Back again, So, if Part 1 was about framing the communication, then Part 2 might be about getting into state, and Part 3, would just as arbitrarily be about the quality of communication itself (and sometimes lack thereof). The final two questions I had had listed in Part 1 (but removed), lead me to some interesting places so I saved them as the jumping off point for “Part 2” They were: How do you consciously think you’re unconscious would respond best?, and If your conscious were your unconscious, what would it want to say to you consciously? These questions got me thinking about what it would be like to go into 2nd with your unconscious. What would you consciously (as your unconscious), want to communicate with your conscious? I recognize that not done cleanly, that this exercise could lead to lots of conscious ramblings, but if proposed with the clear intention “To communicate more effectively with the unconscious”, it may lead to a more useful state of awareness, (as you’d have to go into a somewhat altered state to answer it). (<- I wrote this first and then decided to actually try it. I am still sorting out my (way cool) experience, (which I may post about later/elsewhere), and in the meantime please try it yourselves as I welcome your reports) Anyway, let’s continue to talk about getting into that “state of awareness”. How to best become aware of your body sensations, so as to notice any changes. My suggestion here is to take a full inventory of your muscular tensions, breathing rate, etc., then ask a question, and then, simply wait, and note whatever changes occur. Immediately your body will react. At this point, you may or may not notice this reaction consciously. If you do . . .great. If you don't . . . wait a little longer. And...eventually your body will react enough for you to notice it. (Suggestions like "please amplify that signal" may come in handy, or perhaps playful threats like "If you don't give me something noticiable within the next minute or two, I'm giving up, and won't try this again until tommorow", might be more persuasive, remember to use whatever you think will work best for you). To me, noticing which signals cross the threshold of "conscious notability" can be compared to a surfer waiting for a wave. There are lots and lots of waves (all of various sizes). . . (heck...they are there before you even swim out into them) but which ones are suitable enough to ride? As has been said elsewhere in NLP circles, (and is as true for your unconscious/conscious communication, as it is for person to person communication): “You cannot, not, communicate”, and frankly your unconscious is giving you signals all the time, (E.g. “I’m hungry” signals, “Time to empty your bladder” signals, “Attractive person over there!” signals). The skills to be aquired are those of noticing them, acknowledging them, and intereacting effectively with them. (Perhaps) naturally, it doesn’t occur to most of us to touch our stomachs and say “thank you”, when we are hungry . . . Instead we usually go and make arrangements to eat. ;-) Perhaps it would be useful to start by communicating with your unconscious using these very obvious signals. When you get your bladder signal, try asking your unconscious, “Right now, or do I have another 5 minutes?”, or your hungry signal, “A snack or a meal?”, and wait for some indication from it regarding it’s preference. Let your unconscious know that you are interested in any suggestions it may have to offer, and you plan on, and will be communicating with it more frequently. Set a new standard/tone . . . and create the expectation within it that your conscious will start calling on it from time to time, and should it be expected to provide a (consciously noticable) answer in a timely fashion, (like a teacher calling on a student in class, or a village elder being sought out for gems of wisdom). So then, consciously, what would be your evidence criteria that you are being communicated with unconsciously? How would you know? As John mentioned, not being able to replicate an involuntary movement consciously is ideal. This has (at least) two qualities that make it so. First, it passes most people’s convincer strategy that they have, can, and are communicating with their unconscious (even if it’s only a metaphor ;-) ), and second, it sidesteps most of the possibility (especially in the early goings of this process) of conscious interference/mistrust/confusion/etc. (More about this in Part 3) However (thinking more long term, in a more ideal/advanced way about this type of personal interaction), what if every message (picture, sound, or feeling, (taste or smell)) that came from the unconscious during this type of interaction had the metaphoric equivalent of an unequivocal “Sticky-Note”, “Announcement”, or “Jolt” attached to it, clearly indicating “FROM THE UNCONSCIOUS! Pay attention to/Let’s talk about X!”? Just wondering...;-) Again, enjoy, Mark MacLean Next time (Part 3): How do you “know” what these signals are or mean?