The 8 Rules of the Mind
As we search for answers in why we do what we do, it’s important to realize that no one discipline holds all the answers. Since psychology became a science in the mid-19th Century we have made leaps in understanding how the mind works. Neuroscience, today’s most rapidly advancing field of science is helping to connect the brain to the mind and behaviour. As we discover more about how our amazing brain works, we come to understand better why we think, feel and act as we do.
The following eight rules of the mind have been developed over many years and are taught in hypnotherapy. Hypnotherapy is a psychotherapy that addresses the unconscious mind by bypassing the critical nature of the conscious mind. It does this by creating a relaxed state and as the brainwaves slow down, the inner voice becomes quieter. A person is then able to focus more and access the unconscious mind; where all our values, beliefs and emotions reside.
Hypnosis is a largely misunderstood phenomenon yet it is a simple and profound way of creating positive change that lasts. Understanding these eight rules of the mind can help you identify why you may resort to those unhelpful habits and show you the way to create new positive habits that last.
A snapshot
Rule 1: Every thought or idea causes a physical reaction.
Rule 2: What is expected, tends to be realised.
Rule 3: Imagination is more powerful than reason when dealing with your mind or the mind of another.
Rule 4: Opposing ideas cannot be held at one and the same time.
Rule 5: If an idea has been accepted by the unconscious mind, it remains until replaced by another accepted idea.
Rule 6: An emotionally induced symptom tends to cause organic change if it persists long enough.
Rule 7: Each suggestion acted upon creates less opposition to successive suggestions.
Rule 8: When dealing with the unconscious mind and its functions, the greater the conscious effort, the less the unconscious response.
Rule 1: Every thought or idea causes a physical reaction
What you think affects your body. The mind and body are two sides of the same coin; you can’t affect one without affecting the other. If you are thinking angry thoughts, then your adrenal glands are stimulated and your sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight response) is activated. Likewise if you are constantly worrying about something, then this anxiety weakens your immune system by increasing your pulse rate, possibly causing high blood pressure. It may also take on a physical manifestation in the form of ulcers, headaches or other symptoms. Ideas and beliefs with a strong emotional content affect us deeply and take on their own life in our unconscious mind. If you grew up with a parent telling you that you were stupid and it affects you today, then you would need to access the unconscious mind and convince it of the need to change.
Rule 2: What is expected, tends to be realised
We think in pictures; our brain and nervous system respond to mental images. If asked to think of an apple, you see the image of an apple not the letters a-p-p-l-e. And we get what we think. Your state of mind is paramount to success in life in all forms whether it’s your health, career, sports or relationships. The placebo effect is evidence of the power of the mind when it comes to healing and wellbeing. If you expect to make the shot, to become healthy, to get that promotion, then your actions and behaviour will follow and your desired outcome tends to be achieved. Likewise, if you think you’ll miss the shot, or you can never get better or bad luck always happen to you, then that reality too will be created. As Henry Ford put it, “If you think you can or think your can’t, you’re right.”
Rule 3: Imagination is more powerful than reason when dealing with your mind or the mind of another
We like to think we’re rational beings but we have to understand we are rationalising beings. There’s a big difference. We make decisions based on emotion and then use reason after the fact to reconcile the logic of the decision. Think of the car you last bought, your current or last relationship, the house you live in – all decisions are based on emotion more than logic. Any thought that is accompanied by strong emotion cannot be undone by reason alone. Phobias are an example of the power of the imagination. Will power is not enough. In order to overcome any barriers you need your imagination and reason to be working together. Emile Coue, psychologist and pioneer of autosuggestion (self-hypnosis) stated that “When the will and imagination are antagonistic or in conflict, it is the imagination that wins without exception. When the will and imagination are in agreement, one doesn’t merely add to the other, but one is multiplied by the other.”
Rule 4: Opposing ideas cannot be held at one and the same time
The human mind cannot hold two conflicting beliefs simultaneously. In psychology this is called cognitive dissonance. You cannot think of yourself as sexy and ugly at the same time or creative and not creative. Acting in a way that violates one of your own values, eg: trust, will cause you stress and result in feeling guilty.
Rule 5: If an idea has been accepted by the unconscious mind, it remains until replaced by another accepted idea.
Once you have a belief it tends to be fixed until another one takes its place. Psychologists tell us we have between 45,000 – 60,000 thoughts a day. 95% of the thoughts we have today we’ll have tomorrow, and the next day and so on. The reason for this is our beliefs and values system remain the same unless we change them. Our mind runs on patterns and shortcuts and this is how we form habits; thought, emotional and behavioural patterns. The more we think something, the more we strengthen that neural pathway in the brain and the more it becomes a part of us. However, the brain has neuroplasticity – the ability to rewire itself. Change the way you think and you can change your behaviour, and vice versa.
Rule 6: An emotionally induced symptoms tends to cause organic change if it persists long enough
Many physicians recognise that more often than not illnesses are emotionally based rather than organic. What resides in our unconscious minds has a powerful effect on our physical health. You can often heal a physical ailment if you deal with the emotional symptom. There are only two ways you can change your emotions – by changing what you think or changing what you do. By having positive thoughts, you can create positive emotions and over time this creates positive organic change within the body.
Rule 7: Each suggestion acted upon creates less opposition to successive suggestions
The more you do something, the more the neural pathway is strengthened and the harder it becomes to break a habit. The more you follow suggestions when in a relaxed state the easier it becomes. Which is why when doing autosuggestion or self-hypnosis, you want to give yourself easy suggestions to start with. Suggestions such as you’re becoming more relaxed, your breathing is slowing down, you’re feeling a sense of calm, your body is becoming heavier etc. It creates a mental trend that becomes harder to break, ie: success begets success.
Rule 8: When dealing with the unconscious mind and its functions, the greater the conscious effort, the less the unconscious response.
Great athletes know this. They have to get their conscious mind out of their way so that they can do what their mind and body know unconsciously. Trying to do something requires conscious effort, so the best thing to do is to stop trying and just do. Your conscious mind is your critical voice and there’s a time and place for it to serve you. We do use it to protect us but unfortunately more often than not, it stops you from expressing who you truly are. It tells you that you might fail, look like an idiot, or warn you of consequences that probably don’t even exist. As a result you continue to play it safe and miss out on all the beautiful fruit that life has to offer if you just took a little risk. Thoughts are energy and if you direct them towards your goals, positive things start happening for you. Learn to quiet your conscious mind (via meditation, self-hypnosis, total absorption) and as soon as you stop trying and get out of your own way, things will blossom for you.
We’re not even close to discovering and understanding all the mysteries of the human mind but these eight simple rules are a useful guide and provide an insight in to how the unconscious mind operates.