A note to ALL DO-GOODERS and people who want to change the world by Michael Harris, PhD

Greetings fellow wizards,

Anyone who knows me or reads my stuff on the web, pretty much knows that I am incurable "do-gooder" and positive expectation freak. I'm only interested in making this planet a better place to live in and work tirelessly to that end.

This morning while I was opening my mail I came across a strange letter. This letter was from Mumbai, India so I knew it couldn't be from a client or ex-girlfriend.. I looked at it for a couple of minutes with a great deal of curiosity. The letter was from someone I friended on LinkedIn and the sent me a "thank you" letter, thanking me for "friending" them.

They went on to tell me that they had gone to my website, listened to my recordings, read my articles (on this blog), watched my youtube videos and pretty much "gushed" appreciation for all things that I do, which seemed kind of strange because this is what I do, daily.

It took a couple of minutes to realize that this is exactly what impact that I'm trying to make on this world we live in. All you have to do is watch the news for a couple of seconds to notice that we have problems out there. But we also have beautiful people doing wonderful things everyday; it's that, that type of information doesn't sell newspapers so it isn't reported.

I thought I'd jot down a couple of lines today to remind you that this a wonderful place to live and you need to LIVE YOUR DREAMS. It's obvious that people are out there searching for answers so if you're in the business of making dreams come true, making people laugh and forget about their troubles... KEEP DOING THAT... you never know who you will impact in what corner of the world. My faith in the dream has been revitalized and the person who sent the letter, (you know who you are)THANK YOU!

Sometimes it's a nice thing to know that you're having an impact. I'm reminded of Nelson Mandela, the Nobel Prize Winning Leader, who spend 27 years in house arrest, and ended Apartheid. This is paraphrased..."It isn't that we live too big, it's that we live too small".

Make this day the day you recommit to your dreams

talk soon
M

Your Life After Trauma and PTSD with Michele Rosenthal by Dr Michael Harris

Listen to internet radio with Dr Michael Harris on Blog Talk Radio

Your Life After Trauma and PTSD with Michele Rosenthal

by Dr Michael Harris

About Michelle Rosenthal:
In 1981, Michele was 13 years old when she found herself struggling to survive Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndrome, a freak allergy to a medication that turned her into a full-body burn patient almost overnight. It didn’t take long for insomnia, intrusive thoughts, nightmares and flashbacks to set in. She was determined to go back to who she’d been before her illness and ran as fast as she could into the future.
Within 5 years she was a complete and total insomniac, anorexic, melt down mess. The therapists forced her to see and recognize her classic symptoms of PTSD.
Receiving the diagnosis was only the beginning of her healing journey. Literally, the journey took her from New York City to Palm Beach, Florida. In the end, it required 10 modalities and quite a few practitioners to get her to where she is today: 100% PTSD-free.
Michelle learned a lot during her PTSD recovery. She learned about the importance of hope and belief and we can harness its strength and apply it to PTSD recovery.
Read about my personal posttraumamatic stress disorder history and mission.
check out Michele's website - www.healmyptsd.com

DO COMPUTERS NEED THERAPY by Ray Zukowski

I came across this wonderful article and I just had to share it... Happy reading
talk to you soon
Michael

I wonder if our technology hasn't gone too far. I have been noticing more and more quirks on my computer lately. When I ask my printer to print it asks if I really want to print. Like "Are you talking to me!". Then it prompts me again before it really does it. Is it question my ability to choose to print or is it too busy in its own thoughts to do the job. Couldn't we just talk it out between us.

When I am looking for music, Itunes opens and it always tells me that it is not my main music program. Would I like it to be? Does this program feeling insecure about its place in the world. Does it need therapy for this insecurity about being number two? Maybe some confidence building is in order.

My Moviemaker software is always in some kind of conflict with Quicktime. Is this just sibling rivalry? Do I have to worry about anger management issues between these two programs.

Sometimes programs have there own inner conflicts. I worry. They may go haywire someday unexpectedly and who knows what it might do? My computer tells me that they have an issue that cannot be resolved. Would regression therapy to core cause help?

Even the equipment has issues. The other day my hard drive said "Main Memory is failing." Can computers have Alzheimer's? If i get its memory wiped will past life issues still remain?

It seems the very worst is when the computer is feeling really bad and it expresses the feelings with a full blue screen. How sad. A total melt down. Usually means a break in our relationship. How could I have prevented this kind of emotional problem.

Well, maybe there is a new profession coming. Therapy for computers and the programs in it or is it a wicked plot to take over our minds through kitchen appliances by aliens. No, that's another topic.

Just my thoughts today.
Ray Zukowski
Mentor Director
IMDHA Peer Network

Independance Day 2012

I'd like to extend my wishes for your 4th of July holiday.
The fourth of July has always been special to me. In addition to being the anniversary of our country's birth,
it holds special meaning as the anniversary of my parents wedding day. Today would have been my parents 59th celebration of that event if my father were still alive.

So I'd like to give you a gift to celebrate this day. I'm giving you an audio to download and share if you like.

The Authority audio is my gift to you and  it's own my favorites. I discovered the need for this audio while I was creating "Sleepnosis"  hypnosis CDs and I discovered that many people just simply don't have permission from themselves to create and keep changes.

Personal changes, career changes, relationship changes all change begins with the decision to make a change that will be for the greater good. Once that decision is made rest is simple.

Here's your audio 

Have a wonderful holiday and I will speak with you soon

best regards,
Michael

Yes Virginia… there is a dark side to hypnosis by Michael Harris, PhD

Because of the people involved, I won’t be discussing any specifics of the case just some generalities so that you can get the scope of what has occurred and perhaps by reading this you may be able to avert any situations that could cause yourself or someone you know harm. HYPNOSIS WORKS.

I had an opportunity the other day to work with a client on a pretty scary subject and yes, I’m talking about HYPNOTIC MIND CONTROL. You hear about it on the news, you see what Hollywood wants to produce in movies but most people never get to see it. The appointment was right out of the same place where people like Charles Manson or Jeffery Dahmer live aka crazy land. Only this wasn’t on the news… it was in my office.

I also find it interesting in light of the recent media fervor over a stage hypnotist that recently had a problem after doing a hypnosis stage demonstration at a girl’s school. I’m not a fan of hypnosis used as an entertainment tool for this reason. The poor guy was doing what he normally does and things went wrong, very wrong.

The subject came in and at my request, brought a friend to sit in on the session.

The short version is that this person, a female subject had met a man who has a least a understanding of how hypnosis works. The subject who had a boyfriend was having some relationship issues and the man offered to “listen” to her issues.

One day, the man offered to do some “relaxation” techniques so that the subject’s headache would abate. From this point forward, the man regularly did hypnosis with the subject over a period of about 6 months. It might be also worth mentioning that in the 6 months period she broke up with her boyfriend and guess what? That’s correct. She began a relationship with the “friendly man” who was just trying to help her with her headache.

When the subject came into the office, she was very easy to induce into trance. I found it interesting that even though she was very frightened, she was still extremely suggestible. We methodically when through the last six months of her life and the subject discovered that she had been programmed (these are the exact instructions) to CRY, TO BE USED and TO BE ABUSED. We also discovered that the subject had been programmed to be in a heightened sexual state at any time that she was in the presence of, or thought about this man. Apparently, the goal was to condition this woman to be his sex slave and to be so broken that she could not leave him.

We were able to undo all of the programming and the subject is living FAR AWAY from the man. So the question you may be considering is… HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? The answer is very easily.

About 5% of the U.S. population is VERY SUGGESTIBLE and the rest of us are equally susceptible to a wide variety of hypnotic techniques like REPETITION, AUTHORITY FIGURES, TRUSTED RESOURCES and plain old-fashioned GULLIABLITY.

For most part, we as humans have a desire to believe others, to accept what they say is true and in general have a positive expectation that what people are telling you is the truth or what they believe is the truth. What happens when you meet someone who knows about that? You get situations like the one described above.

The dichotomy is this. How do you life your life with an expectation of a safety and simultaneously protect yourself from predators? My answer is with some difficulty and a degree of vigilance.

According to Martha Stout, author of “the Sociopath Next Door”, approximately 1 person out of every 25 has the capacity of being a sociopath. I find this ratio to be alarming and based on what I do for a living I also find it to be fairly accurate. So what do you do?

I like the “Ronald Regan method” TRUST BUT VERIFY. You cannot spend your whole life checking out everything that every person tells you but you do have INTUITION, NATURAL INTELLIGENCE and an innate ability to sense when people are “blowing smoke up your skirt. If what someone is saying sounds like B.S. you’re probably correct. The question is, is what the person is telling you going to affect your life? Your life decisions? Your health or career? If yes, it may be time to investigate a little further.

Let’s get back to the topic at hand. HYPNOSIS WORKS! The subject, I had in my office, the other day is going to be an isolated incident and I may or may not ever see this type of client again, but they are out there. There are bad people who use hypnosis and other mechanisms to control others. The media and advertisers have been using these techniques for decades the only reason there isn’t a public outcry is NO ONE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE DOING.

Just remember, HYPNOSIS ISN’T A TOY OR AN ENTERTAINMENT DEVICE. Do not let people “practice” hypnosis on you. If you have a problem or an issue that you believe can be solved using hypnosis or you think someone is messing with your head, GET A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL to help you.

There are a great many organizations that produce high-quality hypnotists and NLP practitioners. If you need a name or a referral to an organization email me and I’ll be happy to send it to you. You also have my permission to forward and re-post this article to anyone you think will benefit from this article.

About the Author:

Michael Harris, PhD, internationally known hypnotist, transition coach, speaker and author is an expert in language of communication of Sensory Stacks.
He is active locally and nationally, including private and public speaking on the Mind/Body Connection, Hypnosis and Sensory/Learning Styles. See his latest video on youtube and on BlogTalk radio To make an appointment call or just to ask a few questions call - 214-702-3774

Mindfulness can help cancer patients with anxiety and depression

Another great article on "Mindfulness" which is another way of addressing the Mind/Body Connection.To me there is no difference between meditation and what some folks call hypnosis or "trance".
I'd be interested in you opinion if you like to post it, hunt me down on facebook or email me


thanks for reading,
Michael
 
Mindfulness can help cancer patients with anxiety and depression

When being diagnosed with cancer, people will naturally worry about their future, their family and about dying. Actually, no less than 35-40% of cancer patients suffer from significant anxiety and depression symptoms. An interdisciplinary research project carried out between Aarhus University, Business and Social Sciences and Aarhus University Hospital and the Danish Cancer Society now shows that mindfulness can help cancer those patients suffering from anxiety and depression.

During his PhD programme, Jacob Piet, psychologist and PhD student at Aarhus University, Business and Social Sciences, Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, has studied the effects of mindfulness-based psychological therapy. In collaboration with Bobby Zachariae, Professor at Aarhus University and Aarhus University Hospital, and Hanne W-rtzen from the Danish Cancer Society, he has, in particular, studied the effect in cancer patients with symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Mindfulness focuses on the present
Mindfulness-based psychological therapy is rooted in Buddhist meditation techniques and includes the programmes mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). Training and exercises in mindfulness teach the cancer patients to be more conscious of life as it happens instead of worrying about the past and the future. This may be thoughts about their past behaviour having contributed to their disease and fear of what will happen to them in future, including worries about death.

Mindfulness is a special way of being attentive. Mindfulness teaches you not to judge and evaluate yourself, your thoughts, feelings and physical sensations.

Mindfulness is believed to help by improving attention control and gaining greater acceptance. The resulting effect is less negative thoughts and worries and therefore reduced anxiety and depression, explains Jacob Piet.

Groundbreaking results
The research is based on a meta analysis of 22 studies of mindfulness-based therapy and involves more than 1,400 cancer patients. Jacob Piet and his colleagues' summary of the study findings shows that mindfulness has a documented effect as an effective and inexpensive therapy method for cancer patients with anxiety and depression symptoms. The positive effect was not only seen immediately after therapy, but was maintained for at least six months following the therapy.

The meta analysis is important as this is the kind of analysis doctors and health boards will typically study, says Jacob Piet.

The findings have been published in the most prestigious international journal within clinical psychology research, Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

Depression affects course of cancer

The prevalence of depression  is significant in cancer patients. Actually, no less than 35-40% of cancer patients suffer serious anxiety and depression symptoms. In the first year after having been diagnosed with cancer, almost 50% of patients meet the criteria for severe depression. They suffer from very low mood and an aversion to activity, and, in addition to being the disorder associated with the greatest loss of quality of life, depression is also associated with a high risk of suicide.

It has also been documented that depression in cancer patients results in prolonged hospitalization and increased mortality. The depression  simply predicts the progression of the course of cancer. This clearly demonstrates the great benefits associated with identifying methods - such as mindfulness-based psychological therapy - which help cancer patients suffering from anxiety and depression.
FACTS about mindfulness:

• Mindfulness-based psychological therapy includes the programmes mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT).
• The therapy takes place in groups with eight weekly sessions.
• As a key element of the programme, the participants are asked to practise the mindfulness techniques as their daily homework.
• Mindfulness-based therapy has proved effective in handling stress, anxiety and depression symptoms as well as in preventing relapse in persons with recurrent depression. In recent years, a number of researchers have specifically studied the effect of the method on psychological problems among cancer patients.

Source: Aarhus University

A friend of mine forwarded this article to me give a read and tell me what you think.

I'll talk to you soon

Michael

 
'Mindfulness' Grows In Popularity _ And Profits

by The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio June 11, 2012, 03:06 am ET

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — In what's become a daily ritual, Tim Ryan finds a quiet spot, closes his eyes, clears his mind and tries to tap into the eternal calm. In Ryan's world, it's a stretch for people to get this relaxed. He's a member of Congress.

Increasingly, people in settings beyond the serene yoga studio or contemplative nature path are engaging in the practice of mindfulness, a mental technique that dwells on breathing, attention to areas of the body and periods of silence to concentrate on the present rather than the worries of yesterday and tomorrow.
Marines are doing it. Office workers are doing it. Prisoners are doing it.

The technique is drawing tens of thousands to conferences and learning experiences across the nation and world, and studies have shown it to reduce the symptoms of certain diseases and conditions.
Ryan has written a book, "A Mindful Nation," pushing mindfulness as an elixir that can tone down political divisions in Washington, get American schoolchildren learning better, and return the country to an era of richer personal experience.

"You still forget your keys, you still call people by the wrong name, you still stub your toe, but you can train your mind to be more in the present moment," Ryan said.

Benefits in stress reduction and improved performance have prompted U.S. corporations including Google, Target, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Comcast, BASF, Bose and New Balance to offer mindfulness training and encourage its use at work.

The practice's critics, including some psychologists and religious scholars, say the approach is little more than Buddhist meditation repackaged and rebranded for a secular, and often paying, audience.

"The commercialization of Buddhism has been happening as long as Buddhism has existed," said Rachelle Scott, an associate professor of religion at the University of Tennessee and author of "Nirvana for Sale."
"It's problematic, because most Americans who are engaging in these activities don't know the cultural backdrop to that, so in order to gain access they have to go to one of these retreats, and they are expensive," she said.

Of the $34 billion Americans spent on alternative medicine in 2009, $4.2 billion — about 12 percent — was spent in sectors that included mindfulness concepts, such as meditation-related classes or relaxation techniques, according to federal data. Participation in meditation therapy by U.S. adults rose 6 percent a year on average from 2002 to 2007, according to a study by the research group SRI International.
Marine 1st Lt. Scott Williams, 32, of Lancaster, Calif., said skills he learned through Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training — known in the military as MMFT or "M-fit," — allow him to transition rapidly from one focus point to another, to rid his mind of negative thoughts, and to recover more quickly from emotional experiences.

"As an infantry officer in the Marines, the mental agility gained by conducting mindfulness exercises could potentially be the difference maker as I lead men through chaotic and uncertain environments in Afghanistan," he said.

The technique has also reached prisons, where it is being used to reduce stress, anxiety and violence.
Ryan, a Democrat from Youngstown, learned the technique at a retreat two days after the 2008 presidential election — the end of a stressful campaign period and the beginning of another.

"I was to the point where I was OK, but I thought, 'I'm going to be fried by the time I'm 40; I'm just going to be burnt out,'" said Ryan, who was 35 at the time of the election.

For Ryan, a former high school quarterback, the feeling he gets during mindfulness meditation reminds him of the utter concentration and single-mindedness athletes feel when they're "in the zone."

In fact, it was Phil Jackson, the legendary NBA coach, who was among the first to legitimize mind-body techniques in popular culture as he led the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers to 11 titles from 1989 to 2010.

Jackson was nicknamed the "Zen Master" for a holistic approach to coaching that drew upon Eastern religious philosophy. Over the same period that Jackson was winning titles, brain science was beginning to validate what practitioners found evident: The brain can be trained to de-stress, and the body will perform better.

For many, it was a wacky, or at least unconventional, idea — departing from the wisdom of the day that the brain was more or less fully formed by the time a child hit kindergarten.

The growing body of research showing the brain has the capacity to change throughout life is bringing mental fitness onto the same plane as physical fitness, said Georgetown University associate professor Elizabeth Stanley.

Stanley, who runs MMFT and conducts research for the Army and Marines, said mindfulness meditation "isn't touchy-feely at all" in its new uses.

"There's something very empowering about learning how and why the body and mind respond under stress," she said.

Stanley said studies involving subjects engaged in repeated mindfulness have shown that it changes the way blood and oxygen flow through the brain, leading over time to structural changes. The practice can shrink the amygdala, which controls our fear response; enlarge the hippocampus, which controls memory; and make the insular cortex that regulates the body's internal environment more efficient, according to recent peer-reviewed studies by Stanley and others.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are touting several recent studies that have found the technique can reduce the severity of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms in women and reduce stress and pain in chronic sufferers of fibromyalgia and depression.

Google spokeswoman Katelin Todhunter-Gerberg says the company's "Search Inside Yourself" mindfulness class is among its most popular. It enhances awareness and performance, which improves productivity and morale, she said.

One Google lawyer, she said, was able to use her training to stop taking things so personally, reduce the irritability sometimes evident in her emails, and elicit immediate kudos from customers.

Not everyone is sold. In her self-help website Mindful Construct, psychology master's student Melissa Karnaze worries that mindfulness runs the risk of encouraging participants to suppress valid emotions.

"To imply that typical forms of human judgment are somehow inferior to a particular type of attention referred to as mindfulness — with regard to mental health and well-being in general — is a broad sweep," she said in an email. "We rely on various types of judgment for survival, and context matters."

Ryan wants to see fellow politicians embrace mindfulness and abandon the aggressive, around-the-clock grind.

"Nobody enjoys it; nobody likes it. It's become a mess," Ryan said. "Look at the approval ratings from the American people, look at how the people who are inside these institutions feel about the gridlock and the inability to get things done, and the constant campaigning, and the amount of money that's involved. We're not going to solve the problem by doing more of it."

The Saving Seed: Growing a Financially Healthy Family Tree by Ashley Parks
Click here to go to the radio show
Monday June 4, 2012 @ 1 pm (CST) I have the pleasure of interviewing Certified Financial Planner, Ashley Parks CFP, author of "The Saving Seed". This book is a great way to teach your children (and yourself) the process, methodology and FUN of getting your finances and savings plan under your control and making saving a habit.

About the Author:
Ashley Bogard Parks, CFP® holds a Bachelors of Business Administration from Texas A&M University and a Graduate Certificate in Financial Planning from Southern Methodist University. She has been advising clients since 1999 in her hometown of Dallas, Texas where she resides with her family.
We all have a personal root system that has been developing throughout our lives. Ashley’s career has offered her amazing insight into the personal lives of individuals that she comes in contact with on a daily basis. That insight, along with her own personal journey, spurred her to put her passion on paper. The stories and personal experiences over her career motivated her to write a book geared towards helping families gain not only personal well-being, but financial well-being. The Saving Seed is Ashley’s gift to others. Her philosophy on life is one of becoming self and becoming greater than our temporal world suggests. “What can we do that will positively impact others and allow us to grow?”
“We must give to others and the world. It is not ours to own and we must leave a positive impression as we pass by on our journey.”
Unleash your "inner saver" and Be Transformed

About Michael Harris:

Michael Harris, PhD, internationally known hypnotist, transition coach, speaker and author is an expert in language of communication of Sensory/Learning Styles. He is active locally and nationally, including private and public speaking on the Mind/Body Connection, Hypnosis and Sensory/Learning Styles. Checkout the website, See his latest video on youtube and on BlogTalk radio

click here to go to the radio show

Trust the pie...

I went to see the latest installment of the "Men in Black" movies this weekend.
I can say it's worth the price of admission which in Dallas, TX with popcorn
and goodies can be upward towards 50-60 bucks. So at those prices, I'm expecting
a life changing event...

There is a particular scene in the movie (no, I won't spoil the plot) in which there is a needed
beak in the action and the character played by Tommy Lee Jones states "his grandfather always recommended a slice of pie when a unresolvable problem presented itself" (paraphrased).

I totally agree that when you have worked your head (conscious mind) until you have exhausted all of your known responses to a challenge, problem or issue the best course of action is to do nothing.

Talk a walk, take a nap, color in a coloring book with your kids DO SOMETHING OTHER than thinking and something amazing with occur. The solution to the problem will present itself. The power of the unconscious mind to reach into other areas of expertise and to draw upon resources outside of your self is boundless, if you allow the process to work.. The funny thing is that you cannot be in your conscious mind and your unconscious mind at the same time, so for me, the answer is obvious. The conscious mind can keep track of 7 (plus or minus 2) things at any one time and the unconscious mind and keep track of a infinite number of things simultaneously; which one would you pick?


The next time you've got a "something" you need to figure out...TRUST THE PIE


here's the trailer



talk to you soon,
M

about the Author

Michael Harris, PhD, internationally known hypnotist, transition coach, speaker and author is an expert in language of communication of Sensory Stacks. He is active locally and nationally, including private and public speaking on the Mind/Body Connection, Hypnosis and Sensory/Learning Styles. See his latest video on youtube and on BlogTalk radio

Inside and Outside the Bubble by Michael Harris, PhD

I had a request from a client, the other day via email, to talk more about Sensory Styles or Markova Stacks in terms of groups and organizations. And, "yes" before you ask, I'm planning to do another class very soon. I thought was a good idea to talk about the concept of groups, organization and even countries having a specific and secondary Sensory Style.

So what is a Sensory Style? The definition of a Sensory Style is how a person processes what they see, hear and feel in the world and in what order, that they process that sensory information. Each person will have a primary or most preferred style and usually at least one secondary style that they can easily move into if or when needed.

So what does that mean? It means we have different verbal and non-verbal cues that tell us whether or not to let someone into our “protective bubble”. That decision is usually automatic and unconscious, which is fine if you live in your cave on top of your mountain your entire life without every going anywhere.

However if you plan to move around on the planet with all these other humans you might want to know that there are six basic methods of Sensory Style processes.

KAV – body smart and visually sensitive
likes touch and to be touched
being seen for who they really are is the most private part of them

KVA – body smart and auditorally sensitive
likes touch and to be touched
being listened to and hearing their truths are the most private part of them

AKV – auditory smart and visually sensitive
Speaks with lots of feeling and rhythm
being seen for who they really are is the most private part of them

AVK – auditory smart and body sensitive
Has extensive vocabulary, Speaks logically about facts, ideas, concepts
knowing how they feel (emotionally) on the inside is the most private part of them

VAK – visually smart and body sensitive
Connect most easily with others through eye contact, face reveals feelings
knowing how they feel (emotionally) on the inside is the most private part of them

VKA – visually smart and auditory sensitive
Connect most easily with others through eye contact, face reveals feelings
being listened to and hearing their truths are the most private part of them

Yes, I can go on for hours talking about all of the individual nuances of each of these patterns, how wonderful each one is all of the ways that you can conversationally elicit that information. The most important thing(s) to know about these patterns is we do ALL of them in some context and they are variable by situation, experience and emotional intensity. Think of these patterns which are similar to what the Myers/Briggs was attempting to explain is how people do what they do and why they do that. But what if groups, organizations and countries use these patterns as well? They do.

Recently, I was at a Full Moon party the other day and I noticed that this particular party was full of people who knew each other very well and there were a few newcomers (I was one of them), not in the “click”. It was very obvious to me that the group of people who knew one-another had different rules of engagement for the group and for the ones not yet in the group. It was also NOT obvious to those newcomers and I noticed a few problems that could have escalated but luckily did not.

Small companies have their own Sensory Styles. I worked for a sales organization in my early twenties. This company was more like a family than a company. (except for we didn’t have any arguments at thanksgiving). The process was simple, people worked for their own individual and team sales production. If you were having a problem you could tell someone and the problem would get fixed. The management was interested in the whole company succeeding and no problem was too small to be addressed and acted on. The one thing that stood out to me as unusual was the focus of “this is work time” and this is “off time”. Vacations were not mandatory but we all were making so much money, why not go somewhere and spend it?

I hear Japanese corporations are similar to this or used to be. It probably explains why so many Japanese corporations have employee that one for ONE COMPANY their entire life and then retire with a pension.

American and European Corporations have a different more hands-off Sensory Style where everyone is in a cube there is no talking, touching and frequently even different departments have no idea what’s going on outside of their “little world”. The focus is on production, profit and in my opinion, this “dehumanization” is far more damaging to the people, community and the planet than anyone is taking about.

So what happens when you go to a different company, city, state or country? Each of these groups have their own individual rules of engagement that are so engrained in the culture that you’d never know about them until you violate one of the unspoken rules. If you do violate the rules it is possible that you can be removed or labeled rude, a troublemaker, etc. Here’s a couple of examples.

In China, it perfectly all right and socially acceptable to stare at someone without blinking for long periods of time, the person is “just looking at you”. This can be unnerving to Americans where our culture is organized primarily about “no-eye contact in public.

In Spain, the men are world renown for being “very attentive” and can make physical contact with someone they know or care about as many as 158 times per hour.(yes there was a study, lol) If you are into touch and being touched, go to Spain.

Conversely, England is the best know for being formal, distant and proper. If you really don’t like being touched all that much by strangers this could be the place for you. Each Country, each group has individual rules of engagement but there are clues.

Here’s Five Simple Steps for identifying Sensory Styles

1. Ask Questions before you go.

The best way to find out something before you do anything is ask. The internet is loaded with information on just about any topic, company, state and country. A few minutes (or hours) of research can cut your learning curve down significantly.

Going to Japan? I’ll be there’s at least 10 yahoo groups that can answer any question that you might have about Japan, it’s culture, it’s rules and how best to “BLEND”

2. Observe what other people are doing before you jump into the deep-end of the pool.
Look before you leap. A few minutes or hours of observation may be worth the time it takes to observe what’s really going on in a new situation. You may even need a couple of examples. Many times group dynamics may skew your first observation. I’ve been to a couple of places in Dallas and there is definite difference between the people who show up early and those who arrive late. Just knowing that one thing can be the difference between great time or boring one just by knowing what time to arrive.

3. Find a mentor, coach or friend.

Going to do something, you’ve never done before? Ask someone who has been to that place, state or country, what goes on there? Can they meet you there so you’ll have at least one person to talk to, introduce you to new people and guide you as you walk this “new terrain”?

4. Be Flexible about your behavior.

When I go to Mexico, I just shift into “vacation time” because I’m not going to be able to affect the entire country so I motor down to whatever rhythm that the general populace is operating at and it’s all good.

I have this skill I call “vacation time”. I live in Dallas, which isn’t New York, but it is a little more busy than Casper Wyoming. So the time scale of Dallas has it’s own rhythm and if you’re used to it it’s great and if you’re “new” here, it can drive your crazy. Everyone here is 15 minutes late, so if you have a “time thing” you need to adjust because the general populace of Dallas isn’t going to adapt. My Mom hates coming to Dallas because it’s too busy and everyone is in a hurry. She lives in a small town in East Texas where the lights blink “yellow” after 6 pm. As my friend, Robert Caruso says, “just roll with it”.

5. Give yourself a minimum of three examples
You may have heard try something twice before you decide whether or not you like it. I agree. The first time you do something you have no experience what-so-ever. So go try something to experience it. Have fun, be scared scream, laugh or whatever it is that’s supposed to happen. Next, try it again to see, hear, feel if you actually would consider doing it again.

My theory is do it three times. Once to experience, twice to like it and the third time to decide whether or not you’re going to include it into your life as a add-on, hobby or even as a career… because you never know, right?

Want a cheat sheet or Want to know your Personal Sensory Styles? Send me an email

The important thing to remember is just because you know how to do something doesn’t mean that is the only way to have it done. Humans have a remarkable about of flexibility about how, when and for what reason to do something and the ways they devise to make that happen never cease to amaze and astound me.

GO FORTH, BE AMAZED, and let a few people into that bubble of yours.

I’ll talk to you again soon

Michael

About the author
Michael Harris, PhD, internationally known hypnotist, transition coach, speaker and author is an expert in language of communication of Sensory Stacks.
He is active locally and nationally, including private and public speaking on the Mind/Body Connection, Hypnosis and Sensory/Learning Styles. See his latest video on youtube

Surviving Cancerland

Listen to internet radio with Dr Michael Harris on Blog Talk Radio

Kathleen O’Keefe-Kanavos  is a two- time breast cancer survivor who penned SURVIVING CANCERLAND: The Psychic Aspects of Healing. She is represented by Scovil, Galen & Ghosh Literary Agency & Steve Allen Media. She’s a phone counselor for R.A. BLOCH Cancer Foundation, Q&A cancer columnist for CapeWomenOnlineMagazine, an inspirational speaker, mentor, cancer volunteer, and Cambridge Who’s Who Executive Professional of the Year 2009-2010. Follow her @ http://www.survivingcancerland.com/    http://twitter.com/PsychicHealing  http://www.facebook.com/pages/SURVIVING-CANCERLAND-The-Psychic-Aspects-of-Healing/142803307934?ref=m    http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?trk=hb_tab_pro

Kathy was born to a military family, raised in Europe, graduated from Munich American High School and Keene Teacher’s College, taught Special Education and Psychology at University of South Florida.

She’s been featured in newspaper,TV,  http://www.acelebrationofwomen.ca/?p=6512, http://www.pepsiweinspire.com/archives/4170, radio, and contributes to C4Women, Colette Baron-Reid’s Intuition Now, Featured in Examiner.com National-TheGuidedPath, Examiner.com/Chicago-SelfAwareness-Examiner, Writer’s Digest Community,  Scribblerati, guest contributor to author Carolyn Howard Johnson’s SHRING WITH WRITERS BLOG SPOT,  NCCS cancerversaey.org, blogs, National Wellness Community Online Support blog and discussion groups, Cancer Advocacy Now blog site. International REIKI Association’s blog and website, ACOR (Association of Cancer Online Resources) blog & web chat,  NBCC (National Breast Cancer Coalition) journal & blog, USA TODAY Community Blog, LinkedIn, OM TIMES MAGAZINE, linked to heal@healthcarewhisperer.com, volunteers for cancer organizations & online groups.

It's Fat Tuesday!!!

okay let's start with a little history lesson... (thanks to american catholic.org)

Mardi Gras, literally "Fat Tuesday," has grown in popularity in recent years as a raucous, sometimes hedonistic event. But its roots lie in the Christian calendar, as the "last hurrah" before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. That's why the enormous party in New Orleans, for example, ends abruptly at midnight on Tuesday, with battalions of street sweepers pushing the crowds out of the French Quarter towards home.

What is less known about Mardi Gras is its relation to the Christmas season, through the ordinary-time interlude known in many Catholic cultures as Carnival. (Ordinary time, in the Christian calendar, refers to the normal "ordering" of time outside of the Advent/Christmas or Lent/Easter seasons. Carnival comes from the Latin words "carne vale", meaning "farewell to the flesh." Like many Catholic holidays and seasonal celebrations, it likely has its roots in pre-Christian traditions based on the seasons. Some believe the festival represented the few days added to the lunar calendar to make it coincide with the solar calendar; since these days were outside the calendar, rules and customs were not obeyed. Others see it as a late-winter celebration designed to welcome the coming spring. As early as the middle of the second century, the Romans observed a Fast of 40 Days, which was preceded by a brief season of feasting, costumes and merrymaking.

The Carnival season kicks off with the Epiphany, also known as Twelfth Night, Three Kings' Day and, in the Eastern churches, Theophany. Epiphany, which falls on January 6, 12 days after Christmas, celebrates the visit of the Wise Men bearing gifts for the infant Jesus. In cultures that celebrate Carnival, Epiphany kicks off a series of parties leading up to Mardi Gras.

Epiphany is also traditionally when celebrants serve King's Cake, a custom that began in France in the 12th century. Legend has it that the cakes were made in a circle to represent the circular routes that the Wise Men took to find Jesus, in order to confuse King Herod and foil his plans of killing the Christ Child. In the early days, a coin or bean was hidden inside the cake, and whoever found the item was said to have good luck in the coming year. In Louisiana, bakers now put a small baby, representing the Christ Child, in the cake; the recipient is then expected to host the next King Cake party.

There are well-known season-long Carnival celebrations in Europe and Latin America, including Nice, France; Cologne, Germany; and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The best-known celebration in the U.S. is in New Orleans and the French-Catholic communities of the Gulf Coast. Mardi Gras came to the New World in 1699, when a French explorer arrived at the Mississippi River, about 60 miles south of present day New Orleans. He named the spot Point du Mardi Gras because he knew the holiday was being celebrated in his native country that day.

Eventually the French in New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras with masked balls and parties, until the Spanish government took over in the mid-1700s and banned the celebrations. The ban continued even after the U.S. government acquired the land but the celebrations resumed in 1827. The official colors of Mardi Gras, with their roots in Catholicism, were chosen 10 years later: purple, a symbol of justice; green, representing faith; and gold, to signify power.

Mardi Gras literally means "Fat Tuesday" in French. The name comes from the tradition of slaughtering and feasting upon a fattened calf on the last day of Carnival. The day is also known as Shrove Tuesday (from "to shrive," or hear confessions), Pancake Tuesday and fetter Dienstag. The custom of making pancakes comes from the need to use up fat, eggs and dairy before the fasting and abstinence of Lent begins.

Now that we know all that... what does this mean? I think that the basic idea is we all need to reign ourselves in from time-to-time. Since humans are wired to eat and eat and consume until all the resources are gone in a particular area; then we move on to the next area and repeat the consumption process. 

The problem may be that our nervous systems haven't evolved or it could be that we have populated every area on the planet so there isn't an new area to go inhabit. Either way I see the carnival/lent period of the year as a way to pull back a little on the "wretched excess", to STOP and do some inventory about our lives, our actions and the pile of stuff that we've accumulated throughout the year.


Do you have clothes that are "last season" or don't fit anymore? Is there someone who could use those clothes? Have you been meaning to start an exercise program or new eating routine? this would be the perfect time to that started. You know that most people (78%) who begin an exercise or eating program on Jan.1 have already "fallen off the wagon" NOW would be a great time to get back on the bus or to finally begin that new program.


Why am I talking about Lent as a starting point for new routines? BECAUSE IT'S ONLY 40 DAYS LONG!!! it's just a little longer than a month, which is plenty of time to notice what's working and not working in your "new routine". It give you a snapshot of what has to happen in order to make this new routine a regular habit AND it will be long enough to notice what other areas of your life are beginning strain form the increased attention that your putting to a single area.

I'm all about B-A-L-A-N-C-E. You have 8 major areas in your Wheel of Life and it is so common for us to throw ourselves into a new project with checking to see if the "new addition" to your schedule with work congruently with all your other commitments in the of the areas of your Life Wheel. If you are in a relationship/ married and/or have kids the process can get even more challenging.


So for today... party your buns off! 

Tomorrow let's talk about setting some well-formed intentions about how you're going to get rolling on your new goal. I'll post some downloadable link for a well-formed intention with action-steps so you can started correctly and who knows maybe the next 40 days will begin the most focused you've been all year.


best regards,
Michael Harris, PhD


I will also be posting a special price ($20.00 for 20 minutes) phone consultation link for those of you who would like a little extra help getting your well-formed intention complete and ready to start immediately.

Book Review - Shaman, Healer, Sage by Alberto Villodo, PhD

Shaman, Healer, Sage: How to Heal Yourself and Others with the Energy Medicine of the Americas

It seems like almost every book I read I love and that may be true. Yes, I'm a "bookhead" and I find the written word to be as seductive as any other physical pleasure that you might imagine; and I can imagine a lot... lol
Occasionally, I find a book that upon reading it, I must run to the top of the mountain and tell everyone to read. This would be one of those books.

Alberto Villodo has lived the life we all THINK we might want and the parts of the book that detail his progression from seeker to shaman are well-written and thoughtful. I'm interested in getting the rest of the his story and yes I've already ordered his two other books, so expect more mountain-top shouting in a couple weeks

We all have a path that we must walk, sometimes ride in a limo, sometimes crawl through 10 miles of burning glass to receive a tasty bite of a sh*t sandwich but who really knows what lies ahead? You still must walk the path. If you have a desire to help people I highly recommend that you add this book to your library of reference, you know, the books you keep at your finger tips for quick review. Yes! It's that good.

And please keep in mind this man has spent a lifetime digesting the teaching and learning from is mentors, so before you run out and hang a shingle announcing yourself to the world as the next "healer"; take a little time to get some training, which oh by-the-way Alberto offers on his website

enjoy this book and I'll see you soon,

Michael Harris, PhD

The Space Between the Notes

headless spirit on Bourbon Street (taken Feb.11, 2012 by KJ)

This may come as "newsflash" but not everyone who helps people for a living takes their own advice. Over the weekend I just  took my first "real" vacation in over seven years and I can tell you that it was long overdue. Perhaps we all should heed the advice that "It is the space between the notes that makes the music... - Wayne Dyer".


I had a great time! The weather was a little uncooperative during the driving portions of the trip and in the middle it was cold and the wind was blowing most of the time. When we finally got back to Texas it was snowing! You know what? It didn't matter.


In my other life, when I was using my hypnosis and NLP skills as peak performance and physical trainer, I used to take a 5-day break every 6 weeks. I'm not sure that going to be possible with my 5 year-old being school but surely we can get on the road a couple of times per year.The most important part is creating time. Time to enjoy yourself with friends or family, and even time with just you and you. For those of you who can't get away anytime soon here's the link to my 10-Minute Mental  Vacation mp3

Now that I"m back, I'm rested and re-charged, I'm going to be adding a new component to my existing business. A friend of mine has asked me to be part of his paranormal investigation business and I said "yes".

I'm not really sure how this is going to work and I'm also sure we'll make some mistakes along the way. I seen way too many paranormal investigation shows on TV with the focus on "evil spirits", hauntings, etc. How come one ever ever investigates the people who are attracting that stuff in the first place?

After 20 years plus in the "help" industry, I know that people's thoughts, automatic language, habits and behavioral patterns attract lots of things; including spirits, both positive and negative. I've also had enough people in my office who needed some serious cleaning (exorcism) and then there are those who are conflicted by opposing thoughts that manifest physically in interesting ways enough to understand there is lots more for us to learn in this area. Perhaps this new endeavor is just what the Dr ordered...

The Mind/Body Connection does necessarily just mean ONLY YOUR MIND and ONLY YOUR BODY; we're all connected remember? And just because someone you're connected to doesn't currently have a body does that mean that the mind connection is severed? Inquiring minds really wish to know the answer to this one...I'll keep you posted on the developments as they continue.

about the Author:

Michael Harris, PhD is an expert in language of communication of Sensory Stacks and Transition Coach and internationally known Hypnotist, Speaker and Author. He is active locally and nationally, including private and public speaking on the Mind/Body Connection and Hypnosis. 

If you wish to book an appointment in person or via phone or internet (Skype) email Michael at this link 
 
See his latest video on youtube

Help Jody Save Her Finger

this message is forwarded by request...

A friend called and asked for help.  Her pinky ring finger had been severed in a car door.  The end of her little finger (the entire nail) on her right hand had fallen to the ground.  She said she picked it up and put it back on her hand but it fell off again.  She went into the gas station and doused it with Young Living Oil, Purification, and stuck it back on again.  She said it was really burning.

This accident happened last Thursday and she was out of state.  She returned late Monday night and called Tuesday morning.  She was in extreme pain and I  found her quite anxious. Dr, Ging cancelled his appointments so he could attend to her.  Dr. Ging said she had infection but her quick action replacing the end of the finger helped her.

Monday night I woke up with this little song in my head:  "One little, two little , three little Indians...  Many of us learned to count to that song. 

   

Her name is Jody and she is a massage therapist.  If you are a therapist or have every had a massage you know it takes two hands. Presently she can't work and she has no insurance. 

Jody needs our help now.

We have "Save The Whales" , "Save The Dolphins", we even save paper bags but how often do we get to help someone save their finger? 

She is worried about paying her rent and this drains her energy she needs for healing.

So I am asking you to send her any amount to save the little Indian and say a prayer for her..  If for whatever reason you are unable to send her a few dollars please put her on your prayer list.   

Please don't expect a thank you card as it is her dominant hand that is injured and she can't write.  Thank you for understanding.

I just want us to rally around and let her know there is a abundance of good people in the universe that want to see her whole and well with all her digits.

Here is her information:

Jody O'Callaghan

3501 Beech St.

Rowlett, TX 75089.

Blessings to you and yours,

Rev. Michelle Taylor

PS: Look at your hands and thank them for serving you.  They work tirelessly and endlessly for you. We are so blessed.

Dr. Ging, (www.vitalchi.com) graciously discounted her treatment and Dr. Michael Harris,(www.drmichaelharris.com) gifted her a hypnosis/NLP session to elevate the post stress.  Thank you both.