Scion of NLP

Archive for January, 2009

For all my fellow NLP Practitioners out there… define the perceptual positions in this one baby!!!

(Taken from the Futility Closet website)

Oh, Never Mind

Zhuangzi and Huizi were strolling along the dam of the Hao Waterfall when Zhuangzi said, ‘See how the minnows come out and dart around where they please! That’s what fish really enjoy!’

Huizi said, ‘You’re not a fish — how do you know what fish enjoy?’

Zhuangzi said, ‘You’re not I, so how do you know I don’t know what fish enjoy?’

Huizi said, ‘I’m not you, so I certainly don’t know what you know. On the other hand, you’re certainly not a fish — so that still proves you don’t know what fish enjoy!’

Zhuangzi said, ‘Let’s go back to your original question, please. You asked me how I know what fish enjoy — so you already knew I knew it when you asked the question. I know it by standing here beside the Hao.’

– Zhuangzi, China, fourth century B.C.

One of the greatest experiences in my life was an event I attended at NLPU in Santa Cruz during my NLP Trainers Training in 2004. It was what is called a kind of drumming circle. It involved all different kinds of drums and bells and things… and there was about 100 of us.

The guy in charge took (and I’m going to find out his name sometime and post a link on here when I do) us through an experience I can’t even begin to describe. He lead us through a process where we began to work together to make music. It started with different colored plastic tubes of different lengths which we swung around over our heads (it was outside in a huge common area – for anyone who has been to NLPU it’s the one in front of the cafeteria building). They made sound and with his guidance on timing we played a kind of tune.

As the event progressed we moved to drums and symbols and such until he finally made us stop. Then he said it was our turn. It began with a beat (chosen by a student)… each student then added another beat at a different rhythm, and slowly we progressed around the circle. As we went on it slowly turned into just this overwhelming noise, but as it continued, by the time the last student joined in, it became a sort of music. With each passing moment it took on a life of it’s own growing louder and changing and flowing – it became a song of sound. It was the most uplifting, amazing experience I ever remember… and the only time in my life I’ve ever danced. (yep, it’s true)

Recently I found another guy who has combined music and NLP and I thought it would be cool to share something he did (it’s amazing)…

Intention Manifestation and the Law of Attraction have been hot topics in the media for over a year now. Everyone seems to know a little about them but the facts have become watered down through explanation after explanation and re-explanation. Even so, so much of the original information was left out that the majority of people “trying” it and failing have no real idea what they are doing wrong. Time and time again I hear, “I can’t understand why it doesn’t work for me?”

One risk people face with Intention Manifestation in our modern society is the effects our multitasking lifestyles has on the Law of Attraction. Multitasking your focus when trying to manifest your dreams really thins out the level of energy you can put towards your intention(s).

As an example, when I was a young man I worked with my father who owned his own concrete ornament company. He had hundreds and hundreds of ornamental molds for concrete statues and fountains, so when we poured new ornaments twice a week he always grabbed a few extra molds of little things we didn’t make very often. After we had mixed cement and filled all the molds of things we needed to make, there would usually be some extra cement left over. My father would then use that extra cement in a couple of the extra molds he had grabbed before we began. If the remaining cement didn’t quite fill an ornament mold my father would dump it out.

One day I asked him why he didn’t just take a little of the extra cement from each of the bigger fountain molds to fill up the little one. His reply has stuck with me every since. My father smiled and said to me, “I could take a little cement from 4 of the other ornaments and fill this little mold almost full. After the concrete dries we will then have 5 ornaments that are not quite as strong. Alternatively we can forgo pouring the little mold, which we really don’t need anyway, and simply dispose of the extra cement, leaving the other 4 ornaments completely full. After the concrete dries we will then have 4 stronger ornaments rather than 5 weaker ones. Which would you be more proud to say you made?” Ever since then I’ve often found myself needing to scale back all the things I want to focus on in my life – including the endless list of items, experiences and people I want to manifest for myself and my family.

If you ever find your manifestation isn’t coming easily or Law of Attraction doesn’t seem to be working for you, the first thing you might want to do is take a look at what it is your trying to manifest. Does your goal incorporate a huge list of objectives? If so, could it be broken down so that you could manifest one step at a time? When you are putting your energy toward manifesting things in your life, ask yourself if you are putting all your intention and energy into a few really important and valuable goals or are you spreading your energy thinly out to too many mediocre goals? Make sure you’re not risking overwhelm to your energy system with Multiple Manifestation Overload.

Well, today I did my 2nd ever TV interview…and it was great. Some TV personalities and reporters are just so nice and kind and I love ‘em – and Maggie Cox of the A-Channel Morning show is one of those people.

Maggie was awesome. She came and did an interview at Pacific Rim College in Victoria, BC all about the school, the programs (including the new NLP Diploma Program – instructed by me!) and she seemed to have a lot of fun. Her warm smile and gentle charm really put everyone at ease and so all of us who she interviewed had a really nice experience…however, a few of us did notice that she sure has boundless amounts of energy for a person that starts work at 5:00a in the morning.

Anyway, I just want to extend my deepest Thank You to Maggie Cox of A-Channel Morning. Today was a solid reminder of what I can expect when my first book is finally finished.

Ya know, sometimes there is a point where the creativity needs to be redirected into finishing current projects rather than thinking up new ones!

I’ve occasionally met people who are in search of the creativity bug… but I must admit – it’s a bug that, if not managed properly, can become a deadly virus out of control in your life! “Beware what you wish for,” is all I can say to them.

Lately I have several projects that I’m way… waaaaay behind on – yet, my creativity keeps putting some new and wondrous, shiny opportunity in my path. Frustrated and overwhelmed I just have to say, “No.” For me, it seems so much easier to come up with a great new idea but not so easy to bring it into reality! Still, I sit here, plugging away at my projects… one little tiny step at a time.

Like “The Little Engine That Could” I just keep going and eventually I know I’ll get there!