BASIC PREMISE
The Psychovisual™ meta-system is an audio-visual application developed by the Psychological Research and Development Organization. It proceeds from an understanding of the individual based on a definition of the subconscious as being one's memorystore, made up of desires, beliefs, habits and characteristics. Far from being simply a library of information, one's personal memorystore is structured and that structure is referred to as the Personal Paradigm, comprising one's self-idea and world picture.

Although the subconscious mind is an enormously powerful tool it is reactive. It reacts to the information that is fed to it (its programming). Both the programming and its reaction can be either conscious or unconscious (subliminal). To improve ourselves efficiently we need to change the programming in the subconscious mind so that it is beneficial to us - we need to feed it better 'food'.

Habits form when a particular response to a specific situation is repeated so often that it becomes ingrained, 'second nature' or automatic. The initial response occurred because it contained some hidden 'benefit' and this encourages one to repeat the process until it becomes habitual. Fulfilling that benefit in a different way is an integral part of reforming habits.

In order to discover the 'hidden benefit' that originated the habit, a new understanding of the habit itself is required. This entails accepting the fact that our habitual behaviour is controlled by our subconscious and that, in order to change our minds, we have to communicate with that subconscious.

If we take the word subconscious and substitute inner or internal then it can be seen that it is our own inner world with which we must communicate. This is often experienced as a strange concept for many people. We are conditioned to believe that the cause of our ills lies outside ourselves in the world around us.

This perspective however, leads to a situation of contention. What is required is an attitude of acceptance: the subconscious or inner mind exists to help us. The attitude required is one of partnership, of negotiation in order to achieve a mutually beneficial goal. The Metasystem's basic premise is that the solutions we need to improve our lives already exist within us and simply need to be recognized and understood in order to be used successfully.

THE PSYCHOVISUAL ASPECT

The Patterns
These are designed to help the viewer achieve a balanced, relaxed state of mind in which information (both conscious and subliminal) can be readily assimilated.

Our normal daytime brain mode is called Beta, with brainwaves of approximately 18-50hz (cycles per second). A more relaxed and comfortable mode is Alpha (about 8-12 hz).

We respond to colour and shape in certain ways. Different colours have different wave characteristics (such as wavelength) and these differences will induce corresponding reactions in the human psyche. For instance, tests prove that people confined to a totally green room all day will become drowsy, those confined to a red room will become irritable and aggressive, and those confined to a purple environment will become depressed. In certain prisons violent prisoners' cells have been painted shocking pink because psychological testing proved that a short exposure to this colour calms the aggressive instincts. (Oddly, prolonged exposure will induce aggression.)

Colour and shape are a kind of 'language' which can be used effectively to induce mental states.

Natural Brain Response
The brain, when it is presented with certain frequencies of light (or sound) will respond, or resonate to those wavelengths. Some years ago a series of epileptic seizures gripped people who had been exposed to the effects of disco 'strobe' lights. (These lights flash off and on extremely rapidly). The frequency of these lights had been inadvertently set to one which produces such a response in the human brain. The situation is well-known now and 'strobe' light manufacturers use alternative frequencies.

It is just as easy to induce a relaxed response in the brain by offering it the appropriate frequencies, or colours. The colour green, for instance, is known for its relaxing or balancing qualities, and it is interesting that this colour occupies the middle of the colour frequency spectrum.

Simple colours, shapes and movement can be combined to form patterns whereby specific states of relaxation and balance may be induced.Using a combination of both audio and visual input a state of mind can be induced whereby brain activity is synchronised between the left and right brain cerebral hemispheres (each of which operates in a distinctive way) and brainwaves are induced to change from 'beta' (normal waking consciousness) through to 'alpha' and then 'theta' waves (those present when we are in a relaxed state).

The patterns, in which positive suggestions are encoded, are used as a background to conscious instruction, in order to alleviate any personal identification with the images. Such identification might serve to stimulate particular emotional feelings, which may not be in accord with the goals required. An entirely abstract milieu is created from which new personal change can more readily occur. Presented with such a visual environment the viewer's attention will tend to accept more readily elements they can relate to - the voiceover, the illustrations and the plainly worded encoded suggestions. What is needed in order to gain maximum effectiveness is simply a balanced, relaxed state of mind, where different parts of the brain are working together towards a common purpose.

The patterns used are repetitive enough to induce a mentally secure state, but evolving enough to hold the attention. In the space of half an hour the viewer will also have received an even balance of the colour spectrum, so that mental activity does not become biased in any particular direction, but rather makes for a general, balanced state of mind.

The Encoded Information
In the 1950's a public relations executive named James Vicary discovered an ingenious idea for increasing kiosk sales in a client's cinema. He inserted several single film frames containing advertising messages into a feature film being shown so that they would flash past the viewers' eyes a few minutes before intermission. The secret messages were flashed so quickly that they could not be consciously read by the audience. In fact, most viewers, since they weren't expecting anything unusual, didn't even notice the almost imperceptible "blips" as these foreign frames sped through the projector. These frames contained messages which suggested to the audience that they should drink Cola and eat popcorn.

Vicary's revelation of dramatically increased popcorn and cola sales was an influence that led the National Association of Broadcasters in the U.S.A. to outlaw the use of subliminal messages on television.

The public furore aroused by all this led many researchers to conduct experiments to assess the effects of subliminal stimuli (information presented to the mind in a manner which is below the conscious threshold of awareness) on behaviour. They discovered that even though we are unaware of it, certain types of information reach our subconscious mind. The type of information received determines the type of reaction made by the subconscious mind.

According to the thirty years of research examined by Paul Vinet of Montreal's Concordia University, ". . .results from the available research indicate that, under certain circumstances, human beings are capable of responding to visual messages of which they are not consciously aware" (Vinet, 1984, p.49).

Back in 1971, British psychologist N.F. Dixon's investigations led him to conclude: "As a result of being tested in eight different contexts, subliminal stimulation has been shown to affect dreams, memory, adaptation level, conscious perception, verbal behaviour, emotional responses, drive related behaviour, and perceptual that, although a subject may be unaware of material presented tachistoscopically (too quickly to be consciously perceived), the material shown may affect feelings and behaviour in demonstrable ways. He has shown subliminal stimulation to be effective with schizophrenics as well as
depressives.

The important thing to realise about subliminal information is that it is just that - information. For instance, a heavy smoker will have years of information built up in his memory store that tells him "I am a smoker", "I have to smoke to relax", and so on. In fact he could stop smoking instantly, but it is a function of the subconscious mind to offer up suggestions based on the sum of its experience. If our smoker tries to change the habit he will be offered a lot of information reminding him of what he's done in the past -his habit of smoking. It will be difficult. He will be in "two minds". His conscious aim will be to stop smoking, but he will be bombarded with conflicting ideas presented to him by the subconscious. This situation is one of intense contention, and if he wants to succeed without any outside help he will have to consciously, and constantly, suppress all the suggestions being offered which are not in accord with his new goal. He'll have to rely on what is generally known as "willpower".

So, although he is only being presented with information, with mere suggestions offered up by the subconscious, he is suffering. He has taken these suggestions as being facts, and his acceptance of them have made them, for him, the truth. In a sense, our smoker is under the grip of a form of mind control. He is being controlled by his own subconscious mind!

As we can now see, this information does not, any more than subliminal information, constitute in itself any kind of outside mind control. It is simply part of the massive body of information housed in the personal memorystore (or subconscious) which makes up the self-idea, or Personal Paradigm. This is the mental structure hidden away in the deeper mind which is made up of all one's experiences, stored in the form of memories. What we like, dislike, what we desire, what we fear, and what we believe. All of it is information, and all of this information defines 'us', the personality.

Subliminal messages simply offer information directly to the subconscious mind in the form of suggestions. These are processed by the subconscious and re-presented to the conscious mind as thoughts, feelings, attitudes, beliefs, desires, aversions, physical sensations and motor activity. So, although we might think that we have just had this idea about popcorn or cola, and then go on automatically to follow the suggestion, the fact is that suggestions are simply that, suggestions. With conscious choice we decide to either accept them, without dwelling on them further, or to refuse and ignore them.There is no question of being compelled to follow them.

That only happens when we are unaware of this simple mental process and simply follow the suggestions blindly. For instance, if you'd seen James Vicary's subliminal messages and hated popcorn, you simply would have ignored the suggestion.

Since subliminal information is compacted in time, a large amount of it can be presented to the memorystore in a relatively short period of time.

The advantage of subliminal information is that since it isn't perceptible consciously - it isn't noticed - it isn't discriminated against consciously before it reaches the memory store. It arrives unmodified - it hasn't been censored or changed by the conscious mind. So a suggestion such as "there is no desire to smoke" will be recorded as such even if the conscious mind knows otherwise.

Subliminal messages constantly presented to the subconscious mind provide an alternative set of information for the subconscious to process. This information is then re-submitted to the conscious mind for it to consciously decide upon. The critical point comes when the smoker realizes he has choice. Once this point has been passed the subconscious will offer up information that coincides with the decision made.

Further, if the content of the subliminal messages suggested that he would feel very good every time he dismissed the suggestion to smoke, he would begin to notice this effect, which would subsequently build up by repetition and reinforcement.

So, information presented to our memorystore whether consciously or otherwise, will not make us 'automatons' any more than we already are -as creatures of habit, responding reflexively to suggestions, going through life doing what comes easiest - that which we've done before.

The only kind of control relevant here is self-control. Self control can only be real when there is choice. We can be slaves to the historic programming of our lives -or we can open ourselves up to new possibilities, alternative ways of thinking and behaving. All we need do is inform the subconscious mind of our new goals and our new self-image in as efficient a way as possible.

The subconscious mind controls not only our desires, but also our bodily functions. One of the functions of the body is to heal itself. To achieve self-healing or self-transformation of any sort, it is necessary to communicate with the subconscious mind. The subconscious, like a computer, responds to certain "languages" better than others. Imagery and symbols, light, colour and feeling are all effective in 're-programming' ourselves. These systems of communication combine to powerful effect with Psychovisual Therapy.

References:

DixonN,.F. (1971)
     Subliminal Perception: The Nature of a Controversy, London McGraw-Hill.

Silverman L,H. (1976)
Psychoanalytical Theory, American Psychologist 3,1, 621-637.

Vinet, Paul J. (1984)
An Experimental Study to Determine if Non-Obtrusive Captions can Influence Learning from InstructionTelevision. Montreal: Concordia University

Technical notes on Psychovisual Subliminals:

Pulse-time: 1/30th of a second (N. America), 1/25th of a second (Europe). [Duration approx. 10 times longer than tachistoscopic research instruments].

Message type: Associative, pulsed language subliminals not containing personal pronouns. ie: the terms 'I' or 'you' are not used in order to avoid confusion by the recipient as to whom the message is actually referring. The viewer is described simply as 'the viewer'. A series of associative terms are employed which connect the unwanted characteristic with distasteful concepts and the desired characteristic with pleasant concepts.

Context: Subliminal information is found to be more effective when used in context. The overt commentary creates a relevant mind-set with which the covert information can relate.

Entraining: Psychovisual programs utilize the theory that the brain will progressively 'learn' to react to subliminal stimuli.

Accordingly, there are approximately 70 pages of information in each 30-minute program. In addition 'semi' subliminals are used, which, although subtle, can be consciously perceived, thus introducing the brain to the idea that there is information within the patterns.

SELF COMPREHENSION
The viewer is given a simple, basic understanding of mental processes and the principles behind habit formation and personality creation. Understanding of the cause of the problem will contribute significantly to its resolution by the prevention of further unconscious reinforcement of the unwanted characteristic or habit. Conscious accordance with the goal will assist in the disintegration of the old 'program'.

The Psychovisual™ philosophy says that the cause of many of our problems doesn't necessarily lie in the world around us, but rather may lie within us. After all, stress isn't a direct result of circumstances, but of our reactions to those circumstances. Hence what is stressful to one is invigorating to another.

The programs demonstrate this concept effectively and show how a simple change of inner attitude can bring its own rewards. The Metasystem's stance is that the single most important factor in good health is mental attitude.

CONCEPTUAL MODELS
The Metasystem employs its own range of simplified, conceptual models, such as the 'fishbowl mind' to illustrate how the mind works. We 'program' the subconscious mind by our thoughts and attitudes. Then, without being aware of it, we do 'whatever pops into our head', which are the suggestions offered up from our subconscious (our memorystore) - which we programmed in the first place!

DYNAMIC IMAGERY
The subconscious mind, since by definition not being consciously aware, doesn't recognize the difference between an actual experience and an imagined one. So, by the controlled use of the imagination to visualise that we have already achieved our goal, our subconscious will faithfully record that information and present it back to us, in a strength proportional to how much of that type of information has been given to it. Visualisation is a 'language' that the subconscious mind can deal with.

Sometimes the viewer will be offered images, not necessarily asked to formulate their own. The viewer may be asked to use their imagination in a consciously controlled exercise in order to create a new Personal Paradigm. Eg: "Imagine yourself in a normal smoking situation, but not smoking."

AUTO SUGGESTION
The viewer is instructed on the method and content of statements/images to be made. This is a conscious participatory technique which may, for example, involve a regular recitation facing a mirror, or a written 'contract' with one's own subconscious. It has been found that speaking aloud or writing down an affirmation increases its effectiveness, perhaps because the information reaches more parts of the psyche than when merely thought about, or because the subconscious perceives the commitment to be greater.

GOAL AFFIRMATION
The viewer makes an active commitment by re-affirming their goals and the reasons for them, mentally to themself. The viewer also is encouraged to affirm their sincere wish to use this system to resolve their problem.

This simple but effective technique helps alleviate inner contention and promotes a feeling of one-pointedness towards the goal.

The organizing and defining of desires is achieved by the viewer (in their own time) physically writing down their goal, the reasons for it, plus all the benefits.

MOTIVATION ENHANCEMENT
A detailed mental image is created based on positive associations suggested to the viewer - advantages of the new personal characteristic which may now be enjoyed by the viewer. (eg: better health, greater prosperity, better physical appearance, attractive to others, longer life, clearer thinking, more confidence, less fear, improved relationships, etc.) A feeling of self-worth is encouraged by the ideas of greater self control and personal transformation. The desire for positive gain is stimulated.

AVERSION THERAPY
The same technique as above but working in a negative format. Disadvantages of the present state of affairs are brought to the attention (eg: illness, depression, anxiety, unpopularity, etc.) This technique draws its power from the theory that the fear of loss is a greater motivator than the desire for gain.

WAVEFORM TECHNIQUE
Used in order to occupy both cerebral hemispheres with the same task. The left hemisphere is engaged with the language portion of the visualisation, whilst the right hemisphere is used to create the waveform image. The image is first shown to the viewer on-screen and they are then asked to visualise it in their own time.

With practice this technique becomes very powerful, and easier to implement. With their conscious awareness fully occupied with holding this image, there is less personal awareness contending with the waveform suggestion, allowing the statement on the wave image to be assimilated into memory more easily.

When the technique is practiced over a period of time there will come a point at which the waveform in the viewer's imagination 'moves' by itself, and is simply observed rather than consciously created.

DEEP RELAXATION
The viewer is instructed in a simple relaxation exercise highly effective in releasing tension and promoting a receptive frame of mind.

POST-THERAPY SUGGESTION
A reinforcement and stress-reduction technique for use after viewing. The viewer is shown a technique for later use whenever the old response is noted. This is the 'Breathe Away' method. In addition to being a very simple way of releasing tension, a post-therapy suggestion accompanies the exercise. This acts as a trigger so that the old response automatically activates the routine. In other words, as soon as the old habit is remembered, so also is the technique for dissolving the old desire, and it is carried out immediately without further contemplation.

PHYSICAL REINFORCEMENT
The reinforcement of a desired goal by the use of physical activity - an additional help in breaking habit regime. With certain re-programming requirements (eg: smoking, weight control) some physical actions or ceasing of actions may be helpful. These include exercises, changing of physical habits, vitamin and mineral supplements, diet control, etc.