Forum: Other Topics

There is a classic experiment in sociology,that I believe someone in NLP/hypnotherapy replicated in a training ;that involved having a couple of people in gorilla suits walk around the traing room then asking the trainees to comment on the gorillas:most people denied their existence....

Personally,I do not consider it good practice to simply throw any sort of changework techniques at people with much in the way of neurological deficits. Whilst it may be impractical in terms of the time and complexity involved to do a great deal in the way of building in neurological structures...

Corrie: "wouldn't 'personal stuff' be the only relevant criterion in interacting with others?" F: "It would depend on the nature of the stuff, and the interaction." What kind of stuff would make it relevant, and what kind of interaction? C: "Emotions are excellent guides to knowing who...

"The only criteria that really matters: Accepting me as I am. This is because only once a person has realised emotionally as well as intellectually that every single thing they see in other people is their own "stuff", then do they really understand projection. And as projection is the core, the...

I've just been re-reading part of Macbeth and came across this passage with Macbeth talking to the Doctor about Lady Macbeth who is sleep walking ("Out damned spot!" etc) after the murder of Duncan. It seems Shakespeare (via the Doctor character) had more than a passing understanding of...

Many people know how interested David Grove was in ancient hieroglyphics, and some will know his process for an emergent-space exploring of the spaces within and around symbols or letters. Over the last year or two I've met a few "dyslexics" and "autists"; and a while ago a few of us agreed...

The February edition of Psychologies magazine, on sale now, has an interview with Wendy about Clean Language. The sub-editors have given it the headline 'How to get anyone to tell you anything' and the cover line is 'How to get anyone to open up". Which set me wondering, do you think this is...

Hi, there! I'm using SM & CL since summer'08 and I must say that it is the most powerful tech I ever used. Where some tech "stopped working" SM just started :) But I found some difficulties then working with some clients: 1) some of them, then I ask "And What Would You Like To HH", they...

Information can take a different meaning when put in a different context. E.g. "Order versus entropy; structure versus chaos; categorising versus networking; hierarchy versus democracy." If I put it here, you can't move it around any more.

Hi, can anyone give me a reference for the often-quoted research that concluded we use around four metaphors a minute in conversation, please? Judy

Working on an event recently, I was struck by the difficulty faced by non-mother-tongue-English speakers in global companies who have to make presentations in English to other non-mother-tongue-English speakers when they get together for a conference. During one particularly ambitious...

Hi - I am doing some work for the managers of a charity that provides housing for vulnerable people (long-term homeless, drug addicts etc etc). They also want their front-line staff (ie the people who work directly with the vulnerable service users) to have some further training in handling...

When Dee Berridge and I were first training Clean Language in 1997 we applied the metaphor landscapes all over the place. One surprisingly effective way we used it was in setting states before working together to help get an outcome for the event and to work out how best to support one another,...

How do we promote and “sell” Clean Language and Symbolic Modelling? It’s a question that’s been exercising my mind for months – and on Small Change Company's Module 5 this week (which was fantastic, by the way) I had the chance to sound out other people’s views. Below are brief notes of one...

"However, if we discover a complete theory, it should in time be understandable by everyone, not by a few scientists. Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists and just ordinary people, be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find...

Would any one* be interested in a day's training on close up magic? A Friday in February or March, possibly in Buckinghamshire (maybe London It will be with a very entertaining, skilful, professional magician. * more spefically, between six and 12 people! Normal cost £250, special price...

Clean questions about the Games we play (more about Psychological Games in a future post), Crafty because the model is designed to increase and enhance the listening attributes of Curiosity, Rapport, Assertiveness, Focus, Thoughtfulness and a Yes! attitude. And what kind of curiosity is that...

I have heard David Grove describe the word 'intelligence' as coming from the Latin 'inter' and 'legere' and therefore meaning 'to read between the lines', an interpreation I have always liked. After a recent session where one of the words my client had used a lot was 'intelligent', I...

I have rewritten the article on Clean Language on Wikipedia, since it was edited and deleted down by others because the first version sounded to promotional. It would be great if some of you would read it and improve on my English, as well as add and correct. It is extremely simple, and you...

Me being Michael Mallows! Having recently returned from the Northern school of NLP, facilitating 2.5 days of the first (of five over the next two years) five day modules for NLP master-pracitioners who are training , under the eagle and elegant eyes of Penny and James, to qualify as NLPtc...

Hello First of all I would like to thanks Phil for checking my humanness, and I would like to thank the rest of you for making, the forum so clean. I am very new to Clean language, yet Not so to NLP, which I have had a fifteen year love affair with. My scope in NLP as been with...

Hello, THe idea I have found useful from emergent knowledge is the idea that from a few simple rules, diverse outcomes can emerge, depending on the system to which the rules are introduced. One fine example is the FISH phenomenon, with four simple rules, to be introduced into workplaces,...

Hello, On the subject of metaphors you use for yourself & others, while in a therapeutic context, the usual metaphors are: Coach Guide Practitioner As I considered the functions of a guide, it occured to me that the guide is pressuposed to have knowledge of the terrain. In a...

Robert G mentions recursion in another post in this forum which reminded me of an email I wrote to James Lawley last month on the subject. Robert goes in a slightly different direction with his post so that's why this is not a direct reply. Pardon me if the writing is not fully clear or elegant -...

Hello, The connection between recursive language patterns and computer programming may hold an important key for clean language. When a computer can be programmed to display the questions, record the answers, then it can group the answers to "that's like what?" and then bring forward in...

For me, making the stand-alone noun Clean from the adjective was a useful distinction. I think it was Judy Rees who did this - am I right? Elsewhere I talk about one meaning where it is shorthand for 'Clean Language, Symbolic Modelling and Clean Space'. Even more useful to me, making...

In honour of Gregory Bateson's life (May 9, 1904 to July 4, 1980) and the everlasting wisdom he offered for us to grapple with, I offer the following quote from his 1967 position paper for the Wenner-Gren Conference on Primitive Art, reprinted in Steps To An Ecology of Mind, 1972, as "Style, Grace...

I loved this, from http://www.realpeoplepress.com/booklist/new.html the promo page of Steve Andreas's new book. It may have a passing relevance to Clean? Six Blind Elephants Were discussing what wise men were like (never having seen one). Failing to agree, they decided to find one and...

Hi All Has anyone ever tried using clean language techniques with schizophrenics? My older brother was diagnosed many decades ago (here in the states) and the available health care is, to my mind, rather inadequate. I've been looking around for some method that would really help him and...

As in the title, it is Queen song: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/q/queen/these+are+the+days+of+our+lives_20112346.html Can you tell me what is the meaning of this song? Thanks

I would like to know who in the U.S. is most known for their support and teaching of Metaphor Therapy/Clean Language/Symbolic Modelling, any and all classes, college programs, extension and on-line courses available.

Following a conversation with Angela Dunbar and John Martin, Wendy Sullivan asked me to draft a discussion document setting out the "theoretical underpinnings" of Symbolic Modelling. I've now put this live on her website, here: http://www.smallchangecompany.com/Articles/Presuppositions1.php I'd...

Hello everyone, I am wondering if you could help me. My request is about 'The Show Must Go On' lyrics. Here you have the link to full text: http://www.lyricsfreak.com/q/queen/112470.html Can you tell me if there are any metaphors and if there are any what do they mean? Thanks for any help.

Here is a link to an article about a new book. "The Meaning of Like" http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3624479a4501,00.htm The worlds first treasury of similies and metaphors to be drawn from modern literature. I could not paste the link or the article into this text box so it is in the...

Please Can someone help.... I was lent David's seminar on anger, shame and guilt on tape, and I somehow lost tape#4. If you or anyone you know has this tape set, PLEASE can you make me a copy of #4...... and I'll be eternally grateful. I'll reimburse any costs, or If you live in London I can...

Recommendations Post a new topic here with the title of a favourite book, video, CD or other media loosely related to Met, CL, CS and SyM. Optionally, include some of your reasons for recommending the item - if you do, please keep it compact. Note: The 'loosely related' above means that so...

I'am very impressed by the book. What impressed me ... I found the information very straight to the point, very concise. So much even that in some instances every sentence seems like a lesson of its own. I love the language. It touches me deeply. What touches me deeply ... The logic....

I greatly support having a Bateson discussion group.

'Metaphor landscapes' seem very compelling, very basic to human nature, and relatively easy to access. So, though 'clean language' is a brilliant and refined way to do this, it would surely be extraordinary if no-one else in human history had worked with metaphor landscapes before David Grove...

Neologisms of 2003 "Anticipointment getting you down? Fed up with belligerati and jaded by intaxication? But don't be a stress puppy, it could just be the tip of the ice cube. Allow Mark Wilson to guide you through the very best of 2003's neologisms. What's not to love?" © 2003 Independent...

Nils Bohr said: "The opposite of a true statement is a false statement. But the opposite of a profound truth may be another profound truth." Take out the 'true or false' content of his statement and one is left essentially with: "The opposite of a statement is another statement. But the...