Seven Saliants

Seven Saliants
© ARC

I was in my late 20’s attending community college.
Psychology forum class had me engrossed.
One particular session mesmerizing!

There was a film showing battle shock victims confined to wheelchairs.
They couldn’t walk. No therapy helped.
Then under hypnosis, they walked.
When shown film of them walking, `breakthrough’ crystallized.
They became better.

Soon after, I attended a `stage hypnosis’ show at another college.
I was distraught.
I didn’t like idea that seemed counter productive to `healing’ -
controlling someone’s mind - giving suggestions that make them look ridiculous.

But there was no doubt in my mind that hypnosis was a `miracle’ healing tool.

I prayed - I wanted to learn more.

Soon after, an educator gave me Psycho-Cybernetics by Dr. Maxwell Maltz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxwell_Maltz

Epiphany transformation for me.
Dr. Maltz was plastic surgeon specializing in `cosmetic deformities’ for children.
Adults beseeched him for help.
When he did, he was astounded that they exclaimed
although they could `visually’ see the difference -
thoughts `still were the same as before’.

Dr. Maltz was so fascinated that he began
extensive psychological studies for the `root’ cause of this phenomena.
His findings were `lay psychology’ at its finest.

Have you ever seen a redwood tree?
http://www.treesofmystery.net/sequoia.htm

Our thoughts and behavior formed from childhood are like redwood trees.
To try and remove a thought/behavior is like trying to cut down that tree.
If you say: don’t think of a flower - no flower -
you see a flower in your `mind’s eye’ - you `can’t see a NO’.

The soldiers walked because `they saw themselves walking’.

If you ever read a book by `successful’ people, they claim they `saw’ their success.

So what is Psycho-Cybernetics? It simply translates to mind guidance.

After Maltz, a plethora of `disciplines’ burst onto the psychological scene
with `new’ buzz words:
visualization, suggestopedia, relaxation, imagery, bio-feedback,
self-hypnosis, subliminal persuasion, twilight learning et al.

I pursued this study with a passion: A.A. Psychology;
UCI Counseling; and then sans accreditation
Masters Hypnotherapy; Ph.D. Counseling Psychology.

Of course I had to immediately test Psycho-Cybernetics out.
At that time, I was a very `inhibited’ student with habits I didn’t like,
and one paranoia irrational fear after another.

The primary thesis was: for 30 minutes a day,
assume a relaxing open posture,
imagine a place that is serene and peaceful,
see a large sign that has your name on it for this is your place,
and in this special place SEE yourself exhibiting
the thoughts/behaviors that you desire.
I decided to work on three traits I wanted to transform for the better.

My place? Safest and most serene was
an imaginary giant bedroom that one wall
was a solid glass opening onto a giant terrace
that overlooked a gorgeous valley garden
where children and lovely peaceful animals played;
there was a gentle flowing stream juxtaposed with lovely forest.
My banner rainbow name sign arched it all.

What did I see? Me everywhere - home, school, et al, in `new’ way.

I swear to you, dear reader, within three months
I had one experience after another exhibiting `new’ thoughts/behaviors - miracles!!!

I’m going to `sum’ up what took many years of study to assimilate.

The `old thoughts’ behaviors are still there - redwood trees,
but the `new thoughts’ behaviors are `planted’.
To get them as strong as the `new’ -
they have to be constantly tended nurtured in their growth -
relaxation/imagery.

Doubt is like planting a seed
and taking it out to examine it to see if it is growing. http://www.biblemeanings.info/Parables/Sower.htm

My favorite concept to describe the above is prayer!
When a child prays for a puppy, the child doesn’t see a kitten.
When the Roman Centurion asked Christ to heal his servant,
he `saw’ servant well - just say the `word’….What faith!
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=luke%207:1-10

Parable of the Mustard Seed http://bible.cc/matthew/17-20.htm

Become like little children…that is the faith, the miracle…
see it/believe it/work it.
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=47&chapter=18

So where does the title: Seven Saliants come from?

It’s analogous to Abraham Maslow’s `Hierarchy of Human Needs.’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Maslow

Saliant means NEED. Picture a garden with seven rows.
If you plant peas, you don’t get corn. The seven rows are:
　
Survival, Security, Symbiosis, Sense-Stimulation, Self-Actualization,
Self-Esteem, Synthesis juxtaposed with Seven Levels. (Seven S’s - Seven L’s).

Survival: life - legacy: health, creative renewed energy

Security: liability free - food/clothing/shelter - assets according to means

Symbiosis: love - receiving/giving familial, friendship, social

Sense-Stimulation: learning - growing

Self-Actualization: labor - doing what you love

Self-Esteem: liberty - free of sin

Synthesis: law - highest: loving God with whole mind, heart, soul/neighbor as self

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?version=9&search=Luke+10:25-37

I cultivated a practice that specialized
in a two-hour session encouraging client to tape-record session.
For the first half hour, the client would share `history’
and specific need requests.

The second half-hour I would share my feedback.
The third, teach technique,
and last be a guide in `light visualization’ - planting the seeds.

Here is what is fascinating to me -
in `all’ sessions each and every individual had `self-esteem’ issues.

Picture that symbolic `ball and chain’ image
and/or the `monkey on your back’.

These issues normally took the pattern of a `trespass’ against someone.

It could have been big and/or very small -
but this `nagging sin’ was weighing the person down.
It also carried over from what was done and what a person failed to do.

Think of the ten commandments and all their nuances…
theft from the office, gossip false witness, disrespect,
lie, rudeness, jealousy, pride etc.

Every one - mortal/venial trespasses
are weeds that suffocate growth on fertile ground.

Does the new `redwood’ replace the `old’ - never!
What is possible is to make `the new’
dominant over `the old’.

With relaxation, imagery it is possible to `hot house’ the new.
Think Alaska summertime.
The sun is almost 24/7 - energy is high -
growth is exponential -
that is what you are doing with `relaxation imagery’ -
growing it faster.

What is crucial is creating self positive images ONLY.

For example, you never want to give yourself a negative suggestion -
remember there is `no’ NO.
For example,
if someone was working on weight,
a picture wouldn’t be created trying to `say no’
to that second piece of cake -
what the mind’s eye sees is CAKE.
Instead, enjoyable pictures of eating healthy foods would be the goal.

Our subconscious mind is like a `thermostat’…
stress raises the discomfort level.

Positive relaxation, positive imagery is the `key’
that accesses subconscious for change.

Another hint is to be familiar with `what the picture’ looks like.
For example,
if you were working on bowling…
hopefully you have bowled a game and had a strike/spare.
The pictures then of you bowling constant `strikes’ and `spares’ increases.

If you don’t have the experience,
find `someone’ who does and watch them.

The goal is to create pictures that you can `feel’.

What doesn’t work is to `create pictures’
because someone else wants you to do it.
It has to be `your garden, your desire’ - it’s your mind!

There are many studies regarding the power of prayer - self/others:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/23/AR2006032302177.html

Just like positive images for yourself,
prayers should `see’ the positive for others;
held secret, close (like seeds in ground) in your heart:
http://bible.cc/matthew/6-6.htm

You do not need to see a professional
to guide transformational seven saliants.

Here’s the best I can share to pray -
transform - God’s will/help and let light shine.
http://bible.cc/matthew/5-16.htm

Write it down - list seven saliants -
what do the `seed pictures look like’?

Make a tape - physician - heal thyself:
http://bible.cc/luke/4-23.htm

Your script might go something like this -
you add the pictures.

I am planting positive seeds of my transformed higher life.
There are seven rows
I am planting:
survival, security, symbiosis, sense-stimulation, self-actualization, synthesis.

I am God’s child.
God has blessed me with talents and gifts.
I love being an instrument for God’s light to shine through me.

Survival: I love being healthy
animating creative generative well-being energy.

Security: I am responsible -
economical and wise regarding money matters.

Symbiosis: I love God, family, friends, country -
I am loved by kith and kin.

Sense-Stimulation: I enjoy learning.
I love education, self and other learning.

Self-Actualization: I enjoy work;
I take pride in my labor serving self/God/all.

Self-Esteem: I am honorable.
I live a life of ethical responsibility. I care/share.

Synthesis: I believe in God -
higher power that loves me; I love God/other as self.

I have role models - kith and kin brothers and sisters
who epitomize the best of traits
that I wish to emulate in each of these seven areas.

These role models are:
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Day by day in every way I am getting better and better;
happily/serenely fulfilling my life.

When making your tape, intersperse `your name’ throughout.
You are guiding `your self’ to a better you - loving God and your self.

Whomever you are, YOU are in my daily prayers.
I do a two/three mile prayer walk each day:
family, friends, neighbors, associates
are prayed for by `name’ coupled with universal `kith and kin’ -

I salute the light within you.
God Bless You/Yours.

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