Creating a Resource Anchor
by Michael Stevens
This is a cool little tool you can use to have some choice over your states in a light and sound session. I have used it several times and had a blast with it. It is simple, easy to perform and can be done ANYWHERE!….so you can use it with your light and sound session or use it when you do not have a light and sound machine handy. You can even use this technique to anchor a state that your light and sound machine induces! Have fun with it and be sure to anchor only POSITIVE states.
First, allow me to explain what an anchor is. It is basically a specific stimulus which, when applied, produces a specific response. Remember Pavlov? He accidentally had his dogs anchored to salivate as if they were going to receive food whenever he rang a bell in the feeding room. Well, humans respond in much the same way! Anchoring has four key points: 1) the replication of the stimulus (the stimulus has to be the same when you activate it as when it was originally set); 2) the intensity of the positive state (the more intense the positive state, the more effective the anchor); 3) the uniqueness of the anchor (if it is a stimulus that is perpetually present, the effect of the anchor can become diluted); 4) the timing of applying the anchor (ever been around someone who had a really, really good sense of comedic timing?).
For convenience, we will be using our hands for this example. Imagine putting all the states elicited into your right hand. Simply follow the directions and everything should work just fine.
-Recall a time when you were totally motivated towards something positive. Put it in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you were totally powerful. Put it too in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you were totally loved. Put it also in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you knew you could have whatever positive things you wanted, when you knew that life is enjoyable and it feels wonderful to be alive; when you knew you could have it all. Put that in your right hand. Recall a time when you were totally motivated towards something positive. Put it in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you were totally powerful. Put it too in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you were totally loved. Put it also in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you knew you could have whatever positive things you wanted, when you knew that life is enjoyable and it feels wonderful to be alive; when you knew you could have it all. Put that in your right hand.
-Recall a time when you had infinite energy and a zest for life. Put that in your right hand.
Now look at the shape…and the color…feel how good it feels. And notice what it could say to you if it could talk.
Now close your hand and make a fist and know that you can recall those feelings at any time just by making your fist.
Copyright AVS Journal, Michael Landgraf, Publisher, and Michael Stevens, Author. All rights reserved.