Smoking - Everyone Giving Up?

The big news in the UK is that now you can't smoke anywhere in an enclosed public space. Well for many places around the world, this has been the norm for some time. Can the UK do it, or is the habit so entrenched in our pub culture?

I wonder how well the drug companies are cashing in with the recent change of legislation. It does annoy me when I see advert after advert telling you how hard it is to give up smoking, how you can get through it if you buy their product. Well I haven't got a product to sell - because I know the real cure ... what?! - there's a cure?

Well here's the rub - no - there isn't. You don't need one! You can spend as much as you like on substitutes, drugs, therapies etc etc. The chance of you never smoking again will remain the same - maybe you will, maybe you won't. The scientific tests seem to be inconclusive as to which remedy improves your chances - depends who paid for the scientific tests.

But I said: "You don't need a cure" - how does that work then? - well everyone would like you to believe that it's hard to give up - which it is, if you don't really want to. My point is that when you have decided to stop, you can. A couple of days of feeling a bit weird and lost, and that's it.

Very few smokers will believe me on this - why would they, it's a good excuse to tell yourself it's difficult - so I'll do it some other time. On the other hand, ask any ex-smoker who hasn't smoked for six months how they did it - most will tell you "I just decided to stop one day" mostly after trying several times without really meaning it.

Regardless - if you do stop, theres no guarantee that you won't start again however you did it - and then again, you might give up again - life's like that ;)

ps. For those of you out there giving up - however you are doing it - Keep it up! It's worth it.

The Art of Yes

What happens in your mind when you hear the word 'Yes'? Well it depends what the context is of course but in most cases it will inform us that something positive is being communicated. Perhaps we have become so used to associating the word 'yes' with positive action that our mind may start switching to positive thought mode just because we hear the word.

It occurred to me that some people have formed this word into a method on it's own of switching people into a positive frame of mind. How many of us have observed a certain Mr Gordon Ramsey motivating his victims with phrases such as 'start that lot again ... yes?' or 'these ones are going to table three ... yes?'. In other words, he makes a statement of what is about to happen and then adds an emphatic 'Yes?' to the end.

Mr Ramsey is known as a good motivator and seems to use this construction regularly to not only pass out orders but also to get agreement from the recipient of the command. Because the word 'yes' is spoken as a question, a response is required and when the recipient responds with another 'yes', their fate is sealed, their mind has just gone into positive action mode.

Some media types are also using this type of linguistic construction in catch phrases. I noted that the T.V. show going by the name of 'Bargain Hunters' ends with the host commanding 'See us next time on Bargain Hunters ... Yes?', at which point the contestants all shout 'Yes!'.

If we analyze the suggestion being given here, we see that not only is the original suggestion given in a definitive and authoritative way - we are not being asked, we are being told what the future holds. We are being told 'See us next time on Bargain Hunters' - that's a command. Next we get the affirmation. Not only does the first 'Yes' act as a question, but it puts our mind in a positive motivational state. Then because of the requirement for a response, not only do the contestants repeat the positive affirmation, but if we have heard the catch phrase before, we repeat it to ourselves in our head.

Pretty clever huh. Does it work? Well it certainly leaves us with a more positive attitude than if we just heard 'Please come back to see the show next time'. It may have more effect than we would like to admit, but it certainly seems to work for Mr Ramsey!

So ... Come back to read the next installment from the Mind Explorer ... YES?

Hypnosis: A Mind Explorer's View

The reality of a phenomenon like hypnosis, is that from a certain point of view, it has no basis in reality, not in any physical way. The problem with getting a handle on what hypnosis is basically lies in the fact that the effects of an hypnotic suggestion are only realised in the subject's mind. This perhaps is why people generally have a difficult time accepting the benefits or even existence of hypnosis.

Here's a simple check to show the influence of a person's mind state on an incoming suggestion. Find yourself a victim to practice on and having politely asked them to assist you in an experiment, suggest that they follow your instructions but not forcing anything to happen, but if it does, let it.

Then ask them to hold their hands five or six inches apart in front of them. Tell them that on the count of three you will click your fingers and you would like them to imagine a small explosion going off at a point between their hands. All this is done with their eyes open and after counting to three; you click your fingers and watch for a reaction.

As you click your fingers, you will generally see a slight movement of the hands. Regardless, say 'excellent' and explain that because they are in a completely waking state, your suggestion and their imagination were not very effective. That provides us with our standard reaction when only influenced by waking suggestions.

Now that your subject is aware of the game we are playing, ask them if they would like to experience the effects when in a light trance state. As they are unlikely to feel intimidated by this type of question, they will hopefully agree to the next stage. If they appear nervous of this idea, assure them that they can stop you at any time that they wish and you won't mind.

When they are comfortable, ask them to close their eyes, keep their hands held out in front of them about five or six inches apart and relax the rest of their body. If they are standing, you may wish to assure them that they will easily be able to stand upright at all times. Keep a hand on their shoulder to steady them.

Next draw their attention to their hands and ask them to imagine their hands in front of them. Say as you did before that on the count of three, you will click your fingers and you would like them to imagine an explosion going off between their hands. Check they are ready and count one, two, three, click!

Now if everything went to plan, their hands will jump a couple of centimeters and they will know what their hands just did. This is not only a proof of the concept that as a person's mind turns inward (in this case by closing their eyes and focusing on the thought of their hands) their imagination and suggestibility is enhanced, but it is also a great way to show that subject's mind will trigger a greater reaction in that state.

This is the first step to understanding how the mind plays tricks on us, but by using the effects of those tricks, a mental reaction can take place, which if directed well can cause a lasting change in a person's mind. If you think that reality is the only thing that is important in your life, this little experiment will show you that your mind reacts just as well to things which are not real at all.

So how many reactions do you have each day which are triggered by things that are in your mind? The answer - all of them!