S is for Senses
“The five senses are the ministers of the soul.” – Leonardo da Vinci
NLP teaches us how we code our experiences through our 5 senses.
The way that we remember past experiences or consider future possibilities can only be done in the present. We have to “re-present” a memory or expectation using our senses. It is like a code or a filing system which I like to call, the user manual for the brain.
Take a moment to think about your last holiday. You might imagine the bright blue of the sea, hear the laughter of children, or feel the warmth of the sun on your skin. These sensory details aren’t just memories; they are the way you have coded it.
The 5 Senses and NLP
In NLP, the 5 senses, (or Modalities) are called representational systems:
- Visual – Images, colors, shapes, mental pictures.
- Auditory – Sounds, tone of voice, rhythms.
- Kinesthetic – Physical feelings, textures, temperature, movement.
- (And less commonly, Olfactory and Gustatory – smells and tastes.)
The details of the code and the way we store an experience are called the Submodalities.
- Visual – The image may be a certain size, colour, close or far etc
- Auditory – The sounds may come from a certain location, willhave a volume, pitch etc.
- Kinesthetic – Feelings are located within the body. They can have movement, weight, temperature and even a shape and colour associated.
These details will shape how we react to the experience. e.g. a memory coded as bright and close might feel intense or urgent. Another coded as small and far away may feel distant or unimportant.
Changing the Code
NLP techniques work by changing the code. If you adjust the submodalities, it can change how you feel about an experience. Turning down the volume on a harsh criticism, or moving a negative memory away can create an instant emotional shift.
Obviously the experience itself does not change. It is the code and therefore the meaning and feeling we attach to it.
Final Thoughts
In NLP, your senses are how you experience the world and like the a user manual for your brain. In learning NLP it is like having a user manual for your brain. It is just like having a user manual for your car, you can fix it when it’s broken and service it regularly to keep the engine purring.
If you want to learn about your user manual, please contact me to find out more.