September 2023 – Allison Biel

Gus Taylor

Imagine you are changing you young sons diaper and he says, “Y’know, when I was your age I used to change your diaper”. Well, this is actually what happened to Ron Taylor, the father of, then eighteen month old, Gus Taylor.

This would be just the first of many such strange instances where young Gus would know things about his grandfather’s life. He seems to genuinely remember his past life as his own grandfather, August. The young Gus was named after his grandfather who had died just a year before he was born. And whenever anybody brought up his grandfather, little Gus would always ask if they were talking about him.

When he was four years old his grandmother died and his parents brought home a photo album. Despite never having seen his grandfather, Gus was able to point him out in pictures. He also correctly identified his grandfather first car. During one family dinner Gus was asked if his grandfather had any siblings. Now this was potentially a trick question. But, Gus said he had a sister who passed away. As Gus put it, “Yeah she turned to a fish, she died, some bad guys”.

This statement left his father in shock as this death had happened long before Gus was born and was a family secret. Indeed, Gus’s grandfather’s sister was murdered and dumped in the San Francisco Bay. Perhaps he saying she was a fish was his way of expressing that she was found in San Francisco Bay.

Over time Gus was able to share so much information about his grandfather’s life that his parents became convinced that he was the reincarnation of his own grandfather. At one point he said, “You know mum, when we die we get to come back. I used to be big and now I am a kid again”. Young also Gus explained that God had given him a ticket and by using it he was able to come back to life as his own grandson.

The story of Gus Taylor is briefly covered in the (UK) Channel 5 Documentary called ‘Extraordinary People: The Boy Who Lived Before’. In 2006 Dr. Jim Tucker of the DOPS investigated the case of Cameron Macaulay. Although having lived exclusively in Glasgow, Scotland, Cameron had memories of a past life on Barra, an island in the Outer Hebrides. He also mentions Gus’s story. Interestingly, both boys recount falling through a ‘hole’ or ‘porthole’ from one life to the next.

I am an award winning Past Life Regression specialist. If this is something you are interested in then contact me.

Journaling2

I wrote recently about journaling and the benefits it can bring. I wanted to revisit this to stress the deeper benefits that it can bring.

Once you are comfortable with journaling you can think about recording additional information such as major events of the day, the weather, phases of the moon, what you ate, etc. This can help you to understand the triggers and causes of some of the day to day symptoms you feel. It also provides an opportunity for positive self-talk and identifying negative thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Many find the process of writing a journal relaxing, but it can have other benefits too. It can help you to order and sort out recent events. Having to commit events or thoughts to a page makes you engage the rational part of your brain. This prompts you to think about and analysis those events.

Once you have done it for a while you can then use it to find the previously hidden patterns of your life and increase self-awareness. Such as what makes you happy, anxious or sad. Learning these triggers can help you manage or avoid them. As Christina Milian (US singer and songwriter) said, “The writing process is more… it becomes a case of more like a diary for me. I mean, I write stuff down all day whenever I’m experiencing something that I think would be important for me to look at later on. You know, whether it be for writing lyrics or just for a memory, like, ‘Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I was feeling that way at that time’”.

How you do it is up to you. It can be an actual book or perhaps a document on your phone or computer. Making time to do it each day is also important. So make it part of your daily routine, perhaps last thing at night.

If you are struggling with stress, anxiety or the effects of trauma, hypnotherapy can help. Contact me for more information.

International Association for Suicide Prevention

The International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) is having a busy September. 10 September is World Suicide Provention Day. Meanwhile, they are hosting the 32nd IASP World Congress in Piran, (Slovenia) from 19 to 23 September 2023.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates more than 700,000 people die due to suicide each year. It is thought that around 77% of all global suicides occur in low and middle-income countries. And for every suicide there are many more who attempt suicide or have serious suicidal ideation. Suicidal behaviour profoundly impacts the families and communities that remain. As Sinead O’Connor (Irish singer, songwriter, and activist) put it, “Suicide doesn’t solve your problems. It only makes them infinitely, un-countably worse”.

So what do you do if you know someone who is suicidal or you think may be? Well, perhaps most importantly, when a person tells you that they are suicidal you should take them seriously.

If you are worried about someone, you can ask them if they feel comfortable talking about it. Research shows that talking to someone openly about suicide does not increase their risk of suicide. So, if you are comfortable speaking with them about it, try to be clear and direct, for example, “I care about you, do you feel suicidal?”

People who have been suicidal, highlight how helpful it is to have someone to talk to who listens. It is not about coming up with solutions, just listen to them, supporting them and explore options for seeking help and safety.

Encouraging them to seek professional help and support it also critical. You can help them by being there for them when they call a helpline or make an appointment with a health professional.

And now a little treat for you. Lewis Capaldi (Scottish singer-songwriter and musician) revealed in a social media post that his song, Before You Go, deals with the emotional aftermath of the suicide of his aunt. He said it was “by far the most personal tune” he had ever written. It’s a powerful piece of music and is one of my favourites.

So, if you know someone who might be anxious, depressed or suicidal help them to get the professional assistance they need. And be an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on.

pedro-forester-da-silva-unEmGQqdO7Q-unsplash

Fight Procrastination Day

Did you know September 6 is Fight Procrastination Day, but only if we get round to it. I have written in the past about the perils of procrastination. It can have many causes. Perhaps it’s the daunting nature of the task or simply because you’re not feeling up to it. Regardless, procrastination can be a major problem; straining mental and physical health.

The way to overcome this varies from person to person. And some have taken extreme measures. For example, Victor Hugo (French Romantic writer and politician) resorted to working naked in his room to focus on his work. For him this was the best way to cut out distractions and meant that he had no choice but to stay indoors. His clothes were held by an assistant and only returned at a later time, he had little choice but to work. And ironically he said, “Perseverance, secret of all triumphs”.

So if you are inclined to procrastination, what do you do? Firstly, have a prioritised To-Do list. This give you a view of the tasks and makes sure nothing is forgotten.

How do you feel about the task? Rephrasing your internal dialog can help. If you need to do something this suggests you have no choice. This can result in self-sabotage or feelings of disempowerment. Instead, say that ‘I choose to’ do something. Think of the long term benefits and meaning or relevance of doing the task. Also, try these…

Keep distractions to a minimum – turn off the phone, social media, etc.
Don’t underestimate the power of peer / social pressure or not wanting to disappoint someone.
When you have completed something promptly and on time, give yourself a small reward. Remember the feeling of having accomplished something – pride, relief, etc.
Try to act in the moment and tackle tasks as they come up rather than letting them build up.
Organise the work so your do a mix of nice tasks and less interesting or unpleasant tasks.
Think about when are you at your best? When do you have most energy or focus? Tackle your hardest or the most complex tasks at your peak time.
Set yourself deadlines to do specific tasks.
If you feel overwhelmed or disheartened break the task down into smaller, more manageable chucks.
Use technology. There are many task / time management applications depending on what you are doing. Becoming better at scheduling and project planning will have many benefits.

If you procrastinate or struggle to focus on key tasks then Hypnotherapy can help. It can help with exploring the root cause of a problem, breaking habits, improve will power and support. If you feel this could be for you, then contact me.

Pain Awareness Month

Pain Awareness Month is observed in September each year. It’s designed to raise awareness about problems connected to chronic pain, which impacts hundreds of millions of people globally. The month aims to make the public aware of how prevalent general pain is, educate them on how to deal with pain, and inform them about the research into the causes and treatment of various forms of pain.

Now, let’s start with a few things about pain. What is chronic pain? Chronic means persisting for a long time. So, if you break your arm, yes it will hurt. But if it continues to hurt after it has healed, them that is chronic pain. Chronic pain is usually caused by some initial injury.

Is it normal to be in pain all the time? If you exert yourself then some aches are normal. Constant pain is not normal and needs addressing. It is thought more than eight million people in the UK alone suffer from some form of chronic pain. Many of these will be taking prescription pain killers and so suffer unwanted side effects and risk addiction. It’s thought globally that the figure may be as much as 1.5 billion people.

Chronic pain has more than just physical symptoms. It can cause depression, isolation, insomnia and many other issues. Saint Augustine (354 – 430. Theologian and philosopher) put it very well when he said, “The greatest evil is physical pain”.

I know from personal experience how debilitating chronic pain can be. A few years ago I hurt my back and was prescribed powerful pain killers and anti-depressants. Both of these carried a high risk of addiction and dependency. Thankfully, I was able to recover through physiotherapy and then finally reduced and eliminated these prescription drugs. But it was a long a difficult road filled with withdrawal symptoms and side effects. It’s not something I would wish on anybody.

I have been doing a lot of work recently with pain reduction and management. Clinical trials have shown that Hypnotherapy can eliminate, or at least reduce, pain and it does so without side-effects. Even better, you can learn to use these techniques yourself so you are self-reliant and in control.

And traditional clinical hypnotherapy is not the only way hypnosis can help with pain relief. I am qualified in the Arrow pain reduction technique developed by Freddy Jacquin. Also, as part of Introspective Hypnosis sessions the root cause of physical ailments can be revealed. I have made a short video, talking with a client, who experienced relief as a result of such a session. So if you are suffering and want help to manage the pain and associated symptoms then contact me.