shyammonk

Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton H. Erickson, M.D, Vol. 1 describes a concert pianist who fainted at the steps at the stage while about to perform his first public concert. He did not try for ten years since he was sure he would faint and look ridiculous again. Milton asked him to spread towels of different colors and patterns on the stage floor, from the steps till the piano stool, on the stool, and the piano. Once at the steps, he had to decide on which towel to faint. Since the criteria to decide where to faint was a new one for his mind, he could not come to a conclusion, got till the seat, sat and got to finally play the piano without fainting. He was a good pianist and so his performance went well.

'Sit still. Sit still and be aware of the tension in the body. Where is it tensed, how does it feel, let the tension build – not intent on avoiding it or relaxing it.'

When i first read about sitting still and body awareness, i remembered what Milton Erickson did to the concert pianist. It will be reductionism to think that sitting still and mapping is only about new criteria introduced when mapping the tension, taking away the mind from wandering here and there. But looks like that is definitely a relevant part of the change – mapping on the body, seeing where the tension is, the intent is taken away from engaging in the fear and mind getting into the usual swirl as is the usual practiced behaviour.

Mapping the tension on the body keeps the unpleasantness life size. Magnifications from the childhood, stored defenses, all are understood to be in here, not out there.

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