Auto-suggestion Sessions

Personality defect removal (PDR) means getting rid of one’s personality defects.The process of personality defect removal is a specific process, methodically and consistently implemented to overcome personality defects. Giving auto-suggestions to our mind is one of the important aspects of PDR process.

To overcome personality defects, one has to give 3 auto-suggestions in one sitting. This is referred to as an auto-suggestion session. Giving auto-suggestions with concentration is a kind of study by itself; hence, this process is also known as a study session. Contemplation on which personality defects to select for auto-suggestions,when to change auto-suggestions, how many sessions should be taken in a day, etc. is done during the session. The outline of auto-suggestion session is given ahead.

1. Selecting personality defects

A. Deep-rooted personality defects
need to be identified from the personality defect chart

Everyone has diverse personality defects. It is important to overcome the deep-rooted personality defects first. These can be identified from the PD chart. If in someone’s PDR chart there are many incidents of laziness, then this should be considered a deep-rooted PD. If a person gets irritated repeatedly, then irritability is his major PD.

B. How to decide priority of personality defects removal ?

• First priority : Give first priority to the PD that are deep-rooted and those which affect others to a greater extent. Suppose we have to select between PDs of untidiness and speaking rudely, then,to a greater extent the individual himself has to suffer because of his/her untidiness; whereas, speaking rudely hurts others and also leads to a rift between two people. Hence, preference should be given to eradication of the PD of speaking rudely.

• Second priority : Second priority should be given to eradicating personality defects that expend our mental energy. Suppose untidiness & thinking unnecessarily are deep-rooted personality defects. Due to the PD of untidiness, an object is not found on time and it causes temporary stress that results in wasting of mental energy. However, due to the PD of thinking unnecessarily, mental energy gets wasted continuously for no reason. Hence, the individual should give priority to overcoming the PD of thinking unnecessarily.

2. Number of auto-suggestion sessions

Decide on the number of auto-suggestion sessions depending on the severity of the selected personality defects. Throughout the day, take a minimum of 3 auto-suggestions. There is no upper limit for the number of sessions.

3. Suggestions on auto-suggestion sessions

A. Plan your sessions; for example, one in the morning, one during the lunch break, the third after returning home from office, the fourth before dinner and the fifth before going to bed.

B. As far as possible, decide on the exact time of these sessions.

C. Keep a gap of at least 15 minutes between two sessions.

D. Sit in a convenient and quiet place to perform these sessions. It is best to sit in front of the temple at home. To avoid distraction, ensure that you are not troubled by mosquitoes,insects, etc.

4. Duration of an auto-suggestion session

The general rule is that every session should last eight minutes; however,this can vary. The breakup is as follows:

• The prayer should be something like this – ‘O Deity, I am going to perform an auto-suggestion session. By Your grace, may I be able to concentrate and may the suggestions reach my subconscious mind. May I be able to overcome the personality defects of …, …, and …. This is my humble prayer unto Your Holy feet.’
• Giving auto-suggestions means paying appropriate attention to the words in the auto-suggestion and repeating them mentally. Giving it five times means repeating it five times; however, since the auto-suggestion in technique 3 (Rehearsing a situation) is rather long, it should be given only once in one session.
• If the auto-suggestion on chanting is to be given as recommended in technique 4, auto-suggestions on only 2 PDs should be given.
• In one session of auto-suggestions during the process of PDR, give suggestions on 3 personality defects. Auto-suggestion framed as per technique 3 requires 3-4 minutes and hence, select only one incident. The remaining 2 auto-suggestions should be as per other techniques.
• An outline of how gratitude should be expressed – ‘O God ! With your grace, I am giving auto-suggestions to overcome my personality defects; hence, I offer gratitude unto Your Holy feet’.

5. Regularity in taking auto-suggestion sessions

When the PD is intense, it takes two or more weeks for improvement to start showing on commencing auto-suggestions. This is like a physical ailment that sometimes takes longer than usual to overcome; hence, even if improvement is not noticeable in the beginning, do not be disheartened.

6. What to do if you are unable to concentrate
during the session or if you forget the words ?

At such times, write the auto-suggestions on paper and read each 5 to 10 times, or write them without looking at the paper 5 to 10 times. Writing helps in attaining concentration more than reading does.

7. When to change the mistake or incident
pertaining to a PD included in the autosuggestion ?

A. After selecting a PD for autosuggestions, make a list of mistakes associated with that PD or associated incidents and give autosuggestions regularly for one week for every incident.

B. If after a week you do not notice any reduction in a specific PD continue the autosuggestion for another week. If reduction is noted, give autosuggestion on another mistake or incident associated with that PD. Suppose you have been giving autosuggestion for not stacking clothes tidily in the cupboard, which is associated with the PD of untidiness. After a week, if you notice reduction in this behaviour, in the next week give autosuggestion on the same PD but on a different incident such as not keeping the office-bag in place after returning from office.

C. If after some days a mistake associated with the first auto-suggestion is repeated, repeat that auto-suggestion too.

8. When to change the PD in the session ?

A. After giving auto-suggestions on incidents associated with a specific PD for some time (Example – four weeks) the intensity of that PD starts reducing. Then, we can select a different PD for giving auto-suggestions.

B. Even after giving auto-suggestions for a week if mistakes associated with the PD do not show any reduction, continue the same auto-suggestion for three or four weeks. Even after this if there is no reduction, it means that there is mental resistance to accept that auto-suggestion. At such times, stop giving auto-suggestion on that defect and switch to another PD.

C. After some weeks, give auto-suggestions once again on the PD towards which there was more mental resistance.During the intervening period, when a milder PD is selected for auto-suggestions, it can be overcome easily. As a result, the tension reduces to some extent and mental energy becomes available to overcome the PD towards which the mind has greater resistance.

D. Even after commencing auto-suggestion sessions, continue writing the PDR chart every day.

Reference : Sanatan’s Holy Text ‘Overcome personality defects for a blissful life’