Imagine, In This Day and Age!

When I first began this work over 18 years ago, I spent a lot of time educating people about hypnotherapy – what it is and what it isn’t. One of the most prevalent misconception had something to do with quacking and waddling like a duck (don’t ask).

As far as I’m concerned, one of the greatest areas of progress that came with the turn of this century has been the widespread recognition of the value of hypnotherapy in mind-body healing of all types. From Dr. Herbert Benson to Dr. Bernie Siegel to Dr. Candace Pert to Dr. Andrew Weil to Dr. Deepak Chopra to Dr. Bruce Lipton to Dr. Alice Domar … medical experts in just about every field have acknowledged the effectiveness of hypnotherapy as a therapeutic tool.

So imagine my astonishment when my work was questioned the other day by a self-professed "healer" and specialized trainer. This is someone I've known and worked with for two years, someone I trusted and liked.

The root of her doubts lies in a woman I'll call "Natalia." Natalia was a chain smoker who I met through the trainer. When I told her my profession, Natalia admitted that she was fascinated by hypnosis and had always wanted to see if she could be hypnotized. She said she wanted to stop smoking and asked if my work could help.

I conducted my two-hour smoking cessation session with Natalia, including a hypnotherapy segment that I customized according to her specifications and then recorded for her on site. The suggestions included taking a shower first thing in the morning instead of having that first cigarette.

Well, apparently Natalia a) really didn't believe it would work and b) didn't really want to stop smoking because when she found herself taking a shower first thing the next morning, she was spooked and upset. When I checked in with her several days later she described her experience and told me that she found the whole thing "scary." She actually told me that she was forcing herself to smoke because the hypnotherapy worked so well.

If you want hypnosis to work, then why should it be "scary"when it does? I just don't get it. The key is that you cannot be made to do or say anything as a result of hypnosis that is contrary to your morals, beliefs or ethics. As long your intentions are honorable and you're working with a reputable practitioner, there's no danger involved and only positive possibilities.

Now, here's the really puzzling part that surfaced earlier this week. Natalia had told the trainer that she found my work "scary" and instead of reassuring Natalia that she was perfectly safe, the trainer's own ignorance-based fears were triggered. Instead of admitting that she was totally ignorant about the process, she questioned the appropriateness of hypnotherapy as a healing modality. "Natalia is still smoking!" she said to me as her proof. If I hadn't been so stunned, angry and hurt I would have laughed.

Needless to say, I'm looking for another trainer.

If you're interested, I have a whole section of my website (www.ahigherperspective.com) devoted to misconceptions regarding hypnotherapy. And if you ever have questions or concerns about the safety or effectiveness of my work, please just ask.

Acceptance

In my newest Young Living shipment of essential oils, I received a blend called Acceptance. It seemed like a good one to have on hand for my clients. I didn't realize how important it might be for me.

As a practitioner, it's a fine line between caring deeply about helping my clients achieve their goals without being overly attached to a particular outcome. The perfect example of this is with fertility, one of my specialities. The client wants to conceive and carry the healthy baby to full-term; I want the client to conceive and carry the healthy baby to full-term. When it comes to panic, anxiety and phobias, I can pretty much guarantee full recovery; not so with fertility challenges.

I have to keep in mind -- and lovingly communicate to the distraught parent-in-waiting -- that there is a bigger picture in place here, one that speaks to the wholeness in each of us regardless of the fulfillment of our life's most cherished dreams.

Again and again I am reminded of the difference between a healing and a cure.

Portals

The two weeks between a lunar and solar eclipse are often significant. Since the full moon lunar eclipse on June 26th, there have been several truly magical moments in my office.

Over the years, many people have had memorable spiritual awakenings in my client chair. The opportunity comes as a result of time set aside, a calm and nurturing environment, readiness, intention and, yes, perhaps a sprinkling of fairy dust, who knows.

Often the outcome has been a reconnection with brothers, sisters, parents or friends who've transitioned out of our world and back into spirit form. Yes, imagine that there is no go-between (as would be the case with a medium who channels spirits) -- but rather the direct experience of someone special who appears in your mind's eye with a specific message or reassurance.

Sometimes the outcome has been a true "sacred journey," encountering an angel or Mother Mary or Christ or Buddha.

Last week, over and over again I witnessed (and recorded by hand) a mix of these types of experiences. There are no words to describe the thrill of it. It is truly awesome as that word was meant to be defined.

In case you're thinking it's some kind of self-induced delusion on the client's part, I must emphasize that most often the recipients of these kinds of experiences are not "spiritual" people. Instead, they tend to be average Joes and Janes who may have some vague sense of something greater than themselves working in their lives, but are often without any spiritual element or structure. It's almost as though Spirit has been waiting for the right time to make itself known and grabs the opportunity afforded by one of these sessions.

How does this "opportunity" work? I use what I call Touch Hypnosis (a pattern of gentle touch on your forehead, shoulder, and hand) and a count down from 50-1 + deepening to get the client really, really relaxed. I suggest that the person go to "Sacred Space -- whatever that feels like or looks like to you." And away the client goes! Sometimes the experience flows so quickly that I can hardly keep my pen up with the client's narrative. Other times, I find myself "holding" the silence while the client is lying there with a beatific smile, obviously enjoying something special that goes beyond the need for expression.

The clients who experience these encounters find it a life-changing experience. Me, too!

What a night!

Last night's Summer Solstice Manifestation Event was magical. Nearly 20 people answered their spirit's call to attend -- and I know several of them did not really know why they felt drawn to be there.

One of the highlights of the evening turned out to be a Ho'oponopono prayer for the Gulf initiated by Dr. Masaru Emoto of Hidden Messages in Water fame and sent to me by Ron and Denny Reynolds. We said the prayer together and the reverberations in the room were so strong that I had to be in silence for several minutes afterward.

Here is the prayer:

I send the energy of love and gratitude to the water and all the living creatures in the Gulf of Mexico and its surroundings.

To the whales, dolphins, pelicans, fish, shellfish, plankton, coral, algae, and all the living creatures ... I am sorry.

Please forgive me.

Thank you

I love you.

If you would like a copy of the Light meditation I wrote for last night's gathering, please email me and I will send it to you: lucy@ahigherperspective.com

EFT and Fertility

Sometimes the emotional component of infertility is clear, other times not. Here is a case study published on the EFT website that addresses a fear of vomiting as a factor in infertility:


• Success with infertility issues and "The Fear of the Fear": Many thanks to Alina Frank who unravels a complicated infertility issue and discovers that her client's fear of vomit was likely a contributing factor. Along the way, she address the "fear of the fear," a common reaction of those overcoming phobias with EFT. This term refers to the fact that the client may be over the fear but they won't know it until they are faced with the real life situation. In the meantime, they are afraid that they will still have the fear response.

http://www.eftuniverse.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1205:success-with-infertility-issues-and-qthe-fear-of-the-fearq&catid=30:phobias-fears&Itemid=1151

ACEP International Conference

Just returned from the ACEP International Conference in Coronado. Wow! What an exciting time to be alive!

This field of Energy Psychology is continuing to evolve in the most remarkable ways. Here are some of the highlights that I can't wait to share:

At Greg Warburton's workshop on using EP for athletes, he showed us a clip from ESPN's coverage of the Collegiate World Series from a couple of years ago. The camera zoned in on the Oregon State University pitcher (a freshman!) sitting in the dug-out, tapping. Greg is the Sports Psychologist who works with the Oregon State University athletes and that team won two consecutive world championships -- and that young pitcher was recruited for the majors in his junior year. Apparently during the Olympics, Apollo Ono was also caught on camera tapping his thymus point. When I say that the Energy Therapies work for peak performance, this is what I'm talking about!

One of the three outstanding keynote speakers, Dr. Bill Bengston, a guy whose Ph.D. is in statistics and scientific methodology, showed us videos of the miraculous work he's documented HUNDREDS of times involving mice injected with 100% terminal cancer cells ... whose tumors disappear as a result of therapeutic touch!

And I'm totally jazzed about an Energy Therapy called TAT (Tapas Acupressure Technique) that I can't wait to start using with clients. Kaiser Permanente just received a $2.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to study TAT for pain management. This is the result of TAT having being used at Kaiser for weight management and wowing people with the results.

This is what I'm talking about!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

OMG, I love this video ... I love this little girl!

Thank you to my Alphabetical Sister, Vivica, for bringing this adorable cherub to my attention.