Posted on February 17, 2011 by Karen Waters
TAMING THE NEGATIVE VOICE WITHIN
(Note: For the purpose of this article, the terms ‘unconscious’ and ‘subconscious’ mind are interchangeable and refer to the parts of the mind that are not conscious.)
This is the second in a series of articles on the subconscious mind, the power it has and how we can access it to utilize its power.  Whether you are a coach, a client, or somebody interested in improving your life, this article will be of interest to you.
Now that we know how powerful the subconscious brain is, wouldn’t it be amazing if we could tap into it? This IS possible!
I’m sure that you’re aware of the little voice in your mind.  This is the non-stop voice that chats to you all day long, often saying the same things over and over. Unfortunately for most of us, the majority of what this voice says is negative and fear-based. This little voice is connected to the ego. It tells us things like, ‘what do you think you’re doing?’, ‘What makes you think that you’re so great?’ , or ‘You know that you can’t do that!’
Meditation – These subconscious loops, that run all day long, stop us from doing what we’re ultimately capable of and prevent us from being the truly inspired selves that we were meant to be. By meditating, you will be able to slow down or quiet this voice and this will allow space for the more inspired/creative voice to enter.  The word ’inspiration’ means ‘in spirit’.
When we meditate, we alter the brain wave patterns to alpha or theta states.  In these states of calm and focused attention, we open up the communication between the conscious and the subconscious mind. Meditation has also been shown to increase serotonin production which influences mood and behaviour in many ways.
One very simple way to meditate is to slow your breathing down to about 6 breaths per minute. To make it easier to concentrate on your breathing and quiet that internal voice, breathe in deeply to the count of 3, and exhale for counts 4 through 8. This slightly uneven cadence forces us to focus on our breathing and that in turn helps to quiet the voice. By doing this for as little as 15 minutes per day, you will start to notice changes in your life.
If you are new to meditating, you will find that you will lose track of the counting and will start to think of other things after only a few minutes. This is normal and happens to all beginners. Simply bring your attention back to your breathing.   Over the course of a week or so, the breathing and focus will become more natural and you will start to notice that you are becoming more aware and are receiving more ‘inspired’ thoughts.
Clearing Emotional Blocks
If you’re serious about accessing your subconscious mind and are ready to clear out the subconscious obstacles that have been holding you back, please see my article on Clearing Emotional Blocks.  I integrate this simple yet powerful technique into my coaching.
Karen Waters, MBA
Life Coach, Spiritual Coach, Business Coach and Healer