Self-Image Building Words


Inward ho!...Christopher Morley


Whether you are developing characters for your latest novel or working on your own self-development, it's important to go inside, for that's where all the goodies are located.


Since beginning this blog, I've heard from many of you who have questions about how you can utilize self-hypnosis in different areas of life & especially in your creative endeavors. I certainly welcome your questions & I'm more than happy to build a blog entry around any that you might have. It's not necessary for you to utilize the comment area if you don't want to. You can just write to me directly.


Someone asked me what I considered the single most important focus in the area of self-development. I would have to say, without a doubt, the area of self-image & self-esteem. Of course, self-worth is included in those areas.


In yesterday's blog entry I included a link to an mp3 CD download that does focus on self-image. I hope that you have the opportunity to either listen online or to download this track. This would also give you the opportunity of observing how interactive self-hypnosis is designed & how specific metaphors are utilized. It's just another way of writing & utilizing the power of words & images.


As you see yourself, so you are. As mentioned above, self-image is perhaps the single most important force directing your life, as well as determining what you can & cannot do. It determines whether you walk towards failure or success, fulfillment or frustration, illness or health. There is little that isn't touched by your self-image. Your relationships, your work, your financial position, even your mental, emotiona & physical well-being are under direct control of the pictures & connected beliefs that you have stored in your subconscious mind.


When designing programs, or working directly with patients or students, I must teach them how to enhance & diminish subconscious mind programs. On the mp3 you will come to know how to do the same. In the future, I'll post some additional mp3 techniques for this most important aspect of self-development & high level achievement, especially if someone reminds me.


Once we have this under our belt, we want to have an inner look at the development of our personal self-image, including how it was layered over the years, who layered it, as well as how those layers may continue to influence our lives as we live them today. We can work directly within these metaphorical images & learn to self-examine the layers, then deciding which ones to keep & which ones to toss out.


We can also become aware of which ones do not belong to us & most likely never did. We all have plenty of these. Those were attached, layer upon layer, by those who mentored or parented us in our earliest years & perhaps right up through today, especially if our self-image, self-esteem & self-worth are not in good stead. If you know anyone who grew up in a dysfunctional type of family, you can easily see some of those early layers still playing out, no matter what the chronological age of the person.


When we work with self-image imagery, it's not about blame or guilt or shame. It's about getting it right, once & for all. It's also about deciding what new layers you might like to apply to yourself. Here, within these images, you envision the life you have decided to live & experience. So, in short, this is your life & you are the writer, director & producer.


If you are a writer of fiction, these are ideal techniques for building additional facets for your characters. If you are a non-fiction writer, such as myself, then you want to clear up any old business that may be keeping you hostage & out of the flow of writing. No one needs old layers telling you want is not possible because of this, that or the other reason.


A question I am often asked by my clients & students is how do I choose what I might want to have for myself. For me, this is a very sad question. This individual hasn't even window-shopped in life, much less experienced life out of the shadows.


So, we must come up with some simple questions to present to the subconscious mind, such as... What characteristics do you admire in others? Start to think about role models for yourself. In interactive self-hypnosis, you can choose different aspects from different models. Sort of like building a Mr. Potato Head....but instead of choosing a nose, eyes & hair, you are going to choose aspects of personality & behavior, including some new strengths.


Consider all aspects of your life including work, relationships, personal, financial, spiritual & any others that come to mind. Take quiet time for yourself & truly expect to enjoy this work. My clients & students work in journals utilizing automatic writing for this purpose.


I'm going to utilize the rest of my space today with a particular subconscious mind exercise that is very beneficial to opening the mind for change in the area of self-image.


Relax deeply into the chair where you are resting. Let your body be heavy in the chair, as if magnets were pulling you down. We are going to work in one of my containment images of a goal-den path.


Take some quiet time and enter the door leading to your goal-den path. As you enjoy a short stroll through the gardens, locate a table on your right. There sits your big white book. It has a leather cover with your name written in gold embossed letters. Place your hand on your name and feel it.


Open the book to the first page. This is the day of your birth. There is a picture there of a woman holding a baby wrapped in a blanket. The father sits by the side of the mother. If you only had one parent present at your birth, you may choose to only see that parent. If a parent was missing, but you would like to image that parent, please do so. In reality, the other parent is present because he/she was instrumental in your conception.
You may enter the picture in the book. Simply tap on the upper right hand corner, get the attention of the parents and notice your are standing in front of them. Tell them who you are and where you come from in the life of their child.

Sit in the chair provided. Your Mother will place the baby in your arms. Feel the weight. Smell the smell. Touch the skin, feeling it's softness. The baby is wrapped in a flannel blanket. Open the blanket, observing the baby in its nakedness. See how perfect it is. Admire and touch the baby gently. This is you on the day of your birth.......pure and whole.


Take the baby, placing it's heart over yours. Feel the heartbeat touching you. Hold the baby firmly to your heart, allowing the image to enter. Feel it entering, imaging the baby in your heart. You have now taken control over the management of your inner baby.


As you continue your work the baby will grow strong, without incumbrances. From this time forward, you will make all choices as to what is acceptable to cover your baby.


This is an ideal moment to place some affirmations such as, I'm in control now. I'm designing a life for myself & my earliest self. I've taken back my power. I decide what layers are placed on my baby.


Even if the images sound a bit rediculous & unlike the way you would normally speak, do move past these mind obstacles. Remember, this is communication with the subconscious or child-mind. You are not at a board meeting in the office !


We are all multi-layered, but the choice in layers is up to us. ....Elizabeth Bohorquez, RN, C.Ht