An Experience of the Subconscious Mind...
"The Pendulum"

By Betty Moore-Hafter

Our minds and our bodies are very interconnected. Although we're not aware of it, our body and emotions are responding to all the words, thoughts and images we hold in our mind. For example, if you go to a scary movie and watch a very suspenseful scene, the chances are good that your heart is racing, your breathing is shallow, and you're 'on the edge of your seat'. You may jump or scream when the dreaded horror finally happens. What happened? Rationally you know that's a flat screen and a fictional tale. But once again, the subconscious is responding to the images and the story, and you get a strong bodily reaction.

The subconscious does not know the difference between vivid imagination and reality!

Your body reacts as if that scene were real!

I'd like to give you an experience of the power of your mind. Make yourself a pendulum. All you need is a bead strung on a piece of light thread, any heavier object on a light string, even a pendant on a light chain. Hold the thread lightly between your thumb and forefinger, letting the bead swing freely. Your elbow is bent, your arm relaxed. Breathe deeply and relax your body. Then give the bead or other object a little push to get it started. Focus your attention on the bead and tell it to circle, think the words, "Circle, circle," say them out loud if you wish, and in your mind imagine the bead swinging in a circle. If it starts to circle, you can think "bigger circle, bigger circle," and see what happens. You can think, "other direction, circle the other way," imagine that happening… and see the effect. You can try, "straight line, straight line, back and forth, back and forth," and see if it begins to swing that way. Most people find that they can control the swing of the pendulum with their minds - and they are amazed!

What is actually happening is something called "ideomotor response" - ideo from "idea", referring to the thought that is in your mind, and motor referring to muscular movement. As you hold those thoughts and imagine the motion of the pendulum, tiny, imperceptable, involuntary movements are happening in your muscles. Although you feel like you arm is still, these tiny movements are being picked up by the sensitive pendulum, causing its movement to change.

The remarkable thing is that your body is always reacting to your thoughts and the images you hold in your mind. When you explore hypnotherapy and other methods of self-awareness, you learn how to harness this mind power and bring the body and emotions into alignment with your goals.