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Magic is, according to google: the power of apparently influencing the course of events by using mysterious or supernatural forces
How does magic work: still from google: Magic creates a conflict between the things you think can happen and the things that you experience. While some magicians would like you to believe that they possess real magical powers, the true secret behind magic lies in clever psychological techniques that exploit limitations in the way our brains work.
Well, if you had a clever psychological technique that exploits limitations in the way our brains (mind) work, what would you change? What would you use it for?
It’s a great question, it has only one drawback:
We do have a clever psychological technique…
…except that we use it the wrong way. We make what we don’t want happen… we have an unconscious competence about that, and an unconscious incompetence about making what we want happen.
Ugh. Bummer.
But wait… I have been teaching this technique for some time… and yet people are reluctant (or clumsy) to use it.
It is a verbal instruction, called context.
It seems that even suggestions that come from the outside, from another person it may be effective, albeit temporarily.
Here is a current issue: lack of structure due to working from home, or not working at all
The issue of the person who doesn’t have outside forces, called ‘structure’ in their life. Remember Audrey from the Office Hours? She asked about it, and I was too dumb, or too stupid to get how important her question was. I am making up for that oversight here.
During this pandemic we, probably all of us, including myself, an self-proclaimed hermit, have no or not much outside schedule or time requirement, so we sleep more, do things we normally didn’t have time, and slowly but surely become morose, hopeless, listless, hapless, and shall I use the word? depressed.
Is depression psychological? I say it isn’t.
Is it psychological that the bear hibernates? No, it is chemical. But we don’t know anything about chemistry, we don’t know much about anything, do we?
Some 40 years ago I read a small article in a magazine about sleep deprivation therapy, or wake therapy… ugh… Americans always try to be politically correct.
Let me explain: if you normally sleep eight hours a night, suddenly reducing your sleep to seven hours will feel like sleep deprivation… won’t it?
In this epidemic, without the need to get up at a certain time, people sleep longer. And slowly but surely they descend to melancholic stupor, or outright depression.
I did. My assistant did. My friend down the street did. And many people who are now contacting me with this issue.
But interestingly, some, just by the suggestion that there is relief, that what they are dealing with is chemical, get enough energy to perk up, and, hopefully start self-regulating, and get up an hour earlier than it’s comfortable.
Everyone does best with a certain amount of sleep. Sleep cannot be hoarded, and your sleep deficit cannot be replenished… and you staying well. Your chemicals don’t care about your purpose of oversleeping, your chemicals follow a pattern that don’t care.
Back when I read the article, the idea was the it was serotonin that was regulated, newer research shows that it is likely a different neurotransmitter, adenosine… Hell, I haven’t heard of that either…
But you don’t have to know how a microwave works to use a microwave…
So if you are depressed, or you suspect that you may be, you may want to consider, what the heck, Wake Therapy.
I, like my clients, have noticed that we slowed down, that we don’t do housekeeping as we used to, even though we have the time.
Here is an email conversation:
She: I am okay… I went through a phase of feeling really hopeless and not bothering with anything I’m just working though it.
Me: so you are still going through it. suggestion: reduce your sleeping hours… it helps, and fast
She: Thanks for the suggestion. I will do that.
I was functioning a lot better when I was waking up early and going to the gym.
Me: yes. you slipped into depression because of too much sleep. read my recent article on this
She: Hi Sophie
I hope you are well.
I feel much better today! I was struggling to implement your sleep deprivation advice. I stayed up later, but then just woke up later. I tried waking up early but instead just snoozed. But yesterday something changed.
I had enough of feeling bored, lonely, down etc. My house was a sh!t hole so decided I needed to tidy up.
During this episode I’ve had a strong reluctance to listen to the big bundle. It sounded almost repulsive to me for some reason.
But yesterday I put it on through my headphones in the background and listened to your articles on google podcasts and then the science of getting rich. I estimate I spend about 2-3 hours listening whilst tidying up.
By the end of that time my house was a much more pleasant environment and I was physically and mentally tired. I had a great sleep last night.
I was hesitant to write this, but there may be something you can see about the situation that might help others.
Z (name left out for privacy)
So there you have it.
I have been going through the same sh!t… I guess you have to remind yourself of what you know occasionally.
So I have decided that to come out of mild depression I will have to re-arrange my sleep schedule. My intention was to get up when I wake up… which is around 6 am. But two mornings in a row, although I did get up, although I did turn the light on, although I went to the bathroom, shivering I went to bed.
So it was time for the magic I can turn to: I invented a context for getting up when I wake up.
I used public authenticity… I emailed my assistant. When you create a context, but it stays in your head, the mind and the ego will tell you to forget about it. So if you want it to actually create the magic you intended, make it public… as public as you dare.
3 days ago: I am still not winning with regards to getting up when I wake up. the pull is too strong to go back to sleep. I am going to have to use some tools, like put a strong light on a timer…
with regards to contexts… I am that contexts can save my life and create sunshine where there is doom and gloom, success where there is none.
Obviously I am already masterful at it, so this is about actually remembering using it.
I will need a context for setting up the strong light… when half asleep no context helps… I am not conscious yet… 🙁
Yesterday:
The context I invented for myself to empower myself to get up when I wake up is
I am that depression is not my friend. I am that sleeping after I woke up makes me depressed. And depression prevents me to fully do my life’s purpose, so getting up when I wake up is my best bet for a life I can love.
Since then I’ve been getting up and don’t go back to sleep even though it’s really cold at my place…
I am doing the slow version of the wake therapy, but the fast version of the magic.
Why not do the fast version, staying up a whole night and the day after?
- First: I can’t trust myself… yet.
- Second: It is too drastic, and it may swing me into mania…
So slow and steady is my method.
I am sleeping seven hours. Why not go whole hog? Don’t forget, I still work. And I need to be sharp. So with seven hours getting fully normal, my usual happy self, will take, probably, a week or two. But I have already noticed that hopelessness is gone. I also experience yet tiny tugs to go out and walk, or do some exercise… The tugs are not strong enough to actually make me do it, but are getting stronger every day.
I also behave more generously… It is hard to be generous when you are down in the dumps…
Yesterday I actually enjoyed the Freedom workshop… It hadn’t happened for months now… Really good sign.
So there you have it:
Steps:
- Identify your current state as depression… a chemical imbalance in the brain
- Plan to regulate your sleep. Enroll your family to support you in it.
- Choose the quick method: stay up for 36+ hours, or do what I do, slice off an hour or two of your current sleep time.
- Invent an empowering context for what you are doing…
- Enjoy your results.
What?! you don’t know how to invent an empowering context?
No problem, you can learn it, and practice it.
If an context you invented doesn’t work, invent another one. It takes a lot of practice and a lot of clarity to get good at it.
Here is the course… and if you are smart, you’ll also sign up to the live session, scheduled for 2 pm this coming Sunday.
If that is not a good time, but you are clear you want to do the live course, where I help you personally to create a context or two that is guaranteed to work, email me and I’ll consider it. Or set up an 1-on-1 session with me. that can work too.
Learn To Cause Magic On Demand
