 NLP Article 4 - Using NLP
Timeline Process to Rewrite Personal History
In NLP we use the term "timeline" to describe our unique way of
internally representing chronological time. Our experience of
time has a structure which can be investigated and modified.
When
we modify the structure of an event in time, we intrinsically alter the
meaning of the event so that it cannot impact on us negatively.
This process can be used to strip away pain, grief or loss over
childhood events, or even to eliminate phobic or mild allergic
responses which may have developed in childhood due to some external
stimulus.
It is usually very obvious that people mentally store memories in a
spatial manner. How often do you notice that when people
refer to
past events they gesture to their left, or behind themselves?
And
when people refer to the future, they often gesture to their right, or
in front. (These are two very common ways we organise
time.
Of course there are many variations.)
Here is one way of working with timelines to rewrite personal
history. This usually works best when someone leads you
through
the process as it is quite difficult to both be in the process and talk
yourself through it. To do that, you have to be both
associated
and dissociated at the same time, or quickly alternating without losing
the experience or the momentum. Not easy and probably
impossible
for most people.
The Process
1.
Decide upon a problem you wish to deal with. Maybe grief over
a
past event, maybe an unhelpful belief you'd like to change, maybe a
fear you've developed.
2.
Imagine you are looking at a line that represents your life.
See
the line stretching way, way back into the past; see yourself standing
on the spot that represents right now; see the line stretching way, way
out to the future. On this line are all the events of your
life. Maybe some of them stand out. Maybe you don't
really
see events but just notice areas of light or dark or skinny bits or
thick bits. Everyone will have a different experience,
depending
on their own unique ways of remembering things and especially depending
upon whether we are processing visually, auditorially or
kinaesthetically. Take a moment to check out your timeline
and
become familiar with its qualities and characteristics.
3.
Notice as you examine your timeline that there is an area or event way,
way back that represents the time you had a particular experience that
led to your making a decision that caused your present
problem.
Even if you don't have a specific awareness yet of that, allow yourself
to be drawn back along the time line until you find yourself on a spot
that represents a time 5 minutes before you had that experience and
looking at or being with the you of that time. How old do you
look? What do you look like?
4.
The you that you find there is about to go through that experience but
since that experience is in his/her future, does not yet have an
awareness of it. You, on the other hand, know exactly (either
consciously or unconsciously) what is to happen, as well as all the
consequences and ramifications. In addition to that you have
skills, knowledge and wisdom, as well as a physical, supporting
presence, to share with the you of that time. What can you
share
now with that younger you to fully prepare and resource him/her so that
in passing through the experience he/she will make an entirely
different decision about the meaning of it and instead use it as a jump
to more personal power or some other wonderful quality?
5.
Is there anything the younger you wants of you?
Ask. Maybe
it's information, maybe some symbol or gift. Maybe it's as
simple
as a hand to hold. Give what is asked for, make sure the
younger
you is happy with that and fully ready to proceed.
6.
Step forward now with the younger you and go through that experience
with all of the skill, knowledge and wisdom that is yours and notice
how not only does he/she react differently and form different decisions
and beliefs, but that everything changes around you as that
occurs. Do not on any account relive any experience, but
concern
yourself only with the appearance of the timeline itself.
7.
Continue moving through the timeline with the growing you, noticing how
all of life continues to move and change with you, changing everything
in line with these very different learnings.
8.
Come through to now, and stand for a moment hand in hand with that
other you, looking out to your future, and noticing how even the future
has changed and now looks and feels so full of promise, full of
opportunity, full of love. Perhaps it even seems to sparkle
and
beckon? Take a step and feel what that is like.
Take
another and another. What is this wonderful feeling? Maybe
like
walking on stardust? Breathe this in and know that this is
yours,
literally your birthright, and you own it.
9.
Say thank you, and turn and step back to now, to the present, here,
now, awake and refreshed and renewed, in your own time, right here with
us in this room.
Warning: this whole experience can be intensely
moving. Be
gentle. Also, if there is a traumatic event which needs to be
dealt with, on no account attempt to use this technique unless you are
a fully-trained and experienced therapist. Techniques cannot
hurt
people but clumsy, ignorant handling certainly can do a great deal of
damage.
About
the
Author: Christine
Sutherland is the
founder of The Lifeworks Group Pty Ltd.
She is a behavioural therapist, clinical
researcher, and
internationally-published author of a range of reference texts for
health
professionals, corporate managers, and the general public.
You
can contact Christine on christine@lifeworks-group.com.au.
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