What is NLP...Really?

It was several months after the successful completion of my NLP Practitioner Certification Training that the truth began to gently wash in reassuring waves over my reality. For weeks, I had been gradually and unconsciously fitting together the pieces of the great puzzle that had formed in my mind and at last, the full picture was laid out before me, clear now, in the full illuminating light of my realisation.

I had known from the outset that my continuing studies were progressively untangling the threads of something very special and pulling away at that very last knot suddenly revealed the greater picture which resonated with meaning in a way that startled and then delighted me. The learning and techniques that I had accepted whilst taking my training were actually part of a much greater gift.

Standard definitions of NLP and even the rather dated name, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, really don't do justice to what the modern day concept has evolved into. The unfortunate come away from their training believing that NLP is merely a set of techniques which they have learned to satisfy a self-serving purpose. How much value they have missed, their vision obscured by the fog of process and procedure!

So, what was revealed when the last piece of the jigsaw clicked neatly into place? The newly formed picture told me that NLP is so much more than just a set of techniques. NLP is a compelling way of being, a whole new approach to being me and living the life which is mine to live. A new way of thinking that reaches far beyond the constraints of my existing neurology and into a quantum world of infinite possibility. Suddenly, the light bulb flickered into action and anything and everything became possible.

NLP thinking begins with an opening of the mind and with conscious and unconscious integration, bypassing the critical faculty barrier which blocks creativity and imagination and locks us tightly into logic. Who are we to impose our model of the world, our restricted reality, upon others? Releasing the chains that restrict our thinking, we are able to take in a vista of the world without judgment, with honesty, trust and forgiveness and with a newly realised respect for life.

Abruptly and perhaps unexpectedly, relationships take on a whole new quality. For me, there are three major relationship categories; relationship with self, with others and with our environment. The first taste of change comes with the primary relationship, the relationship with self. Finally, internal conflict is resolved, without either side being punished or defeated but with a mutual consensus of highest positive intention. Congruence is achieved through total alignment and the rivers of energy begin to flow in rapid torrents once more. The dams that have stemmed the flow of energy for so long are destroyed and replaced with a cleansing immersion of self-belief, confidence and contentment.

Acceptance of others elevates our relationships to new levels. By viewing each relationship from different platforms of perception, it becomes easy to appreciate viewpoints which differ from our own. Out of the blue, relationships become so much more interesting. Transforming the way we speak to people, both verbally and non-verbally generates connections which mean we can have anyone really hear what we have to say and listen between the lines of what we hear. Treating each communication newly and with wonder creates relationships which will last, with anyone, in any context and any environment.

Thirdly and of exceptional importance is our relationship with our environment, the vast Universe of which we occupy but a mere speck. As our NLP thinking develops, it becomes clear that, in the same way a crystal reflects the world cross its glittering, multi-faceted surface, each precious individual projects their own reality. Accepting that we create our reality, based on our own beliefs, values and perceptions, awards us with the unique ability to begin to mold and shape our reality. Projecting success is where success is conceived. If we know what we want, know what action we need to take to get it and know when we are behaving appropriately, we can embrace success and excellence in all we do. Quantum physics tells us that every point in the universe is undeniably connected, so whatever, you think you are you are much, much more than that.

NLP is about a thirst for knowledge. Sustained by continuous sips of learning which quench the desire for knowledge and understanding of self, we consistently push against the boundaries which define our thinking. We begin to expand our neurology and begin to tap into areas of the mind that have remained lost to us for so long. The expansion enables us to see new things in new ways and to move beyond the confines of what we believe to be possible. As comfort zones expand, we develop the ability to understand what makes people tick and produce the behaviour that they produce and change becomes possible. Increasing our mental capacity for ethical and desired change within the psychology awards a control over state, physiology and behaviour, producing miraculous results.

For many years, NLP has been viewed as the domain of the therapist and now in modern terminology, the coach. A contemporary world has now demonstrated the flexibility of NLP thinking to complete the puzzle of a variety of environments. Businesses across the world are experiencing amazing results through the introduction of NLP thinking into their organisational culture. Sports men and women from a whole range of disciplines are now realizing that optimum performance in sport begins in the mind. Seats of learning and education are recognising the value of understanding individual learning styles and strategies and of course, the coaches and therapists continue to enable their clients to produce amazing results and transformational change. Every week, around the globe, people are embracing their own personal development and pushing the boundaries of their thinking, creating new possibilities through learning NLP thinking.

Now, as a certified trainer of NLP, I am continuing my journey of self-actualisation and personal development through learning. I strive to ensure that every student I train leaves the learning environment with a full and rounded appreciation of NLP thinking and the knowledge that NLP is so much more than a set of amazing techniques for change.

For more information visit http://www.qfscoaching.co.uk