The Doodlebops are playing in the background and it’s official, my concentration is destroyed. Oh, how I loathe them. The reason I’m giving in this morning is because Sarah has a mashed-up face. But I will get to that part momentarily.
Last night my friend Leah and I went to a self-hypnosis workshop. I’m glad we did, because it was a welcome diversion and it was actually pretty interesting.
It took place in a high-school classroom. I haven’t been in a high school in years. It was fascinating to roam the quiet halls, only observing the artifacts of missing students… photos, posters, rows of lockers… I was experiencing a major deja vu. Even more so when I sat in a desk.
There were nine of us, all women.
The instructor was very nice. He is a former paramedic, whose interest in hypnosis apprently grew from a need to change jobs and a desire to help people. He gave us the history of hypnosis and debunked some myths. Both Leah and I were worried about blurting something out. I was worried I would do something weird, like pull my shirt over my head or eat my notebook.
The history part was a little long. I wanted to get started on the good stuff. In the second half of the class we got down to business. He explained how to express our goal in simple words. The words become a kind of mantra. It had to be simple, specific, and ultimately attainable.
There were a number of people who were there for weight issues. One was there for insomnia and another for self-confidence. I gathered from the instructor that many of his clients come to him for smoking and weight-loss.
I had trouble rounding my words down to one simple goal. I think mine was too general. I will have to work on that, and perhaps whittle it down.
I want to be more motivated. And have more energy. If I had that I could accomplish everything I want to accomplish.
Near the end of the class we underwent a group session. He began with a relaxation technique that was familiar from yoga classes – breathing deeply and relaxing each muscle from head to toe. And it was relaxing, this despite the fact we were all seated up in those really uncomfortable desk/chair combos. My eyes were heavy. My arms were heavy. I didn’t feel like moving.
We were to descend ten steps into our happy place. Mine was the backyard, but I had trouble visualizing it. And I started to question it. Should I be visualizing from a first-person perspective? I struggled and couldn’t. But I was eventually able to conjure an image of myself watching from afar. I could see the sunlight cutting through the shade. I could see bird whizzing by on the breeze. It was an orchestra of green.
I repeated my mantra. I am motivated. I have energy. I am motivated. I pictured myself running laps around the house. In my mind I was my own cheerleader, jumping up and down in one spot, arms raised. I felt the feeling, that feeling when you are pumped to do something and you follow through and do it and are left with an amazing sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
But was I hypnotized? I’m not entirely sure. There was a part in the middle where I lost track of what he was saying. I backtracked with my mind to see if I could catch up but it was gone. For all I know he could have suggested I was a circus performer with a penchant for heights. So if I’m spotted balancing on the telephone wires you will know why. It was documented here first.
The workshop was two hours long, and will continue for another two hours next week.
[This just in (Sarah called it out from the couch earlier and I had to share):
Knock knock.
Who’s there?
Normally.
Normally who?
Normally I use the doorbell but I knocked.]
–
I arrived home after the seminar all aglow and excited. Mark met me at the door and told me that Sarah had fallen while playing outside on the driveway. She was okay, just banged up.
Poor Sarah. She has fallen on her face more times than I care to think about.
I went upstairs to see. She was sleeping. Her room was warm and her curls were wet with perspiration. And oh, her little lip was swollen and raw and jutting out.
Apparently there was an awful lot of blood, and Emma ran to get a cherry popsicle to help keep the swelling down. One of Sarah’s front teeth is now leaning back a little. I can’t believe she’s managed to hold on to those baby teeth this long. Their days were numbered from the start.
During the class we talked about hypnotizing our husbands other people. So after the usual bedtime routine I decided to put it to the test. Mark turned his light off and bid me goodnight. I kept reading. A couple chapters later I decided Mark was in the stage that is the most susceptible for planting a suggestion.
You will buy me chocolate for Mother’s Day, I whispered.
You will buy me chocolate for Mother’s Day.
It was really hard not to laugh.
You will buy me chocolate for Mother’s Day.
You will buy me chocolate for Mother’s Day.
Mark spoke without opening his eyes. Will you just turn the light off and go to bed? And I got a case of the giggles and couldn’t stop.
Next Tuesday is the last class. We’ll be hypnotizing each other. And Leah, you better watch out. Because I plan to be a lot better at this next week. :)
