Isis Centre

The power within and the learning without by Christopher Fish

Christopher Fish — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:12:32 +0000

In the American Midwest at the early part of the century a 17 year old boy was strapped in a rocking chair in the centre of his bedroom. He had spent a number of months in that chair during the day. This was because an attack of polio had left him with only the ability to do two things – hear and see. He had been left unable to move. On this occasion his busy farming parents had temporarily forgotten to move him to the window and as he sat there he thought longingly of his brothers and sisters playing outside and the activity of the farm they lived on. He longed to be able to see them play. He suddenly became aware his rocking chair moved slightly. Was this just an accident or did his longing and wondering somehow cause an imperceptible movement in a supposedly immobile body?

In this particular boy this began a process of intense internal activity, self-exploration and the momentous discovery that the idea or thought of movement could actually lead to automatic body movement. The intensity of the possibility of movement to health drove this particular child to begin recalling all his sense memories of muscular activity. He would stare at his hand for hours trying to recall what his fingers felt like grasping a pitchfork. Gradually his fingers began uncoordinated movement. He persisted and as the twitching movements became larger he began exercising conscious control. He explored what his hands would feel like grasping a branch he used to swing from and how his other limbs felt as they climbed a tree.

Later as an adult he clarified the process that took him to rehabilitation. In that it was not imagination but an intense memory. He would recall all the twist and turns as he liked to jump from one tree to another eliciting all the movements associated with working muscles.
This was not the full story of his recovery. Another important element was simultaneously observing in the minutest detail his baby sister learning to stand up. And began copying this. Within a year of this intense self-training he was on crutches and on his way to eventual mobility.

This boy was Milton Erickson and he went on to become the most influential hypnotherapist of the 20th Century. What Erickson discovered for himself was the power of an intelligence that was not just mental or thinking intelligence. He was at pains to point out that it was not his imagination but his sensory memory that was operating. Nowadays we may describe it as cellular or subconscious intelligence. Due to dire necessity he had stumbled upon modern hypnotherapy training. The first hypnotherapy training he developed and administered to himself. This personal hypnotherapy training became the basis of his lifetime’s work.

The power within and the learning without by Christopher Fish is a post from: Isis Centre

Confidence and Curiosity – Hurt and Kindness by Christopher Fish

Christopher Fish — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 10:55:41 +0000

Milton Erickson was a remarkable man who revolutionised the world of Hypnotherapy. Even though he was the pre-eminent hypnotherapist and hypnotherapist trainer his methods have become the source from which such a practical approach as the Solutions Focused have been largely based.

Some while back I was struggling with the problem of inadequate confidence. You know the sort of thing – feeling tongue tied in the company of people I didn’t know well. The problem was confidence and I spent some time focusing on trying to resolve it. At some point I realized something, and that was trying to be more confident wasn’t working and what I need was an antidote. Something completely different and radical, that would engage me in a way whereby confidence or no confidence wasn’t actually in my thoughts. I found that antidote was curiosity. Stop trying to be confident and get curious. Stop trying to stop the problem and start the solution. Be curious about the person you’re talking to. It’s not about what you have to say about yourself it’s what they have to say about themselves.

As an experiment a bunch of strangers where put in a room and given the instruction to mingle. Only one person was told that they could not say a single thing about themselves and must just find out as much as possible about the people there. At the end of the session the people were asked who they had met and who they had found the most interesting company, and you guessed it – the person who came top was the one who had asked them about themselves – whilst they didn’t know anything about him!

Give it a go – feel tongue tied in company – don’t know what to say? Then get curious ask them about themselves. Do you want to develop excellent conversation skills than check out and learn ‘Active listening skills’- These are what therapists used to put their clients at ease and they work equally well in general company.

How about feeling hurt by another’s words? Been trying really hard to be less reactive and think you would benefit from being less sensitive? Tough one this ‘cos when we are stung into strong emotion it’s hard to remember the ‘better way’. Just consider this, what might the antidote be? My suggestion is kindness. Sounds unlikely but worth a try??

What might help is remembering that kindness isn’t essentially about what you are doing for someone else; in fact all you might be doing is simply being less reactive in ways which failed in the past. The ‘Kindness’ is so that you stay connected to that state of mind for yourself!

Milton Erickson used hypnotherapy and hypnotherapy training to facilitate rapid and lasting change. One of the reasons was his emphasis on connecting up his clients to their strengths and focusing on the outcome. Hypnotherapy trains the mind so that old unsuccessful ways of doing things are redirected by our creative intelligence to do things better.

Until the next time,

Christopher

Confidence and Curiosity – Hurt and Kindness by Christopher Fish is a post from: Isis Centre

Hot Meals and Dead Parrots by Christopher Fish

Christopher Fish — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 10:06:07 +0000

Your meal arrives at the table, the restaurant is heaving and the waiters are moving that bit faster with an air of strained urgency. Yep it’s Easter Sunday, a really busy eating out day of the year! You’ve waited 40 minutes enjoyed the occasion, sipping a drink, sharing the company of friends and family enjoying the ambiance. But when it arrives it’s lukewarm. Am I right in thinking this can be a challenging moment for many a diner?

Some years back I went for a pub lunch with my Aunt and she had an almost pathological fear of ‘causing a fuss’. It was humble and simple fare; we ordered baked potato. Now this potato when it arrived was not just lukewarm but actually chilled on the inside. I can only assume that it was pre-cooked and hadn’t been microwaved enough – uughh! I expressed the intention to get the waiters attention and point this out. My Aunt was having nothing of it; it was a pub local to her. And exhorted that “if we complain about the food they won’t want us to come back to eat here!”

The British have a reputation for getting tied up in knots when it comes to pointing out that what they had actually paid for was not what they had actually received. There are two NLP skills that are very helpful here.

The first is becoming very clear about the goal or outcome that is wanted. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But how often in the ensuing dialogue does this get forgotten or not expressed clearly? The outcome here is simple: To have in front of me hot and tasty food. It’s not for example to let someone know that “It’s not good enough” or get them to express remorse or even for me to include a ‘Uriah Heepish’ apology for preferring hot food. The only outcome that really matters is enjoying the meal – the one described and detailed on the menu.

The second NLP skill is simply to state facts and details calmly and clearly. There doesn’t actually have to be any emotion at all! You don’t even have to actually ‘complain’. Hey, it’s not personal- really!
Now there are times when it’s the most influence choice to exercise the hypnosis language forms of indirection and permissiveness and this is not one on them. This is time for the NLP language forms of precision. Politely and concisely giving the information and hey presto hot and tasty food returns. You’ve avoided unnecessary emotional outlay and maintained positive sharing with your companions. If the restaurant had really good customer relations you may also find the meal discounted, that way you are more inclined to return. (Restaurants owners please note).

I have wondered what it would be like if John Cleese was to undertake hypnotherapy training, discover the communication ability inherent in hypnotherapy and become a master at influencing with hypnosis -Take 5 minutes and check John Cleese demonstrating his art of complaining.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vuW6tQ0218

Hot Meals and Dead Parrots by Christopher Fish is a post from: Isis Centre

Old dog – New Tricks

Christopher Fish — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 08:03:29 +0000

I have a lovely dog called Woo. Her full name is Jah Woo Wodger. Woo looks like a collie, smells like a collie and has behaved like a collie for the past 8 years she has lived, apart from one aspect: she has steadfastly refused to swim. Now I think all dogs can actually swim, they do it rather well. Swimming’s good for them especially when it’s hot.

I have rather randomly attempted to teach woo to swim by throwing sticks into bodies of water. The ocean waves she will run from and the pools she will go as far as up to her chest. At the point her feet are off the ground no further! So on a recent walk I came upon a ‘dew pond’ and they have a wonderful advantage in that they are designed to water farm animals – As such they very gently gradient into depth.

Now like all collies she loves to fetch and return. So I began throwing a stick into the water, carefully gauging so that it went a little further each time. Not pushing it -just setting up the pattern, engaging her interest and natural enthusiasm. Me offering words of encouragement, rewarding her for her efforts.

Yet again on the first occasion the stick went beyond her reach and she would go no further. A fair amount of standing at the edge barking at the offending stick then ensued (woo that is).
On returning to the pool yesterday, training resumed. Woo was as enthusiastic as ever so I’m carefully throwing the stick and curtailing my impulse to go too quickly. We reach the same point as before where the stick has gone beyond her range, she returns to bank and does some barking. I’m not inclined to persevere more today and start moving off.

After a few steps I turn around to see if she is following and to my delight she is back in the pond and yes, swimming out to the stick, bringing it back to land and dropping it at my feet. Another 20 minutes like this and now we have a dog that either remembered she could swim or forgot that she thought she couldn’t. She had increased her adaptability, broken a self-imposed limitation and had enlarged her area of enjoyment.

Woof woof

Old dog – New Tricks is a post from: Isis Centre

Get the best seat in your private cinema

Christopher Fish — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:18:56 +0000

In his book ‘The Four Agreements’ Don Miguel Ruiz introduces the principle that we should not take anything personal. Whatever we receive from another being isn’t personal but simply a projection of their own needs, wishes and expectations. This idea is similar to the NLP concept that ‘all perception is projection’.

What is important to me is less that an idea can be discussed at length but how it will affect my experience if I take on board such an idea – Don’t take anything personally. I think this idea works well for at least two reasons:

1. It is a fact we only perceive a fraction of the available field of reality*- A scientific fact no less!! Now I’m not one to let science get in the way of a good idea but I do find it pleasing when science in it’s incredibly laborious way makes inroads into this kind of stuff.
- So if we are receiving a fraction, then it is the fraction that we are predisposed too. It is the fraction we habitually recognise and register. Importantly, at any given moment how we respond says more about our personality than anything about our environment.

2. When we take things personally we lose our power. We lose our ability to respond in a way that does justice to the evolving edges of our selves. We lose our ability to respond flexibly with an eye to the best possible outcome. Yes it may be true the other person is behaving like an utter ass or complete dork but if we just simply become reactive then we too have picked up the contagion. Tough to say – But unless we also had some assness or dorkness within us that was similar in some way; how would we have recognised it so well to promote a strong reaction in ourselves?

How about the attitude that it is all personal or none of it is? That all picking and choosing is the selection process of our conditioned mind and that conditioned mind is the source of all short lived and limited pain and pleasure?

What would be the result if we set some time aside and decided to live that time as though nothing was personal and every way we took something, felt about something, thought about something was 100% the projections of our personal film, taking place in our private cinema?
Solution focused, NLP and hypnosis contain powerful tools for positive change. If you would like to find out more about our courses or how I can be of help one to one, then do get in touch with me.

Hope your days going well.

Christopher

*for a ‘fledgling’ scientific perspective go to BBC iPlayer – Horizon programme “Out of Control”

Get the best seat in your private cinema is a post from: Isis Centre

Still Pond, Rushing Stream by Christopher Fish

Christopher Fish — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:40:00 +0000

Is not each moment a perpetual unfolding? An unfolding that has as part of its beauty and mystery the containing of completely different and opposing qualities. There is in each moment everything that has come before and contained within it everything that follows. And yet at the same time each moment is completely unique, stands alone unrepeatable. Each moment is completely still like a deep pool and at the same time as active as rushing stream.

Each moment in life is part of a stream of motion. There is no activity that doesn’t have a sense of direction. There is no activity that doesn’t have intrinsic to its purpose an eye to the sense of ‘future’. Even meditation which as I understand it is primarily concerned with bringing the attention into the present moment and experience ‘what is’ – Unhindered, non-directed by thoughts.

I don’t think any meditator would suggest that ‘what is’ is a static thing, a place of no movement a frozen moment.

There are as many moments as there are moments

There is a probability that we are part of not just one universe but an unlimited number of universes or multiverse. And there is not just one moment we can live in, and infinite variety of possible moments we can live in. Yet it is only in this moment have we the potential to experience peace and happiness and this moment, is actually the sum total of our whole experience.

The ultimate purpose of stepping out of where we normally find ourselves and taking a snapshot of our lives or a part of it, with a view to setting purposeful direction is so that we can live a life more gracefully. To live with more ease during the good times, share love, wealth where possible and be resilient in the difficult times.

If this is true then what capability do we have within us, what power to honestly, objectively and kindly view the elements of a dream or prized wish or want? Can you recall as a small child the feeling that came with such things as following the wandering of an insect or carefully or thick brush in hand mix water colours, engrossed in the magic of its changing? Hear the sound of the sharp wind in winter melodically rustling the dry leaves of a bush or explore the texture and sensation of an adult’s hand?

There is a powerful natural resource so elemental and childlike that it is easy to overlook and that resource is curiosity. Considering where we are now and where we want to be and setting meaningful goals is curiosity in action. It doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be as creative as fashioning a priceless work of art and that work of art is our own brief beautiful life.

Best wishes

Christopher

Still Pond, Rushing Stream by Christopher Fish is a post from: Isis Centre

Response-ability continued

Christopher Fish — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 12:31:32 +0000

This is very much connected with the idea of developing a greater accumulation of choices and reflects the NLP principle of increasing behavioural flexibility. If the focus is upon increasing choices than at the same time there can be minimal effort put into to eliminating a ‘problem’. In fact too much attention paid to the ‘problem’ can be detrimental. Within its own context the problem is an effective working model. For example people know how to experience fear perfectly, the beating heart, the increased breathing and the hyper vigilance. Perfect if that rustle in the bushes is a hungry tiger; unfortunately it is a little inconvenient if all you are doing is waiting in the checkout queue! The greater access to a wide choice of behaviours that a person possesses will result in them having greater ability to respond to life confidently.
For example I had a Hypnotherapy client who is a very successful performance coach to senior executives. He had a reputation for delivering results and improving the performance of these highly valued executives. In his personal life though, his ability to maintain mutually affirming intimate relationship was pretty rubbish. He inevitably kept finding that they would often be rancorous and divisive. Once he accepted that the skills he bought so ably to coaching weren’t actually working within an intimate relationship he learnt a new set of skills. Whereas in (his particular style) of coaching being explanatory, authoritative and challenging where an asset, with his intimate relationships they were a disaster of brick wall collisions. He learnt new kinds of skills that affirmed emotional connection such as the active listening ones of reflection and open questions and the NLP one of ‘pacing’. Consequently by this enlargement of behavioural choices he found himself more able to sustain loving relationships
Throughout our lives we are all ‘change makers’ whether we are being deliberate or conscious about it. We have the opportunity to create more enriching and life affirming changes in those around us as we fulfil the development of our own response-ability.
Until the next time.

Christopher

Response-ability continued is a post from: Isis Centre

Response-ability by Christopher Fish

Christopher Fish — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 19:03:09 +0000

As someone who takes great pleasure in addressing the difficulties that we are err to in these trying times, my appreciation for the gentle arts of hypnotherapy and NLP is continuously renewed. My memory goes back clearly to the answer I gave as a 14 year old to a friend who asked what I wanted to be when I grew up? I can vividly recall the friend, the room, the house and the district. At the time it was just another conversation that people of our age had. My answer was ‘a psychologist’. I didn’t know at the time what that word specifically meant it was just the label for a desire to work with the internal worlds of others because I was becoming fascinated by the internal world that ‘behind the scenes’ made up a person. Now, I am not a psychologist but I am still deeply interested in making a difference to the internal world of others and I do this to a great extent with the processes of trance and NLP. The label I can give myself now is Hypnosis and NLP therapist.
I could if it took my fancy call myself a Response-Ability therapist or suchlike. Why? Because at the heart of what I am aiming to achieve with a client is first establish early on that this is what is going to make the most difference to their well being. Taking responsibility for their response to events and life’s circumstance and developing more flexible and richer span of choices. This is I believe a major liberating understanding that can make the most significant improvement to a person’s life. The understanding here is that we are 100% responsible for our feelings and thoughts. Nobody or no situation can actually make us feel or think anything. On some level we all make a choice of how we respond to the good and the challenging things that life and people present us with*.
This connects up with the NLP principle that we all live from our ‘internal representation’ of life. We may all share the same world but the way we have interpreted it and the way we tend to respond is very unique.
The challenge for all of us if we accept this idea is how to respond to the blessings and adversities of life so that when we are blessed we really enjoy it and when the going gets tough we are resilient. The answer lies within our own minds and hearts. We have at every moment of the day the opportunity to bring awareness into the internal process of feelings and thoughts and with the natural skills of hypnosis and NLP effect changes.
We really do have the ability now to recognise old ways of responding in thought, feeling and action, and begin new ways that reflect a way of living closer to who we truly are.
*If your in any doubt about this, Victor Frankl who spent time in concentration camps during WW2, will throw some light. His most famous work is “Man and his search for meaning.”
Best wishes

Christopher

Response-ability by Christopher Fish is a post from: Isis Centre

What is possible from the NLP Coaching and Hypnosis Course

Christina — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:03:36 +0000

In January it was our great pleasure to carry out first training of the year of our NLP Coaching and Hypnosis Course. It was branded a great success and with the next coming up in March we are constantly developing new and improved ways of delivering the content. This of course is due to the help of all our delegates and their helpful feedback which they give us:

Both Christina and Christopher were excellent! They made me feel very comfortable and were extremely easy to listen to and learn from. They have both inspired me a lot.” Lily Kay

Excellently informative and approachable. Delivered knowledge and experience professionally and to a high standard.” Elgin Kreimeyer

So, after completing this 2 day course, where do you go from here and what is the next step? Well we have the Diploma in Clinical and Ericksonian Hypnotherapy or the Advanced Diploma in Integrated Hypnotherapy available to join, however first let me tell you a bit more about hypnotherapy.

Hypnotherapy is fundamentally a practical job. It is about meeting the needs of the person in front of you. The simplest analogy is learning to ride a bike. We could read all the theory, research bike design, its history and development; investigate the mystery of gravity, explore Newton’s other writings etc. How useful would this time spent in getting to the outcome of riding the bike round the park?

Hypnotherapy is similarly a learnt skill and similar to learning to ride a bike it is hugely enjoyable and that enjoyment starts right at the beginning of the training and increases incrementally as you build at your own pace, your own unique skills and abilities.

Our students consistently tell us the positive beneficial impact that our courses have on the other areas of their lives. This is because it is ‘Positive Psychology’ and about what is possible rather than what’s wrong. Quite simply you will develop your own communicating and relating skills, have a clearer sense of what is important to you, make positive changes and free up life affirming energy.

Our Diploma courses will draw on all your life experience. In ways that may be presently overlooked you will find that nothing you have been through is wasted, many lessons have been learnt along the way which can now be put to good use.

So if you want to take the next step and find out more of what’s possible then take a look at our Diploma courses, drop me an email or call the office.

Until the next time.

Christina

What is possible from the NLP Coaching and Hypnosis Course is a post from: Isis Centre

2012 Resolution Revolution

Christina — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 11:32:15 +0000

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Did you set any 2012 New Year’s Resolutions? If you want an easy way to get what you want, then read my blog Resolution Revolution on how to successfully achieve your goals!

Resolution Revolution!

Would you like to set a New Year’s Resolution (or two) and just wait for it to manifest? Sound good? Read on…

Ok, so what we’re going to do is start with the end in mind.

Step 1.

What do you want! I know it sounds obvious but most people think more about what they don’twant and aren’t so clear about what they do want. Think about it now – what would you like to do/be/have this year? Just as an example, let’s say you’re not 100% satisfied in your job and you’ve resolved to become a successful hypnotherapist.

Step 2.

Fast Forward!Imagine it’s the end of 2012 and you are now having/doing/being exactly what you wanted! Just for 30 seconds, close your eyes and see what you’ll see, hear what you’ll hear and feel how good it feels to have achieved your goal. In our example, imagine having a client in front of you who you’ve just helped to improve their life. Imagine hearing them say “Thank you”. How good do you feel knowing that you’ve made a real difference in someone’s life?

Step 3.

Rewind slowly. From this point of success, imaging slowly drifting back in time towards the present moment. (Yes, that’s what I said – slowly backwards towards the present – try it!) As you drift back , notice what things needed to happen for you to achieve your goal. What needed to change? What steps did you need to take? Don’t get caught up in contemplating what could have gone wrong – instead, imagine that it all unfolded perfectly. Remember, you’ve started from the standpoint that you did achieve your goal, so any challenges or difficulties were overcome! Make a note of any ideas that come to mind. You don’t need to have a detailed map of your road to success – just an idea of which direction to head in.

Step 4.

What would be a good first step? This doesn’t have to be perfect – just any step in the right direction. It’s so satisfying just taking one new step in the direction of your dreams – have you noticed that before? It could be reading a book, chatting to someone who’s already achieved your goal or enrolling for a class or course. Go on – you know how to begin!.

Step 5.

Follow the steps in Step 2 When you rewound your year, starting with the goal in mind, what steps came to mind? Can you imagine a time line stretching out in front of you towards the future with all the steps successfully completed? Again, don’t get too caught up in the detail – sometimes avenues open up for us as we start on our journey. These avenues may not have been visible to you at the start.

Step 6.

Relax and enjoy your year! Once your subconscious mind has formulated an image of what success looks, sounds and feels like – it acts like a ‘blueprint’ for manifestation. You might feel inspired to take certain actions from time to time. Or you may find that just the right opportunity comes along at the right moment – some people call this synchronicity or just plain co-incidence. Whichever way you think of it, you must be open-minded to notice the possibilities or these opportunities may pass you by. Now all you have to do is follow the path to success!
Until the next time

Christina

2012 Resolution Revolution is a post from: Isis Centre