Transforming the Subconscious Mind

Author: ​Nebo D. Lukovich

Learner, Reader, Student of Life

Nebo D. Lukovich

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

​With only a few exceptions, anyone who really strives for spiritual growth and self-improvement, in general, must invest a lot of serious and persistent efforts into that work. Typically, mindfulness, meditation, and inner reintegration (or psychological work of various kinds) are required.

All of this should be supported by having a higher purpose of this work and fueled by strong determination and desire for spiritual liberation. Without this, your meditation and mindfulness practice could easily be stalled or even completely ruined.

Also, we know that the subconscious mind plays an immensely important role in our lives and spiritual growth. We must somehow explore its depths and harness its power. But how?

Forgetting

We could say that the subconscious mind is part of our being which consists of everything we have forgotten or have not been aware of.

​We can forget something intentionally, when we willingly put some experience behind us, forcing ourselves not to think of it. 

Subconscious mind is part of our being which consists of everything we have forgotten or have not been aware of.

We may also forget unintentionally when we fall asleep, faint, dive into a dreamlike state, or discontinue our conscious experience in any other way, which sometimes leads to forgetting.

Nevertheless, all forgotten memories are still there, within you, although they are seemingly inaccessible to your conscious mind.

Subconscious Structures

According to the Reintegration System’s view, these subconscious structures that you need to integrate might be:

• General aspects of personality – subconscious identities or subpersonalities responsible for important areas of your life, like family, spirituality, health, finance, career, etc.;
• Self-defeating habits;
• Self-defeating or limiting beliefs;
• Self-defeating decisions that you made in the past, most probably during your childhood;
• Externally imposed or self-imposed rules (e.g. orders or prohibitions by parents);
• Traumatic memories that are subconsciously connected to the goal or state that you want to achieve;
• Fears, guilt, resentment and other unpleasant emotions;
• Various inclinations and desires;
• Personal traits or qualities.

Typically, these structures influence your everyday life from the subconscious level. They often lie deeply hidden in your subconscious mind and it might be incredibly difficult to recognize and reveal them.

Dealing with the Subconscious Mind

What to do with all these subconscious structures? There are two options:

• To consciously uncover the forgotten or suppressed experience, revive it, and reintegrate it with your conscious being;
• To change the subconscious structure in a way that suits you best.

The first option is the reintegration work. Of course, this implies not only the application of the Reintegration System’s methodology. It may also refer to any other psychological/spiritual work.

As we have already covered the first option in many of the previous articles, here we will focus more on the other one – changing the subconscious structures.

Reprogramming the Mind

Surely, one of the most important questions of personal development is how to access and influence the subconscious mind in a safe and effective way.

Some practitioners call this work reprogramming the mind. It is gentle and thorough transformation of some aspects of personality mentioned above. For example, beliefs, habits, traits, rules and even the general aspects can be transformed by this reprogramming work.

In the Reintegration System, there are some techniques for changing these subconscious structures. One of the very effective methods is, for example, the Replacing Beliefs technique. Essentially, this method will help you make a list of your negative core beliefs and to replace them with the opposite ones, consecutively.

Also, this work can be done through repetition. There are many different approaches to it, such as:

• Repetition of actions (habitual behavior)
• Repetition of thoughts (positive thinking)
• Verbal repetition (autosuggestions)
• Hypnosis (or self-hypnosis)

1) Repetition of actions (habitual behavior)

Through repetition of actions, we may form a new habit. We could simply repeat the wanted behavior, again and again, and sooner or later it will become rooted in your being. But for carrying out this, we must be really, really persistent and patient.

However, there is another, scientifically proven way of making desired habits or changing unwanted habits into beneficial ones. We have to add a trigger and reward to the wanted routine.

In his great book “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do, and How to Change,” Charles Duhigg reveals the details about the scientific research that has led to a very important discovery: the so-called Habit loop (see figure below).

​So, every habit has three components: a cue (trigger), routine and reward.

If we want to create a new, desired behavior and make it habitual, we have to add the proper trigger and reward to it. Only in this way, it will become habitual in the long run.

If we want to get rid of a bad habit, for example, cigarette addiction, the easiest way is to change the habitual routine (smoking itself) into another routine that will be beneficial (e.g., one-minute meditation), but keep the same cue (e.g., whenever we are feeling anxious) and reward (e.g., having a snack or another temporary pleasure).

But we should be cautious: when we change a habit, we will change it only at that particular level of consciousness. Whenever we find ourselves in another state of mind (for example, dizziness, sleepiness, anger, fear, etc.), the old habit will emerge again!

​However, there is a solution to this, which I like to call “the habit-extinguisher”: it’s mindfulness. We don’t need to change the old, bad habit into a better one at all. We can completely overcome it simply by being fully aware or mindful whenever the undesired behavior emerges. But this also requires a lot of persistence and patience. 

When we change a habit, we will change it only at that particular level of consciousness.

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

2) Repetition of thoughts (positive thinking)

Some people hold that the important part of this work should be positive thinking, which is, however, a very treacherous practice that may lead to unexpected side-effects.

Yes, you can repeat positive thoughts many times and this practice will inevitably bring some apparently good results. Nevertheless, it will only be temporary. Unless you do meditation and mindfulness regularly, with consistent psychological or reintegration work, your efforts to think positively will sooner or later crumble. That’s because many of your hidden and previously suppressed subconscious structures will inevitably emerge and bring you a lot of suffering and obstacles. This may stop your practice of positive thinking completely as well as the process of achieving the specific goals you are striving for.

People typically practice positive thinking in the normal, everyday state of mind. Similar to other approaches to reprogramming the mind (except hypnosis), the apparently positive results will be linked only to the same state of mind, i.e. awaken state. Whenever any strong emotions appear, or you are sleepy, exhausted, or intoxicated, the old mental habits will re-emerge.

For those who are practicing positive thinking, I have one piece of advice: whenever you “implant” intentionally some positive thought into your mind, be completely open for several seconds after that. Pay attention to any negative thoughts, emotions, sensations, or even unpleasant external events that may appear after your positive thinking sequence. Become aware of them and accept them completely. They are the manifestations of your subconscious obstacles to the goal of your positive thought.

It’s much better to accept and overcome that obstacle immediately than to ignore it and allow its manifestation afterward in your external world, in a more painful form.

3) Verbal repetition (autosuggestion)

With auto-suggestions you are repeating the same thoughts, statements, or intentions, verbally.

Still, this method is also very slow and unreliable. Not only can you quickly give up the practice as soon as your initial enthusiasm fades away, but there is a good chance that you will abandon your work entirely when you encounter the first obstacle that will inevitably arise.

So, the same advice stands for this approach: pay attention to any immediate negative reactions from your subconscious mind and accept them, one by one.

4) Hypnosis

On the other hand, hypnosis is a much better method of mental reprogramming. In this way, you deliberately dive into a semi-conscious state of mind, where only a small part of you stays awake. Yet, this small part is fully attentive to your chosen aim.

Hypnosis uses the powerful effects of attention and suggestion to produce, modify and enhance a broad range of subjectively compelling experiences and behaviours.[1]
​
[1] Oakley, David & Halligan, Peter. (2013). Hypnotic suggestion: Opportunities for cognitive neuroscience. Nature reviews. Neuroscience. 14. 10.1038/nrn3538.

(Through hypnosis) you deliberately dive into a semi-conscious state of mind, where only a small part of you stays awake. Yet, this small part is fully attentive to your chosen aim.

​As the subconscious structures that you are about to change lie deeply in the lowest levels of (un)consciousness, the most effective way to transform them is to decrease your level of awareness temporarily, align your present awareness with this level, and act on the concrete elements from that state of mind. That’s hypnosis.

Still, it carries some amount of risk. In a deep hypnotic trance, you may be imprinted with suggestions that could be harmful in the long run. Although I am not talking here about mind control or choreographed stage shows, you still have to find a trustful and experienced person to lead you through the hypnotic sessions. The damaging effects can appear inside your body or mind, or even in the external world, as subconscious elements of your personality that had been covered with the hypnotic suggestions, must express themselves eventually.

The hypnotic susceptibility varies vastly among people. If you are of a submissive nature, you may be able to achieve the deepest hypnotic trance and work on your inner transformation pretty effectively. On the other hand, if you have a strong personality, you might not be able to be hypnotized at all.

Hypnotic suggestions must be carefully designed. They can be formulated for reframing your core beliefs or changing your habits, but pay attention to the fact that deeper causes of your problems will eventually reappear. Your bad habit or negative belief that has seemingly been replaced with the new instructions typically originate from traumatic memories, self-defeating decisions, or any other negative structure.

​This is the reason why the hypnotic suggestions must also be aimed at uncluttering the mind or de-programming. For example, they can greatly improve our mindfulness skills.

Hypnotic suggestions must also be aimed at uncluttering the mind or de-programming. For example, they can greatly improve our mindfulness skills.

​​Self-Hypnosis Work

In this article, I will present only an example of a self-hypnosis session, as this approach, compared to an externally-led hypnotic session, may seem easier and privacy-oriented. It could be incredibly helpful to you as it covers instructions for reprogramming some of your framework beliefs, opening your heart, as well as creating several mindfulness triggers.

This self-hypnosis text is intended for reading – just read it and follow its instructions.

I feel wonderful peace. I am sinking deeper into the comfortable feeling of total relaxation. I feel like all my body parts are completely relaxing. Feet ... Thighs ... Abdomen ... Chest ... Shoulders ... Hands ... Fists ... Neck ... Head ... All the muscles in my face ...

I am totally relaxed now.

I am fully focused on this text and am happy to absorb everything that is written in it. All the words written here are being permanently implanted in my subconscious and they are being fully manifested in my life.

My eyes are open effortlessly as I read this entire text.

I am a calm, happy and successful person.

Life is easy and enjoyable for me.

Every day, in every way, I am becoming better and better and making more progress.

I learn all my life lessons in an easy and enjoyable way, developing life's wisdom, presence in the Here and Now, and love in my heart.

I am always fully aware and present in the Now. Whatever activity I do, I do it consciously, easily, and effectively.

If I find myself in any unexpected or unpleasant situation, I immediately become consciously present. In such a situation, I am completely calm, carefully choosing my words and controlling my actions. Any such situation is quickly and spontaneously resolved in a pleasant and easy way.

If a negative emotion, such as anger or fear, begins to appear in me, I recognize that emotion at its inception and immediately become consciously present. Then I observe and accept that emotion in myself and its manifestation in my body. That emotion, brought to my conscious attention, spontaneously and quickly transforms into peace.

Whenever I walk, I am consciously present in the present moment. Wherever and however I walk, my attention is automatically directed to the present moment.

Whenever I open or close any door, I consciously enter the present moment.

Whenever I take a computer mouse in my hand, I immediately become aware of the present moment.

Whenever I take or leave my cellphone, I consciously enter the present moment.

Also, love is growing in my heart. I love myself, I love all people, I love all beings, I love the whole world.
I am a calm, happy and successful person.

I read this text at least twice a day.

Everything I read in this text remains deeply embedded in my subconscious, is being realized completely, and I am always happy to act on it.

Now I am getting out of this dreamy state. When I count from 1 to 10 I will return to a waking state of consciousness, remaining completely relaxed. I will be fresh, rested, and full of energy.

1 ... 2 … 3 ... 4 ... 5 … 6 … 7 … 8 … 9 … 10

I am a calm, happy and successful person.

This self-hypnosis reading session is oriented toward several goals:

• Changing the core beliefs.

We may be burdened with negative beliefs such as “Life is hard,” “I can’t be happy,” “I am a loser,” etc. With implanting opposite core-beliefs like “I am a calm, happy and successful person,” “Life is easy and enjoyable for me,” “Life is beautiful,” and so on, we are re-shaping and transforming the original beliefs.

• Setting the anchors to mindfulness.

Essentially, mindfulness is a practice of de-programming the mind and expanding the conscious being. The hypnotic suggestions like “Whenever I open or close any door, I consciously enter the present moment” or “If I find myself in any unexpected or unpleasant situation, I immediately become consciously present” are creating the mindfulness triggers, the anchors to the present moment. In this way, any situation, emotion, action, or even thought, may become the trigger of our conscious presence in the here and now. You may formulate any mindfulness triggers suitable to you and incorporate that into the text.

• Growing love in our hearts.

Love and conscious presence always go together. One supports the other. Nevertheless, love always results in the healing and spontaneous reintegration of our inner parts. With the suggestion “Love is growing in my heart; I love myself, I love all people, I love all beings, I love the whole world” we are, indeed, opening our hearts for universal love that is already present in our true being and around us.

Of course, you may choose completely different hypnotic suggestions. But I would strongly recommend setting only those suggestions that are leading you toward positive changes of your core elements of being (e.g., core beliefs, rules, and habits), rather than changing the superficial aspects of your life (like getting money, changing job, or similar). Indeed, you can successfully use hypnosis or auto-hypnosis to overcome addictions or some mild psychological problems, but that will be only a temporary solution. If you do not resolve the deeper cause of your challenge, it will come back to your life in the same or another form, sooner or later.

The hypnotic suggestions for setting the triggers work much better than simple intention to establish these anchors to presence. It’s also better than the mere repetition of these triggers. That’s because you are directly diving into the subconscious level of your mind, while still keeping your focused attention on the suggestions. If repeated in your hypnotic sessions enough times, these suggestions will automatically emerge from your subconscious mind whenever the appropriate situation occurs.

What is also very important is that you should fully accept whatever appears in the field of your consciousness during your auto-hypnotic session. Any thoughts, emotions or sensations that emerge in the middle of your self-hypnotic trance correspond to concrete obstacles to your stated suggestions, that had been previously hidden in the depths of your subconscious mind. Through total acceptance, you will release and overcome these hindrances, one by one.

You should fully accept whatever appears in the field of your consciousness during your auto-hypnotic session. 

Image by geralt from Pixabay

​Depending on the depth of your self-hypnosis trance, you will need to repeat the reading session several or even many times to get great results. I would recommend that you read these instructions at least twice a day.

Additionally, if you would like to read this text before sleeping, you should appropriately reformulate the last few sentences into something like this:

“I read this text every day at bedtime.

When I count from 10 to 0, I immediately fall asleep. When I wake up in the morning I am always fresh, rested and in a great mood.”
 
Concluding Thoughts

Keep in mind that any reprogramming work is only a temporary solution, as all subconscious structures must eventually be reintegrated with the wholeness of your conscious being.

Actually, the mind must be de-programmed in a safe way. Mindfulness, meditation, reintegration practice… There lies the key to ultimate liberation. The reprogramming work is always an auxiliary approach that may help in expansion of consciousness.

Happy inner work! :-)