Ideomotor Signaling

An interesting way to talk to the subconscious mind is through ideomotor signaling. Ask the subject a question, and watch the body language. You can ask the subject to move her hands or fingers in different ways for "yes," "no," "maybe," or "no answer." You can use a Chevreul pendulum, which is simply holding a 12 inch string with a small weight over a cross in which the axes represent "yes" and "no" and diagonals are "maybe" and "no answer." According to clinical research, about 70% of subjects easily produce the subconscious movements needed for ideomotor questioning to work. They are usually surprised by the answers produced, not feeling like they consciously own the answers. This approach to psychotherapy unveils the subconscious much more quickly than free association. Ouija boards also work the same way. Furthermore, issues can be resolved without the subject even having to know the content of the repression. The therapist can simply ask if the subconscious can solve the particular hidden issue being discussed.

Understanding the powerful, reality-tunnel shaping nature of unseen mental forces, I am enthusiastic about exploring this way of communicating with those forces. Unfortunately, I can't get consistent results with the Chevreul pendulum yet. In trying to calibrate a "yes," the pendulum keeps shifting axes or go in circles. I seem to have strong resistance to self-hypnosis. The only time I'm really autosuggestible is in hypnogogia.

For more on hypnosis and ideomotor signaling, check out Experiencing Hypnosis (PDF) by Milton H. Erickson, M.D. and Ernest L. Rossi, Ph.D.