February 2023 – Allison Biel

Hypnotic Regression

Hypnotic Regression is one of the most powerful techniques at a Hypnotherapist’s disposal. It enables me to guide a client back to an important prior event or trauma and explore their memories, thoughts and feelings about it. With my help the client can reframe any negative feelings and perceptions of the past to enable progress towards the client’s objectives today.

It can allow clients to find the cause of their current issues such as phobias, unwanted habits, behaviours or routines and eliminate the effects of their past traumas. When clients are hypnotised, they are in a relaxed state that allows for their subconscious mind to be accessed. And it here that the behaviours and habits that people exhibit are rooted and controlled. Often these behaviours and habits continue to be repeated even if they are no longer necessary or useful. Hypnotic regression allows clients to purge their unnecessary behaviours and move forward.

Recently Davina McCall (English television presenter best known for presenting the reality show Big Brother in the UK) took part in the Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett podcast. During her appearance she shared she experience with a Hypnotherapist using Hypnotic Regression and how it changed her life. Previously she had struggled with drug and alcohol abuse and fear of abandonment. Interestingly, she didn’t seek help for these issues, but to check whether she was claustrophobic.

As part of the session the Hypnotherapist used a regression technique to take her back to when she was four years old. And it was here that she discovered the roots of many of her life defining behaviours. She had been left with her grandmother so her mother could go on holiday, but after sometime is dawned on her that her mother would not be coming back. This had caused a fear of abandonment and feeling that she had to please people otherwise they would not like her or leave her. The Hypnotherapist was also able to guide her through the process of healing the emotional scars that this traumatic event had caused. She had said in the past, “I think probably the whole reason why I wanted to be on television was to show my mum that she was making a mistake. That I was amazing. Look at me, I’m worth something. Look at me”.

I think this is a fascinating case of Hypnotherapy helping to improve the quality of life of someone. I have added Davina to my collection of people who have used regression to explore the past. Most of these are people who have explored past lives, which is also possible with this technique. Her page contains more details of her experience and how the hypnotherapy worked for her. If you would like to see the full Steven Bartlett interview its available here.

If you think that regression and hypnotherapy can help you then contact me.

Dalai Lama

I wrote recently about reincarnation and how many people believe that some part of us persists beyond death either in some afterlife or to be reborn. I thought I would write about the Tibetan Buddhist leader, the Dalai Lama, who it’s thought has a very interesting relationship with reincarnation.

Avalokiteśvara is an important deity in Tibetan Buddhism. It is been widely believed by Buddhists that for the last millennium Avalokiteśvara has had a special relationship with Tibet and has intervened in it’s fate. Specifically, Avalokiteśvara has reincarnated as early Tibetan kings and emperors and more recently Dalai Lamas.

So rather than being the reincarnation of just anyone, the current Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of the same being who has been reborn many, many times to perform the same role. There has been a total of fourteen recognised incarnations of the Dalai Lama starting with Gedun Drupa (1391–1474) all the way up to the current one, Tenzin Gyatso, who was born in 1935.

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Phowa is a tantric practice found in both Hinduism and Buddhism for the “transference of consciousness at the time of death”. It is believed to transfer the mind stream to the intended (future) body. And it is believed that with this method that the Dalai Lama reincarnates. As he said, “Death means change our clothes. Clothes become old, then time to come change. So this body become old, and then time come, take young body”.

Upon the death of the Dalai Lama a search for the Lama’s reincarnation (yangsi), is conducted. The new Dalai Lama is born soon after the death of the old one and the search usually takes several years. For example, the current Dalai Lama (the 14th) was born in July 1935 and was identified in 1939. The previous Dalai Lama died in December 1933.

It is very unusual for someone to always play the same role in all of their lives. It is believed that the soul is on a journey to experience many different situations and learn all it needs to achieve some form of higher state or enlightenment. An explanation of this, in the case of the Dalai Lama, is that it is believed that the being that is reincarnated is thought to be a deity.

One notable other example of someone living the same sort of life over and over is General George Patton (1885 – 1945). He was a general in the United States Army and commanded the Seventh United States Army in the Mediterranean theatre of World War II and the Third United States Army in France and Germany after the Allied invasion. Patton strongly believed he had many past lives and always as a warrior. He is said to have had visions of previous lives as a hunter-gatherer searching for mammoth as well as historic battles, including the Greco-Persian Wars (499-449 BC), Siege of Tyre (332 BC), Roman–Parthian Wars (54 BC – 217 AD), Battle of Crécy (1346), and Battle of Waterloo (1815). He concludes that he was an instrument of God, eternally betrothed to combat.

If you are interested in past lives or would like to know more, then contact me.

Self Love

Do you like yourself? Do you love yourself? Strange questions perhaps but important ones. I don’t mean in the sense of being self-centred or selfish. If you think about what is to love someone else it is being supportive, considerate, tolerant, affectionate and concerned about their wellbeing. Self-love is all those things but about yourself. Are you supportive, considerate and tolerant of yourself? As Buddha (Spiritual leader) said, “You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection”.

I am not talking about self-care, which for me is more of a practical thing. Self-love is more a state of mind. Here are some ideas about showing yourself some love.

You are unique and different, so any comparison is not fair. As Theodore Roosevelt (American President) once said, “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
It’s a waste of energy to try to please everyone. Dita Von Teese (American dancer and businesswoman) put is very well, “You can be the ripest, juiciest peach in the world, and there’s still going to be somebody who hates peaches.”
Learn and grow from them and embrace your past (all of it). Do you recall the one (or maybe a few) times you did something that left you feeling regrettable, humiliated, or ashamed? Time to let go of that and move on.
This is a powerful truth and many things will try to convince you otherwise. Your body wasn’t made only to be aesthetically pleasing to the rest of the world. It is the most gorgeous and fantastic tool you will ever own. .
Protect your energy. It’s not wrong to remove yourself from situations or people that drain it.
Be fearless. Don’t ignore your fears — understand them. Interrogate and evaluate your fears to give you clarity and reveal the source of anxiety.
Your feelings are valid and you know yourself better than anyone else.
Carpe diem – seize the day
Women especially often take on a caring role, but remember to care for yourself first. Make time for yourself.
Speak up, join the conversation, give your thoughts freely and take action. Your contribution is just as important as anyone else’s.
You don’t have to be perfect. No one is perfect, be it in body, life, IQ, etc. The idea of perfection is an illusion and striving for it can cause serious health problems. Nobody is flawless.
Follow Your Passion. Make time to do the things you love or are passionate about.

Self-love is a dynamic and constantly evolving thing. It can take a lifetime to perfect and will likely require continuous practice. Be nice to yourself and persevere through the challenging moments, especially if you’re on the road to finding your passion.

I recently produced a mediation on self-love. Enjoy.

If you want so help or advice on self-love, then contact me.

Past Life Therapy

I recently qualified as a Past Life Therapy practitioner. The phrases Past Life regression and Past Life Therapy are often used interchangeably, but in fact there is a significant difference. The technique was originally developed by Dr. José Luis Cabouli a pioneer in new techniques in the field. It has been translated into English and is taught by Antonio Sangio.

Unlike a full past life regression, Past Life Therapy is an abbreviated and symptom specific methodology. It uses very simple relaxation techniques that induce a state where you can relive certain events from the past. Using this modality we do not explore past lives so much as focus on one event that is causing problems in the present. The idea is to bring to your consciousness something that is currently hidden in the subconscious. With this technique it is possible to change certain attitudes and thoughts that condition or restrict us that often we do not know why they occur. As Peter A. Levine (American Psychologist and Trauma and Somatic Expert) said, “The paradox of trauma is that it has both the power to destroy and the power to transform and resurrect”.

Using it you will be able to revisit the traumatic episode that is causing your current problems and find the internal resources you have to solve them and create a new pattern of behaviour for yourself. This will allow you to begin a new path of self-knowledge, personal growth and to move away from suffering. One of the advantages of regressive therapy is the speed with which we can identify the core of the problem that affects us and deal with it.

Somatizations are physical symptoms that can’t be fully explained by the presence of a medical condition. These are often physical expressions of stress, anxiety and other psychological issues. It is all about understanding and getting to the bottom of symptoms like these. Using this therapy you can also achieve profound change and resolve mental blockages, phobias, depression, fears and tensions.

A typical session is about an hour and so it’s shorter and an inexpensive way to resolve past traumas and issues that are impacting your life. Clemantine Wamariya (Rwandan-American human rights advocate) puts it very well, “I’m still coping with my trauma, but coping by trying to find different ways to heal it rather than hide it”.

So, if this is something you think you might be interested in then contact me.

Self Esteem

February seems to very much be all about self-esteem. Not only is it International Boost Self Esteem Month but it is also Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month. Having healthy level of self-esteem gives you the confidence and ability to reach your full potential and perhaps even true greatness.

Self-esteem is essentially how we value and perceive ourselves. It can impact decision-making, relationships, motivation, emotional health and your overall well-being. The strongest influences on self-esteem are typically self-confidence, identity, feeling of belonging and a feeling of competence.

Healthy self-esteem means you

Trust your own judgment and are unconcerned when others do not agree
Do not dwell excessively about the past or what might happen in the future
Fully trust in your capacity to solve problems and take failure and difficulties in your stride
You consider yourself equal in dignity to others
Accept differences in talent, personal prestige or finances without jealousy
Accept the value of other and take an interest in them
You are sensitive to the feelings and needs of others
Do not seek to prosper at others’ expense
Can work with others and voice descent without belittling yourselves or others

I have written several times about the difference between men and women and interestingly the sexes differ in how they derive self-esteem. For men, accomplishing things and especially by themselves is a symbol of efficiency, power and competence. Their self-esteem is often career related. Men rarely talk about their problems unless they are looking for ‘expert’ advice. Asking for help when you can do something yourself is a sign of weakness or failure.

For women, their sense of self is defined through their feelings and their relationships. They often spend time supporting, nurturing and helping each other and experience fulfilment through sharing and relating. Communication is very important and talking, sharing and relating is how they feels good about themselves.

If you suffer from low self-esteem, then there are way to improve it. Firstly, recognise what you’re good at – we’re all good at something. Be tolerant and kind to yourself – we all make mistakes sometimes. Learn to be assertive and learn to say ‘no’ when you have to. Challenge and stretch yourself to do more and be better.

Hypnotherapy can help with boosting your confidence, improving self-image and exploring the roots of any specific concerns. If you think I can help then get in touch.