"Ten steps to financial freedom." "Seven rules of successful relationships." "30 day program for happiness."
In an effort to clearly and succinctly state the main benefits of an expert or program in their marketing materials, these statements give the reader the impression that their lives, problems and goals can be easily addressed in a few steps. I understand the reasoning behind presenting self-improvement programs in this way. How many of us would buy a book, attend a seminar or enroll in a program that stated: "This program is not a cure. Get used to the fact that you will be making progress with your issues the rest of your life. What I offer has helped me and others, but it might not work for you. Try it and see if it's right."
Unfortunately, we've developed a disese-cure culture, which leads marketing campaigns for some personal growth programs and approaches to send a message that conforms with the popular mindset. However, it's the disease-cure/step-process that is about to be replaced. We're about done with the illusion of quick-fixes.
We, as an American society, are entering a new phase of understanding how our lives work -- the interconnectedness of our minds, emotions, physical body and the higher self/soul.
Quite a bit of progress has been made in understanding the mind's role in perpetuating habits, decision-making, thought processes, and other repeating behaviors. As such, many of today's programs revolve around reprogramming the mind to think in new ways and form new, more effective behavior patterns. These discoveries in brain function have helped develop new techniques in psychotherapy and psychiatry such as psychoneuralimmunology, which is the scientific theory that thoughts emit a frequency that affects our bodies. And, in turn, new personal growth programs offering simple steps to reprogramming your brain such as positive thinking, neural reconditioning, and emotional trigger therapy.
We are understanding how emotions affect the mind and the body in both physical health and decision-making. More conversation is revolving around terms like "core issues," and root cause." We are acknowledging in a new way that our thoughts and experiences can change our behavior, brain function and health. During the last 30 years or so, thanks to these advancements, therapist have evolved their practice of guiding the individual through a step-by-step process of behavior modification. A linear, somewhat scientific approach based upon analytical framework of our mind's process. This work has and is valuable to our understanding of the mechanics of our lives. And, it sets the stage for the next step.
This next step is a tricky one, though.
It's tricky because we're going to introduce the concept that there is something that can command, override, and heal the mind, emotional body, and the physical body. A force that can create new thoughts, remove old thoughts, drain emotion off past experiences, relieve the physical body from pain -- potentially heal and restore any aspect of our lives. This force doesn't function in a linear, logical way. It doesn't follow societal rules about success, happiness, relationships, good living, etc. It only follows it's own vision of what it wishes to create in this life.
Which means that most of the techniques we currently use in modern therapy: process, analysis, brain reprogramming, rebirthing, carrot-stick methods, etc, will be of little use in their present form. There will be an integration of these tools with a new approach. The soul doesn't need to conquer the mind, or come to terms with the emotional scars of past experience, or override habits with more appropriate behavior modification. All of these tools are coping tools for the mind and the emotional body -- not for you, the soul.
There is another set of tools that you, the soul, use to navigate the body of your life -- the landscape you created with your and others thoughts, beliefs, fears, experiences, rules, etc. As you find your way through your landscape, you will move thoughts, release fears, resolve guilt, remember your strength and the vision for your life.
June 13 is a day we can spend together working with some of these tools. As a support to this workshop, I am conducting 3 free monthly online hour-long classes as a continuation and Q&A. The dates/times of this series will be posted at the workshop.
