NLP has been called the "structure of subjective experience". It prefers to examine the phenomenonalistic process than to start wading around amonst the content. How the content is represented internally turns out to be generally much more important the what the content actually is. It drives the states that a person is in. The internal experience (the phenomenalistic field) is grouped into four different modalities -- one for each of the senses, with taste and smell grouped together. The modalities are also called the representational systems. Each of the modalities are separated in sub-modalities. For instance, some visual submodalities are size, distance, colour (or black and white), movement (or lack of), and so on. They are the dimensions along which we mention the structure of the internal experience.

So, what is a belief? The simplest way to answer this question is to find out what the drivers of internal experience that produce the belief are. We won't be able to say what a belief is, but we'll be able to add new ones, change old ones, and even create new beliefs about beliefs.

Work out the submodalities for a strong belief, and for a doubt (not just a belief in a negative!). Remember, submodalities are the differences in how you sense something. So, a belief may be encoded as a bright image in the upper right of your vision, and a doubt as a blurred black and white image in front of you. They may also include the other modalities, for example an internal voice, with certain tonality. Keeping the content the same, change the encoding - that is, the submodalities. So, take something you'd like to believe but don't yet, see it as bright and up to the right (if these are the submodalities of your strong beliefs). You can do the same to destroy a limiting belief, by doubting it instead.

In NLP, you look at the structure behind communicating powerful change. When dealing with structures, precision is the mother of results. If you're not getting the results, be aware that a great way of learning is to find those who can already do it effectively - read the books above, or better yet get to a seminar and open your unconscious to magicians like Richard Bandler or Michael Breen. (Or just get more precise by yourself).

Hmmm. Belief change. You'll need: some beliefs, some time, and a partner can be useful. Do a submodality check between something you really believe in (I've found "I need to breathe" effective), something you're wishy-washy about (should I have strawberry or vanilla, strawberry or vanilla. Hmm.) and something you really doubt (NOT something you don't believe, e.g. if you doubt you can fly, check the subm of you flying, not the subm of a strong belief that you can't fly). Pay close attention to location (which is why working with a partner can be easier). Now take a limiting belief and make it wishy washy (do the change fast), then a doubt. Then take the empowering belief and go from doubt to wishy washy to certainty. Finally, suggest that the unconscious will continue to generalise similarly useful beliefs in other areas of your life.

Test (not just check submodalities, but real out-there-in-the-world testing)! Test the belief, and the implications of the belief. For example, if you really believe learning is now fun, then you'll be looking forward to it more (belief), or at least you'll be smiling more and enjoying it more (implications). If you believe you can now learn twice as fast as before, do you unconsciously and automatically assume less time for learning when planning something (belief)? Can you learn twice as fast as before (implications)?

Initial test beliefs to make strong: "I can do belief changes easily", "I'm lucky", "I learn fast and easily", "Whatever I do I have fun", "I automatically generalise positive beliefs" etc.

In NLP, you look at the structure behind communicating powerful change. When dealing with structures, precision is the mother of results. If you're not getting the results, be aware that a great way of learning is to find those who can already do it effectively - read books, or better yet get to a seminar and open your unconscious to magicians like Richard Bandler or Michael Breen. (Or just get more precise by yourself).

Anyhow, I'd best be leaving now,

InnerBalloons

Last updated: 26 September 1997