This is the sequel to my article titled Adoption of the Unconscious Mind by Carl Jung and Milton Erikson. It is a poignant example of how the unconscious mind listens and responds to everything, including what is barely audible. And no matter what professional or personal hat we are wearing, in this case mine was a hypnotherapist, this story also exemplifies how intuitive intelligence guides us to find solutions and heal.
Kay was the eldest daughter of three girls and shortly after the birth of her younger sister, Kay’s mother became seriously depressed. She was hospitalized and remained under psychiatric care from that point on. Recurring bouts of depression brought her mother to the hospital many times as Kay was growing up. Because Kay was the oldest, her father relied heavily on her to help her with the other two children and with household chores. Kay graduated from high school and attended college close to home so she could return there on the weekends. After college, Kay found work through temp agencies and, although she was an extremely efficient and valued employee, she felt emotionally drained and disenchanted with life in general. She was in her early twenties and the thought of falling into a depression scared her and motivated her to seek professional help. She was determined to discover why certain patterns were repeated in relationships, both at work and in her personal life. This was the moment when she started coming to see me.
Kay said, “I want to be a free star to do the things I love, like dance and act.” She was so frank and lucid. Years of caring for her family and attending to their needs shaped and molded Kay into a very skilled caregiver, motivator, and organizer of … others. In a relatively short period of time, Kay began to process her experiences differently and to transfer some of her rich resources to herself. She enrolled in acting and dance classes and began auditioning for the roles.
One night Kay came to the session really upset. An apartment deal fell through and disappointment brought other problems to the surface. “I have to move out of Stan’s apartment because I have to prove to myself that I can take care of myself!” For all that he indicated in previous sessions, his relationship with Stan was one of mutual respect, love and support. I asked him what else was going on. “I’m afraid I will become totally dependent on Stan like my mother did when she married my father.” “Your mother’s circumstances were very different.” “My mother got married and had children. She never pursued her own interests,” Kay continued. “You sound disappointed and angry at her.” “I remember when I was about ten years old, my mother picked me up and my friend from school. She didn’t like to stay home all the time and many times she would put my sisters and me in the car and drive aimlessly. hours. This day she did the same but my friend was in the car! I remember feeling so much hatred for her and wishing she would die and leave me alone. I couldn’t deal with her madness anymore. I knew I had committed a sin by wishing this But now I consider myself spiritual and eclectic. “
“Many times children carry the burden of their family problems within them. If no one speaks openly and honestly, children think that these problems should be kept a secret. Telling a family secret is like committing a sin. Their mother obviously I was suffering from a mental illness and I suspect that your father just didn’t know how to talk about it with you and your sisters, “I said.
“Do you believe in past lives and the afterlife?” He asked? “I am open to these possibilities,” I replied. “Would you like to do an NLP and hypnosis exercise to help you release and transform your past fears and guilt”? “Yes” she said.
Here’s an edited version of what happened next … I asked Kay to close her eyes and begin to relax, settling in and calming down. I decided to put some music on the last round and randomly selected Paul Winter’s “Common Ground” album. I chose a song “Ancient Voices” that features an African thumb piano because I liked the sound of this instrument, I lowered the volume so that it was not a distraction and said “Now go back to a time in your life when you think you committed a sin. Give me a raised finger signal while you retrieve this memory. ” Kay raised her index finger. “Let your voice speak comfortably and describe what you are seeing.” “I’m running towards a fence. I’m running from my husband! I’m pregnant and I’m running away,” she said …
Confused, it took me a while to realize that I wasn’t talking about the present. As Kay continued, it became clear that she was describing another life. How did this happen? What had I inadvertently said that pushed her back to a past life?
As you read this, did you catch any clues?
I continued. “Sometimes we witness other lives to give us a glimpse of the current one. Find out how this past experience applies to your life in 1985. Feeling elevated, release your fears to the wind and return to the present with insights that will renew and transform you.” ….
“I didn’t expect that to happen,” Kay said when she opened her eyes. We spoke briefly about what he saw. He wasn’t interested in discussing why he thought he had a past life memory. If you believe in the notion of past lives, this is what Kay discovered. I implicitly respect this unconscious process. It was very powerful and he wanted to leave it intact, whether it was a symbolic metaphor or a scene from a life his soul had lived before. “You escaped from an abusive situation and saved your unborn child. How powerful” I said.
Later that night I replayed the session in my mind. I took the album off my shelf and began to read the inside cover that describes each song. Ancient Voices is based on a classic African composition from the Shona people of Zimbabwe for an instrument called the mbira. This instrument is used in a formal ceremony called Bira. Family members come together to ask for the support of their ancestors. The mbira is believed to have the power to project and attract ancestral spirits to earth.
I had never taken the time to read the inside of the cover or listen carefully to the lyrics of this song. What I read amazed and amused me by reminding me how impressionable and impressive the unconscious mind is. And here are the Ancient Voices lyrics that got Kay on her way. Note that the stereo was low and my old rickety stereo only had one working speaker …
The ancient voices sing forever, guide me on my way.
Take me far away to the dreams where I’ve been.
Bring me back to where I left him with my eyes open again.
I remember the morning suns promising the day.
Turning the circle that ends life begins to play.
Eagles fly past your back from far away places.
When this land is free again, you will come back to stay.
The ancient voices sing forever, guide me on my way.
I moved to California in late 1985. Kay kept in touch with me for a while and told me that she and Stan got married, formed a production company for aspiring playwrights and actors, promoting off-Broadway plays. She is living her art fulfilling her dream of a happy and healthy marriage.
“Perfecting your intuition safeguards your future and opens the doors to the extraordinary.”
Stephanie Rachel Alt