Ask The Expert – Page 8 – Empowering Your Mind

If I find it hard to clearly visualize my goal, does that mean it won’t manifest?

December 18, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: If I find it hard to clearly visualize my goal, does that mean it won’t manifest?

Answer: The term “visualization” or “imagery” tends to mislead people. So many people tell me that “I can’t visualize.” But visualization doesn’t necessarily mean mentally seeing something in glorious technicolor and surround sound. Most of us don’t have that kind of spontaneous imagination.

We all have a dominant style of imagining. Some people are very visual, like artists. Some are auditory, hearing ideas, like musicians. Others’ are sensory, feeling and sensing something going on. We all have all of the senses in our imagination to some extent.

For instance, describe an apple. What does it look like, how does it smell, how does it feel, how does it taste, how does it sound when you bite into it, how do your teeth feel when you bite into it? Being able to describe that apple is visualization. With practice, we can strengthen the other senses to make our mental visualization more powerful and it’s a good idea to do the practice.

However, being able to mentally see a goal isn’t necessary to manifesting it. If you can imagine yourself having it, how it feels to have it, and keep that feeling at the forefront of your mind and no other thought denies or negates it, then you’ll likely manifest it.

There are some other tips, such as being specific, making sure you’re not deciding ‘how’ it has to happen (let your creative mind figure that out), take any steps towards it that you know to take, etc. Write out what would be in your life with this goal. That also is “visualizing,” because you’re using your imagination to create the vision of it.

What can I do to cope with the stress?

November 13, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: I have an extremely stressful job, supervising many people, with schedule changes every few hours or days. What can I do to cope with the stress?

Answer: I’ve given seminars on stress reduction, and define stress as “any adjustment that has to be done to the normal routine.” So if your schedule changes several times a day, just the having to adjust to something new will create stress.

Doing meditation, relaxation, or self-hypnosis will help to reduce the stress. Any of these mimics the end process of the stress response, namely the “let-down” period. By doing self-hypnosis, you’re telling the mind that all is well now, and it’s safe to let go and relax. It doesn’t have to take long, just 15 minutes a day.

I know that when I do this after a stressful day, it gives me a lift, and I feel much more refreshed. My clients and the seminar attendees also say the same. You’ll be amazed. You can find the instructions to do self-hypnosis on my site at
Self-Hypnosis Steps.

In the space where you are to put in your suggestions, just imagine yourself in a special place of peace and comfort. It may be someplace you enjoy visiting, or someplace imaginary. And it may change from time to time. You’re giving yourself a mental vacation.

How do I block extraneous thoughts during meditation?

October 16, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: How do I block extraneous thoughts during meditation, visualization, or self-hypnosis?

Answer: Extraneous thoughts are normal when you meditate, visualize, or do self-hypnosis. It takes time and lots of practice to learn to not let them distract you during your spiritual and/or mental practice.

When other thoughts come into your mind during your practice, you don’t have to let them interfere. I know that sounds odd, but the more you resent or resist those thoughts, the more attention they’ll get. The more attention they get, the more often they’ll interfere. When they come into your mind (and come they will, it’s the nature of the mind), just acknowledge them then put your attention back on your practice.

When I’m working with a hypnotherapy client, I say something like “other thoughts won’t interfere,” because the more a person is concerned about those thoughts, or resists them, the more they take attention away from the goal of the session. Therefore, I subliminally give them permission to have other thoughts, but then suggest that they won’t have any power to distract.

The essence of this idea works with any individual’s spiritual and/or mental practice. Give the thoughts permission to be there, but don’t get emotionally involved with them. It’s part of spiritual/mental practice to watch them objectively. This objectivity then translates into the rest of your life.

What is karma?

September 19, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: I’ve been told by a metaphysical teacher that there is no karma, though I’ve read about it in many books. Could you clarify?

Answer: You aren’t alone in your confusion. I think that the problem has come about by people in western societies misunderstanding what karma is all about. The west tends to be more literal than the east. In eastern societies, they understand the metaphorical nature of this concept. Karma isn’t about an “eye for an eye,” in other words, whatever we’ve done unto others in a previous life, they’ll do unto us in the present or future one. According to this idea, we can’t escape our punishment. That idea is very old testament.

But karma is simply the consequences of our actions. “What goes around, comes around.” It is a concept to explain that our actions set in motion energy that then returns to us in a similar way. And wisdom erases karma. If we’ve been acting in a negative way, but then learn to be more compassionate and positive, then we’ve learned the lesson that the karma was to teach us. We don’t need the consequences because they would be superfluous.

Many times, I’ll work with clients that think they’re being punished because of some awful thing they did in a past life. As we explore the situation, we discover that they’ve more than made up for the original “sin,” but they’re still punishing themselves for it. They haven’t let go of the guilt or sadness, and that emotion (and what it attracts to them) is what is hurting them now.

To me, karma is simply emotional energy. We set karma in motion in this life, and reap its consequences, when we don’t exercise and eat right. Or when we accept a negative message in childhood that we’ll “never amount to anything,” and that energy keeps replaying in our lives by becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Karma isn’t some force to punish or reward us. It’s simply the metaphysical law of cause and effect. When you set an emotionalized thought or belief in motion, when you take an action, that energy flows out into the Universe to return to you in like kind.

How do I get my connection to the Universe back?

August 14, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: After I had an upheaval in my life a couple of years ago that changed everything, including me, I haven’t had the same connection to my guidance or to the Universe. How do I get it back?

Answer: There’s an old saying that goes something like “When we lose touch with God, God hasn’t moved, we have.” It sounds like you had a transformation during that chaotic time. It sounds like your perspective, your relationships to others and to yourself has changed. Why would you think that your relationship to the Universe wouldn’t change as well?

Your awareness has expanded because you’ve gone through a spurt in evolution. This means you’ve outgrown the old connection to your guidance and to the Universe. The connection is still there, but you have changed position in relation to it, and you’re still looking for it in its old form.

It’s like you used to have an oak tree in your old backyard. Once you’ve moved, you’re still expecting that oak tree to be in your backyard, even at your new house. You may have a grove of oak trees now, but you can’t see them because you’re looking for a single one.

You’re ready for your connection to be at a higher level than you’ve ever experienced before. You’ve gone through a maturing process, therefore your sense of guidance and the Universe will also be more mature. Meditate. Be aware of tiny signals, the still, small voice. You may sense it in a new way. Meditate on the Oneness of the Universe, and how It flows through you.

You’re building a new relationship with yourself, learning about who you now are. You need to do the same with the Universe.

What is “anchoring?”

July 17, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: What is “anchoring” and how is it used?

Answer: “Anchoring” is a technique used by NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) practitioner to help to “anchor” a suggestion. When a suggestion is being given, the NLP practitioner, hypnotherapist, or the person himself can touch/press on a part of their body to “anchor” the suggestion.

It’s much like using an anchor for a boat. The body remembers the sensation, and when that place is pressed at any other time, the suggestion is recalled on a subconscious level.

Silva Mind Control uses a technique putting the first two fingers and thumb together to remember the peace the person felt while in the deep meditation. Its the same idea.

The body stores emotions, thoughts, ideas in the muscles and organs. You might have experienced (or had a friend who did) going to a massage therapist, and had the therapist massage an area of the back that then triggered tears, sadness, or anger. It’s because the body has locked in a situation that created emotion into the muscle.

“Anchoring” uses this process to remember positive ideas by locking them into the skin, tissue and muscle.

Do you need a plan or let the subconscious work out the best way?

June 19, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: I was wondering whether you need to have a plan to achieve a goal or whether you should let the subconscious mind work out the best way?

Answer: It is important to have a goal, and then steps to take on the way to the goal. But it’s also important to not “outline” how the goal is going to manifest. It’s a tightrope to walk. For instance, suppose you want a new job. You know the steps to take. You look at the job listings, you send out resumes, you go for interviews. The more action you take in the physical world helps the subconscious to know what it is that you want, and how committed you are to the goal.

If you focus on the new job coming from one of those that you investigated, that’s “outlining.” You’ve decided “how” it has to happen, instead of letting the subconscious mind figure out how. Or suppose you see a job that you really want, and set your heart on “that job.” Your new job may come when you feel led to go into a market and bump into a friend or former coworker who gives you a lead. You follow any inspiration you might have because that’s the inner mind directing you.

If you try to control the result or outcome, that’s when you run afoul of life. Having a plan lets the inner mind know what you want, but if you try to force the goal to manifest in the way you want to, you’ll not get very far. The inner mind knows so much more than you do about the situation. As you follow your plan, you stay aware of any nudges from the inner mind.

Your job is to remain focused on your goal, move in that direction, but let your inner mind power it. Just like driving a car. You keep your vision down the road, you steer the vehicle, but the motor is what moves the car. You don’t have to do a Fred Flintstone, and run or push the car.

Why do I prosper for awhile, then relapse?

May 14, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: Why do I prosper for awhile, then relapse?

Answer: There could be many things getting in the way of your consistent prospering. If you’ve been using affirmations and getting results, see if you’ve eased up on their use.

It could be that you have some old idea about having to struggle or have challenges. Some idea you picked up in childhood could be responsible. Meditating on what old thought patterns are blocking you would be advisable.

I’ve done a lot of internal work myself on this issue. When I stay centered, and don’t get into fear, my prosperity flows. Also, remember to view the Universe as your Source of supply, not the channels it comes through. Considering the channels (such as your job) as the Source is a great way of blocking your prosperity.

I find that affirmations are a wonderful way of breaking through blocks. And affirmations are simply suggestions you give yourself while in a waking or meditative (hypnotic) state. Find some affirmations for prosperity that resonate with you, and repeat them aloud for fifteen minutes each and every day, even after you begin to see results.

How Often Should You Repeat An Affirmation?

April 17, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: For how many days, and how many times a day, should you repeat an affirmation?

Answer: You should repeat an affirmation (preferably out loud) for at least five minutes every day, and preferably fifteen minutes a day, for it to begin to impress your subconscious mind. And you should also repeat it whenever you catch yourself thinking negatively about the situation.

You should continue until you see results. It may take as little as a week or as much as several months to change your old thinking. But you should also have faith that your affirmation is making the changes necessary to manifest your desire.

You may not be able to envision how it can happen, but have faith that the Universe and your subconscious have that information.

Why do you get mis-messages as you’re waiting to manifest your desire?

March 13, 2012 Linda-Ann Stewart

Question: While an affirmation is beginning to manifest, why is it that you’ll get some mis-messages or dead ends as if your creative mind is trying out different situations as it works to manifest what you want?

Answer: Many people think that if an affirmation doesn’t manifest completely, it means that something is wrong. That’s not necessarily true. Many times, you just have to keep on keeping on with the affirmation and stay focused.

If you change your desire, then it confuses the subconscious, which then has to focus its energy on the new idea. Or if you vacillate back and forth between two desires, the subconscious begins to feel like its in a ping-pong match.

Most people have done this, including me. Also, we tend to then criticize ourselves and the subconscious for not having “gotten it right” (At least, I have), which then tells the inner mind to not “get it right.”

I now call the part-manifestation “an indication.” To me, it indicates that the affirmation is working, but the subconscious just hasn’t gotten it quite right and needs a little more time, and maybe a little more direction or specificity.

Empowering Your Mind

Mindset, Motivation and Empowerment

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