Positive Vs. Negative Bias

Positive vs. Negative Bias

“Instead of clearing his own heart the zealot tries to clear the world.”  

-Joseph Campbell, Hero With A Thousand Faces

Most people come with problems. I begin from the premise that all problems are merely stories without resolution. The first thing I do once rapport is established, is interrupt the clients pattern of associating with the story as if it is “true.”  I start to work with every individual by establishing a position of balance, positive language and a positive frame. This has the effect of opening the individual to the benevolence of spiritual wisdom. Working this way differentiates me from other “healers” who may endeavor to “release” the individual from the “problem.” In order to do that they must reference the “problem” which in my opinion only drives the problem deeper, forcing the individual to look for the problem first to determine whether or not they can cope with it.

I didn’t always work from this positive position. I started working in spiritual hypnosis using a metaphor of past lives regression, and in between lives, described by prominent authors in the spiritual area: Dr. Brain Weiss, Dr. Michael Newton and others. Having experienced my own past lives journey as part of my own professional development, over a decade ago, I instinctively began to move away from that topology.  In 2006, I discovered the work of my current mentor Joseph Riggio, PhD, of Princeton, NJ. His Soma-Semantic^tm model opened my eyes to the idea of excitatory and inhibitory biases.

In the inhibitory position, or negative bias, the system is closed. No opportunity of creativity is possible. Often the client’s questions in the inhibitory position are characterized by “Why is this happening to me?” or “Why me?” Defining themselves as a victim within a malevolent environment. They find that life situations have overtaken them, and they are powerless.

In the excitatory position or positive bias, the system is open to opportunity and discovery. Creativity and seeking of self-expression is the driving force in the excitatory bias. The individual becomes aware of his ability to apply available resources for desirable outcomes on his own behalf or with and for others.  As I began to apply my spiritual techniques  from a position of balanced positive bias, I recognized the powerful difference in my client’s results.

No longer was I working to help the client to discover why things are so bad in their life, ferreting out the roots of the worst patterns of their life, behavior and illnesses. I began to help people discover their patterns of success, and how they can utilize those patterns, hidden skills, strength of character, and intentionally take action. They were able to begin to live life creatively and intentionally, and experience being ultimately more effective in more areas of their life.

Interestingly, modern brain science, is beginning to have breakthroughs regarding the working of the mammalian brain. These findings have been absolutely concurrent with the concepts I am putting forth.

Humans seem to insist on chosing an uncharacteristically complicated path: trying to determine how to achieve happiness through finding what is wrong, or even perceiving that there might be something wrong. It is the result of adaptive behavior over a few hundred thousand years.

Instead of looking to find the worst, most painful experience of the past, let’s look at the possible opportunities using our ability to create future memories can offer to create success, and satisfaction in your life.

Tags: bias, brian weiss, excitatory, michael newton, Morrin Bass, negative, positive, self-expression, why me, why questions