Symbols are one of the most effective tools that exist to achieve real changes and improvements in life They can be one more tool in the psychologist’s repertoire of resources and also a means of change for anyone.
The symbol has very specific characteristics. Its etymology (sim-bollein: unite) tells us that It is capable of unifying various elements in a very powerful way: emotions, thoughts, culture and image And all this in a fraction of a second.
It is well known, for example, that the lotus flower symbolizes, among other things, improvement, since it is a beautiful flower that emerges from the mud.
Throughout history thousands of symbols have been used for various purposes, such as metaphors from the Bible or flags as patriotic symbols.
The use of the symbol is in continuous evolution And much more so now that our society is eminently visual.
But in this article we are going to focus on those that serve for personal improvement and change. To do this, we will take a step beyond methods such as the elaboration of NLP metaphors or the use of Jungian archetypes.
And the first thing we have to do is set the objective: we are going to develop an appropriate technique for both therapists and users which can be used both in consultation and in one’s own life effectively.
And the first thing we have to learn is to represent the symbols with the five senses.
The representation of symbols
What we normally call visualization is actually an active use of the imagination with the five senses Therefore, ideally, I usually do a short training session with clients to develop this skill. This training is usually playful and fun, presented in the form of games and challenges.
A second step is discover and use the significant fields of life for each person: working with a “Star Wars” fan is not the same as working with a craftsman, a very religious person or a computer programmer.
References are important, and symbols must be adapted to clients and not the other way around. Above all, symbols have to be meaningful to the person.
Another very important skill to be able to work with symbols is knowing how to play with tension and states of consciousness or mental waves.
It is important that the person learns a relaxation method that allows their tension level to be manageable. Here the different breathing techniques are especially effective, achieving immediate results.
Next, the person can learn an induction technique that adapts to your way of being, in order to reach a state in which the use of the symbol reaches its maximum effectiveness.
Although the previous paragraph sounds a bit strange, the modification of states of consciousness and types of brain waves are widely supported by science.
It must be taken into account that once a person learns an induction technique and practices, they can reach the desired state in a matter of a few minutes, without losing attention or consciousness at any time.
Finally, it must be taken into account that A symbol is something that evolves and changes as the person changes
Example
Let’s look at an example from real life, which I tell after having asked the protagonist’s permission to do so.
A young man, a bird lover, feels neglected and despised by a domineering mother and a family that imprisons him and does not let him evolve.
After learning to relax and visualize, the image chosen is an eagle: in this case, it is an eagle full of parasites in a dirty, small cage.
Through visualization work, the eagle leaves the cage and little by little, it cleans itself. Progressively, it spreads its wings and begins to fly.
The process that I have described in the previous paragraph took more than a month, in which the visualization was accompanied by conversations in which the client was talked about the concrete steps he could take in his life.
Little by little, the image of the eagle changed, becoming stronger and gaining more nuances Today, the client has become emotionally independent from his family and works in the world of birds. He often comments that on bad days, it is enough for him to visualize the eagle to improve his mood.
But let’s remember that the ultimate goal is for each client to acquire the skills to be able to use this tool for themselves.
Learning to use the potential of symbols
If we think about it, we are continually using symbols and images that affect us. In reality, the entire world around us is a set of symbols that have an impact on our interior. The challenge is learning to use this powerful tool effectively for our improvement and evolution.
If everything we have read throughout the article is programmed well, the entire process can be fun and effective, without ever losing sight of the fact that our ultimate goal is for it to be a self-manageable tool: that the person does not depend on no one to be able to use it.
