I am not ever offended by other people's differing views, but I do enjoy debating them when they appear false. That is how we all move towards a more accurate understanding. If I do not fully understand a teacher's writing, is it not natural to ask him / her to elaborate further so that I can gain a more thorough understanding, rather than just accepting or discarding it at first glance?

What I am asking is that if it is a trick that works, why not just be honest and say it is a trick that works? Why all the elaborate decoration? Hypnotic suggestion is a trick that works. Its practitioners don't have to construct a mythology around it and therefore potentially deceive people.

Mind is a constant player of tricks that work. What use are some more colourful mind / body tricks, when one can simply step away from false identification with body and mind altogether?

Thanks for your lengthy reply to my questions. I will read the study you cited with interest to see whether its results cannot be explained as simple hypnotic suggestion.

"Dr. David Hawkins, MD states that muscle testing is less accurate when the tester has a lower vibration or lower consciousness based in fear, doubt and insecurity."

I know he states that. I read him stating it. But he just made that up. It sounds such a lot like pure fabrication used to cover up for the fact that his claims can't really be backed up. It is a classic obfuscation using circular reasoning. It is just like a snake-oil salesman saying 'well, of course it only works if you believe it works' or like a priest saying 'God only answers the prayers of those who have faith'.

If you hypnotise someone and then suggest to them they are being burnt, they will produce a blister in reality. If you hypnotise someone to believe they are a dog, then in their reality, they are a dog. That was my original point. Muscle testing is just a form of hypnotic suggestion. Those for whom it does not work are those who are not allowing themselves to be hypnotised. You may argue that this is because of fear or a lack of trust. Maybe. Maybe not. It could be for a number of reasons.

Now, I have no doubt at all that each individual's current beliefs do indeed create their current individual reality, but why dress it up to be more than it is?

"Greatness is not only about doing or accomplishing, greatness is about who we are, we are great."

I could not agree more. That is the point I was trying to make in the first place. So, given we agree about that we are all great already, why does anyone need to test or change anything?

Good on you! It's so exciting to see more and more of us wake up to the fact that we are not just the products of creation but creation itself.

"Thoughts are 'things' with a reality of their own and you an artist. With thoughts in the forms of belief, attitude, value and expectation you paint the landscape of your life. Create a great day!" (From: We Create Our Own Reality - http://realtalkworld.com/we-create-our-own-reality/)

It is so liberating to know we have the power to reject negative ideas like "life is a matter of survival of the fittest, eat or be eaten, kill or be killed, we're basically bad and we can't trust ourselves" out of a false sense of loyalty to our parents, schools, churches and society. Responsibility (personal accountability and self-development) is the price of freedom, peace and happiness. As we think, we create. Change what we think and we change what we create.

If it's okay with you, I would like to promote your website on realtalkworld.com, a Think Tank for Change.

Roger "Pete" Peterson

I use the super simple version of it:

I think to the person, or event, or whatever that I think is bringing me upset:

Thank you.
I love you.
I'm sorry.
Please forgive me.

After all, if we are all connected, then I have some part in the creation of the "problem," and drew that person to me in order to participate with me in the drama.

So, the ho'oponopono blessing helps me to remember that I play a part in every drama in my life-- and that is fact!

If it's a trick that works, I don't personally care. I have lots of mental tricks. I'm sure someone could discredit them as just mental tricks if they wanted to waste their time doing so. Look up the Reticular Activation System. If you want to prove something, your RAS will help you prove it, it's that simple.

As far as your nitpicking the semantics of the phrasing she used in her statement that people who love their families want the best for their families... seriously, maybe if you don't look so hard for something to be offended by, you won't find so many things.

On the topic at hand, which is doing our best to be good parents to our children and helping them learn to trust themselves to know and find their own happiness and their own way in life (as they will need to do once they are adults, in most people's lives)...

Thank you for the lovely post, Christie. It gave me tremendous food for thought, and I have already begun some work on changing my story. I have experienced a large shift in my house just from reading this post, and am grateful for it, thank you.

I enjoyed the post and I appreciate your take on parenting.

I’ll give you a for instance. A 20- something was brought to my office the other day because he had stopped school after some things happened. He kept stating that he could not go back to school because he had failed. (His Story). But, he really desired to have the career that needed the schooling. I said, “So what that you quit?” He looked at me funny and then I said, ”Yes, so what. Start again. Start new. So, what?” Edison failed 99 times at making a light bulb and on the 100th he succeeded. Did he fail or did he succeed? It’s all just a made up story depending on what point of view you take.” I also shared a story about how a child learns to walk by practicing hundreds of times to walk and finally one day he/she walks. A baby doesn’t judge oneself on how long it takes or if it’s a success or failure….it just is what it is. A new skill can take some time to learn, so what? A person only fails if they label it that. Then I asked him, “Can you look at yourself as kindly as you look at a little baby taking their first steps and think…Wow, I went for it one more time…How cool am I?” He kind of laughed and I made him repeat it after me as a new mantra. Now, his Mom said on the way home that he is now, finally making plans to go back to school. Isn’t that exciting? It’s because we were willing to dismantle his point of view and give him another one that made him see what was possible. I also did some Belief work to clear the belief of “I fail” and what that means to him out of his being. This is why people come to me to change their reality. I have witnessed, with intent, lots of things can be fixed.

I also ask kids sometimes “Is that true?” and if it is true, then “How do you know this?” if a child disregards oneself (Such as, “ I can’t do this.”). I had a seven year old tell me that she thought she was not smart. I said, “Really, why do you think that?” She said, “My grades are not that great and I take a long time to finish homework.” These are conclusions and points of view that tell a story. I asked her, “So what are you really good at?” She told me “Dancing.” I asked her why she thought she was a good at dancing. She thought about it and then said, “I can do things that some of the other girls can’t do.” “Okay, so you must be smart then.” And we had a discussion about persistence and different kinds of smart. I taught her a few meditation techniques on visualizing herself as smart at tests and grades and getting A’s and getting all the help she needs in her life to come to her. Yes, she is only 7, but she felt happy to do all of this. I made it fun and she brightened up. She thought about it and went away. Later that day, she asked her Mom some more questions about what makes a person smart. Her Mom researched and found a specialized tutor and now she thinks she’s smart and she is getting better grades. It took a few times and with persistence though and a lot of caring in the communication, this little girl started shifting.

So, Anna, I would start by asking her why she feels, whatever she is saying is true and then gently nudge her to see that maybe she can see it another way. This adds some light to the situation and starts opening the energy like a flower blooming. Now, she may not see what is right about all of this right away, but with persistence and your caring, she will start to see something new.

Many Blessings!

Christie Marie