Chapter 1: Why this Book?

Its the simple things in life that are most extraordinary;

Only the wise are able to understand them.
-Paulo Coelho, (Alchemist)
I had written many articles, conducted seminars/workshops/lectures on use of Neuro Linguistic
Programming (NLP) to help more than 1000 people under depression, various phobias, stress, addiction
to alcoholic drinks and tobacco, emotional disorder, unexplained pain, fear, relationship issues, parenting
issues, low performance, migraine, etc. over the past ten years through personal counseling and coaching.
The results are encouraging as most of those who learnt and practiced these techniques were benefited
immensely.
Some of the NLP techniques are extremely simple to learn and practice. This at times creates doubts in
the minds of beginners. Some of them get perplexed by the simplicity of the exercises and dont take
them seriously even after getting good results. Unlike many other methods, NLP does not claim that it is a
solution for every problem and always works. Rather NLP does no want user to believe it. NLP states if
by doing something you are not getting desired results, then by doing the same thing in the same way
again, you will once again get no results. NLP stresses that If any technique is not working for you do
something else!
After many years of counseling and giving lectures, I and my few NLP practitioner friends realized that
NLP can help large number of people under stress, depression, addiction, and other emotional issues
related to our subconscious mind. We can not reach out even to the fraction of people who need these
techniques. It is wrong on our part to keep this powerful knowledge closely held with few as a leverage of
professional gains. Therefore we formed an NLP and HUNA group and started conducting meetings every
Saturday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. for last four years. These are free and open to anyone who wants to learn
NLP. Our purpose can be understood from our vision A community free of scars gathered doing a
journey of life where every member is enabled to be free to reach their individual peak performance.
The mission of the group is To assist each other in every possible way to enhance the skills and
effectiveness of NLP and HUNA practice so as to reach out to maximum number of people without
distinction of age, sex, language, nationality or socio-economic status. We all are doing our best to reach
out. But realizing the limit of our existing format, I embarked upon writing this book to reach out to many
who can not attend our meetings or attend workshops. My articles in the news papers did reach out to
many and I did receive overwhelming response. However, the articles have limitation of length and hence
only cursory information could be given. In US there is lot of research and seminars are conducted on
NLP. In India they are expensive and in many case with purely commercial interests. We can also get lot
of information on internet. However, at times it is too complex and confusing. It may be focused on a
specific purpose of the writer or commercially oriented. So it may not be useful for a beginner who wants
to learn the basics and use the techniques for certain purpose. This book is more of a Do it yourself kind
for a beginner. Although it would definitely help the reader to overcome his / her emotional issues, those
who want to get expertise would obviously need to study in depth through whatever method or source.
My experience is the problems may be very complex, but the solutions are invariably simple. God or
nature has designed it that way! Our Sages from ancient times had this wisdom. It would be difficult to
cover NLP and HUNA both in one book. So I will restrict myself to NLP in this book. HUNA would
require a separate book. However, exercises explained in this book may have combination of NLP,
HUNA, Energy healing, visualisation, etc. We should focus on results, rather than methods. I would like
the readers to be cautious. I encourage you to learn, practice, use and teach few exercises that you will

learn in this book. But do not be under the impression that you would become NLP master with this. It is
a vast subject and you need to continue study and practice for many years to gain mastery. However, you
dont need to gain mastery over the entire subject if you purpose is to gain benefits and help others using
NLP. We dont have to know how TV, computer, air conditioner, etc. technically function for using them
for our purpose. As long as we can operate it correctly and know basics we can use it and also explain
others how to use it. Many people attend expensive seminars on NLP. They learn theory and few
exercises. After the seminar they feel they know NLP. But after six months or so they get disappointed
with hardly any positive results. You must understand that NLP works at subconscious level. Hence just
knowing it is not adequate. You need practice and work on it. You may experiment with it to derive full
benefits. Then you will be motivated to make it a part of you routine interaction and start gaining more
and more. It is like when meditation, exercises, diet control, prayers etc. becomes part of your lifestyle
only then you derive the best results.
Before I go to the subject proper, let me tell my journey in this field. I have four masters degrees all in
engineering and management studies. My work experience is in Indian Air Force for twenty five years
and then twelve years in academics as a professor. So how did I get in to and develop NLP and HUNA
healing as my passion? I learnt NLP from Art Emrich. Then for few years I did not bother to practice it.
As a coincidence I met him again during his visit to Pune as NLP trainer for American Multinational
Company Canbay. So with his encouragement, around 2002, I started using NLP on me, my friends and
students who had small emotional issues; as small as lack of confidence, allergies, work stress, etc. Also
around that time, I attended the course conducted by Anthony Robins on Neuro Associated Conditioning
(NAC) which is an extension of NLP. Art Emrich during one of his visits also explained me the Time Line
Therapy developed by Dr Tedd James. With motivation from Art, in year 2003, I started practicing these
NLP techniques as a professional counseling and found them very effective. As I was getting success, my
confidence and understanding increased. Therefore, I always suggest my clients and students not to stop
learning these techniques and practice them extensively. Once you understand the philosophy, feel free to
modify them as per the situation if necessary. Feedback is a real motivator to keep you going. Once you
help some one and take him / her out of difficult emotional issues, the satisfaction and learning value you
get has no parallel.
In year 2004 one of my students under severe depression came to me for help. After first session of
counseling with NLP techniques, while leaving my cabin he came back from the door. He told me that he
had planned to commit suicide that night; and after the session he had changed his mind. As he left my
cabin, I was stunned. Those were my initial days of NLP practice. I thought what if he actually
committed suicide that night? I wont be able to excuse myself. After knowing his intention to commit
suicide I could not prevent him. I could not sleep that night. Only when I saw him next day in the college
was I relieved. After that he was completely changed. He was energetic and happy. He completed the
course and got placed. After about ten years he is still is in touch with me and always grateful to me for
teaching him NLP. Only thing I had done in the counseling session using NLP was to provide him more
options by programming his subconscious through language patterns.
Such experiences give me strength and inspiration to help as many people as possible. Another case I
handled around that time was of a girl who was in a serious depression. When I worked on her case, I
came to know she had suffered child abuse and was in a deeper trauma. I counseled her using NLP and
taught her couple of techniques. In just two sessions her personality was completely transformed and
became positive. Now she is well settled as a manager, married with one child.
Success of these two cases in initial years of my professional counseling motivated me to use NLP.
Around five years ago after reading my article one lady called me for counseling her nephew who was
under depression and had attempted suicide twice. He was under medication for six months. Doctors
could not tell them when he would improve and join college. I accepted to help and called them to meet
me. When they came he was drowsy state due to sedatives / tranquilizers. He was studying in second year
engineering. He failed in one subject of second semester but got promoted as ATKT. Failing in one

subject is not very uncommon in first year engineering. As he was very sensitive, he got in to severe
depression. He stopped communicating, stopped going to college. When he was brought to me, he was so
distressed that it was hard for her mother and aunt to keep him sitting in the chair. Every now and then he
was running towards door. I counseled him and carried out few NLP exercises with him. I was not sure of
the results as he could hardly concentrate on the exercises. Next day his mother called me. She was quite
exited and happy. She told me that after almost five months her son smiled and also played cards with his
elder sister. After two days she called me to ask whether she can allow him to take bath on his own. She
explained that once he had tried to commit suicide in the bathroom. Since then some one else had to give
him bath. I told him if he wants to have a bath let him have it. After one week he wanted to meet me and
learn the exercises again. I taught him few more exercises. Within a week he started going to college.
After a year I was told that he has completed second year in first class. By now I am sure he has
completed engineering and doing fine. I am not in touch with him. As per NLP practice I do not call my
clients after they recover from their issues unless they contact me. This is to avoid reminding them about
old memories.
One of my student once fainted in my statistics class. She was taken to the hospital and discharged after
observation for few hours. Other students informed me that she gets this problem regularly almost once in
a week. When I called her next day in my office she told me that she was suffering from migraines since
childhood. She had undergone number of treatments, and tried all kinds of therapies. When I suggested
using NLP she readily agreed. I worked with her for couple of hours for two days. I also trained her on
using NLP exercises. After that she did not have migraine attack for past four years. I am still in contact
with her. NLP had transformed her life. Since these are subconscious exercises, their effect is long lasting
and works without our conscious intervention. These are also easy to repeat.
One of my colleagues was in a severe pain in foot. He entered in my office limping and requested for
leave. When I enquired he told me that for last few years he suddenly gets this pain and then it remains
for couple of days. He had taken medical advice but doctors found nothing wrong and hence could not
help except giving pain killer. I offered him help. With two NLP exercises in just fifteen minutes the pain
had completely gone. He could not believe it. So he walked up and down, banged his foot on ground but
did not get the pain. He asked me whether this method can work on any pain. I said yes, but one must be
careful. Pain is usually a body response to tell us something is wrong. So you must first identify the
reason of the pain. When there is no specific reason or the pain is psychosomatic or it is a result of old
trauma or habit, only then one should use NLP techniques. These techniques basically reprogram our
brain to remove the experience of pain and replace with more comfortable experience. Hence the effect is
quick. Program in the brain activates almost instantaneously. Many people do not comprehend at logical
level how the pain can disappear so fast without medication. Firstly, in many cases there is no injury. The
pain is just a habitual program or psychosomatic. Secondly, its a feeling of pain we are removing by NLP
technique and not curing the wound instantly. Even when we take pain killer, we only suppress the feeling
of pain and not heal the wound. The effect of pain killer is slow and temporary because it is at biochemical level and it takes time for the drug to reach the destination through digestive system and blood.
NLP techniques run a different program or change the connections of the stimulus and program. It is our
common experience that when our mind is diverted to other important or interesting activity we forget
about pain, stress, depression, etc. When a child is crying after getting hurt we often divert childs
attention by showing dog, bird, toy etc. Child stops crying instantaneously. So what happens to their hurt
and pain? Hurt is still there but pain program has stopped. This happens at subconscious level without any
logic of conscious mind.
NLP techniques change your response patterns to the stimulus. These techniques work directly at
subconscious level. Therefore the effect of these techniques is quick. In many cases I have observed the
effect almost instantly. This seems perfectly logical to me. If we get angry instantly, feel happy instantly,
get depressed instantly, then there is no surprise that our negative states could be reversed instantly. After
all it is just a running another program in our mind. As we will see later, we behave the way we do

because a program running in our subconscious mind in response to a trigger or anchor. If we run another
stronger program our behavior would change immediately. You would have seen while a person is crying,
and some one makes a funny comment; the person suddenly starts laughing with tears still rolling down
his cheeks. NLP helps us to run appropriate program in our mind. As we will see later it primarily helps to
run the program in two ways. First, we may already have a good program e.g. happy state, peaceful state,
friendly interaction, etc. in our mind. But some trigger or stimulus may run negative program in our mind
like anger, or stress. NLP can help in replacing the stimulus response connects to the available good
program. Once this new connection is established, Anthony Robins calls it hard wired, every time when
the stimulus is received by our senses instead of the negative program the positive program will run
without our conscious efforts. Second, we can use NLP exercises to write a new good, positive and
desired program in our subconscious mind by combining our experiences and vivid thinking. These
programs could then be linked to various stimuli that earlier caused to run bad programs. As a result, in
future your subconscious would interrupt the pattern of activating bad programs that cause anger,
depression, anxiety, etc. in response to a particular stimulus. Its like running a new or different program
by clicking on the same icon. These programs are called Patterns in NLP and the icons as Anchors.
One day at about seven in the morning I was playing badminton with my son. He suddenly stopped and
wanted to go back to home. I saw red blisters on his neck. He mentioned getting severe itching sensation
on entire body. By the time we reached home his entire body was full of red blisters and he was
scratching his body. We could not find any anti allergic medicine at home. My wife went to
neighbourhood to find if they have any medicines. I asked my son if he would like to use NLP techniques.
He did not believe in techniques till that time. Earlier he had seen me working with my clients. He was in
such agony that he readily agreed. I worked with him on two exercises namely Pain Buster and EFT
for the itching sensation. In just ten minutes his itching sensation had stopped. However, the blisters were
still there. So I suggested him to repeat the exercises for the blisters. By then few neighbours came with
my wife. Our exercises continued for few minutes. To the surprise of all, slowly all blisters faded and skin
became almost normal.
Another area these techniques help immensely is in relationship issues. One day I received a call from a
lady who had attended my seminar. She wanted me to help her daughter. The girl was in eighth standard.
Her performance had steadily dropped in school from an average of 85% to 50% in just couple of years.
She then was struggling to pass. When the mother came to me with her daughter she had four pages of
written complaints and issues about the girls behavior. She had taken her daughter to a doctor and also a
counselor. However, her daughter had refused to discuss the issues and did not respond to them. I kept the
papers aside and asked the girl what she thought about the issue. The girl promptly told me to send her
mother out and only then she would speak. I requested her mother to sit outside. As soon as the mother
went out, the girl just started off. She was intelligent, reasonably matured in her thoughts, wanted to take
responsibility but angry due to few reasons. Firstly, there was a continuous bickering at home among her
parents and grand parents. Secondly, she felt her mother continuously nagged her and spied on her
activities. Thirdly, whenever her mother would tell her to study or come home in time in the evening, her
grandmother would take the girls side to settle the score with daughter-in-law and make negative
comments. Girls father after coming back from home was tired and did not want to get in to the issue. He
invariably kept quite and ignored the issue. The girl used to be out till 11 p.m with friends, avoided
studies, used to get SMS from friends till midnight, was glued to TV and internet whenever at home, and
so on. Obviously her school performance had dropped. I realized the main issues were breakdown in
communication at home; she was not made responsible; she was unwittingly involved and taking
advantage of grudge between her mother and grand parents; and felt completely neglected at emotional
level. So she started taking support from friends. As her mother was worried and started chasing her, she
started behaving arrogantly to take a sort of revenge, again unconsciously. During my counseling I did not
discuss a single word on the issue neither gave any advice. I taught few techniques of NLP about goal
setting, taking responsibility, programming the subconscious, modifying some of her responses for the
stimuli. I also got a promise from her mother not to interfere in her activities for couple of weeks. Her

mother was skeptical about my counseling. She also grumbled that I did not advise her daughter on good
behavior, concentrating on studies or listening to her instructions particularly regarding late night outing,
TV /Internet video games addiction, arrogant behavior with mother, etc. I told the mother not to worry
and let the exercises work at subconscious level. Within a week I got an SMS from the mother that there
was a substantial positive change in the behavior of the girl. I kept on getting calls or SMS from the girl
or her mother at regular frequency about her excellent performance like topping in the school getting
100% marks in Mathematics, Sanskrit, and so on. Now the girl has completed 10 th with more than 85%.
Her mother even confirmed to me that her problems at home with in-laws have reduced considerably.
After my first session I met the girl and mother only once before her 10 th examination, to teach her an
exercise for improving her confidence during examination. Otherwise the entire progress was by the
subconscious programming of the girl and her mother. This helped them in two ways. Firstly, learning of
the techniques made them independent for solving their issues. And more importantly as the girl made
progress she got the signal that it was due to her efforts and not because of someone elses support. This
created a positive spiraling effect. The problem with regular counseling sessions or medicines for
emotional or performance related issues is, when the positive change happens the person thinks that it is
because of the medicine or the counselor and not because of his / her capability. This hurts the ego of the
person and makes that person dependent on the external factors for their progress. This is counterproductive in long run. It is well known that intrinsic motivators are far stronger than the extrinsic
because they operate at the subconscious level rather than the conscious level.
As already stated, the purpose of this book is to reach out to people and give them the information of the
powerful techniques of NLP for helping them to improve their effectiveness. My attempt is to spread this
knowledge of NLP in very simple and non technical terms. There is a lot of literature on internet, books
and through training for those who wish to further pursue the quest of learning. However, for the novice,
the available information is too vast and complex that the person would get totally confused. One needs to
pick and choose. Further, it is too expensive to get these books and attend the seminars. Hence this book
attempts to keep it simple to understand, practice and use for common issues. Once you work with these
techniques for some time, absorb the philosophy, master few techniques and use them on yourself, go
ahead and refer to more complicated and detailed theories and practices. NLP techniques, like Yoga and
Meditation, can be learnt and assimilated only through regular practice and experience. Dr. Serge Kahili
King states that It is better to practice one technique hundred times, rather than learning hundred
techniques and doing them once. So I would explain only few techniques of NLP that could be easily
learnt and practiced for common issues like relationship, stress, performance, fear, confidence,
depression, pain, sleep disorder, emotional disorders, alcoholism or tobacco addiction, etc.
In this book I will explain the basic principles followed by few techniques and situations where these
could be applied. Discerning reader can then progress individually to learn more techniques from
available material and also develop his or her own methods / protocol.
Before I explain the basics and techniques of NLP, I would like to mention some of the fundamental ideas
that are core of NLP. Firstly, these techniques work at subconscious level. We conceptualize our thinking
process at conscious and subconscious level. Conscious mind thinks, analyzes logically and critically,
argues, explains, etc. Whereas, the function of subconscious mind is memory, responses to the stimulus,
internal representations, connecting the internal patterns of stored data, emotions, etc. About 90% of our
activities are through subconscious. Most of our behavior operates through subconscious. There is another
way of conceptualizing our brain function. At basic level we have reptilian brain that works on fight and
flight response. This operates when we have to respond quickly when faced some kind of harm or danger;
whether physically or otherwise as a perceived threat to our existence as an individual. This brain
function is available to all living animals. Next level is mammalian brain. The emotional responses like
sadness, happiness, depression, love, belongingness, relatedness, joy, jealousy, distrust, ego, anger, etc.
work through mammalian brain. At highest level we operate through logical brain. This is available only
for human being. With this brain we think logically, extend, innovate, think critically, and develop new

theories. Our subconscious governs the first two levels. We call this as a subconscious because we do not
have to deliberately think for these responses. They happen involuntary. Of course these are not illogical
or irrational. Subconscious has logic of its own developed based on earlier experiences. There is a
constant dialogue going on between conscious and subconscious mind. However, our behavior is shaped
by our subconscious mind. Simple example is whatever is your preparation and logical thinking can you
plan your anger or laughter? It comes spontaneously even if your logical mind does not want it at that
moment. For example, sometimes when a serious lecture is going on you may start laughing and may find
it hard to control it; or you may start crying in public over an argument even when you want to avoid it;
you get stressed or addicted even though you consciously know that it is harmful.
Another important view of NLP is your brain is continuously programmed throughout your life. Some
other theories consider that your personalities are more or less formed and frozen when you are young.
Some other theories feel that your behavior is difficult to change as you grow old. Some theories even
believe that our behavior is hereditary. I look at this little differently. My friend Vikas Dixit calls our brain
as Neck Top computer. I feel that our Neck Top computer comes with preloaded software of hunger,
sleep, fear, and sex. We can call these as animal instincts that all animals know without being taught to
them. Rest everything we learn from our birth, or may be from the time we are in mothers womb. What
we learn is based on the inputs we get through our five senses. We get inputs simultaneously. We store
them as connected patterns. When we get new inputs we store them as patterns after finding and making
connections to the earlier patterns in some logical way at subconscious level. Every input comes as an
experience. It has a learning attached to it as a result of the connections with earlier patterns. Further
we attach emotions to the learning according to the emotional experienced at that moment. These
emotions are also stored in our body and attached to the recorded patterns.
I often give one example during my lecture to understand this process of unconscious learning. Consider a
case when a baby walks for the first time. Let us consider the mother of the baby is sitting on a chair at
some distance and baby is crawling. Baby wonders how every one is walking and she can not do the
same. So baby presumably decides to attempt walking. So baby gets up with a support and takes couple
of steps and falls. This is quite usual. Baby cries but after mothers little encouragement decides to
attempt once more. Again after taking couple of steps the baby falls hard on the nose and starts yelling
and crying. This scene is very common and most of us have seen it. In such a case crying is not really due
to injury; young babies usually do not get hurt by such falls. Most likely the baby cries due to her inability
to walk and reach her mother. Now let us consider three different reactions of mothers resulting in three
programs written in the subconscious mind of the baby.
One mother keeps doing her work without bothering much. The baby stops crying after a while and
attempts to get up again. After few attempts the baby succeeds walking up to the mother. Now mother
expresses her happiness and picks up the baby. The babys subconscious is programmed few things; If I
make an effort I can succeed; Others may not help when they are busy; When I succeed others feel happy;
I need to become independent for my mother to become happy; I have the capability.
Another mother looks at the baby and encourages the baby for another attempt. May be she claps and
cheers the baby for making efforts again. The baby stops crying after a while and attempts to get up again.
After few attempts the baby succeeds walking up to the mother. Mother watches baby all the while and
expresses her happiness by picking up the baby with couple of encouraging words. In this case also the
babys subconscious is programmed few things; If I make an effort I can succeed; Others are friendly and
encourage me to succeed; Others wants me to achieve success; When I succeeds others are happy; I needs
to become independent to make my mother happy; I have the capability to succeed.
Now take the third kind of mother that we see too often. This third kind of mother which is very common
leaves everything in her hand, jumps and runs to pick up baby. After picking up the baby the mother picks
up a stick or broom and starts beating the floor, may be saying who has made my baby to fall? Is there
any rat or something? In this case the babys subconscious is programmed wrongly for a few things;

Every one else is walking around but I cant do so; I am not capable like others; I need my mother or
someone else for support; I can not succeed without support of others; I am dependent; my mother is
worried and unhappy when I fail; If I cry then I get help; I fail not because of my limitations but due to
someone elses fault, thats why my mother is beating the ground or a rat. Last is the most dangerous
program.
The above example is only a representative. But you can now reason out why some people are
independent and take responsibilities, whereas in others are highly dependent and complaining about
something for their miseries. Let us analyze the case of the third mother which we see so often. Although
outwardly we feel that mother is very caring, by her actions she has taught damaging lessons to the baby.
These are programmed in the Neck Top computer i.e. subconscious of the baby. First lesson is I am not
capable. Second damaging lesson is, I need a support to succeed. We see evidence of the program in
our dependability on others even on simple trivial things. This has been the basic reason for many of the
relationship problem or parenting problems. Third program is I do not get help till I cry or create noise.
We even hear adage, Crying baby gets the milk. So we develop the attitude of complaining when we
want something. The last, and the worst lesson programmed in babys Neck Top Computer is to pass the
blame. When anything goes wrong, rather than taking responsibility, we blame others; other person,
system, process, environment, rules, etc. When we do not find any one to blame, we blame luck, fortune,
destiny, or whatever that the God controls.
I do not in any way suggest that one such incidence and program is responsible for our entire life. This
example is only to demonstrate two things. Even through such small incidents, our subconscious is
programmed all the time. It creates patterns, connects the old patterns and develops our attitude through
these connected patterns that results in our behavior. Secondly, even a small incident writes a program in
our subconscious that can lead to certain behavior at later stage. We may not even identify the program
and its origin that caused certain behavior.
As a counselor, I work with people who are under depression or stress or some kind of pain. It may be
surprising to note that many of them are rather enjoying the pain and helplessness at their subconscious
level. They essentially do not want to come out of the situation. They have created limiting beliefs about
their capabilities and trapped in their pattern. They want to remain in their comfort zone, which in this
case is their painful experience that they call their misfortune. I am sure you would have seen many
people who beat, curse or pity themselves all the time. They often complain about the bad situation they
are in; how they are victims of oppression; how unlucky they are, and so on. Many old people keep
complaining about aches, boredom, people not listening to them, frustration, etc. but do not want to come
out of this situation by developing new hobbies, or learning new technologies or skills. Similar behavior
could be observed in relationship issues when a person starts accepting physical or mental abuse from
family members. This is also seen among addicts in a form of guilt when they start enjoying their sorry
state. I observe in such problems that the person under distress does not want to come out of his present
state. He sees the situation as a comfort zone. He is worried about transformation he would face after
coming out of the problem. This subconsciously keeps him away from taking actions to come out of his
pain. I call this situation as the person enjoying the pain or loving the pain. Some people may give a
sugar coating by calling it as their sacrifice. At conscious level they also put forward a philosophical
reasoning.
Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time there was a wise Monk. He knew his previous births as well as
next. During his meditation he realized that he would be pig in his next birth. As a pig in future birth if he
dies at a particular time, he would take a rebirth as a human to reach salvation. However, if he dies as a
pig after that specific time, he would have to take many births as animals. So he called his disciples. He
explained the place where they could find him as a pig in his the next birth. He told them to kill that pig at
a particular time. He did not give any reason for his peculiar order. They all agreed. In due course, the
monk passed away and was born as a pig. His disciples remembered the order and started their search.
They finally found the pig. At the specified time they took out knives to kill the pig. The monk in the

form of pig could speak human tongue. He starts shouting, Dont kill me, please. One of the disciples
asked But master, it was your order to kill you at this time. The monk in the form of a pig said Yes.
But now I am telling you, not to kill me. I am enjoying my dungeon. It is so nice, cool and peaceful here.
I can do what I want. There is enough food around. I have no tension. I am very happy and enjoying this
dungeon. I would like to live. So please dont kill me. When disciples told him that it was his order in
the previous birth, the monk replied, Now I am ordering you as your master not to kill me. His disciples
were in fix. One wise disciple argued, Well! We accepted the monk as our master because he was a
human. We wont have accepted him as our master if he was a pig. So we should follow the instructions
given by our master when he was a monk. Finally all agreed and killed the pig. Suddenly, after killing
the pig turns in to the monk. Disciples told the monk what happened. Hearing the story the monk was
shocked. He said, How could I think of telling you not to kill me when I was a pig? What a serious
mistake I was making? I would have been fated to the dungeon for the life and further. Why did I think
that way? What actually happened was shocking. The monk had actually started enjoying the dungeon.
He started enjoying the pain, loving his state and feeling safe in his comfort zone of the dungeon. The
moral of the story is once we start accepting out state of defeat, failures, depression, pity, self
victimization, physical pain, emotional distress, abuse, poverty, misfortune and so on we actually program
our subconscious. Then we start enjoying our problems and want to remain in our comfort zone, even if it
is painful. This puts us in to a negative spiral.
Traditionally it is considered that we are motivated to move away from pain i.e. to avoid pain and to move
towards pleasure. Most of the motivational theories are also on similar lines. However, this argument has
limitations. People get motivated due to various reasons which are beyond the grasp of theories limited by
pain and pleasure, be it emotional, material or even spiritual. All these theories are based on certain logic.
The logic is primarily applicable to our conscious mind. But we forget that most of the time we respond to
the stimulus through our subconscious programs rather than conscious analytical mind. The subconscious
has its own logic created by the patterns programmed in our brain over a long period of time. These
patterns are not based on the experiences but the perception of those experiences. Any incidence of pain
or pleasure is perceived differently by different people at different time.
With this introduction let us move to the next chapter that explains the Historical Perspective of NLP.