Thread: is it possible to plant idea in my subconscious?

Thanks man so just to clarify... Talking to your sc and asking for something wont have immediate results you have to want it? My problem is that I have alot of negative intrusive thoughts which i am trying to make more positive so i am worried that i may ask for the wrong thing and I appear to have a really easy time at convincing myself of things.

Here's the deal

You can't talk to your subconscious. Your subconscious is the medium that allows you to exist, every action you have ever undertaken was in some way dealt with by the subconscious. To think that you may talk to it is absurd, it is not a separate entity.

The subconscious is an aggregation of mental processes that are not within focal awareness, it is a component of your brain as much as any other. These processes interact so heavily within every part of the brain that it is virtually impossible to say that the subconscious is a separate entity. As you refer to it, as if it is a person and can think on it's own implies that it exhibits the exact properties that make us conscious. How does it make sense for the subconscious to exhibit conscious actions?

I don't want to be harsh, but this is the reality of the situation.
The best way to become a good guitarist is by practicing and getting your name out there. Trying to talk to an imaginary figure within your dreams will give you a small boost at best. As repeated a few times by the more intelligible posts here; the brain is extremely malleable, besides the fact that the "subconscious seed" you speak of doesn't actually exist as some like to propose, your ideas may change drastically over time. Ambitions are built through affirming your potential and by producing positive results through earnest work.

Of course there's no such a thing as the subconscious as an entity, the "talk to the subconscious" thing or the "plant a seed in the subconscious" thing is just a metaphor.

Point is, everything we think&believe and thus do&achieve is governed by the subconscious, which, I repeat, is not an entity, but rather a series of neural pathways built in time which fire automatically, without consciously thinking about them (thus "subconscious"). About 90% of our behaviour is totally automatic, subconscious. When we drive a car there is almost nothing we do conciously. Same goes for playing the guitar.

As for the "be a world class guitarist" though, it's truly possible to influence it with visualization and I have first hand experience with it. If OP was already a world class guitarist, he would have a series of experiences and beliefs that determine he's a world class guitarist, just like I have experiences and beliefs that allow me to drive a car. Since the brain doesn't distinguish what is real from what is imagined, you can install these experiences and beliefs into your brain. The rest is automatically filled.

Just an example: you are thirsty and you want to drink a glass of water. You have this mental image, conscious or unconscious, of you drinking a glass of water. All the steps between "I'm sitting on my couch and I'm thirsty" and "I'm drinking a glass of water" are automatically filled. Does that mean that if OP is now a rookie and he plants these fake experiences into his brain of him being a world class guitarist he'll automatically become one? Of course not, the brain still needs some time and "experiments" to reach that point, but it will eventually achieve it. It's just how our brain works.

What do you mean by automatically filled? In that same example it is just as likely that he could be distracted by something and forget to drink water all together. It happens to me rather frequently in fact.
The only reason you know what to do when you want to drink a glass of water is because you have repeated the action so many times that it does not require conscious intervention.
You cannot compare a series of motor actions becoming habitual to becoming a world class guitarist.

Most importantly though is that, the reason I said the "plant a seed in the subconscious" doesn't exist is not because you can't plant one, but because it outside of your control to retain it.
The whole method is flawed, since you cannot know what idea you have implanted. The subconscious is what regulates out deepest doubts and fears, if someone who is not confident enough in themselves (To learn something through repetition and hard work) turns to the "subconscious" to implant an idea , they would be equally vulnerable to implanting the idea that subconscious will turn on them.

At best this method will give you a little boost, perhaps some motivation for a week, maybe a bit more. Just like how you learned to react to becoming thirsty, the strive for becoming a world class guitarist should be earned through repetition. Unfortunately neural pathways aren't formed by taking to an illusionary metaphor once, especially when you know that it's a metaphor.

In fact you are not supposed to do it once.

Ok, I've been a little harsh..anyway, have you ever tried to do it? Do you have proof it doesn't work? (Ok, still harsh, I'm in a bad mood )

I'm feeling better, I'll expand on my answer ^^

Of course you can be distracted, like in anything else..the point is that you should do that often so that you constantly keep you reticular activating system on it and this thought gets stronger.

"Most importantly though is that, the reason I said the "plant a seed in the subconscious" doesn't exist is not because you can't plant one, but because it outside of your control to retain it." - False. Like I said, you simply keep repeating it until it sinks in, simply staying present and observing any arising fearful or doubtful thought.

"The subconscious is what regulates out deepest doubts and fears, if someone who is not confident enough in themselves (To learn something through repetition and hard work) turns to the "subconscious" to implant an idea , they would be equally vulnerable to implanting the idea that subconscious will turn on them." - This is self image related, but the self image can be modified (read Psycho-Cybernetics). Besides, like I said previosly, everytime a doubtful thought arises, you simply observe it and let it go (try meditation if you don't know what I'm talking about). Focus on the positive, ignore/let go the negative, focus on the positive, ignore/let go the negative and so on.

"At best this method will give you a little boost, perhaps some motivation for a week, maybe a bit more." - That's why, like I said, you are supposed to repeatedly keep doing it, hopefully till you reach your goal. Of course it's obvious that by simply visualizing that he's a world class guitarist OP won't go very far, he still needs to take action. Nonetheless, it's a powerful tool.

"Unfortunately neural pathways aren't formed by taking to an illusionary metaphor once, especially when you know that it's a metaphor." - This is still a doubtful thought. You should rather see it as a helping tool.

Well clearly that would work, but it is different to what the OP intended, the term "planting a seed" infers that you only have to do it once. Besides it would still require a great deal of work that could be just as easily affirmed by just playing guitar.
your technique could work wonders for public speaking, or perhaps gaining confidence for going on stage. That same potential just isn't here.
Confidence for a practical skill such as playing an instrument is best learned through repetition of the action itself, as is the ability to play the instrument.
Also I never really directed my first post towards yours, it was more aimed towards the first few posts.

I understand entirely where you are coming from, I did at a point gain a deal of comfort out of communicating with DC's as if they were people. It would be much more suitable if the OP tried to create an image that he could learn an extra hard song within the next week, or do a great gig in his local bar etc etc. The method you outline is suited well for small goals, not so much for huge goals that require an immense amount of work (and often talent).

No hard feelings by the way. The topic interests me, just looking for a good discussion

Yeah, first off I want to apologize..I was just not feeling good and I kind of attacked you..so, no hard feelings ^^

Anyway, as far as the "planting a seed" thing is concerned..a seed, even in real life, must be hosed
As far as the becoming better at playing an instrument thing, it's actually possible to practice the right things to do with visualization/LD. Michael Jordan did it when it came to having perfect shots and winning games, so it can be done as a supplement to real life practice with instruments too.

Anyway, yeah, it works wonders for small goals and it takes more time with big ones, like OP's one. In spite of that, I still believe it's useful because it keeps you on track and constantly having this mental image of you having already accomplished your goal keeps you motivated and lets you move forward.