Mind-Opening Technique
For Shifting Away from Worry and Fear
I hope you will experiment with this next exercise. It’s one you can use anytime you feel your mind racing with worry, fear, anxiety and even bodily pain. It is especially useful when you start questioning yourself as to “why” you are feeling a certain way.
‘The Mind-Opening’ technique is one I have been using for years to help my clients to shift from “head or conscious part of the mind” answers to the “ heart” or inner unconscious mind answers.
Note: It is always wise to check with your doctor when you have physical sensations. First we want to rule out any possible health problems. Once you have been the doctor route and they tell you that everything is working normally, then it is time to go to the mind-body level to start the healing and release emotions.
The body and mind are interconnected, many times symptoms are the bodies way of letting you know that there is something that needs to be paid attention to. Something that needs to be looked at and worked out. Or an emotion that needs to be released.
Opening the link to solutions
in the unconscious part of the mind
This exercise is to help you shift your thoughts from the conscious part of the mind to the unconscious part. The simple change in the questions we ask of ourselves will automatically shift the answers from unhelpful and limited “head” answers, to the part of the mind that actually has the answers that will be productive for you.
When to use this exercise?
Anytime you feel anxiety, fear, worry, and anytime you get a physical sensation that goes along with the anxiety fear or worry.
For example, if you notice that you are feeling anxiety and your chest is feeling tight.
Step 1:Begin by “listening in” to the thoughts and questions that are going through the mind.
Here are some examples of conscious mind (unhelpful) thoughts and questions.
a. Why am I feeling this way? Is there something wrong with my heart? What if it doesn’t stop?
- Why is this happening to me?
- What’s wrong with me?
- Why does this always happen?
- Why can’t I stop this terrible feeling?
- When will these terrible feelings stop?
How do you know there are not helpful questions?
Step 2: Notice the answers that come to your mind when you ask questions like the ones in Step 1.
For most people the answers you will get from the “why” and “what if” questions will be ones that make you feel even worse. They stimulate the “negative voice” that leads to self-blame and more stress. Or they lead you to create images of terrible things you fear might happen which creates more worry, fear, pounding heart, tight chest or stomach issues.
Step 3: Creating a Curious State of Mind.
Before you can go to Step 4 and where you will begin to use the new set of questions, it is important to have your mind in a curious state. A state of true wonder and openness.
If the tone you are using is a blaming or fearful one, you will not be able to get to the deeper productive answers.
People with anxiety at typically curious about many things. So use your innate sense of curiosity to truly wonder what answers your unconscious mind might deliver to you.
Get into a “curious” state of mind. That is that state where instead of asking a questions of yourself in the angry sounding “tone” of voice, you ask yourself the questions in a curious sounding tone of voice.
Step 4: Using a more productive set of questions.
When you feel overwhelmed, fearful, worried or anxious.
For Example, you might say: I’m really curious about “X” (fill in the “X” for any body symptoms, feelings or thoughts).
Example: I’m really curious about what that tightness in my chest is about? I’m curious what the feeling of anxiety, fear, pain, tightness etc. is trying to tell me.
Another way to ask the question is: I wonder what “X” is about?
The format of the Question is: I really wonder, what this feeling is about? (all said in a light curious tone of voice).
This may seem like just a simple shift. Yet it can give you dramatically different results than using the “why” or “what if” questions.
Change from Asking “Why?” to “What?”
First of all, when you shift from the “why” question, “Why is this happening?” To the “what” question, What is this about? The simple change of words from “Why” to “What” shifts the answer you will get from the “head” answer to the “heart” or “inner knowing” answer.
Why do you want the “heart” answer?
Because it gives you information that comes from deep within you. From the part of you that has a positive intention.
Because it begins to open the mind and connect it to the very creative (unconscious) part of yourself.
AND, because: The heart answer will give you information that will lead to understand what is truly going on, under the “surface.”
The Problem with the “head or conscious mind” answers.
The “head” (or conscious mind) answer is typically the “voice” that blames, makes you feel bad and gives you answers filtered through old negative beliefs.
Practice the excise is a part of the process of healing and learning more about what the body is trying to tell you. There are many other more advanced exercises to help you to get to your inner creative and powerful core of knowing. Yet, even at this beginning level you might be surprised at what you will find out about yourself.
Getting to the Cause of Fear and Worry
Think of reactions as the tip of an iceberg. What shows up in the iceberg is only a very small part of what lies underneath. We want to have the skills to go to underlying issues that are getting in the way. Causing reactions of fear, worry and unhappiness.
So we start with a not only a change in the “tone” you use on yourself when stressed, but also a change in the question itself. By using the questions in the Mind-Opening exercise, your mind becomes open and curious.
And what people have found is that just this tiny shift in question and tone creates an “environment” where the mind and body can begin to communicate and give you answers that help to change direction from blaming to finding helpful stress reducing answers.
Starting the Change From Worry to Calm
If you’ve been hoping to find someone who can show you how to get relief from anxiety, stress, worry, if you want to be inspired as you learn to use you mind start the process, you can start with the free video guide for a powerful, mind calming exercise.
Just click the button below, enter your email and I’ll send you the link to the video:
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Please send me your questions, I would love to hear from you to set up a consultation:
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