This question is marked "community wiki".

I am referring to Bashar's method described here of breaking additions by becoming someone who never had them in the first place.

If you have used this method to overcome a habit, or change behavior in any way, I would love to hear the details about it. For myself, I have been able to see myself overall differently by deciding that my "past" is such a nebulous thing that I don't have to accept it as my reality at all. I think it's is a good start, and has helped me a lot, but when I get down to details of daily living, I have not been as successful at changing things.

The premise is simple, and I do understand it in theory, but I am interested in your experiences of putting it into practice. In reading recent comments regarding the success @releaser99 has had with this method, I thought I would like to try it again, but still have questions as to how to make this work. As @Nikulas remarked, it was like Method Acting at first, but I felt the same way eventually, that trying it on more complicated, emotional issues for me hasn't worked well.

For example, what was your mindset was starting out, what was your inner dialogue as you went about day-to-day living? Did you pay attention to the change, or just shut out all other thought?

Any advice or insight you could share would be much appreciated. Thank you.

:)

asked 19 Apr '13, 12:04

Grace's gravatar image

Grace
5.3k1087

edited 20 Apr '13, 23:23

1

@Grace, thanks for asking this question. I was having similar thoughts about this method and was thinking of posting it here as question, but thanks to you I would not need to. You have put it in such straight forward manner and so eloquently, i could never have. I am looking forward to the answers to this question :)

(19 Apr '13, 13:22) dreamersmiles
showing 0 of 1 show 1 more comments

I think that to make this method work and break addictions easily it can help to bear two things in mind.

  1. Bashar says that every belief is a self-reinforcing mechanism. It means that every established belief wants to survive using different sets of tricks.
  2. In NLP they say that to establish a new behavior or change habits it takes 21 days. And I found this figure to be very accurate in my own life.

So if you want to adopt new beliefs/behaviors you must bear in mind that your old beliefs will try to trick you into believing that what you want to do is the very wrong thing to do. Your old beliefs will try to convince you for about 21 days.

Why is that?

Because every belief has to reinforce itself on autopilot without you having to think about it. Otherwise you wouldn't even have an identity. You would instantly forget your name and who you are.

An identity is a whole network of beliefs that reinforce themselves again and again and again in every moment.

alt text

Let's take the identity of being a smoker. It might seem as if there is only one belief. "I am a smoker". But because it is an identity, there is a whole network of beliefs and memories to it such as

  • "Smoking helped me in college to reduce stress while learning. Smoking is helpful when learning."
  • "It felt good to smoke while watching the sunset with my new girlfriend in sommer 1998. Smoking connects and is a lovely thing.
  • "I look smart when I smoke. Smoking makes me more likeable."
  • "Smokers have less stress in life"
  • ...

The list goes on and on. And all those beliefs are also connected to each other. So they not only reinforce themselves individually, but they also help each other out when one is at need. So we could say that they are really a lovely, caring family :).

And here is why Bashar's method is so powerful. By being a non-smoker in the first place you simply bypass the whole network of beliefs using just one thought. By saying that you were a non-smoker in the first place you instantly bypass cravings and withdrawal systems that a smoker usually would have.

However bear in mind that the old network of beliefs will want to survive...for about 21 days. And that's ok. Because every time it does, you simply go back to your new belief and bypass the old network again and again and again...until it knows that you are now a new person.

For example, what was your mindset was starting out, what was your inner dialogue as you went about day-to-day living. Did you pay attention to the change, or just shut out all other thought?

I knew that it would take some awareness to recognize that the old me would want to survive throughout the day. I knew that I would have to reinforce my new belief often for 21 days. I knew that it would then reinforce itself without me having to be aware anymore.

So each time my old belief wanted me to smoke and created withdrawal symptoms, I said to myself "I have never smoked in my life. I am the type of who loves greenpeace, wants to save the environment and hates all kinds of air pollution" lol.

And at this point it is a little bit Method Acting :). But believe me, it is so fun to be another person :). It might look a little bit crazy sometimes to others...but what is wrong with being just a little bit crazy when it helps to improve your life?:)

When people asked me how to quit smoking, I said with a serious face that I never smoked in my life. They laughed and thought that I was joking. But I was not :).

I imagined how it would feel to be that kind of person. And each time the old me wanted to convince me using different tricks, I immediately responded with that feeling of being a non-smoker in the first place. And what's wonderful is that all cravings and withdrawal symptoms disappear instantly in about 2-3 seconds if you do that.

It should also work on other things. Bear in mind that the thought "this problem is are more complicated than being a non-smoker" is just a trick of your old me that wants to survive. The thought "this method doesn't work on that" is also a trick of your old belief. I love Bashar's "trick-uncovering" tool here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWkeczoa9vE#t=2m18s

Maybe you should print it out and look at it every time your old belief wants to rationalize why this method doesn't work.

link

answered 20 Apr '13, 05:39

releaser99's gravatar image

releaser99
15.1k2697

edited 20 Apr '13, 05:41

1

@releaser99 - Thank you so much for sharing this. I'm sure it will be helpful to many people, and it is helping me. I don't think I had understood as much about the self-perpetuating nature of a belief before. The statement that it taps into my survival mechanism seemed a bit strange for a moment, but it makes perfect sense. It's actually a great strategy, because that survival instinct is so strong. It also highlights why it makes so much sense to just jump over all of that...

(20 Apr '13, 23:19) Grace
1

... and start a new moment as a new reality, and perpetuate that yourself til your own auto pilot takes over. I have another question: I'm looking at this with fresh eyes, and it has me thinking of several things I would like to change. From your experience, would you say its wise to try all of them at once, or give each goal that approximate 21 day to take hold?

(20 Apr '13, 23:20) Grace
3

You are welcome @Grace. "From your experience, would you say it's wise to try all of them at once, or give each goal that approximate 21 day to take hold?" In my experience it's a very good idea to change just one habit at a time. Because it's simply easier to focus on one thing than to focus on many thoughts at the same time. The easier it is, the more fun it is :). After 21 days you can change another habit.

(21 Apr '13, 06:46) releaser99
2

@releaser99 - This is fascinating. I'm wondering if it might be just as effective using it to apply to "non-addictions"...changing anything in your life by imagining an alternate past history where the changes are already set in stone, and making this your new reality.

(21 Apr '13, 14:15) lozenge123
3

@lozenge123 Yes, absolutely! In fact this method is not so much different than let's say Abraham's Focus Wheels + Positive Aspects. It comes down to aligning yourself with a new reality or in other words creating the feeling of that new preferred reality in your body, in your chest, in your stomach. For example if it's your desire to be a professional tango dancer, you could switch to a reality where you started dancing tango at the age of six and start "method acting" throughout...

(21 Apr '13, 16:59) releaser99
2

...the day. Or you could start writing positive aspects about being a tango dancer since the age of six. It comes down to practicing the new vibration/feeling/new reality long enough that it becomes your dominant state. Abraham would say that you focus on what you want to deactivate what you don't want. Bashar would say that you create a new reality. Same principle... just different words and slightly different perception.

(21 Apr '13, 17:00) releaser99
2

@releaser99 Most Excellent answer. If I ever feel addicted to IQ, I know what to do.

(21 Apr '13, 22:23) ele
1

@releaser99, I have been realizing all weekend that I have been using this method sort of loosely for a while now, just by basically dismissing my own "history" as doubtful, at best. It just didn't seem the same, but it is a more focused practice, isnt it? With a more specific outcome. And thanks for the advice, I will go with one at a time. It does sound like fun! :)

(22 Apr '13, 09:59) Grace

@releaser99 - In terms of applying this, is it more effective to use it like a focus block (focus on the "new" history once, and forget about it once the "set point" is raised), or work on reinforcing the reality of the new history every day for the 21-day period--as with, say, a journal of appreciation?

(22 Apr '13, 10:11) lozenge123
1

@lozenge123 I believe that I read somewhere how @Stingray wrote that he molds a FB topic to a good feeling place and then forgets about it. I think this requires you to trust in the universe and your own manifesting abilities enough so you can relax. However for me this approach doesn't work. I think this is because I'm far away from being that advanced. What works for me is to practice my vibration as Abraham would say often throughout the day. So I would reinforce my new vibration often.

(22 Apr '13, 10:43) releaser99

If you switch to a reality where you are a non-smoker, your withdrawal symptoms will tell you when to reinforce the new belief anyway. But if you want to use Bashar's method to manifest something else, I would highly recommend as an extra-tool to take advantage of the body-mind connection. For the example above this means: walk, talk, move and act like a tango dancer as often as possible throughout the day. http://goo.gl/Ro3Fu

(22 Apr '13, 10:43) releaser99

@releaser99 great answer, thank you so much for sharing your experience with this technique. I have one doubt that I would need help with. In LOA or reality creation one of the most basic thing that is advised is to make peace with what is, but in this technique doesnt it feel as if you are denying what is and want something totally different?

(24 Apr '13, 22:45) dreamersmiles
1

@dreamersmiles Yes, usually you have 2 options. 1. Ignore circumstances completely and live in your own world. Deny physical reality! (Very effective!) 2. Make peace with what is (Also very effective!)

So choose one option that works for you. Having that said one could argue that you make peace with what is when you use Bashar's method. Because you shift to a new reality where you are already at peace with your circumstances :). I have never smoked, therefore I am at peace with what is :).

(25 Apr '13, 07:42) releaser99
1

@dreamersmiles Also if you feel that you are denying what is and you feel uncomfortable, realize that this feeling is your old belief speaking that wants to survive. Old belief says: "This method is bs! Denying what is cannot be good for you! You will be in troube if you use this method (You will die!)!" But if this concept of having the freedom to shift to completely new realities doesn't resonate with you at all from the beginning, I would suggest you better try other techniques and methods.

(25 Apr '13, 08:10) releaser99

@releaser99, thanks for clarifying it for me. oh it does resonate with me that is why i was looking for applying it to my own life, but it just confused me in reference to what else i have read. this is great method. As an example, i have had some experiences past couple of years that I would rather not have had, I started applying this technique to it. whenever memory of one of those incidence would come to me i would just say not me not my past. My stumbling block....

(25 Apr '13, 08:41) dreamersmiles

@releaser99, .... is that i dont know what to put in place of that past. i dont mind where i am right now, just the circumstances that led me here were not so pleasant, but if never had that past what would i have. I guess his is where i feel i am falling short of applying this effectively. any insights would help greatly, thanks :)

(25 Apr '13, 08:43) dreamersmiles

@dreamersmiles "but if never had that past what would i have?" What happens when you try to answer this question? How do you feel when you choose what you wanted to happen in your life instead? How do you feel when you tell a different story about your past? How do you feel when you decide that you will live in a reality where your past is something you prefer from now on? Is it easy to answer these questions? Or is there resistance to this freedom of choice?

(25 Apr '13, 13:20) releaser99

@releaser99, wow this means I get to choose for each n every event what i would rather have had in my past? this is great!!!! (happy dance!!!!). I was under the impression that it would somehow fall into place when i decide this past does not belong to me phew!!! good to know. I would need to sit down n really think about what i would want the past to be. I have just taken baby steps not gotten really into it. Thanks for your response, I am feeling light, as if some weight has been....

(25 Apr '13, 14:14) dreamersmiles

@releaser99, lifted off of me. Right now in this moment I dont feel resistance to the freedom to choose a preferred past, what i feel is maybe I am fooling my self!! @releaser99, could I have your email id, if it would be ok with you I would like to be able to ask you few questions as i dwell deeper into it and the questions arise? Thanks for your help!! :))))))))

(25 Apr '13, 14:18) dreamersmiles

@dreamersmiles You are very welcome. I don't want to give my e-mail adress here. Don't take it personally, though:). Also I think that you will get much more and eventually better answers if you ask your question here on IQ. Because there are many others who know more than I know and who are more experienced than I am. So you will recieve better answers by asking questions publicly.

(25 Apr '13, 19:26) releaser99

@releaser99, dont worry thats perfectly ok, not a problem. could you please respond to the other things i have asked in the comment. Thanks so much for your input, i am feeling really different since reading the answer, i dont know specifically what but i feel as if something has shifted and i hope its not just my delusion and i revert back to hopelessness. Also, since the resurfacing of this topic here i have revisited Bashar after long and there is more of resonance within me than it ever was.

(25 Apr '13, 20:20) dreamersmiles
3

@releaser99- What a terrific bundle of life you've put into this answer!

(19 Jun '13, 10:46) Nikulas
showing 2 of 22 show 20 more comments

But I can remember the "old me's" history and memories so I do not understand how this works, even though it is working and has helped me this flaw is itching at me. Also all my friends remember the times I have smoked with them, which leads to more obvious flaws in this method. I understand that time is an illusion and it is all really now but that doesnt seem logical when I and everyone who knows me still know what my past is. If it was all now I wouldnt be able to remember all the things I remember, I can see a distinction between things I am remembering and imagining such as my actual past and my imaginary past I am pretending to have had in order to be the new me that doesn't smoke. A picture of me smoking doesn't magically change to me in a different situation does it. Can anyone explain?

link

answered 12 Jun '13, 12:22

lastplacefavourite's gravatar image

lastplacefavourite
69017

edited 12 Jun '13, 12:24

1

@lastplacefavourite - This would make a very good question. How about converting it to a formal question so that more people will see and have a chance to give you answers? :)

(12 Jun '13, 15:28) Grace

I was struggling to actually form a question out of what I was asking so thought here would be the best place. It bumps it to the top so hopefully someone will read it.

(13 Jun '13, 06:06) lastplacefavourite

@lastplacefavourite - I see what you mean about making a question of it - It's not an easy one to express... Something like how to ignore my memories? I related to you saying that you can see the distinction between your remembered past and your imaginary one. How do you blur that line in your head?

(14 Jun '13, 23:12) Grace

I have asked this as a new question please may you check it and see if I have made a clear point in conveying where I am stuck?.

(19 Jun '13, 06:40) lastplacefavourite
showing 2 of 4 show 2 more comments
Click here to create a free account

If you are seeing this message then the Inward Quest system has noticed that your web browser is behaving in an unusual way and is now blocking your active participation in this site for security reasons. As a result, among other things, you may find that you are unable to answer any questions or leave any comments. Unusual browser behavior is often caused by add-ons (ad-blocking, privacy etc) that interfere with the operation of our website. If you have installed these kinds of add-ons, we suggest you disable them for this website




Related Questions