auxiliary Emotion<\/strong> <\/p>\n The Law of Reversed Effort<\/strong> Cou\u00e9 considers that when willpower attempts to oppose the imagination it actually strengthens<\/em> the imagination. \u00a0However, by relaxing and not \u2018trying\u2019 or consciously struggling, we can accomplish what we want to with ease.\u00a0 Thus, autosuggestion is used without tension or effort, but simply and with conviction.\u00a0 Cou\u00e9 thought that effort indicates the potential of resistance (to overcome).\u00a0 Thus, effort to fall asleep can focus on the risk of staying awake.\u00a0 This then creates two conflicting focuses\u2026 falling asleep and the potential of staying awake.\u00a0 Other examples include:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Law of Dominant Effect<\/strong> <\/p>\n Law of Repeated Effect<\/strong> <\/p>\n Law of Subconscious Teleology<\/strong> <\/p>\n \u00a0Rule One: <\/p>\n Rule Two: Self-fulfilling prophecy as a concept has been widely debated and psychological research has investigated this over time.\u00a0 An early investigation by Rosenthal and Fode (1963) looked at students\u2019 treatment of rats they believed were super intelligent and this subconsciously influenced how they treated them and what the outcomes were.\u00a0 The same applies to how you interact with people.\u00a0 Say you are teaching a class.\u00a0 If you have been told they are of low intelligence and lacking motivation, you will treat them as such, whereas if you had been told they were really bright and highly motivated you would treat them as such.\u00a0 These different approaches are often unintentional and unconscious.\u00a0 Rosenthal calls this the \u2018expectancy effect\u2019.\u00a0 Studies range from manipulating flavours (add yellow colour to vanilla pudding and say it is banana pudding) to how students are taught.\u00a0 If you have ever watched Gordon Ramsey\u2019s series \u2018Hell\u2019s Kitchen\u2019 there is usually a blind-folded taste test and highly experienced chefs often fail to identify everyday foods.\u00a0 You can test the expectancy effect in the same way at home.\u00a0 Tell a friend that you are going to give them some beef crisps, and give them bacon instead.\u00a0 They will usually taste them and consider them to be beef, because that is what they are expecting.<\/p>\n The power of belief and expectation is immense. Do you ever hear friends or clients talk of having a \u2018bad day\u2019? Peter Bentley, author of \u2018Why Sh*t happens: The science of a really bad day<\/a>\u2019<\/em>, suggests we have the ability to make it a bad day if we believe it to exist.<\/p>\nThe Laws of Suggestion<\/h2>\n
\nWhen an idea is focused upon, it becomes magnified.\u00a0 This is so relevant for goal management, ego strengthening and even, more generally, positive change.\u00a0 You may notice that a fertility client bemoans the fact that ever since they have been trying to conceive, they see pregnant people and babies everywhere.\u00a0 There are links here with Rules two (what you expect, happens) and four (what we think, we create).<\/p>\n
\nWhen an idea has powerful emotion, there is more likelihood that the idea will be realised.\u00a0 Negative ideas and thoughts, such as phobias, are powerful as they tend to have strong emotions, such as fear.\u00a0 Rule three (imagination over-rides intellect) also has influence here.<\/p>\n
\nThe greater the conscious effort that we make, the less the subconscious gets involved (see \u2018Rule eight\u2019 conscious effort reduces subconscious engagement). So, if we get stressed over getting a task done, and \u2018try\u2019 too hard, our subconscious mind isn\u2019t really stepping in to help. Plus, the more we consciously struggle with a dominant idea, the more powerful it becomes.<\/p>\n\n
\nWith this law, the strongest emotion always wins. \u00a0\u00a0If you have a strong fear of failure of something, it will over-ride your (weaker) desire to succeed as your fear will hold you back.\u00a0 It is a good idea to work with your clients\u2019 negative emotions and limiting beliefs, to challenge them and work towards cultivating stronger, more positive, emotions.<\/p>\n
\nThis is a key element in habit formation.\u00a0 With sufficient repetition, the subconscious mind will consider something to be true.\u00a0 With Cou\u00e9\u2019s phrase \u2018Every day in every way I am getting better and bette<\/em>r\u2019 it was important to repeat it at least 20 times each night.\u00a0 It is not sufficient to simply say it once. Successful programming, or \u2018conditioning\u2019 takes time, and repetition.<\/p>\n
\nHere autosuggestion focuses on the goal and enables the subconscious mind to spontaneously find its own path to achieve that goal.<\/p>\n![\"route](\"https:\/\/hypnotc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/road-path-question-confused-man-life.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\nThe Rules of the Mind<\/h2>\n
\nThought creates a physical reaction<\/strong>
\nEverything you think, every emotion, every idea, causes a physical reaction within your body. Every thought or idea generates a response in terms of the release of hormones and neurotransmitters into the brain.\u00a0 Emotions can have both short-term and longer term effects.\u00a0 For example, worry affects the stomach; anger stimulates the adrenal glands and releases adrenaline; anxiety affects the pulse rate.\u00a0 In the same way, a happy thought and smile results in more serotonin (feel good chemical) being released.<\/p>\n
\nWhat you expect, happens<\/strong>
\nWhat you expect, tends to be realised, whether good or bad. We become what we think about. The brain and nervous system responds to mental images. Whether these images are imagined or real, the nervous system will respond the same way. \u00a0If you expect to be ill, you are focusing your mind and body towards that. If you believe that your nerves will stop you performing well, they will.\u00a0 However, if you believe you will give a confident performance, that is where your mental energy and focus is directed. This is an important rule to consider when we are working with performance issues, and also generally negative or limiting beliefs.\u00a0 Changing to a more positive mindset will enhance your work.\u00a0 Cou\u00e9 suggested to \u201cAlways think that what you have to do is easy, if possible; If you think it is difficult you will use more effort than you need, thus wasting it\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"imagination](\"https:\/\/hypnotc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/invisible-car-imagination-weird-funny.jpg\" "\\"\\"")
<\/p>\n![\"Dr](\"https:\/\/hypnotc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/Kate-Circle-for-Blogs-Small-New-2018.png\" "\\"\\"")
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