According to the famous psychologist, Carl Jung, the ego represents the unconscious mind, which works together with the superconscious mind and the conscious mind to control your daily actions, thoughts, and responses.
The subconscious mind (or unconscious as Jung called it) is responsible for holding all our thoughts, emotions and memories. It is like a child, in that it doesn’t really process those memories in the way the superconscious mind does, but reacts to them like a precious 5-year-old. The conscious mind is like a wise parent or teacher in training, and the superconscious mind, also known as our Higher Self, is the fully developed, non-ego consciousness that understands where we are on our developmental and spiritual paths, forever guiding us toward our next lesson so that we can grow.
We also have a collective mind (the transpersonal unconscious), as Jung describes it, that is a repository of impressions we have gathered from our ancestors. These are also referenced by Joseph Campbell is his breakthrough work naming archetypal images which we can all relate to, due to this transpersonal imprinting on our psyches.
We are all acting mostly from our subconscious memories and beliefs as well as our transpersonal unconscious, with the superconscious mind watching over like a loving guardian. We are given free will to grow at whatever pace we like, but we must note that the subconscious mind is creating about 90 percent of our reality. Our habitual thinking is ruled by the subconscious. Until we change our most deeply held thoughts and beliefs – the ones running constantly in the background of our minds, we can’t really create lasting changes in our lives.
Since the subconscious ‘thinks’ like a child we must speak to it in a language that it understands. Here are ten ways to more effectively communicate with your subconscious mind so that you can more effectively create change in your life:
Always talk to your subconscious in the present tense.
The subconscious mind doesn’t understand time because it doesn’t exist. When you use positive affirmations, be sure to phrase them in the now. For example, you wouldn’t want to repeat an affirmation that says, I will be wealthy in the future. Instead, you would say I am growing more wealthy every day.
Don’t focus on the problem you want to release.
Focus on what you want to obtain. The subconscious does not understand negation. If you repeat an affirmation of goal like, “I don’t smoke any more.” The subconscious mind eliminates the “don’t” and you end up reinstalling the same habit or behavior you want to correct. Instead, you would phrase your affirmative goal as such, “I am healthy, my lungs are clear, and I love taking deep breaths in fresh air.”
Ron Williams, the developer of Psych-K, a healing protocol which deals directly with the subconscious mind says that one of the biggest mistakes people make is talking in the negative with the subconscious. He likens this approach to hailing a cab in New York City, having an intent of going to Central Park, but then telling your cab driver, “don’t go to Times’ Square.”
Your subconscious mind doesn’t understand where not to go, only specific instructions for what you want to do, be, or where you want to go in life. Be specific, and talk to your subconscious in concrete, affirmative terms.
Use sensory based language, without abstraction.
The subconscious mind cannot discern ‘soon,’ or ‘somehow.’ It also doesn’t understand abstract goals. The more specific you can be about what you want to create, the better able the subconscious mind can aid the conscious and superconscious minds to help you obtain your goals.
For instance, instead of saying, “I am getting a better job,” you would communicate a very specific goal to your subconscious mind, taking this idea with you in meditation, placing on cards around your house, or using it with a hypnotherapist, “I make $100,000 annually working for a company in Austin, Texas, being creative, making people happy, and having fun. I love my job. It makes me smile. I am respected for what I do, and I have plenty of time to spend with my family and friends when my job is done.” The more specific you can make your goal, the easier your subconscious mind will find it to understand your conscious desires.
Of course, there are many methods to install new and better subconscious programming. Neuroscience confirms that your subconscious reshapes your reality depending on the programs installed in your mind. You can use self-hypnosis, subliminal suggestion, yoga nidra, meditation, brain sync tools (brainwave entertainment technologies), or conscious reprogramming – just remember to talk to your subliminal self like a small child. Keep it simple, in the present moment, and detailed.
To learn more about ways of connecting to your subconscious mind read my book, The Power of the Elevation of Consciousness: Soul Restructuring.