Controlled meditation can help some people lose weight<\/p>\n
By Rahayu Ratnaningsih<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Weight control is a pain in the neck and often
\ncostly for many adults. Numerous diet counselors found out that
\n97 percent of people who pay money to lose weight put it back on
\nagain in less than two years. In other words, diets work on the
\nbody but not the mind; and unless the subconscious is changed,
\nwillpower is only temporary.<\/p>\n
We have talked about the principles of controlled meditation
\nor subconscious programming before (The Jakarta Post, Aug.8,
\n1999). Here, we are getting acquainted with the practice to help
\nlose weight quite effortlessly. This is not to be meant as quick
\nfixes. You still have to watch your food intake and you still
\nhave to work out. The difference is, this will no longer be a
\ntorment to you as it would otherwise be without subconscious
\nprogramming.<\/p>\n
There are five component parts to subconscious programming:
\nmotivation, relaxation, concentration, imagination and
\nautosuggestion. What you need to do first is to acknowledge the
\nbad habits that make you overweight. It is usually overeating
\ncombined with a lack of exercise. You should also identify
\nwhether there are underlying emotional problems that induce you
\nto overeat, such as being in a bad relationship, low self-esteem,
\nstress, etc.<\/p>\n
You really have to feel a strong desire to change and lose
\nweight. Decide how much weight you would like to lose and within
\nwhat length of time. The most desirable weight for anyone is the
\nweight at which a person looks and feels best. Height, bone
\nstructure and muscular development must all be taken into
\naccount.<\/p>\n
To keep your motivation high, you could take out your favorite
\noutfit you have hidden away in the closet because it's too small
\nto wear and\/or a picture of your previously slim figure, or a
\npicture of someone else whom you want to, and think you could,
\nlook like. It's important to be realistic at this point. If you
\nhave always been a large-framed person with a minimum weight of
\n90 kg as an adult, there's not much point in aspiring to look
\nlike Elle McPherson or Ricky Martin. You may eventually be able
\nto look like them, but that will be an added bonus when you do.
\nWhat you need to take into account is the failure to achieve an
\nexcessively ambitious ideal can be a demoralizing to you. Look at
\nthe picture(s) several times a day, or hang it on your bathroom
\ndoor or the place you usually weigh yourself. That will be your
\nnew self-image you truly believe you can achieve.<\/p>\n
A useful goal setting strategy is scheduling your goal into
\nsmall achievable pieces. The thought of losing 18 kg in six
\nmonths may be too overwhelming, but spacing it into three kilos a
\nmonth, will allow you a sense of achievement that will keep you
\nfocused and your spirits high. If you are really overweight and
\nhave been like that for a long time, probably it would be wiser
\nto be generous with your time frame. Don't set yourself up to be
\na failure. Losing unwanted fat in a seemingly interminable time
\nframe is fine as long as you know that you are making constant
\nprogress and you are getting there step by step. Besides, many
\nwill attest that losing weight drastically will only be temporary
\nand may be accompanied with various unwanted side effects. Keep
\nrecords of your progress and congratulate yourself when you have
\nimproved upon your previous performance. You have only yourself
\nto beat.<\/p>\n
After you are done with the above mental preparation, you can
\nnow start practicing. Find a place you feel at ease and with a
\nminimum of interruptions. You can choose sitting or lying down or
\nany position comfortable to you. At home you may want to try
\nlying down since that is the most effective way to induce
\nrelaxation.<\/p>\n
The challenge is not to get too relaxed that you'll fall
\nasleep when you go too deep into the theta state (the state in
\nwhich the brain radiates waves of four to seven cycles per
\nsecond). Put your hands on your lap if you are sitting, or rest
\nthem interwoven on your stomach. You can have your favorite slow
\nmusic on, only make sure its not too loud. Baroque music at 60
\nto 70 beats per minute, as has been shown by researchers studying
\nbrain waves, is ideal to stimulate alpha waves, the brain waves
\nassociated with relaxation. This state is conducive to learning
\nand serves as a gateway to the subconscious mind. Some of the
\nbest baroque composers include Bach, Boccherini, Corelli, Fasch,
\nHandel, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert and Vivaldi.<\/p>\n
Breath deeply and very slowly. Let go of all thoughts, worries
\nand concerns. Just let yourself daydream. You may want to imagine
\nthe spectacular scenery of Alpine mountains, or the serenity of
\nLake Toba. Keep breathing deeply and slowly for about 10 minutes
\nthen start autosuggestion to loosen up your muscles even further.
\nSay mentally, "My entire body is becoming heavier and heavier ...
\nmy arms, heavy, limp and relaxed ... legs limp and heavy and
\nrelaxed ... feet are becoming relaxed ... relaxed all over."<\/p>\n
Special attention should be given to each mentioned part. You
\ncan also suggest, "My left foot is so heavy I can't lift it."
\nAnd then try to lift it. You will notice that your left foot
\nsomehow resists.<\/p>\n
Now, count backward from 50 to zero. When you are well versed
\nto this exercise, you can count only from 10 to zero. With each
\ncount, repeat this in your mind, "I'm going deeper and deeper
\ninto sleep with every count." When you get to zero, you should
\nfeel very relaxed and thus, you are ready to reprogram your
\nsubconscious mind.<\/p>\n
Say mentally, "Every day in every way, I'm getting better,
\nbetter and better."<\/p>\n
In your mind, project your current image: overweight, feeling
\nbad, lack of self-confidence, miserable or anything about
\nyourself that you want to change. Quickly, superimpose your new
\nself-image over your unwanted image: slim, happy, attractive,
\nhealthy, energized, self-confident, or perhaps in a sexy swimming
\nsuit you have not dared to wear for a long time. If you have
\nunderlying emotional problems, imagine yourself having solved
\nthose problems. You have become a new person that is seen with
\nlove and admiration by people around you. In your mind, you are
\nnow having a fulfilling relationship, a satisfying job, a loving
\npartner, a supportive group of close friends. Be sure at every
\nstage that it is happening or could be achieved anytime soon.
\nEnjoy the overwhelming feeling of being a "new you" for a while.<\/p>\n
Foods<\/p>\n
Now, visualize yourself refusing the foods you usually can't
\nresist. Imagine yourself content to have low calorie foods, such
\nas salad and fruits and having regular exercise easily. Feel the
\nsensation of your toned skin and flat tummy. How wonderful it is
\nnow to be able to see your toes again!<\/p>\n
The key is to link as much pain as possible to your current
\nstate (not changing) and as much pleasure as possible to your
\nideal self you are working on (changing).<\/p>\n
Say this several times: "I am slim. I am attractive. I only
\neat (like) healthy, non-fattening foods. I work out regularly."
\nIf you feel ridiculous since you are not any of the above,
\nrephrase the sentences: "I'm getting slim. I'm becoming
\nattractive. I prefer to eat healthy, non-fattening foods. I
\nprefer to work out regularly." Remember, you have to believe in
\nwhat you say.<\/p>\n
Stay for 15 to 20 minutes, when you finish, say mentally, "I
\nwill slowly come out as I count from one to five, feeling wide
\nawake and better than before. "One ... two ... prepare to open
\nmy eyes ... three ... open eyes ... four ... five ... eyes open,
\nwide awake, feeling better than before."<\/p>\n
Do this exercise several times a day and just as you are
\ndrifting into sleep every night. To sustain your acquired change,
\nit is also vital to reward yourself as soon as you take some
\nspecific actions or make any positive emotional progress however
\nsmall it is, like choosing to walk around your complex instead of
\npaying a visit to the nearest Dunkin Donuts.<\/p>\n
The last, and this is absolutely critical to establishing
\nlong-term change is you need to create a new, empowering
\nalternative to replace your old patterns or habits. If you
\nusually snack in front of the TV in your spare time even when you
\ndon't really feel like watching that silly local soap opera, you
\ncan't just do nothing now because very likely this idleness will
\nbring you back to that old habit. You should instead find
\nanother activity, preferably the one that will boost your self-
\nworth such as cleaning up your messy bedroom or gardening. Make
\ndaily personal accomplishments, however small, your new way of
\nlife.<\/p>\n
The more you are content with yourself and the result of your
\nnew patterns, the more you are motivated to achieve more and the
\neasier it becomes.<\/p>\n
I lost five kilos in about five months using this method. It
\ndoesn't sound awfully impressive, but I wasn't particularly
\noverweight at 160 cm and 55 kg to begin with. The good news is, I
\nam not restricted to any unpleasant diet. I eat normally and
\nregularly have my favorite foods, perhaps in smaller portions now
\nsince I have reeducated my stomach and my subconscious, and I
\nenjoy my 30 to 50 lap swim of my favorite 25-meter pool, three or
\nfive days a week without having to force myself into it.<\/p>\n
-- The writer is director of the Satori Foundation, a center
\nfor study and development of human excellence through mind
\nprogramming and meditation techniques.<\/p>",
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