The Power of Imagination

What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis defies precise definition, as it is a personal experience with few objective points of reference available to the observer. What is agreed is that hypnosis involves and altered state of perception, characterized by a focusing of awareness, stillness of the conscious mind and is accompanied by physiological changes such as slowing of respiration and circulation, muscular relaxation, lacrimation of the eyes and feelings of either heaviness or lightness.

In this course you will be introduced to the latest breakthrough in Autogenic and Flow State Training systems to help YOU achieve your goals.

What is the mind?

To date, experts have not been able to pinpoint the location of the conscious and subconscious minds within the brain. This failure does not, however reflect on the existence of the mind, but rather on our inability to come to terms with things we cannot see or measure. Until the last century we could not measure or detect activity at the nuclear of sub-nuclear level, yet that does not mean there was no activity at these levels previously.

What we have determined in the laboratory, under EEG and fMRI is that certain areas of the brain are associated with certain functions, however, this being said, it is interesting to note that in some, stroke victims have learned to grow new neural pathways to previously unused areas of the brain, and these areas have taken over the work of the damaged neurons.

It is my opinion that the brain is the hardware, and looking for the mind within the brain is like looking for programs (software) by taking a computer apart. Using this model, the subconscious mind is the software, while the brain is the hardware. The subconscious mind is a set of programs – or mindmaps that are accessed via the hardware and used like we use Apps on our smart phone - to manage behaviors or functions.

What we do know…

The conscious mind is associated with the Somnic Nervous System – or the activation of the voluntary muscles, centered within the Cerebral Cortes, or the outer layer of the brain.

The information receptors of the brain are located in a lateral strip of neurons that sit across the top of the head, at the front of the Parietal Lobe of the Cerebral Cortex. The area that controls voluntary movement is located just in front of the Parietal Lobe, in an area at the back of the Frontal Lobe. One of the oldest areas of the brain is the Thalamus, which is located at the base of the Cerebrum. It interacts with the sensation receptors in the Parietal Lobe to alter the intensity of sensations, and it is thanks to this interaction that pain does not completely overwhelm us – for example without it, the pressure of our clothes would be unbearable.

The thinking, reasoning part of our brain is located in the extreme Frontal Lobe and Cerebral Cortex. These are all implicated in the workings of the conscious mind.

The subconscious mind, on the other hand, is identifies with the Autonomic Nervous System or areas controlling the use and regulation of the involuntary or smooth muscles such as the lungs, heart and digestive system and glands. More significantly to our interest, the subconscious mind is the realm of memory storage and retrieval.

Memories are stored in the Temporal Lobe of the Cerebral Cortex, located either side of the front of our brain, near the temples.

The Cerebellum sits in the back of the brain stem, and is the storehouse of chain motor responses learned in infancy by trial and error. It operates at the subconscious level, coordinating the movements of voluntary muscles in an habitual, learned fashion, that no longer requires detailed conscious thought.

The Frontal Lobe directs these movements and the Cerebellum provides the detailed instructions that allow fluid, efficient operation of muscles. Damage to the Cerebellum causes the loss of co-ordination. The Cerebellum then is part of the subconscious mind that works in concert with the Conscious Mind.

In layman’s terms, the Conscious Mind has come to be associated with the ‘will’, while the Subconscious Mind is associated with day dreams and imagination – it is these very characteristics that the practice of hypnosis is based upon.

Left and Right Brain

To complicate matters, much of twentieth century psychology and psychiatry has been based upon division of the brain into two hemispheres. The Corpus Callosum is the connective area of the brain that links right and left hemispheres. Interestingly it is thicker in women than men, suggesting that there is great integration of left and right brain functions in women than men.

In modern society we have come to associate left hemisphere dominance with intelligence, success and rationality, and have undervalued the creative, intuitive abilities that characterize right hemisphere functions. Perhaps that is due to the dominance of male values and patriarchy in the modern era, and a society steeped in Newtonian, mechanical certainties. With the coming of Quantum Physics, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, Quantum Biology and Psychoneuroimmunology, and Neuroscience, and a growing awareness within the scientific community that much more is going on than can be explained by a mechanistic view of the Universe, however, the right hemisphere and the Split-Brain theory is being re-evaluated.

Evidence gathered from fMRI, EEG and during brain surgery suggest that rather than the brain being split by function, the two hemispheres are divided and unified by perspective. The right hemisphere provides context, and an abstract understanding of the world, including an ability to create internal language and recognize patterns. The left-hemisphere conversely provides our ability to ‘act’ in the world; to manipulate objects, language and ourselves to influence the world.

Another way to look at this is that the right brain provides the framework to understand the world and create new ideas, while the left brain provides the tools to enact those ideas. If an artist was only right-brained they would have no way of conveying their creative ideas into any manifest form, the ideas would be locked inside their head. Likewise if a mathematician was only left-brained they would have no ability to recognize patterns, envisage solutions or make connections between things.

So the next time you see one of those ‘Are you left or right brain dominant’ quizzes, walk away – it’s based on outdated science and is pure rubbish.

It is now agreed, that in order to function at optimal levels we need the integration of both hemispheres of the brain. How much of each hemisphere we regularly use appears to be correlated with personality, but that’s a whole other lecture.

What is REM?

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep time has long been regarded as necessary to our very mental survival and people deprived of this deep sleep state experience major psychological disturbances and emotional upheaval. REM sleep is characterized by the rapid movement of the closed eyes from left to right and back again, and seems to be some kind of rapid integrative process, where the left and right hemispheres communicate with each other, relaying information, retrieving memories and formulating responses to the day to day demands of our lives. This process is akin to what happens when you back-up your computer onto an external drive. It allows short and mid-term memory to be converted to long-term memory and is associated with mental health.

We can create this process through hypnosis and by repeatedly practicing this technique, which takes less than ten minutes, we can synchronise both the hemispheres and the electrical activity of the brain.

Here is some background to the powerful phenomena of Brain Wave States you’ll be experiencing:

Beta

Alertness

Concentration

Cognition

You are wide-awake, alert. Your mind is sharp, focused. It makes connections quickly, easily and you're primed to do work that requires your full attention. In the Beta state, neurons fire abundantly, in rapid succession, helping you achieve peak performance. New ideas and solutions to problems flash like lightning into your mind. Beta training is one of the frequencies that biofeedback therapists use to treat Attention Deficit Disorder.

Beta-centred Flow Training help you prepare to take an exam, play sports, give a presentation, analyze and organize information, and other activities where mental alertness and high levels of concentration are key to your success.

Beta waves range between 13-40 HZ. The Beta state is associated with peak concentration, heightened alertness, hand eye coordination and visual acuity. Nobel Prize Winner Sir Francis Crick and other scientists believe that the 40HZ beta frequency used on many Brain Sync tapes may be key to the act of cognition.


Alpha

Relaxation

Visualization

Creativity

When you are truly relaxed, your brain activity slows from the rapid patterns of Beta into the more gentle waves of Alpha. Your awareness expands. Fresh creative energy begins to flow. Fears vanish. You experience a liberating sense of peace and well-being. In biofeedback, Alpha training is most commonly recommended for the treatment of stress.

Alpha-centered Flow Training help you tap your creativity and are excellent for problem solving, finding new ideas and practicing creative visualization. Choose Alpha programs when you want to attain deep levels of relaxation that are so essential to your health and well-being.

Alpha waves range between 7-12 HZ. This is a place of deep relaxation, but not quite meditation. In Alpha, we begin to access the wealth of creativity that lies just below our conscious awareness - it is the gateway, the entry point that leads into deeper states of consciousness. Alpha is also the home of the window frequency known as the Schuman Resonance - the resonant frequency of the earth's electromagnetic field.

Theta

Meditation

Intuition

Memory

Going deeper into relaxation, you enter the elusive and mysterious Theta state where brain activity slows almost to the point of sleep, but not quite. This is the therapeutic hypnogogic state. Theta is the brain state where magic happens in the crucible of your own neurological activity. Theta brings forward heightened receptivity, flashes of dreamlike imagery, inspiration, and your long-forgotten memories. Theta can bring you deep states of meditation. A sensation of "floating." And, because it is an expansive state, in Theta, you may feel your mind expand beyond the boundaries of your body.

Theta rests directly on the threshold of your subconscious. In biofeedback, it is most commonly associated with the deepest levels of meditation. Theta also plays an important part in behavior modification programs and has been used in the treatment of drug and alcohol addiction. Finally, Theta is an ideal state for super-learning, re-programming your mind, dream recall, and self-hypnosis.

Theta waves range between 4-7 HZ. Theta is one of the more elusive and extraordinary realms we can explore. It is also known as the twilight state which we normally only experience fleetingly as we rise up out of the depths of delta upon waking, or drifting off to sleep. In Theta, we are in a waking dream, vivid imagery flashes before the mind's eye and we are receptive to information beyond our normal conscious awareness. Theta has also been identified as the gateway to learning and memory. Theta meditation increases creativity, enhances learning, reduces stress and awakens intuition and other extrasensory perception skills.


Delta

Detached Awareness

Healing

Sleep

Long, slow, undulating. Delta is the slowest of all four brain wave frequencies. Most commonly associated with deep sleep, certain frequencies in the Delta range also trigger the release of Human Growth Hormone so beneficial for healing and regeneration. This is why sleep - deep restorative sleep, the kind that Delta frequencies help induce -  is so essential to the healing process. Delta centred Flow Training can promote conversion from short term to long-term memory.

Delta is the brain wave signal of the subconscious, the seat from which intuition arises. That means Delta-based programs are not only an ideal choice for their sleep and deep regeneration potential, but also when you want to access your unconscious activity and help that wellspring of information flow to your conscious mind for clearing and for empowerment. Delta waves range between 0-4 HZ.

When we are in REM sleep we are alternating between low Alpha and high Theta activity, so that alternating our attention between our right and left hemispheres synchronises our brain’s electrical activity into a range somewhere between 6 and 10 HZ, which has been shown in bio-feedback to be extremely beneficial physiologically and psychologically.

The Power of Imagination

It is an interesting feature of living, thinking human beings, that our Will Power is often overwhelmed by our imagination, especially with the importance we place on Will Power in our society. Many people when beginning a diet, for example, say they will rely on their will and very soon find themselves thinking almost exclusively about food, even to the point of dreaming about their favorite foods.

At the opposite extreme, a person who suffers from claustrophobia may be able to logically convince themselves that this fear is irrational and resolve, time and time again to use their Will Power to overcome their feelings, yet when confronted with an enclosed space their Will Power flies out the window and their imagination takes over.

The two examples above demonstrate the destructive ability of the subconscious mind to overcome the conscious will. What hypnosis does is to tap into the imaginative power of the subconscious mind, to facilitate growth and personal development and to help individuals use their imaginations as a tool for goal attainment.

Imagination is a skill, and like any other skill the direction and manipulation of the imaginative mind be greatly improved by practice. You will find, during this course, that both the quality of your imagination and your control of your imagination are greatly enhanced, opening up a whole new realm of creativity, intelligence and personal discovery you thought belonged to the world of the genius.

Elisabetta is a Clinical Hypnotherapist with over 25 years experience facilitating behaviour change and maximising performance. Elisabetta is the author of The Energy Code, The Infidel and Veritas (all available on Amazon), and the creator of the online Personal Transformation Course - Activ8DNA on Udemy. Discover how Elisabetta can help you or your organisation achieve its potential at:

http://elisabettalfaenza.com 

  

Nutrition linked to DNA switching

Epigenetics - the how and why of gene switching

It's been a while since my last blog, and that's because I have been following a trail down a very interesting rabbit hole. Recent advances is epigenetics are filling in the gaps in the DNA puzzle. In this blog, I'd like to share what I've learned about how our genes get switched on or off, and the fascinating process involved.
 

If you think back to high school, you may have a vague memory in biology about the difference between DNA and RNA. In recent years DNA has become the celebrity of the two, making headlines as the 'code behind all life.' Some reports have even implied that we've 'cracked the code.'
 

The truth is far more complex, and recently RNA has started to grab the headlines. The RNA molecule's job is assist in the copying or transcribing of a gene, so that proteins can be made. Proteins are the basic building blocks of all bodily functions and cells. So this process is crucial to life.
 

What has now been discovered is that RNA is involved in the silencing of genes.
Scientists have been trying to figure out how the cell knows which genes to silence and when. At any given moment a huge amount of our genetic material remains silent, with only selected genetic material being transcribed.
 

In the two articles below, scientists explain how the body produces specific enzymes to methylate or silence genes. These enzymes attach themselves to specific letters in a DNA sequence, preventing the code from being read, and thus silencing that gene temporarily.
As I've discussed in previous blogs, it seems that a large amount of our non-coding or 'junk' DNA is involved in the signalling of what should or shouldn't be silenced.
 

In a separate pilot study published in the ACNEM Journal (Vol 29, No 3, Nov 2010), researchers found a relationship between methylation and mental illness, including addictions, depression and anxiety. This relationship had been studied previously, however because the genetic mechanisms were not understood the results of previous studies were often sidelined.

Extracts of the study - The Effectiveness of Targeted Nutrient Therapy in Treatment of Mental Illness, a pilot study by Richard Stuckey, MB.BS., DRCOG; William Walsh, PhD; Brett Lambert are quoted below:
 

"A clinical outcome assessment was performed on 567 consecutive patients followed up for one year after initial consultation. The data covered patients interviewed between March 2004 and June 2007. Established diagnoses included Autism, ADHD, Asperger’s, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder, Depression, Schizophrenia and OCD. All patients had an established verifiable diagnosis and most were receiving conventional pharmacological therapy. Patients were instructed not to change any treatment (pharmacological or physical) unless on the instruction of their usual treating practitioner. Treating practitioners were also informed of the additional targeted nutrient program."

Specifically what the researchers found was that both over and under methylation creates serious behavioural problems.
 

For example over methylation creates a high tolerance to pain, resistance to certain drugs, mood swings, poor sleep patterns, poor dream recall, racing thoughts, poor organisation and alcoholism. In extreme cases these individuals may be treated for ADHA, hyperactivity, depression or bipolar disorder.

Scientists have identified abnormalities in methylation in these conditions. It is also likely that the genes being silenced by the over-methylation are involved in the production of brain chemicals like seratonin, dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins. We know that an imbalance in the production of these brain chemicals may lead to poor focus, despite intelligence and therefore poor performance academically.
 

The natural high and calm our brains are supposed to feel in joyous situations may be blocked for these individuals, leading to seratonin seeking behaviour - a craving for carbohydrates, through eating sugary foods and consuming alcohol.
 

Under methylation is associated with anxiety, low pain threshold, low muscle tone, aversion to sunlight, addictions, perfectionism, obsessive compulsive behaviours, high academic achievement, low social skills, arrogance and competitiveness. In extreme cases it may be associated with sociopathic behaviours.
 

Under methylation may be related to an inability to silence certain genes, leading to too many genes being active at once.

What is exciting about this pilot study, is that the researchers used nutritional therapy to correct the methylation abnormality.
 

"Compounds were individualised for each patient according to the nature of the imbalance, the degree of deficiencies and the age and size of the patient. Doses were well in excess of recommended daily allowances.

Decisions were generally made according to the biochemical profile but in cases where this was indistinct, decisions were made on the clinical diagnosis. Note from the schematic representation of the methylation pathway (see Figure 1) there may appear to be some logic in using methionine, or SAMe, in under-methylators and B3, folate and B12 in over-methylators.

It is noted that ‘over-methylation’ may not necessarily be a literal overactivity of methylation but alternatively a block in the adjacent folic acid pathway. The two enzymes implicated are Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and Cathchol-O- Methyltransferase

Patients exhibiting symptoms and pathology correlating with under-methylation were administered Vitamins C and B6, Pyridine-5-Phosphate (P5P), Methionine, Calcium, Zinc and Magnesium.

Those exhibiting symptoms and pathology correlating with over-methylation were prescribed Vitamins B3 (Niacinamide), B6, B12, C and E, P5P, Folic acid and Zinc. Patients exhibiting elevated urinary pyrroles (and symptoms of Pyroluria) were prescribed Vitamins C, B6, P5P, and Zinc, while patients exhibiting Copper/Zinc imbalance were prescribed Zinc alone or in combination with Vitamin C."

I include the results as reported below. What has my interest is that it appears that nutritional deficiency is at the heart of many clinical mental disorders, and may be at the root of the chronic unhappiness that is epidemic in our lives.


Outcome Measures

"The interview process for the treatment program began with 567 patients of whom 492 commenced treatment with 382 complying for 12 months. 110 discontinued for a range of reasons (22.4% non-compliance). 75 of those interviewed did not commence the program and respondents to a questionnaire in this group were assigned to the comparison group. Of the 382 that completed one year of the program, 221 (57.9%) stated major improvement, 91 (23.8%) partial improvement and 70 (18.3%) nil improvement.

It is understood that there are methods to ‘objectify’ improvement by questionnaires designed specifically for some of the diagnostic groups, but there are none that would encompass all the diagnostic groups in this study. The outcomes according to diagnosis are represented in Table 2.
Clinical Notes:

"There was a marked reduction in hospital admissions during the 1st year of treatment as compared with the year prior to nutrient treatment.

"There was a reduction in doses of prescription medication in 22.3% of the patient group. Antidepressants and anxiolitics were occasionally withdrawn but antipsychotics were not.

"Most patients with the best results used a combination of both pharmacological and nutritional interventions.

"The relative percentages of improvement and non-improvement were remarkably similar in each of the three groups."

All of the nutrients supplemented in this study used to be common in our diet thousands of years ago when we hunted and gathered. The rapid transformation of society through farming and later industrialisation has resulted in a modern diet that is inadequate in providing the nutrients we need for health.

It is no coincidence that the artificial and highly processed foods that fill our shelves have been associated with an increase in physical diseases like diabetes, heart disease and cancer. It is now clear that the lack of nutrients in these foods may also be fuelling the mental illness epidemic now gripping the developed world.

Finally, we are starting to understand why - and it is all about the interaction of our environment with our DNA. And what's most exciting is that nutritional therapy can reverse the damage.

Food for thought?

Regards,

LIs


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Mystery Solved: How Genes Are Selectively Silenced
 

ScienceDaily (Oct. 18, 2010) — Our genetic material is often compared to a book. However, it is not so much like a novel to be read in one piece, but rather like a cookbook. The cell reads only those recipes which are to be cooked at the moment. The recipes are the genes; 'reading' in the book of the cell means creating RNA copies of individual genes, which will then be translated into proteins.
 

The cell uses highly complex, sophisticated regulatory mechanisms to make sure that not all genes are read at the same time. Particular gene switches need to be activated and, in addition, there are particular chemical labels in the DNA determining which genes are transcribed into RNA and which others will be inaccessible, i.e. where the book literally remains closed. The biological term for this is epigenetic gene regulation.
 

Among the epigenetic mechanisms which are well studied is the silencing of genes by methyl groups. This is done by specialized enzymes called methyltransferases which attach methyl labels to particular 'letters' of a gene whereby access to the whole gene is blocked. "One of the great mysteries of modern molecular biology is: How do methyltransferases know where to attach their labels in order to selectively inactivate an individual gene?" says Professor Ingrid Grummt of the German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ).
 

Grummt has now come much closer towards unraveling this mystery. She has focused on studying those text passages in the genetic material which do not contain any recipes. Nevertheless, these texts are transcribed into RNA molecules in a controlled manner. "These so-called noncoding RNAs do not contain recipes for proteins. They are important regulators in the cell which we are just beginning to understand," says Ingrid Grummt.
 

In her most recent work, Grummt and her co-workers have shown for the first time that epigenetic regulation and regulation by noncoding RNAs interact. The scientists artificially introduced a noncoding RNA molecule called pRNA into cells. As a result, methyl labels are attached to a particular gene switch so that the genes behind it are not read. The trick is that pRNA exactly matches (is complementary to) the DNA sequence of this gene switch. The investigators found out that pRNA forms a kind of plait, or triple helix, with the two DNA strands in the area of this gene switch. Methyltransferases, in turn, are able to specifically dock to this 'plait' and are thus directed exactly to the place where a gene is to be blocked.
More than half of our genetic material is transcribed into noncoding RNA. This prompts Ingrid Grummt to speculate: "It is very well possible that there are exactly matching noncoding RNA molecules for all genes that are temporarily silenced. This would explain how such a large number of genes can be selectively turned on and off."

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Why Some Genes Are Silenced: Researchers Find Clue as to How Notes Are Played on the 'Genetic Piano'
 

ScienceDaily (May 13, 2011) — Japanese and U.S. scientists in the young field of epigenetics have reported a rationale as to how specific genes are silenced and others are not. Because this effect can be reversed, it may be possible to devise therapies for cancer and other diseases using this information.

The NOVA U.S. public television program described epigenetics as "The Ghost In Your Genes." It is the study of changes in gene expression that occur without changes in DNA sequence. Like keys on a piano, DNA is the static blueprint for all the proteins that cells produce. Epigenetic information provides additional dynamic or flexible instructions as to how, where and when the blueprint will be used. "It corresponds to a pianist playing a piece of music," said Kohzoh Mitsuya, Ph.D., postdoctoral fellow in the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio.
Article in Science
 

The study by Dr. Mitsuya and colleagues is outlined in the May 13 issue of the journal Science. The team found that a small RNA pathway is required to establish an epigenetic modification -- called DNA methylation -- at a gene that codes for mammalian proteins. DNA methylation adds chemical tags called methyl groups to specific genes, usually silencing their expression.
 

"DNA methylation marks are reversible, so there is great interest in devising therapeutic strategies, for instance in cancer biology, to epigenetically reactivate silenced tumor-suppressor genes or inactivate specific oncogenes in human cancer cells," Dr. Mitsuya, the Science paper's third author, said. The lead author is Toshiaki Watanabe, Ph.D., of the National Institute of Genetics in Japan and Yale University.
 

Environment and cancer
Beyond being reversible, DNA methylation is susceptible to environmental influences. Many cancer biologists now agree that changes in DNA methylation might be as important as genetic mutations in causing cancer. There are far more epigenetic changes than genetic changes found in the majority of cancers, and research into epigenetics is proving to be important to understanding cancer biology.
 

"It is critical to identify the entire complement of factors that affect gene silencing," Dr. Mitsuya said. "This was the rationale behind this study examining DNA methylation in mice that I began in 2004. The study adds information about one set of factors."
A finger on the piano
 

The researchers compared a group of normal mice with a group lacking the small RNA species. The team found that DNA methylation was markedly reduced at one of four genes tested in the small RNA-deficient mice. "This is the first demonstration that small RNAs can act in this way," Dr. Mitsuya said. "It shows how one note is played on the piano."
Epigenetic activity is a previously unseen dimension of biology that may enable clearer detection of disease, monitoring of progression and improved treatment, and may provide entirely new biomarkers of disease susceptibility. "The symphony has only just come into view," Dr. Mitsuya said. "We can hear it, but we need to learn how all the parts are being played."
 

Dr. Mitsuya is a member of the Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio and is engaged in epigenetic studies of placental function.



Story Source:
The above story is reprinted (with editorial adaptations by ScienceDaily staff) from materials provided by University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.


Journal Reference:
    1.    T. Watanabe, S.-i. Tomizawa, K. Mitsuya, Y. Totoki, Y. Yamamoto, S. Kuramochi-Miyagawa, N. Iida, Y. Hoki, P. J. Murphy, A. Toyoda, K. Gotoh, H. Hiura, T. Arima, A. Fujiyama, T. Sado, T. Shibata, T. Nakano, H. Lin, K. Ichiyanagi, P. D. Soloway, H. Sasaki. Role for piRNAs and Noncoding RNA in de Novo DNA Methylation of the Imprinted Mouse Rasgrf1 Locus. Science, 2011; 332 (6031): 848 DOI: 10.1126/science.1203919