Natural Brilliance: Move from Feeling Stuck to Achieving Success

NATURAL BRILLIANCE Move from Feeling Stuck to Achieving Success

Paul R. Scheele, A

M.A.

complete guide for experiencing your potential

by the author of Ti,e PhotoReadillg Whole Milld System

Natural Brilliance

"I had a long history ofscC{)nd­ guessing l1ly�clf and seeking

c:x'temal \'ali£l1tion, I now nlJkc choices mjnd-fully and am

clear that t11l.� are my decisiom that I can evaluate and ;ltljust. What a relief."

Jerry "'eRik, Ph.D.

St Clo..,d Stat!;' Umvt>rslty N.mlr.l1 Bn1l1anu.· rem:.\! partlnpaFJI

158 SCH Scheele. Paul R.

Natural brilliance. 282190

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immcr\iate reduction of moull­

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Move from Feeling Stuck

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by

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R.

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M.A.

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Published by Learning Str.l.tcgics Corporation

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Learning Strategies Corporation, Wayzata, Minnesota

To Li bby, Ben,John, and Scott Scheele. YOLI show me each day that God . has gIVen liS all Nat'uIdI Urilli;J.nce as our birthright.

Learning Strategies Corporation

900 East Wayzata Boulevard Wayzata, Minnesota 55391-1836 612-476-9200

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Copyright 1997 by Learning Strategies Corporation All Rights Reserved Worldwide "NalUralllrilliance," "PhotoRcading," "Paraliminai," "EasyLearn," and "Personal Celebration" are registered tradem:uks andlor servicemarks of Learning Strategies Corporation worldwide. Design by MartinRoss Design. Library of Congress Catalog Number: 96-79312 ISBN 0-925480-51-7

All photOl,f T aphs in this book an: by PhotoRcader and Nanlral Brilliance retreat participant Sonia K.1tchian ofPhoto Shuttle: Japan 019<)6 Quote from Sl'if·f)(;(ealillg Beill/viors by Milton R.. Cudney and Robert E. Hardy. Copyright 1975 by Lifgiving Enterprises, Inc. Copyright 1991 by Milton R. Cudney and Robert E. Hardy. Reprinted by permission ofHarperCollins Publishers , J nco "The Parable o f t h e R.ope" from Tile Whirl' Hole ;/1 Timl' by Peter R ..ussell. Copyright 1992 by Peter R.ussell. R.cprinted by permission ofHarperCollins Publishers, Inc. FIRST EDITION January 1997

To E�an and Beth Scheele. Thanks (or encouraging me to explore my

. . c;J.pabilitles and express my potential in life.

Contents Abollt tile Awl/or

Preface

Xl

Xill

AcbJOwledglllcllfs

xv

Part I: Orietll to YOHr Natural Brilliallcc Chapter 1: R.eclaim Your Natural Brilliance Look U oth Ways: Run Over by a Onc-Trial Learning 3 Release Genius and Overcome Oscillations 5 Change the Way YOll Change: No More Stuck States 6 Discove r the Four-Step Natural Brilliance Model 10 Benefit from Natural Bnlliancc and Go Bt--yon d 14 Sununary 16 Cha pter 2: Understand Your Stuck States 17 Analyze Stuck $tJ.tes and Take the First Step Out 17 Diagnose Your Stuck State 19 ConfTont Your StOP Signs 21 Balance with Your Counterbalance 22 Notice Srock States W hen They Ilappell 23 Lea rn from Others Getting Stuck 24 Recoglllze Benefits and Dangers at Your Stop Sign 26 Behold Oppornumies beyond Your Stop Sign 28

Pari 2: Gaill 'he Skills of NalllraJ Brilliallce Chapter 3: Exp l ore Five Princip les at the Heart of dle amral Brilliance Model Principle I: Tolerate Amblgtllty to Realize Your Full Potential 31 Principle 2: Mah Small Adjustments Slowly to Accomplish Your Goal 32 Principle 3: Achieve a State of Being by &illg Not Doillg 33 Principle -t: M:l1llrnin an Outcome Onenutlon and Increase Choices 35 Princi ple 5: Change in Generative Ways for the Best Rt.'sult'i 36 Take a Brilliant Approa ch to Life and Enjoy the Benefib 36 Chapter 4: Release 39 Discover Tension 39 Release: From Tension to Reia.xaooll � I Develop Skills 42 Sll1TH1131)'

48

Chapter 5: Notice 51 Step Our of Your Tunnel 52 Notice More to �urvlve and Thnvt'

�2

3t

viii

ix

53

Take the First Step to\v,ud Balmce Increase Your Sensory Acuity Summary 111

Wnte a New Story

54

the Right Dl.fectlon: It' s Not What You Don't Want

Fire Up the Ilear of Passionate Desire Respond with Narural Brilliance

Benefit from Witness

T.1ke the R.ight Palh 10 Success Set Goals for Succ�

70

71

77 79

Exercise 2: Integrnte the DetrimentS Exercise 3: Integrate the BenefitS

81

85

amral Brilliance to Work for You

Attitude

89

90

Chapter 13: Stay on Track

91

Analyze Your I�ults and Step Up to Natural Brilliance Be Rcceptwe: Receive Your Genius Be Gcner:\tl\' e: Create New Choices

Qur.."Ition It: Overcome Culrur:tIBarriers

97

Overcome Intellectual and Expressive Barriers

Pari 3:Apply Natllral Brilliallce

U� the Other-Than-Conscious Mind and Preconscious Processor Discover New Pathways mto the Body-Milld

162

167

Appelldix: Adll(lliCe YOllr Skills-Tips 1ro/ll the Nawra/ Brilliallce Retreat

110

111 112

17 J

Take New Routes to Release T.lkc New Routes to Notice

114

171 173

Strengthen rhe Body-Mind Connection: Go into State

10: uap over Performance Barriers

Learn !-low to Photo Read Discover DIrect Learning

wirh Direct uarning

Assume Useful P05turt"S

11 5

Breathe

lIS

Review Your Day

Trust Your Inner Mind

126 127

Chapter 1 I: Approach Paradoxical Problems with Creative Problem-Solving Run Hard to Stay

m

177

Place

131

179

Dream Your Way to Success: Activate Your Natural Brilliance

125

Find EVIdence of Success

175

175

AchIeve Codls without Self-Sabotage

120 121

Activate DIrect Learmng

162

163

Chapt e r 14: Activ at e Your Narural Brilliance Daily

107

108

Acquire Information and Skills Nonconsciously

161 162

Tell Them How It Is: Overcome EIl\�ronmental Obstacles

101

Beware the InVisible Barner

Ch apt er 9: Activate the Natural Brilliance Model

161

Feel the Fear: Overcome Emotional Blocks

103

Keep It Sunple

159

See What You Cannot See: Overcome Perceprua! Barriers

92

95

Be Persistent: Stick co It and Keep On Keeping On

Opcn to Greater Possibilities

ISO

152 Exercise 4: Engage Direct Learning 154 Exercise 5: Simulate Future and Change History [55 Exercise 6: Take the Learning Challenge 155 Exercise 7: Keep Trnck of Your Achievements 156 SUlllmary 157

86

Learn I-low to Learn

148

ExerciSt, 1: Define the Problem Issue 149

83

Manifest Your Highest Good

Chapter

142

New Option Generator 145 ])0 tlu: New Option Genemor

Integrate Your W itness in Moments of Truth

Do It!

140

14 1

Break Through in Business

80

Look into the Shadmvs

Final Notes

139

Enhance the Qualtry and Effectiveness of Solutions

69

75

Shift Your Perceptual Position

an

135

137

Chapter 12: Genepte Your Path to Personal Genius: TIIC

Take a Consultant's Perspcctive

Get

66

72

Chapter 7: Witness

Summary

Externalize the Problem

68

Confront Your Fears-The Power Appears

Chapter 8: Pm

133

f"'Ollow the Creatlve Problem-Solvmg Process

65

Find Balance in Oscillation: Juggle

Summary

132

Take the Easy Way Ollt of Your Trnp 134

63

Chapter 6: Respond I-lead

Solve DiJellllll� and l:tesolve P,1rndoxlCal Problems

Bibliography 129

illdex

187

183

181

180

About the Author Paul R. Scheele spends his "work" days in the offices of Learning Strateg1es Corporation overlooking Lake Minnetonka in Wayzata, Minnesota. He co-founded the company in

191:11

and serves as

Its chairman. There ht: worb [Q\...�rd the company's vision by mnovating leading-edge human developmem technologies that create ways for people to experience their potentiaL Paul's breakthrough developments include: •

PI/ofj)Rei/di",� 11'1wle !\lilld SYj/CIII. He developed a system of lcarning

allowing the average person to process written information at rates exceeding 25,000 words per minute. PhotoReading is taught worldwide b y licensed instructors and through a self-study course called rhe PlrofoReadwg Pt'r5Cmul Leami"g Course. He has also authored The PIW/OReildillg 11'1lOle J\/md SYSIt"W book. •

Pnralimiuanilpes. Through audio tapes, Paul opened a way for

individuals to make profound pCf)onal changes such as changing beliefS, eliminating sclf-s.1botage. and enhancing behavion. ·l\'atural Bn·/Iinuce. Feeling sruck adversely affects everyone IIlteresred III S(-lf-development.

Natural Brilliance allows indIviduals to effortlessly

move through stuck states. W hen combined with PhotoReading and the Paraliminals, Natural Brilliance facilitates even higher lcvels of personal performance. Besides this book, Paul h a s authored the Nall/ral Bri/fi(lt/ct Personal uarPIiPlg Course and oITers a five-day. total­ unmerslOll

retreat.

All of Paul's programs are steeped

III

three

powerful human

development tech nologies: Ileuro-Iinguistic programnung, accelerative learning, and preconscious processing. Paul earned his Bachelor of Science degree in biology with an emphasis in psychology at the Umversity of Minnesota and his Masters of Arts degree III adult learning at St. Thomas Umvcrslty. Learning

Strategies Corporation, licensed by the MinnesotJ; Higher

Education Services Office ohhe Department ofEducatlon as a privatc school, publishes, licenses, and distributes Paul's work. The company also sponsors ttaIllIng!' \vorldwide. A catalog is available on request.

xiii

Prrface Since age nineteen as a second year student at the University of Minnesota. I have imlllcr�cd myself III technologies of learning and human developmem with a single question In !lund: Ilow can people learn Illost effectively to use the tremendOliS resources within [Q create a high quality of lifc? My discoveries from owr two decades of t'xploring this question have been C3ptun:d in thiS book, distilled IIUO the four-slep NaruraJ Brilliance model. The N:ltural Brilliance model suggests a natural process we engage III when we learn effectively. As YOli read this book. you will quickly understand how to usc It for your own success. You will le..rn about Namral Bnlliance in Pan I, develop the skills in Part 2. and learn to apply it throughout your life 1Il Part 3. It is your choice to 6'0 as far as you wish to go. Take it all the way. and you wll! overcome the blocks that face you

III

life to accomplish the success you are deternllned to achu:vc.

I n our five-day Natural Brilliance retreat. partiCipants learn to rccogmze SUlek st;nes III themselves by cxpenencmg the oscillations that have kept them stuck for years. Then by living the model physically, emotionally. and uHellectually, they discover the ease and simplicity of taking a next step to gam balance, Ulller strength, and personal power. They tap their genius wuh Direct Learlllng and the New Option Generator-important hUlllall development tools you will learn in this book. Their stories of success are reported throughout this book. Will yours be next? The stones

III

this book and the events surroundlllg them are true.

Ilowever. IIl lllost cases I have changed the names [Q provide anonYlluty. Let lIS know how you enJOY using the Natural Brilliance model so we can pass your experiences on to others who follow you. Enjoy crearms the high quality of life you desire. Paul R. Scheele, M.A.

xv

Acknowledgements With many thanks I recogmze the naturally brilliant contribmors who have influenced the Natural BriUiance model: Druce Overmicr, my Psychology of Learmng professor at the University of Minnesota, who served on my board of advisors and has cousistl:ntiy acted to promote my explorations: Dr. John Grinder, co-developer ofNcuro-LingUlstic Progralllllllllg. whose personal excellence and encouragement have always inspIred me; Dr. Norman F. Dixon, friend and colleague in England. who was willmg to put the message Out to others that the preconscious processor is real; Dr. Frank Smith, the psycho linguist. whose non-tndltional view of readlllg and iearnlllg has supported developments In PhotoReadlllg; Dr. Jerry Wcllik. professor. colleague. and education rabble-rouser. whose wdl-placed hints have always kept me growlllg IJl llly work; Charles Parry, experiential learning master, and Linda Shrader, trailllllg specialist, whose brilliant insights in collaboration wnh me created the four-step model I have christened Natural Brilliance; Peter Klme, [megratlve Learning expert and life-long learner, who encouraged JIle to develop the PholoReading program and has served as a trusted collaborator sinee then; Patricia Dallleisoll, co­ developer of PholoReadlllg, for her commitment to accelerative iearlUng and high quality teachmg; Chns Sedcole in New Zealand who reminded me that Direct Learning w;JS possible;Mark Kinnich, original co-founder of Learning Srr.ncgies Corporation, who bUllt with me the early models for resolvmg paradoxical hfe Issues; Marcus Wynne, who shared IllS OODA loop with me and pOlllted out the natural parallel between our works; Mark Orth, who introduced me toNLP and has served as a willing consultant to me, freely sharing his brilliance on many occasions; Rex Steven Sikes, the brilliant Mmd Design and NLP master trainer. who explores and expresses powerfully how to make deep changes: R.ichard Bandler, co-developer of the N LP technology. developer of Dcsign Human EngineCr111g, whose contributions to my life are too numerous to catalog and for hIS brilliance in the field of hUl1un development which will immortalize hun as one of the creative geniuses of our age.

xvi

II1gh praises and thanks co the committed professionals who helped

create a qualiry book includ mg: the edito rs, Charlotte Ward, Lyne tte Ayres. Eric Vrooman. and Susan Savvas; th e designers, Ross Rezac and Marry Skoro; and my international colleagues whose contributions are sprinkled throughout the book. I acknowledge the officers ofLearumg Strategies Corporation who

work unceasingly to provide effective, innovative human development produces and services to individuals. organizations, and communities. My fellow officers are Pete Ui�sonettc. President; DJ.ve Hen, CEO; and Bill Erickson, Secretary and Geneml Counsel. Filially. I salure with admiration and ap p reciation my associates at Lcarlllng Strategies Corporation for without them you \vould not have this opportunity to experience your potential.

Part One Orient to YOur

Reclaim Your Natural Brilliance

Natural Brilliance You have gone to a store. bought a book and let it sit widlOlH evt:r readmg it, right? Well, read lIlis book and forever break the cycle of good intentions that f.111. T hmk of ti me s yOll have waTHed to do something, knew that you could do It, but consistently fdilcd to accomplish it. Let's not count them: let's figure Out how to get what you \\",me This 1$ nOt procrastlnauon we are talking about. I mean the Situations where pan ifYOIl tltlllfS fO proceed, at the same time a part of you hesitates -wants to hold back-or find diversions. GlVmg my first speech at Toastmaster's International is a perfect example. Pan of me wanted to do well. but a deeper part of me wanted to avoid the whole diS.1Strous scenc. Toastmasters Club #814 meets every Monday morning at the awful hour of6:30 A.M to develop pubhc speakmg skills. My assignment as a new member \"'-as to deliver an "icebreaker" speech introducmg myself to eighteen members attending the meeting. I SpCIlt the weekend s(;ripting, £)Iping, and perfecting my seven-minute speech. Since [ had already developed skills as a S('minar presenter, I was not warned about pn.-sentmg a prepared spt'Cch. I \� the first of the three prepared speakers that November morrung III 1978. As I \valkd to the lectern. my breathing \\";is tense, and I fdt a bit shaky arrangmg the notes in frOTH of me. My nervousness did not . sub�ide as I got into Illy presentation. My voice �ounded f ,St and high pitched. My heart was beating fast, and soon I started feeling f.llllt. I paused mid\vay through a sentence to coUect my Wlts and looked up at the audience. The room blurred and rocked slightly from side to side, and, when I glanced down, my notes receded rapidly from sight. My strange long: drawn au[ pause had several people giggling nervously, waiting for me to complete my 5emence. No such luck. I fell if I dId nOt sit down quickly, my knees would buckle.

ParI I: Oriellt fO Your Nlltural Brillill/lu

2

"I-I've got to sit down," I stammered in apology. Palc, 1 stumbled

3

Red/lim Your Nallmd Brilliatlct

Paradox: On the one hand we pmsess amazing gifts as human beings.

had no explanation for the questions, "What

We are learning organisms, born into the world equipped to find

happened? Arc you oby?" After the meeting, the club president's

answers to problems that face us. The human brain. mind, body, and

reassurance that I could give it a ITy next week did not help.

('motions arc designed to make us perfect learners, providing us with all

back to my chair.

[

That week, a part of me pushed forward, "Yes, this is something I

we need for success ill life. On the other hand. even with all

aUf

want to dD. J want to get better at public speaking." At the same time,

enormOllS capacities, many of us daily f.lce the reality of not being able

[

to accomplish important goals we have set for ourselves. Here we are

mind in this text Iam referring to

kept thinking, ." call quit now. For Petc's sake, I almost passed out in the

holding apparently contradictory realities. Natural Brilliance explains

all physiological, cognitive, and

icebreaker speech! It can't get any worsc... or can it:" To alleviate my

why the colltradiction exists and instandy bridges the gap between

affective processes and processing

failure, I used all my b�t mind control techniques; self-hypnosis, mind

potential and accomplishmellt.

capabilities.

part of me wanted to get as far from Toastmasters as a caf could drive.

Natural Brilliance, a process unlike any single technique you Illay

programming, visualization, and meditation. Good news. There was no subcoll'lcious saboteur of my success. Bad

have med. is a four-stcp Illodel for lifelong learning. It is a process fat

news. The next week was no better. I stood up to deliver my speech

consistently breaking though to succcss in areas of your life where you

again-same speech, same result. Only this time I had to run to the

are stuck. Like a riddle or a puzz.ie, the answer has been in your hands the

washroom within one minute of sitting down. Flu? I wish. Flu would

whole time. Once you discover the answer, you Illay wonder how you

have been a nice excuse, bur, believe me, I could not blame any external

could have missed it. In this book you will find how to release your genius-your NanlTal

cause for my apparent inability to accomplish my goal. At the end of this second meeting I stood up,just before the president adjourned the group, to ask, "\Vould anyone be willing to Stay afterward

Brilliance---tlsing it to overcome barriers that have blocked you in the past to move you in the direction of your stlccess.

so I can finish this blasted icebreaker?" All but three members stayed, and I finished the speech with no problems.

John Seaton, the undisputed best ToasnmlStCr in the dub, came up to me to say, "You know, PauL

I

had the same experience in theological

seminary when I had to deliver my first sermon. I JUSt stood there gripping the pulpit and shaking all over. My professor said, 'John? Do you want to continue?' But I couldn't say a thing. I could only shake my head back and forth. 'John? Do y o u want to sit down?'

I

nodded my

hl'ad up and down and stumbled back to my sear." "It may sound weird, Paul," John continued, "bur. after seven years of giving sermons every Sunday,

I

Hill felt nervous when I gave my

icebreaker here."

As, he turned to leave, I realized John had given me a profound gift. All at once I witnessed that everyone in that room had given me the same gift. II's okay /() leam /IOW 10 do

IIu"S! This book

has a similar gift--a

gift that all the best mind control techniques will never give you. You have profound inner resources now available to you, but unless you can b�in access to them, they will remain locked away as great potential. I n this book I shall show you how t o find your Natural Brilliance and how to use it in any area of your life by taking four small steps.

look Both Ways: Run Over by a One·Trial learning In Mount Vernon, New York in 1960, I was five years old walking along Columbus Avenue. Suddenly

I

spied Illy oldest brother with his

friend delivering newspapers across the street. Excited to sec him, I called. "Lee! Led" waving my arms to get his attention. When he saw me and waved back, I dashed between two parked cars. For years members of my family had coached me on the dangers of crossillg stn'cts, particularly of crmsing Columbus Avenue, because of its busy traffic. But in the next moment, the real learning behind all that coaching would be permanently set ill place. A big black sedan slanUlled all

its brakes but hit me with a horrible whack, sending me sprawling

onto the road. The next tearful hours of being nlshed to the hospital for x-rays and poked by doctors scrved to emphasize the message: Look both ways before you cross the street. One-trial learning is something that remains a fascination to me. While studying the psychology of learning at college, I wondered, "When we learn something, really learn it, in a way we never forget it, what is involved?" If there is a natural and easy method to gain access to

When referring to mindor body­

P.1ft 1: Or/tut to l'Ou, NaturallJrilliatlu

•

the ITHler learner. how does it work? Can we ledrn [Q solve problems dnd achieve success using such a method? Years of IIlqlllry pomted to a simple conclusion: YES! To disco\'cr the

Release Genius and Overcome Oscillations Review every instance

111

yom life when you faced a challenge and

You can't teach an old dog new

tricks. But. people are not old dogs

and toddlers arc naturally brilliant learners. Babies go for what Interests

we could create a model for effcctJ\"C experiemial lcarnll1g--a model of

and education is not a bag of tricks.

them in the moment. Thl:y grab, see. hedr. smell. fed. and taste it. They

success you could activate to reledse your genius whellever you wanted

their experience instructs

to. ThiS book concentrates years of that klild of study IIno a simple

tht."111 how to proceed to ensure Sllccess. As adults you and I dre the same

four-sl('P Natural Brilliance model which you Can use to produce results

III

you d(!Sire.

Our abihty to learn and influence our OllgOlllg bt."haVlOf servcs at the

Releasing genius i s half the story. When my colleagues and I at

sallie moment as our greatest asset and our greatest curse. Crcanuts of

Learnlllg SmtegK'S Corporati on studied how people fail, we discovered

habit, we make life ('asy to sUr\·i"e and simple [0 manage by creating daily romint."s

alm ost \Ike programming a robot. llm. our power ro

-

learn and habituate behaviors can also trap us. Imagine the curse ofhving with a robot programmed with faulty or You were not born with the habit

erroneous information. Our potential to pick up bad habits can t:tke us

ofbrushing your teeth. With

to dc�tinations far from wh ere we wam to go. For example, learning to

Now, I'll bet you would never

5

owrcame it succt:SSfully. If you and I took the time to study those (.'vcnts,

magnificent creations, With bodies and brains that learn effectively.

of time, you developed the habit

IJrillilJuu

model for how to achieve such success in learning. watch babK'S. Infants

engage their full faculties. and everything

perlistent attention. over a period

Rtdaim )'01" Natural

a cOl1sistem pattern that invariably produced stuck states-an inability to learn or make progress. Think of problems you have been unable (Q solvc in your personal or professiollal life. YOli will find contradictory forces. Part of you \\r.lllts to push forward and succet."d while another part wallts ro pull back and not risk fdiling. True? The phY�i1c3l, mt."lltal. and emotional systems oscillate with a pmh and pull that end lip freezin g

aVOId sharp. dangerous objects helps us as children. until the dentist

your potential for achievcment. Natural llrilliance resolves these

needs to work on our teeth. As a parent, I \\r.lS so good at teachlllg my

problem s [hat you haw m.'vcr before consistendy been able to conquer.

cOII5ider going a week without

SOil Scott to bewart." of needles that he de vcl oped a phobi a of them.

brushing.

Fortunately, a unique capacity conl(.'S installed III our design as humans. Unlike most other crcatures of the alllIual kingdom, we arc given a special grace to use ollr mind effectively. \Ve have thc power to step out

.lma b';ne yourself born mto the world, actively responding, interacting wuh everrone and eycrythmg and meeting your needs. Every tillle you recel\"c a strong negative reinforcement. it is as if a StOp sig n were erected right there in your expenencc of your world. Thereafter your mind ,

,

of our robot selws, WHness our habitual and instlllctive behavior.

body. and e moti ons will register "StOp!" every time you approach a

overcome fears and phobias, and. with WIsdom, influence our lives in

slllllb r situation. The more smp sIgns rou obey III any gi\'Cn area of your life's expenences, the less willingness, courage, and creatIvity you will

positive ways. LyJa typifies the difference between animals and humans. Ly la my ,

brother's dog, was blesscd dnd cursed. A nux of Labrador and German shepherd ga\'c her a field-champion nose. fiut, as a puppy, she got scared when Glell accidenrally dropped a cooking pot dose to her. Her phobia

exhibit as time goes on. Let us say that twenty [0 thirty years later you want to accomplish results

III a

par ti cular area of your hfe-relationships, physical health,

finances. or learning--but every time you try [0 progress, you pull back

made her gun-shy and worthless in the field. On the first blast from a

internally. T he result is that you oscillate between pmh and pull and

shotgun, Lyla dashed for cover and cowered umil Glen retrieved her-­

never break through.

not exactly what he had had III nund when he bought a retrlevcr. Lyb herself can never overcOIllt." ht."r fear. Humans, with tht." capacities ofh.igher-order thinkmg, can overcome ullliting bt."haviors and fears. In this book, you can identifY self-limiting patterns of behavior that keep you from your goals. With the Natural Brilliance model you can liberate yourself from those traps and realize the hcne6b inherent III your magnificent humanness-your brilliant filture.

Osctllations produce stuck states-stagnant areas of our lives. Oscillation and stuck States prevent us from acc(.'SSing our natural gelllus. The good news I� that you can WIl1 your Natural Brilliance back and achieve the results you dt'Sire.

Part

6

I:

Oritlll /a YONr Nlllural Brillia"'t

Rula;m Your Natural BrillimlU

7

When you forru a grid llsing these

Change the Way You Change: No More Stuck States years of work in The Natural l3rilliance model has grown out of my and what does the field ofhuman development. E.xanlllllug what works

a panern. You nOl work [0 help a person change allowed me to notice t mod L may reach [he same concluSIOn by drawmg a quadran ,. suuanoll. On the "fumre and On the x�aXlS put " prrscm situation"

�

nces." It looks y-axis put " positive experiences" and "negative experie

L a.X'S,

you see a dear directive for

approaduns personal and profeSSIOnal change. It makes sense that anyone haVing neg,Hlve experiences would move away from them towJ.rd achieving (mure positive experiences. Moving away from neganve experiences toward achlevlllg positive experiences IS the baSIS for almost all the most poSItive mind dewlopment and personal success strategies. Billions ofdollars of advice has been sold to people wanting to make their lives better by this simple model:

hke this:

Positive

Positive

Present

Experiences

Positives

Negative

Present

Experiences

Negatives

Future Positives

Experiences

Future Negatives

Negative Experiences

Present Situation

Future Situation

Present Situation

Future Situation

Part

8

1:

Oritm

III

YOllr Natural Brilliallet

Unfortunately, slIch a one-dimensional process of change leaves tWO

Reclaim YOllr Nalilral Brilliallce

state. Even th e

9

Declaralioll of llldepellt/etlcc spoke

of this . .. . . . and,

losillg prcselllpositil!t's that arc contained

accordingly, all experience hath shewn. that mankind arc more disposed

in the \V
to suffer, while evils are sufferable. than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which thl.,), are accustomed."

enormoLis gaps. Firsdy, you risk

there is "secondary gain," or some payoff, to the present Situation. Secondly, olle-dimensional change does not take II1tO account the potential of creatiuj!jlHure

flfJlatives.

In other words, the grass is not

To break the endless oscillation and stagnation in stuck states, a mode! for human development and change must account for all four quadrants. You must keep the present positives while eliminating the presem

necessarily all green on the ocher side of the fence.

negatives. Simultaneously, you must maximize the fmure positives and minimize filture ne!,ratives. Natural Brilliance does this and mote.

Positive

Present

Experiences

Positives

Future Positives

Positive

Present

Experiences

Negative

Present

Experiences

Negatives

Future

Future Negatives

Negative Experiences Present Situation

Negatives

Negatives

Future Situation

Present Situation

A model for human development must take into account all fom

Future Situation

quadrants of the grid. If not, the enormous negative consequences of losing present positives and creating future negatives will throw the unwitting personal achievement aspirant into an oscillation.

Applications ohhe Nantral firilliance model belp you grow in areas of your life where you have never succeeded before. Using the exciting

Perhaps you have attended a day-long "success seminar" where

processes ill Part 3 of chis book, you call remove the stop signs that have

charismatic speakers whip yOll into a positive-thinking frenzy. Why is it

kept you stuck and infuse your body and mind with new choices and

that the effect lasts only three days? Decause the pressures of the

pathways to success.

unattended twO quadrants exert themselves consciously and ullconsciollsly, forcing you to shift back into your accustomed stuck

Here is an overview of the Natural firilhance model so YOll can succc..'ssfully make the changes you w:mt in life.

Part

10

1:

Orifllf

fO

II

Your Nnlllml Brilliallct'

made

Discover the Four-Step Natural Brilliance Model

It next to impossible to slIcceed. I remember onc fellow who

SWItched on the cmcrgency flashers, pulled on the parking brake, and abandoned hIS pIckup truck. He kncw he was not going to succeed.

Tension and

stress c:luse us to narrowly focus our anennon. We

IllISS the big picture.

manage microdetlils and

It is almost impossible to

WInlesS our own paradoxical responses. We are tOO close [0 the problcm and too immersed when we make the

III the oscillating system. Breakthrough happens connection that our attempts to keep everythmg In

control are antithetIcal to relaxing enough to be in control.

relea s e III many ways. Changing posture, eye-focus, breathing, and thoughts can produce a calming effect. By draining stn.'S.� out of th(' body and mind. you automatically dampen or minimize the oscillation that keeps you in your stuck state. Simultaneously you restore You can

Consciously

lISlIlg the four-secp Natural

Brilli'lllc� Illodel provides

a

learning model the way out of stuck states by implementing the Ilatural whenever yOll body-mind mes to accomplish SliCCess in learning:. Now,

normal course of feci youflielf entering a stuck state. YOli can reverse the things to move away from failure to\vard SUCCl'SS. is a bold claim. Since To say that you call solve any problem faclIlg you problem-solving. the carly 1980s, I have focused my work on creative

problems. During h igher-order thinking, and resolving paradoxical ful llldividuals thl"Se ye;us I have created a model to articulate how sl1ccess

you 1I0W. learn. I am excited to share thi� four-step model w1th Witness. I will Very simply. the steps are: l�lease. Notice. Respond. rs 4 through expand the bnefdescripnon of each step in Chapte

8.

Rtie,ue

tems . step, Release, drains stress Ollt of the physical sys to promote the Relaxing your body and mllld is the essemial first step optimal state for learning-relaxed alertness. The

fIrSt

to change the Tension and resistance characterize a pcrson trying the situation making avoid pr�ent situation. Often. the penon stfalllS to

vely do to remedy worse. Paradoxically, almost everything people instincti solution may best the a bad situation makes it worse. Paradoxically,

aka be coumerintuitivc, that is, against what they 1Il1tlaUy thlllk

\vill work.

If you e\'Cr learned to drive a car wnh manual transmission. you may when yOll remember how [ense you felt. Thmk of your initial response up pullmg cars WIth lull, a realized you had to stop at a red light. on pit of behllld you. Tension in your legs and arms. Panic growing in the ly. All these your stomach. Attempting to control everything perfect

your natural senSlllg acuity. .

III

The

human St'llSOry systems are capable of percciving minme changes

the world around and within. Tension blocks this capability. Release:

Pull your forehead otT the tree long en ough to see that you arc in the

fOTeSt, and immedIately options will appear. When you put your sensory systems back online. the second step of the model is possible. Step Ollt of tunnel viSion, and the world opens up.

Noriu Norice means enterlllg a stJ.tc of increased awareness and paying . attention to mformation In the present situation. \Vhen you attend to the mput III your sensory systems. you will naturally generate creatIve . opoons and pronnSlllg rL'Sponses. Helen Keller's bfe Story describe� the primal life urge of the hUIll;!.n organism-to make �ensc of Its world. The human brain is a pauern­

�

making devIce. t does everything It can to code and organize incoming sensory perceptlons. Information processing is its job. Despite Helen's

l tuions, sensory imi

she had a profound urge to make sense ofher world. When young Helen finally understood what her te ac he r Annie Sullivan had been trying to teach her, e\'erythillg in her life changed. If you havc ever seen n,l' IleIe" Keller Story, with Patty Duke portraying young Helen, you know what a heart-wrenching moment it is when she ,

makes the connection bet\vccn actIons and meanings. '·W-A-T-E-R." The sign language m her hand, the feeling of the water flowing from the pump, the shape of the word connected. Then, the

III

her mouth all

est of Helen's world cascaded together,

r

and

P.lrf

12

1:

OriePlt to YOllf Nallmd BrilIilHlu

patterns began forming a cohesive whole. The speed of the mind is tremendous. The inner mind works at making associations much faster than the conscious mind can duplicate. When given the proper direction, the whole mind can accomplish vinually any problem�solving task. The step of Noticillg involves becoming aware of what is happening around and in you. We have five physical senses to percei\'e our outside world. Corresponding to each is a similar sensory system represented in the mind. External sensory perceptions include all the information coming imo the five physical sensory systems. Internal perceptions include inner pictures, imaginings, memories, emotional feelings, remembered tactile sensations, internal dialogue, voices and other sounds, even remembered smells and tastes. From the rich information about your outer experience and inner experience, you can make decisions and respond to people and events. You can also develop a new point of view, a perceptual position other than being stuck. You can see what you are doing in the situation in which you are doing it. The advantage of an "outside yourself" awareness is it opens the possibility for balance. Think of a teeter-totter or a seesaw on the school playground when YOII \vere a kid. Imagllle trying to balance the thing: by running on the top of it from one end to the other. Now, hop ofT it and choose a new position to work from-alongside the oscillating system. This tirne use your hands to dampen the oscillation and bring tbe teeter­ totter into balance. By combining the first rwo steps, Relea.�e and Notice, you achieve the optimal learning state, the state of relaxed alertness. Once you have developed relaxed alertness and increased your foundation o f mformation, you can choose new responses from a rich set o foptions.

Rt.5polld the inability to move, Any response either increases the oscillation and

ing i creases movement toward a satisfy or it dampens the oscillation and n a response in order to discover how outcome. Step 3 involves creating

things change, for better or WOTSC. ding to NeWtOn's la\',,"5 of physics. Anything you do has an eifect, accor anything, is to pull yourself out of The objective of doing something, the effects of your new actions, your stuck state so you can witness whether positive or negative.

Reclaim Your NarUMI Brilliatlct

13

fu children learn to walk, everything they do plays into their success. I used to love watching my boys whell they were toddlers. I remember the first time Ben stood next to the couch triumphantly balancing on his pudgy little feet without holding on, his proud smile and gleaming eyes unmistakable testimony of the joy of learning. He took to bouncing up and down like a gymnast doing aerobic knee bends. Too much bounce and he would lose his grip and f.111. No problem. Up again for another round. Then one day he had coordinated muscles and balance enough to solo. On crazy legs he dashed across the carpeted floor in something that looked more like a controlled £111 than walking. Intently he developed stopping, starring, and balancing without aid. Falling was perfectly important feedback, not failure but another step in the learning process. The importance of the third step. Respond, is to take action. These actions will either make the situation better or not. In either case,

Ufe is made of millions of moments,

movernem within a system provides real and lIlUllediate feedback.

But we live only one of these

Once your brain recoglllzes your doing (or not doing) something makes your situation better or worse, you have the beginning of change and the first step i n gaining control of the outcomes YOll wallt to

moments at a time. As we begin to (hange this moment, We begin to change our Hiles.

produce. When you feel you can cause your life to get better, you can

O. Trinidad Hunt

generate a positive effect that builds self-confidence and self-esteem.

Rememberto Remember Who You Are

Witnessing the results of your actions- Step 4 of rhe model-puts you in charge of producing the success you want.

H"itPlcu In Step 4 you find a nOlljudgmental position from which you observe learning taking place. Whether your response in Step 3 has succeeded or failed is not significant. The important thing is to get feedback that can lead to learning. In tins step the feeling is olle of safety and blessing. Emotional safety and a sense of blessing were the essential components of my Toastmaster's experience. You will experience them as Important evidence that you have made a breakthrough. Think how babies learn to speak their native language. They have high intrinsic motivation to learn. They initiate their own learning, surrounded by highly visible models. Unlimited repetitions arc okay, and every sound they speak produces an omcome, not a failure. For their efforts they get generous Support, well-spaced rewards, aud immediate feedback. Everything they learn is reJevant. They never question

15

ParI ': Ori�rlf fO 1'{,ur Nafur.Jl BrillillllU

expect success. whether they will succeed; they ? The to a new level of performance ugh Do you desire to break thro safety and to replicate and reclaim me Naruml Urilliance model leads you genius. blessings ofyour narura1 learlllng mg a g is more complex than learn Consider [hat no task ofiearnm long skills Ired many ofyour lanb'uage language. Do yOll realize, you acqU k of ortu nately, many students th1ll before you entered school? Unf \tJ you t g. Natural Brilliance will assi� school as a place of woundin gths of replacing them With the stren overcoming your wounds and safety and blessing.

dge k. babies amomatically acknowle When they are learmng to spea t grea The -esteem grows as they learn. their own authority. Their self learmng t IS to witness your cominued opportunity for you as an adul lts you feStl ral Urilliance in you, [he each day. As you develop the Nam create will light up your life.

Actil1lllt'Your Gm;lIs witll Direct uarrr;'I,f Direct Learning allows you to take allthorit.ltivc written materials and

The PhotoReading whole mind

blast new skills directly into your neurophysiology at 25,000 words a

system, developedby Learning

mlllute. Think how wonderful it would be to down]o"d the world's best

StriJtegies Corporation in the mid­

ideas into your mternal database. With PhotoReading you route valuable Ulfo

rt�lation into your ITlner mind. Then using the Direct LC'arlling l�

tech lque, YOll acUvate powerful new behaviors directly into your ongoll1g performance to achieve new results you desire. Direct Learning

�t..nds at the pinnacle of human devclopll1
� prof�onal development, you can begin using it to make great strides in .

Wh 11 you accept your inm'r mind as your ally in personal and

the dlfCctlOn ofyour goals. The fun of Direct Learning is that personal

growth happens almost effortlessly. Sollie tilt' Relll Problem Chapter t I :

Benefit from Natural Brilliance and Go Beyond ond, iance-Release, NOtice, Resp The four steps of Natural Brill degree. already developed to a certain Witness-are all skills you have e to lianc Bril to activ:He your Natural This book will show you how el�oy benefits immediately. You e throughom all areas ofyour hfe. LN your Nannal Urilliance shin you back and stuck states that have held can overcome the oscillations make can you eed. in die next chapter when you have wanted to succ epts gellius. I shall introduce the conc long strides toward releasing your e mak that s l e and expla1ll 6\'e principle if of stuck statcs operaung III your ent. model for your own developm Namml Brilliance an effective atural the of all the components Pan 2 of thiS book will teach you tial to four steps and three auirudes essen Brilliance modd, illdudmg the III ten writ arc thc model. The chapters your 1ll0VlIlg effectively through you ific abilities immediately and help a way for you to actually use spec achieve desired resultS.

will iques, step-by-step processes that Part 3 offers potelH new techn kept have that lve paradoxical problems blow om useless stuck states, reso ate and professional goals, and activ you from achieving your personal tive Crea , lllng the skills of Direct Lear your gelllus. You will develop te the Option Generator to boldly crea Problem-Solving and the New life you desire.

�ppMJ(h Htmdoximl Problems wirll Crratil't' Problem-Solvi"g

JIltroduces an Important process for understanding and resolving . paradOXIcal problems. It shows YOll how to define personal problems to

cnsure you generate solutions that work. It discloscs the St'crcts of resolving problems that never seem to get better-no matter what you have done in the past. Have you ever worked hard to resolve a problem only to discover that the problem comes back a week or two later? Crash ruet programs arc a

�

clasSIC xample of 1T1l1l1enSe effort followed by the returlUng problem. OftentImes, the loss of ten pounds is followed by a gain of twelve or fifteen. Some problems keep liS on an endless roller coaster ride Year after year, the s.ame problem comes back--often ,,�th a \'en�ance. Knowing how to define and approach such problems will make It pOSSIble to finally reach a destination of long-lasting success. Creative Problem-solving will show you how.

p

Celltrate New O rioru The New Option Generator, presented in Chapter 12, comes to you after fifteen years ofde\'elopment. It will probably be the 1110St sigmficam techmque for breakthrough you will ever use. The process involves seven exerCIses that lead you step-by-step from Snick state to excellence. The New Option Generator integrates the knowledge and skills you learn from the entire book. It extends the Natural Brilliance model by giVing you phYSical evidence of the changes that occur as you release

'980s. accelerates the fNding process without speedreading for increased comprehension and retention.

Part 1: Oritflt to \'our Nall/ral Briflianu

16

oscillation, notice new choices, respond WIth commitment to desired goals, :md witness me outcomes you produce. Doing the exercises ofthis process will pull out the: Stop SIgns that Illay have prevented you from achIeving succc=ss, reveahng the potentlal you were born to express.

Understand Your Stuck States

Summary Do you already have: a sense ofhow this book will help you discover To receive periodic updates furor)('

your Natural Brilliance? This first chapter has introduced you to the

year. just call or write and mention

techniques that will assist you in applylllg this model. Natural Brilliance

this book. You'll learn about

product5 and seminars to help you experience your potential. Ifyou purchased the book directly from us, you will receive material

is an approach to lifelong learning that can be applied in stages. Familianze yourself wuh the model and its bcnefits by reading Part I : Orit'/ll to Hwr l\'lll1lm/ Brillimue. To learn the component skills of

anlral

Brilliance and discover the benefits in yom everyday life, read Illrt 2:

automatically.

Gaill tile Skills ojNtllUml Brillimut and practice the suggt.'Stcd exercises. To

Learning Strategies Corporation

enrich your use of

900 fast Wayzata Boulevard

Part 3:

Wayzata, Minnesota 55391 USA 611·476-9100 800·735·8173 fAX 611-475-1373

amral Brilliance and gain maximum benefit, read

Apply J\TarurlJl Brillimue.

What do you want to receive from your interaction with Natural Brilliance? Feel

free to c1anfy your purpose and J.pproach the book in

the way that works best for you. Above all. enjoy!

You know you need to change your life when you are not where you want to be. If your present state does not match your desired outcome. then set a gO
you want.

When your thoughts, fedings. and actions arc filled \vith the purpose ofliving your £It.-sired new life. you magnetize yourself. attracting to you all you need. It is surprising and delightful the way resources come rushing into your hfe to fill the gap. Life can be wonderful and easy, but

50Illetiml'S-in spite ofyour best efforts-yourjourney may feel like one huge Stop sign. You know what you wam, but you cannot seem to make: the results show up. In this chapte:r you wlil understand why stuck states e:Xlst. how thL")' multiply,

which benefits keep them in place, and what oppoTnmitles you

have to move beyond them. In Part 2 you discover how to achieve b'Oals when everytlullg you have already tried has not worked. You will find out what you can do when you arc stuck to activate your gemus.

Analyze Stuck States and Take the First Step Out Brian t.'ntered the ballroom through the back doors. "Stay right there!" I said to him through my microphone. The 250 company managers turned to look at him from their scats. I explai n ed, "The group has detenmned one simple task for you to petform in this room. Your job s i to figure out what It is and do it. The only mformation you will receive is my nngmg this bell every tlme you do SOIl1Cthlllg wrong."

PoW I:

18

Oritr" to Your Nalural Brilliallct

exercise and left the After he had volunteered to lake part ;n an up to the fup chart and room, the group had decided to have him \\r,l.lk turn [he p,lb>e·

mrned to the left Brian ,valked into the room [O\v;,ud the from. 'ie With hesitation, Brian and the �U rang out " WRONG!" He stopped. Silently watched as he \,,-alked forward toward the nip chart. Everyone . The bell stopped turned away (rom the flip chart tOward the podium his fect, tentatively g him in his tracks. He looked about without movin bell. When he \valkcd turned around, and headed for the flip chart. No again which halted passed it toward the overhead projector, he got a bell

than ever, he picked him in front ortbe flip chart. Now, more caucously down. He tried a black up a red marker; "RIN G!" He quickly put it

the blue and green marker; "RING !" After the same rc�ponse with . ce. "RING!" markers, Brian turned in frustration to f1Ce the audien unable to move. After a Now he was frozen, his back to the flip chart. said. "I give up!" painful minute or tWO of excTllclating silence. Brian tIIne--fin: minutes. I looked at my watch and nOted the total elapsed what I had hoped. ly "Thank you," I said, "Excellent job! You did precise al1 this later." Go ahead and take your seat; I'll teU you more about ce froze. After a " May [ have another volunteer?" Now the audien

resolutely. "Gread" I rather grim silence. a wom:m namedJean stood lip as Brian had done said, and I gave her instructions to leave the room earher.

task would be to This time the group deCided that our volunteer's a glass of water from a walk up to the table near the lectern and pour TCmrned, I expl:uned pitcher sittlllg on the water service tray. When Jean determined a t;ask for to her, "As With the last volunteer. the group has bell EVERY TIME you to perform. However, thiS tune I will Tlng the you do something nght."

each move III the Recelvlllg the reassuring nnglllg of the bell with the from of the roolll. direction of the ,vater. Jean strode confidently 10

swung her back When she veered left, the bell stopped. This effectively and walked up to H. to the nght direction. She spotted the pucher

f

hfted the pilcher and Conulllllng [Q hear the bell's encouragement, she room roared their poured a glass of water. When everyone In the

applause. She went on appnwal (and dlSbelieD,Jean turned to receive the chuckle. to dnnk the \v;lrer, which gave everyone a good glancing ;at my " Door to pour-fifty-elght seconds," I announced, to ha..·c been some watch. Some audience members insisted there had

Undtntand lUllt Stllck

Statts

19

kind of st:'tup. With that, Jean poured a se-cond and a third, handmg one to Brian and olle to me. We three raised our glasses to each other and to the audience in celebration. Over the years, thiS demonstratIOn predictably produces similar results. As the first person receives negative Telllforcement from the bell, creativity and responsiveness go down-suppressed with a force proportionate to the number ofnmes the bell rings. At the momelll he gave up, Brian looked incompetent and totally snICk, unable to respond. On the other hand, when our second volunteer receives positive reinforcement from the bell, confidence. creaovity, and SUCCL'SS increase. Jean looked brilliant. confidem, capable, and creanve. In truth, both people are capable. Both Brian and Jean-and you and I-were born into life as naturally brilliant learners with a wealth of creative reserves. What went wrong for Brian in my delllomtration is exactly what goes wrong ill many areas ofour lives. The best way to get started on a goal wheu you clearly know that you are stuck is to first notice the oscillatlOll. You callnot release if you are busily avoiding the f
Diagnose Your Stuck State Diagnosing your stuck state can help you release stress and notice more ofwhat is b'Oing all in and around you.

once how you keep your

stuck state m place. Keep this self-survL")' and discovery II1tcresting and fUll. By diagnosmg yOllr stuck state. you dampcn oscillation and prepare for responding in TCsourceful ways. The questions below will help you gain insight into your present st.1te. Go through them once lightly. Do not aim to be thorough here. TillS is not psychotherapy or analysis; IhlS is an exploration of your currellt Situation. Your objective will probably be to produce the results you want III life. I) 11IJ1a1 s i

the dijferr"ce bellllf'l!fI yOllr presem state alld yOllr desired oJilcome?

III whlll tlrea of ¥Ollr life do you lIot;Ct oscillatio,,? In the Natural 13rillianct' retreat we invltt' you to examine SIX areas of your life in which most

PM! J: Oril'"' to l'tuir Nlltural BrillitHlct

20

people strive to achieve higher levels of nlifilhnem. These IIldude:

U"d,rsta"d Your Swck

Statts

21

5) WI,at lire tile bellefits and de/rill/ems rllside J'tJllr paradox? In Chapter

II,

•

WorkiCrearing/Seif-Expressioll

we will explore the Creative Problem-solving process to gain insight into

•

Learmng/lntellecrual

the: nature of your s[Uck state. You will discover the benefiu and

•

Physical Wellness

dctrimcnts at each end ofyour current connnuum ofbehavior. Without

•

Sodal/lnterpersonallConullunity

conscIously rcahzlIlg It, you have wanted to adueve the benefits at each

•

Family/Personal

end and avoid th� detrullents at each end at the same time. It IS the

•

Spiritual/Emotional

oscillation between these two slIlluhaneously occurring, paradoxically

11'I,at 1MIITf/IlpaltiTlI do you ff'Wgflizt III you, btl/avior ill OtiCan.>a cfyour life? 2) Ulnar pnsollal identity do you //IIlIII/O;U ill rc/mioll5lrip to this iS5I1t'? How do you view yo,meif, II'llIIt do you 4finll /0 yourst'if "00111 tillS ISSlIe, enid ,viwl do YOII believe fo be Inlefor YOII? For example. I used to have a dilemma around television

opposed, unresolved states wuhlll YOll that defines your stuck state.

6) 1I1/(/tjtars are QS100ated wilh your sfruk 1Mt/'? Assuming that the truth about you IS that you are Il1fillitdy resourceful, the fears are mythical, based on faulty conclusions that you f.liled earlier in life. Determinc to confront your fears to get the breakthrough you need.

forum. " [ don't feel comfort;lble in front ofa camera. [ have to play to a

With Natural Brilliance yOll make the choice to no longer stop and . go back whcn you f1Ce- an emotional, intellectual. or physical stop sign.

live audience because I take my ctles from their responses. Give me a

Your creative new choice can be to pause, gather new resources, and take

speaking opportunity, and I'll be fine. lively and animated. Out, pm lIIe

action to achit'vc your goals.

performance. I viewed myself as

a

(ompctcnt presenter in every other

on TV. and I'm stilted and wooden." When you read Chapter 12 about the New Opnon Generamr, you will ieam how to change such a view.

3) IVhar is the predomillanr emOfro,,?

Notice your feellllgs. your

emonons n i the stuck state. Feel the feelings )"OU expenence when you feel stuck. Label them.

4) Usi".� rill' it/jomratio" YO" IUlI'e galltl'rt'dfmm tiltfi�t qllCSliotlS, wildt s i yOllr rlllresol�\1ble paradax? 111ral 0pposlIIg OIlI(OIll('S do you 1I�ltIt at tile same tillil'? In my Toastmaster's example fiom Chapter I, I wanted to de\'e!op my skills as a speaker, bUl I also wanted to aVOId bemg at the lectern dehverll1g my prepared speech. A way to phrase this IS, "On the one hand I want X, but at the 5.1me time, on the other hand, I wallt Y." This paradox ical problem is your stuck state. You can 't �top and go at the same time.

Confront Your Stop Signs Whatevcr you Il(ll/'

do sru(f'ssjlllly in

life is a model of successful

learnlllg. In the process of learning how to succeed, you naturally followed the steps of the Natural Brilhance model. At least one part of you was so focused on accompush.lIlg the- result that whatever happencd

was okay. If you failed to achieve a goal one day, you learned from It. The next day. a Itttle SlIlarter and lllore skilled. you took the next step. In this way you gained all you needed to e:nsure success. Whatever you sftm lmable to accomplish in life is a model ofa sUlck state. Somewhere early in your life, as you attempted to use your natural iearmng capacities and accomplish your desires, you gOl "whacked" by a failure. The: problem was not so much that you failed; the problem was the intt'llsity of the whack. The whack was a sudden adverse stimulus or

Benefit

Benefit

flood of negative feelin� and thoughts. That whack planted a giant red OCt.lj:,'unal stop sign

Hl

your path oflearning. Fmm then on, the stop sign

ope:ratcd emorionally, physically, or Intellectually with the same ferocity

Fear

....... ,....... ,........•...."

......

Opposite of the Fear

as the ongmaJ whack. Years later when you gOt the opportulllty to do somcthlng 1Il thiS are.. ofyour life, part ofyou wanted to proceed; part of you wanted 10 stop and pull back. You began to oscillate, whIch produced a stuck state-thc mabihty to accomplish what }"Ou dcslred.

Detriment

Detriment

Do you recogllJze the scenario that causes thc sUlck state? Let

us

take

Part

22

I:

Oritllt (0 You, Natural Brillionu

UndtrJlnnd)'owr Sluck StalU

23

the example of rdatlonshlps. A boy wants to be (riends wuh a gul at school. A friend, a family member, or the girl he wants to meet gives

Situation. You c«'ate a stuck Slate when you act overly shy or overly bold

him a powerful punch in the body-mind. She may S,1y. "Oooh, get away

continuum can get us into trouble, because our survival depends on our

fmlll me. you ugly creep!" Or it may be a f.lmily member $lying, "You are so shy, I wonder how you will ever get to know anyone," In goes a

StOp sign. Many years bcer, the situation has changed. but the stop sign still looms over his emotional l:l.Ildscape. The boy, now a young man, wants to date but agonizes about asking womell (Q go out with him.

and remain that way. ChooslIlg to hve permanently at either end of a ability to act and react flexibly across the entire range of behavioral and emotional opflons. Problems, like Ilu'"m.al illness and physical dIsease, IIltO one way ofhving. When

we

find a comfort zone, it makes sense that we would want to

stop. But, life forces

longer at stake, the stop sign continues to function as if it were. Rather than helping us, the srop sign prevents us from living fully. The good

ahead. When part of us wants (Q stop, the resulting stuck state stops the

want

to learn and grow.

un be a weakneu.

occur when the pcr;onality, nervous SyStem, or physical body gets locked

We erect smp signs unconsciously as a neurologICal matter of survival to keep us from rcpC
i , with Natural Brilliance, you can pull stop signs down when you news s

Any strength in the wrong COlItext

lIS

to continue learning, groWing, and changlllg

with the acccter:lting changes III the world around tis. We need to move learning process and the great rewards that life can offer. You can change ill all areas of your life whert' strong emotional, physical, or imcllcctual stllck states have cOllstrincd or shut offle:lrning. Pull down your SlOp signs with the steps of N:lnLral Brilliance. You will

Balance with Your Counterbalance Consider that almost everything about you operates with opposing forces. The construction of your musculature, nervous system, and

personahty aU use opposing forces in a push-and-pull dt.'sign. An elevator can serve as an analogy. Most eit.-vators are bUilt with a counterbalance,

eliminate stuck states because you instantly increase your options and make new. successful behaviors possible.

Notice Stuck States When They Happen Over the next few days, watch people approach their stop signs.

",llIch movt;"5 opposite to the elevator. \Vhen the car goes up, the counterweight moves down-crcating a two-phase, or bjpilltsic, basis of

Obsen'C evcryone around you. Listen to what people say and ,vatch the

operation. The biphasic design works to your benefit. as long as you

You will sec a characteTlStic double blink. With a blink, one picture

oscillanon

III

their bodk'S.

otice their eyes when they hit a stOp sib'1l.

use it properly.

flashes of what tllt.1' wam. They bLnk again. and the nC},."l picture flash�

A counterbalance ensures fleXIbility. allowing an elevator to stop at any pomion. You can think of a stuck state as the elevator car frozen

of their dysfunctIOnal belief, what they do not \vam. In hypnotic trance, the effects of oscillation become quite visible.

between floors, the result of tWO equal forces, directly opposlIlg each other. Stuck Sla[l-S 111 people result from the wrong lISC of our biphasic

When I was nineteen. I dearly saw oscillation between the states of U'dnt

design. One force pulls. and the other responds with equal and opposite

hypnotist-turned-therapist. One day a church youth group called to

force, loclcing the body-mind into an internal tug-of-war.

request a dCl1lonstTauon of hypnosis.

Normal operation of our musculature involves extensor and flexor musck-s used in controlled opposition. Our biphasic design allows us to

tricks [ became eager [Q try.

move fonvard and back and stop anywhere in bet\veen. Similarly, our nervous system uses counterbalanced sympathetic and parasympathetic

she cannot do SOille simple act. For example, say to him that he can't

tracks is a small mental packet of

tell yotl his name. or suggest that hiS shoe is glued to the floor and he

energy. It is called a thought. They

systems. The biphasic design gives us flexibility to experience emotions

can't move it."

fiom love to fear and everytlung III bem'Ccn. The human personality also has biphasic construction. For example, arc you shy or bold? The al1�wcr IS yes to both. It depends on the

and hml('. I \vas fortunate to study hypnoSiS \vith Zula Bowers. a stage­

Zula taught me entertaining stage

"Once you have a subject in trance," she said, ;;suggest that he or

She leaned forward and cxplall1ed with great emphasis. "Say the words, 'No matter how hard you try. you Cdlll/or. Try, you (alltlot.

Try!' I guarantee, Paul. It will work." She was absolutely right. Once the

What stops most people in their

think -I can't,Rex Stellen Sikes Founder of IDEA Seminars

p.:JrI 1:

24

Oritn' to 1't1ur N�tural BrilliaNct

mner mind of the subject had accepted the suggestion that he could not

paper with the words

do something, no matter how hard he tricd, he could not.

below the sentellce

[n this exercise I was to bounce all the trampoline. Every tulle I got to

was awestruck

as a SlX foot man stood

genius. Sometimes we know we are

tell exacdy nvo bounces before you are going to make a mistake. You always bounce back on the trampoline about nine inches. At that

that he had accepted he could not do. The crowd was in hysterics. I was

moment, you break your concentration all the task to either review

thinking to myself, "Whoa! We stop ourselves every single day. We arc

what youjust dId or to predict what's coming." J thought It amazing that

(mlllol."

The phrase I (illr '/ is thc most powerful force of negation in thc human

Procrastination 111 the sales profession is another good example of oscillation thac leads to stuck states. The salesper.>on \\':lnts to make the

you feci stuck, can you also hear a recording that you have played over

sale but does not \\"JIlt to be rejected. I�Jection ofhimselfor his product

and over again to yourself and those around you? "No maner how hard

can throw him into an oscillation of "I can do this, but Illy product is no

From the moment I saw that hypno[]c subject slnlggle against hll1lsdf

on stage, I have devoted Illy professional life to freeing people from their self-imposed stuck states. My professional missioll centers on creating learrung opportunities for peoplc to di�over their v,1St resourcefulness. Then, I assist in their applying those resources to producing desired results in theu lives.

cases we kaYe to 00 something.

such benefits.

Counselor and instructor The Netherlands

my body communicated nonverbally to Dr. T:lbb. He could see that my attempt to do the task propniy actually prevented me from performing it.

psyche. "rest its effcct for your�clf. In all those areas of your life where

stuck; sometimes we don't. I n both

Inga Teekens

Afier 'V3tching me botch the t;lsk three times, Dr. Tabb said, "I can

Every pan of him strained to perform thc ta�ks that I had suggested and

I try, Ijrm call't sum co..."

are out of contact with our own

a ullique sequl'ncc.

befort" me, with his foot "glued" to the floor, unable (Q tell me hiS name.

takIng perfectly reasonable capabilities and throwing them aWly because

cannot let go of the old--old ideas,

written on it. Just

the letter X.

the botlOm of the bounce, I was to perform a task of calling out leners in

we honestly believe we

beliefs, habits, even thoughts. We

TilE BO}; IVEI\'T HOME

If you relate this to the biphasic construction of our physiology, one

DUring my Stage performance, I

like. We want something new but

,vas

25

set of muscles is pushing with equal force as the opposing muscles are pulling. The n.'Suit is a stuck state.

Being stuck is a position few of us

UnJuJtund Your Stuck St�ttS

atural Brilliance is the best way to qUIckly gain

I n yO\lr moments of trance, you may have experienced strong emotional learning in which you accepted a life sentence of neg:lt1on. In those SituatIOns, yOll planted Stop signs that have never come out. Discover how to pull out the stop signs and get back on the path to realir.mg the genius you have. The phrase J (drr will replace negation and point the way to new levels of achit.'ycment.

good" or "My product IS good, but I can't do this. I"m no good at selling." Procrastination, pumng off calling customers, is a solution . Like many of our paradoxical sohrtiom to oscillation. procrastination is a solution that sometimes makes things worse. Every time we procrastinate, we oscillate. We may want to achieve a b'Oa.l, but we also want to a\'Oid the

p<111l of doing what it takes to achieve it. The more we a"oid doing what It takes, the deeper we mire in our problem state. In college I knew a student who ha.d not graduated in the seven year.> she had anended classes. Sheila ,,,,'Quld only register for classes she ,vas II1terested in. After a quarter or nvo. the counselor would urge her to take cort" courses, such as chemIStry and math. Unfortunately, when she

gOt a difficult assignment, she would put off doing it unru lt was too late. Invariably she ended up dropping out of all the classes she hated III a parucular major, until she could no longer receive cnough credits to

complete that major.

learn from Others Getting Stuck When I ,vas in l'ortiand, a PhotoReading mstructor introduced me to a friend at the Beavcnon Optometric Clinic, Dr. Roger Tabb. He is an optometrist specializing in Sensory Perceptual Trallling. He took me through several experiences at the �t.ltions he had set up to help people overcome neurosensory stuck states. One station conmted of a trampoline. On the wall in front of me was a piece of

In those seven years, Sheila had had at least that many declared or undeclared majors. Iler strategy for gomg to college was antithetical to her graduating. In another case, I met a young man who had never grown up. Being nnmatllre and letting hrs parents support hUll, Andrew never had to face the really tough issues oflife. Consequently, he never committ ed himself to a course of action that produced anythmg more than a temporary

high from his emotional dLlenmla.

Parr I: Orittlf to Your NatNral Brillianrt

26

When his father objected enough. Andrew would launch out 011 IllS own for a few momhs until he had failed al work and ion his job and, e\'cnrually, Ius aparmlcm, Then he would b'O back home again, where he would spasmodically continue making weak commtttncnts to li"l! a self-sufficient life. What could possibly break the cycles of failure plagull1g Andrew, Sheila, and the sales procrastinators I dL'SCnbed? Believe me, If you offer to help, you only increase thelt oscillation. The chanb'C must come from within. step-by-step, iearlllllg to rake an casler path to success. The steps of Natural Brilliance engender internal change, Without pressure, while minimizlIlg OSCillation and increasing solulions. All the changes occur as a result of experiencing life fully.

Recognize Benefits and Dangers at Your Stop Sign A stop sign is a gift for you to learn

As we human beings narurally erect and preserve stop signs,

we

need

that moving in the same direction

to ask ourselves what the adaptive value is of each stop sign we

won't take you any place new.

encounter. What is the value of stopping when we ,vant to progress?

Rex Steven Sikes Founder of IDEA Seminars

Certainly, as children, we must learn from Ollr mistakes. Ifa child steps into the street without looking. as J did, he is lucky to have someone Stop his dangerous behaVior fast. The problem is that, when our stop sign is an emotIOnal, psychological, neurophysIOlogical, or mtellectual wound, we StOp learning effectivdy. Almost every adult 1 have ever met has sollle early emotional \\fOunding as a learner.

In one I'hotoRf"ading course a '''''Oman named Lisa was irate at me for her inability to get anything out of the course. Nothlllg she did seemed to be working:. By the last session, she was in a rage. As the coune opened that morning, she attacked me, the course, and Learnmg StratCgll'S Corporation. Suddenly I could sec her oscillation. There she was trylllg to learn something and unabll' to achieve the goal she wanted. Spotting this, I lIsed my IIltultion to pull out the Stop sign. "You know what tillS reminds me of," I said, catching her off guard. "I remember a '\fOman in my class one time who had a mnilar amount of anger when trying to learn PhotoReadmg. It turned out that in first grade her teacher had ridiculed her in from ofthe entire class because �he made a mist..1ke while readlllg out loud." "Oh, my God," she said, as the furrow of anger in her brow widened to a look of stunned surpmc. "That

IS

exactly what happened to me 111

second grade." With her eyes unfocused, as ifill a trance, she relived the

27 moment when the Stop sign was installed. "My second grade teacher stood in the front ofthe class and said to everyone, ·Lisa s i never going to amount to allythmg in life because SHE CAN'T R..EAD!'" Everythmg Lisa had tned to do to Improve ha readlllg

only rClIlforced the message she accepted at that moment III second grade. Whenever she couldn·t do something in PhotoReading class , she faced her second gmde teacher shnekmg, "Lisa is never going to amount to

anything!" Inside, Lisa ,vas not the mature woman she appeared to be; she was tht: utterly helpless wounded second grader in a grownup 's body. Once Lisa cOllnected her experience with Illy story, she broke the

curse. She stopped her palllful oscillation. Her atural Brilliance restored; her genius went online. fiy the end orthe final session of PhotoR.eadlllg, Lisa was bubbling about ge1llg for her Master's Degree and looking forward to using Photo Reading to biaS[ through the reading. "I know I can read fast!" she said proudly.

Buckminster Fuller wrote, in the introduction to a book about Maria MOntesson's work, a powerful explanation of what challenges learning:

All children are born geniuses. 9999 Ollt of every 10,000 are

swiftly, inadvertently, degeniused by grown-ups. This happens because human beings are born naked, helples s, and-rhough superbly eqUipped cerebrally-utterly lackmg in experience, therefore utterly ignorant. Their delicate sensing equipment is, as yet, untried. fiofn with built-in hunger.

thIrst. curiosity. the procreative urge, they can only learn what hmllalllty has learned by trial and error-by billions

upon billions of errors. Yet humalllty is also endowed with self-deceiving pride. All those witness ing the errors of others prodaul1 that they (the witnesses) could have prevente d

those errors had they only been consulted. "People should not make mistakes" they nllStakenly say. Motivated entirely by

love, bllt also by fear for the futures of the children they love, parents. III their ignorance, act as though they know aU the

answers and curtlll the spontaneous exploratory acts of their children, lest the children make "mistakes." But b't'"nius does its own t111nklllg; it has confide nce 1Il ItS own exploratory

findings,

in ItS own lIltuitio ns,

in the knowle dge gained from its own mistakes. Nature has her own gestatio n r,lIes for evoluti onary develop ment. The actions of

Parr 1: OrifFlI to Your Natllral Brilliallct

28

parents fepresem the checks a n d balances of nature's

Stl/(es

mode! called Natural Brilliance, you can acquire the methods for pulling

gestation control. Humanity can evolve healthily only

out the stops and having " ALL SYSTEMS GO!" You can reclaim the

at a given rate.

truth about yourself as a learner. Life is for fun and learning. Natural

OUT culture has become obsessed with an educational system that wounds many rypes of learners. Perhaps those who mislabel sUldents ought themselves to be called "teaching disabled."

Behold Opportunities beyond Your Stop Sign Dr. Buckminster Fuller peNonally told me one of his powerful life stories. Although he had achieved a high level of education, he had failed in btlsines�. ru a father and husband, at thirty-two, he realized he was never going to make it in life. He had bought society's negation of his genius and giwn up. He walked to the bridge in town and stood on the railing ready to leap to his death. He then stopped and admitted to himselfthat he \vas a throwa\vay from society. As he knew himselfto be completely worthless. he decided he would dedicate the rest of his life to an experiment.

His experiment. simply put, was "to find out just how much one little man could do for the planet." I-Ie was fifty years inca his experiment when he told me ofit. He contributed numerous magnificent ideas and inventions. Perhaps he

UndersttHid Your Sturk

was

best known to the public as the man who created the EPCOT

Center geodesic dome at Disney World. A world-renowned architect, futurist, author, and inventor. he developed the 6eld of geodesics. But, I know him for his natural brilliance. Bucky Fuller showed me a key to finding Natural Brilliance. nelieve in people's dreams and uy,

"You CANT'

I know how swiftly and inadvertently we are degeniused in childhood by well-intentioned bur misguided people influencing our lives. A symptom aChow this affects us is clear:

we

have goals we are trying hard

to achieve; yet, year after year. we continue to perpemate stuck states. [n the last t\\'o decades I have come to know that it is as easy to learn effectively as it is to get stuck. Once yOll know how you accept and erect stop signs

J!1

your life, yOll will find it remarkably simple and more

productive to create what you want in life. The rest of this book is devoted to showing you how to let your Natural Brilliance shine to create what you want whenever and wherever you run into an oscillation or stuck state. In the four-step

Brilliance makes all learning fun and turns all run into learning. Enjoy!

29

Part Two Gain the Skills

if

Natural Brilliance

Explore Five Principles at the Heart of the Natural Brilliance Model Enter Part 2 of this book with caution. You will learn the skills of Natural Brilliance in the next four chapters, and an even bigger opportunity awaits you as well. Thinking of Natural Brilliance as practiclI1g four steps is like trying to drink from a dripping faucet whcn a ",l;ltcrf.111 is c:t5(:ading in front of you. You can gain inmlcdiatc benefits with this lIIodei if you approach it as more than a set of techniques for self-devdopmcnt. Recognize the inherem power ofmind harnessed by the Natural UriUiallce model, and you will do much more than O\"er'Comc stuck states or gain access to the capacities for genius you nO\." POSSl.'SS. You can cross the threshold to manifest your highest good in life. [n the remaining chapters of Part 2, we will c>'ll\ore each step in depth to ellSUfC you have the skills to apply them

sliccessfully.

Principle 1 : Tolerate Ambiguity to Realize Your Full Potential If I ask " Are }-oU strong-willed or easygOIng." what would you say? You would probably answer "Yes" because, although I phrased the question as an alternative, in [ruth. you have the choice of acting am both extremes and anything between. As a capable, mature human being, you know that circumstances will influence how you act. Although you may have a prefcrt!llcc, in reality, you can act strong or t'asygomg as necessary. On a connnuum of behavioral options, strong-willed forms one endpoilH and easygoing forms its oppoSIte. Many people learn to l.Jve wulun cenam parameters 011 any oue continuum of options. For example, If you are too strong-WIlled, you Illay act overly assertive or obstinate, either forcmg people or refusmg to compromise. Sunilarly, if

32

P"rl 2: Gai" tilt Skilb of Natural Brilliallrt

yotl are toO easygoing, people could use you as a doormat or take advantage of YOLI. You have consciously and unconscIOusly defined a range you em comfortably li\'e within. Many people were on hand to gUIde your defining your range of

J3

Exp/oft tile Fi.,t Prilldpltl at tilt Hl'art oj ".t Naflmd Bri/lianct Modd

nught erroneollsly lIlterpret.

During the exercise, the flight instructor has student pilots change hcadlllS and altitude and make many Other minor adjustments. The typical response IS to overcontrol the plane. If a slight adjusnnent

III

choices. Those in authority told you, "ThIS way to behave is proper; that

headmg of five degrees

IS not." They put a stop sign in front of you whene....er . you behaved

the lack of sensitivity to the comrols will cause the student to over­

IS

�U1red. the tension in the sNdem's body and

mappropriately. Once you had t."Stabhshcd your ;'safety zone," seldom if

correct by two or three times what is necessary. OvercontroUing an

ever did you venture beyond the end-points of that continuum. The

atrplane thl'O""5 It 111(0 an oscillation, which tends to worren the siNation

comfort zone between the Stop signs became the unconscious lunit of

by swinb.jng n past the desired goal.

choices you consciously even considered exercising. In effect, yOll may stiU be forcing all other choices ofbehaving to stand outSide the stop signs, including your dIsenfranchised creative self. The Ilarural learning behaviors you u sed to explore yom world in childhood may still be relegated to a place alit of view to those around you and often even to yourself. With Naturai llrilliance you can rediscover you are not one way or

The experienced pilOt makes small, incremental adjustments with relaxed patience. There's a sense of confidence about the flight- there'll be enough time. Relax. Everything's going to be fine.

The harder YOll try to get 1lllStllck, the more difficult your task. Paradox ically, trying harder tends to make the stuck state much worse.

Take the example of a relationship problem. Tryi ng hard to convince people not be angry tends to make them angrier. [n other words. when

the other. Tht: secret to joyous learning is to recognize a wide range of

you push harder 10 handle one side of a problem, you end up increasing

choices emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Thinking about them

the swing that keeps you oscillating. The more you oscillate, the farther

is not enough to retrain our nervous systems. You need to exercise

you move from a solution.

choices you may have held at bay for decades.

When an airplane is nose-diving toward the ground, most student

[n Chapter 12. Natural Brilliance steps are sequenced into a change

pilots try to pull out. Their panic only puts the airplane into a spin-a

process called the New Optioll Gt'"wtor. Using it, you can locate the Stop

much more perilous Situation. i'arndoxically, to pull the airplane alit, the

signs unconsciously installed in your hfe and pop them out. To eliminate

pilot has first to push gently IIltO the dive. Then air (]O\vs over the wings

oscillation, you

properly to create lift under the wing so that the plane can resume flying.

can

Volporize the endpoints on the contmuum between

behaVIOral opposites. You can begm Integrating your options for

Then the pJiOt can slowly pull back to take the plane our of the dive.

responding on the entire spectnull of chOICes. All the choices you could

Pulling out of a nose dive successfully offers a him on how to handle

nor have considered before suddenly become fillly available to you. With

almost any other situation where oscillation occurs. Making small

the New Option Generator you can reclaim your creative potential.

adjustments is part ofthe solution. Three additional principles foUO\v.

Principle 2:

Principle 3:

Make Small Adjustments Slowly to Accomplish Your Goal

Achieve a State of Being by Being Not Doing

Everything about learning to ny is unusual. Flying is a perfect

[f I asked you, "What do you want to achieve," what would you say?

laboratory to study people try1l1g to cope with an unstable environment.

The goal yOli stated would be a desired result you want to create for

One exercise in pilot'S rraining requires a special visor-LLke contrnptlon

yourrelf or your fanuly.

worn as a hood to prevent seeing outside the cockpit of the airplane.

[f [ kept asking the qut."Stion, yotl would begin to identify the goals

The hood only allows a view of the front instrument pallel. The

that exist beJlIud your most obvious goal. What do you suppose you

objective ofthe exercise is to tram �ople to fly only by the IIlformation

would find our after several nunutcs of my asking. "If you accomplished

from their instruments, not by other informatloll their sensory systems

thaI goal, what even /IIort I1npo" a"t goal would you then want to

34

Pari

Z:

G"III

IIII' SkUb

of Nat" ml BrilliallCl'

Htart of Ihl' Natural Brillia"CI' Modrl

imperative 15 OSCillation, a stuck state that many peoplt: compulsively try

your rral goal, the end b'Oal. not b"Oals thar are means to the end. Natural

to resolve ullsuccessfidly. They have a stnlggIe because the only way to

13nlliance has a way of gently coaxing your core b'Oal into consciousness.

fully be is to experience yourself as a human being, not as a "human

35

doing:'

they wam to achieve during the course. One person In each course

Conmrae Andreas, 111 her book Core Transformations, suggests that

IIlvanably says, " 1 want to master the techniques of PhotOReading." 1

we TCverse the outcome chain to enhance the \VJy we do everything in

What I own.

life. Start with the state of being, then you will be much more capable

Not do I have

statement, "Ifyou accomplished

Ihm .'!Oaf,

what L'ven moft importa/ll goal

and efficient at ail the actions you choose to do in life. Her process brilliantly breaks through the oscillation from "do" to

would you then want to achieve?" The chain of outcomes I e]jcitcd

"be'"

during one demonstrarion went as follows:

PhotoReading, and it will make sense. [n [rllth. course participants will

First Goal: Master the techniques ofPhoroil.eading •

Think back to the (.'xamplc chain of outcomes from

be capable of achieving their goals ill the chain if they approach their

Be able [0 con....erse with people al work with a level of expenise on various important topics

goals with

a

sense of"tOtal 'beingness,' a feeling of peace."

Breaking Ihe "do-to-be" paradox is an integral part of the Natural

•

Get promoted and earn more money

•

Provide for the well-being and happinl� of my f.1lllily

•

See my children grow up into happy. healthy. capable adults

•

Experience the fililn{'Ss of my own potential

Brilliance model. I will show you how to approach Step 3, Respond.

Corc b'Oai: Total "beingnl 'SS." a feeling ofroral peace In thIS example, as with all the examples of this exercise, the bottom IlIle is a core state of being.

Albert Einstein

IIII'

of being, you must earn it by doing things better. The result of that

of OlHcomes. The demonstration IIlvol....es my asklllg, after each goal

characterize our age,

PrillcipleJ al

achieve?" That qUe5tion elicits a chain of outcomes as )'ou continue to

then ask this person to participate III a demonstration of eliciting a chain

of means seems in my opinion, to

till' FiliI'

search for additional answers. At the end ofyour cham ofoutcomes waits

For example, in PhotoR.eadmg. we ask particlpanu to tell us what

Confusion of goals and perfection

Explart

from a powerful state of being. The decisiveness and commitment of such a state fOCUSL'S your personal power for effective action and SliCCesS.

Principle 4: Maintain an Outcome Orientation and Increase Choices

All of the goals in the cham of goals are really means to the desired

AnOther key principle of the Natural Brilliance model is that you can

r(.'Sult. Often, people accomplish a goal yet feel unfulfilled. Of course.

faCilitate your learning by concentrating not on problems but on

They were really trying to get another goal. Here is the interesting: dllenm1a: Goals are things that you do, whereas the real result IS a state of

outcomes. ThiS keeps the 1ll1lld, the most perfect goal-seeking device, oriented on achIeving what you want rather than creating what you do

be",�.

not want.

The doill� is a means to an end. . The problem most people f1ce is that they arc unaware of the goal

Dwelling on our problems is like trying to drive forward in a car

behind their goals. As a result they gl't fixated on d()iug to be and never

looking onJy in the rearvlew mirror. We tend to think of the lim.itatioIlS

get to where they want to be. Many people illlaglile that If only they

that the problems create. [t is easy to notice blocks, lack of resources,

could succeed at completing [heir outcome cham. they would then gal11

mistakes, and blame. Consequently, we will most likely generate bad

access to the state they desire. Unfortunately, few people ever complete

feelings and rack ourselves with either guilt about the past or anxiety

their outcome chain. Those who do accomplish several of their goals in

about the future.

their chain of outcomes soon discover the emptiness ofdoil\{! 10

be.

In general, focusing on problems is a sure way to continue the

Once guided through a process of examining their mner motiVJtiolUi.

OSCIllation ofyour stuck state. On the other hand, focusing on outcomes

people recoglllze that the goal behllld their goals is the achievement

gers you 10 llnagille pOSSIbilitIes. By keeping your gaze high while

of a core state-an experience of full aliveness. They express It as

driving, you can respond to more of the passing vistas. From the

"beingness," "completeness," or "okay-ness."

perspective of the long view. reviewing and exploring the paSt helps

It seems we have a cultural imperative that to experience a better sute

generate CUriOSity and learmng, gIVIng you clues to success.

I do not have

What I do. I only have What I am. D. Trinidad Hunt Remember to Remember Who Yotl Are

Part 1: Ga;" flIt! Skills oj Natural Brillianct

36

EXJI/ort tl,t Fi"t Pri/,rip/tl at tlu Htart oj tlu Natural Brillianct Modd

37

Principle I : Tolerate ambIguity to realize- your full potential.

An outcome orientation increases the number of paths you can take.

2: Make small adjusonems slowly to accomplish your b>oal. Prmciplc J: Achle\·e a state of being by beillg, not doing. Prmclple 4: MamUHl an outcome orienutioll and increase your

Principle

The Namral Brilliance model uses an outcOllle orient:ltion in the steps of Noticing. Responding, and Witnessmg to ensure each step you take leads to higher learning.

choices. Principle 5: Chanb>C in b'Cnerari\"e ways for the best results.

Principle 5: Change in Generative Ways for the Best Results The Natural Brilliance model IS a generative model for learning and human devdopmem. It does mon: than fix the existing problem; it fixes the \v:ly you created the problem in the first place. If you sat on a tack, you would not run to a doctor for morphine to mask the pain. That is remedial change which seeks to remedy the immediate symptOms or the problem. l"Zel11edial change is the opposite of generative change. Many thcrapcmic models try to find remedies for problems. Generative change means that th� process of changing a problem generates its own learning for fumrc situations. The generative way to remove pain ifyou sit on a tack s i to pull the tack out. Remedial change tends to put energy IIlto IIlcreasmg oscillation.

In the next five chapters you will ieam the steps of the Natural Brilliance model, taking the knowledge and skills into your process of growth and developmelH. Engaging in this learning model, you will enJOY benefits fight .nvay. YOll will find that Natural Brilliance: •

Naturally minimiz(.'S the oscillation ofyour current stuck states

•

Allows for incremental shifts to\vards specific outcomes

•

I�ocuses on you as a comperent, capable learner

•

Allows you to witness your unfolding genius

•

Increascs aW�lrencss of personal strengths

•

Elinunatcs guilt for failing to accomplish a broal

•

Eliminates performance an:aety as you lea.rn

In Chapter 1 , you gained an overview of the Natural Brilliance model

Natural Brilliance nunimizes oscillation and srrcnb'thens the learner with

and the techmques you can usc to a.chieve inunediate results. Chapter

each cycle of the process.

explained StOp signs, oscillations, and stuck states. It invited you to

i to tralll Illy cli�ms III how I When I consult with busincsscs. my job s do what I do, effectively replaclIlg mysdf and working myself our of a job. I teach g�nerative change.

atural Brilliance, as a model

of generative change, encourages you to seek the most elegant and efficient ways to become stronger. When you face a problem Siruation with Namral Brilliance, you increase your problem-solving skills.

explore where you wanted to break through and gain access to your gemus potentiaL Chapter J has described the five principles of atural Bnl.l.tance so you can con6dendy use the model to accomplish your goals. Now that the overview is complete, you can guide your conscious and other-than-conscious mllld through the process to reclaim your Natural Bnlliance, I�ady! Set! Pull out those Stop signs and let's Go!

Take a Brilliant Approach to life and Enjoy the Benefits i founded on five principles that match The Natural l3rilliance model s the world's most powerflll and effective human development approaches. It effectively resolves paradoxlcal problems, guiding relaxed, incremental changes to increase your options. It is a model for "belllg to do," rhus breaking the "do to be" compulsIOn of ollr culmre. Natural Brilliance m.allltains a powerful outcome orientation, keeping your full resources engaged in the most efficient ways for achievmg your goals. Finally, it takes a generative approach to human development and change. As a review, here are the

atural Bnl.l.tance prinCiples:

2

Release

Think of how your day would go if you took a balanced and relaxed

Neither comprehension nor

approach to the event� you encountered. When you relax, you expand

learning can take place in an

your sen�ory awareness to process useful information. rtelaxation

atmosphere of anxiety.

increases the sensitivity ofyour physical receptor> and enhances your fine

Dr. Frank Smith

motor control, allowing you to move effectively and efficiently. When

Reading Without Nonsense

you are relaxed. you can also enter expanded brain states and gam access

[0 the resources ofyour other-than-conscious mind to increase learning and choicl·S. Perhaps most important of all. approaching your day in a relaxed way permits emotional and cognitive flexibility essential [0 thriving in our chaotic modern times. Step

1,

Release, gives you the

balanced and relaxed state YOli need for success. Your best performance begins with the release of conflicting thoughts. emotions, or behaviors. Eliminating unnecessary oscillation and focusing your body-mind results in releasing stress :md tension. Unless they are acutely stressed, most clients I work with do not recognize how tension controls their bodies and limits their thinking process. In this chapter we will find hidden physical and mental tension and develop skills to release.

Discover Tension The opposite ofrelease is tellSion. Iryou ,vatch a large cat prowling its natural habitat, yOli see the difference. The cat's gaze diverges and its pupils dilate to absorb information from all around. Then, when something catches its attention, instantancously its pupils constrict, it� cyes foclls, and

its body goes on alert.

The same is true for you. \Vhen the systems of your body and mind tense, they undergo a natural physiological and psychological effect.

P.m Z: Gui" flit SkUls Of Natural Brilliance

40

Your sensory systems tend to narrow. Your hearing. feehng. and thinking focus. Limited input from your senses allows you to concentrate on one thing at a time. Because your emotional and cognitive choices are also limited. you stay on target, free from distracting or conflicting thoughts. Unfortunately, in the Information Age, such responses to tension .. \ 'Ork against us. We are required to solve problems and make deCISions continually; to make effective decisions, we need to take in information frecly. If we worry about problems and dt."Cisions, our problem-solving and decision-making abilities COI15[ri((. Another negative by-product of a JOt of tension is its effect on physical performance. Tension in muscles forces us to use large muscle groups, which work harder without coordinated use of fine motor skills. Large muscle actions cause us to over-compensate and over-COntrol. Per­ formance gaL'S down. A classic example of this performance barrier shows up with people who are trying to perform at entry-level standards for jobs; slIch as

RrftllSt

41

you say to yourself" I have nothing to do bm rest." The body restores and revitalizes all the systems of the body and mind, replenishing depleted reserves. I do not want to mislead you. The means to increased human performance is not to relax totally. Too linle tension leads to Inertia and boredom. Studies for decades have shown that our systems need some tension for optimum performance. Researcher and author Mihalyi Csikzemmihalyi refers to a "delicate zone between boredom and anxiety" as the "flow State." Herbert Benson, Harvard medical doctor and researcher, has demonstrated that breaking the "anxiety cyck'" can be accomplished by initiating the "Relaxation R ..esponse." Photo Reading uses the flow state for information processing with written materials. \Vhile Photol�ading, the whole mind s\Vitch('� on. bringing readers into an enhanced state and making remarkable capacities available to them. The goal of Rdease is to bring the body and mind into an ideal State for perfomung.

stenography, zip-code sorting, and typing. StudentS for these jobs can consciously learn all the skills they need to perform the tasks. However, to pass a test. they have to releJ.se to get incoming information. Their

Release: From Tension to Relaxation

bodies must respond faster than their conscious mind can think. so (he

Many things cause us to tense and ket'p us from using our full range of

smdenl5 have [Q let go of conscious awareness to move at ratt'"S only the

resources. Any stimulus outside we interpret as dangerous will set off an

inner mind can produce. Unfortunately, when the time comes for profiCIency testing. many smdents tense and try too hard. They f:111 to perform as well as they have learned, let alone fast enough to pass the test. Take a momem to feel in your own body how tension creates problems. Gently tense your calves, thighs. stomach, back, shoulders, and face. Take a breath and hold it for a moment. How do you feci? How long do you think you can laSI like this? Now release the breath and aU the tension. Notice what happens in your body, your breath, your mind. The natural response to tcmion is release. What do you do when you come hallie afier a hard day? If you have a frt:e moment, you probably take a deep breath and exhale with a sigh as you sit down. As you do, you spontaneously release your shoulders, stomach, and back. What do you experience afier release? At the end of your day, when you first he down and put your head on rhe pillow, don't you feel wonderful? PermiSSion to release comt'S when

anxiety cycle. Oftemimt'S. a stimulus in our environment that reminds us ofa negative past evcnt automatically throws us IIHO a defensive response. Sotnt":times we tense at television and other media bombardll1g our seUSt'S. We can become habmlated [Q living n i a state of tension so that we hardly realize we are carrying tensIOn in our low back Ot abdomen or across the back of our neck. As many paths lead to tension, so many paths lead [Q relaxation. Numerous simple techmques can help us achieve instant relaxation. Once I spoke about instant relaxation techniques at the noon meeting of a local R.otary Club. After demonstrating a ninety-second technique on six volunteers, r opened the floor for discussion. One of the volunteers interjected, "Before YOll get into this discussion, I \vant to share something." The man pulled two pink pieces of paper out of his tweed blazer pocket and continued. "These are two prescriptions for tranquilizers. I receIVed them from my doctor today. I JUSt realized I don't need [hem because,

111

that runety seconds, I became more relaxed than I have been

for the last six months. I \vanted to let you know."

Pilrt 1: Gait/ tIlt Skills of Nall/ral Brilliat/u

42

As a lifeguard you learn and practice what to do when the victim grabs you in an attempt to save themselves. The natural reaction would be to fight 01

Deep physical and mental relaxation is no nmade. It is always one thought away from your present stale. You will learn to produce an optimum state ofrelaxation very quickJy by followlIlg the Illstmctlons of this chapter. I n Ius book Al4fogt'"i(1;al"ill.�, Kal Kermal1l outillles numerous

struggle on the surface of the water. What you are taught and

techniques for getting into the idt:al Statt: of relaxation. His approach

trained to do is immediately go

centers around several simple principh.'s:

under water, deeply arKI quid:ly.

•

This is the last place the victim wants to be and so they imm�iately let go. like my shrth

•

Deal with emmioIlS. Emotions are thought-energy in motion in your physical body. Learn to leI emotions, as they wash over you,

•

Change your physioIOb'Y' Physiol<>!,'Y It:ads your elllotional st.1te and cre:tles the platform for mental and emotional rdax:ltion.

•

your body and I1llrld. YOll probably recognized that when you rda.xed your breathing, you simultaneously and spontaneously relaxed your body and mind. When you relaxed the IlIlk betwcen the two, body and nllnd follow Stilt. The correspondll1g changes 111 your body and mind change your emotions as well.

If you want to change a stuck state, first change your physiology. Release, and everythlllg positive will ripple alit from this shift. Here is a \Voly to change state to get .resourccs quickly:

give way to calnUles5.

easy when you know howl"

to breathe: III that way: notice the effect circular breathing has 011

C/lOost. Exufle"u

and body.

grade teacher Mr1. Baily said: "It's

Dr. Charles Connolly

\Vork with your thoughts. Calm thoughts lead to a calm mind

43

Sund, slouch your shouldcrs forward. and lower your head. Stiffen your righl knec and shift your weight to your right heel. Let your

Exe:rcise your major muscle groups. In addItion to releasing pent-up

arms dangle. This is the physiology of depression. Make your

tension, exercise causes the brain to release ncurochcmicals that

breathing shallow. Now think a depressing thought, something

arc

mood altcring in positive ways.

such as a major mistake )"ou experienced once a long time ago. Now that you feel depressed, I'll guide you to release in t1urty

Develop Skills If you study relaxation techniques, you will notice a pattern emerging. It does not matter if you are emotionally tense, mcntally ",.>ired, or physically srressed; the rule s i the same: Physiology FIrst. When you change your phYSIology, you change everythlllg. As you learned earlier in this chapter, when you fake a deep breath and soften your shoulders and posture, you initiate relaxation. Relaxation IS where you start any technique of Release. Let me give you an illustration. If someone held my nose and mouth so that I could not breathe. after a minute or two my body would beglll to tensc up and struggk to get oxygen. If I were still conscious after three Ilunutes, I would be frantically flailing my arlllS and body in an attempt to get free. Breath invisibly links body and brain. When you change your breathing, you change your mental and physical st.1tes. Try it. Take a deep breath and let it go. Now relax so that you inhale and exhale evenly. Breathe a complete cycle without any pauses between the inhale and exhale. illlagll1e breathlllg a CIrcle III which one breath flows evenly mto the next without Jerk or pause. Take thirty seconds to close your eyes and continue

Seconds or less. Il..eady? Take a deep breath as you straighten your spine, raise your head. and straIghten your shoulders. Exhale: as you cemer your weight over both fect, shoulder-width apart. Move one foot slightly ahead of tht: othcr, and tilt your weight to the balls of your feel. Breathe e\'Cnly with a full, deep abdominal and chest breath. This IS the ph}'lilology of exceUcnce.

ow remember a major success.

How do you feel? Notice the di(fercncc� between deprt:ssed and excellent? The physiolOb'Y of cxceUence will successfully change your emotional state one hundred percent of the time, because phYSIOlogy leads emotiollS. So, if you find yourself in the doldrums or

III

a stuck

state, know that you can change within thirty seconds. Assume thc physiolof,'Y of excellence. Simply standing up and breathing diffcrently will make an instant difference in your mental attitude. Accessing a powerful physiology and positive mental image will make you resourceful. A"dror " It RtlaxaliOIl RUl'ollU

Each and (."Vcry time you experience a state of true release, anchor It. Anchormg is the process of asslgmng a stimulus to a response. The concept of CondItioned Jl.tsponse trauung \\';is first introduced by the

Part 2: Gain

44

'hI!

Skilll of Natural Brillial1u

Russian psychologist, Pavlov, III Ius famous experiments with dogs. any The anchor you set can be physica l. auditory visual, or ,

combination. For example, a physical anchor could be squeezing your right hand into a fur and releaslIlg It. If you link this squeeze and release

Reil'oJll'

45

that those muscles are becoming loose and limply relaxed. Oy the time you have gone from head to toe or toe to head, you will be profoundly relaxed. Expenment with IIllS.

to a relaxing experien ce, then sq ue ez ing and releasing of your fist anytime in the future will spontaneously trigger a similar state

avare of it. Good. Become aware of the heel of your left foot.

it becoIllL"S.

become aware of your left elbow? Now, di rect your attention to

of relaxation. The more often you repeat the anchor, the more powerful

An auditory anchor could be internally stating a word or phrase, such as "exctllerar" or u{alm alld poised," A visual anchor could be seeing an l ious symbol or picruring yourself succeeding. internal image of a reig Anchoring is an effective and simple technique. Use it

as

you play

with tbe following exercises.

Rl'fax ill Nitlety-Suotldl

Direct your attenOOIl to the big toe ofyour right fOOL Become Now become aware of your right knee-cap. Good. Can you your nostrils. Become aware of the £low of your breath coming

IIUO your nostrils as you inhale and flowlllg out of your nostrils as you exhale. You directed your attention from place to place on your body. By doing so, you shut out any irrelevant stimuli

that might have caused your

body and mind to be involved and tellse. Sneaky, eh)

? Remember the story 1 told earlier of my presentation to ltot.1riam or yourself by it try can You goes. Well, here is how the demonstration

follow. Feel free to record it on a cassette tape for yourself. Or, have

with a friend.

someone read it to you. You may also choose to isten l to a professionally

Sit in a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your hands separated, resting palms up down and open on your thigh s. Take a deep breath, and, as you exhale. dose your eyes and think of the

Now that you have the idea. let me give you a detailed script to

produced relaxation t.1pe, such

as

my

Deep RelaxaliOlJ

Paraliminal tape.

The following process ofrelaxation takts ten to fifteen nUIlUtcs. Ifyou glance over the text now, when )'ou have time to piay with the process,

word Rl'lax repeating in a space behind your eyts. Think only of the word RefllX. Within ninety seconds, you will be very relaxed.

you lIlay choose to go through it tho roughly. It is the process of

An additional step is to imabr:tne that your dOT1l1nant ann and hand are as loose and as limply relaxed as a silk doth. Then reach over

Statts of learning with one deep breath. Over the course

with your non-dominant hand and pick up the wrist ofyouT dominant arm about six inchL'S and let it plop down on your thigh. [T'his is a bit easier to do for someone else. but it does work when

you do it on yourself.) as long as you like, bring your awareness once mentally counting forward from 1 to 5, then by again ourward opening your eyes. taking a deep b reath, and stretching your arms.

After rcb.xingjust

It really is as simple as that. Try it!

Relax Deeper

i called "prol;TCssive The main technique to achie� deep relaxation s relaxation," which involves moving your awareness from muscle group to muscle group.

As you focus your attention on any one p.ut of your body. imagille

rela:'l:ation we teach PhomR.eading students to develop deeply ammed oftroining.

the

partIcipants learn the pattern for releasing, which they can use any time

Paraliminal tapes use a unique blend of neuro·Hnguistic programming, accelerative karning, and preconscious processing to teacl! your inMr mind to I?spondin ways: that support yourgoal. They contain no subliminal messages.

they wallt to relax. Take a deep brcath ... hold it for a moment...as you slowly exhale, close your eyes. Think of the number 3. and mentally repeat the word Relax. imagme a wave of relaxation flowing downward throughout your entire body. from the top of your head down to the sales of your feet. A

\v:I,VC

of relaxation can begin at the top of your head and begin

to £.low slowly. downward, across the muscles of your scalp, flowing down through the forehead. relaxing all the muscles around the eyes, nostrils. cheeks ... Oowmg across the muscles of your mouth, chin, andjaw. Relaxing down through the muscles of your face, tllis wave can flow down through your throat and neck and out across your shoulders. Imagine this wave of relaxation flowing over the tops ofyour shoulders, the front and back ofyour

Call my office at Learn;ng Strategies Corporation for mort' information.

Parr 1: Gtl;" tilt Skills of Nafllral Brilli,,"u

46

shoulders, and down your sides. TillS wave can flow down your arms relaxing your upper arms, lower arms, hands, fingers, and fingertips. Imabrine this wave of rela.xation flowing right out your fingertips, carrying any tight, tense feellllg5 out and away. You lIIay even notice a pleasant tingling or vibrating sensation on the tips of)Ullr fingers, as all the Illuscks rela.x deeper. Tltis pleasant wave of rela.xation flow� &om your shoulders dmvn through the muscles of your chest and upper back. Imagine this wave spreading gently and evenly throughom the muscles of your chest and back, relaxing your breathing and all :around your heart. NQ[ice the even rhythm and beating of your hean as you relax around your hearL If your mind wanders, you can ge:ltly. ever so gently, bring it back to what you are domg here. There is plenty of time larer for other thoughts. R..ight now YOli arc deeply relaxing. Relaxing thc heart, the muscles of the chest, imagine this wave flowing down through your abdomen and throughout all the organs ofyour body. Imagine the W:lVC flowing down your back, down through the middle and lower back. Imagine this wave flowing slowly dowmvard into your pelvis and hips. Il.elax down through the muscles of your ieg5, allowing this wave to flow throughout your thighs. calves, all the way down through your \cb 'S, right down to your ankJes and feet. Relax your heels and toes. the tops and bottoms of your feet. Imagine this wave of relaxation flowing right out the bottoms ofyour feet, carrying any tensions out, flowing away, meltlllg away. You may notice the curious sensation on the bottoms of your fect, as waves of relaxation carry your body IIUO the level of comfon that is right for you. You are in charge. Anytime you desire to relax as deep or deepcr than you are now. you may do so by thinking of your phySIcal relaxation signal. the number 3 and the word Relax. You are in charge. {Pause} Take another deep breath.. . hold it a rnoment ...slowly exhale. think ofthe Ilumber 2 and mentally repeat the word Rdax. Let go of thoughts about the past or future, focus your awareness on this present moment III IJ.me. right here, right now. with each exhale that you arc kmng go of any fears, worries, problems of any kind. Exhale and let them go. Imagme

Rdttut

47

{Pause for a breath } With each inhale. imagllle inhaling relaxation, tranquillity, and comfort UHO every part of you. tPJ.use for a breath} So that w1th each b�ath you breathe, you let go more and relax even deeper. Imagme your COllsC\ousne�s expanding into this present moment. Whenever you deSire to �lax as deep or deeper than you are now, you may do so by thlllklllg of the number 2 and mentally repeating the word Relax. Outside sounds that are unimponant to you ... can belp you to relax evcn deeper. { Pause} Take another deep breath in . . . hold it for a moment. .. slowly exhale, mentally hear the soulld of the Ilumber 1 and imagine looklllg at a beautiful plant or flower. { Pause} This is a signal llldicatlllg that you have focused your awarem.'SS wi thm to this accelerated learning state. Here you have access to e},:panded CreatiVity and perceptual ability. You are in contact with the abund.11lt resources ofyour I11ner mind. ,

If you'd like, imabo1ne ),ourselfrelaxmg m a beautiful qUiet scene, sitting or lying back 111 a peacen,l scene, relaxing and enjoying tillS time ofcomfort. { Pause } Thl� is the ideal tillle to give yourself the positive affirmations that help you achwve the learning you desire. Right now, as you enjoy this relaxed internal state. give yourself positive and constructive affirmativc statements that help you develop the Natural Brilliance step of Release. For example, say to yourself, " I can achieve what I sincerely set my mllld 011. I elie\'c III myself and willingly accept my filII pmenrial , as a learner.

�

At your own rate. Imagine givmg yourself pralses----some positive phrases to help you achie...-e what you desire. Hear them in your own lIulld as If you were saymg them to yourself in your own

Part 2: Gail! tilt Skills oj Na/urlll HrillillllU

48

IIlIICT

voICe.

When you

RtltaJt

o Ninety-St.·cond Relaxation: Sit comfortably, release a deep breath, 3TC

ready, begin to brmg yourself out to an outer.

Using a standard procedure,

you

will be bringing yourself to the

outer conscious level of ;l\varcncss by the counting forward from 1 to 5.

o Deep Relaxation: Follow the script for progressive relaxation from head [Q toe, Refer to [he Al1pet1dix for additional tipS,

With each number, imagine yourselfrerurning to outer awareness, carrying with you the b'OOd fechngs ofrela.xarion and alcrtnt.-ss that you have developed. And at the last number, you open your t.j'CS fecling refreshed, relaxed and alen-feeling good.

Now. at a rate that is comfortable for you, bring yourself out by the standard procedure of counting forward fmm 1 to 5. Take all the time you des.ire to return now.

Summary You probably realize that rdcasmg is as easy [Q do as exhaling deeply. When you 6'llide your body and l111nd properly, every part of you is capable of relaxing. Over the next few days take opp0rtullities to pace your busy life with a few moments of relaxation. You will quickly train yourself [0 release spontaneously

III

any situation,

because you

know you can. When you face

and focus your mind on the word Rl'la.x repeating belund your eyes, Feel your arm relaxed like a Silk cloth,

consciously aware state of mind.

stress-producing situJtions, the knowledge

and sktlls

you develop with Step I , Release, will benefit you immedlJtely. In addition. when dealIng with thll1g
Acrio" C/U'ckliltJor Reil'a!e o Physiology FirSt: Ure-athe 111 complete, even cycles for thirty seconds, and notice the effect on your body and mmd.

o Excellence: Get IIno a balanced, pmvemll ph)'5ioIOb"Y ofexcellence, and bring a positive memory to mind.

o Relaxatlon Anchor: Experience the state of release, then anchor It physically, audimrially, andlor visually.

Notice

Noticing. Step 2 of Natural Brilliance, puts

your scmory systems back online when they haw been switched off due [Q tensiOIl and oscillation. When your senses turn on, a wealth of valuable i nformation becomes available, givmg you !lew o p tions for success. The experience of bringing your senses back online can be startling. like stepping out of a d1rk tunnel with the whole world opening vividly before yOll. Twenty hours into my mining as a private pilot, my instmctor asked me to fly to the neighborIng Anoka Coun ty airport. For weeks [ had been obsessed with making sure every detail was correct while I was flying. I would frequently scan my six insmllm�nts to confirm J was on course and at the right altitude. J would look left and right over the nvo wings to make sure J was flying straight. I would check the horizon with

to make sure r \v:IS flying level. "Straight an d level, all instruments check:' I would mentally repeat to myself. This scannmg routine dominated my consciousness every time I took to th e air. But on this particular day, somethlllg unusual took place that changed my experience of flying forever. As we approached the ai rport . r suddenly realized that I could see a mark on my windshield

everything around me. All traflic for fifteen miles wa5 Visible to me. I knew the

rel ations hip to the six instruments at one glance. I did not have to look left and right. The wiub,'S were like extensions of my own shoulders, and I knew they were level by simply looking ahead at my destination. "Wow!" I sai d to my ill5tructor, seated to my right. "This is amazing! It's as if! can see everything all at once." exact

approach of my airplane in

configuration of the runways. I could check in with aU

Me. I-Ilusak smiled back and said, "Congratulations, you have

removed your £light blinders."

Pilrt

52

2: Gaill tllr Skilll pJ Naflmd Bri/lianct

N/Jlicr

53

Removing flight blinders happens for all pIlots al some poin t. The

snow condition from another. you would certainly do so carefully

dommatloll of the limned conscious processing of the analytical mmd

Imagllle dnvll1g across cQllllery and not being able to tell one road sign

suddenly gl\'CS way. and the whole TTlllld switches on to panoramic vista.

from another. Dangerous proposition, no?

The goal of Notice s i to switch on the panoramic VlSt:1 in your world.

.

If you smdy the Nordic people, you will find a similar pattern of sensory awa reuess. They had a fa irly small working

Let's get those flight blinders off.

\'oca bula ry

for

e\'erythlllg cOllcernlllg IIlland existence. When it ca me to words descnblllg coastal regions-coves, rocks, waves, and other water

Step Out of Your Tunnel

conditions-they med dramatically more terms. Nordic people made

Whenever we arc trying tOO hard to bve life perfectly, we switch off the \'dSt resources of the whole Ilnnd. As a result we live our lives with tunnel vision. We habituate ourselves to vIewing the world through mnncl vision until we no longer realize how limited our perceptions are.

rema rkably fi ne discrimi nations regarding water. upon which they depended, and their success grew from these discriminations. Now turn to you and me. We !t\'e III the Information Age ill modern society We mllst extract meaning from data and the world al'Ouud us to .

My brothl,.'( Lee gOI glasses when he was eight years old. Neither he

make decisiollS for effective action. \Vhen we drive cars, information

nor Illy parentS knew how dcspa:llely ne a rsi ghted he was. The

comes at us qtllckly. Lawyers, computer scientists, medical doctors, and

experience ofstepping into the world with clear vision amazed him. As he describes it, " I had never known that grass is made up of -

other professionals need to process enormolls amounts ofinformation to keep up in their fields. What arc the sensory distinctions we should be

individual blades. I thought it was one big green undifferentiated blob.

making to survive and thTlve? How can we notice what we should be

Same With trees. I didn t realize they had individual leaves until that day

paying attentlon to

'

In

I stepped Ollt ofthe optician'S office." \Vhen our sensory systems are diminished or down, we do not realize that the world around us carries information we need. Tunnel viSIon can

be our obstacle (Q development: we do not know the effect of wearing

order to !tvc our lives fidly today?

Take the First Step toward Balance By sharpelllng your awareness ofthe \...'Odd around YOLI and your OWI1 sensations in response )'Ou wl1l get rid of disorientation and find balance. .

blinders until they finally come off.

I men tioned ill Chapter 1 that the step of Notice creates an "outside of

Notice More to Survive and Thrive

to change-awareness the keyl Rex Steven Sikes Founder of IDEA Seminars

n i stead of trylllg to balance by running all the lOp of it from one end to

After draining stress out of our systems wuh Step I , Release, we

the other. Achievmg a perspective outside the oscillating system helps

reStore a natural sensitiVity to our sensory s}'stems. This makes the

you to dampen the wild swin{,'S and bring the teeter-toner into balance.

remarkable faculties of the br:nn fully available and permits us to make Our peru!ptions are the doorway

yourself" awarelH."ss. I used the analogy of hopping off the teeter-toner

necessary discrimi nations (Q achieve Ollr goals.

Flight navigation is based on the same principle of balance. Even if you kn ow where you started and where yOll are headed, you do not

Step 2, Notice. is absolu tely critical to our success in the world­

know where you arc on the connectll1g path until you establish a third

literally, to our survival-and also to our ability to thrive in the modern

reference point. Knowing where you an' with respect to a third point

age. Look at various cultures in the

world 11131 had to survive in harsh

lets you plot an intersecting hlle, which gives you your position between

enVironments, and you shall see an iTlleresting pattern: survival equals

where you arc and where you are gOlllg.

the abiity to make wise decisions based on sensory distmctions.

Orienting requires trianb'ulation . Balance requires it. NoticlIlg creates it. To dinullish either/or, this-nat-that type of thinking that creates

l

Perhaps you have heard about the Eskimo people's abi l i ty to rustlnguish different types ofsnow. You and I might know seven or eight

oscillation, get perspective. When you havc another point of view away

types, whereas the Inuit, as they prefer to be called, make over fifty

from the teeter-totter, you can dlsco.... er what you have been domg and

distinctions. It s i logical that ifyour life depended on discriminating aile

what other choices might get you where you want to go. N OtlClllg

ParI 1: Caiu flit Skills oj Nalll,.al Brilliallct

54

Notict

55

allows you to get rid of the Ilcbrative effects of disorientation to achieve

breakthrough in the development of the PhotoReading whole mind

the balanced sensation ofknowing what to do next.

system s i how yOll gaze at a page of text. What we developed is a visual state to ensure that when you look at written information, it goes

Increase Your Sensory Acuity You perceive inside and all around you with your five physical senses.

directly to the vast memory stores ofthe inner mind. PhotoFocus. as we call it, enables you to take in the entire page at once, rather than hard focusing on individual words and word groups.

You use the visual and auditory senses, the sense of touch to perceive

With PhotoFocus yOli bypass the limitations of the conscious mind to

energy and motion, plus the senses of smell and taste. The way

gain direct access to the unlimited processing potential of the brain. The

to enhance your sensory acuity is to increase your ability [0 notice

essence of Photo Focus involves "seeing with soft eyes." This contrasts

changes. Your brain registers change, evell minutely subtle changes. A5

with hard focus, which s i our normal practice of getting a sharp. clear

you actively notice what your brain perceives, you will increase your

image of a single word, phrase, or line of print. \Vith PhotoFocus we

sensory acuity.

open lip our peripheral vision and mentally photograph entire pages.

Right now, while you arc reading these words, notice what you feel on the back ofyour thighs. What is the temperature ofyour scalp? What

You will learn more about the PhotoReading whole mind system in Chapter

10.

Right now, you can play with Photo Focus in the exercise

is happening to the index finger ofyour right hand? What sounds do you

that follmV'i. Aim to experience a visual phenomenon PhotoReaders call

hear that you have not been noticing until now?

the "cocktail weenie effect."

You actively directed yom attention to your various sensory systems.

To see the cocktail weenie effect, look at a spot on the \vall opposite

Perhaps yOll perceived a number of completely trivial bits of

you. Now, while continuing to look at the spot, hold your hands about

information. That's good. See how easy it is to notice what you

eighteen inches in from of yom cy\-'S. Then bring the tips of your mdex

have not been noticing up until now.

finger:s together.

For every external sensory system, we have a corresponding internal

As you gaze at the spOt just above the top ofyour index fingers. notice

representation. These representations are the operating system, or

in your visual field what is happening to your IIldex finger:s. Keep your

language, ofthe brain. We can enhance our internal sensory a\v:m:ness as

eyes relaxed and do not worry about bringing anything into sharp foclls.

we call our external senses. Our ability to process information, make effective decisions. and. ultimately, succeed in society also depends on making internal sensory distinctions. The rest of this chapter helps you develop your external and internal sensory acuity. Et.JltHlct YOIlr ViSl/a/ SI'tI5( Imagine a visual input channel that can route information directly into your inner mind. Once there. your mind can sort through the dat:l. and deliver answers to you consciollsly whenever you want or need them. Would that be great? Well, guess what? You were born with the equipment to do just that. The PhotoReading whole mind system is built on the idea that YOll have an other-than-conscious mind and a preconsciolls processor. With Photo Reading YOll can process wntten information at rates exceeding a pagt: a second. This is really not a radical idea. The concept; lISed in the design of Photo Reading have been around for centuries. One major

You will notice a ghost image that

100kJi

like a third finger or a little

party sausage. Seeing the cocktail weenie demonstrates that you are diverging your eyes instead of converging them on a fi.xed point of hard focus. When you diverge your focus, you soften your visual field, :l.nd expand your peripheral a\vareness. You can see the effect only when you do not look directly at your fingers. You can apply the same effect to the pages of a book. Fix your gaze on a point comfortably beyond the top of the book or at a spot

011 the \vall,

while noticing in your peripheral vision the four edges of the book and the white space between the paragraphs. Because your eyes are diverging, YOll will set: a double crease between the left-hand and right­ hand pages. llegill to notice a little rounded strip of a phantom page between the crease lines. That is what we call the "blip page." You call learn more about PhotoFocus in my book. TIle PhotoReadillg Whole

Mind System.

For now, consider that Photo Focus gives you a

Part Z: Gaill tilt Skills .if Narurlll BrilIiallrt

56

I remember Budtminster Fuller reporting that he saw the world in soh focus because he did not wear glasses until he was about foor or five. He said one of the secrets of his success was that his vision

direct visual channel co your inner ml1ld. When you use this gaze to zip through books, you will recognize the fabulous aSSJS[ance your inner mind offers. Photo Focus can be thought of as a kind of "second Sight." As a neurological phenomenon, It can be used

In

other ways to open your

wasn't corrected until he had first

visual sensory systems and increase your ability to notice more useful

built a soh focus vision of the world.

information in your world.

Peter Kline, Chairman of the Board of Integra Learning Systems

Nelson Zink, at the Embudo Center in New Mexico, glVl�s seminars on "Nightwalking." This process allows you to walk outSide in total darkness, 011 moonless nights, using a techlllque that is the Photof"OCus corollary. When Photo Reading, we usc second sight to gather information from the pages of text while we g'.lze at a distant point. When Nightwalking, we use second sight to gather information from the terrain by holding our braze at a poim eighteen inchL"S in front of our eyes and by staring at the end of a rod attached to the visor of a baseball cap. Does Nightwalking work? It is remarkable! I have led groups on ,,,,ooded trails for mi l es. They do not mnnble 011 unevcn ground or lose

Noti(/'

your forehead to the hOrizon. Lct your gaze contain the arc plus the people and objects Hl1me
she v,,'as aware that the woman directly behind her was wearing a red dress. When she turned around to look, �he was right. No doubt, her mind had picked up reflected lIuormarion around her. Use the 5.11l1e techniques when ,valking through large crowds. luther

martial arts. For example, a master of AlkJdo who can defend himself

360-

degree awareness. I have found Writings that suggest a connection between this soft gaze and an ancient Tibetan tradition known

Peter Kline, Chairman of the Board

materials in PhotoFocus, letting your inner mind process everything.

of Integra learning Systems

Then yOllr mind can show you the ideal path to obtain the information you nced. taking you to speCific articlt"S and paragraphs. All of these techni ques will help to open. strengthen, and balance your visual system, allowing it to serve you fillly. You ,viII nonce more usenll ll1fornlatlon and build a data base that will help you respond man: etTectively to thc world around you.

I f you had your cars tested, you would see an audiog ram o f what frequenCies you can consciously hear. Dr. Alfred Tomans. a French audIologist, wrote 1111' Comoolls EaT, translate d in English by sound t'Xpcrt Don Campbell. Dr. TomatlS explains that we tend to hear

only the sounds our native culturc and language habitua te us to hear

as "Splitting the Ethers." Also, Carlos Castenada described a similar open visual gaze in 71Jr Trarlrings

People from India do not make tlte F sound. To pronou nce it is difficult, lafb>ely because thL')' do not hear it. In Mandarin Chillese thcre

and in

his other books about his Southwest Inchan warrlorlteacher Don Juan. Those of us who live in a typical modern lifestyle can practice opening our visual senses

III

ollr everyd,1Y situations. YOli can ul$tantly

begin to notice usenll information all around you. I lere's how: When you are driving in a car, ann lugh. Move your gaze tovr.ud a point on the horizon. Simultaneously notice IIlfOnnatioll coming from your rearview mirror and from your sideview Imrrors. Through your penpheru vision, also notice mfonnation from the sides of the road. When walking. practice the same gaze. Imagme an arc stretched from

you stop looking at the ground the far horizon.

and respond to.

oj Donju,m: A Yaqui It'tly oj Knol11edgt

the expanded horizon before us. You get a strong future yision when

path. The same concept IS used when Photolleading a newspaper or

Similar to noticing useful information visually, you also can impro"e the quality ofyour auditory sense. In rruth. we are all hearing only a pan of the tot:tl auditory spectntm.

ag;lIIlS[ ten attackers approaching simultaneollsly has developed

future has eY1!rything to do with how well we can look up and see

magazine. Rather than focusmg all ITldlvidual aniclt"S, pass through such

out, but, when he reached overhead, he realized his inner mind had i a useful tool in developing Step 2 of Natural Unlliancc. Second sight s

other words, the way we see the

when you walk and start looking at

EllluwCl'YOllrA.,ditoJ')' St'rUi'

VieWing the world with soft eyes is a common trallung technique in the

Soft focus is an impottant skill that can affect us metaphorically. In

than look mg directly at pcople, go into soft focus [0 determine your

the trail. One man ducked for no reason that he could consciously figure warned him of a low branch projecting from a [fCe at forehead level.

57

are four mtonations used in pronoullcing words. Oepend ing 011 the 'vay it is said, the sound AlA has four completely different meanin g:;.

Learning another language otTers a perfect opportunity to broaden your audiogram. My colleague Petcr Kline used a great technique to

help a woman from the South 5.'y the word oil. The only way she could Earl. Here is what ht: did.

pronOllTlCe it was

Peter playcd a recorded selection of cbssicaJ music, which offers the br.un a wide audio spectrum, and turned on a tape recorder. Then he told Susan to repeal after 111m:

Jl..", 2: Gain t"� Skills oj NatlmJi B,ilfilmu

58

NOfiu

59

"I don't," replied Tom, perplexed at the man's statement. "Come on, you're joking. You JUSt ordered your meal In flawless

Peter: Oil

Swedishr'

Susan: Earl

" No," Tom shook his head. "But you did," rhe man laughed. To prove it, he called rhe \vaitress

Peter: Oil

back to the table. "Did Illy friend just order his meal in S\\'edish?" he

Susan: Earl

asked the \\laltress. "Yes." she replied. "Beautiful Swedish:' she added.

Susan: ETil

Tom's stullned response was. "What did I order?"

1'<1<", Oil

When she told him, Tom quippt'd, "Well, that's exactly what I wanted!"

Susan: Eryn

While Tom was in Sweden, hiS brain heard the audiogram

Peter: Oil

characteristic of that culture. In effect, the restaurant served as an

Su�an: Oy-ill

allditory smorgasbord. Spontaneously and unconsciomly his brain had

Peter: Oil

activated the language. From that poiIlt on, Tom was able to make sellse

Susan: Oil

of what was being said when people spoke Swedish around him at

Throughout me experimcm, Susan

{ould lIot consciollsly Pfr((,jll(' any

difference in the way she pronoun ced the word oil. After the experiment, Peter played thc tape back. To her amazement, she heard her;clfs..lY the word correctly. Only then did Susan realize it W.lS wltlllil her capacity to extend her allral range.

Although Susan rCVl'rtcd to saying Earl when Peter rurned otT the classical music, with further play, she began to hear and speak differently.

The unconscious acqUisition of language is demonstrated when an expatnate lives in the Unllcd States for a few years. An Englishman I

�

know speaks, to my ear, with a clearly discernible British accen . However. when he returns home, hIS family chides him for hiS

"dreadful" American accent. I only detect it in his pronunciatlon of certalll words; his high toned kalw has flattened out to a plain Midwestern Catl.

A powerful story of the nonconscious acquisition of informatioll . came from a BaSIOn PhotoReader who worked for Volvo. To practlce

Photol,eadlllg and prepare for a business trip to Sweden, Tom PhotoR.ead the Swedish-English dictionary several dozen times. Only

'O ro of .. Photoll..eading It for a few nunutes each time, he never spoke a \ the ianb'llage. When he arrived, his host took hlln to dinner at a local restaurant. After he ordered. his host $;lid, "I didn't know you spoke Swedish:'

'S' He did nm speak the Ianb'lJab'C again on his trip. but business ll1eetillb he understood---at an intuitive level. Besides listening to clasSical musIc and PhotoReading in foreign lallb'll:lges before travel, YOli can enhance your auditory perceptlOu ill other \\laYS. I also encourage you to open your ear to your inner \vorld. Quieting the conscious mind and gently

refocusing

attention increases

control of your inner mind: Fim, qUiet the world around you. Practice driVing without tUflllllg on the radiO or sound system, or sit cOlltemplHi\'t'ly in a quiet surrounding. Listen [0 your own !lund. Ask yourself a question and notice what happens. With purposeful listening, find the "still, sillall VOice wnh1l1," the voice of your higher intelligence. The anCient concept,

A,Sk mId II sllQl/ be gil'l."rl

111110 YO". connects you to the source of

infinite intelligence. Second, quiet the mind chatter. Occasionally, after a busy, anxious day, we hear mindless tape loops playing, You have probably repeated a tune or run a movie scene in your head over and over. You can interrupt the tape loop by inserting a replacement. For example, I substitute a chant I learned III meditation c1a�, Or. I sing a favonte hymn sever,ll tllnes. Sometllnes I choose to remember a pleasant memory or antiCipate a positive fmure event. Any of those chosen thoughts supplants mindless loops J,nd gIVes me authority over my thlnkmg process once again.

Questions focus our thinking, Ask empowering questions like: What's good about this? What's not perfect about this yet? What am I going to do !'\ext time? How can I do this and have fun doing it? Dr. Charles Connolly

60

Parr 2: GlliPl (/I� Skills oj Natural Brilliarlu

E" I/I,Hla: YOIlr Frrlit.g &,ISI'

Notiu

61

have practiced it off and on throughom my adult h(e.

Have you ever said " I feel down" or "I fcel up today"? These state­

The goal of many Eastern traditions IS to strengthen the nervous

ments refer to the movement of energy in your body. \Vhen you feel

systelll. They beglll with the concept that all energy originates in the

sruck. your body is alerting you that it has responded to your stress by

"Chi" center--cqulValent to the solar plexus-and all movcmenr arises

allocating ellergy for fight or fught. During this alert, you cannot gam

from the spine. Hatha builds strength, balance, and awareness in both the

accl.."SS to your other lOner resources.

solar plexus and the spmc. By practicing a few Simple exercises and

Try the following experiment.

pOStures each day. I enjoy lIlcreased ene!),'Y and ease. Before teaching a

Stand up for a momem. Slump your shoulders forward, get a

cOllrse or giving a speech, I make a point to spend a few Jllinutes doing

frown on your face. and hang your head. Tilt your pelvis so that

my favorite Hatha routine.

your stOmach goes III and your knees go out. Now think to

You can count on the fact that as you b'din strength. balance. and

yourselfi" a depressed-sounding inner voice, '"Gosh, I feel

awareness i n your phYSical body, you will simultaneously increase the

wonderful! This s i the best day of my lifer'

lll(orrnatlOn your physical senses offer you. The goal of Step 2,

mice, is

to increase your sensory acuity.

How did that feel? Ridiculous. right? Now try this:

I have studied another system, called Edll-K or Edllcat;o/lIIl Ki"l's;ofogy,

Straighten yOllr back and leg;. Stand straight with your shoulders

which provides incredible benefit to any learner. Developed by Dr. Paul

back and rcb.:xed, your head tilted so that your face looks slightly

DemllSon and his wife Gail, Edu-K offers easy exercises (or balancing the

up. Let a subtle smile form at the the corners ofyour mouth and

body and mind for effectIVe learning.

your (."yes. F l ex your knees slightly so that you fed springy In your

Think of physical balance

HI

three dimensions. You can balance

legs. Now think to yourself in an upbeat, excited voice, "I feel

vertically-up and down; laterally-left and right; as well as

totally awfid; this is the worst day of my life!"

horizontally-forward and back. The techniques of Edu-K :Ire

How did that feel? Isn't it strange to have your body and mller voice workmg In opposition to your affirmation? TillS experiment shows how profoundly your phYSlolob 'Y and self-talk mfluence your feelings. The

described in a brief easy-to-follow way in the Dennison's book Bra;'1 Gym: Simple Aailliliesjor 1111Oft' Bra;" uami"s. You can do one exercise fight now ifyou \\lluld like.

way you operate in the \"llrld depends on how you fed. If you want to

Stand up. March III place, nising your knees alternately to waist

notice whal is happening in your world, assume the physiology that

level. Touch your knees with opposite hands; left hand to right

makes you mOSt receptive to information around and in you.

knee, right hand to left knee. The Dennisons call this the cross­

Barbara Brenan, author of Hands of Llgil l, describes a process of

crawl panern: they m;llntalll it strenb'thens lateral balance. You Illay

developing "High Sen� Perception," with which a person can perceive

also find i t energizes }llu. I recommend the cn>SS-crawl whenever

the energy fields around and inside hVlllg orgal1lSllu. Accordmg to

you have been sittlllg for more than twenty minutes. Dr.

Drenan, noticing sublle energies allows for self-healing, self­

DemllSon's contflbutions break through traditional views of

transformation, and heahng others.

learning by demonstratmg the hwu:ln nervous system does not

You can feel your own subtle energies with a little patience and

learn effectively when it is out-of-balance. When we get too far

perSl.Stence. Notice them as you quiet your body and mind. I use the exercise discipline known as hatha-yDg.I. Some people may imagine a yogi to be a ninety-pound turbaned East Indian swami. rurmng himself into a pretzel. Though I don't look like that. I continue to practice yoga as a path to spinal strength, physical flexibility. and mental control. 5mce teaching hatha-yoga

III

college, I

out-of-balance, we " switch off." Other Simple ways to "switch on" and enhance your Natural Brilliance are found III Christine Ward and Jan Daley's excellent book Leart/illS /0 Letl"': Slrtlfe�;es for A((eleTilti".� Learning tlnd Booui ll� PerfimlJ(l/Ict'. These New Zealand teachers suggest; •

Drink \V<\ter

ParI 1: Gain tht Skills of Natural B,iIIiQ/I(t

62

Fill your lungs with fn.-sh air Do basic brain gym exercises Do aerobic exercises Do rda.x3tion or meditation exercises In addition the amhors recommend proper sleep and diet. plcasmg In colors. natllral lighting. good odol"3. slow music, and natural fibers •

•

• •

clothing and fimushings. Which ones particularly appeal to you? Use those to enhance your personal and professional development. I,,(Ttlur ')'olir I'lfuilillf! Caparilits

Arc you psychic? You slIspcncd I was going to ask that. didn't you? Over the years of teaching hundreds of people how to usc their intuition. 1 have concluded that we are all born with remarkable percepma! abilities. These abilities, if developed into skills, would be called " psychic" by anyone who did not knO\v better. Incrl'asmg your awareness of internal sensory represemations can i ternal pictUres, actu.ally develop your intuition and ESP. because your n sounds, and feelinb>'S have Llllportant connections to COnsCIOUS and thought of as nonconscious sensory perceptions. Intuition i� commonly knowledge without prior sensory perception. My redefinition of II1nutioll is knowledge without prior conscious scnsory perception. We can rely on our other-than-conscious processes to deliver us the eqUivalcm of"psychically inmitive" abilitlL'"5. And, we can han' it juSt for the .askmg. DUTIng a recent PhotoReading class III Mexico, an engineer asked me how he could develop his IIltuition. Guilliermo feared that, as an analytical tlunker, he was without intuition ofally kind. I told him, "We can play a little game. I Will say the name John three times, each tlille thmktng of a different person. I will mix the order, but I Will tell you now that one will be my son, one a friend, and one my father-Ill-law." GULlhermo was correct in every guess. He said he could sense my father-in-law in a different way, so I asked him to describl' John Blackford to me. He described my father-in-law wnh uncanny accur.lCY. He Intuited that John had been in the Navy and the Illlllistry. He concluded With the fact that John's hair was black, although mostly boone on tOp. All mle. "I had no idea I could do this." he �id with a nuxture ofastonishment and glee.

Natier

If you never eXperllllent, how can you discovt"T your abilities? Everyone has a capacity of genius; It is up to <:-ach of us to lei his or her gCtuUS come alive. I encourage you to play with your intuition. Think of anythmg you choo�c, and .ask yourself questions about It. Asking questlon� develops your IIlterna.i seniOry awareness. Th.lIlk of a nme when you had a strong IIHllltion that nlTlled out to be corn'ct. Even the be'St psychics have a hit rario of only ei ghty percent. So consider anything over fifty percent better than chance and excellent. Consider how that inmition came to you. Did a picture, a VOice, or a feeling part ofyour UltULtion reach your con�ious nund? Ask yourself to remember the signal that occurred just before you became aware of the sensory perception. \Vas It a feeling, a voice, or a picnm:? The seat ofyour ultlution IS the aW:IT"(:IlL'SS lila[ lies at the periphery ofyour consciousm·ss. For mally people in the American cuitUrt'. the kinesthetic, or felt sense, is the place where our Intuition rl'"5ides; at the �me time we are most out of touch with our feelings. We tend to describe our ·'out of conscIous" sense as '"mysterious." For Americans, the VlSual and auditory semes are the most frequently used and the least mysterious. To get in touch with your own mysterious source of information, your IIltUltion, explore. Explore everytiling mentioned so far in your intuition, your least fowored senses, the penphery of your awareness. the limits of your sensory awareness. and the distinctions you can make around and wLtlun YOll at any moment in time. Be curious about and receptive to what you discover. Summary

Step 2, Notice, c.an feel a lot like plaYing. Take a cunous, open­ Illlllded approach when you feel stuck. A playful approach swuches on the whole mind. I define genius as the produCt of a mind fully in lise. Explore the suggestions in [his ch:lpter to notice how easlly you can get past being stuck to switch on your genius. Step I and Step 2 together-Release and Notice--create a state of relaxed .awareness. When you have achieved tlus state, you are prepared for the actlvanon of Step 3, Respond. VOli can realize the full power of your potential when you move in the direction ofyour desires. Whether you take a step of action or not, whether you fail or succeed. your

63

The ancient Hawaiians called the solar plexus the seat of intuition, or the second brain. The Na'au (solar plexus), they said, is where all real knowing comes from. This equates with our translation of sensing something, or having a gut feeling about something. D. Trinidad Hunt

l'art 1: Cdir, tl,e SkillJ of NOll/ral nrillillrlct

64

personal power and genius stune as you respond. each Consider using one or more of the suggestions from the chapter

box day until you have experienced all ofthcll1. Put a check mark In the to IIldlCate your progR"SS.

Aaimr Cll/'cklistJor No/ice

o Noticing Break: Notice what you 3rc not noticlI1g. Check Ln at

Respond

various inttOrvals durUlg the dJ.Y. Notice whdt you are not paying: attention to. What kinesthetic, auditory, and visual mformation IInpll1ged on your senses that caused you [0 switch off?

o Soft Gaze: Usc the concept of PhotoFocus to softly gaze at the

in world around you. Expand your peripheral viSIon to take everything around you at once without focusing on any olle dling.

o Listen Within: Choose quiet surro\lndin�,''S. Quiet t.he buzzing mind

still, chalter that may dominate your thinking. Listen to your own small voice.

D Stretch: 00

3:

Respond LIlvolves taking action in order to aSSl'SS the value of

what changes. Everything we do and do not do influences the results we get in life. Although we want to make thIngs turn out well, paradOXIcally, sometimes our actions make things worse. This chapter exanunes making deCIsions and taking actions that lead

some simple yOb'1 postures or Tai Chi movements to

cnhance your energy flow and balance.

D Edu-K Cross Crawl: Do the

cross

crawl pattern for a mllllltc afier

SHtlllg for more than [wemy mmutes. Also switch on by drinking

water and breathing fRosh alf.

o

Step

to quantum leaps in performance. Recognizing how we create oscillation and what we can do to minimIze or dampen oscliLulou IS only part of the story. The step of Respond in the Na[Ural BrillIance modd is the point of deparnue from stuck state to genius. Marcus Wynne is a former government agent, a special weapons and

Develop Intuition: Ask yourself a question to notice the visual,

tactics

auditory, and kinesthetic information that comes to you. Make guesses based on your internal sensory perceptions and check them

lie enrolled in one of my comst's on hypnosis to enhance his skills and

om with others.

(S.W.A.T.)

expert, highly {mined in coumer terrorist techmques.

understanding of human behavior. He questioned what

I

told everyone in the course wuhm thirty

Illlllutes of gathering. "You are all going to do a complete session of hypnom wHh a partner." "This can't be," he thought. "Nobody III here knows anythlllg about hypnOSIS. What about aU the safety issues?" Marcus appreciated the success everyone experienced during that opening exercise. Throughout the weekend the high level of skill he obtained WaS beyond his expectations. Rather [han delivering a heady lecture on hypnosis, I aimed to f.,cilit,lte the participants in one weekend of practlOoner rraming to do remarkably skilled change work. As a final exam, they performed medical hypnOSIs under the watchful eye of a physiCian, Each of them guided their subjects to control pall} and bleedlllg. Durlllg the test, the hypnotist slipped the phYSician's hypodermic needle through the skill of the subJect's hand without discomfort to the subject.

P.lrr 1: Gain tht Skills ojNatll,al lj,iIli/Jllu

66

After gradu:Hing from the course. Marcm began 100lon8 at the tralTllTlg methods I II IllS own field. He quickly understood the deficiencIes of most tradItional training methods. In Marcus's words: "What I realized is that one of the big differences between Paul Scheele's training programs and most other programs is that Paul assumes people are bright enough {Q do a good job. Rather than spending time teaching ullnecessary rules and installing the fear offailure. he �tarts with the most difficult task first, and they Just do it.

"h didn't surprise me one bit to see that typical handgun tr:Ulling and civilian combat scenano training for law enforcement officers do everytlung wrong. The trainers spend an mcredible amount of time tellmg people what 110/ to do." Marcus designed a different course. The final exam came only four hours after the course started. A young woman who had never held a handgun was put to the tcst next to a five-year veteran law enforcement This dass is not about shooting­

agent who had not taken Marcus's course. In four years of pnor military

but you'U learn about hand-to-hand

service_ tlus man had received hundreds of thousands of dollar<; worth of

(ombat. This class is about r�

combat tra.1n.ing. including S.W.A.T. courses. The only time the woman

dis(ol/ering a certain state within

had ever .seen a gun

yourself. a state that is your birthright: the state of feeling safe and strong in your person and

was

once, three years carlier.

In the test an "assailant" ;It[:lcked each of the participants U1dlv1duaUy. Their job was to defend thcmselvi..'S by drawing their weapons. a

.38-

being able to choose to extend that

cabber revolver, and firing blanks (with cotton wading) at the chest of

strength to protect yourself andlor

tbe attacker.

those in your charge... from the induction for the rape

The man drew his weapon and fired six times-in rapid Sl1ccession­ all around tbe art.1cker. Never once did he score a stopping shot. The

survll/or seminar

woman confidently pumped all SIX rounds in a tight cluster ]]lto the

Marcus Wynne, Training designer

attacker's chest.

and consultant specializing in critical skill retention under stress

Marcus Wynne contmued to refine hIS training techniqu...i.. . Now Ius work receives lIlternational acclallll for Its effectiveness in achlcvmg cntical skills retention under l.tfe-threatening stress.

Head in the Right Direction: It's Not What You Don't Want W�at IS the Namral Brilliance difference that made the big difference? What i n Marcus Wynne's approach leads to quantum leaps

III

RtspOlfd

67

actions, both of which contalll negative consequences . They ask themsc!vi..'S, "What are all the dungs I don't want?"

When asked a powerful question, the ll11nd tends to go on a search to answer ]t. It IIHIIIedlately gener:ttes an enormous ltst of prevIOus learmng experiences. Marcus reahzed that those previous experie nces were

s.lying "Here s i what you don't want." For example: DoII'1

harm al/yolle ullilllellliol/ally. /)0/1'1 JXlifll II,eJlIIII ill the 111f01((!, direc/ioll. & extremely cartflll /0 f71Sllre t'I'fI"}'Clles sq{ety. l\'�1Cr carry a loaded halldgllll ulliess the sq{ely is 011. Nrverfirr YOIf' l''Capol! fmll'ss YO" art absollllely surr thaI YOIl am IIIIf lVith till' {OllSeqlll'IIcts of YOllr action. \Virh all those contradictory messages, no

wonder OSCIllation occurred every time a law enforcement officer had to fire a gun III the hne of duty. Our life experience reaches us that when \ve do someth ing and don't get what we wam. we should stop and do the opposite. But, doing the opposite can be a prescription for oscillation. What we need is the

question, " What do I want?"" The young woman in the handgun trainlllg clearly wanted to defend herself. The law enforceme nt agelH next to her was filled with don 'ts ,har kept hun unconsciously OSCillating bcm'een domg the task and tlot doing the task mrorrtctly. What is it you w:mt? It may seelll ndlculous. bue that crucial question

15 rarely asked in traditional psychotherapy. Even more dramati c is how

few therapy clients can answer Ihe question. The reason? They are completely oriented to their problems, nOt to their outcomes. They suffer from thcir problems. they discuss their problems, they get insight about their problems, but they spend little tillle clearly articulating

what they wam instead of their problems. Until we decide on our outcomes and respond to aclucve them, we cannOt fully discover Our Natural Brilliance. Natural Bnlli:l.lc l e does something qUIte Slmple. It trams your bralll to ask a very different question-the outcome questio n-"What do I want?" When your mind goes on an immediate search for [he answer to

this question, it creates possibilities. choices. options. The clearer you arc about what you \wm, the more easily your mind can achieve it. The third step 111 the Natural Brilhance modd-Respon d-pops us Out of stuck states by eliclIlll g a powerful allswer to "What do I

performance? When you understand this next point. you WIll ha\"e the

want?" Step

i..'SSCllce of Namral Brilliance.

lIleffecti"e trauting.

Let's go back to the namre of stuck statcs. \Vhen people are stuck. they are expendlllg most of their energy oscillating bet\\'een opposing

3

natura lly overco mes the lllnitat ions of previo us

You may have heard the statement. "If you always do what you've ahvays done. you'll al\wys get what you've always gotten." The Ulessage

You may have heard a joke about the definition of inunity. Insanity

is doing the same things and experting different results.

Part 2: GI.i" tilt SklllJ OfNat.Hal Brilliallct

68

Imagine that you have access to a computer the size of the Empire State Building-the largest computer in the world. If you type

If you want to get somethmg new, you must do somedung different. Responding means decisively taking appropriate action III tht" direction of your desired goal.

IS,

in any question on the keyboard, you will get one or more answers. The more specific your questwn, thE' faster thE' reply. Each of us has access to that magnificent computer. It is the human brain. My own personal strategy for accessing this marvel is to write down eiJ(h question in a notebook leaving space for thE' answers which will appear on the monitor of my mind. My mega· computer may respond instantly or it may take hours, days, Of months. The computer will oot discontinue a SE'arch fOf answers in in data base unless I abort with the instruction. "I giVE' up!� Of -I guess there is not an answer to this question: The computer will bE' on and searching 24 hours a day no matter now long it tak� until I switch the machine off. James J. Asher, author The Super School of the 21st CMtury (How to get the eduation you want for your children from preschool through high school)

As the story goes: After Thomas Edison tried anothH filament without success in his prototype lightbulb, he said, -Now I know ten thousand and OM ways not to make a IIghtbulb...

Find Balance in Oscillation: Juggle

Learmng to juggle reqUIres movement, balance. and a wlil.lllgness to fall. My beliefis that anything worth domg IS worth dOlllg badly at first. Juggling teaches you that perfect'ionislll does not work. No one juggles well at the beg inrung. \Vhen you juggle, you must perform only two aCtlOlls. You must tOSS the ball in an an:: from one hand to the other. and YOll must catch the ball you throw. Juggling becomes difficult because you IlIUSt perform thl'Sc actions simultaneously-with at least three balls. For most people. juggling is a confusing blur of oscillating movement. Anyone who casually attcmpts juggling usually ends up declaring "I can't do this!" Most people confronting their stuck S'.ltCS s;Jy the s.ame thing. They perceive a confusing blur of competing responses. which leave them convinced there is 110 hope. Lessomfrom the Art ofJlIGGUlIg by MIchael ), Gclb and Tony Buzan explains the connection benveen juggling and expenential learmng. I had decided after years of repeated attempts that I was "Juggltng­ dIsabled." One evening I attendt:'Cl a rousing performance by the Flying Kar.IIIlOZQV Brothers. Afterward, they offered to cooch members of [he audIence m their an. TheIr SImple teaching method encouraged mastery of throwmg and catching one ball at a time. When I could do one ball well, they graduated me to twO balls. When I could do tWO balls, I graduated to three. E\'ery time I dropped .1 ball, 1 picked it up without self-depreciation and took it from where 1 left off. I learned how to Juggle in less than ten minutes. Responding, likejuggling, requires finding a place ofbalance inside an oscillation. For many of us, balancing i� easier said than done. Most adults try to learn something with ineffective strategies they used in school, such as "get it the first time with one-hundred-percent accuracy," Would you believe this about adult learners: Although it takes performing up to fifty trials before adults can accllrately Judge that thl.")' cannot develop a particular ability, most people usually quit within the first ten times of domg somethmg unsuccessfully?

ReJpotld

Imagl1le If 1I1fants had the same lcarnlllg style as adults while attempting to learn how to wa.lk. After landing face first n i the dm the tenth time, they would roll over and say, ;;Sorry, Mom. I can't walk. Looks like I'm gomg to be a crawler for the rest ofmy life. JUSt occJ.use you're a gemus at wallong. doesn't mean I can be. I've med and failed. I JUSt can't get it 10 happen." Respond s i charactenzed by persistence. YOll must hold the belief you ("" do II to such an extent that G;1\'l11g up IS not e\'en an option. Your \vill to succeed will find the \V3y to succeed. Confront Your Fears-The Power Appears

Motivation expert Denms Waluey suggests two typlC:l.1 approaches to life. One is ,11(1111 a(lu'r]li/l.�; the other Slrrss refjevill.i!. If strong fear and weak motivatioll come together, stress relieving is our likely path. It makes sense considenng that when we hit an internal stop sign, we tend to do a quick V-turn for fear we might get whacked. How call people reasonably confront their fears when every internal urge screams Flee! Fortunately. you come fully equipped with a vast source of personal strength. Strength to respond results from setting clear outCOIllt!S with clear motl\'es or purpose and connecting to mternal resources. Here is how: I) Using the atural Bnlhance model. approach goal achie\,lng \vith relaxed alertness. feehng lIlternally balanced and clear about the many choices and OptiOIlS available to you. When you take action. you qUickly recogmze if your response moves you away from what you deSire. 13y pcrfonrung .1 mal and tlotlcmg the feedback, you can get a clear sense of what it takes for you to succeed. 'Hial alldfl.'l'dbll(k enhances your deCISIon-making. and illcn:ases your motivation as well. Fear cannot restral11 a powt'rful lntennon. . of fear allows 2) Being ph�ically and emotionally prest:nt in the f1ce you to remain resourceful . As a result of Step I-Release-you arc physically and emotionally relaxed and pre�cnt. As a result of Step 2Notice--you are mentally alert and connected to your Cutn-lU sensory perceptions. both 11lternal and external. Relaxed alertness creates a connection to the wisdom of your other-than-conscious 1ll1lld. When you conSCiously respond to events in your life from a place of n'Wun::enllness. you will effectively achieve outcomes. Our other-than-conscious 111111d controls our habitual behaviors.

69

1 grew up being told that If a thing is worth doing. it's worth doing well. Now I know that doing something well is easy if you know how. tt's learning to do it well that's so hard. I recognize that if a thing is worth doing it's worth doing badly. That's the only way you'll ever be able to learn it. t'm an expert at doing things badly so I'll be able eventually to do them well. Peter Kline, Chairman of the Board Integra learning Systems

"So what's the challenge in the first simulation1" asked Elan. "Resigl'lation and hopelessness,­ answered the elder. '"Many pE'Ople set out with a goal in life. But when It becomes hazy or adversity sets In, they often succumb. These people let circumstances dictate their lives, never realizing that they have the power to change things: Elan knew he couldn't hesitate. "I'd like to do it, he said. -I'd like to realize my power to confront and change things.O. Trinidad Hunt

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70

My tint JOn, Ben, joined our

When we res:pond with fear, the other-than-conscIous is Simply doing

communii)' T-ba/l league whM he

Its best to protect

was a WH littk guy. 1 was frustrated watching 8en's attention wander, and J told the baseball coach, ·Coach, 8en is iust out on the second base line building sand castles.•

The coach smiledat 8en and said, -You should be eatatk he's on the

us.

You can eaSily train your other-than-conscious mind [Q move you past fcars. In fact an instant igl1ltlOn switch in your other-than-consclous

71

When you witness the effects of your actions, you open yourself to

our eight Keys of Excellence to

Oltly feedback is " I have not arrived yet."

successful living. It could even be

The bnef thcrapy breakthrough changes our orientation.

A� we

turns on the total power ofbody-mllld. 'JUSt Do It!" is the theme afthe

respond and witness the effects, we recognize moveme n t . We

sllccessful Nike campaign. It emphasizes that ninety-nine percent of the

experience success hI the dimfiml of our goals withom having to achieve

work to overcome your fears happens when yOll show up and go

the goal just yet. When

for

your dreams.

field. All the rtst of it will come.

Writer-philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson put it this way: "He who

Be happy he'J willing to be out

does nor the thing has not the power. He who does the thlllS has the

\VC

take the pressure off ourselves,

we

maintain

I looked anew at this little five year

than-conscious mind delLvers the

StCp of l'tespond.

old with dirty khaki shorts so baggy

yourself enough to respond, and all cI�c follows. Your mind and body

theysagged to his knees. He WOIe

can generate enough power to overcome your fear.

last notch in hopes it would stay on his head. My tension about his missing a play, letting a run srore, rmJffing the infieldpickup was

Fire U p the Heat of Passionate Desire You must be willing to fail in ardt'r to win. Ifyou cannot stand the

Respond with Natural Brilliance Let's SlLllunarize Step 3 of the Natural Orilliance model. •

By responding we seek a ba.la.nce point \vithll1 an oscillating system.

•

R.esponding, effectively requires an olLtcome orientation and

prospect oflosing, you forfeit the game. Harry S. Truman declared: " If

deciSIOns that are ba�d 011 knowlllg the desin:-d results you want to

the baseball diamond a friendly

you can't stand the heat, get Out ofthe kitchen!" Elimlnarillg the fear of

place. I got a chance to witness a

produce.

failure IS the S
And I took the chance to let him start something out right. Fouryeart later in the ninth inning of the last game of the season, Ben belted a grandslam home run to

hide. Not only must you stand ft'Solute in the heat of the kItchen, you

Mo�t people are blinded by their goals. Dy their own IIlternal

dinch the victOty for his team. He didn't go on toplay baseball beyond

happen to you: you do It to yourself. When you miss the mark, you can

fifth grade, but with soccer, karate­

choose to call what you gotfwlbock. You fail only when you give up

whatevercame next-the metaphor

believing in yourself. There is no othcr failure in the world.

coach for his wisdom and Ben for his willingness to engage. They showed me that showing up allows genius to win.

Dr. Paul Watzlawick and the Palo Aho Orief Therapy Clinic in CaiLfornia developed a breakthrough strategy for life-long learning that makes subsequent b'Oal achievement surprisingly simple. Althougll your actions may not always accomplish your goals, they

those who see the learning and put it to use. Take an outcome that may

•

lies the next time around. However, failure is not the only outcome that gives us information. Successes, too, aUow us to find what we are doing well and continue doing it for continued success.

arc

online.

You realize most of your personal power when you show up,

Bobbi DePorter, President learning Forum SuperCamp

engage, and do what you deSire to accomplish.

Quantum learning Success

The best learning occurs when YOll make concrete, incremental

Products

III

the direction ofyour gool.

If you value and integrate the feedback fro m your actions, all Olltcomes you produce can lead to learnmg.

•

places to learn and grow more dearly. You will see where success

Rcsourcenllness happens when you are rcla.xed and alert. R.e!axed

changes •

convert it to simply information. In analyzing information, you will see

means physically and emotionally prt$Cnt; alert means your sensory systems •

to create. measures, they ju<4,'C themselves a success or a failure. Out fatlure cannot

repeatedi�If. 1 kept celebrating the

•

your desires, you mUSt show up to play in the game, not run away or must fire up all even greater heat of passionate desire for the life you \vant

have found is that learning is everywhere-and success is for

be perceived as a failure, and

gnawing at me, not at him. He found

new paradigm unfold for my son.

artist Henry Matisse wrote: -There who want to set' them.� What we

power:' When we res:I>Olld with purpa.e to attain our goals, the other­

his red baseball cap cinched TO the

every situation, whatever the outcome, we continue to grow. The are flowers everywhere for those

there at all.•

Simply engage

restated as learn from evt't)' experience. 'When we learn from

our balance, enjoy [he journey, and keep learning all the time. Earl ightll1gale, the self-ill1provemcnt herald frolll the 1 9505 through the 80s. made famous the line, "Success is the progreSSIve realization of a worthy ideal." That quote sums up the purpose of the

req\lired strength .

Failure leads to Success is one of

perceiving progress toward and away from our goals. Consequently the

PersIStence is crucial. DisCiplll1e and hard work are rarely as important as persistent actions based on informed choice and learning about what works.

We can accomplish a big shift III results from a small shift III onentation. In a relatively new field of mathematics dubbcd}ia'zy logic,

always produce an outcome. If you know how to accept what your

big res:ults are being achieved by looking at systems in terms of successive

actiom produce, you can u�c every outcome you produce to guide you

approximations of correctness. Fuzzy logic described in the book, Puzzy

toward your goal. " Whatever course of action you take," says Dr.

'J1li"killg: '[lIe t\'ew Srinut of FriZZY Logic by Bart Kosko and Tony Buzan,

Watzlawlck, "I am gomg to ask that you report any small concrete

departs from typical rrue/fal�, either/or, black/white kInds of thinking.

IIldlcator of success, any movemem In the direction ofyour goal."

That type of thmking and language creates oscillation. Rather, It uses

Par' 1: GaiN thr Skil/I oJNlltHral n,illianu

72

both/and. inclusiye, mtegrativc, gray-tone Language charactcri�tlc of Natural Brilliance. multibillion-dollar industry usll1g computers to control machines. I�or air

comhtioners

" kind of on" or "sort of ofT."

are

no longer " on" or "ofT," but

ow, we can make machlJlcs cOlUmually

respond to feedback, which creates successive approxlIn.1nons leading to a goal. Imagine, a machine With the benefit of a " continuous improvement" approach to problem-solving. It gets smarter with every action It takes. Well, guess what? You are mfinneiy more capable of learning than any machine

\w

o Go Easy on Yourself There

73

15

no failure, only learmng. T.'lke time

to review whatever outcomes you produce, then value and integrate

I n the short time it has been used, fuzzy logiC has spawned a example. c1ev:ltors and

Rl'spond

can ever produce. A.5 a maner of fact. the mathcmaticJallS

who developed fuzzy logic and inventors who desib'llcd those machUl{,s used human capabilities as their model. Your body and brain slicceed Oil the same principles as fuzzy logic and conti nuous nnprovcmellt.

Summary I encourage you to always cdebrate every inch of your pmgress, as well as your accompishmentS. l You can achieve whatever you Sl·t your mind all. You can gain acct.'SS to energy reserves you might never befon' have thought possible. Takmg time to acknowledge and remforce your experiences of success IS Step 4 of the Natural l3nlliance modd: Witness. Consider using one or more of the SliggestiOIlS from this chapter each day umil you haw experienced all of them. Put a check mark in the box to mdlcate your progn.'SS. Actio" Cllukfistjor R�spo"d

o Establish Clear Outcomes: Write down the results you want to produce. Do your best to ensure your goal is achievable. behevable, measurable, testable. and worthwhile.

o Get into State: For optimum resourcefulness, enter a state ofrelaxed a1ertncss before performing an important activity.

o Show Up: Determine to do somethms you have been aVOIding, and show up ready to bro. OISCO\'er what happens when you sart t a tolSk you had put 01T in the past.

o Measure Your Progress: Recognize any �mall concrete changes in the direction of your b'OOl. Celebrate any and all progress yOll make.

the feedback from your actions.

o Stay on It: Keep chooslllg and respondLrlg, far past the point where you would ha\'c quit before. Give new behaviors at least fifty [rials. Keep learnlllg about what works.

Witness

imaglllc the safety and permissIOn you would have for learmng If you

could honestly affirm that wharc\'cr experience you havc is okay. If tim s.1fery is not available to you imdlcctu:lUy, emotionally. and physically. you might oscillate away from your goal and enter a stuck state. Willlcss. rhe remarkably safe oasis of self observOI.tion. nurtures us and keeps us oriented to manifestillg our highest potential in life. When my wife Libby was a little !,>iri, she desperately wanted to Jump off the high dive. The high dive at the beach where ht'f family as the centerpiece offim. Every clay she her brother, sister, and COUS1I1 performing crazy jumps /Tom the

V3C:H10ned one summer stood \\!atched

11Igh board and splashing into the waves. Although Libby longed to dive, she

\vas

On

terrified of the height.

the last afternoon of vacation, she was determined. She scaled the

ladder, but once on tOp. she quickly sat on the platform and clung to the roul. Her siblings tried everything to get her going. At first they encouraged and enticed her. Then they goaded her. When that didn't work, they cajoled her. Finally, they even tried to push hel'--(o no avail. The more tht:y urged, the tlghter she gripped. In the meantime, all the kids

lilled

up on the ladder had to scramble over her to execute

their

own cannonballs and swan dives.

to leave the beach, With no one would bother her. She stood alone. edged to the end of the board, and looked over. In her mlild she saw herselfJumplllg and surviving. She held her nose, dosed her eyes, Later, when the time came for her family

everyone else 011 shore, Libby knew

and leaped. She loved it! She

quickly paddled back

to the dmng platform. After

dams "Just aile more dive" SIX tllnes, her frustrated fal1l1ly finally dragged little Libby back to shore.

77

,.vjf"tss

76

how Libby the Namn] Brilliance retreat, I dcmonsITatc exactly 111 the learned she what took her leap offaith offthe dIV1I1g platform and In

rds process. Professional hypnotists call what she did the "f.tlling backwa al n o rs e p n i s d un o r tcst ," and the same exerc ise has also made the development courses as the "trUSt fall . l lcrc are the steps: while someone Stand with your feet together and your arms folded f.1Cing your shoulder stands behind you with arms e xtended, palms s. legs set shoulder width apart, one foot ahead of the other. When "

blade

you close your cyt."S and lean back.

the "catcher" will SlOp

your f.111 wnh

wai[Jllg hands.

For some,

falling is

difficult. If they have fear, they wili try to catch themselves mid-fall by putting one foot behind them. However. those who do accomplish the trust fall follow a similar strategy every timc. They sce themselves landing in the cltcher's hands and fecling safe. So, in yOLIT mind's eye, from a perspective of standing either behind your�elf or to the sid e of yourself, watch your own fall and sec the safe catch. interestlllgly, nvo kinesthetIc experiences complemem the visual and get caught feel experience. Fint. as you watch the unagmary sdffall Second. enjoy a back. cemcnt of tile catcher's hands on your own .

the pla

corn.-sponding internal feeling of safety. go-ahead. The final component is an auditory statement that signals

You Jllay

hear a voice say ing

Okay

or Let's gal The words

are

less

and anxious but important than how the internal voice sounds, not tense 5.1fety. relaxed and pov,rerful, congruent \vith the feeling of

Once again the strateb'Y IS: I) Vs i ualize the fall from an observer perspective. 2) Feel the imagined moment of being caught. 3) Feel safe at a gut level. 4) J-Iear your internal supportive voice give the go-ahead le can witness The trust fall lies at the heart of witness. When peop after taking action, their own responses to the world, before, during, and .

they can break through to learning.

would you think if I summarized breakthrough as being a ave changed behefS change 111 your belief in yourself? Most often, you h new behaviors about your capability when you learned how to ch� you must identify and wm. Wimung demOlmr.ltes capability. But first, yourself as someone who can win. ess Can you recognize that you are III the driver's seat dunng the witn What

mode of th e l e:l. rn ing process? You dIrect your learning almost exclUSIVely from inside you. Just as little LIbby could not be cajoled into jumping from the high dive, you and I are in charge of confrontmg our own fears and stepping up to challenges that face us. Similarly, we cannot bully ourselves to change Witness provides safety and freedom for learning and winning. Witness creates a safe place inside to imagine ourselves as winnen. .

Take a Consultant's Perspective

of an outsIde perspective. I can sec things from alongside or behind the scenes, a view most "insiders" do not have as long as they cling to their own problems. Part of my mandate is to facilitate the employees to witness their own process and their own solutions. Again. when i work \vith individual clients, I have perspective to view their suuanons [rom alongside. J may get an i might they cannot sec from their own point of view. BUI the paradox is that no matter how many great ideas I come up with, the cbents themselves must shift their own behavior. You get to JUillP off your own high dive. The objec tive of Witness ill the Natural Brilliance model IS to faciiit
'

The secret of life lies not In the discovery of new lands. but in seeing the world with new eyes. Marcel Proust French Novelist and Philosopher

8e
P.m

78

2:

In his book Rmsd offers the following pJ.rnble: A !lund attached to Its beliefs IS like a person dmging [Q a

do It. It s i only a matter oftirne mil he knows he must do Lt. He

piece ofrope.

releases his grip.

He holds on for dear hfe, knowing that Jfhe wc� [Q let go he

A5 he does so an L"Vt:n greater sen� ofpeace flows throug

h him. now hanging by one fingcr. Reason tells him he should have fallen a finger or two ago, but he hasn' t. ' I s there something wrong with holding on itself?' he asks himself. ;Have

would fall to his death. HIS parents. his teachers, and many

He

others have told him this is so; and when he looks around he can S:l.TlU·,

Nothing would induce him to let go.

'This one

up to you,' she says. ' I can help you no further . JUSt remember that all your fears are groundless.'

unnecessary, that the seCUrity It offers is illusory. and only hold� are.

So she looks for a ,va), to dispel his illusions

She talks of It'al security, of deeper joy, of rrue happiness, of

And nothing happens.

peace of mind. She tells him that he em taSte tillS lfhe will just

He Stays exactly where he is.

release Dill' finger from the rope.

Thcn he realizes why. He has been standing on thc ground all along.

'One finger: thinks the man, 'thats not tOO llIuch to risk for a taste ofbliss.' So he agrees to take this first LllItiation.

And as he looks at the ground, knowing he need ncver hold on again, he finds trLle peace of mind.

And be dOL"S taste greater joy. happim'Ss, and peace of mind. Out lIot enough to bring lasting fulfillmem. him, 'if you will JUSt release a second finger.' 'This: he tells himself. 'is b 'Oing to be mort difficult. Can J do it? Will It be safe? Do I h:avc the courage?' I-Ie hesitates, then,

IS

Trusting his quict inner voice. he gradually releases the last finger.

and help him to be free.

'Even greaterjoy. happmess and peace can be yours; she tell�

tS

1 been wrong all the timc?'

Along comes a wise person. She knows that holding on IS you where you

7'

fall?' With a lutle cOOlxing he begulS to look at hiS fears, to consider thcir basis. and ro explore what it is he re:ally wants. Slowly hc feels his fingers soften :and relax. And knows he can

the: implodlllg supernova of a maUlre star.

see everyone else doing the

•

WiwUJ

Gain .ht' Skills of Naturoli Brillitmct

�

In that arable, tiunk of the importance of the witness perspectIVe, as III the fallmg backwards test and Libby's high dive. Witness takes us beyond the limitation of our own behefs mto aiternati\"e universes of choice. The final shift III beliefis ahvays Lip to us individually. ,

flexing his finger, feels how it would be to let go a lmlc 1l10re...and takes the rISk. He is reheved to find he docs not fall; IIlstcad he discovers greater happlllcss and inner peace.

Um could more be pOSSIble? 'Trust mc,' she says. 'Have I failed you so far? I know your fe:ars, I know whar your mind is telling you-that this is crazy, that it goes against everything you have ever Icarned�but, please. trust me. Look at me. am I not free? I pronuse you will be safe. and you will know even greater happiness and contentment.' 'Do I really want happLness and inner peace so much: he wonders, 'that I am prepared to risk all that I hold dear? In principle, yes; but can I be sure that 1 wLll be s:afe, that I wlll not

Shift Your Perceptual Position Historically the term "wimcss" has been compa red to knowledge and : testimony. \Vltness, as I use it, consists of self -knowledge galiled from personal experience and knowledge g:lined from obscrvmg the aC(JOIlS f others. This knowledge, gained from thc tcstim ony of your scmes IIlternally and externally, lets you witness yourse lf and otiwrs with ever­ increasing clarity.

�

Consider three typlC.I perceptual positions from which we exper­ Ience our world: "First Person," or the fin;( perceptual posmon, refers to expcncncing . hfe through ur own semory systems. I sec my world through my own eyes. I speak III my own VOIce.

�

"Seco nd Person," or the second perceptual positi on. refers to

PDrl 1: Gain flIt Skills of Natural B,il/ia"u

80

rhe other person's shoes" or seeing the \\'orid from hize pomt of view. I speak 111 the second person as I empat

"walking a mile someolle else's

III

with your position

all

issues.

refers to perceiving "Third Person," or the third perceptual position, tllyst'lf over there, and the context in which actions are taking place. ( see

n myself as If 1 were I see YOli with me over there, so I mentally positio tual position [hat gets watching the two ofus all video. The third percep 4 of Natural Brilliance. close to the witness perspective I refer to 111 Step Close, but not exactly it.

account the first, Witness, rhe fourth perceptual position, takes into y. In it, you can second, and third perceptual positions simult;l.I1cousl rion. sense Self, Other. and Context with an outcome orienta

collea gue in the Patric ia Danie lson, my closes t profes sional e oriel1t;ltion of development of PhowReadlng, describes the outcom yOll detach, as an witness as a state of "Positive Neutrality." I n tins state the other person can observer, at the same time yOll believe yOll and state &om someone both achieve your desired n..'Sults. We distinguish this over every little trymg hard to gt.'[ a goal-struggli ng and obsessing succcssc$ and failun..'S failure. Posim'C neutrality allows us to witness our COntext. in various sItuations (or contexts) in a larger life this complex state. Most cultures have no smgle word to describe ce of opposites and Paradoxical in nature, i t perceives the existen can S:IY, "My failure imcgrates them. From the witness perspective I more IInportant today is okay, because I am hl:aded somewhere much

than this." Witness accepts and resoh'<.'S duality. roles of nurturing Witness, In Its detached involvement, combines the

meta-position that parent and the consulting observer. Witness takes the i . learrung is all there s

Benefit from Witness WitlH!ssing (Step 4) The consequences ofResponding (Step 3) withom and pllnishment in can be devastating. When you confrom disapproval ofyour bfe, stop signs your attempts to learn and to Improve the quahty comend, "(ofl$mw;ve pop up at e....ery crossroad. Comrary to what some different from the (fifirism" does nO[ exisl. Constructl\"C feedback is far es and screams, ··Don't act offinding fault. Thqudgmental mind criticiz leads to feeling bad do that agam!·' Fault-6ndmg le..d� to blame; blame oscillation. Once the about yourself: feeling bad about yourself leads to

lViII/iSS

vicious cycle Starts, stuck states abound. When you respond and witness, you can perceive that you did somethmg that did not move you III the direction of your goal. For example, I undcntood my temper abenated me from the love I \vaTlted

81

In our office. we hold an annual meeting: a Vision Meeting. Each fall we spend an entire day analyzing the past year. We use only two questions on our analysis: -What

to feel with my wife and children. J fi.llly understood my anger at their

worked well?- and "What could

behaviors was a response based on fear. So what? That is fine. J ean

work better7" Out of these two

continue to blow up i n anger until my dying breach. It is my life.

questions we gather the feedback.

No one can change my responses III the world. The quesrion is still

Our feedback is not only from our

·'What do I want?" IrJ want a response other chan an angry temper, what would It be? Notice the oscillation set lip by my getting angry and critical ofmyself for helllg angry and critical of others? We see a lot of bumper stickers,

numbers and statistical records, bot also office staff. Sl.ImlTll!f staff. and graduates of our program. Each person is invited to share an opinion, an obsefVation, or insight

political cartoons, and wry jokes based on the paradoxes of oscillation.

as well as an idea, a possibility, or a

I'm thinking of tile person who says '" think prejudiced people should

solution. This way everyone shapes

be shO(. , hate jlldgmental people:' I remember a lapel button abom capital punishment that read: "Why do we kill people who kill people to send a message that killing pl:ople is wrong?" Exposing our shortcomings IS not the goal of Witness. The goal IS

what the ne.1 year will look like. We seek out each opportunity for feedback and apply what we have learned. We spend time organizing our feedback. prioritizing. and

getting what we wanL When I fall to achieve what I want, I do

acting on it systematically.

not have to hop 01U0 an emotional roller coaster of trying hard('r only . to f lli abr:lll1.

the feedback we rec:eive. we have

Think of Wimess as an oasis expenence, a restorative pause in the Journey, for the \vanderer in the desert. Witness offers perspective in the learning process called lifc, a pause that couches us emotionally. lIl/onns us intdlectually, and refreshes us spltlcually. If you ha\'C ever b'One on a retreat, you may already know the broader benefits of \vitn("�ing. Jn a retreat, you pull back from liVing life III the external world to get closer to yourself so that you can lIVe fully. The

f rm YOII, toform experiences of your life can yield rich mformatlon to itio

In acknowledging and employing grown from one program to an international organiZation. Learning from our example, OUt students apply the feedback they receive with any challenge and know they have the ability to succeed in all they do. Bobbi DePorter; President learning Forum SuperCamp

ill yOIl, and, ultimately, (Q forlll you. Witness makes this rich source of

Quantum Learning Success

informatIon available at evcry level of your being.

Products

Integrate Your Witness in Moments of Truth Without Witness, it is easy to deny the consequences of my self­ defeating and unproductive actions, and thereby lose my lIIomelll of muir-my chance to learn and grow. When J do something that feels good but does not get me what I want. I face a moment oftruth. I know what I have done. Uut, winch perspective will [ chose: to learn and be

Part 2: Gain tilt Ski/II oj Natural Brillillnct

82

smarter for It or to deny and walk away from it? For example, 1 can overspend on a piece of audiO gear and rationalize my decision as taking advanuge of a good deal. The problem, which [ A researcher invites four-year-old children, one by one. into a plain room and begins an experiment_ "You can have this marshmallow right now: he says. "But if you wait while I run an errand, you can

can easily predict from the witness perspective, will come when the "Zero-lntercst-for-Six-Months" time period IS over. When my short­ term buy response compromises my long-range financiaJ goals, I hJVC a moment of truth to face. As a child I learned that when external authority

\va5

not watching, J

have two marshmallows when ' get

could get away with thing;. I could break rules and get at me off-limits

back:Then he leaves. Some

goOOi('S of life. As adults, we create rules to govern our behavior and

children grab for the treat immediately. Some last a few minutes before they give in. Others

manage ourselves. \Ve create rules because we know we cmmot always

fol/oll! tl'f",--we cannot always lIve up [Q our high('St e:\l'ecrarions. \Vhen

are determined to wait and do

we break rules,

everything they can to avoid

difficult it is to foUow and the greater the consequcnces.

thinking about and eating the marshmallow.'Nhen the researcher returns, he gives these children their two marshmallows.. Then. he checks in on them years later. By the time the children reach high school, those who were able to

we

face consequences. The stronger the rule, the more

Witness. however, docs not prescribe an automatic consequcnce. With witness online. you can determine how to respond at the moment of truth from the perspective of a broader life comext. Your response coming from the long perspective of witness will marc likely benefit your whole life. Let me offer an analogy: [he "near death" experience ofa client in

hold out for the second

Mexico. Near-death experiences bring us spontaneously into witness.

marshmallow generally grew up to

No one knows why. but in the instant of our brush with dearh, we

be better adjusted. more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable teenagers.. The children

suddenly rt.'View our entire life, seeing it in the broadest of contexts. My dient, Gerardo, pm his motorcycle down at high speed in traffic.

who gave in to temptation early on

He plunged under an oncoming pickup truck, only to wake lip days

were more lifely to be lonely, easily

later in the hospital. By every calculation, Gerardo should have been

frustrated, and stubborn. They

killed or permanently dISfigured. He hl"aled from the accident

buckled under stress and shied

completely. unscathed neurologically and physically.

away from challenges. From the "EQ Factor" by Nancy Gibbs, Time Magazine, October 2, 1995

Emotionally, Gerardo had

a

transformational healing. As he lay

III

hIS

hospital bed, he began to review Ius life. Throughout his twenty yl"ars of hving, people never mattered mllch to him; he used them

as

a means to

hi.� end. He never gave a second thought co doing others wrong. They wcre not Ius problem, bm he was certainly their problem. Gerardo felt that, by some divmc intervention, he had been given a second chance in life. He resolved [Q go to every person he had ever left with ill will and personally apologIze to them. To meet this young man today, you immediately perceive a wisdom beyond his years. Surrounding him s i a spiritual radiance and a pure joy for living. HIS lovely young wife and baby boy are blessings to him of the

I,,'jlnl$1

83

highest order. Gerardo feels he s i doing better me second rime around, as a result ofwhat he WItnessed about his own lifc. You do not have to go to the extreme of a near-de;nh experience ill order to witness your life. Vou can also acluev e this special perspective safely a n d inten tiona lly. Witn ess allow s liS to perce ive the mtcrconnectcdn('SS ofour actions to the totality oflife. The frightened, fearful person has limited visibility on the Outcome ofany act. Living life successfully in the long run requires aware ness of how r<_'Sponses to life today shape the continuously unfoldin g future. Your payback for WItnessing can be profound. Tluuk ofthis present moment on an ullagil lary rimeline that stretches back 11110 the past and forward into the future. It is possible, with the power of your imagination, to witness thc course of your hfe. For example, you can observe the past and witness the path you have traveled. You can :llso reasonably predi ct the outco mes you will experience in the future, extending the trajectory of your current habitual behaviors forward III time. Arc your behaviors today creaung the Il.lture you desire? If not, what do you want?

By eliminating fear, which fogs your VIsion . you will spontaneously generate :l big perspective oflife. Instead of running up against stop signs, you will get an inner sil,"nal to go ahead.

look into the Shadows BClng clear to witness the context and validity of our actions has strong personal developmental benefits. Witness gives us insight into the repressed, or "sl13dow," en('rgies we keep hidden frOIll othcrs, plus it exposes rhe dysfunctional strategies we use to avoid confronting

our fears.

Fear Imposes a profoundly negatrng effect on life. Although it is biologically impef3tlve to notice and re�po nd to the warmngs that fear signals, fear is seldom good for our well-being. Paradoxically, many times it only gets in our way. Instead of saving ollr li\'es. fear often keeps us . from llVUlg. If\vc have fliled in the past, we respond to fear 011 the basis of an unconscious faulty conclusion about our capability for the future. Our typical inherently self-defeating respo nses to fear keep liS from tapPlllg our full potemial. If you ever console a chi l d who is afraid of the dark, you Will have a chance to observe how we generate mydl ical fears and cope with thcm.

I listened to William Miller, author of Your Golden Shadow, say that as we take each stuffed feeling out of our shadow bag and make it our friend, we discover the golden creative self. l wanted to jump up and dance; I knew this to be true. As I released each repressed emotion. I delighted at the gihs my creative imagination gave me. Barbara E. Kobe Creativity Mentor and Facilitator

84

Par' 1: Gaj" the SkillJ oj NaluroJl BriliiaPlU

Children prOject frightening Images beyond the circle of hght and generate corresponding tremulous emotions. They conjure up the most hideous monsters lurkmg deep in (he shadows.

Ur,tnf'1S

85

secret is in rcplaclllg fear With 1m'e. Milton R. Cudney, Ph.D. spent thirty years oflllS profl..'Ssional life researching self-defeating behaviors. His brilliant book with l:tobert E.

One night my youngest son, Scott, woke lip cowering from a

Hardy, Ed.D. descnbes a way Out of fcar, denial, and sclf-defearmg traps.

grotesque monster that lay in walt outside the window near Ius bed.

I n their book, Self-Defl'llrillR Behllviors: Free Yourselffro l1 tire HllbilS,

';

When I suggested he could consider that the monster had horrible fangs

COlllplllsiollS, Fee/illgs, lllld Alliwdes Tlurt Hold YOII BliCk, they offer this

made ofmarshmallows dripping with hot chocolate sauce, his fi\'c-year­

useful ll1sight:

old imagination eagerly joined the game. We continued to add red

Above all. never lose Sight of the fact that self-defeating behaviors are

gumdrop eyes. claws of gummy worms, spaghetti hair, and a g10flOUS

both dangerous and deceptive. They come IIlto your life as apparem

green frosting hIde sparklmg with rJ.inbow-coJored sprmkles until he fell

friends who offer comfort and protection in moments of distn:s5. They

peacefully back to sleep. Weeks bter, he mentioned mattcr-of-6ctly that

help you through these threaten in g moments, and for this you are

he had seen the monster again. This time, all on his own, he had

gratt.'ful--so gratefill that you come to believe that you cannot live

outfitted him with new feamres, equally wonderfid. Instead of feeling fear and withdrawing, SCOlt had been able to feel his

without their devious company. Sooner or later, though, thl..'Sc behaviors . reveal their true natufC. At [hat point. you must f1ce rhe realization that

insecurity and actlwly respond. He placed the images and feehnb,'1l he

your self-defeating behaviors have been unworthy companions and

wanted into the shadows ofhis Ilund. Rather than covering Ius head, he

untrustworthy 6'Uides The comfort that these behaviors offer is false. If

embraced the opportunity.

you rely upon them too long: they will lead you away frolll the road of ,

In the shadows of adults lurk memOTles of emotionally painful experiences. Most of us bear sOllie wounds. It m3y be impossible to completely

.

health, growth. and life. Self-defeating behaviors \vill. ill the end. take you precisely where you didn't want to go.

avoid getting hurt while growing up. The big problem with

wounding experiences come when we create faulty conclusions about ourselves and generate mythjcal fears based on them. For example. the attitude ''i"1lI 1l0 good. I can't learn to do anything right" genel'lltcs myUucal fears about failure and success. Such fears cause liS to avoid somethmg or to give up lcarnmg skills \ve need. When we "'!>, we often discover we have chosen to Imry part of witness Ollr choicl our ahvent."SS, our Creativity, our eagerness to explore life to the fullest. Robert Uly, poet-laureate of the men's movement IJ1 Amenca, \VIOte in hiS A Utt/r Hook all lire Hrmlllll SllIldow that we all drag a long bag behrnd us, Sniffed full ofthe rt""pressed parts ofour pefWnality. Often. the bag holds sOllle of our most creatIve resources, lost to

tIS

because ofsome

embarra'iSing ridicule that hurt enough elliotionally. "The nice side of i our idealistic culnlre, mcer and nicer," \Wltes the personahty becomes, n Illy. " But the substance In the bag takes on a [regressed] persollabty of Its own . . Every part of our personality that we do not love will become .

hostile to us." These repressed pam are called our shadow. By witnessmg your chain of responses to fear, you can create a new path out ofthe shadows. Perhaps we need nothing more than a dollop of SCOtt's marshmallows, hot fudge sauce, and ralllbow spflnkles. The

Manifest Your Highest Good The exciting opportu nity that Witness provides goes beyond accomplishing successful results. The Bibll! refers to the power of IIHl'gratll1g the beneficial and detnmental results of our act ions. The

phrase 111 J John 4 : ! 8 Perfect love casteth out all fear" captures it. William A. Miller. in Ius book, Yo,., Goldl'n Shadow, describ es the "

wealth--gold-to be enJO)'ed when we redaull shadow energy.

We can find a way to bring that negative potentia l into

contact wuh ItS counter part

III the persona and effect a unification ofthesc opposites. Thus we find a way to use creatively and constructively what we loathed before or even

\V3nted to deny the eXistence of within ourselves.

Furthermore, we discover the unconscious positive elements that are the counterparts of the nastiness III our conscious persona and work to bring about a ulllficatloll of these OppOSItes. Beyond this lies the real gold of all the positIve potential

Part 2: Gaill till' SkUb oj Nalural Drilliallct

86

lVitntu

wuhin us that never has had the opportumty to see the light of

my l i fe?" Resolve to implcmcnr your intention when you

what you already have is what I

day. What treasures lie Illdden In onc's unconscious can be

awaken tomorrow.

call it digging for gold and mining

discovered only by the one who will seek them OUI.

Shifting your anention to focus on

for diamonds. searching for your inner treasures. When you focus

o Moment of Truth: ] )etermine to face lip to a moment of truth

otice to 11.L:spond

when It arm'es today. Confront your self-defeating behavior with

have the opportumty to lntt'grate

the question. " What do I want to create for myself right now?"

by

\Vhen you can anS\\er the qlK""Srion, thank yourselfand lIumedi.ately

In the Naruml Brilliance model we progress from

on those treasures a magical thing

to Witness. In [he Witness phase

happens, you discover other hidden

everytlung we learned and prepare for thc next step III our evolution

treasures that were a part of you

rdeasUlg once again. That's right. We cycle back to release and extend

all along. So learn to appredate and learn to celebrate. Your life will change. Rex Steven Sikes Founder of IDEA Seminars

we

our genius even further toward our goals.

take the first step to mal11fcsting your highest good. o Peek Into the Shadows: Explore the beliefS you hold that you do

life­

not want to adnl1t to yourself. Ex:nnine your reactions, whether

long learner. In the cycle of the Natural Dnlhance model, the fin: in our

they be cunous attraction or repuis.ioll, to traits in others. Exam.ine

passion for life is fu eled with t:ach step of learning we take. We

your behaviors, looks, clirry jokes you retell, and movies you watch.

experience enthusiasm for life and learning simultaneously. Enthusiasm,

What taboo� do you tend to break or wish you could? What do you

frolll the Latin root word emlleos, meaning " God within." is an ever

do that you consider socially nasty?

In this continuous cycling we find the pattern of the successful

Oowing fountain of hope. The brilliant future we desire to create in our lives manifests each d,y, with each step of Natural Brilliance WI:! take.

o Shadow Dancing: Find ways to creatively and constructively use your nastiness. One warning; Acknowledge your shadow, but be careful not to indulge ir. Set boundaries around exploring your

Summary Consider using one or more of the suggestions from the chapter each day until you have c}':perienced all ofthem. Put a check mark il1 the box to indicate your progress. Acrio,. ClucklistJar Willltss

o Fall Backwards: With a partner, do the falling backwards test. Discover what it has to offer YOli about knowmg it IS okay to proceed.

o Consultant's Perspective: Pretend to sit across from yourself and take on the perspec{1ve of a wise and trusted counselor. Have a conversation with the m i aginary part of YOll aboUt a problem you walH to resolve. Hold no IIwesnnent or judgment about the outcome; sllnply learn from the conversation.

o Perceptual Position: Remember a difficult situation involving you and another persoll. Think through what happened from each of the three perceptual positions; first (yours), second (the other person's), third (a disassociated VIc\V of the whole context). Finally, witness what you learned by examining all three.

o Oasis Experience: At mght before going to sleep, review your day without judgment or cntlClsm. Offer yourself blessing and celebntion for domg your best. Ask yourscJf"What do I want for

shadow to emure what you do serv(""S your best interest.

87

Put Natural Brilli a nce to Work for You A businessman came to sec IllC for individual consultations. H e employed thousands o f people and made multimillion-dollar decisions every day. When it came to his personal life. however, he managed \'Cry poorly. His marriage had ended in a tUlllultuous divorce. His dales usually disllltcgratcd into social disasters. He couldn't even choose a restaurant for dmner. Because he could IlOt decide what decor he hked, he had seuled for furnishing the living room of his high-priced CQndOIlUllIum with aluminum lawn chairs. \Vorklllg with this man taught me an important lesson. Success strategies do not necessarily transfer from one area of a person's life to another. The skill sets used to accomplish bU5iness and financial success are completely different from those used to manage personal and close I11terpersonal lssues. For many reasons in i1js personal history. this man had realized his gelllUS III business. yet he was Snick

III

his personal life. In my experience

most people seem to enjoy great success III some areas of their lives, while rhey struggle 1Il other areas. Think of your successes. In these areas, you have learned and developed the essential skills to produce eifectlve results. In domg so, you have cycled through the four steps of Natural BriJliance many tltnes. Through a life-long process of cominuous learning and improvement, you can expect to attain exponemjal fulfillment and accomplishments.

E\'�11 when

It feels as ifyou are taking nvo steps forward, one step b
as the years progress, so do you. Now think of the areas of your hfe where you are sruck. Where do YOli not achieve results you deme? Where do giant stop signs lIlhibit your progress? Are you baffled by your jnabilil)' to get what you waut? Apply the Natural Brilliance model to your stuck areas to break

Part 2: Gain Iht Skills of Nat"ral Brillianu

90

Put Your Nawrot Briffiatlu 10 WorkJor You

through the limitations of your dysfullcrional learmng process. Reclaim

her degree nor pursued her career. Instead, she has sacrificed to help her

your geillus to accomplish what you desire.

husband develop his career. Ever presem in her three chIldren's lives,

This chapter will help you pull OUt the stop signs and I"Clilstall Natural

Beth has been PTA preSident, church board mcmber, community

Brilliance where you need It most. You can learn and develop the skills

volunteer, and school mOIll. Withom her hard work, many of the

essential for success.

volunteer programs that suPPOrt her children's school and community . would have f.iled.

learn How To learn

With the youngest chIld now in school full-time, Beth feels empty. She knows she needs to supplement the family IIlcome to prepare for

The purpose of using the Natural Brilliance modd IS to dampen the

upcoming college expenses. While her husband is at the height of his

yo-yo effect of oscillation; pull out stop signs that w�'re installed

professional career. 13eth realizes she has done nothing in her own. She

emotlonally, intellectually, and physically: realize your capdbihtles for

wants to work but doesn't know what skills can she otTer to carn a decent

genius; and create a path to success.

\v:tgt!. Ifs.he rahos a fuU-tll1le posItion, she WIll not be available when the

Natural Brilliance produces outcome-based, generative learning, lIot therapy. Every rime you pro�rcss, YOll also learn how to learn and how

kids are on spring break or SU11lller l vacation. Trapped 111 the dilemma bet\vcen work and family, Beth fecis lost. She

to succeed. The long-range benefit is that instead of staying stuck 111

is a great asset to her part-time employer, bur her wage hardly

oscillation, you will naturally stCp imo a continuous cycle of lifelong:

justifies lhe hassil·s. She lo\'cs her family, yet she feels she has wasted

Icarning---Nanlral Brilliance.

her career potential.

To illustrate how you can use the Natural Brilliance model, I will gIVe

Patty and Deth are oscillating between opposing ideas: Career vs.

real-life exampk-s of two people who used their Nalural Brilliance ro

Relationship. Barh have developed significalll skills in their OWll areas of success. When they try to make progress in their areas of weakness,

resolw their issues. I chose their stories because they deal with opposite ends of a smgJe dilemma. Compart" the results they get before and after.

hO\ ...·('\'er, they feel more discouraged every tillle they attempt a solution.

imimate-rclationship difficulties. A dedicated, persistent, hard-workmg

The road scents endless WIth htde hope. As Oeth describes it, "The light at the end of my ntnne! is JUSt another oncoming train."

individual, Patty receives consistent acknowledgment fo r her

I will use Pany and Beth to illustrate how the steps of

Patty experiences problems balancmg her career success and her

accomplishments. She has always obtamed any job she wanted. When

Natural Brilliance released thelll frolll their stllck statcs and got them

she decided to change careers. she dId It easily. Patty 10\1:.os her career.

on track to theIr goals.

Her marriage was a different story. After seven dIfficult years, she divorced her }ugh school sweetheart. She has good friends. but no male. At nmes, coming home to a lonely apartment makes her feel hke a failure in the personal area ofher life. ''I'm attractivc. 1'111 a nice person." Bailled by the lIlcongrtl1ty bt.·nveen her career success and her marria't b failure, she asks, "So what's wrong: With me?" Patty feels everything in her life is fabulous, except when it comes to having a long-term lIlt1lnate relationship With someone she lows. Deth, on the other hand, has concentrated on belllg a patient. conscientious mother and Wife. She and Pete have been l11arned for eighteen years. Although they have been through many difficult times, they mainulII dleir strong comm-inlleT1t to each odler. Trallled at the university as an art educator, Deth has never fil11shed

Get an Attitude In the prevIOus four chapters, I have described how to develop the �kills in e,lch of the four steps. Uelow, in the chart of the Four Steps of Natural Brilliance, J have added three artimdes that wiU help incorporate the skills into your life. These attimdes and the exercises I suggest to build thelll cOllle largely from my work with

a model in creatl\-e and divergent thinking Or. Frank E. Williams created more than twenty years ab'O.

91

92

Paft 2: Gn;"

/lIt Skills of Natural Bril/iartu

Put)-(.l ur Nlltura/ Brillianu to H-orkforYoN

With pulls toward and away from each end ofthe contmuum between career and relationship, Patty stops. What are you oscillatmg between? Go back to the description of the stuck state you created in Chapter 2 when YOli diagnosed your stUck stat�. On the worksheet that follows, fill out th� blanks to add to your description.

What issue have you wanted to break through? Write this in the space under The uJe Isslil'. 2) What opposites are fighting within you? Label what pushes you and what pulls you 111 your oscillation. On the left end of the Rauge oj Bellaviar line, write what you tend to move a\\fay fium (the fear). On the right end of the RImgr 4 Behavior line, speci/)' what you tend to move toward(the opposite of the fear, which is probably your goal.) These labels define the I:nd points of what I refer to in Chapter 3 as your comfort zone, or mIl!!!' 4beIIQl'iar. 3) What are the benefits at each end point? In the stop Si!,'11S abo\'e the line. wrlU.-- specific bene6tS associated with each end of the continuum. Above the fear, write in the preseut positives you now enJOy. These arc benefits you want to keep when you change your life issue. Above the opposite of the (�ar, write in the (uture p osi tives YOll hope to enjoy. These are benefits )'Ou want to achieve by maklllg a change III your hfe issue. Benefits should be stated II) positive terms. For example, '" would no longer be lonely is not a benefit statement. '" would fed .ufe and loved" is stated in positlve terms. 4) What are the detnmems at each end point? In the stop signs below the Ime, wnte specific detrllnents associated with each elld of the continu um. l3elow the fear, write in the present nCb'atl\'es YOll now suffer. These are detrunents you want to eliminate when you change i ue. your life ss Below the opposite ohhe fear, wme 111 the finure negatives you don't wam and are afraid Inlght show lip. These are detriments you \"am to a\'Old whel1 l11aicmg a change 111 your life issue. I)

Between releasing and noticing, & Receptive; open to the magmficent opportunities that abound all around you and in you, Bet\veen noticmg and responding, 8e Gel/t'mtive; create alternative interpretations and unusual options for yolll'�clf. I�alizc every problem has within its structure the seed of a solution. If we approach It properly,

we nurture new growth in the direction of our goals. l3et\"'oeen responding and wirnes5mg, lk Persistetll: make your purpose central to your action. Experiential learning requin.-s you to engage in living. When you show up consistently. you gain as much from your steps fonva.rd as from your steps backward. Analyze Your Results and Step Up to Natural Brillianc e

To b'Ct what you desire, you need to analyze what you have that differs from what you want, to recogmIe your stuck state, and to release. I am gomg to assume you hav� chosen a stuck state to play with. In some area ofyour life, you recogntze you are not getting the resultS you want, and you enter a COllllllon oscillation every tlllle you try to solve your problem. Patty states her major Iif� iSSll� as a problem of esrablishing a long­ terlll loving relationship. Patty tends to focus more on her career and enjoys the ease and success of her work. Meanwhile she struggles with the difficulty and discomfort of trying to establish a close personal relationship. Her oscillation includes four components: IUovmg toward the benefits of a loving relationship, moving toward the benefits of success on [he job, moving away from the detriments of dating, and movmg away from the detrimentS of working as the total focus ofhfe.

"

93

Pa,' 1: Gain flrt Skills of Natural Brillianu

94

future

Present

Positives

Positives

95

Be Receptive: Receive Your Genius Stuck states cause emotional nlrnlOlI and mental confusion. Release will get you past the majority of tht! chronic effects of your problem

Benefits

Benefits Y' " wIIl'1t to keep

PII' YON, Natural B,if/ianrt' to JVorkjorYoN

situation. Happily, as YOll calm down, you increase your sensory

You want to .chle".

awareness and your receptivity. ( Also refer to Chapter 5:

(

Notice)

Now, let's really opcn thinb'S lip. Belllg receptive includes three discrete cOlllponents: Think Flexibly, Inquire. and Access Your lnncr Mind. "nll'lIk FIl!xibl)' Sk..ile l d problem-sokers think flex ibly to produce a variety of ideas, respomes, questions, and solutions to the problems. Seek as Illany different directions or alternatives

THE LIFE ISSUE to mOlle away from

(fear)

RANGE

yOll have time to consider.

When you are considering what to do about a situation, shift

What you tend

What you tend

as

to mOlle toward

approaches or change d.inTtion in thinking. as you \\-'Quld in a car whell

(Opposite of Fear)

you encounter a detour. Flexible thinkers come up with numerous

OF BEHAVIOR

dlfferem ideas. Play with these exercises in the next few weeks, and put a check mark by l"ach one after you do it: •

Thmk of various ways to usc an object other than the way it is commonly used.

•

) (

( Detriments You want to elim;n,lte

) Detriments

•

•

Apply a principle or conet'pt to your life Issue that has nothmg to do With your Issue. For example. think of choosing a career the way

You wllnt to avoid

you would mak.e

01

large purchase. What If you k.new your career

would be obsolete within 6\'e to ten years?

Negatives

Negatives

Make lip differem interpretations of specific events, simations. and problems related to your Issue.

future

Present

Think of alternative ways to use a benefit or a detriment of your problem.

•

T..ke another's point of view or consider situations differently from the way you normally would.

•

Now take a time-out . Cease struggling and allow the stress to evaporate. Remember, you cannot resolve this paradoxical problem

t1smg your typical problem-solving strategics because they put the problem Into place originally.

For resources 011 releasing, look at me techniques in Chapter 4 and III

the APp€llIU.'(,

Di�euss your situation with others and take a differelll position frolll theirs.

•

Tlullk ofa number ofdifferem possibilities for solving }'Qur problem.

lnqui" Skilled problem-solvers 1ll001lltalll curiOSity. the saient l characu'ristic of all learners. Someone who is stuck is certalll. Someone solving problems IIlQll1res.

In a test of creativity, Nobel laureates generat'! more diffef('nt ideas in less time than the other two categories of test subjects. The lesson: Welcome the quick-witted different intuitive ideas.

Pow 2: GaiN tht Skilll oj Naflmd Bri/fi"N(t

96

PUI Your Nalu"d Brillidnrt I/J IVorkJor You

people, the objects, and the sitllations associated with your life issue.

alpha state, the home of the rcal learner. This calm state is a relaxed mode where YOli perceive direcdy from your sensory systems. In it you

Wonder. Give yourself time to "not know," to explore, to ask questions,

call cnjoy cfford� learning.

and to puzzle over things for awhile.

The High Creativity Channel is the "home ofsuper abilities." In this reverie state, acruC\.'ed through the PI'3CtlCC of accessing the inner mind,

A curious person observes keenly and inquires. Find out about the

Play with these exercises In the next few weeks, and put a check mark by each one after you do it: •

Inquire into everything, and question everyone.

•

Observe your body and mind when an iSSlIe causes you to oscillate or stops YOli.

•

Question the usually accepted way ofapproacrung this problem area ofyour life.

you rccei\"e creati\'e flashes, mmitive rt'Sponses, and spiritual inspiration. Your genius resides here, according to Or. Gordon. Clearly, you need to nme into this channel to create the results you wam from a paradoxical problem. While you are in touch with your inner resources, you have the opportunity to tap the cumulative genius of other great m.inds as well.

looking for new ideas.

Imabolne, entering a relaxed imler state and downloading into your inner database the expert knowledge of the most brilliant thinkers on any

•

Explore the un£lmiliar.

subject YOll choose. From this enormous database, you can

•

Usc all your senses to make sense out of thingl.

spontaneously maillfest )'OlIr success.

•

Probe for the subtleties afhow the problem operates.

•

Study the meaninb.ful details.

•

Search books, maps, piCtureS, people, and strategies constantly

A(Ct'H YOllr hiller Mind Skillful problem-solvers rely on their inner mind to produce answers, because tht.-y know that most of the resources for personal change and development reside there, not in the conscious !lund. It IS your conscious mind's attempt to sohv your current problem that keeps you stuck in it. To do somedung new means to change brain Slates from conscious struggle to inner guidance. One of the themes of Natural Brilliance is the extraordinary power ofthe inner mind. Making changes in brain states s i a specialty of Dr. F. Noah Gordon. In his book, Magiw/

Classroom, he

describes three possible bralll states.

Like changing channels on a television, we can change our brain channels and access much more of the bram's potential for action learning and creativity. YOli usc the Action Channel when you perform physically. You Ilususe it if you turn to it for learning, remembering. and creating. Ironically, although the Action Chalmel serves )'Oll badly for answering tests in school, it is the channel most schools access. To reach the infinitely larger potential of your inner !lund, the Action Channei ls the worst. Use the Action Channel 4ter you have resolved your stuck st.lte \vith Natural Brilliance. On the other hand, yOll access the Learning Channel by first passmg through a "relaxation goue." Quieting your mmd puts )'Our bram lIltO the

III Pan

3

of this book, you will ie-arn Photolteading and Direct

Learning, cutting-edge methods to capitalize on the vast potential of your inner m.ind. Ideas about how to create the results you desire will begin to bubble up. The effects Illay be subtle or conspicuous. rhoto­ R.caders often recognize changes in their internal representations-their inner pictures, voice, and feelings-and their actions after PhotoReading

inspirational books.

Be Generative: Create New Choices The second step to Natllr:ll Brilliance is Notice. This is your time to gather information from the world around you and within you. If you have played \vith the attitudes- discussed above, you arc already well on

)'Our way to creating choices you never before dreamed pOSSible.

Il..tmember Beth in our example. She was striving to fulfill her dreams of a career. By noncmg. she began to observe her beliefS regarding how much the cOllummity, the church. her children, and her husband needed her on a moment-to-moment basis. Her assumption had been that, without her, nobody else would do anything; at the same time she resented everyone for usurpmg her life ellefb'Y.

As she noticed, she bebrall to walk away from comlluttees at school and fellow51up circlt.'S at church and discover her priorities mattered. She maintained her power by saying that it was now up to someone else to contribute. Beth asked her husband and chi l dren to share chores.

97

ParI 2: Gui" tll� Skills oj Nall/riJl Brilliatlct

98

PUf l'our Natural Bril/ianu to �VorkJor You

Soon, she had time to reflect on her career. fu she did so, her stop signs confronted her, wounds she had II1curred in jobs after high school and dunng collebre. She realized she was afraid [Q put herself back ultO the workplace. "What if I can't do the job? What if I don't have the knowledge and skills? What if I need mon: education?" Keep

111

mind that the goal here is not to solve the problem. The goal

is to notice new options and decide how [Q respond diflcrcmly,

III a way

that builds small concrete IUdlcators of movement in the nght direction. In thiS process of discovery resist the urge of rushing [Q chan6 '"C your life too soon. Otherwise, you will run IIltO the same old problems. The guaranteed \vay [Q ensure your success: lx-: 6�nerative. Remember that with therapeutic or remedial change, you seek to fix what is broken. With thc alternative of generative change, you take care of your present situation by creating your own present and future results. Between the steps ofNotice and H.cspond , enhancing your generative approach to problem -solv ing will reap enormous benefits. The components to thi� approach include bemg motivated by complexity, and engaging in fluent, original, and elaborative thinking. Two months after I learned the Natural Brilliance steps, I ....as . standing at the base of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa. My legs shook with fear at the challenge ahead. I took a few breaths, took a good look at what I was doing. worked

went without any fear or trepidation. Chris Payne. Managing Director UfeTools, ltd, England

responses, solutions, or questions. They produce a quantity of ways or

suggestions for doing things. It

IS characteristic of a fluent thinker to always thlllk of more than one answer and counting these alternati ves deternunes how fluent a person is.

Here arc some ways for you to eXl'rCise the cognitive skill of fluelll thlllking. Play with them in the next few weeks and put a check Illark by each one after YOll do it: • • • o

Generate a flow ofallSwers when you ask a question. Ask Iliany questions. Dr.lw scveral pictures wht'n asked to draw one. C reate numerous idcas about something while others struggle for

one Idea. •

Use a large number ofwords when expressing yourself. Produce more than others ::Irouud you. Work f.,st and do more litan just the assignmem in front ofyol!.

•

Add, subtt:lct, multiply, ::Ind diVide.

challenge:' Thin k of the people you know who thrive on tackling

•

"

complicated simations and difficult problems. They delight III generatmg clevt r solutions. '

Exercise your generative muscles over the next few ' ...·eeks by applying your home and career. Put a check mark by each one after you do It:

The 20,000 feet climb ahead of me

With the second component ofbelllg gel1erati�e, a person who tends to be fluem in his or her thinking usually comes up with the most ideas,

The first component of a generath'C attitude is to desire raking 011 a

being warm enough on the summit,

down.

11,i,.k Flluntll'

•

the followmg challenb
rented a pair of windproof trousers

Seek more dl.fficulr answers rather than accepting an easy one.

o

Sl'l'k Complexity

out that the root fear was not

there and Immediately calmed

o

•

Find things to appreciate about complex ideas or problems.

•

Discover intrigumg aspects of Ill\'""sy s situat ions .

•

Delve mto the most complex ask t first to find what makes It complex.

•

Consider the ramifications of choosing the most difficult way Out.

o

Figure things out for yourself, without help, in at least part ofyollr problem.

•

Enjoy the challenge of doms something thaI is harder for you to do than most taSks.

•

Dlsco....er the thtill of doing soillcthmg again and ag:lIn

gam success. •

Be tenacious and take S3usfacuon

•

Choose the harder problem because of its complexny.

III

not giving up easily.

III

order to

Assullle the opposite: that the false IS true; the ridiculous, serious;

the lularious, sad.

Origillat!' Generate original ideas. Invent. Celebrate your uniqueness. Think your OWIl thought s The third component of generativJty celebt:ltes your uniquen\.'SS. People who have srren61"f:h III ongmal thinking usually dream up novel solutions. They produce clever ideas rather than .

COlllmOIl or obvious ones. They delight

III dUl1kmg and designing with differences, and they choose to fib'1.lre thlllgs alit and express them in new ways. If you could count the number of uncommon response s or p roducti ons away from the usual, you could get a measure on how

original a person is.

Onglllal thlilkers tend to think of a new approach rarely thought of by others. They use their capacities to combine pieces of the lISual ulto a

new and unusual whole.

To build your strengths in original rhmkmg, play with the followlllg exercises. Explore them in the next few wet'k�, and put a check mark by each one after you do it:

99

Par' 2: Gain flIt Skills of Natural Brillian(t

100

Piace objects i n the room off center, or explore asymmetry in drawings and designs. Seek a fresh approach to a stereotyped answer. Be different and have a new twist in thinking or behaving. Enjoy the unusual, and rebel agamst domg thmgs the way everyone

•

• • •

• • • •

•

else docs them. Deviate from othen to do things your own w.ay. Figure oU[ your own new solution. Invent a new way to practice a tradition. If the combination appeals to you, eat pickJes and peanut butter together. Play a major key with your left hand and a minor key with your right, simultaneously Delete this list, and create one ofyoUT own. .

•

Elaboratt thinkers elaborate. They want to add to or elaborate on ideas or productions. They live to stretch or expand on things. They seck to embellish materials or solutions by making them elegant and interesting. People who are elaborate in their think..ing may not be originarors, but once they get hold ofa new idea, they modIfy or expand it. If you could count the number of times a person senses something lacking and adds details to improve it, you could determine how Generative

elaborative a person is. Here are suggestions for exercISIng your powers of elaborative thinking. Play with these exercises in the next few weeks, and put a check mark by each one after you do it: Add lines, colors, and details to your own or another person·s drawing. Sense a deeper meaning to an answer or solution by enumerating detailed components. •

•

• • •

Modify someone else's great idea. Accept an idea or someone else's \'lork, and "jazz it up." Decorate something barn:n or plain into something �autifully fancy.

Add dozens ofideas to this list. The quality ofresponses that Dow from a relaxed, a\V3n: state of mind may amaze you. Maintalning a receptive and generative approach in the way you think and behave. when facing a problem will ensure you nuke •

definite strides in the direction of your goal.

Pllt YOllr Natllral Brilliallu to Workfor Yo..

101

Beth decided to take a Job. Although it was not her first choice for furthering her career, she worked part-time doing customer service, data. enrry, and sluPPlllg for her husband's business. Beth rediscovered what she kllt:w was tme. She was a fast study. The part-time position allowed for flexibility with her chIldren's school schedule, including sumlller \"Guion. Witlun one year, she had built such confidence and personal power, she ventured out IIltO the career of her choice-working in homes and businesses as a professional artist. She called the woman at the top III her field. Now, while Beth apprentices, she earns money as the m.aster's asslsum. Be Persistent: Stick to It and Keep On Keeping On

In the tr:l.llsitioll between the steps ofRcspond and Witness, you need to maintain an attitude of pCNistence. Without follow-through in your behaviors, your actions fal! short of your desires. Without persistent \vimcss, or vigibnce, you may miss rcal learning opportunities taking place. For three yedn Patty tried to keep her relationships comfortable and successful. She chose to develop close pcrsonal relationships with men many years older who were married and unhappy in their marriagt.-s. The mcn loved the attemion they received from this young single woman, so they created time for her. [n her oscillation, these men seemed safe because they were unable to make serious comminnents to her. Noticing her pattern of b'OlIlg m and OUt of relationships, Patty began chOOSing to interact in new ways, outside of her comfort zone. She adopted a receptive and generative approach to the way she faced her problems and began acknowledgmg the price she was paying for \\"orkll1g too hard on her c
P<Jrl Z: Guin fhr Skills of N!ltural Brillianu

102

Pllt }'ollr Natural Brjffjan,� to H1lrkfor You

Patry took a nurturing view of all her successes and failures. She felt as

•

if she were stumbling aiong, learning to walk for the first rime. Making

•

mistakes \VOlS no longer a reason to re-iJ� the humiliation ofjunior high school, or a time for self-castigation and self-doubt. She realized more personal power to inOuence her life in the positive dIrection of her b"Oa! as she stepped up to her fean; and accepted not doing well. "It's amazing to me," she exclamled. "how little permission [Q fau I gave myself at first. If I had avoided meaningful relationships for twenty years and had only dismal experiences to refer to before that, why �hould I expect immediate success?" " \Vhen I st.1rted to relax and play, the real learning I needed began pouring into my life. Not all orit was great :u tht" time, but i can see how every step in my development has contributed to my happiness today." Pmy fully used the steps of R.espond and Witness to discover the essential attitude for both is persistence. Persistence can be thought of as having tWO elemenrs--courage and imabrination. With the two qualities, you call persistcntly move in the direction ofyour goals and witness your unfolding excellence in your successes and fiailures.

Take Risks lI'itll Cart and Courage Being courageous means doing something in spite of your fears. Of course, we need to take risks cautiously, after witnessmg thcir best and

103

Hold fast to your choices to succeed.

Take a chance or dare to find am more about yourself.

IrllaJ?ille

Once you form a vision that's highly

The imaginative person can conceptualize the £inure as something other than the past moved forward. With the power of your Imagination, you can visualize and dream about things that have never happened to you. Putting your imagination first really is the only way to proceed with the faith or hope of achieving success. Without imagination, you doom yourself to tepeat nustakes. Perhaps YOll have heard the pim,se "Where there is no vision, the people will perish." Wntten cemunes ago, it speaks ever clearer as time goes by.

visioll is the skill /It till! {ore ifNll/uml Brillialla'.

imagillatij,lf

People with a strong imagination recognize the difference bet\vcen fantasy and reality and usc it to their advant;!ge. Masters of alchemy, they transform their f.·"lnt."lStic vision into fantastic reality. Some ways to exercise the power of your imagination follow. I}lay with these in the next few weeks, and put a check mark by each one after you do it: •

TcU a story about a place YOLI can never visit.

•

inruiti\'ely feel something that has not yet happened.

•

Predict what someone else has said or done without haVlng knovro that person.

worst possible results. This is where imagination comes in handy; it is a •

Go somewhere in your dreams without leaving the room.

You Will find courage inherent in persistence. Courageous risk-takers

•

Build imab'CS of things you have never seen.

wi.1lingly make guesses. They play on a hunch JUSt to sec where it Will

•

See weird shapes in a picture or drawing that the artist probably

terrific way to take chances without being foolhardy.

never intended.

take them. Courageous people ignore failure and criticism to tackle uncertain, unconventional, and unstructured situations and problems.

•

To develop your powers of courage and uke new strides in life, pl.1y

•

with the following suggestions in the next few weeks. Put a check mark

•

Wonder about something that has never happened. Make inannnate objects come alive. Envision your fondest dreams come tme.

by each one after you do It: •

13e willing to defend your ideas regardless ofwhat others think, even

ifyou know you !lIay be wrong. •

Set high goals of accomplishment wIthout fear of going for theill.

•

Admit to a mistake.

•

Tell the tmm until you feel good.

•

Tackle the difficult tasks in fiont ofyon.

•

Reach for somemmg new and ddnculL

•

Let go of what others might think or disapprove of about you.

Final Notes As you have seen, the Natural Orilliance modcl leads to contmuous personal m i provement. It guarantees you lifelong experiential learning. The approaches suggested

III

thiS chapter have built-in safety checks;

Natural Brilliance goes by the maxim "Challenge by choice." Every movement you make n i life creaCt.'S feedback. If you push lx."yond your capacity to learn, your feedback will pain you and erect more stop signs.

emotional, it takes on a life of its own. You can' t turn it off even if you Jose interest in the whole projed. Peter Kline. Chairman of the Board of Integra Learning Systems

p.ut

104

2: Gaill

tilt

Skills of Natural Brilliallu

Ifyou Stay within your capacity to relax, your feedback will intrigue you

Put \�ur Natural Brilfiatut Itl Wilrkfor \�ou you?" winking at the man. The seamstn.'SS lowered her voice into a hoarse whisper to make

and stir your curiosity and courage.

tllslress (as opposed to distress), wll1ds Its

sure the man listened carefully, "The most remarkable sutch is a

way between boredom and anxiety toward optimal learmng. In that

simple one that takes t\vo stitches forw-ard and one stitch back. It IS

strategic zone, where our Natural Urilhance flows in a state of relaxed

both �trong and Oexible-morc so than ally other. This stitch

awareness, you can respond to your world, witness your effects, and live

teaches all who are ready to succeed."

Healthy tension, also termed

She leaned forward with a meanl11gful gaze twinkling in her t.')'e

your life to the fullest. Maintain your higher purpost' for all that you do. When you aW3ken

and continued, "Are you Willing to take a step back with every

is usually a mistake. andinsight is

tomorrow morning, ask yourself: "What do I really want todayt' At the

few steps you rake forward? Nolice your progrl"SS. Learn from

always revealing. Let's look within.

end of your day, ask: .. [n what ways did I li\'e my life on purpose?" Stay on purpose for your highest good. In the chapters that follow, I

when: yOli have come and look to where you are going. YOLI wiU

share four of the most powerful personal and professional developmellt

these valuable resOl1rces you will �uccecd in any life endeavor:'

Hindsight is usually 20110. oversight

strategies I know: PhoroReading, Direct Learning, Creative Problem� solving. and the New Option Generator. Each of them rdies on yOll r Natural Brilliance. Each technique takes you to a hlgher�le\'el appli� cation ofthe four�stcp Natural Unlliance modd. Use each of the �teps to activate everythlllg you have learned so far. Begin choosmg how you will brlllg your genius ro fruition To close tills chapter and Put

1Il

yout life.

2

of th� book. I offer you a bedtime

Story for your conscious mind, as well as a parable for your 101Ier \lund. It's called "The Stretch Stitch." Once upon a time there was a wise old seamstre�s whose business had flourished for decades. She owned a large shop, staffed by men and women young and young at heart. The �m� ployees enjoyed a committed partnership of talents, knowledge, and creative ideas. One day another buslllcss OWller approached the seanmn.'SS and asked to what she attnbuted her success. She n!plied, " Our success 15

found III the It."":SSon of the stTCtch sutch." "Most of our work ofj0111111g two pieces of fabric together

involves sewlIlg a straight stitch to fotlll a seam," the scamstress explained. "Most of the time it holds just fine, but It can break becau� it is brittle, rigid, and linear. If it breaks, it unravels. And that would be a problem Tight here," she said brrabbing the man's

to the scam between rhe sleeve and the shoulder, "Your slee....e would fan Tight to the floor, wouldn t It?

sleevc and poiming

'

"

"At a place like this, this place called 'on the bias: we need somcthmg different." Pointing her finger into the vlmor's chest. she added, "And you have a bias for succeeding III bliSlIlCSS, don't

soon develop remarkable personal strength and flexiblhty. With

105

Pa rt Th ree Apply Natu ral Brilliance

Activate the Natural Brilliance Model

Since starting thi� book, how have you challenged yourself to stretch

I am a very driven person, so when

beyond your comfort zone? You

I first started dOing relaxationl

call rid yourself of stop signs that hold

Cerlaitl areas of your life in oscillation. You no longer need to be confined by past fears. limitations. or stuck states. Perhaps while you have been playing with these ideas, you have already pulled out a few stop signs and enjoyed some IllUuediate benefits. If so, congratulations. If

stress management, I was concerned that being stress free would take from my power, my drive in life. I would say 'I need my stress to motivate me: However, an

not, perhaps you have been waiting [Q get the whole picture before

interesting thing happened one

gOIug ahead. I 1Ilvite you to experience the many possibilicies open to

evening. I had just bought a

you now. Part 3 brings all the pnnclples. steps. and attitudes ofNatural 13rilhance together IIno a whole. I have suggested practical applic;}[1ons all along, bm

Mercedes and I got back to find it broken in to, my Christmas presents stolen, and its side scratched. Instead of jumping up

now I am going to present formulas---<:ookbook-sryle recipes-that

and down and screaming my head

anyone can

ott I said to myseH In a calm but

usc

to produce tangIble resu][s. Use these simple exercises to

change your unproducove patterns ofbehavior forever. You WIll learn three new applications of Natural Brilliance: Direct Learnmg, Resolving ParadOXIcal Problems, and the New Option Generator. They offer step-by-step approaches to handling life-long

reponsible voice 'I will have to take the car to the garage tomorrow and get it fixed: It was amazing! I kept all of my ability to respond to the situation, but lost the

stuck sates. t As you experience these techniques ofproblem-solving and

unnecessary stress that I used to

personal development, you may find inunediate, sometimes inexplicable,

experience.

benefit� emerging in your hfe.

Paul McKenna, Ph.D.

Starting with tim chapter, Part 3 will prepare you to integrate Natural Brilliance as an ongoing, spontaneous response to oscillation. Like a transported Trekkie, your body-mind can beam you to your goals. Instead of sloggmg around III problems when they arise, you can meet them on the lugh road. Rather than oscillating in stuck states, you can automatically trigger your deSired states of thinking, feeling, and behavmg effectively enboagmg your Natural Brilliance. Chapter 1 0 showcases the DIft�ct Learning process. Based on the

Hypnotist, TV star England

Parr J:Apl'/Y Natural Brilliallu

108

ActivoII' th� Natural Brillianu fl.lodtl

109

The six audio tapes and COUll!

PhotoReading whole mind system, Direct Learning goes beyond

e\"Cry detail. I re-educated mysclfmemally, emotlona11y, and physically. I

manual of the Natura/ Brilliance

PhotoRcading to activate new knowledge and skills directly into your

can Tell you every therapeutic procedure I performed. But, not many

behavior. Chapter 1 1 teaches you how to resolve Paradoxical Problems.

people are ready to hear about it or do what it takes to get \vell."

PerIanal Learning Coom! �Ip you efficiently learn and appJy the 4-step model on a deep. inMr level. You

may find this self·study course an easier way to learn.

It Introduces the Creative Problem-Solving process so that you direct your energies to\v,ud solving the correct problem. Chapter

12

Both Andrea and her neurologist openly explored how to usc the enormous possibilitiS"l available to us all. The lIfe experience of another

presents the culnunation of the Natural Brilliance book.

remarkable woman, jane Danielson, presents a slightly different message.

Pdrtkipating in the retreat ensures

It guides you through seven exercises that combine Release, Notice.

I met Jane for the first time when she attended an in-service training I

you leam the model cognitively,

Respond, Wimess, and every other concept of this book. The New

was delivering to crisis hotlinc counselors. Pale and stiff then, she was

emotionally. and behaviorally. You wili leam through dass sessions, sp«ialf1xMises. high-tedl leaming tool$. music. and ParoJliminal leaming sessions. Call my office at Learning Stratpgies Corporation for � information.

Option Genera�or already has produced power-packed results for

wcaring a T-shaped metal brace across her back and neck. Chronic pai n

thousands of people. Watch out! This process has the potential to

had handicapped her like a vice since an auto accident fourteen years

transform your stuck state and your life. In Chapters

13

and

14

we

conclude the book with how to stay on track to your goals. The best way to experience Part 3 is to identifY a specific problem that has plagued you. Then as you l e a rn . you can also achLeve a

earher. She had tried e....ery imaginable physical and surgical remedy. Six spinal fusion operations had left her back and neck rigid as a concrete pOSt, throbbing mercilessly. jane could only look straight ahead; if she wanted to look behind her, she had to turn her whole body.

breakthrough. Is there a stuck state [00 big? I think nor. The Natuidl

Then she auended a work.\hop gi....en by Moshe Feldenkrais. famous

Brilliance model shows you ho\ .... to educate yourself using your "beSl

for hiS bio-mechanical approach 10 physical therapy. Jane managed to

teacher"- experience.

arrange a private session with Moshe following the conference. At the

If we seek the miracles of the universe, we have [0 welcome them

beginning of the brief session, Dr. Feldenkrais asked Jane to remove her

when tht:y manifest. Let me illustr,lte with stories oft\vo women I know.

brace. He walked his fingers up and down her spine once. Jane was still expecting a significant intervention when he told her,

Open to Greater Possibilities Despite the medical impossibility, Andrea Fisher recovered from a spinal injUry that had left her quadriplegic. Her spme and spinal column had been crushed in an automobile accident. She had spem three months in a COUla and three years in

a

hospital paralyzed. Then one day she stood

up next to her bed. Now she walks well and leads a normal life. Neurological specialists from a11 over the world have studied her case. She has been invited to address international congrcssl"S on neurology. The conclusion of the medical profession: her recovery was nuraculous. Norhing in their science could fully explam the transformation in Andrea's neural anatomy. The neurologist originally assigned to her case at the hospital has SUlce left the practice of neurology to study alternative healing methods. Because his medical model could not account for what he had witnessed, he decided to �arch for a system of healing that could. Andrea said to me, " You know, Paul, my recovery was not a 1l11rade at

all. It

was no more a miracle than our hearts beating or our talking to

each other. I cali tell you exactly what I did to recover. I can describe

"Turn your head

from side to side." She did!-an impossibility, given her spinal fusion operations. Pointing to the neck brace, all he said to her was, "And throw that danm tlung away!" That was in 1980. To this day jane easily swivels her head. Jane went to her doctor's office to show him what she could do. As she emered,jane proudly announced, "Look what I can do!" and turned her head from side to side. But her neurologist scolded her sharply. "You can't do that!" "What do you mean?" jane said. "Look'" and she turned her head again. "I did the surgery 011 you," he said, gruffiy poking his mdex finger 111[0 her sternum. "You can't do that!" He then turnt:d briskly and

�Iamllled the door behind him. Jane never returned to his clinic. Jane's story emphasizes an imponant poim about integrating the Natural Brilliance model: \\"C must Stay open to possibilities. Andrea and Jane both instinctively understood and behaved consistent with the Natural Brilliance Illodel of learning. The diametrical reactions from

Andrea'5 neurologist and Jane's neurologist show only one doctor willing to witness genius.

Hu. J :Apply Nu/ural BrilliallU

110

With the Narur.ll Brilliance model, we learn from our experience. If we want to learn the mir.ldcs of the uillverse, we have to ready ourseh..-es

Actit·lPft' tilt' Nall/ral BrillilHtu Model

for people trapped

by mfOrl1l.1tion overload.

With PhotoReadlllg you can mentally photograph the written page faster than a page a second. Now, Photo Readers worldWide

to receive them. I mvite you to consider, in the next few sections of this chapter. how

comprehend and retain information in a fTaction ofthe nme they used [0

III

spend regular re;ldll1g. The power of the human mind demonstrated

your hfe. You have the foUowing capacities w!th which to knock down

with PhowReadlllg has inspired many graduates of rhe program to ask,

your StOP signs and transform your possibilities into the results you

" If! can PhotoRcad, what else can I do?"

the seemingly miraculous changl'S I have been promoting can occur

Over the years of \vatching people learn about their great capacmes, I

desire: •

Your other-than-conscious mmd and the preconSCIOLIS processor

realized that the personal development opportunities for PhotoRcaders

•

NOllconscious acquisition of lIlformaoon

go far beyond processing written mformatioll efficiently. Photolleading

•

Newly discovered pathways to the inner Illind

and Direct Learning awaken us to rhe v;lSt abilities of mind. At first we

•

'mplicit memory

blink into the light. Theil we begin to see we do not have to wait for

Now that you have read the list of the wonders you already possess, r want to lay out the new procedures I have designed for YOLL to acti\'ate

authority or approval. On our own, we can releasc, notice. respond, :lild witness the Natural Brilliance we already possess.

the full power of your Namra! Brilliance.

Acquire Information and Skills Nonconsciously Use the Other-Than-Conscious Mind and Preconscious Processor Do you know who you really are? You arc a hvmg. feehng, dunking. learning being. By every measure, you are magmficem! You ha\"e at your

According to research done at the cognitive laboratory at Tulsa University, the human brain can acqUIre IIlformarion and skills noncollsciousiy. The work done by Dr. P;lwei LeWicki suggests that the human

disposal twO remarkable tools. at once unbelievably complex and

cognitive system nonconsciously detects and processes information. His

patently simple-your ollirr-lhau-{OllSnOlls milld and your prI'CoPlSrious

studies over the past decade provide evidence that subjects in

procrssor.

The

arural Bnlliance model suggests an Ideal approach to

using them to )'Our inunedlate benefit. The other�than-conscious part of our brain processes information and Stores memory. According to educational psychologist Dr. Win Wenger.

experiments have no aCCL'SS to the newly acquired procedural knowledge and no Idea that they have learned anytiling from the stimulus material, even though the newly acqUIred knowledge conSIStently gUides thclT behavior.

its d1tabase outweighs chat of the conSCIOus nund by ten bill.Jon to one.

Dr. LewlCkt has also determined that with preconscious processing,

The pathway into thiS phenomenal capacity ofmmd is called the

the inner mllld IS " l Ilcomparably more able to process complex

preconscious processor. Many tinws faster than the conscious mind, the

knowledge faster and 'smarter' overall than our ability to think and

preconscious processor continually scans bllhons of bits of data,

IdentifY meanings of stimuli consciously."

determining what is imporullt and what is not. When It notes something important, it immediately signals the consciollS mind to pay attention.

In a journal arucle, he wrote, "Most of the 'real work; both in the acquisition of cognitive procedures and skills and in the execution of

As you already have an mher-than-conscious mmd and a preconscIous

cognitive operations, is being: done at the level to which our

processor and you still have problems, the question remalllS, how can

consciousness has no access. The sophistication and speed of this inner

you use them to benefit your daily life? Using the PhowRcadlllg whole

processll1g far exceed what can even be approached by our consciously

!lu!ld system for Direct Learning will provide you with a powerful

controlled thinking."

answer to that question. In 1986, I developed the Photoll.radlllg course

Evcn more provocative is his conclusion. 'The 'responsibihty' of thiS

to effectively use these two capacities of nllnd and solved :I huge problem

inacceSSible level of our mental functiol1111g is more than routine

III

Part J: Apply NatwroJi B,ilIitmu

112

Al/il1lllt tht Nil/urtli Brillillnu Modtl

g operations such as retrieving information from memory and adjustin the level of arousaL It is directly involved in the development of interpretive categories. drawmg inferences, determining emotional �acrions, and other high-level cognitive operations." Dr. LewICki's work Indicat es [Q me that using noncon scious acquiSition of Information promises our best opportunities to change and grow. In Chapter 10, 1 present a new breakthrough technique for self-development combining PhotoR.eading with Direct Learning to activate your inner wisdom. PhocoReading massive amounts of information helps the inner mind notice new options. Activation with Direct Leanung provides a way to respond without tryillg to respond differently. Because Direct Learning

changes behavior without your cOllScious intervention to change yOUT behavior, it breaks the cycle of your paradoxical problems. he change occurs indirectly from inner wisdom working beyond COI1SCIOU5 . logic to solve your problems. It is paradoxically perfect and Ideally

:-

suited to your life. Discover New Pathways into the Body-Mind

Supportive evidence for the breakthroughs of PhotoReading and Direct Learning came from PhotoReader Dr. Izzy Katzeff, a senior lecturer of neurophysiology at the University ofJohannesburg in South l e he was rcco\'ering from a stroke, he made a remarkable Mrica. Whi personal discovery. His stroke had created a lesion in his primary visual cortex (V 1), resulting in posterior Illo:ill. He could still write, but he could not read. Although he could not comprehend written material, he could readily recognize words spelled aloud or words spel1ed on the paint ofrus hand. After tWO and a half frustrating months when he could not even recogn ize any printed letters of the alphab et, he turned to PhotoR.eading. Instandy he began to read and comprehend what he had Photol1.ead. Ecstatic, he called me [0 report that after Photo�ading five

books, he could once agam read in a regular manner. fll'W:,11 "The only way thiS is possible," he said, "is if we possess some t and It, roves p plllllway that bypassts tht primary visl4tll (oT/ex. This , demonstr:ate:s that Photoll.t:ading is the \vay to access trus pathway. TIllS is exactly what you have said all along by referring to the preconscious processor and the otJll'1-tllan-lollscioIIS mind. This cements it, because I have

�

a phYSlcal lcslon and there IS no way I can consciously pereeive the page without a bypass. PhotoRcading makes it pOSSible." About si.x months later I got another excited call from Izzy. "I JUSt read an article in a Journal of neurolOf,ry that proves my hypothesis, Paul. The article shows chmcal research that demonstrates conscious perception of informati011 s i possible without the primary visual cortex. They have located the \'ery pathway we were t.1lking abom." I went to the biomedical library at the University of Minnesot.1. Sure enough. the article "Conscious Visual Perception without V I " by U!Uwrsity TL"Sl-archcrs Barbur, Watson, Frackowiak, and Zeki In London Te\'eals ground-breaking research ofbr.lin lesion studies. The authors submit, in the journal Bmill, that neural pathways exist that scientists had not pn."Violisly recognized. Izzy was right! We had already been teaclullg the PhotoReadillg whole mind system based on that hypothesis eight years before the research was available with a neurological explanation. In other words, more pathways connect your br.lin to behavior than most of your teachers ever imagined or encouraged yotl to access. However, in order to account for Direct Learning, we still need an explanation for 1r0141 we route Information to the brain to get new behaviors Otlt. all without conscious involvement. Here again, Dr. Izzy Kaneff pOinted the \\'3y. In the early 1950s. Dr. Brenda Milner collaborated with Dr. Wilder Penfield on studying Penfield's brain lesion patients from the 19-1.05. Milner discovered that human memory Involves multiple memory systems. She wanted to account for how a stroke patient could learn a task one day and by the next day forget having ever done the task. Somehow the patient would still retain the learmng, building skills WIth the task o\'er successive d1YS. Her studies led to the distinction betw�en imp/lot and t'xp/ici/ memory. Your body-mind comes fully equipped for Implicit memory, which byp.l.SSes the conscious llIind altogcther. You already have dIe "wetware" programmed to express the benefits of implicit' learning, as evidenced by PhotoR.ead1l1g and Direct Learning. Does it bother you that you were born with all these remarkable abilities, yet no one ever told you how to use them? Dr. Norman F. Dixon, reured professor from the University College in London, heralded our human potential in the early 1970s. His book, entitled Subliminal Pcrceplions:T1Il' Nature ofa COllfro�'t!1'Sy, shook the academIC and psychological commulllty.

113

ParI J: Apply Narural BrillilHlu

114

In Dixon's words, "If the hypothesis that people can be affected by stimuli of which they cannot be aware is valid, then it has profound Lmpli­ cations not only for the psychoph)'liiolOb'Y of memo!)" perception, emo­ tion, motivation, and dn::11115 but also for the nature ofconsciousness Itself.' The evidence has been mounnng chat humans ha\"e unlimited mental capacity. Still, Dr. Dixon told me in our conversations about lInpilclt learmng, the academic community remains firmly unconvinced. For certain, successful pCf50nai experiences in imp licit learning will prove to your conscious mind that your brain already posscsst."S the capacities I have been describing.

Leap Over Performance Barriers with Direct Learning

J designed the Natur.ll Brilliance model for you so

you can be your own best tcacher. Now more than evcr, like Andrea and Jane, you can take independent steps to fill your life with all the learnlllg you desire.

"Take two giant steps and leap." "Captain, may I?" Remember that game from your childhood? If we played the b>;l.me now, I would assure you

Do It!

The n...·o giant steps

In the next chapter 1 present how to use Photoll.cading and DIrect

I

refer to are the two learning processes I have

developed: PhotoReading, to input information faster than a page a

Learmng to acquire the knowledge and skills you need for powemli lift'

second; and Direct Learning, to transmute intrinsic learning imo new

change. Plan to do the teChlllques

outlined, because, most likely, your

behaviors and improved skills aligncd with your life purpose. The leap I

own results will be yom greatest convincers. Do it and witness the resultS

refer to is the quantum leap toward your goals you can enjoy right away.

you produce.

as

. . :....� .':..::.. ~ ..

Yes, you may!"

"

.

..

�

,

'0 Qii;

Direct Learning involves PhotoReading several books on a single topic and having the benefits of the information translate directly into new behaviors and improved skills. Direct Learning bypasses the need for consciously actlvallng the knowledge from the texts through cognitive channels. I shall take you through the five steps of the PhotoRcading whole mind system as a prerequisite ofDirect Learning. If you are not currently a PhotoReader, read the next section of this chapter to understand how it works. Then, at least spend an evening with my book, TIll! PI,% Readillg W1'01l' Milld System, to develop your skills as a PhotoReader.

YOti can learn the entire PhotoReading whole mind system in more detail in public seminars

Learn How to PhotoRead

offered worldwide from

PhotoReading is a breakthrough technology for processlIlg written IIlformation. People around the world are using it to access their

atural

Brilliance. With the PhotoRcading whole mind system, you can learn

instructors certified by Learning Strategies Corporation. The PhotoRHding Personal Learning COtIm>, a seff-study version of the

what you need from any written materials in a fraction of the time it

course, teaches the entire syttem,

would normally take you.

step-by-step with the convenience

YOll can transform your reading from procedures into creative new options. Release your geulUs in five easy steps: Prepare, Preview,

ofaudio cassette learning.

Part J:Apply Nafural B,illiaN(t

118

Follow d,e PI,otoRtadirlg Proud,m

Here are the six components of PhotoRcadillg, the third step of the PhotoReading whole mind system. Follow this procedure, and you will mentally photogrnph written pages at rates exceeding a page a second. Prtpan

Before bcgmnlllg to PhotoRead (or rebruiar read), always state your purpose. Clearly state to yourself what you expect to get from the materials.

E,,(tr Accelerati,lt utmling Stall' ,

By the procedure of [tuee to one, enter the resource level: a relaxed state of alertness for learning. Affirm CotICePltratiotl, Impact, and Outcome

Give yourself a series of positive affirmations that will direct the material you PhotoRead to your mner mind and ensure it has the impact you desire. For example: "As I PhotoRead, my concentration is absolute."

"All that I PhmoR.ead makes a lasting impression on my inner

mind and is avaibble to me." "I de-sire the infornmion in this book. (st3te the title ofthe book to yourself) to accomplish my goal of (state your purpose for readmg this book). EstOJblisl1 PllotoFocus Swu

Bring your point of awareness to a pbce a few inches above and behind your head. To accomplish this, imagine the feeling of a tangerine resting on the hack ofyour head. As you open your eyes, relax your visioll and look right through the center of the book. Nmice the four corners of the book as well as the space between the paragraphs. Comfortably focus your eyes beyond the book until you see the "blip" page or "cocktail weenic" page. Mai"wi" OJ Suady l"tt'rnai StOJtt'

Turn your attention to your deep, even breathing. Turn the pages of the book before your eyes in a steady rhythm. Chant to the rhythm ofyour page-turning by mentally repeating: ·'Re-lax... Re-lax. Four-Three-Two-One. Re-lax... Re-lax. Keep the state... See the pab>t·"

rjo,rnunu Barritrs u-itll uap 01'''' p..

Diua uarn;nl

119

Clou

Affirm your mastery of the matenal you have just PhotoRead: "I acknowledge all feelings evoked by this experience and allow my inner mind and body to process them. I'm curious about how many ways I'll nouce this information supports me." Invite the conscious mind to let go while your inner mind processes all that you have PhowR.ead. There you have it. To PhotoRcad: prepare, enter, affirm. Photo­ Focus, maintain state, and close. The parts that are probably missing for you are the components of "enter" and ·'PhotoFocus." Both of these concepts were partially explained earher III this book. Entering the resource level is the state of relaxed alertness described in Chapter 4: Release (Sec section subtitled "Deep Relaxation"). I emphasize giving yourself the three-two-one signal to faci l itate entry into tillS state in {he fUNre. The PhotoFocus SLlte \� described as "second sight" in Chapter 5: Notice (Set" section subtitled "Enhancing the Visual Sense").

[ invite YOLI to PhotoR.ead this book now ifyou have not already done so. PhotoReading offers many benefits. It will make the book easy to read and comprehend, and most importantly, suPPOrt your activation of all the skills you desire to gain. l\1akt' II Nolt' About Actillfltiotl atld Rapid RtOJdirtg

The next step of the PhotoR.eading whole mind system s i Activation. Activation purposefully and actively connects the conscious mind to me vast database you have created at an inner [evel by PhotoReading. Doing so gives you the comprehension you need in the time you have available, effectlvdy fulfilling your purpose for reading. The major techniques of

I love owning books, because sometimes in the middle of the night I'll wake up interested in a subject. Then I'll rush down to my basement, pull out the twenty or so books I've collected on that subject, PhotoRead all of them, and read

Actlvariou include Mind Probing, Super R.eadmg, Dipping. and Mind

some parts of some of them very

Mapping. All im'ol"e conscIOusly imer.icting \vith the physical text you

carefully. from then on I'll feel a

have ['hotoRead.

powerful ownership of that subject.

The last step, Rapid Reading, involves startlllg at the first page and

OVer the years of PhotoBook

moving at whatever speed bL'St fits your needs at the time. It represents

Collecting. I'Vi! discovered that all

the highest level of effective reading because the mOSt skilled reader

subjects except unethical ones

vaTles the speed nexibly over a broad range, depending on the complexity ofthe inform.ation and the purpose. Direct Learnmg does not rely on COnsCIOUS Activation or Rapid Reading; Direct Learning represents a unique new form of Activation. [n the sections that follow you \viU learn how to usc it for your personal benefir. You call achIeve rt.'Sults from Direct Learning even if you are a

interest me. rm amazed at how many highly tKhnkal sOOject:s I undemand the essence of in this Wil'f. Peter Kline, Chairman of the Board Integra learning Systems

JJarr J:Ap/Jly Nnumd Brillillffu

120

beginlllng Photo Reader. You do need to develop the easy �kill of relaxing your vision as you flip pages before your eyes and to llluster a bit of truSt thal your other-thall-conscious mind is pcrfornllllg even when yOll arc conscIOusly unaware of its activity. You may not know that you are PhotoR.eadmg correctly at thl� pomt. I recommend that you "Just do It." Trust your UHler nlllld to do the work for you, whether or not your conscious mUld knows how the learnin� occurs. There arc ways of knowing that YOll are PhotoRcadlllg correctly. Reading my book, 711t'

PllOtoReadj".,� Il/llOlr Mi"d 5ystelll, can

help you. Certainly the PIlofORe"dlflg Personal /..£IImiug COUrlt' can coach you to perform the steps effectively. Ideally, take the PhoroReading course from all mstructor certified by Learmng Srr.ttehries Corpof3tion. Nothing beats an experienced gUIde. At this point, 1 will assume you are set to proceed with Direct Learning activatioll. Ready for a miracle?

It was immediately dear to me tkat PhotoReading is notjust a way to read more, faster--it is it way to live

Discover Direct learning Many I'hotoReading graduates report havlllg spolltallt"ollsly

your life with purpose and f(Kus.

improved their skill

using your whole mind to realize

management, publiC speaking. to name a few. I nvariably, they

your unlimit� potential. Using

demonstrate improvements after Syntopic Rcadlllg, a process III the

PhotoReading for Direct learning. I have experienced and sustained unimagined heights of personal satisfaction and fulfillment. Even more than a process, however,

III

tennis. golf, racquetball, piano playing. time

PhoroRcadmg course that tcacht'S how to Photol�ad and Activate three to five books dunng a single exercise.

To explore the benefits of Syntopic Reading and Acnvation, ChriS Sedcole, of New Zealand, created an exercise for a group of executi\"{!s.

Natural Brilliance is a

He directed thent to Photol�ad five books on an area of personal or

transformational attitude and

professional de\'elopment-thret! books dll'ectly related to the topIC, tWO

approach to lifl".

indirectly. For example, one parnclpam who wanted to unprove time

Deborah Fink. MLS

management skills selected three books 011 time management, one on

Metalearning Boulder, Colorado

improvlllg business communications, and one on delegation. In the final step oftlle technique, Chris led [he clients to imagine a tulle i n the future when they had already integrated their desired new behaviors. One month later in a follow-up session, Chris mquired if they had noticed anything in their behavior related to the exercise. Without exception, the clients reported they had experienced changes for the better. CUriously, they also Slid they had made no conscious attempl� to improve.

Ltap O,lt, Ptifo",wnu Barritn

urith

Dirta Lta,ning

Photol�ading reqUIres that you specify your purpos e. For D,rect Learning. select books that have ideas you have a strong persona l desire to learn. Each book represent� the author's reading of many books.

Thmk ofthe combinl-d years ofexperience you have access to when you PhotoRead 6...·e books on a smgle topic. If each book represen ts several yea� of the author's knowledge and skills and the essl'ntial ideas from twenty books. think what yOll are downl oadll1g IIltO your neural

Circuitry. Direct Learmng i� like spending decades consulti ng with masters who support you in achieving the results YOli desire. Unless you notice different choices available to you, you cannot

respond differently. The more beneficial choices you have to select from, the more accurate a response you can make. By PhotoRcading several books 011 a siugk subject . you can influence a change in the right

direction, because your other-than-conscious mind can perceive new paths that your conscious mind, with its filters ;and limit.1tio ns. cannot. When you mpllt esselltlal knowledge that distmgus i hes an expl'rt /Tom an bcgulTler, you open yourself to Acnvanng new patterns of success,

Activate Direct learning For Direct Learning to � most effective, you must know what new behaviors you desire. The more specific you can be. the better this process will work. Ollce you have chosen your goal. select several books that speak authoritatively about the subject. It is Important that these

books not be theoretical. Choose practical, how-to books that teach the new behaviors you ,vam.

I reconunend you select books that approach the skills you want from multiple angles. For example, Ifyou '\'allt to Improve your close personal relatIOnships, select three books that deal directly with inlimat e

relatlOnsllips or communications and twO or three that approach the issue metaphorically. A book on creativity with a problem -solvlllg approach might open you to communicating IIlsightfully. You might

select a book on hypnotism to gain insight UltO how your language is progralllllllllg the results yOll are getting from others, or a book on buildmg self-esteem to IInpl'O'I'(, your appreciation of yourself and mhers. You might choose a book on financial management. Why? Maybe

cOllullunicating effectively is like in\'Csring for the fumre. What should you know abollC making sound investment decisions that applies to your intimate relationsrups?

121

Part J:Appl). Natural U,iIIianct

122

After selecting your hooks, PhoroRead them. Remember [Q state your purpose clearly before each book and to say a solid closing affirmatIon after each one. It may be a good idea [Q take a briefstretch or drink some water between books. Allow yourself w remain antered and relaxed throughout the process. (fsomething happens [Q distract you between books, take a few moments to get back into statc. The next step s i the Dirt."C[ Learning Activation stage. The informa­

!Lap 0,," PNjormanct Barrius with Dirul !LQrning With each breath you breathe, let go more and relax even deeper. Imagine your consciousness expanding IIltO this preselll moment. Whenever you dt'Sirc to relax as deep or deeper than now, you can do so by thinking of the number 2 and mentally repeating the

\..-om RPlax. { Pause}

tion will be activated spontaneously in the appropriate contexts only

T:lke another deep breath . . . . Hold it for a moment . . . . Slowly

after you direct your inner mind to generate the behaviors. Remember

exhale, mentally hear [he sound of the number 1, and imagine a

how you imagined doing things as a child? You called it "Playillg

beautinll plant or flower.

Prrrlmd," Gestalt therapists caU it "Playillg As Jf" See a mental simuiatJon

{ Pause}

of thc future. which encodes the brain with the necessary informanon to give rise to the behaviors according to your needs. FoUow the simple procedure outlined below to put in place thc new behaviors you desire. If you like, record the component steps on to an audio tape so you can perform rhem with your eyes closed. Sit back in a comfortable posicion with your feet resting on the floor and your hands resting gently on your lap without your thumbs touching each other. Become aware of your deep even breathing, and set aside this

time

as your time for integrating the

TillS is a signal indicating that you have focused your awareness within, to this accelerated learning stale. Here you have access to an expanded level of creativity and perceptual ability. You are in contact \vith the abundalll resources of your inner mind. Imagme yourself relaxing in a beautiful qUiet scene, as if you were slttmg or lying back in a peaceful place, relaxing, and enjoying this tune of comfon.

{ Pause}

beneficial new behaviors and choices you desire, to achieve lhe

Imagine that you can perceive yourself on your life's timeiinc.

results thaI are important to you.

Your past extends in one direction, perhaps to the left or behind

Using the following procedure, enter the resource level of mind.

you. And i n another direction your future extends before you, perhaps to your right. Howe .. -er you perceive your timeline is fine

Take a deep breath . . . . Hold it for a moment . . . . As you slowly

for you. Simply lI11agllle the present moment. Where you are

exhale, close your eyes. Think of the number J, and lllcnlaUy

right now is the present. And you can comfonably glance into the

repeat the word Relax. Imagine a wave of relaxation flowmg

past and or ill(o the future from where you are now.

downward throughout your entire body, fTom the top pan ofyour head down to the soles ofyour feet. You can let this wave flow downward several times if need be, You are in charge. Any time you desire to relax as deep or deeper than now, you can do so by thinking of your physical relaxation signal. the number

3

and the word Relax. You are in charge of your

physical relax:uiOll. {P,,,,,, } Take another deep brtath ... .1-lold it a moment.... Slowly exhale, think oflhe number 2, and mentally repeat the word Rela..'I:. Let go of thoughts about the past or fumre, focus your awareness on the present moment III tIIne, right here, right now. 11 ) ... ...... \

Continue to use your creauve imagination now as you float gently up over your tlmelme, way up over it to gain new perspec tive. Imagine you can see your life's path far below. Back there ill your paSt you can lmagme the events leading up to the present situation ofyour life. And extending another way is your filturC, bright and

fi,ll ofpossibilities.

Imagine floating Out mto the future. over the furure part of your tillleline. Go all the way out over the time when you are successfully achlevmg the results yOli had specified. Uelow you there in your hfe, YOll are enjoying the success YOli desire and can use all the new behaviors you need to accomplish the results you have chosen.

J23

Part J: Apply Nllfutill BrillitHlU

124

LbJp Ol'l'r l'trjo,manu BarritrJ Ijrilh Dirut uD".ing You can use this process after PhotoReading and after activating books

g gently At a rate that is comfortable for you, imagine driftin body, downward onto your timd\1lc and into your own

consciously as well. We choose not to activate books consciously in the

{Pause}

which means "You must work hard to achieve rewards." In athletics we

experiencing the new behaviors that help you.

Direct Learning technique buause the conscious mind imerferes. Most people in our culture ha"t: been raised by the "Puritan Work Ethic,"

of your Feci how good it reds to enjoy the succes s you had success accomphshments. Sec through your mVll eyes the do you say desired 1I0W as a reah[)' In your life. What good thmgs

do you walk, to yourself with your own inner dialogue? How and body as rs, shoulde head, wh:l.t docs success feel 1ikc in your yOll enjoy your success? this poim of You can look back to the path that brought you to or three of twO agmc m I success and accolllpli�hll1ent in your hfe. If you ment. the significant events that have kd to your achIeve better like, Ooat gendy up over your timl'iine to get an even b>oais. your hshlllg accomp to selected PCrsPl'CtlVC on the path you the and es, respons ful otice the significam e\'t�nts, your success rc5ults the d power and motivation you displayed to have adue\'e you had desired.

say "No pain. 110 gain." Direct Learning challenges traditional assump

tions by demonstrating the inner mind can provide a "path of

least resistance" to our success. As living life effortlessly is a real human option for the first time in history, why not do it?

Keep It Simple

Frustrated at my tack of success at

Il..ealizing how easy Direct Learning is and how much benefit it brinf,'S, you may \...·onder why most people never do it. Unfortunately, it

encouraged my students to use it;

PholOReadll1g s;raduates did I purposefully choose this powerful

technique for my own benefit.

and solidIfy Take your time to make all the reahzarions you need

are already weU on your way to accomplishing your desire. The next step

back to the When you feel complete With your imaginin� float Take a present moment 111 rune and back illto your qUIet place. Ideas from few moments to enJOY all the positive and comtructlve .

you have your own imag m at l on and from rhe books that and atically Photo Read. becon ung fully integra ted. autom

settings, spontaneously available (0 you In all the appropnate whenever you want or need them. few moments, as all the Ideas and new e fully behaviors of your c hoosing integrate so that they becom be. to them available, just as you need a

.

but I had never used it. I went to a library, spotted 30 books related to success, and PhotoRead all of them. My purpose was to become successful teaching PhotoReading. After two wei!ks I noticed changes.

IS to PhotoRead a stack of books that encourage the use of the skills you

I was much more positive about

need. Finally, automarically generate the new behaviors you need by

myself and my capabilities. In my

visualizing your future success. Imagine yourself now in the future, in

course that month I had twenty

the moment of enjoying me accomplishmellt of your goal.

enrollments with more enrolled for

Throughout the Direct Learning process, you can see the four steps of Natural Brilliance repeating. Each cycle brings you to greater release, greater choice, greater power to respond, and higher levels of witness. When you realize the II1ner mind IS your ally in personal and

the next month's course. In one wee!!: I received telephone calls from three people interested in sponsoring me in three different states. After two months all my

professiona1 development, you can �gin to ask. "\Vbat else is my mind

available dates were filled for the

capable of doing?"

second semester. Now I have a

Tht: inner mind is a pn.:verbal

mind. Like a genie, it

communicates through behaviors and imagery. If you ask it to help, it will demOll5trate what wonders it can do for you. When my first son Ben was ten months old, he could toddle, but he

{Pause}

couldn't talk yet. My \vife LIbby and I attended a support group for 6rst­

quiet plac� to When you are ready, bring your attention from your ly countlng an outwardly directed state of awareness by mental eyes and forward from 1 to 5. At the Ia�t nu mber open your good. celmg f and ed, return. refreshed. revitaliz

tune parents, where we heard a story from another couple. They said

.

experiment with Direct learning. I

In fact, I had to be convinced myself. Only after the reports of

" [VIral do I u.tl,r/?" When you can answer that question with clarity, you

{ Pallse }

Brazil, I finally decided to had heard about the results; I even

To review the Dirter Learning process, think of rhe simple phrase,

all the learning that ensun'S your success.

getting PhotoReading started in

is so deceptively silllple that mOSt people never even consider trying it.

{Pause}

Feel yourself let go for

125

they had asked their baby daughter to follow a complex set of Instructions. to which she had responded perfectly. Tht: ne).""[ day, Libby said, "Ben, will you go over to those shoes and

clear picture of what I have to do to keep this process working for me successfully. Huaras Duarte, Brazil

P.w J: Apply Naflmd BrilliaPlu

126

bring Momma her slippers?" Bell stood lip and toddled over to the Other cnd of the bedroom. He picked out the dippers from a row of�i:.: p:lirs and happily carried them back to her. "Amazing!" Libby and 1 looked at each other in shock and said. "Hey! We had never thought to ask!" If our child were toO young to speak, we reasoned that he was tOO young to comp�hend complex Ideas or carry out complex cOlllmands. How wrong we were. The following day I started him emptying the garbage and mowing the lawn. Just kidding. The educator EricJcnsen wrotc in his book Sliper Tencllil% "Everyone has genll1s capacity. It IS the context that determines the evidence." That Slims it up. The inner mind needs dear requests and the Impetus to act. Given the proper context. it will prove that you have abIlities for gemus. Do not be fooled by appearances. You have a preverbal ally. waiting to help.

Find Evidence of Success You may ask, "How WIll i know I am domg thIS nght? How WIll

[

know it's working? Immediately after the techn.ique. I will feci good but has ;mything changed?" Paradoxically, if every day you ask youTSelf. " h it working yet?" you will never notice a shIft. If you pull up a sccdllllg every dJ.y to see If It IS growing, will it grow? The changes you make .wlth Direct Learning run deep. With DIrect Learning you influence the Ullconscious control processes which dIrect your habitual behavior. UeC:tU$e the changt.-s mtegrate at an othcr-than­ conscious levei, at first they may be so subtle that you may tlunk nothl11g has changed. One way to witneSS thf' effects of DIrect Lf'armng IS to live life normally and notice any mdlcators ofmovement 111 the direction ofyour goal. Enhance your witness perspective through feedback from others. Those who know you \vell wlil see changes in you before you notice them 111 yourself.

Trust Your Inner Mind Fear sets up the biggest stop SIgns of all. Some people are leery of letting go of their critical-judging mind. If they cannot make change

127 happen by conscious volition and willpower. they consider it too risky to entruSt to the inner mind. But. when you distrust your mind. you distrust yourself. Being afraid to use the full potenna1 ofyour bram stops you in your tracks. Early painful experiences IIlay have erected StOp sIgns III the first place, but you ha\'e chosen to keep thcm there. Fortunately. you have the power to choose how you w tIJ lIve today.

Freedom of chOIce means you can choos e fTcedom. You can choose to be (re e of the oscill ation s and Stop signs that have limit ed you. Experience the remarkable gifts your mner mind can offer. Through Direc t Lcarn lllg, discover your Natural Bnlh ancc and celebrate your genius.

HI Approach Paradoxical Problems with Creative Problenl-Solving Appropriate to a paradoxical situation, J begin this chapter with a riddle. I first ran into this in D.N. Perkins book,

TI,e l\-fil/d's &51 r�-/Jrk.

See ifyou

can figure it Out: i wearing a mask. There is a man There is a man at home. He s i happening in tim scene? coming home. What s

Please notice the internal representation you create from this riddle.

Wim did you imagine? Oid you imagine a burglary scene? If not, what happened inside YOlI when J suggested it? Did you imagine a costume party? How about trick-or-treat on Halloween? Each time [ offer another suggestion, notice what happens to your own internal representation. The mind instantly incorporates the redefined problem (what kind of mask is being worn?) to generate a different solution (scene of what is happening). But do you have the solution yet? Notice your feelings. When everything comes together, you will experience a "felt shift," a strong internal experience of everything "fitting" together into the correct solution. Now let's consider what obstacles arc standing in the way. We can think oftht'Sc as variables in rhe riddle that we need to change or to hold constant, So far we have changed the variable of "mask" and probably i other ways. For example, all also "man." We could manipulate mask n the masks we have suggested so far have been disguises. How about a welder's mask, or a surgeon's mask? Those are masks of protection. As you consider them, notice how your scene changes. What ifthe mask were abstract, as ill "the mask of personality?" How might that change your scene? One variable that we have not manipulated at all iS "home." In all our

Part J:Applr Natural B,illianu

130

scenes, the home is a house---:l dwdling place. What ifit \vcre abstract, such as "Home is where the heart is" ? That IlK't l phor \\Ultld change the scene. What other kinds of"homcs"' are there? How about home base? Or, home plate? There IS a Illall at home plate, wearing a mask (3 catcher's mask), there IS a man corning home... from third bast:. What is happening in this scene? It is a baseball game! Now check your fechngs. When the Internal rcprt.-sellution changed in a way that everything fit, did you feci the shift inside you? That "(elt shift" is key to knowing that you have dcfint.-d the correct problem. For many years of working with clients on personal development issues, I kept posing myself a riddle: Why do people set thcmSt"h'CS up for failure when they want to resolve a problem that affects them . personally. I came to realize people set themseh-es up for f1ilurc when they think they are applying a Ilew solmion but arc only doing morc of the same. They blindly step into a trap of their own deVising; self­ designed and �If-set. they spring it upon ourselves -a1J the while rrylllg

Approach Pilradoxiral ProbfmlS u,fth C"ativt l>robft'm-Sofvil1g

131

nanLre of her stuck state. About five }'ears earlier Claire's husband, whom she had since divorced, had insisted that she seek medical help to lose weight. The doctor put her 111 a hospital for one week of extensive metabolic and hormonal testing, feeding her only intravenously. She was furious but helpless to change her imprisonment. Once commined to the hospital,

all she could do was endure the tL"Sting. Even with all the tests. the doctor could find no medical reason for Claire's condition. What's 1lI0re, to the complete baffiement of tile doctor and her husband, she had �lJi/ied nine pounds during her stay. "Anyone else," the doctor told her, "would ha\'e lost at least ten to fifteen pounds." Think about it. What better way for Claire to get even with the doctor and her husband? Get even by baftling them. Unfortunately, five years later, her Str:1teb ')' was st.ilI working perfectly [Q keep her ovenveight and stuck.

to do the "right thing." Tht:y Ud.P themselves wnh their ullconscious problem-solving Strateb')'. which created the problem to begin with. The faulty strategy creates the paradoxical problem. Here are examples of twO clients who came to me trapped in classic paradoxical problems. The first chent. named Bob. called my office to explain his problem like tim: "Over the years I've spent thousands of dollars Oil self-improvement tapes. I don't think that any of them has ever done me the iC;(5t bit of good. In fact, I honestly believe that audio tapcs can't help me." Hc paused for a moment, perhaps underscoring a challenge to me. "Now I

have your brochure, and I was wondering: which of your Paralulllnal tapes I should use to get past this behel?" Do fOU recognize the dt!enuna Bob pmcmed? There was no \'>-ay I could fill his paradoxical requC'sl. As 110 self-improvcmem tape would work for him, auy self-improvement tape I suggested would al�o

1101

work. Bob had set himselfup to win by proving hilllself right but, once again,

elldeJ lip losillg by not bemg able to use the wisdom on a

upe to

achieve hIS desired result. The other diem was a woman named Claire. Many years ago she came to my office wanting to lose approximarcly seventy pounds. Although she ate good foods, kept her diet to a minlillulll number of calones, exercised regularly, she stayed heavy. In diSCUSSing her experiences battling weight, Claire shared a reveahng story about the

Run Hard to Stay in Place ParadOXical problems, sucb as Dab's and Claire's, elude the person who has them. A problem exists as an unintentional by-product of a

We are trying to dissolve rather

solution to a differem problem. Because the solution worked in one

than solve the problem of having

context, the body-mind offers the same behaviors to a different problem.

problems.

Naturally, when we learn something that succeeds, we prize it as an

Robert A. Minkoft ·Searching for

efficient, successful strategy. Our neurophysiology is designed to

the Healing Tale-

remember what \\fOrks. But what works to soh.-e one problem does nOt

Storytelling. published by the

necessarily solve the next. In Uob's and Claire's cases, the misapplied

National Storytelling Association

strategy creates a unique class of stuck statcs--Qne

\ve

have only alluded

to so far in this book. This OSCIllation is not the same as b'Cttlng stopped III learning, then fearing to go on. This is an unique type of problem where being right is wrong. Clinging to the last set of skills prevents a solution to the next problem. In a way. the oscillation inside paradoxical problems erects invisible Stop signs. No specific fear-physically, emotionally, or intellectually­ sends us back the way we came. We perceive, clearly enough, the detriments of our currell[ problem situation, but we do not perceive at all that our behaviors cause those detriments. Causation seems mysteriously beyond our control. Now, consider how perfeCtlOIllSIIl causes paradox:ical dilemmas.

JJim J: Apply

Natural Brillialu,

learning to Doing something well has its rewards. The br:ull, taklllg that will Yield its illogical extreme, assumes that doing something perfecfly

problems optimw/J rev>'a.rds. I f we generalize such a learning, as in the st insists ectioni described earlier. we succeed :u escalating error. The perf that only flawk'SS execution

IS

b'OOcl enough pcrfonmnce, an)'thlllg else

is failure. Either success or dismal failul"l.-"'""""--':I

Approacll Paradoxical Probl,,", u,ith Crrativc Problt,"-Soll'ing

Instantly, the

cow

133

mooed and leaped into the barn.

In this SlOry the problem was not solved the way the problem was originally defincd by the person in [he stuck state. In reality, the problem was re-sol\'cd, or resolved. by redcfinmg what the problem \vas-the paradOXIca.! behavior at the heart of the mauer--and changtng II.

tWO polin loop--mulullg

in OSCIllation.

a "da­ Such oscillations occur Illost frcquemly when people get into hard to ta-be" trap-trying to feci better about themsclvl'S by working

self-esteem perform perfectly. A chent of mine named Pat had tenuous achieved because he continually compared his efforts to others who had

tended to success. As he tried hard to feel good about himsdf, he shift car overcontrol his behavior, hke the kid learning to drive the stick

like in traffic on hills. What I discovered working with Pat and others way out of him \vas that the way out of paradoxical problems is also the perfectionism, "do-to-bc" traps. and barners to �df-estee1l1. fall lllto Now let's explore how to overcome the tendenc y to

and how to paradOXical problems, how to idemify thelll If we do. understand them we.ll enough to resoh-e them.

Solve Dilemmas and Resolve Paradoxical Problems A story is told of the late great psychiatrist Dr, Mtlton I I . Erickson As I when he was a yOllng boy all h1s father's d11ry f:1Tnl in Wiscons1l1. and worse the for rcmemb er the story, the weather was turning lng the temper:llures of minus nvemy degrees Fahrenheit were threatell barn the into COW5 the livestock. Muton's father had managed to get all d of the except one, Tins one obstreperous cow stopped at the threshol barn and \\'Ouldn't budge,

get that Poor farmer Erickson did everything he could think of to He failed. attempt every cow to go into the safe warm barn, but his

pushed, he pullcd. he whipped, he grabbed, and he kicked without became to success. The harder he trlcd, the funnier the whole scene

ill the young Mt.lton, to the point where Mt.ltoll was rolhng 111 hysterics n. snow, watching Ins father's IIIcreaslllg frmtr:1.t1o

It'S so Finally, Milton's father rurned and shouted, "Well, if you dunk barn!" darn fUllny, why don't yOll put the cow 111 the

With that, Milton leaped up and ran behll1d the cow. Then, grabblllg the barn. Its tail in both hands, he pulled as hard as possible a\vay from

Write a New Story If we go back to Claire's weight loss example, we find two issues. A self-esteem Issue for her. plus an issue about how to assert her authority over her own body 111 a marnage that

was

1I0t working for her.

In our session tOb'Cther, I helped her connect her experience in the hospital w1th her ll1tentlon to get even. When she realized her weight loss had tinle or nothlllg to do with diet, she quit chastising herself for f.1iling at weight loss. Instead. we focused on devdoping her sense of self as an independent, self-sufficiem person. enjoying her ideal weight. In the process she let go of the excess emotional baggage she had been dragglllg around regarding the doctor and her ex-husband. [n follow-up conversations I had with her 111 months and years to come, Claire did beautifully. She had dropped over ninety pounds and successfully kept It ofT by habitually eating in the same low-calorie f:1Shion she had become comfortably used to. Sob, the self-improvement (ape buyer, also made a siglllficalH breakthrough. When he asked me to suggest a tape, I told h1l11, "Uob, you need to understand that no audIO cassette is going to change you. You've been buyin!; tapes expecting them to get you to change things about yourself, but you're right. No C3S!>Ctte has changed you or ever will change you. The only dung (hat call change you s i you." Evidently, Bob e:\.-periellced a felt shift

\\ hen

he took in the truth of

that stltement, All along he had known he had to be in charge ofhis life, but he desperately Wished for the magic elixir promoted in some tape advertisements. "When yOll are ready to change yourself," I continued, "you will understand (hat the Paralinnnal tapes can facilitate your process. They create an ellv1ronl1lem-a time and plact� If l'Ou will-in wluch ,

you can identify resources aln.':I.dy III l'Ou. They do not pm anythmg 111[0 you that

IS

not already the�. They help you gam access to it."

In reconunellding three rnpes, I insisted that he lise them according to my IIlStructions or return them for a refulld, I would not allow hun to deceIVe himself IIHO thlllklg ll the tapt.'S were going to do any work for

We create our reality through the stories we tell ourselves and othe� 1\ is liberating to know that we are jll'St one thought away from re·storying our lives by simply letting go of the story that is maintaining the problem state. .k>rry J. Welik, Ed.O. Storyteller, instructor, certified reality therapist and Professor of Special Education at St. Cloud State University

Parr J: Apply

Years ago I lived for a short while with a verbal abuser. One morning after the man had gone to work, I was sitting at the kitchen table trying to figure OYt how to leave, when I heard a pecking noise on the back patio. When I went outside I saw that a little bird was trapped inside a bird feeder. The feeder was completely enclosed ell.cept for the small opening at the

Nafllrai Brilliatlct

him that he was unable or unwilling to do for himself. Bob gratefully purchased the tapes and later reported he was accomplishing goals that had eluded him for �m. Both Claire and Bob like authoring their own lLves. Only they have the authority co change their life Storu�s. 13m unol they recognized they were in charge, they were powerless. Old I gitlf! them anything? Did they do anything differently from what they had already been doing? Ironically, no. Yet thl.-j' caused their problems, very troubling problems, to disappear quickly.

bottom. The little bird pecked frantically on all the sides trying to free itself. I wiggled the feeder

Restoring ourselves to natural brilliance simply means following

explore, discover.

the only true light. We most

The challenge is not releasing, noticing, responding, or witllessing. 13y now, those steps should be clear and fairly easy to perform. The big challenge remains�to define the real problem. Defining the real problem can be tricky because, if the problem you think s i the problem s i not the problem, then what is the real problem that you wam to solve? When you are willing to assume that the first problem definition you come up with is wrong. you are ".'ell on your \vay to success. Only then

to the opening, thinking that the little bird would simply walk to the opening and get out. But not so. It kept pecking away becoming even more frightened. Then an inner voice, itS loud as thunder but as gentle as the sound of a warm, summer rain, said to me. �If you cover all of the sides but one so that the Ught comes from only ONE direction. the little bird will free itsele I carefully covered all the sides so light came from one direction. The little bird did indeed. in a matter of seconds. free itself. The struggle was over. The next morning I packed my things and left my relationship, never looking back.

certainty peck frantically at walls that Imprison us with false beliefs and illusions but there is always a way to free ourselves. Shaaryl M. Byrd Natural Brilliance retreat participant University of Colorado

witll Cmlfi.�

Probltrn-Solv;I.g

\viU you beg1l1 to explore. Do not assume you know what is going 011.

Be willing to enter the Zen " beginner's mind" and suspend there, odilly content to recognize you feci trnpped, trapped by circumstancl'S ofyour own design that you do nO[ yet fully understand. Do not rush to solve the problem, but hO\'er around It, releasing and noticing \vith CUriOSIty, empathy, and humor. This prmclple ofstaying With the problem rather than rushlllg to solve it leads to a process of creativity and problem-solving that I shall now describe. Using the Creative Problem-Solving Process will ensufC that you identify the problem in such a \vay that you can solve it.

Take the Easy Way Out of Your Trap

trap ourselves when we try to resolve personal problem� using the unconscious problem-solving strategy that created the problcm to begin with. The good news is that the Natural l3rilliance model provides an ideal and easy \vay om. To get om of a trap you must first realize you are in one. \Vhen you recognize you have come full circle--trying ullsuccessfully to resolve a problem that only came back with a vcngeance--stop the ll1erry-go­ round. and hop off. Many people feci distinctly frustrated or anb'I)' when thl.-')' realize they are rnpped in a dysfunctional cycle ofproblem-solving. Stop and release the emotions, release the stress, and get back far enough to notice what is really happening. Releasing and noticing put you in a resourceful state ofbody and ITllnd so that you can get distance from your emotions. You may be still Snick in the trap. but at least now you know you are holding the key to get out. ext, do something different; respond and then \vi01ess the effects of your aCtions. Did you make things worse or better? Respond in an unusual way. Doing something creative, something zany, something unlike your typical response, give5 you a reason to laugh and learn. Use any success in the direction of your goal to blaze a trail. Experiment,

until the bird seed made an incline

Approacll Paradoxical Probltl/!$

We

Follow the Creative Problem -Solving Process

Present State

t Develop

Define

Imple ment ation

Problem

Plans

Identify Obstacles

Generate Solut ions

.J

_ _

13 5

136

Part J:Appl). Naturill Brill;a"u

In mis process, which I initially developed for Honeywell Corporation, me "problem" is simply the difference bcnV{:'cn the " p r"SCllt t. sute" and the "desired OlUcome," You have a unique "lew oftlus difference. Someone else looking at where you are now and where you \."ant to be

Approacll P,lradoxi(af PTobfrnlJ U,fth Cnativt Probf�"ISofl'i"X

For want or a nail the shoe is lost, for want of a shoe the horse is lost. for \\!am of a horse the: rider is lost, for w;mt of the rider [he battle is lost, for wa.nt of the battle the kingdom s lost, and all for the want of a nail. i

George Ilerben, Poor Rirhard's Almauoc

will almost surely define and interpret the problem differently. Remember the riddle; the more definitions you come up with, the more scenariOS you get. The first step in the process is [Q descnbe your presenr StJ.tC and clearly define your desired result. Then you can take the difference between the two as your first description when you "define problem."

You wlil modify the definition of your problem as you comider obstacles between the present state and desired outcome. As each obstacle redefines the problem, the process chan shows a loop between "define problem" and "identifY obstacles." The clearer your definition of [he problem. the more obvious your solution. Unfortunately, most people msh to get rid of their problcms by prematurely grabbing the first and most obvious solution. I say

111!fuTrWllltciy because the first solutions are the ones that occur to us bascd on our predominant problem-solving approach. Remcmber, it is your approach that tr
III

your current problem.

Gomg back to the Creative Problem-solving process chart, you sct'. the loop betwecn the step of "gcncrate solutions" and the "ddine problem/identifY obstacles" loop. We ha\'e a loop bccause e\'ery solution we creatc redefines our problem-as in the riddJe with the man at home

wearing

a

mask. Every solution you Implement carnes Its own load of

attend.1m obstacles. When the encrb'Y crisis of the

1970$

\ ...ere

going to bc much more popular than the

gas-guzzling American cars. So the auto makers deCided to produce smaller cars. Smallt:r, lighter cars would sell. Problem solved, right? Well, partially. Uut look at the problem created for the steel industry. Detroit ehllunated enormou� amOUllts of steel from cars, VIrtually annihilating the steel industry that had depcnded on the automotive business. In Minncsota, we suppiJed tacomte to the steel 1l1dustry. Guess what happened here? The movc to smaller cars all but destroyed the iron 1ll11lll1g industry. Perhaps you have heard the maxim:

goal. What is the real problem you want to solve?

In the Creative Problem-solving process, I suggl..'st that eighty percent ofyour problem-solving time might well be spent correctly defining the problem; the other twenty percent in generating a solutio n and

implementing 1(. Think of this

80120 ratio in relation to the Natural I3rilli:mct· model: Eighty percell( ofthe time is in releasing and noticing; twenty percent in responding and witnessing.

Spending such long and careful time on refining the problem may not be an easy approach for somc people. The Creative Problem -solving process requircs a high tolerance for ambiguity and paradox . Again, think back to the riddle at the beginning of this chapter. Many people

dash headlong on a straight line from problem to solution . Reality indicaH� a different approach . Allow your thinking to meander into random, diverge nt, playful musings. Take tillll..' to ask lots of qucstions and test your hunches . Using the riddle as an inspiration, create many different scenarios to change the internal representations you clung to when you realized you had a

problem.

hit, we waited in line at the gas

pumps . The Detroit auto industries projected that energy efficient imported automobiles

I keep this age-old message fmned above my desk: Take your time in defining your problem. Keep remembering there is a gool behind your

Externalize the Problem Several Usefill techmques can help you make the most of the Creative Problem-solving process. Thesc \vilJ heighten your divergent thinking ,

help you identify the correct problem, and aid you in generating solutions that work. The secret behind all the techniques is that they pull

you out of feeling stuck. These tc:chniques iuvolve active, purposeful. IIlqulSltive physical and mental movement. With them you shake up an otherwise static and stagnant view of the " problem-as-a-thing-causi ng_

suRering" to reclaim your success.

In the Natural Brilliance retreat, w� lead you to externalize the stuck state or problem you are working on by creating an analogy or 11letaphor for you to play with. We go 011 an outdoor experiential learnmg course,

137

Part 3: AI/ply Natural Brillimlct

138

"You have never lived until you have almost died: The motto ofthe Special Operations Group Military

Appro(ulJ Paradoxical Problem! with Creative Problem-Solvill.!!

which we set up as a metaphor for your problem. You can create your

gift that means "Thanks, but no thanks." You could hand your

own analogy any day of the week. Choose an important issue, one

fnend a primed banner that says "Sorry, Charlie!" Who knows?

Get creative! Set the goal as being able to disagree with or confrum

which puts you at risk f i you do not solve it.

your friend appropriately if he or she tries to convince you to do

1) 11lillk ojy{)ur 011'11 perso/wl stll{k state.

something uncomfortable.

Assistance Command-Viet Nam.

One example might be that you feel you are stuck under the

6) Co illto the evt'1II relaxed alld alert. ResJ>OlId ill II'/wfl'l/er ways youJeel are appropriate ill the time.

emotional domination of your parents. Let us pretend for sake of the example that whenever you talk \vith or visit your parents, at least one of them snoops into your personal life, which makes you

Let go of your concern about doing well. After all, this is an

angry. You are an adult, yet every time you communicate with

analogous sinlation, not the real trung.

them, you regress to age cleven and ha\'e to make excuses for not

7) After fhe Mill, wiwl'ss tile results ojymlr aaiolls.

follo\ving their directivL'S.

How did you handle yourself? What did you say to your friend?

2) ·J Jli"k cifallY s�I!/I!fi((ml CIlCllt coming lip 50011.

What is the moral of the story? What can that teach you about

Let's say a friend asked you to do something you fel t uncomfortable agreeing [0. Because you felt uneasy telling your fflend why, you acquiesced rather than possibly creating conflict.

how to be, or not be, when you are with your parents? Consider how the above technique allows you to disassociate from

Imagine this situation as analogous to conUl1Unicating with your

negative emotions and &....in new perspectives. From slIch a resourceful

parems. Assign your friend the role ofyom mom and/or dad.

mental and emotional place, you easily enter the witness mode, the

3) Create afilII rl'l'reselJtatioll oj your desired re$lIlt. Imagine the way you want your life to be when you visit your parents. What kind of communication do you desire? How do you wam to act? Are your parents, peers, friends, aduhs with COIIUl10n backgrounds, or what? Consider your next get-together with the friend who made the request of you. What do you want? You might choose to express yourself directly and tell him or her "No."

4) VVlwt illler/1II1 or extemal obstaclcs might YOIlJace?

source of most ofyour learning breakthroughs.

Enhance the Quality and Effectiveness of Solutions The Natural Brilliance model suggests you

problems.

solv/' the /lIay YOIl solve

It encourages creative and divergent thinking, feeling. and

action and propels you to go beyond merely fixing the apparent problem. As a generative approach to solving problems, Natural Brilliance enables you to search for and find the solution to the \VJy you have been trying to solve your problem. In my work with individuals

[

have learned to listen for clues to

Here is where yOll define the problem and identify obstacles

paradoxical problems in people's descriptions of their problems. For

following the Creative Problem-solving process. l-l.emember to

example, when a penon �uggests: "This is the only problem [ have been

keep playing with alternative explanations for why the problem

un ble to solve. If it weren't for this

stays in place. For examplc. consider that the problem exists

weIgh t, you name it), my life would be exactly as r \VJnt it to be."

because your parents have low self-esteem and will only feel good about themselves when they see your life has turned out perfectly. Or not. Play with it.

5) CCllemte at leas/jive to seven optional respomes /0 move )'011 ill the direction cifyour goal. Think of getting together with your friend. You might take a silly

�

problem (fill in smoking,

Such a statement gives away that they are searching out�ide themselves for lhe

Ultra Solution.

as Dr. Paul WatzJawick, the director of the Palo

Alto Brief Therapy Clinic, describes it. A person seeking the end-all solution�the final answer that will cure all ills-\vill most likely miss the work dlat really needs to be done mternally to solve the problem. To follow a generative approach to problem solving and prevent the

139

Part 3:Apply Nutural Bri/liQllct

140

Approtlcll Ptlrlldo),·;ctd Pfobltms 11';111 erta/i" t' Probltm-Solving

traps inherent within double binds, use the four steps of the Natural

Brilliance model allows everything in your experience to give you

13rilliance model. In addition, do the specific behaviors of thinking and

feedback about how to proceed.

feeling that are presented under each of the three attitudes described ill Chapter 8: Put

Nalrlral Brilliallce to WorkJorYou. include being receptive, getiera/IIlt', and persistCllt.

To review, the attitudes

Being receptive means taking an attitude that you can safely explore areas that you had been afraid to consider. Discover what lies outside the boundaries and constraints you have accepted

in the pas£.

141

Remember my opening story i n Chapter I ? I told you o f my becoming faim during my icebreaker speech at Toastmasters. The following week, after numerous "mind control" techniques, I still had the same result. Why did I fail twice? What

was

wrong? What was my

problem? Asking myself those questions about Illy failure, compounded my failure, because the only answers to them are excuses. Let's face it, I

feeling. You will need to bypass your inner critic ro reach your creative

did what I did. Whatever I did, did not produce my desired results. . Ifmy goal had been to "avoid f1ilure," 1 fai l ed big time. If my goal had

childlike attitude, how you used to learn about the world before yOll

been to "learn how to be the best public speaker I can be," then fainting

started school. Roll up your sleeves and dip imo a problem, without

was pan of my learning. and therefore, part of my success. When I ask

concern for "gening it right." Express yourself! Use your imagination

myself"What did I learn?" or " How will this experience serve me to be

with the abandonment of a child who finger paints with no worries of

a stronger, more accomplished speaker?" I learn that [ learned a lot.

cleaning up the spatter.

Those two questions will bring out your witness and generate persistent

goal of alt, mine is happiness.·

Being persistent means establishing a clear vision ofwhat you want for

learning in the direction of your goals. In the last part of the

When r grew up, I realized that it

yourself now and in the future. It also means having the courage to

Toastmaster's example. I did the unthinkable. I broke the protocol for

wasn't a goal at alt. It was a way of

believe you can create what you sincerely set your heart and mind to do.

meetings by asking members to stay after. I asked for what I wanted and

Being generative means engaging in creative ways of thinking and

I achieved it. The power of effective goal-setting cannot be overestimated. If you

Take the Right Path to Success Let us review the secrets o f success found in the combination of

Principle

1:

are:

Tolerate ambiguity to realize your full pmenrial.

Principle 2: Make small adjusOlll'lltS slowly to accomplish your goal. Principle 3: Achieve a state of being by

being not by doiflg.

Principle 4: Maintain an outcome orientation and increase Principle 5: Change in generative ways for [he best results. One major addition is:

Consider IIrat your problem definition is wrong.

may be put it this way because it is okay to proceed even though you produce you pursuing the wrong problem. Witnessing the outcomes

IDEA Seminars

Set Goals for Success If you set a well-formed goal, you \vill enjoy

an

immediate payoff. A

well-formed goal is the only kind that works. You can create effective

Consider attending my annual

goal statements by satisfYlng these five conditions:

New Year's Goal Setting

State goals ill positive terms.

Goals must specifY what you want,

nO[ what you don't want. For example, if you do not like your house and want to move, in order to find it, specifY exactly the house you want.

2) Cot!ftne tire goal to

Wortshop. It complements all you learn here. Call my office at teaming Strategies Corporation for more information.

II'hm

is ill your coUlrol.

Ultimately, you are the

control how someone else feels. "I want to do my part to create an

you are your own best therapist and educator. Following the Natural

learned to choose a way of being in the world, to choose happiness on

carolyn Sikes

something [f everything you have doue increase s oscillat ion, do . different--such as, redefine what you consider to be the problem Trust your mind to help you achieve your highest good in life. Know

life--it was a simple choice. I realized it wasn't difficult at all. I

external influences.

to whether you are on the right track.

as

their goals: money, fame, famity, success... But mine is the toughest

record time.

one to decide what you want. For example, the goal "I want my

will quickly give you feedback

something like this· "Everyone has

an ongoing basis regardless of

I)

your choices.

a poem about my goals. It went

set goals well, you greatly increa�e your chances of achieving them in

Natural Brilliance with Creative Problem-solving. The five principles of Natural Brilliance discussed n i Chapter 3

When I was in high school, I wrote

office team to be happy" is not within your control; you cannot office environment that supports my team's work" constitutes a general effective goal statement. You would next need to specifY how you \VJnt to implement your goal.

Hm J:Apply Ntilural Bri/lianct

142

3)

PreSffl'l' rhe presnll posirilrcs. State your goal so [hat it maintains

Approaci.

PoJ'oJdoxital Pmbll'llu

milll Cnl.lliw

Problem-Sol.,ing

An nnponant part of my Job as consultant, therapist, and educator is

the dungs you value l110st in your hfe. If you have to give up tOO

to plan for my own obsolescence;

much to have a goal, it is unlikely you will seek It. For example, if

Job.

people want to quit smoking, they need to subsntlltc Important

they com apply them on their own. Tht."Y must develop self-sufficiency

\v.lys other than smoking to take a social break or relax when they

and the ablbry to learn from thelf experience. I help clients release what

are under duress.

I am always working my way out of a I want my clients to learn the lessons th")' t. desire well enough rhat

is not working, notice chOices they have missed, generate thelT own

4) Fmml.' a lallgiblegoal. You must be able to know when you ha\'e

achieved your goal. If your goal is to be happy, It IS very difficult to know whether you have it or if it will last. To turn

"I want lO be

positive responses, and witness the effects of their own behavior. If I work harder than Illy clients to achieve changes they want, then I am carrying them on my back to theu success. When they arrive, they will

happy" into a measurable 6'Oa1, you must �pecify what happiness

be no more capable of maint'dining their success than they were capable

means to you. " [ want to spcnd four hours ofquality time With my

of achieving it.

family each week engaged in intriguing, lcarlung actIvities" is a testable goal; yOll know when you have achieved it.

With Natural Urilltance, organizations learn how [Q learn from their ongoing experience in business. N o longer doomed to repeat the miHakes of the p:lSI, individuals who contribute move their

Establish your stake in what you

5) Cr41 a goa/ llrtllmd wilat yOIl .�reatl)' desire. Your goal must be

want. In other words, you havI! to

something you value. For example, if yOll set a goal because your

companies into bnlliant futuTCs. When people express theiT genius by

know where it's going to lead you,

mQ[her or doctor wants you to, you are setting yourself up for

focusing it on resolving business problems, their emerging power impels

what you're going to get out of it.

disaSter. Your goal must involve sOlllethlllg you conSider

the whole business toward its goals. A good leader is one who sees the

and how it relates to your world

important and worthwhile.

potential all around and creates a work environment that engages the

view. It doesn't do any good to imagine that you want to be a doctor. You have to see yourself achieving rewards of being a doctor that ate spe
Take a few minutes at your earliest convcmcnce, If not right now, to think about your purpose for readmg tim book. Do the 6'Oals you have already established meet the conditions for effective goals? To be certolln, write down your goals and check thelll. It will also be helpful to hav� clear goals when you head into the l\'C1II Optioll Gt'rIl.'f'lllor III Chapter

12.

Peter Kline. Chairman of the BGard of Integra learning Systems

Break Through in Business The m�ges in this chapter arc cqually applicable for busme5s. All of the stories and lessons of personal breakthrough can be viewed as metaphors in business. When you COll1bme Natural Brilliance with Creative Problem-solving, you eiller the role of educational consultant to yourself and performance consulant t to your busliless.

As a consultant to organizations in both the public and private sectors, [ have set up my role as an "inside-outsider."

I

aCI like an employee

in establishing close IIlterpersonal relationships With key employees and managers. At the same time,

I

act like the consultant

111

taking

a long perspective on the Orb"3lliz:J.tJon. From an outside perspective, 1 fulfill my charge of offering straightforward, honest feedback to employees, managers, and dircclOrs, without fear of recrmunation. such as loslllg my Job.

genius of every employee. If you arc a teacher or therapist. please consider the capacity for genius w:l.iting to be revealed in your c1iems. When you see people as all that they can become, you activate a communication directly with their genius.

Generate Your Path to Personal Genius: The New Option Generator The Namrnl Orilliance retreat activates the Natural Brilliance model so that all participants learn it cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally. During the retreat, participants use seven exercises to bring up oscillations and move them past their internal limitations infO the brilliance of their persona! genius. The sequence of seven exercises fOfms a single system called the Nelli

Optioll Gel/er(l/or.

This chapter dL"SCribL"S the New Option Generator so you can follow it on your own. Using it. you c.an resolve paradoxical problems and powerfully install the Namral I3rilliance experiential lcarning model into your thinking, feeling. and acting. I saved the

ew Option Gener.l.tor

for last, because It asscmbk"S the whole of the Natural Brilliance model into one powerfill system. The New Option Gcner:Hor rehes on the

atura! Brilliallce model,

Direct Learning. and the essential clemcms ofCreaove Problem-solvmg. The process. when )IOU follow it from Start to finish, takes you through the following stages: •

Release.

Stop oscillating, and prepare your body-mind for the

changes )IOu desire. •

ItIl?lIIify rl,e Cmlli,w,,,,,.

On what continuum arc you currencly

osciit.lting? •

Determille II,e Cllrrerrl Rm'gc of Clroices.

How do they both SlIppOrt

and limit you? Learn to recognize your typical stuck statcs. Experience thcm attached to the stop signs at each end of your current continuum of choices. Understand the feelings attracting you toward benefits you deSire III the future and away from detriments you reject In your current behaviors. •

AllcI,or Sfaus. Clarify the benefits and detriments at each end of the contlnuum and the powerful feelings that have been

This process sham a nam@ with th� New Option Generator P"'''liminal tape.

P.lrt J: ApplJ' NI/{ura/ Brilliallet

146

Collapse SlatfS. Pop OUI the Stop SIgns at each end of your

FilII of CI,oicts.

Emc'l,'C vvith a pervasIVe

physical and emotional sense of peace, almost as if you have

on a set of outdoor experiential learning initiatives. I picked one event,

facilitated a peaceful alliance oflUumal R.'Spect, learmng, and success

known as the "Pamper Pole," as my personal challenge. To confront my

Fed Posirive Neutrality alld

Make a Choice. In accord with your personal power, decide what Take Action. Respond with commitme nt ill the dIrection of your

NOTE: For those trained in net/roo linguistic programming (NL'), the way I am anchoring and collapsing states is probably different from whatyou havE' ellE'rE'1IperiencPd, This is not a 19701 anchor col/apse

j..Vimcss.

As you realize the outcomes ofyour natural lc:J.rnin!; state,

choose to

take rhe next steps (0 fulfill your desirc�.

To illustrate the New Option

Generato r a nd

how it works for

personal transfotmation, I wam to share a personal experience. A bit of background on my problem will help set the stage. During my thirties, I appeJ.n.'d dozens of tunes on local and national

or a 1980s quick nate chan�. Any

television programs. Rather than feehng more capable with each show, I

and all opinions about those

felt progressively more uncomfortable in front of television cameras. I

proasses are invalid here. �

had excellent studio skills from making audiO tape programs, and I had

New Option Generator I ha� developed does something radical. It dMS not collap$E' opposite states. It col/apses detriments with

mastered the radio interview. l3ut when It came to TV, I got progressively more stuck. Part of my success on rado callle from maklllg eye COIlt.lct with the i

detriments and benefits with

talk show host and building nonverbal rapport. l3ut on TV, when the

benefits along one behavioral

CJ.mera went off the host. the host looked everywhere except at me.

continuum and instanrly makes all

which threw me off.

potentiill responses at O()� equally available at aI/ levels: physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

Associates assured me that I had pe rformed \...'ell on TV talk show�. but I felt like Mr. Stiff. After a decade of experiences, I knew I was b"Cning worse. At the same time. I held the bcliefthat mastery in front of the camera was critical for my co m inued success in the human development

field.

as

a metaphor for Starrlllg in

the TV shows. \Vhatt'\'er I dId on the learning initiative would teach me When It was my turn to climb the forty-foot polc and stand without support on top of a wobbly di sk bolted to the tOp, I knew what I '\f:lnt('d

desired bT()al. •

fear. I set up conquering the pamper pole

how to perform well on TV.

you \'T.I.nt to create. o

atural I3nlliance tr;lIning protocols. For one of the

exerciSd I took a 6'1'OUP of partiCipants to a ropes course to experiment

bet\I.'een t\''O culrures. o

DUring the month after the lIlvitation to script the TV shows, I busily developed the

connnuum and stop oscillating. •

147

you, I wanted to run as fJ.st as I possibly could in the opposite dIrection!

keeping you stuck. •

Gt'''t'raft' Your PiIIl, to Peno"al Gt'I,ius: "n,t Nt'll> Optio" Gtlluator

So I put myself under :l lot of pressu re to do \vell.

On my fortieth birthday I set a goal. I decided

I would do whate\'er it

took to fina lly master the video media . Within one week (small coincidence, eh?) I received a call from a satelhte-based self­ IInprOVell1ClH network, ask m g me to devel op and record twelve television shows on various courses J had taught over the years. When I put down the phone, I started OSCillating. I became a walking yo-yo. Clearly, I had a goal and a great opponullIty to achieve It. 13m, let me tell

to achieve. Once harnessed and ballayed with ropes, I scampered up the pole

without

hesitation or fcar. A.s I took the final step to the top. my

heart was pounding. I stood, arlllS outstretched, brea thing

in

the

ma!,"lJ..ific('nt vicw of the surroundings. I fdt as if my heart would explode. Then I

realized, in the midst ofmy

1101fear /'1/1 fcc/illg-it's tlm'U and excitelllcllt." I I was not afraid of being on TV. One day I will expcrience this same nlsh when I do a national TV appcnance. and it will not be from fear. It ,viii be from ad renaline

rush. .. n,is is

drank in the reah.z.1tion that, although I needed to build skills,

the thrill of havlIlg cluubed to the top of such a mJ.gIIifiCl'm vista. The shows I crcatt.'
front ofTV cameras rccordlllg over nventy-eight hours of tape.

I learned menll skills and realized that I had left my concerns about TV well behind me. The followlllg �pring, we received a CJ.ll from a producer at "CBS Up to the Millute News." To do a five-lllll1ute interview with me on PhotoReading, they needed to link me in Minneapolis to the hosts in the New York studio by 5.1cdlite. In all the excitement

I felt steady and cool.

On the evening of the interview my wife conunented on how calm I had been all day. I dId feel good. I was looking forward to doing the

show. When I

arrived at the CBS affiliate in Minneapolis, they led me

into " Space Comrol," as they call it. I sat in the small room, barely bigger

than my closet, starmg U110 the lens of a camera.

Uehind me \vas a gi ant

postcard of MlI1neapohs at dawn: 111 my ear an uncomfortable audIO umbilicus to the Nt'w York studio. When the satellite lmk went online, they could see and heJ.r me in New York and J could hear them. After I Joked about �pinach in my

Hut J:Appl)' Natur.d B,il/ianu

148

teeth with the host, the producer said,

"

Crt/fralt }'Our Pat" to Prrsot/al Crnius:Thr Nrw Option Cfflrrator

All nght, gemlemen, thirty Start

seconds." That's when it hit me.

1

I�I�I

All of a sudden my heart L.lte hit the high end of the aerobic zone. It felt hke Illy necktie was flapping on my chest. I was sure they could see

my neck throbbing in New York. Then, like magic. there I

"

t 1

"\

tl, 2 .i.

was on top

of the pamper pole looklllg across the nanOI1. "11,is i1 "0/fear; this is tire tlrn'lI of my carter," JUSt as f.lSI as the thought appeared, my body flooded

��

-----_/

\vith energy. I felt the complete connection of mind, body. and spirit linking with power and purpose. The interview went flawlessly. The next morning, the phones at Learlllllg Str.ucgies Corporation started ringing. CBS called two days later to say they had received inquiries as weU. which is unusual for them. The greatest accolade came when the producer invited me back for a story on Paraliminal tapes. More potent than any aile experience in my story is the fact that every time I appear in the media, 1 add to my set of skills. I have opened [he path of lifelong learning regarding presenting before the television media, and I witness continual growth in the direction o f my professional goals.

Do the New Option Generator Domg the seven exercises of the

ew Option Generator is designed

to use your energy surrounding a paradoxical hfe Issue to establish useful behavio�

as Strong

End

-----

and av:ulable resources. You can do it alone or have

another person guide you through Exercises

2

and

3.

You can modify

the pace at which you do the steps.

E.wrcise 1: Deji"l' till' Problem Imu

If you are working with a partner who also wants to effcct a change, you can take turns completlllg Exercises

I

through

3,

then complete the

Dn-ect Learning in tandem or independently. Stop after each sectlon of the exercise to discuss what you discovered With your parmer. Willi this map of the New Option Generator, you can follow the sequcnce:

7 1�0��

'-- � iii iii

A) IdentifY a life issue. or problem, you wallt to resolve. Ideally, use the lSSue you wrote about on the worksheet in Chapter 9. B) Take four piect'S of paper, of four different colors if you like, and in the center of each print the name of one of the four qu.tdrants: Presem

Fwrm.· Positillf5.

Negatives; PreSl'fIt Positivt's; Futurl' Nf,i!atives;

PresC71t Negatirlt'S are problems, or detriments, you \'/ant to get aWlY

from or eliminate from your life. Waming to stop doing and being tht. 'Se thlllgs may be the driving force for your w:mting to change.

Present PositiVi'S are bentjits YOll wam to keep, or not lose, even as you eliminate the present detriments to achieve what you desire.

149

P.1rI J: AIIllly NlIwrlll Bri/li,mu

150

Future Nf'gntiw1 arc problems, or dl'tTlmf'ms. you W3nt to avoid when you achieve what you desire. FlIlllrf' Posiliws

berltifiu you want to achieve

making your desired change. Wanring to Start domg and being these thll1� may be the driver for your w:mnng [0 change. :.lre

111

C) Relax Into a receptive. iearnmg State of I11md. Follow the directions for emering the resource level of relaxed alertness. (See pages 49-52) In this relaxed state, [hmk about each ofme four quadrants. What experiences represent each quadrant? Explore your feelings and any images assOciated with each of the four quadrants. When you are ready, open your eyes, but remain in a relaxed and creative stare. Using colored pens, if you like, around each of the quadrant names. quickly write words and draw pictures that characterize each of the quadrants. Your words and pictures can express being and doing. Continue putting items on the four pages until you feel finished. If another item occurs to you later, add it to the appropriate page. Option: Label each item with a code letter mdicating the sensory modality that each word and each picture expresses-Visual, Auditory, Kinesthetic, Olfactory, GuSt.ltory. Beside each item, put the letter that corresponds to the sellSdtion in your body when you think about that part of your life sisue. For insunce, under Ilresmt Neglllives, I would have written about my TV challenge, the ShC1U1 //Ost looking Ql4'ay V and jeeUug st[ff-K. Somebody who wants to slim down and has foulld that exercising works (if he would do it collSlstemly) might wntc, "Courll Potator' AIR, because he calls himself that when he looks in the mirror and feels bad for not exercising. Or a drawing ofa slim waist-V. Noticing how many times you have written each letter can indicate how these detriments and benefits are affecting you. -

D) Designate one hand to hold the presl.'11/ and the other to hold thejiau re. An easy way to choose which is which is to say to yourself "On the one hand my future looks bright" and notice which hand you hold out as you gesture. The other hand is designated to hold the presetl/.

Exercise 1: Inlt'gratt tift Dttrimttf's A) Looking at all th e detriments you ha\·e put on your prt'St'Plt

Gtluratt Your Palh to Personal Gtnius: n,t Nell' Oplion Gentrator

151

negatives page, experience the negative things that have made you

want to elullinatc thiS issue from your life. Use your creative imagination to place all the present negatives into the "present" hand. Imagll1e all the consequences of the detrimems, with all their associated punishmcnrs-as they look, sound, and feci. ow lI11agll1e holding in your hand an object symbolic of all the present negatives you waf}( to eliminate. As you imagine this symbolic object in your hand, notice what it looks like and feels likt.--its size. shape. weight, density, texture, temperature. color. Pay special attention to its surface. Is it angular or rounded, rough or smOQ[h? Are there any sounds associated with this object? Imagine th:l( you can feci it not only in this hand but also in this arm, shoulder, in this side of your body, this side of your face, chest. abdolllen. pelvis, thigb, in this leg. Imagine that you have a line down the cemer of your body, dividing this side containing the issue frolll the other side ofyour body.

il) Looking at all the detriments you have put on your iUlllfe

l!egalillt's page. experience the negative things that yoll will want

to avoid as

you achieve your desire. Use your creat i... ""t' imagination to piJce all thejilll/I'f' tlegmia.'fS into the "fimlre" hand. Imagine all the consequences of the detriments, with an their associated punishments-as tht.-y would look, sound, and feel if they came to fruition.

Now imagine hold1l1g in your hand an object symbolic of all the fumre Ilegatl\·es you wam to aVOid. As you imagine this symbolIc object in your hand, notice what it looks like and feels like-its size, shape, weight, density. texture, temperature, color. Pay special attention to its sur6ce. Is It angular or rounded, rough or smooth? Are there ally sounds associated with tins object? Imagine that you can feel it not only III tim hand but also in this arm, shoulder. in this side of your body, this side of your face. chest, abdomen, pelvis, thigh. 111 tillS leg. Imagme that you have a line down the center of your body, dividing tins side containing the issue from the other side of your body.

C) Identify each Side as different, separate, and present in the respective hand and the respec[Jve side ofyour body. Experience the extent of the no-will condmon that has existed between these antagonists for so many years, with each side believing that it held the key to success and that the other side was wrong. Realizl! also I/Jat ell(/J side /ras always /rad a sitlgle positive mlliiott--to pralnl you

so

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tlrar rOIl (Quid Iiiif' YOllr lift tjJ(,(fiVt'ly. D) InvIte a sense ofche peacemaker 11110 yourself. Imaglllc. like

the Geneva Convention, a peace table. where these opposing forces communicate with each other. Invite a diaiob'Uc between the present negatives you WJnt to eliminate and the future negatJves you want to avoid. in which each side Icarn� from the other to balance and harmonize your life. F) At a rate determined by your ability to let go and intcb'Tate the

learning of these previously opposed world views, IIltcgr.iltc the sides of yom body by bringing your hands together. As the palms of yollr hands press each other lightly. notice the fclt shift throughout your hands. arms, f:1CC. body, and legs. Notice a new sensation and a new image. and feci a new rt."Sourceful symbolic object now resting in the cup ofyour hands. Then, to complete the imegration. cradle this new symbolic resource over the cemer ofrollr chest, and with a deep inhale, breathe all of these resources into you. As you do, imagine all this learning from your life history. all the energy associated with this issue, now fully integrated and available to YOll, aligned for the purpose ofhclping you accomplish your highest good in life. Exerciu J: lmegrau dIe Bt'1Iifiu

In dus part of the exercise you will imagine the poLu OppOSltt."S of the same issue in your respective hands. TIllS time you will represent how

each side has been oper.mng successfully to get you what you wam 111 life; III other words, you will represent all the benefits. In each hand you \vill place the experience ofbehaviors associated With this issue III which you CUII'd approprialely, }'till liked your r('su/Is, alld yOIl ('"ded lip lI'ilh II,efeebllgs yOIl II'tlllted. Look at the Items on the twO pages to evoke the sensations of the twO quadrants. Again, clearly identify each side as different, separate, and present in 1tS respective side of your body and brain. Place the prest'1/f Iwsilil)fs where the present negatives had been; place thejillllre posiliVt's where the future negatives had been. Then, bring your hands together. HeI"C IS the script for how to integrate the present and future poSitives: A) Looking at all the benefits you have put 011 your prese'" poswws page. experience the positive thmb'S that you want to keep III place. U� your creative imagillation to place all the pres('1It POSlliL'l'S into the "present" hand. ImagLne all the cOllsequences of the

Gt'nt'ratt \-0,,, Huh to Pj'rsu"al Gt'ni"s: TIlt Nl'w Oplion GI'''l'rator

benefits, with all their associated rewards-as they look, sound, and feel. Now umgllle holding in your hand an object symbohc ofall the present benefits you want to keep. l object in your hand, notice what It As you lI11agllle tillS symboic looks like and feels like; its size. shape, weIght, density, texture, temperature, color. Pay special attemion to the edges of it. Is It angular or rounded, rough or smooth? Are there any sounds associated wLth this object? imab>1ne that YOli can feel tills object not only in thiS hand. but in this arm. shoulder, ill this side ofyour body, this side of your face, chest. abdomen, pelvis. thigh, in this leg. Imagine that you have a line down the center ofyour body, dividing the side comaining the issue fTom the other side of your body. B) Looking :H all the benefits you have pm 011 yourji,wre posilitJCs page, experience the positive things yOll will achieve when you accomplish your desire. Usc your creative imagination to place all t h e jillure positiv('s into the ';future" hand. Imagine all the consequences ofthe benefits. with all their associated I"Cwards-as they look. sound, and feel when they come to fruition. ow imagine holding in your hand an object symbolic of all the future positiw;.'s you wam to achieve. As you imagine this symbolic object in your hand. notice wh.u it looks like and feels like-its size, shape, weight. denSity, texture. temperature, color. Pay special attention to its surface. l.s it angular or rounded, rough or smooth? Are there any sounds assoclJted With tillS object? Imagine that you can feci it not only III tlus haud but also III this arm. shoulder. in rhis side of your body, thiS Side of your face, chest. abdomen, pdvi�, thigh. in thiS leg. imagme that you have a line down the center of your body, dlVidmg tlus Side conL"1ining the issue from the other side of your body. C) Identify each side as different, separate, and present in the respective hand and the respective side of your body. Experience the extent of the no-win condition that has exlsted between the antagonistS for so many years, with each side believing that it held the key to success and your belicving that you couldn't have both. Rea/i.u a/so thaI ead, side lUll allmys had a sill�/l' positillt' miHiOlt--1O (ompel YOII 10 111'1.' YOllr life dJectiloely. D) Invite a sense of the peacemaker into yourself. A.s at the Geneva Convention, Il1lagme a peace table, where these opposing forces communicate with each other. Invite a dialogue between

153

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154

[he present positives you w.tnt to keep and the futun: positives you want to achieve, i n which each side learns from the other to balance and harmonize your life.

learning of these previously opposed world views, integrate the Sides ofyour body by hrinbring your hands together. As the palms of your hands press each OIher lightly, notice the felt shift throughom your hands, arms, face, body, and legs. Notice a new sensation and a new image, and feel a new resourceful symbolic object in rhe cup ofyour hands.

management. For one book you might say, " I desire the information 111 this book to assist me in taking quick action on thiS book to enhance my motivation and wise use of my time dUring the work day."

C) If you like, spend fhoc to fifteen minutes exploring each book comciously. l:xplorlng gets the bram started on the process of lInkmg your nund's new IIlner knowledge base with your body's responses to achJcve your goal. Over the next several days and weeks,

Then, to complete the integration, cradic this lIew symbolic resource over rhe center of your chest, and with a deep inhale, breathe all of these mources into yOll. As you do so, imagine all this learning from your life history, all the eneq.'Y associated with this issue, now fully integrated and ava.ilable to you, ali6'lled for the purpose of helping you accomplish your highest good in life.

2,

155

decisions." For the next you might say, "I desire the information in

E) At a rate dctcnnincd by your ability to let go and integrate the

Note: After doing Exercises I .

Gerltrale Your P,lIh fO Ptrsorlal Gtrliu!: 111t Ntw Opfion Gtntrafor

and

3,

a tremendous amount of

learning continues to take place at an other-than-conscious levd. Some people lleed to rest for a few minutes or take a nap before continuing. Others may need to sleep longer for a couple ofnights. Some people report that they get ';the munchles"-a need to eat some "br-.Un food." At least, take a b�ak and drink a glass ofwater. Ext'rt:ist 4: Engagt Direct uarrlillg A) Select five books that offer knowledge and dolls related to your life issue. Three of them should be dl�cdy related to the topic; t\VO, metaphorically or indirectly related.

(Also �e Chapter 10 on

Direct Learrung) (3) For each book, establish a clear purpose, get into state, and

Photoltead. You can stay ill state to Photol�ad all the books at once, or you call break state between books and do five separate Photo Reading sessions. In either case, I consider it essential that yOll affirm your specific statement of purpose before PhotoReading each book. You can consider modifying your purpose statement slightly

notice

positive

behavioral changes appearing

spontaneously III your hfe. Exerciu 5: Siml/faft'

FlulIN.' alld Clllmge Hiwny

A) Using your creative imagillation, take yourself into the future and experience how the new choiccs and behaViors you desire operate in your life. Play 'oas if" you arc experiencing a future situation and enjoy achicving thc ,,-'SuIts you desire.

0)

Continuing to play 'oas if," imagine the successful operation of

these new patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving in your present life ClfCumStanCl'S (or in the recent past of no more than three months). As with all creative imagery, be sure to involve all your physical senses Vividly. Include seeing, hearing, and feeling what It IS like to enjoy being in the experience of your success.

C) Finally, lInagme how your life would have been in the past, assullllllg all of these new choices had been fully available to you back five years ago. Simulate fuUy that these new patterns are being used by you in this situation in your past and how you enjoy the success of accomplishing your desired results. Consider briefly how your present life is diffcn:nt, given that you exercised all those choices five ycars ago. Also consider how your future, five or ten years from 110W, is differem, given all those choices were fully available to you five years ago, Exerdje 6: Take ti,e uartling Challenge

before each book to ensure )'our mind undersunc!s the relevance

During the Natural Urilliance retreat, participants go outdoors onto

of each book to your overall outcome. For example, if your Issue

the "ropes course" to enter a physically and emotionally challenging

s i overcoming procrastination to achit."ve success in business, you

learning opportunity. Here the partiCipantS experience

might choose books on decision-makmg, motivation, and time

perceived risk, low actual risk" learning challen6>C.

a

'Ohlgh

Part l:App/}' Nafurul lJrillianu

156

At a retreat I was faced with walking across a plank of wood 25 feet in the air. I was overcome with fear. I then recalled what I had learned at Natural Brilliance­ pretend the plank is lying on the ground. The terror subsided, and I virtually danced across the plank to the other side. Chris Payn!, Managing Director lifeTools. ltd England

For anyone outSide the Natura) Brllhance rerreat, generally speaiong, life delivers enough experiential challenge to activate what we have learned. For example, in this book I have referred to joining Toast­ masters and being on TV as my \vays to confiont stuck scm.'S rcgardlllg l speaking. Do the thing that YOli fear most, where it is safe for you pubic to raiL This gives you a scenario or"high perceived risk. low
Gt"rralt Your Path to P"'$o"a/ Gt"ius: TI.t NtUI 0p,ion G,.,.trulor

•

•

•

•

A) Select a challenge or learning initiative that brinb'S up the oscillation associated With your life issue. Describe how the physical challengt---such as my expenence on the pamper pole-­ rcpn:sems a metaphor for your paradoxical life issue. Do your best to re-experience the full extent of the no-win situation in your

•

body as you describe the metaphor. 0) With a partner, and ifneeded with a safety facilitator, plan your personal challenge. C) Before begirming the mlOauvc, release your need to control the oUtcome of [he life issue. Release any unnecessary tension from your body. Increase your sensitivity to the world within and around you. Enter a curious, open state ofmind and body so that you can notice whatevcr happens as you respond [0 the challenge

Journal your achie\'ements. R.ecord the self�limi(ing beliefs you have released, and notice the choices )'QU now perceive. Recognize the new responses you have been making and the learning yOll are witnessing. At work. notice how your choice of new options brings success. Meet weekly--evell monthly-with a partner to integrnte your life's experience and stay on purpose. Mmd Illap what happened to you regarding this life. Ifyou are not familiar \\�th mind mapping, Simply take notes on your e"':penence so that yOll document a chronology of key eventS and highlight your personal responses. Commit to yourself or to your partner to exhibit your Natural Urilliance in all areas ofyour life as you continue to learn from your experience and gain the skills YOLL need for success.

•

Dream. and interpret how yOUT dreams apply to your achievements. Dreams can provide useful information about internal changes taking place. Dare to dream about the greater potential you can reahze.

•

Draw, sculpt, compose, write a poem, or dance your achievements.

[Q

express

of the initiative. D) Afterward, de-brief the experience with your partner. Describe your insights and the ways your body and mind responded to achieve the outcomes you produced. Explore how these Ulsights can help you achieve the results you desire. Ex�rdst 7: Kup TrlUk

oIYo"rAclri�lIe"'t"U

The Natural Brilliance model guides you to learn from cxperlence and integrate your new skills and knowledge as you go. Expenence always teaches most powerfully and honestly, but we do not always get the message consciously. Each day of the Natural Brilliance retreat, participantS take time to exanune what milestOne they have reached in their experience. They receive feedback each day regardlllg whether or not they are living "on purpose." YOli can assist the transfer of expenential leamlllg intO your awareness by consciously witnessing your achu�vemcms and keeping track of them. Here are some of the ways:

Summary

Play with

the New Option Generator to break through your lmutatlons.

DISCover the e� ofving il

in !urmollY with your life's purpose:.

The universe says "YES" to you. What question will you ask? What goals wlll you seek? How much pleasure call you tolernte? How much

joy do you want? You can, yOll know, accomplish more once you have stopped osclllatillg. The New Option Generator aligns your lIlternal and external energies. It ensures an effortless path to sliccess in areas of life where you lIlay have been stuck in the past. The more you play and explore, the more you will experience and learn. Learning is the surest way to �Iease your genius and let your Natural Brilliance shine!

157

I've notic� learning to trust my inner mind takes about six en(ounters. lf I'm going to teach something in public. I like to have about six rehearsals with it before I feel comfortable. In teaching myself a foreign language, I found six exposures to it seemed to make the difference. Although I think a single exposure is enough for the mind to record it, it takes about six exposures or ex�rien(es before the trust in our ability to learn it will become strong. Peter Kline, Chairman of the Board of Integra Learning Systems

ID Stay

on

Track

CongratulatIons on reconnecting with your Natural Brilltance. On your palll to success, Narural .Brilliance releases the fullness ofyour personal genius widl each step you take. Along the way to achieving your goals. you will discover new capacities and reveal brilliant new strategies yOll llcver knew before. Your receptivity, generativit)', and persistence will stren�,.thcn each day, glvmg you the power to venture You must be open to everything

well beyond your pn:\'IOUS iimit.1cions. Anyjourney outside ofyour comfort zone is 110t without its perils.

[

expect that your path will take you into uncharted territories. This chapter is written to give you some hint of what you may encounter

that is happening and Ii.... in that calm space of total clarity when everyone around you is sc:reaming -Hidel Run! Saeam!� Only when

along the way. As difficult as your path may become. take solace i n

you are totally open will you be

knowing your

able to sense the etltirety of the

:Hural UriUiance C'1I1 tlluminate even the darkt'St places.

Let me share my personal experience as example. During Illy development of the Natural Brilliance course, I gathered nineteen people from around the country to panicipate in a weekend

situation, grasp it in its fullness in that space within you that has all the timeyou need to take the uactly appropriate action to

workshop. Late Samrday night we were scheduled to go nightwalking.

discover the exactly elegant

As I described in Chapter 5, nightwalking lIlvolves walking in the dark

solution to the interesting pfOblem

ofa Illoonless mght through the countryside.

in front of you...

After doing some exercises on how to walk with full awareness, we w3lked down a park road for ten minutes to get a feeling for the process. We donned our nightwalking hats, replete with a luminescent bead at the end ofan eighteen-inch rod attached to the brim. The bead gives us a ncar focal pomt that promotes PhotoFocus for everything in the distance and around us. The nmeteen people followed me at a slow, steady ""alk, in succession about ten paces one behind the other. When we arrived at the tralihead for the I1Ightwalking experience, I offered several final pointers about relaxation and trust. I s,lId, "If there art'! no questions, let's lllle tip and do It! First person,

from an induction used to train special operatives in dose quarter battle Marcus Wynne Training designer and consultant spec:ializing in aitical skill retention under stress

PiJrl J: Apply Nu/ur
160

follow me to the trailhead," With complete confidence 1 strode across a

Slay

011

Track

161

shared 111 the sections of this c hapte r [ h a t follow. I invite you to

seventy-fIve-foot clearing to the start of the two-mile forest trail.

overcome the IUlllt
Suddenly [ realized I

your disposal Use the Ideas below to stay on track to success and

was

at the opening In the woods where the path

began, but I absolutely could not see a blasted thing. The shock ofbeing

.

acceler.tte your progress.

completely blind with nineteen people belllnd me caused my limbs to stiffen. With halting,jer",), movements my feet groped for the mil in rhe •

abysmal blackness. hlSl:mtly, seven hundred excuses raced through my mind 011 how to

See What You Cannot See: Overcome Perceptual Barriers Our sensory s}'Stems and brain are designed to work very quickly. The

get out of chis disaster. Forget the fact that this was the event most ofthe

br.tlll recogniles pancrllS. We tend to see what we expect to see and then

people had been waiting for; I could nOt see anything! This was not

focus narrowly on what we recogni ze. When you have difficulty

b'Oing to work!

Isolating a

Just as quickly as [ had panicked, the calm inner voice ofgenius spoke, "Your brain can do this, Paul. Trust the process." "Yes!" I thought. "Rdc:lSe. Notice the bead. Walk on." Consciously I had no idea if I were walk ing into a tree or into the thicket next to the path, but, miraculously, I moved in perfect rhythm

problem. ttlke these measures:

Use all ofyour sensory systems to explore your envirorunent, nside i and outside ofyou. Explore what is going all from various viewpoints, and notice more ofthe lIlformatiOll that is available on the surface. As anyone sensory system gets s.1tur:ncd and habituated. keep switching the way you arc perceiving. Change your state and keep l·xploring. Become curious.

and absolute balance. \Vilh each step my inner mind became more aware. more precise;my breathing, deeper and more relaxed. I witnessed a complete transformation from a tentative, halting, unsure Step, to a long, confident, even s tride. After the successful nighnvalking experience. stories from participants were wonderful, but no story was more profound to me than my own. I

Feel the Fear: Overcome Emotional Blocks . You don't like to (,il any marc than I do. Most ofus are taught early in bfe to Illilumize or avoid failure and maximize success. This leads to a low tolerance for ambiglllt)', a fear offailure, no appetite for chaos, and a

went from total oscillation to success almost instantly. Instant

compulsion to succeed qUickly. Consequently. many of us find it easier

transformation from stuck state to heightened learnmg state is exactly

tojudge someone else's new ideas than to generate ideas on our own.

what I offer you in this book. To test it. you must (,>0 on in your own life with a passion to learn and a commitmenl to succeed.

Develop the abIlity to relax and sleep on your problems. Generate ideas. all the better tfthey veer offtrack. They will lead you to access

Most people WIU blame somethll1g else or someone else for their

more o f youf imagInation. As yOll gain facility in using your

hmitations and obstacles. Ifyou lay blame. you are sure to lose power and

Imag1l1a[ioll, paradoxically, you will also develop the ability to distin­

stay stuck. If you choose to own your part in the process ofgetting stuck,

guish reality from fantasy.

you will increase power and propel yourself to success. \Vhen you fully

In my classes, I often hear adult students say, " Oh, I'm no good a[

accept that there are no failures, only olltcomes, you banish the need to

puzzles:' Step up to the challenge ofproblem-solving rather than giving

blame. Shame vanishes; ego and pride have no role. Focus the gn:at

up before you start. Il is okay to feel strong dark emotions while you aTe

talents you possess through the model of Natural Brilliance, and you will

learning something new. Fear, anger. and sadness arc quite common in

make the most ofyour life each day.

the classroom. Ifyou repress them. they persist. Ifyou feel them, you can

This chapter presents ways for you to Stay on your path to success,

1110ve past the emotional wounding that fint put them there.

even when you are blinded by limitations. Obstacles and limitations are

On the other side of the wound waits a fantastically creative part of

built into the very design of our neurophysioIOb'Y, as well as the culture in

your personahty that grew dIscouraged years ago. When you let yOllr

which we were raised. The most common ofthese limiting barners

creative selfOllt. you unleash enormous power to transform your life for

were described in James Adams' book COIIU!I'tllal Blockbustillg and are

the best.

Par' l:Apply Natural Brilliallct

162

Question It: Overcome Cultural Barriers Part ofche American culture, the part th:lt grew out ofour pioneer beginninb'S, emphasizes rules, taboos, logic, and respect for hierarchIes and tradition. That mle-ridden part of our culture dismisses fantasy and reflection as a waste of tlme, playfulness as somethmg only for children, and problem-solving as seriOUS busme5S in which humor has no place. For Natural l3rilliance we must revel in our feclings and our intUItion. Celebrate pleasure and playfulness as the best rules of all. 1 encourage

Sta),

011

Track

can lead to ChOiCCS that, by objective srand.1rds, are bad. People tend to solve problems with inflexible or inadequate strategies based on too few facts or on inaccurate information. Using the processes outlined in Chapter

1 1 : Approach Paradoxical Problems wirh Creafive Problelll-Solving, and Chapter 12: Qneratl' \'lmr Hull ro Prnonal Qmills:TIIl'

Nm Optioll Cl'llerator, you expand your repertoire ofproblem-solving skills and overcome the ITlteliectual and expressive barriers to creativity, learning, and success.

you [0 use meditation and humor, do morc with less, and question traditional taboos for wluch no valid bases exist.

Beware the Invisible Barrier

Tell Them How It Is: Overcome Environmental Obstacles

The most insidious ofall the obmclcs on your Natural Urilliance path to success is one that you cannot see, hear, or feel. Tllis obstacle s i olle of the most phenome nal forces i n human experienc e, yet the least

How many times bave YOLL told your peers that you are learning something new, like PhotoReading. only to hear them poo-poo your enthUSiasm. Some ofthe most common derisions include: "You've got to be kidding" and "Yeah, sure. lfit works for you, let me know; I'll tcst you," Face it, lack of cooperation and trust is marc common than support for new ideas. People who work in a team environment recognize the autocrat who only values his own ideas and rarely rewards anyone else's contributions. What can be done? In the Star Wars trilogy, apprentice Jedi knight, Luke Skywalker, vowed he would never Jom Darth Vader, even if Vader were his father. But, in the end, Luke did risk his life to find the good III the evil Oarth Vader. Join the campaign to release the inner genius in those around you. Be patient and persistent With yourselfand them. When you witness others trying to put down your attempts for a bettcr world, look for the fear that drives their knee-jerk behaVIOrs. Realize we are all in this world IOgether. Together we can find a way to resolve the problems that keep us and our orgamz300ns stuck.

Earlier in thIS book 1 wrote of my introducti on to human developmem technologies when 1 trained as a professional hypnotist. From the very beginning I recognized that the professional hypnotist knows things about duecting the powers of mind that mOSt people will never discowr. The three Illost important trance phenomena used by stage hypnotists are actually operating continuously to imit l the quality ofyour life right now. but you probably do not know them. These phenomena include amnesia, hallucinating that something exists, and hallucinating that sometlung docs not exist. When you understand how these trances limit your life, you can break their hypnotic control over you and expand your choices almost inuneruate1y. A former stage hypnotist originally tramed me in hypnosis. Since then, [ have studied the work ofseveral stage hypnotists, incJudll1g my friend Paul McKenna from England, the world's foremost hypnotic celebrity. The stage hypnotist'S secret lies in directing your perceptions.

Overcome Intellectual and Expressive Barriers Is It possible to think tOO much? An article published

recognized. Used correctly, this force has the power to restore a quad­ riplt:gic to health. Used incorrectly, it carries a death semence. It is the power ofhypnotic influence.

Here's how. 111

the

Wtlsli irlgtot, Post titled "Reasoned Choice Is Not Always Right" by Malcolm Gladwell says "Yes." The article summarized many studies from the field of cognitive psychology that showed rational thinking leads to decision-making we may later regret and that thinking tOO much

Hypnotists gain your compliance with a set ofinstruCtlons lIlvolving concentration and IIl1aglilation. A5 you follow their instructions, the hypnotists bypass the critical faculty ofyour conscious mind. Then, they get your inner mind to wrap around a compelling idea using imagination and artfully cratted suggestion.

163

Part J;Appl). Nalllrtd Brilfitmu

164

More than anything else, professional hypnotists understand that the !lund will carry Ollt any instruction It believes [Q be true. So they deliver their suggestions with enormous congruence and chansmatlc, authoritative, compelling belief. They give thelf subjects 110 oppornllllty to doubt or [Q imclject ally negating bdief. People in tr:mcc may be instructed that they have no memory orthe number five or that they cannot remember their own name. Notice how

Slay on

Track

l65

Only engage and then the nllnd grows heated, begin it, and then the work will be completed." No more awesome power on earth exists than the power ofIX"Ople who belie\'e in rhemsehoes.

Over the years, I have met people offaith who realize that Ihe animating force in their hves is a power gre'lter than they conscio usly wield-the power ofGod. l lowever they may cOllceptualize this power, they hold that Ihe limitalions oflhe conscious mind are nOI the full

similar those suggestions arc to the self-lllllltmg suggestions ''1'111 JUSt no

extent ofthe possibilities 111 their hfc.

good with Illllnbers" or " [ am tcrnble with math" or "['ve never been

Whal I am referring to here is somethll1g better and mort' powerfu l than hypnOSIS. Hypnosis was the power used by schools and society to install many of the self-negating Irances that run your life. You can

good wit h names; I'll never remember your name

,"

Those ncgatlvc

Statements about self make usc of the same trance phenomenon that produces amnesia. StOP [Q consider the Illogic ofthose statements; If we

instmtly overpower the force ofnegative lrances thai haw worked

against

have perfect brains with an infinite memory storage capacity, why should

you all your life.

we ever forget anything?

The truth about you is that you arc a gel11us. You have magnific ence bt-,yond what anyone can ever predict about you. Each day that you

A trance subjen will accept the sLlggt."'Stion that a person standing next to them cannm be seen. Even ifthe pt'£'SOn stands in front ofthe subject, the subject has no ability to see the person. The person can speak and the subject hears but has no Idea where the voice is COll1l1lg from. Thmk of how we lose the keys we have just set down, as we bUSily tell ourselves " I can't believe this! I just set them down. and 1 can't find them anywhere!" We are induclllg the phenomenon ofnegative hallucination. Similarly, on the hypnotist s suggestion, a person III trance will believe '

spiders are crawling all over the chair and leap up III ftlght, fran tically brushing oO'imaginary spiders. Have yOll ever picked a crawling tick off your leg, only to spend the next twenty minutes buggy as can be, imagilllng a multitude ofinsects crawing l all over you? Inugliling IIlsects makes lise of the sallie phenomenon the hypnotisr uses-positive hallucination, imaginmg something s i present that docs not exist. The b'OOd news s that these power<; of hypnosis can be turned [Q your i

use. Use amnesia to forgel the limit.1tiom of your past. Iiallucinate that blocks have vanished that have been a part of your personali ty. Hallucinate that vast new power<; ofmind are now fully available to you. In other words, one way to IIlstamly break the trance ofa stage hypnotist or the self-Imllnng, self-negating trances Ihat ha"e controUed your life IS to: Tell yourself what you can do. The power of what people COli do has been reverberating through the ages: "As a man thinketh in his hean. so is he:' The plulosopher Goethe put it: "Are you i n earnest? Seize this very minute! Whal you can do or dream you can, bt'gin It. Boldness has gcmus pov.'cr and magic

111

it.

Rrlllt'IIIht'r rll" mllll dhow you.

believe in your great capacities. }'OU will learn to release the limitatio ns of ),our past, nOlice the new choices available to you, respond in creative \\!:IYS to change your life for the better, and wimess yourselflearning how to

create

the results you desire.

You have been, and always will be, a natural. life-long learner. For YOU-SOIIH:OIIC who choose s a high qu ality l i fe�lhe progressive

reahzatlon ofSuccess always beckons you forward. You have Natural Brilliance, so let it shine on!

Stop; leigo. Recognize what ftWI H It you marvelous, and �bad: more of whal you foc:us on. Rex Steftn Sikes Founder of IDEA Seminars

m Activate Your Natural Brilliance Daily

You cannot get stronger byjoining a health dub. You {a" get stronger by worldll,l1 Oil! at a health club. Similarly, YOli cannot overcome stuck state!> and discover your genius by merdy purchasing this book. You call activate your N:nurai Brilliance by ,uillg what you learn and giving your mind and body clear direction for success today. Oy now, some powerful shifts in your life should have come with remarkable ease. In ('lct, if following the steps of the Natural Brilliance model ever beconu.'S difficult. it is bec:mse you

are

getting dose to your

breakthrough. �ehngs of confusion serve as signs of learning indicating that you are nearing new levels of ;tv,,-arcncss and posirive new choices. In the Natural Brilliance fCtreat I unleash a certain levd of confusion when I ask participants to define the life issue they want 10 break through. As soon as their brain attempts to pin down a paradoxical problem, they begin to oscillate. I see the confilsion instantly. R.ight on cue their hands go up. They start voicing doubts. They are not sure they know the REAL problem. Of course, they cannOt fully know the "al problem, and paradoxically, dwelling on understanding the real problem only throws [he brain into greater oscillation. The entire field of psycholob'Y has struggled with this seemingly irresolvable dilenuna. Psychologists doing field research have vowed to use thc scientific mcthod to study the workings of the mind. We have an experimental parndigm in which the subject s i srudying the subject-the mind studying the mind is like looking at a continuous loop tape or lTlobius strip tryU1g to figure out where it starts and ends. The mind will always influcnce the outcome of its own cxperiment. creating an

mfirute recunilVity. As a facilitator. I can see the craziness of a person entering their own

loop and looking for the beginnmg and the end. The participants cannOt

PM' J; Apply 1\'alu(,,1 BrillitmCt

168

find the way out-at least not mlllg the same training tht.j' used to create theIr stuck states. Arter a short tlI11C, their confusion leads some particIpants to feci enormous frustration. It is quite evident that the more desperately tbey want to rid themselves of their current problems, the morc tenaciously the trap chngs to them. They can babble endk'£Siy about their problem. but talk is cheap. I n my programs I evoke experience. Til/king ab(lII t experience is not experiencc, Put your fingers into a Chinese finger puzzle and try as hard as YOli can to extract your fingers by pulling. You cannot. Try talk1llg about how much you want to get nd of the trap. Your fingers still stay stuck. If you read lilis book and try [Q figure out your problem without dOing the exercises I have offered, you have an even bigger problem than yOll bargained for, I 3m not ther(' with you to facilitate your learning and evoke alternative responses. TEST: If you are working hard at trying to make Natural UnHiallce \vork for you, and you arc getting no results, you arc doing It wrong;. REMEDY: A5 I cannot e\'okc your experience, you will have to do H for me. Here is how. Go back to e\'Cry section of this book you found difficult and every page you wanted to argue about or brush aSide. In those sections

are

dues for your breakthrough. Follow e-.-ery suggestion

l affer, especially those you arc convinced will nor benefit you; do everything you are absolutely convinced you do not need to do: be everything you arc convinced you do not have to be; feel all the feelings you claim you never feel. When you start oscillating--:lIld [ guarantee yOll will-when YOll hit yOllr stuck state: R.e1ease! Then Nonce; then Respond; then Witness. That IS aU there IS to it. You may h;!\'(: heard the Story of the successful busiuessman who

was

asked about me key to his success. He replied, ·'Success IS the result of

e.e. cummings

169

experience, we must be WIlling to wnture Out of the comfortable range of ChOICl'S to which we have become accustomed. Living hfe fully ofTers the best \\
IVllllr do YOII umlt? That s i the question. YOli will activate your Natural Brilliance today each time you actively, purpo sefuUy choose your response. , am not talking about instant manife station of new relation­ srups. mcome. business, a new hallSC'. or cars. [ mean that you Will create what you slIlcerely set your !lund upon. As you drive fear out ofyour life and minimize the wild SWIIlg5 of oscillatIon, you increase your power to mamfest your desires. Natural Brilliance shows you how. My sincere desire is that you find your genius today and embrace it. Do all that you can today to live rour hfe on purpose. Your good will surely come. Did you enjoy my book? We'll send you periodic updates on products and seminilfl to help you experience your potential. Just mention this book when you CiJff or write. Ifyou purchased the book

the r<.'Sult of poor decisions."

directly from us, you will receive

Executiv('S Only" the following gem: " Life is not about serenely walking

tum out to be who you really ar�..

Briffiallct Daify

wise decisions. \Vise decisions are the result of experience. l:.xpenence IS Management expert TOIl1 Peters wrote in his syndicated column "For

It takes (ourage to grow up and

Actil'lltt YOllr Nafural

down the middle of spick-and-span streets. [t's about vcerlng to and fro, bouncing off the b'll3rdrails, then overcorrcctillg. But YOll call't correct a course until you've taken to the road." He continues with (\\,'0 provocative questions: " When will we learn to honor error? To understand that goofs are the only way to step fOf\\lard, that really big goofs are the only \\!ay to leap fOf\vard?" Natural Brilliance is a model for experiential learmng, but, to have

material automatically. Learning Strategies Corporation 900 East Wayzata Boulevard Wayzata, Minnesota 55391 USA 612-476·9200 800-735·8273 FAX 612-475·2373

Appendix: A dvance Your SkillsTipsfrom the Natural Brilliance Retreat Take New Routes to Release Over [he years of srudying and practicing various forms of relaxation, I have found a number ofhclpful aids, tools that can facilitate the process of Release. Training in comemplativt' prayer and meditation is a centuries-old path ofwIsdom in how to relax the body-mind to attune (0 higher levels of mental and physical functioning. These arc primarily cognitive (thinking) and affective (feeling) approaches [0 relaxation. However, cJ.ch system I have srudicd also emphasizes posture: prayerful poses, yogic asauas (postun's), Zen sitting, and other techniques for stilling the body. More active routes include various manial arts. Every session of Aikido, for example, begins with a contemplation of the reachers who have come before you. In the movements ofTai Chi. the mind and body move

In ;I.

relaxed harmony free finm mental or physical tension of any

kind. In the Sufi tradition, the "whirling dervishes" enter an inner stillness and ecst.1tic release by twirting vigorously. Hatha-yoga can be extremely vigorous physically. yet every element revolves around the prmCipie of relaxing unnecessary physical and mental tension. Aside from specific physical or mental disciplines, a number of modern electronic [Dols help the process ofrelease. At the simplest level, a tape player with a recording of environmental sounds or relaxing music can do wonders. Maclunes that generate "white noise" soothe the mind and screen out unwanted sounds that may generate tensIOn. Many dentists and or:tl surgeons offer patients a cilolce ofrecordings to distr:lct the mind frolll the procedures. Biofeedback machines are somewhat more sophisticated and expensive, yet they are marvelous tools for relaxation. These are electronic monitoring devices that give information about changes in

N,,"mil

172

Brilli",.u

the body or bralll. The adv:mtage to biofeedback tr:Ulllllg s i that It makes subtle information obvious to you consciously, thereby letting YOli know if your changes in behavior are makmg a difference.

Electroencephalograph biofeedback (EEG) measures the electrical outpUt of dle brain. Data from an EEG tells you the frequency of the brain waves you produce. You call learn to willfully produce br.un waVl� that are associated with states of deep meditatIOn and learning. [ put on an EEG monitoring device and began PhotoR.eadmg. The

COlllputcr 1I11lllcdiatcly registered a decrease in conscious, analytical br.un wave patterns and a correspondmg fise in deep iearmog br:l1ll wave panerns. What an amazing thing to see graphically displayed all the computer screen. It convincingly demonstrated to me the power of traimng to get nlto state for lcarnillg. One other IIseful tool I have expcrimemed with extensively is known generically as a Sound and Light device. These machines give a light impulse through small lights in a sct ofgoggles and a tonc pulse through headphones. The sound and light pulses
release any tensions from your body and mind. USlIlg the IO-Minute Supercharger. you will etHer a physically relaxed �tate withlll two !lUllutes of begmll1ng the tape. Then the program guid("S you through deep mental relaxation equivalent to a half-hour nap, without the hangover. R&1t in ten lllinutes flat! With the Drep Relaxatioll tape. the longest ofany Paraliminal tape, you develop a profoundly relaxed state of body and mmd. Along with the rejuvenating benefits of deep relaxation. the tape encourdges optim.ism and control o\'er your mllld and body. One unique aspect of this upe IS that you have a choice at the end about whether you will awaken or not. If you want to slide from relaxation into deep sleep, }'Ou can. The [ape offers you the option of returning fully alert now or continuing the process of deep relaxation for as long as yOli desire. By the way, going to sleep refreshed instead of bone-ured aUCl\V5 you to gam more benefit from your sleep. You will lend to awaken far more

AppmJix: Ad'ldt"t' YON' Skills-Tips..from 'ht Na,ural Brillia"u Rtfrt'" refreshed in the morning if you do a relaxation exerci se before sleep. Take New Routes to Notice

Practice openmg your visual sense to notice useful information around you. In Chapter 5, I described aiming high when driving. I suggt."Sted walking with a soft gaze III crowds. These techniques help to open, strengthen, and balan ce your visual system , expanding its capabilities to serve you. Another easy-to-find device tremendously increases noocin g. It is the 3-D or Magic Eye poster. Seeing the pictures within a random-dot stereogran� puts you into :I. state very similar to Photo Focus. It requires that you diverge your eyes and simultaneously bring your focus to the poster. You can achieve the effect by crossing your eyes as well. First, see e illlag� while ivergillg your eyes. then see it for the same leu!,'th of time while crosslIlg your eyes. The combination of playful exercise foJlowe by rel�xation can strengthen your visual system significantly. Practlc� hearmg mOT(' ofthe sounds around and within yotl. Play with the t�chruqu� and de\'Clop your auditory sense to a high level of acuity. . Digita l aud i O technology (OAT) , now commercially available to the consumer, can be used with stereophonic Illicrophone s to record any ponioll of your d1y as you \valk around. I use Sony's DAT Walkman in the Narural Drilliance retreat. After your "walkabout " when you listen to the recording, you will hear informacion that you d id not consciously perceive at the tillle. playillg a� experience is similar [Q what happens when people lose their sense of Slgl ll. Suddenly. their hearing becomes amazingly acute to c�lIIpell� ue for the loss of the visual sense. Equivalent to removing the light blinders, the DAT experiment awakens people from f "[Unncl listening." Listening to DAT in stereo and surround sound is like pulling the ear plugs out ofyour neural circuits. Another powerful technique, as simple as listening to a Paraliminal tape, is "Paraliminal listening." This happens when you sit back and hear two voic� speakmg to you at the sallie time. It IS like istenl l llg to several conversations at a party or restaurant at the same time. Known as the "cocktail party" effect (not to be confused with the cocktail weenie effect), the conscious mind attends the important inform ation and weeds out the unnecessary. A5 there is too much information for the limited conscious mind to attend (0, the odler-than-conscious mind takes o....�r.

t�

�

�

�

173

Nil/urnl Brillia"ct

174

A Mmneapolis PhotoReadlllg graduate nallied Mary Iud conducted university studies in fast listening twenty years before taking the PhoroRcading course. Using a tape recorded lecrurc which �he could at faster and f:1_�ter rates of speech. The l speed up, she had swdcnts isten expcrnnent demonstrated that as long as students su.yed relaxed and aware, they could listen to speech that

\va.�

completely unintelligIble to

someone who mightJUSt happen to \valk in and hear it. Interestingly, she Solid that tim worked only jfthe students " stayed in Stile," borrowing the term from the PhowR.eading course. "If they ever broke State during the speeding up and lost what

was

being said," Mary

explained. " they were unable to make sense of it again." A surprising effect for Mary came about in her mvn viSl1al processing with PhotoRcading. Her ability to Super Read (an AC£l\'ation step in the PhotoReading whole mind system) was dramatically better than any other i class. Could It be that fast lisccuing twenty years first-Dme PhotoReader n 'S for readmg? i fast comprehension strategil earlier trained her n Here are some ways to sharpen noticing in the feeling dimension of your expenellce. Think ofyourselfas spirit or soul, inhabiting the form ofyour physical body. The physical body is an energy field. (Research 111 sub-atomiC

Apprndix: Ad'UIIU YOllr Skifl�Tipsfrom flit Nall/rai Brilliallu Rttrtat To find OUt more about the chakra energy system and its connectiOIl to p'iychological 1.ssm.'S, [ recommend two books: Y qgoa alld Psy{lJolhl'T
by Barbara Urenan.

Strengthen the Body- Mind Connection: Go into State Each monllng at the Natural Brilliance retreat. \vc begl11 with a series f 11l0ve1lle1H exercIses. These arc designed to increas e Oexlbliity, IIlVlgorate the body, sr�ngthen and energize the nervou s S)'lltelll, deepen

�

breath111g, and dear rhe mind. The specific exercis es used arc drawn

fr0111 several disciplines indud ing hacha-yoga, Tai Chi. Dr. Milton

Traeger (Menrasrics). Or. Moshe Feldenkrais (Aware ness Through Movc1l1ent), Dr. Paul Dennison (Bral11 Gym/Edu-K). and Pete Egoscue (The Egoscue Method of Health through Motion).

People I11reresred III developlllg their NaturaJ Brillia nce are well advised to lise physical awareness and exercise as an integral pan of their daily routines. A COllllllon misconcepnon is that life degeneratl'S until

death. This means that aging opposes vitality. Yet experie nce shows that proper breathmg, diet. exercise. and attitude lead to good health and

physics wi]) confirm this for you, in case you have doubts.) You express

vitahty at any age.

your thoughts-the product of spirit-in the world through your

&>1'('11 Days /0 Grell/('f liiflllif)" a tape series by Gail Gregory, describl'S many \Va)'!; (Q strengthen the body-m11ld connection. The six tape series features helpfill advice and exerCiSes 011 the subjects of air and breathing,

phYSICal body. Stuck States, at a subtle energetic level. can be perceived as Improper or broken energy flows. Knowing where your stuck state exists III your

water, sleep, exen::ise. diet, and the body-mind connec tion.

physical body effectively re-dlrects the energy. Thmk of seven ene'b'Y centers. defined from the Sanskrit terlll ("akra, associated with the major clusters of nerve ganglia along the length of your nervous system. The first center 15 at the base of the sp11le. The i in the solar plexus and the fourth i at the sacrnl area. The third s second s near the physical heart center. The fifth is at the throat, the sixth on the forehead between the eyebrows, and the se\'ellth at the crown ofthe head. In the early work with resolving paradoxical problems. my partner Mark Kinnich and I researched the yogic and Jungian psychological issues or functions associated with the seven major chakras. When a person has a stuck state regarding the behavioral continuum of giving i primarily associated WIth the fourth and receiving love, for example, it s cham. Resolving this issue can be assisted by identifYing and balancing the energies flowing through the fourth chakra.

Assume Useful Postures In the yoga tradition . physical or hatha-yoga has develop ed over the cenwries to arouse the latent enerb'Y with1l1 by practic e and perfection of asanas (posmres) and pranayama (breath cOl1trol).

There arc two kinds of postures. those for meditation and those for phYSical well-being. In all the postures suitable for breathing, con­ centration, and meditation, the emphasis IS placed on keeplllg the head. neck, and trunk erect. Tllis resulb III a steady and comfortable posture

wuh Jll1nimal production of carbon d1Oxide, thus slowing down the actIVIty of the heart and lungs. The mind is less disturb ed by the body and can be dlr�·cted to concentration. Other postures, which aim at phYSical wcll-belllg, comrol speCific

175

Natural Brillinllet

176

muscles and nerves in the body and have specific therapeutic effects. Get expert coaching on morning exercise routines, then experimcm with each for a week or two. The right sequence will wake up your body­ mind in a gentle and effective Woly. The hybrid series ofjoints and gland exercises. tai chi movements, and pOStures used in the Natural Brilliance retreat flow together in a tv.'Cnty­ minute sequence. This sequence allows me to roll out orbed, flop on the

Apl1n1Jix: AdvatluYour Skill�Tipsfrvm tht Natural 8n'/lianu Rttrttlt

any form of medItation, contemplative prayer, or mind programming techniques thar suit your lifestyle and personality.

Breathe In the Yoga tradlOon. after mastery ofpostures comes the technique of pranayallla. The Sanskrir word prmJayama can be divided into the words

floor, and begin with very low impact movements. It creates a perfect

pral/ll and yama, meaning breath control. Pranayama can also be

start in my day. I find my routine essential to maintain a high level of

interpreted as prat/a and ayama, meaning expansive, rising, or extensive

personal power during challenging days ofteachlllg. public appearances,

breath. So pranayama can be understood to be the science whereby the

and creative writing.

flow of the breath is made more e).'tensive and expansive and this flow is

The exercises stimulate JOUlts and glands from head to toC, releasing the necessary biochemistry for flexibility and movement throughout the

brought under control. The word pralla is composed of two words, pra and IIa. Pm meansfirst

skeletal and muscular systems. They also increase the depth and capacity

tm;/ and ,Ia means et/PWy. Described by yoga phi l osophy, this first unit of

of the breath, a prerequisite for relaxed alertness. Finally, and perhaps

energy is i n its atomic aspect in man, and the universe is its expansion.

most importantly, they strengthen the nervous system by increasing its

ThIS means that the underlying energy in both humans and universe is

capacity to process information and respond in the world.

prana. Prana can be thought of as the sum toul of all energy that is

The entire Natural Brilliance approach to personal power hinges on

marnfl'Sted in humans and the universe. The ancient tradi tions of yoga

cognitive, emotional, and behavioral flexibility. Any strengthening of the

scIence and philosophy holds that all sensations, all thinking, feeling, and

body-mind connection ultimately makes power available to fuel

knowing are possible only because of prana.

experiential learning, choice, and successful action. To this end, I encourage you to follow a path of physical exercise.

The science of pranayama is intimately connected with the functions of the autonomic nervous system, and its techniques are aimed at

Aerobic exercise is important for cardiovascular-vascular health. and I

bringmg under COnsCIOUS control the functions of the autonomous

make a pomt to work out at least three days a week. Yet, physical well­

system. which are normally considered mvoluntary. Here is how the

being is just one part of the point I

Himalayan Institute ofYoga Science and PhIlosophy describes ie:

am

making here. I am advocating a

set of physical exercises, which when taken together, contribute advantages to overall well-being that cannot be achieved with aerobics alone. An approach like the olle suggested above will move deeply into your cognitive and emotional \"'ell-being as \ .... ell, where the real payback comes. Any time you spend in such disciplined physical practices will reap many levels of reward to you. Imagine what great feelings you will generate each day that yOll strenb>then yourself in naturally brilliant ways. After doing a sequence of movements, it is recommended that you lie down briefly to relax the body and mind, then sit in a medmltlve

Breath is an external manifestation ofthe force ofprana. I3reath is the flywheel that regulates the entire machine of the body. JUSt as the control of the nywheel of an engllle controls all other mechanisms in it, so the control of the external breath leads to conrrol of the gross and subtle, physical and mental aspects of our hfe machine. A comprehensive knowledge of Pranayama is of paramount importance i n the raja yoga (royal path of yoga) tr.lditlon.

posture. From this posrure, alternate nostril breathing can be performed

Many types of pranayama exercises eXiSt, each for a specific purpose.

I describe alternate nostril breathing in

Yoga teachers dum pranayama should be pr.1cticed only under the

leading into a time ofmeditation. the next section.

177

guidance of a guru or cOillpetent teacher. One breathing exercise that

During the Natural Brilliance retreat, we b'Uide participants through

may be practiced by everyone without ally danger is called "Channel

meditation and imagery sessions. However, you should feel free to use

Purification" which purifies the subtle energy channels. This exercise

Any strength in the wrong context can be a weakness.

Natural n,i1/iallct

178

and III the evening. should be done at least nvi.ce a day-ln the morning ing manner: In the morning the exercise is done in the follow pmmre. 1) Sit in a calm, qUiet. and airy place in an easy and steady

body still. 2) Keep the head, neck. and trunk straight and the finger and 3) The right hand IS brought up to the nose, the mdex can be lIscd [Q middle finger bewg folded so that the right thumb to close the used be can close the right nost'rtl and the ring finger left nostril. right nostril 4) Exhale completely through the IcC! nostril, the should be slow, being closed ,,�th the right thumb. The exhalation controlled, and lTce from exemoll and jerks.

with the r�ng 5) At the end of the txhal:ltlon, clost' the left nostril Inhalation finger: opcn the right nostril slowly and completely. and cxhalatiGIl should be of equal duration.

nostr il and 6) Repeat this cycle of exhalation with the left mhalation with the right nostril. twO more times. right nostr1l. 7) At the end of the third inhalation through the ng the left keepi still l nostri exhale completely through the same nostril closed with the ring finger. l with the 8) At the end of the exhalation. close the right nostri thumb and inhale through the left nosrnl.

hrough the Repeat twO more times the cycle of exhala�ion t. completes right nosrril and inhalation through the left nostril. ThIS the exerCIse.

9)

10) The exercise in the mormng COnsIsts of: il and Th ree cycles of exhalation through the left nostr mhalatlon through the right nostril; followed by (a)

(b) Three cycles of exhalation through mhalatlon through the left nostril.

the

right nostril and

I I) [n the evening the exercise consists of:

nostril and (a) Three cycles of exhalation through the nght by ed inhalation through the left nostril; foUo\v nostril and (b) Thre e cycles of exhalation through the left inhalation through the right nostril.

Appntdix: Adjunct Your Skjf�Tipsfrom tht Natural Brifliancr Rttrolt

You should be careful to see that mhaiatlon and exhalation are of equal duratIOn. I nhalation and exhalation should be slow, controlled, and free from jerks and any sense of exertion. With practice, you can gradually lengthen the duration of your inhalation and exhalation. Achieve Goals without Self-Sabotage

Many clients have described their subconscious as a b'r.md saboteur of and best-laid plans. I have devoted a considerable amount of professional curiosity to that statcmem. Most of our so-called self-sabotage is basically internal dialogue. When you desire to accomplish a goal, you can be cOlllpktcly derailed by simply inserting an analytical, fearful, or self-critical imernal dialOb'lle in the midst of taking action. Imagine focusing on making a golf shot and smoothly following through with your stroke. Thel'i, at the height of your backstroke. thinking. "Now make sure you stay away from thar water hazard!" Your stroke falls apart, and the likelihood of your ball going nlto the water increases beouse you directed your anention to the water. We do not sabotage ourselves maliciously. The fearful. limited collScious mind is trying to help. Like a back-seat driver. it does its best to make sure everything works out. To eliminate self-sabotage, the Paraliminal tape Arllomutic Pilot trains yOll to be clear about what you want. The tape asks YOll to form a goal that is stated in positive terms. within your control TO achieve. beneficial in all ways, me,lSurable, and worthwhile. When you have a clear goal, the tape leads you to wire-in the necessary behaviors for its accomplishment. Using full sensory mental rehearsal, you imagine accomplishing the goal up to twenty-one times 111 seven seconds. The visualizations occur 111 a numerical progression known as the Fibonacci number series. The effect tr.lins the brain to recognize what you want, so that when it is time [0 perform, you can go on automatic pilot. omitting the mternal dialogue. 1 always encourage my clients to rcfr.lme their view orthe inner mind. Think of the inner mind as an ally, not a saboteur. From years of field research, I have determmed that if )'Our subconscious has prevented you from succeeding, it is only because it knew no other way to help you. Your inner mmd wants you to succeed and achieve Imler peace. their goals

179

Nafural n,iIIilltlct

180

Dream Your Way to Success: Activate Your Natural Brilliance Drcanung may he the ideal way to acti\':lte your NanH'ai Brilliance. Almost witham conscious effort you can gain the advantage of havlIlg your brain work through [he night to help you succeed. Because dreaming requires a minimum of conscious input, you ehnunatc the limitations and complications of analytical problem-solving. The inner mind can review information, work through problems, and present

Appnldix: Ad''all(t Your SkillJ-TipJfrom till' Natural Briflian(t Rtfrt.1t R.'SOlve your problem, as you do III Direct Le;arni ng. Theil. invite your Illllld to put tOgcther the essential knowledge and reveal to you the direct ion you �hould follow to accomplish your goals. When you awaken. make mind map nOh."S of your dreams. Often, the story line of YOllr dream i� a metaphor, a symbohc representation ofwhat you can do to solve rhe problem you t:1CC. Examme your m ind maps to reveal the llIsight your IIlller mind has to ofTer.

solutions to you when you awaken.

. Everything you experience durmg the day is processed by the Illlnd.

Information that is not processed consciously is often reviewed and processed unconsciously during sleep. Dreams often reveal the mind's work at making seIlSe of our experiences. Dr. Norman F. Dixon in his book PrecolIsrimu

Processjng describes the

Poetzl effect. In 1917, a cognitive researcher named Paetz] discovered that information presented subliminally is symbolically transformed and shows up as dream imagery at night. Dr. Stephen LaBerge of the Stanford Sleep Research Laboratory wrote in his book ulrid Drrtmljll.�: "With the universe of experience thus

�

�l� :

open to you, Ifyou must sleep through a thud ofyour li� as it seel yo : must, are you willing to sleep through your dreams too. HI5 p sltlon IS

�

that learning to access your dreaming mind gives yOll a vast lITl1verse of human development opportunities. Every night you can use the gIfts your dreaming mind offers you.

. l3efore g0111g to sleep at night. you can program your Imud to get

the maximum benefit from drcamillg. Sitting on the edge of your bed. simply enter an accelerative learnmg sute usmg the standard proceduTC described

III

Chapter

4 of thIS book.

Take only a llunUle or tWO at the

most to go into state. Then, program your mind to drealll about the books you have PhotoRead that day and to remember the dream upon a\vakenillg.

. After noticing your dreams each morning for few days, yOll Will get a

feeling for the subtle and symbolic conllllllnicarioll from yOllr inner mind. Do not worry about making sense of everything you dream. Not aU dreams are intended to make sense consciously. Then, take the next step and play WIth problem-solving in your dreams. Program your mmd [Q sol....e specific problems. If you dIvide the steps of the Natural Brilliance model, one mght you could program 'four mind to release, the next night to notice. etc. Select and PhotoRead several books all the subject that will help YOll

Review Your Day You can bclie\'e that you call create today to be better than yesterday. When YOll take action on this belief, witness the results. You WIll develop a mind set for continuous improvement in your life. Any incremental shift for the better moves yOll n i the direction of your

goals. The f.lstest way to �,'aill shifts in behavior is to review your day each evening before sleep and oller nurturing st.'lf-talk from a place of \\<1mdS. You mellt.llly review your day while belllg aware ofyour purpose. How dId you do today? Is your "doing" consIstent with the purpose

of your "belllg"? If so, celebrate! If not. witnes s that discrepancy and gain internal support to adueVt" your purpose. Vi sualizt� the SItuations where you feel you could improve. Thlllk of what you would do III the future If a Sllliliar situation arose. 'n this way you memally rehearse success for the nlmre. The New I Jjstory

Celll'riHOr Paralimlllal tape can be valu,lble for rehearsmg success. Side B teaches you the entire mental review process 111 a relaxlllg pleasant ,vay. Another tool I have used IJ1 trainlllg IS called the MotivAider. It is a personal timer. the size of a pagmg device, that vibrates brief]y at the tulle IIltervai you set. The vibration reminds you of somethll1g you ha\'e detern llned WIll suppO rt you 1I1 your perso nal or profeS Sional development. You can choose to be reminded once every twenty-fours hour; down to as often as alice a minllte. This pocker buzzer alerts you to keep your purpose or goal Ciousnes.s. In the Natural firilliance retreat. at first we suggest you use the

MotivAider to remind you to release and notice . Later III the program we suggt"St it to relllllld you to respond with behavio rs or access highly

empowered states. Finally, as people go back IIno their e\'CrydJ.y Im,,'S. \\'C sugge�t they contl1 lue to witne ss theIr bfe expen ence. Using a MottvAlder reminds them to Stay on track to theIr goals, bnlhantly.

181

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A
COllrrpwll1 B/cxkb'lsling:A Gllidr /0 Stilt, JdellS. �lding,

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"limri".cYoIIT Grew/III. New York: Harperand Row. 1983. ThtTtachlngs ojDOIlJuall:Yaqrri Way ofKnowledge. Ikrkeley. CA: UllIvC'rsiry ofC:lhform;! Press, 1968. Campbell. Don G. IOOIlltys 10 ImprowTta(hlllg UsiNgYorrrVoict aNd Musit: nltlr�s IOA«t/traf( Lcamin.�. Tucson. AZ: Zephyr Press. 1992. Covey. Stephen. Stutn Hllb,1S ofHigMy EffWivt People. New York: Simon Clnen�da. Carlos.

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Grou.1h. New York: HarpcrColhns, !990. Gardner, I loward. Mulliple Il1Irll(l!fllrtS:'flJe71rrofY III Pr,1[fiCf. New York: Harper Collins Publishers. Inc., 1993. Gdb, MLchaelJ. UlSOtrS From tllrA,' of)lI�lirlg; How foAr/rit'I't' }'our Pull AJlt7Iluli in Bmmw, LLammg amI Lfe. New York: Harmony Books, 1994. Gbdwell, Malcom. "Reasoned Choice Is Nor Always Righi:' Slarrribrmr. Minneapohs. MN: March 12 . 1?91.

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Kelder, Peler. Ancitnt SI'Cf/'l oflilt FOIIll /ilill o Y ou/h. Gig Ilarbor. \VA: f Harbor Press. 1989. Kerman!. Kal. Allt�licl;m·II;"g. london. England: Thorsons, 1992. Keyes, M F

Emotions (wd /ilt Ell/lta.�r.rm: II'.1rklllg TImmglr \'imr SlIo.ldow ufe

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Kosko. B., and Buzan. T. fuzzy "H,,"kmg:TIII' Nl'w Sci(',,(� oJ Fuzzy LJgI(.

New York: I lyperion. 1993.

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�

M chaels. R. E. Facticlty. Seattle. WA; Fcu/i(ilyTra itlhlgs, 1991. MIchaels, R . E. LIons fIr lI'ajr:A Road to Ptrson al COllrllgt. Seattle' WA'. F�ccicity Tnillin�. 1993. Miller

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Kinenc PubhsJullg Corporation. 1994. Rilnu. Swami. }-oga and Psyrhotlltrapy: Iht Evoilition of COIIStiOllSntSS. . I)rospt"ct I lelghts. IL: Hllllilla yan International lll5tilme ofYoga Science and Philosophy. 1973. Rilma. SW�llli. uctUfl'S 011 Yoga. Glenview. IL: Himalayan International . In.mtme of Yoga Science and Philosophy. 1976. Restak. R.ichard M., M.D. Tilt Modlliar Brain. New York: Touchston... ,

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Robb1l1s. AllIhony. AII'tlkeu lilt Giam Wllhill: How 10 Take Immediale Gmtrol oft'ollr AIM/ai, Emotiollal, Pllysilal alld Prnallciol Des/illy: New York: Simon and SchllSter, 1992 RIIS.sell. Peter. Tht II'1rile Holt In Timt: (}lIr FlltllTt Eva/'I/jOtl and lire Meallitlg ojNom New York: l-Iarpt'rCollins, 1 992. Scheele. P;tul. The Ph otoReadJl1g Wholt lHilld Sys/tm. Minneapolis, MN; Le;trrung Strategies Corpontion, 1993.

Scheeit", Paul. Ph otoReadmg Ptrsollal UaTII/II.'! COllflt. Minneapolis. MN; Learmng Strategies Corporation, 1995.

Snmh. Frank. Readmg lI'i/holl/ Not/stllst (2tld Edirioll). New York: Tt"achen College Press. 1985. Stoddilrd, Lynn. ReJesigl,illg Ed'l(allon:A GIII'def or Dtvelopillg HI/man CrcalHess. Tuscon. AZ: Zephyr Press, 1992. Tomatn, Alfred. Tire GmsciollS Ear. Barrytown. New York: Station HIll Press, Inc.. 1990. von Oech, Roger. A K,Ck h,TIrt Stal OfI1lt PatltJ. New York: Harper and Row. Pubhshef5. lnc. . 1986. von Oech. Roger. A 1Vhllck (A, n,t SIde Om,t Head. New York: Warner Books, Inc.. 1983. Wattbwlck.l)aul. TIrt £..aIlSllagt ojChallgt. ew York: Basic Books. 1978. Watzbwlck. Pilul. U//ro-Solutions: How to Fa ll Most SlIcceslju/ly. New York: W.W Norton and Company, [nc. . 1988

Nall/ral BrillilHlu

186

failzlII,fl fl/ld Wllhams, Fnnk. A Towl Crt'atlllilY PrtJ:.ir,lmj'" ltrdrvid' logy PubhcJtlOrlS, Techno onal Educ:lt1 tI,e l..tammg PrOlrn. Englev.oood Chili, NJ:

ge-nerate soluoons 136-137 in dn:ams 156, ISO Curiosity 35. 95

LillI' il Up: Britf 50/1l/;0IlS. Ward. Chariottl.', and Bdf. Ten E. Simply 1995. Press. eful Bethtsda, MD: Purpos Leam: Slrate�JrsforAC(tlrr,lIrlig Ward, ChrIstine, and Daley, Jan. i.Lllntmg Ie , New Zealand: HCIl Pr1llt, 1.A'llrtlillg and BOOSlillg Perfonnarrct. Chnstchurch

D

Hrmllllll'::lJIg

1972.

1993.

Index

gAppr'M{hts ill QlJ
Peripheral ViSIOn," 1171O/e &,,11 RMtul: Fall 1991. . Los Angclt'$. CA: Jeremy 1'. ZweIg. c., 311d Abrams ,). Mwi'I.� ,Itt SirlldoU'

Tarchcr, ln(;., I991.

D!n'ct Learn1l1g 15. I I I. I ! 5. 154 DIXon, Norman 1 13-1 1 4 Domg 34-36. 150 do w bc 36,132 Dn:;lming ISO-I R I

E

A

Amblgulty 3 1 . 161 toler.met' for 137 Anch0T111g 43. 145 AUention 1 1 , 39.59 AUlogt.'llic Tralll1ng 42 Awan'ness 1 1 . 39. 53. 62. 95. 175 outside yourself 12. 53 �nsory OICUlty 54 pcnpheraI 55-56

B

Mabnce 1 2 . 22. 39. 53. 61, 68 set also

Respond

Barrll:rs 132. 160-163 Being 33-35, 150-151 Uiphasic 22. 24 Bn"lthlrlg42. 175. 177-178 hn:;lth control or pranayama 177-178 Busillt'SS 36, 144, 168

C

Can't 23-25. 68-69. 84

Change 6. 17. 23, 26. 54, 65. 95. 1 1 2. 127 ge'ner:r.ri\'C vs remedial 36. <)8 ph ology 42 )'Sl ill beliefs 76 Vlriables 129 Comfon Zolle 23, 107 C-01I1plexity 98 l Blockbustmg 160 C;onccprua Consultant 1 42. 143 pamt ofview 80 Coul1lemlbnce 21 Courageous Risk-ukmg 102 Cn:.mvc Problem-solving 15, 129. 135 process l35 define roblell l US, U8 y iden ti ty obstacles 138

Edu-K or educational kinesiology 6 1 80/20 R�tlo 1 37 Excellence 43 Expcnennal UlrlllllgiChallellb'C 137. 1 56. 176

F

F;I,ilun' 2 1 , 26. 130 fe3rof66. 70. 161 Fcars 4, 21 . 69. 161, 169 Felt-shift 130 Flight HlindC'fS 51 FuUC'r. Ducklllll1Ster 27. 28, 56 Fun), logiC 7 1

G

Gent'ranvc 90. 92, 97. 140. 159 Gelllu$ 5. 14. 16R activate 1 5 . 16'} genius capacity 126

per.>Olul 159 Goals 33, 7 1 chain ofoutcomt:!i 34 core 34 condiriollS ofwdl-formed 141 see

also 0111(01111' Onl'tlldIIOl/5

Gordon. E Noah %

H

Hath.. Yoga 60. 175 HY nOSlS 23,65. 163 lypnotic trance 23 hypnoncinflueflCC' 163 stJge hypnonst'; 163

r,

I

ImplJCIt Melllory 1 1 3 Intuition 62-63

J

p

Juggling 68

K

lUtzeff, Izzy 1 1 2 Keller. Helen 1 1 Kline, Peter 57

L

L:mguilge 13 Leap ofFaith 76 Learning ) lifelong 3, 16, 90 one trial 3 ll;J.tul"lUy bnlli,mt 4 from nusukes 26 trial and feedback 69 L�cki, Pa'NCl 1 1 1 Life Issue 93

N

Natural Bnlliance four steps of 10, 14 fivt' prinCIples of 38 three amtudes of91-92 set aIso

Release

sre tllso Notiu

also Respolld set also Willless Set

Nc;!.r Death 82 Nervous System 22 New Opt1On Generator 15, 145 seven exercises 147-155 Ightw".llk mg 56, 159 ooee 1 1 , 134. 173 see. also auurtntss

o

Oasis Exprrience 81 Options I I , 15,23,51, 67, 69,92, 112, behavioral 31-32 Originate 99 Oscillate 5, 8, 21, 25, 26, 27.33, 35, 51. 67. 92, 107, 127, 131. 132. 145. 160 mirunuze oscillation 36, 90 Other-than-collscious Mind 39, 54, 69-70, 1 10, 112, 1 17, 121 Outcomes 67, 72 outcome oremution 35, 67 set

alsogool.s

Par.;r,dox 3, 10, 21 , 33, 35, 124, 126. 139, 167 do to be 36, 132 paradoxical problems 129, 131, 167 U2ps 130, 132 duenun;J. 167 Paraltnllnai T;a� 133 Perceptions sensory 12 Intern..:il 12 perceptwl posmon 79 Perfecnorusm 132 Performance 14,40,65,66, 142 performance barrier 40 PcMmence 69, 91, IQO, 14O, 159 Peronotlity 24 Phobl2s 6 PhotoFocus 56, 159 PhotoReading 15, 41, 58, I I I , 115 PhotoRrotding procedu� 1 18 �rofMind 31 Precorucious Processor 54, 110, 1 1 2, 180 Problem 72 defining the real 134. 167 definition s i wrong 140 Ja alJo crrative proble m-Jolvillg Ja alsoparudoxicalproblems

Procrastination 23, 155 Purposc 156, 181

Q

Quadr21lt Model 8

R

lUnge of BehlVlor 93 Range ofChoices 145, 169 Receptive 140, 159 Rebxanon 39, 41 insum rcwnoll 41 deep rcla.X2rion 41, 44-48 Set also Release

Release 10, 39, 134, 171 see rewtion Resources 17 bckof35 Respond 12, 65, 134 take acrion 69, 181 Robot 4 Russel Peter n

S

Safety Zone 32

Self-defeating Behaviors 85 Shadow 83-84, 87 Stop SignS 5, 21, 23, 26, 28, 32. 80. 83, 107, 131 puU out l6, 26, 29, 32, 90. 1 16, 146 Stretch Sutch. Thc 104-105 Srn:ss 73 Stuck Stltes 5, 21-22. 28.35, 89, 131 , 1 60, I68 speech at roastnwrers I, 141 d iagnose 19 Subde Energies 60, 174 Success 89. 126, 1 4 1

T

Tahh, Roger 24 Take Action 69, 146. 1 8 1 jet' also respond

Tennon 41. 42 Thinking flexible thmkll1g 94 t1uent thil1km� 98 onglllal thinking 98 ebboratlve thmklllg 99 inugin;atiw thmklllg 103 Trap 130. 132, 134 Tomatis. Al&t:d 57 Tunnel Vision 52

W

Warzlawick. Paul 70 Whlck 21 Williams. Frank E. 91 Wimess 13. 75, 143 ne�r death experience 82 sct' II/SO IlWllrrUeSS see IIlso

owside forme!!

WlIsu!tallr po;',t ) 0 view

Wounds 14.26,84, 98 w oundm g 14 emotional 26-28. 161 Wynne, Marcus 65-67

Z

Zen 171 begmner's mmd 135

Self-Help

SA

" Yes, you have genius within you. NATURAL BRILLIANCE helps you find it, release if, and use it. " Alllh"f Qlld Ed"r<1f11r Pomt R. S<""l'tir, .'11•.<1

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