the colors and shapes, the shadows, and the clarity of the scene.
As you notice the scene you may begin to hear sounds close to
you and farther away. As you become aware of even more
sounds, turn your conscious mind toward them. Be aware of the
location of the sounds, their loudness or softness, their tone and
speed. You can become aware of what you feel, of the textures
and pressures on your body. Sense those parts of you that are
touching the ground or a chair. Allow yourself to notice any
smells or tastes that you experience. As you do this, pay attention
to the feelings within you, to any tensions or internal emotions,
their precise location and intensity.
This awareness of yourself through all of your senses is an
associated state.
Now step back or stand behind the chair in which you were sitting
and see yourself sitting or standing, as you were a moment ago.
Look at yourself so that you can see the whole of you. Notice how
the “you” there interacts with the environment. Be aware of how
the “you” there in front of you looks and sounds.
In this dissociated state you will be detached from the feelings.
The ability to associate and dissociate is a foundation skill
of NLP. To experience the emotions and feelings of a situation
fully you need to be associated. To distance yourself from the
emotions of an unpleasant or traumatic situation, you need to
dissociate.
One of the people responsible for the counseling and support of
the crew in the London Fire Brigade discovered that the
members of the crew who experienced the highest levels of
stress were those who relived their memories in an associated
way. As they recalled what had happened, they re-experienced
the emotions they had felt at the time. So as well as experiencing
the trauma of each situation they were experiencing it over and
over again and subsequently intensifying the stress they felt. The
counselor also established that those who had the lowest levels
of stress were those who were able to dissociate from what they
experienced.
Dealing with stressFILTERS ON YOUR WORLD 39