Satsang 12 : Auto-suggestion and A-1 Auto-suggestion technique

What is meant by auto-suggestion?

Let us try to understand what is auto-suggestion before we learn about the various techniques of auto-suggestion. Auto-suggestions are suggestions given by self to one’s own subconscious mind regarding one’s inappropriate actions, inappropriate thoughts appearing in the mind, or inappropriate reactions appearing in the mind. With regard to this definition, there are three things that are worth noting and they are –

1. Inappropriate action
2. Perspective
3. Appropriate action (Solution)

If we give auto-suggestions according to this, improvement will definitely be seen in inappropriate actions or behaviour and inappropriate reactions.

Different methods of framing auto-suggestions

There are various techniques of framing an auto-suggestion based on the mistake and the incident. For example, for rectifying mistakes by self on the level of action, auto-suggestion should be given by the A1 technique. For reactions in the mind due to the behaviour of someone else, A2 technique should be used. For fear of any particular situation, for overcoming fear or low self-esteem, A3 technique should be used. When it is in our hands to change a situation, B1 technique can be used, whereas when it is not in our hands to change a situation, B2 technique can be used for auto-suggestion. For creating a habit of chanting, one can give auto-suggestions using the C1 technique whereas if we are unable to see any change in our personality defects, we can even take the help of self-punishment that is bearable. These are the various techniques of auto-suggestions. We are going to see how to frame auto-suggestions according to the A1 technique in this article. Subsequently we will learn about the other techniques of auto-suggestions.

Just as there are signboards or milestones showing directions on roads that tell us whether we are on the right track or not and help us to take the correct turns, auto-suggestions work in the same way. We get the direction about how to think and behave correctly in a particular situation from auto-suggestions.

On which personality defects is the A1 technique effective?

By using the A1 technique of auto-suggestion, personality defects like lack of concentration, daydreaming, impulsiveness, hastiness, laziness, messiness, not punctual, overanalytical, attention seeking behaviour, selfishness, indecisive, egoistic, suspicious, over ambitious can be overcome. Inappropriate habits like drinking alcohol, talking with a lisp and bedwetting even after the age of 8 years can also be overcome using the A1 technique.

Formula for mistakes on the level of action

Just as in mathematics, there is a formula for framing auto-suggestions in the right way. If the auto-suggestion is made according to the formula, it would be highly accurate. We will consider the formula, inappropriate action + appropriate perspective or consequence + appropriate action, for framing auto-suggestions for mistakes on the level of action.

The individual becomes aware of his inappropriate actions, emotions, and thoughts because of the sentences framed according to this formula which makes it possible to overcome them. Let us understand the framing of the sentences of auto-suggestions using this technique through an example.

Technique for framing autosuggestion

While framing the autosuggestion, according to the formula discussed earlier, the inappropriate action should be written first, awareness or undesirable consequences come next, and then finally the appropriate action to be done in that situation should be written.

Incident and autosuggestion

Example 1

Suppose the inappropriate action committed is ‘I stuff my cupboard with my clothes without folding them properly’. Now let us examine the correct perspective or consequence of this incident according to the formula discussed. If the cupboard is stuffed with clothes untidily, the result is that it looks untidy or time is wasted in searching for clothes later or clothes get wear out quickly or non-satvik vibrations are created in the cupboard and vastu of the house. In this context, the appropriate action would be to fold the clothes and arrange them neatly in the cupboard.

Suppose we write this mistake in our chart, then we can frame our auto-suggestion in the following manner, ‘Whenever I keep my clothes untidily in the cupboard without folding them, I will become aware that it looks untidy and I will fold my clothes and arrange them neatly in the cupboard’.

OR

Whenever I keep my clothes untidily in the cupboard without folding them, I will become aware that my time will be wasted in searching for the clothes later and I will fold my clothes and arrange them neatly in the cupboard.

OR

‘Whenever I keep my clothes untidily in the cupboard without folding them, I will become aware that my clothes will wear out quickly and I will fold my clothes and arrange them neatly in the cupboard’.

OR

‘Whenever I keep my clothes untidily in the cupboard without folding them, I will become aware that non-satvik vibrations will be created in the cupboard and the vastu of the house, and I will fold my clothes and arrange them neatly in the cupboard’.

The perspective in the auto-suggestion may be slightly different according to the individual. We can incorporate a perspective in the auto-suggestion according to what is appealing or acceptable to our mind.

Example 2

Let us look at another example regarding auto-suggestions. Let us suppose we don’t have the habit of washing our teacup after drinking tea. If our habit is to keep the teacup on table without washing after drinking tea, then let us see how to frame an autosuggestion for this mistake. The formula for framing autosuggestion according to the A1 technique that we learnt earlier is ‘inappropriate action + appropriate perspective or consequence + appropriate action’. According to that, in the present incident the inappropriate action is keeping the teacup on the teapoy after drinking tea! The result of this action is that the teacup will get dry. Appropriate action is to wash the teacup after drinking the tea and place it where it belongs!

In this context, the auto-suggestion can be framed thus – ‘Whenever I forget to wash the cup after drinking tea, I will become aware that it is a bad habit and I will wash the cup immediately and place it where it belongs’.

OR

‘Whenever I forget to wash the cup after drinking tea, I will become aware of the untidiness and I will wash the cup immediately and put it back in place’.

Is your sentence construction correct according to the formula? Is the auto-suggestion framed for the basic personality defect? Is our solution based on facts (objective) and implementable? Consider these points while framing an auto-suggestion.

Example 3

Let us look at another example. The incident is ‘I forget to boil the milk at night before going to sleep, so the milk gets spoilt the next day’. You may yourself try to frame an auto-suggestion for this incident and after that look into how the correct autosuggestion should be.

The formula for framing auto-suggestion according to the A1 technique that we learnt earlier is ‘inappropriate action + appropriate perspective or consequence + appropriate action’!

In this incident, the inappropriate action is forgetting to boil the milk after finishing the chores at night. The result is that the milk gets spoilt. Appropriate action is to boil the milk at night. In this context, the auto-suggestion would be, ‘Whenever I am about to leave the kitchen after finishing the chores at night, I will realize that the milk gets spoilt the next morning as I tend to forget boiling it and I will immediately boil the milk’.

As a next step, to remember to boil milk as soon as the chores are completed, we can frame an auto-suggestion as follows – ‘Whenever I complete my kitchen chores at night, before leaving the kitchen, I will remember to boil the milk and I will leave the kitchen only after boiling the milk’.

If this technique of personality defect removal is implemented whole heartedly, one can definitely achieve 100% improvement in inappropriate behaviour and mistakes. Just as the sweetness of sugar cannot be experienced without tasting it, similarly, this personality defect removal technique has to be followed whole heartedly to experience reduction of the inappropriate impressions on our subconscious mind.