What is directed suggestion?

Suggestion of thoughts

Often, those closest to you can, out of the most benevolent motives, use suggestion on a person, and make him believe that this perception is his own.

When influencing, it is absolutely not necessary to use only verbal or tactile contact to impose information on a person; you can do this from a distance.

Suggestion to a person, in contrast to the suppressive phenomena that modern mystics claim to be real, is an objective fact of reality. Scientists call it hypnosis. Hypnosis can change the state of consciousness. An individual who is awake or, conversely, asleep, is difficult to hypnotize. For a hypnotic suggestion to be effective, the individual must be in a state of drowsiness or trance. Consciousness in such an intermediate state acquires specific properties. The individual’s degree of criticality of consciousness sharply drops, the mechanism for forming a critical assessment of material coming from outside and the process of filtering data that do not agree with his experience, beliefs, laws of logic, habits, prejudices weakens, therefore, he will perceive everything that is told to him .

Also in this state, the impact of imagination and fantasy on conscious processes increases. Things that could previously be regulated by logical mechanisms now begin to obey only emotional perception, so if previously all decisions were made based solely on the criteria of right or wrong, profitable or unprofitable, now they change: like and dislike. That is why the main role here will be played by the personality of the inspiring hypnotist and the level of trust.

At first, the hypnotic process of influence was considered as a tool through which it was permissible to instill in a person anything, any thoughts. Gradually, psychotherapists who practiced hypnosis came to the conclusion that hypnotic suggestion will be effective if the suggested information corresponds to the needs of the person.

If the inspired thoughts are contrary to the needs and attitudes of the individual, then she may develop an internal conflict, depression, nervous disorder, or breakdown. Due to the possible consequences, hypnotic suggestion is used only through the use of Ericksonian hypnosis, in which ready-made decisions and thoughts are not suggested. The patient gets the opportunity to sneak into his own subconscious, discover the cause of personal problems there and, thanks to an experienced doctor, find their solution.

Suggestion of thoughts will have positive results if certain rules are followed. Thus, the object of influence must remain in this state until critical thinking and sober logical analysis of information are turned off.

The person who carries out the suggestion of thoughts must believe in the information that he inspires in the ward. If he fails to do this, then the suggestible will not be able to trust and the process will fail. Also, the suggestible person should not feel dissatisfied with himself during the influence session, otherwise the result will not be achieved. It is worth keeping all the promises given to the inspired. To improve your art of suggestion, you need to practice often.

The content of consciousness exposed to the influence subsequently has an obsessive nature and is difficult to correct, being a set of inspired thoughts and emotions. Suggestion, as a component of ordinary communication, can also act as specially organized communication, providing for uncritical perception of the stated information.

Suggestion carried out by a group is one of the factors in the formation of conformity (an individual’s tendency to behave like the majority). This is achieved by verbal means: words, intonation, tone; and non-verbal means: posture, actions, facial expressions, gestures. An individual who lacks strong will and confidence will follow the indicated actions and accept all the thoughts that come to him.

Suggestion is the combination of three sequential processes at once. The first process is the introduction of the necessary behavior program, transmitted from one individual to others, or to the crowd. Self-hypnosis is activated here, which means that the program executor and its source are united.

The second process consists of brain psychophysiological processes and mechanisms that ensure the execution of a previously instilled program.

The third process is the transition of the psychonervous process to the executive system. Perception, behavior, bodily functions form a previously instilled program. Self-hypnosis ends with the transformation of the program into action.

Suggestion must be understood as a natural mental manifestation, which can be positive or negative. Negativity is actively used by individuals who have criminal views on the world, and there are really a lot of them, if we add this to the fact that almost every individual has his own position and view of different things, has his own answers to questions, and therefore, to ways of achieving results designated in the subconscious.

The human psyche is designed in such a way that everyone has their own secret. Accordingly, if a person has a secret, then there must be a goal. The choice of this goal is influenced by intelligence, lived experience, level of education, inclinations, and social environment.

Secret desires and goals are present in the unconscious area of the individual’s psyche, where they are stored until a certain time or are not realized at all. However, if the material is not currently recognized by the psyche, it does not mean that it does not exist at all. Only by analyzing a person’s actions and words can one understand his true intentions. The psyche itself pushes out particularly unpleasant situations into the unconscious area, and when it is possible to extract them from there, they disappear immediately. Many psychotherapeutic directions, in particular psychoanalysis, are built on these ideas.

Methods of suggestion

To persuade a person to take a desired action, block an undesirable behavior or way of thinking; the rapid spread of rumors and necessary information requires methods of suggestion.

Types of suggestion have several classifications, one of which includes the following: verbal, non-verbal, unintentional and intentional.

Verbal influence is realized using verbal formulations.

Nonverbal suggestion is carried out wordlessly, through intonations, postures and glances. Nonverbal influence has three subtypes: catalepsy, pause and levitation.

Read also: Calendar of events

Unintentional suggestion is when the suggestor, without having specific goals to suggest something to the object of influence, does not make a conscious effort to do so. This type of influence is effective when the object is internally disposed to the evoked information.

Intentional suggestion is when the suggestor has a goal of influence and clearly understands what exactly he is going to and will suggest, and applies all the steps to achieve his goal.

Types of suggestion in content: positive - allows you to achieve positive changes in the state of the object, its character, emotions and behavior.

Negative suggestion is a psychological impact of a negative nature, after which negative states, actions, properties and feelings appear.

Some masters distinguish the following types of suggestion:

- exposure when the client is awake, when his consciousness is fully active;

- in a relaxing state of the individual, in which muscular and psychological relaxation appears;

- hypnotic suggestion, in which the object of influence appears in an altered psychophysiological state;

- mental suggestion carried out without direct contact with the person;

- metaphysical suggestion is the combination of a conversation about the reality of the “I” of the individual and the indivisibility of the Universe with the thought process of influence. This method is used to heal the client mentally or physically.

There are also other types of suggestion: pressure, strong persuasion, emotional-volitional influence.

Indirect suggestions are an influence in which the individual has his own choice to reject or still accept the influence. Such influence is necessary to direct a person’s actions, emotions and thoughts in the direction that he is trying to avoid. Indirect suggestions are divided into the following types:

- sequence of acceptance: when the suggestor lists the statements that the individual perceives, and at the end of the list the attitude that needs to be accepted is pronounced;

— implication: the suggestor speaks firmly about the possible consequences, and the client sets himself up precisely for the predicted outcome;

— double bind: the client is asked to make one choice between two similar options;

- a suggestion in which the suggestor voices a list of possible options for a situation, while omitting the most significant event. Subsequently, the individual's attention is attracted to it most of all, and he fixes his consciousness on a certain aspect.

Hypnotic suggestion is an effect that immerses the client in a state of altered consciousness. With the help of the suggestor’s manipulations, a person deepens into a hypnotic sleep, and while in the state of this sleep, he reacts animatedly to the statements of the hypnotist. There is no critical assessment of the information, so the commands go into the subconscious itself, skipping conscious analysis. Then there is an impact on behavior, health and psycho-emotional state.

According to another classification, there are the following types of suggestion:

— mechanical: the client is influenced through things and phenomena that have a monotonous effect (sound, light);

- mental suggestion, the same as verbal - influence by word;

- magnetic suggestion - based on the use of therapeutic magnetism.

Experts believe that the best effect is achieved by combining magnetic and psychic influences.

Psychological suggestion is distinguished separately from other types; it is often correlated with everyday suggestion. Psychological suggestion uses the special psychological influence of a suggestor on a suggestor, who uses verbal and nonverbal methods of communication. The quality of the suggestor's arguments is not so high, the criticality of the suggestor's thoughts is low. It turns out that the suggestor delves into the weak arguments of the suggestor, and includes them among his own, without requiring evidence for this. Here the suggestor is not so much influenced by the source, form of suggestion and content, as by the personality of the suggestor, who evokes unconditional trust.

Attitudes that are inspired by the suggestor and laid down in the subconscious of the suggestor become part of his personality. Subsequently, the individual who was influenced changes his usual behavior in accordance with the received attitudes.

Suggestion at a distance is a method in which attitudes are imposed on an individual when he is not in the immediate area of action. This method has the ability to change beliefs and behavior.

Suggestion at a distance is associated with phenomena such as hypnosis and telepathy.

Open and hidden suggestions

Sometimes suggestions are made in an explicit, open way: “You feel a pleasant heaviness and warmth in your hands.” If in a text or speech attention is diverted from the actual suggestion, a person’s attention is drawn to something else - they talk about hidden suggestions.

Hidden suggestions are often used in the work of a psychologist with clients - sometimes to form the necessary guidelines and values, sometimes to consolidate useful situational attitudes.

Suggestions in the format of Ericksonian hypnosis often tell the client what will happen and in what direction, although without specifying what exactly and how exactly. The main types of such suggestions:

Mobilizing suggestion . During such suggestion, vague mobilizing frameworks are offered, which the person fills out himself, depending on his own resources; There is a pause after the mobilizing words.

“Your unconscious mind will place everything that is needed in its place.” “Using your unconscious resources will allow (pause) to accomplish (pause) this work.” “Your unconscious can harmonize (pause) everything that needs to be harmonized”

An affirmative suggestion offers a limited choice that is not specified. As a rule, such suggestions are truisms that are difficult to reject.

“You can learn in different ways.” “There are a variety of ways to work.” “Some poses make you feel comfortable.”

Associative-capturing suggestions are created by listing all the major possibilities and adding the ending “or something else.”

“I don't know what your unconscious mind uses to help you solve your problem. Maybe some words that I say or don’t say, maybe images, maybe sounds, maybe sensations, maybe emotions, maybe memories or something else.”

Declaration of love

Hidden suggestions can be successfully inserted into a variety of moments of communication. In particular, they can sound like this in a declaration of love. For example,

I have long wanted to tell you that you know how to provide support, you can show the right attitude towards yourself, towards people, towards the environment. I am impressed by how you can negotiate, I often want to tell you how great you are at building relationships with a partner, precisely according to the “win-win” strategy. When we are together, the world freezes and we seem to be in another dimension called “Slow Moscow”, where everything is different: people walk slowly, there are no sounds of cars, parks, alleys become brighter, we walk hand in hand and enjoy the beautiful view from the Crimean " embankment, you smile quietly, do it all the time, a smile suits you so well. The warm wind envelops us like a blanket before bed, we admire the view from the embankment, like two children seeing the ocean for the first time.

You can create comfort, you like it, right? I love watching you busy in the kitchen, because you always try your best when preparing dinner for us. This is reminiscent of a festive evening with musicians and dances that existed in the time of our grandparents. Do this always. After all, we love these evenings, in which we can reflect on what a beautiful couple we are. I agree with you that relationships always need to be worked on. It’s so good that you don’t say it, but just do it. After all, words are just words, and you can make pleasant surprises, just like I did for you. And that's what I like most about you. It’s as if we are in a “love kingdom”, where there is a competition among lovers, who loves whom more, who will give each other more gifts and compliments, where there are no winners and losers.

I love you, how great it is that you can tell me this over the phone and by mail, and when I’m at work with wonderful SMS. I love you for this attention to me, as well as for your care, which you want to show, but I don’t give it to you. After all, I myself want to take care of you, like a cat takes care of its kitten. It's great that you defer to me where a man's work is needed. It’s so good that you can take care of me when I have a cold or are tired. In general, I love you for who you are. Always be like this, tender, affectionate, caring, supportive at different moments of your life. Thank you for having me.

Hidden suggestions in business

By commenting and thanking employees, using hidden suggestions, you can give them valuable guidance, beliefs and attitudes. For example,

The employee quickly completed a difficult task

Tell me, are you a wizard or just a strong professional?
I don’t understand when did you make it? Such energy and responsibility inspires respect.
I understand: you are a fusion of will and intelligence. Respect!
Irin, give me a hug. I feel so calm and safe with you!

Complex contract or negotiations

Ira, my admiration. Do such creative tricks come to you spontaneously or do you invent them?
Hello, was it difficult? Tell me what worked! Well, now I know who to send to the most difficult clients!
Were you taught to work this way or were you born with such outstanding abilities?
Aren't you afraid that other employees will begin to feel white envy of your successes?
Wow! I think I know who can be entrusted with training our employees. Can you deal with any difficult client so easily?
Understood. From this day on, I am removing you from your current work; with your successes you are killing the motivation of the rest of the employees. Okay, this is a joke. From now on you will only deal with the most difficult clients!

Showed great initiative

Tell me, why do you think about the future, propose such interesting things, while your colleagues only chatter? Can you shake them up?
Initiative is the engine of a career. You have great prospects!
As practice shows, an enterprising person achieves financial freedom faster. When you soon become a millionaire, invite us to celebrate this event!
Who invented this miracle? Girls, you know how to create such a holiday! The Suns themselves, and you create joy around you!

Compliment for appearance

Artem, I like your light shades, wow! Young James Bond, if only you could put on a suit - all the women are yours!
Either you match the suit well, or the suit suits you, but you look great together! You look like a diplomat in it: respectable and tasteful.
Wow! Brave and dignified. In the office, maybe you shouldn’t walk like that every day, but at an exhibition, you’ll outshine everyone! Super!
I appoint you as the head hairdresser. Since you are perfection, you will watch over all our girls so that everyone is as charming and neat.

Compliment for work

I had no doubt! As always, everything is fast, clear and beautiful!
Everything is as always: everything is on time and beautiful.
Thank you! How calm and safe I feel with you!
You're looking for a compliment, right? Did you make it so beautiful on purpose for me to admire?
How beautifully you do everything!
Listen, we seem to be able to do everything, thank you!
Yura, thank you. You are attentive and energetic. Energetic – and attentive!