[Neurons] Meta Reflections #7 --- 2010

[L. Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

Meta Reflections - 2010 - #7

Feb. 15, 2010

 

 

THE NEURO-SEMANTIC DIFFERENCE

Part VI

 

"Why 'Neuro-Semantics?'  What does Neuro-Semantics offers that NLP does not?
What would you say is the biggest difference?"

 

 

There's another difference I want to mention.  And it goes to the systemic
nature of Neuro-Semantics that I've been describing that results from the
Meta-State Model.  Now while NLP is "systemic," to some extent, it is just
so on a surface level.  And this is a sad development.  After all, NLP
emerged from the "family system" therapy of Satir and from the system
approach in Korzybski (the non-Aristotlian system) and from the systemic
thinking of Bateson.  And yet for all of that, the way NLP is mostly taught
around the world is very linear and simplistic.

 

Now, as with most things, there's exceptions to this.  Robert Dilts has
attempted to introduce into NLP several systems models, as has O'Connor and
Ian McDermott, as well as others.  And yet, most NLP practitioners think and
talk in linear terms... following the Strategy model: first make a picture,
then say these words, then feel this feeling, now let's anchor that, okay,
future pace and we're done.

 

By contrast, learning Neuro-Semantics involves a much more systemic approach
and one that involves many system words and processes: simultanenality,
hyphenating words, both-and framing, etc.  

 

Hypenating

First, we begin by adopting the language of systems by using a hyphen when
we talk about thoughts-feelings, mind-body, thinking-doing, etc.   This
comes from Alfred Korzybski and the Meta-Model distinction that he offered
of using the hyphen to re-connect words that are especially systemic, we
more consciously and intentionally try to use a systemic language.  And by
doing that, to avoid falling into the linear thinking of talking about
"thoughts," "emotions," "cognitions," etc. as if they were separate elements
and could be separated.  They are not and cannot be spoken in such
"elementalism" without confusion.

 

Stepping in and Stepping Out of States

Then there is the shift from talking about states and emotions.  You will
notice that most of us do not use the over-simplified NLP language of
"association" - "dissociation."  This language comes from psychiatry, and
especially from the sub-field of the Dissociative Personality Disorders.
There they talk about people as "dissociated" and suffering from
"dissociation."  That's why it does a disservice to NLP to talk about
"dissociating" a person as in the Movie Rewind Pattern.  Talk that way, and
people from that field will think you are not only ignorant and crazy, but
doing real harm to people.

 

Further, you have to remember that this language is metaphorical.  The
actual fact is that no one is literally dissociated, no one is literally
outside of his or her body.  They may feel that they are; they may think
that they are-but those are only thoughts and feelings, mental maps about
such, not the fact.  They are in their bodies and from inside they are
breathing, standing, sitting, etc.  A person with the label of "dissociative
personality disorder" thinks and feels numb, strange, weird, and so makes
judgments about themselves that they are crazy or literally out-of-the-body.

 

In Neuro-Semantics we avoid all of that language and talk more simply about
stepping into and out of various states.  If you are in a depressed state
and step out of it you inevitably step into some other state- curiosity,
witnessing, joy, playful, laughter, neutrality, etc.  You are always in a
state!  You cannot be in no-state.  You may not know what to call it.  You
may not like it, but you are always in a state.  So you are always and
continually stepping in and out of states.

 

Similarly, associate and disassociate are relative terms.  Whenever you
associate into one state you are always dis-associating and can do so with
hundreds of other states.  Whenever you step into one, you are stepping out
of many, many others.  So to keep things easier to track and simpler in
concept, my recommendation is to speak in the metaphor of stepping in and
out of various states.

 

Feelings and Meta-Feelings

Whenever you think, you are at the same time thinking emotionally.  It's
inevitable!  There is no such thing as "pure" thinking.  We humans have
bodies and as long as we do, we will always and inevitably think somatically
and think emotionally!  So when you buy something, anything, you think
emotionally as you buy.  You think emotionally whenever you make any choice
or decision.  How something feels to you, the emotions associated with
something moves you to choose it.

 

Now the conclusion some people make from this is that we have a "rational"
brain and we have an "emotional" brain and the emotional brain always wins
out.  Oh, that human psychology was so simple!  It is not.  This is the same
old dichotomy of mind versus emotions; mind versus body that has been around
since Aristotle.  It posits that mind and body are polar opposites.  But
again, they are not.

 

The mind arises from the brain of the body and is both rational and
emotional at the same time. That's why we inevitably and always are
meta-stating our states with emotions as well as thoughts, as well as with
reasons and explanations and other "cognitive" stuff.  If you think
systemically about the mind-body-emotion system, you will save yourself (and
others) a lot of elementalistic non-sense.  You'll speak and then think as
if the mind-body-emotion are part of a singular system rather than competing
parts.  This is a distinction that we have brought from Korzybski into
Neuro-Semantics.

 

Responsible Accountability

Finally I'll mention the systemic thinking about responsibility.  This is
key in Neuro-Semantics.  To empower ourselves and others, we highlight our
four powers of response and that we are always able to make these responses.
This put all of us "at cause" for our mapping of reality and the responses
we make as a result.  So we ask, "How have you contributed to this
experience that you're having or reporting?"

 

As a higher level meta-state, "responsibility" empowers us to take ownership
of our powers, to develop them into high level competencies, and to respect
the response-abilities of others.  We are responsible for our responses and
to others.  The first creates accountability, the second relationships.  Now
we can positively welcome and use feedback from others as part of the system
of interactions.

 

 

 

Coming this June ----  Trainers' Training 

NSTT
                        Grand Junction Colorado:  

June 19-July 3.  Contact Dr. Hall: meta at acsol.net 

                        For more information write for the Brochure and
Application.

                        For the early bird savings, get your reservation in
soon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

L.  Michael Hall, Ph.D.

(ISNS) International Society of Neuro-Semantics

The International Meta-Coach System

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO.  81520 USA

1 970-523-7877

      <http://www.neurosemantics.com/> www.neurosemantics.com 

       <http://www.neuro-semantics-trainings.com/>
www.neuro-semantics-trainings.com 

       <http://www.self-actualizing.org/> www.self-actualizing.org

       <http://www.meta-coaching.org/> www.meta-coaching.org

       www.meta-coachfoundation.org 

       <http://www.ns-video.com/> www.ns-video.com 

 

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