NLP Submodalities

NLP Submodalities are "HTML for the brain". It's how the brain codes data so we know what we like and what we don't like... what 's good for us and what's not...what's real and what's imagined.

The term "modalities" describe our modes of taking in sensory data. These are our sensory input channels; visual, auditory, kinesthetic (touch), olfactory (smell) and gustatory (taste). These sensory modalities are referred to as representational systems in NLP terms.

NLP submodalities are the fine distinctions we can notice in each modality or "rep system". Along the lines of the movie analogy, they are often referred to as cinematic features.

Some visual submodalities to look for are... is it in B&W or color... is it a snapshot or moving picture... sharp or blurry... big or small... where is it located, front and center or up and to the left?

Some examples of auditory submodalities to listen for are... is it loud or soft...what's the tone... pitch... is it close or far away...muffled or clear?

Some Kinesthetic (touch) submodalities to grasp might be... rough or smooth...heavy or light...what texture is it... are there any physical sensations attached...sharp or dull.. does it seem to have a temperature?

In a live theater they create an experience for us with the use of cinematic features such as zooming in or zooming out, using certain music to create a mood or accentuate a feeling, fading out of one point in time and back into another (flashbacks).

Movie directors can take you on an emotional rollercoaster ride with the use of NLP submodalities suddenly changing frames to something totally unexpected...like two people leisurely riding in a car who suddenly get crushed by a truck running a light as they are passing through an intersection.

Sudden submodality shifts can do the same thing in the theater of your mind. These submodality shifts can create experiences of varying intensity... If the shift is intense enough it can code in another choice of reaction (or network) for the subconscious mind.

This process doesn't get rid of the unwanted network of behavior, belief or other cognition...it simply provides the brain another choice. The subconscious mind then chooses the best option.

Click on the following link to download a PDF file of various submodality distinctions.

NLP Submodalities Exercises

• Lemon test... Let’s try some experiments to see how NLP submodalities work. First, close you eyes and visualize a lemon just floating on its own in space out in front of you.

  Make the lemon spin slowly as it hangs there in space... Notice the texture of the lemon skin... see a droplet of water sliding down the side of the lemon... and falling away... as the lemon slowly turns.

  Now, imagine reaching out and taking hold of the lemon with one hand. Notice if there is a temperature to the lemon... Feel the waxy, bumpy texture of the lemon’s skin.

  Now, imagine putting the lemon down on a cutting board and slicing it in half with a knife... feel and hear the knife cutting through the lemon.

  Now, hold the open part of one half of the lemon under your nose... smell that fresh lemon... Now take a bite into the lemon as the juice drips down your chin...

  When did you start to salivate?

  Click the Arrow to Play the Lemon Test

• Apple Orchard...Let's try it with an apple now... it matters not what color the apple is so pick your favorite one...Now, see that apple spinning in mid-air...notice the droplet of water dripping down the side as you reach out and grasp the apple.

  Now, laying the apple on the cutting board...hear and feel the knife slice cleanly through the apple... good...take a big bite and hear the crunch of that juicy apple as you bite into it.

  now, as the apple lays there on the board pick out a couple of the seeds... walk outside to the orchard...scoop out a nice hole in the fresh clean earth... drop in the seeds and cover them over with soil.

  Now stand back and watch the seeds grow quickly...like with time lapse...into a small sapling...then quickly into a large, mature tree...notice the apple blossoms pop out as you enjoy the fresh warm breeze of springtime...smell the fragrance of the blossoms from that tree.

  Now watch as the blossoms grow quickly into nice big...ripe apples of your favorite variety... ready to pick... now reach up and pick the best looking one...hear the crunch as you bite into that juicy apple... feel the juice dripping down your chin.

  Click the Arrow to Play Apple Orchard

Practice the above exercises until you can do them easily. Don't worry about getting an image like on TV...some people can do that while others only "get a sense" of the image. When you're ready try this one...

• Close your eyes and imagine an image of someone you really like.

• Notice where is the image located? Is it inside your head? Or does it seem to be out in front of you? Off to the left or right? Up? Down and left?

• Is it color or black-and-white? Big or small? Somewhere in between?

• Does the image have a shape? A border? Flat or 3-D?

• It is bright? Dark? Dingy?

• Put that image aside for the moment.

• Now, close your eyes get an image of someone that you really don’t like very much.

• Notice where is the image located? Is it inside your head? Or does it seem to be out in front of you? Off to the left or right? Up? Down and left?

• Is it color or black-and-white? Big or small? Somewhere in between?

• Does the image have a shape? A border? Flat or 3-D?

• It is bright? Dark? Dingy?

• Now...see the two images at the same time.

• Notice any differences from the first image, especially location of the images.

• Ok... now try to switch the location of the images – try to put the image of the person you don’t like into the location of the person that you do like and the person you do like into the location of the person you don’t like.

  Click the Arrow to Play Friend or Foe

Most of you either cannot make the switch or, if you can, you are not able to keep it that way because the images will snap back to their original positions.

Some of you may even have experienced a voice in your head that said, "Heck no! I’m not switching them!" This is because your NLP submodalities coding system is operated by your subconscious mind.

Your subconscious mind will not give internal permission for any changes that do not fit with your value system. Now, if a change seems appropriate and okay to your subconscious mind that’s another story.

If we have internal permission, we can make changes in these cinematic features or submodalities, thereby editing old movies in our video library and changing our emotional state.

Use these exercises to practice using visual, auditory, and kinesthetic skills. When you're ready, open and download the following PDF file to practice some simple submodality shifts in order to see how they can be useful in your life.

Remember, intensity and repetition are the ways to build skills at anything - including NLP submodalities.