July 2008

Understanding your programming

by Dr. Robert Schiffman

While working with people and chiropractors for these many years of practice, I have never encountered a person who doesn't want to improve upon his or her life, or be happier. The goal that I want to reach the most is to educate chiropractors -- and everyone -- to the fact that life is based on the unconscious (i.e., dreams, desires, love, hurt…) and help them become more aware of their individuality so they'll know and take control of their life and destiny.

Everyone moves to a different beat, everyone is different, everyone is programmed differently and functions at different levels. The way you function and are productive is based on how you were raised, how much love you received and what you experienced in life as a child. These things remain in your unconscious. What you believe and perceive about life and what it has to offer are exactly what you'll create. If you believe life cannot be full and fulfilling, then that's what you will create your future and life to emit.

As a chiropractor, you should be able to assist people who come into your office seeking help. Yet, the negative things that fill your unconscious hinder you from being able to help them.

How you handle life and its changes, you learned from your parents. The way that you handled things as a child would be the same way that you handle life as an adult. It's possible to get easily overwhelmed and therefore not "see" clear choices right in front of you if your brain is so overloaded with childhood experiences that important information gets blocked or deleted.

For instance, people who have been abused as children or have had significant emotional experiences may come from a place of unconsciously feeling the need to feel safe and protect themselves. Because of the fear of being hurt, people can delete love right out of their lives and not "feel" it when it's staring at them. All types of information may be filtered out of their lives causing them to miss golden opportunities.

Or, people may rely on information from others to make a decision because they have learned as a child NOT to trust their instincts due to the mixed messages they received. This can prevent them from moving ahead and they can get stuck and prevent themselves from moving out of their comfort zone. That's why as doctors of chiropractic we must get these individuals educated about chiropractic. You have something that can help them overcome these situations in their lives.

Another thing people tend to do is distort information. There are many ways they do this. One way is by miscommunication. People imagine others don't like them (fear of rejection) or they can put the cause outside themselves ("you made me angry") or make a value judgment such as "its' bad to be angry." People also distort information internally to fit their beliefs, values and decisions and in many other ways that negatively affects their lives. Again, as a chiropractor, you must find a way to reach out to these types of patients and educate them about chiropractic.

The third thing people are inclined to do is create generalizations. Some of this is valuable but, unfortunately, most of the time it can be destructive and create a lot of needless suffering for all.

One type of generalization involves concepts and statements such as "you never" or "you always." Words used in communication like this most always prompt arguments and result in hurt feelings. Prejudice and chauvinism come from these negative generalizations.

Another form involves possibility or impossibility. For some people everything can be done. Anything is possible. Others place limitations on themselves such as "I can't" or I won't." Rules, in other words, create generalizations about what is possible or impossible or what should or must be done. For example, you can be a high volume chiropractor, your patients will stay, and you will fill the hole in the bucket.

Many of your beliefs and values are generalizations, too. Since they can create or expand your life, they're not all negative. What's negative is to allow them to operate automatically outside of your awareness. The goal, therefore, is not to eliminate them but rather to use them consciously in a way that can create the results and experiences you want in your life. Learning this is good, so that you can provide the best care and produce the best results for your patients.

After people delete, distort and generalize the sensory input they receive, they then make some sort of internal representation of that sensory material and it can be negative or positive. The more conscious you are of this input, the more in control you become to expand your boundaries and break free of your self-imposed limitations. This is how patterns are stopped, not only in ourselves but in the next generation as well!

(Studying under CS Gonstead ignited Dr. Robert Schiffman's passion for chiropractic. The Life University graduate's career accomplishments have won him much recognition, and he is one of the most sought-after speakers in chiropractic today. Dr. Schiffman -- founder of the Principled Revolution, Get the Big Idea! Seminars and Coaching Programs -- continues to maintain one of the world's largest volume practices. Contact him by calling 877-251-0181, or visit online at www.getthebigidea.com.)