Post by Tamrin on Feb 26, 2011 17:10:03 GMT 10
Couéism or the Coué method
[Excerpt - Article, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Linked Above]
(Émile Coué, French psychotherapist (placebo effect), born this day 1857)
[Excerpt - Article, Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - Linked Above]
(Émile Coué, French psychotherapist (placebo effect), born this day 1857)
Émile Coué de Châtaigneraie (February 26, 1857 – July 2, 1926) was a French psychologist and pharmacist who introduced a method of psychotherapy and self-improvement based on optimistic autosuggestion.
The application of his mantra-like conscious autosuggestion, "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" (French: Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux) is called Couéism or the Coué method. The Coué method centers on a routine repetition of this particular expression according to a specified ritual, in a given physical state, and in the absence of any sort of allied mental imagery, at the beginning and at the end of each day. Unlike a common held belief that a strong conscious will constitutes the best path to success, Coué maintained that curing some of our troubles requires a change in our unconscious thought, which can only be achieved by using our imagination. Although stressing that he was not primarily a healer but one who taught others to heal themselves, Coué claimed to have effected organic changes through autosuggestion.
The application of his mantra-like conscious autosuggestion, "Every day, in every way, I'm getting better and better" (French: Tous les jours à tous points de vue je vais de mieux en mieux) is called Couéism or the Coué method. The Coué method centers on a routine repetition of this particular expression according to a specified ritual, in a given physical state, and in the absence of any sort of allied mental imagery, at the beginning and at the end of each day. Unlike a common held belief that a strong conscious will constitutes the best path to success, Coué maintained that curing some of our troubles requires a change in our unconscious thought, which can only be achieved by using our imagination. Although stressing that he was not primarily a healer but one who taught others to heal themselves, Coué claimed to have effected organic changes through autosuggestion.
Coué was on the right track but his famous mantra, "everyday, in every way, I am getting better and better," was an almost meaningless affirmation. Consider instead affirmations with SMART criteria: (Specific/Simple; Measurable/Manageable; Ambitious/Attainable; Relevant/Realistic; and Timely/Tangible).
In other words, to motivate, a SMART goal or affirmation needs a deadline, not just "every day" (there'll always be tomorrow); it needs to be specific, something that can not only be conceptually grasped but is so tangible one can visual, feel, or even taste it, not just "every way" (that's so big it's inconceivable and unrealistic); it needs to be quantifiable, not just "better" (one needs to know if one is on track).
Driving SMART goals is the phenomena of Cognitive Dissonance, such that where one's reality doresn't match one's goals, one is motivated to resolve the dissonance. It's very effective — even magickal.
