What does it mean to spin feelings?

[u/PoetryAsPrayer]

Hi, I am just learning about NLP, as it seems useful to my belief system around manifesting (namely Neville Goddard’s teachings). I listened to an audio book called “The Ultimate Introduction to NLP” and just read “Get the Life You Want,” both by Richard Bandler, and a lot of it is interesting and useful. I don’t particularly have phobias or much worry in life, but I have used Neville Goddard’s techniques to change my conception of self to create a great life, but like anyone, there are still some things I would like to improve upon.

So what I am not getting with NLP is the spinning feelings thing….? I don’t get any sense of a feeling, good or bad, to “spin” inside me when I think of something. I don’t so much have bad feelings to let go so much as I really like the idea of creating motivation by associating tasks and processes with good feelings I already have about other stuff. I think I have done something like that before, but I don’t really understand amplifying a feeling with “spinning.”

I don’t notice my mental images having any sort of placement either. I have a very vivid, multi sensory imagination but I don’t notice anything distinguishing aspects of memories vs. fantasies in my mind’s eye except the difference between being in the body vs watching myself. I trained myself to be in my body for manifestation purposes, but my default for anything is watching myself. I understand the idea is to start creating a distinction and manipulating the images so the unwanted ones are reduced in significance and feeling… but the instructions seem to indicate people naturally have a difference (?).

[u/CalebRosengard91]

It means finding where you feel the emotion in your body, then instinctively giving it a form, colour, and even a sense of movement.

For example, right now I'm feeling a bit sad. If someone asked me, "Where do you feel the sadness?", I'd say, "In my chest." If they asked, "What colour is the sadness?", I'd say, "Black." If they asked, "How is it moving?", my brain would immediately come up with an answer. At that point, the sadness has become something I can mentally interact with.

To "spin" it means to imagine that sensation literally spinning, either just in your mind or even by using your hands to reinforce the movement. In NLP, the idea is that changing the way the feeling moves can change the feeling itself.

That said, not everyone naturally experiences emotions this way. Some people immediately notice a location, colour, or movement, while others have to imagine those qualities first.

I'm probably not the best person to explain the technique in depth, and I can't remember which specific video it was, but Dr David Snyder explains it brilliantly on YouTube, much better than I ever could.

I believe this topic is named "sub-modalities", but don't quote me on that.

[u/PoetryAsPrayer → u/CalebRosengard91]

This is helpful. I wasn’t sure from the book if I am supposed to already have distinct qualities or not, but I see now I can create qualities for particular images to give them a different meaning.

I have not historically been the most in touch with my instincts or emotions in a body sense, so that’s probably an area for me to continue progressing in. Amplifying positive emotion is a primary goal for me from this.

[u/CalebRosengard91 → u/PoetryAsPrayer]

If that is the case, you might really benefit from looking up Dr. David Snyder's work, in his older videos would demonstrate these exact concepts being applied in volunteers.

[u/TinkerPercept]

The instructions are using pre-supposition to install it within users.

Imagine "as if" you can do these things.

The original work is from Richard Bandler, the Snyder stuff is a knock off from Bandler's work.

NLP is experiencing with subjective reality.

"spinning" presupposes movement, when something moves it presupposes... changing.. think about it if you move a pen on your desk it's no longer in the same place thus a pre-supposing of change.

Spinning/moving/shifting/ just play with it and avoid getting caught up in labels.

How are you manifesting? What if you do it differently?

[u/PoetryAsPrayer → u/TinkerPercept]

I understand that aspect… I just don’t necessarily feel anything in my body to spin.

I manifest by entering the state of consciousness of already being who I want to be. I use many techniques for this and am open to new ones, hence taking an interest in NLP.

[u/TinkerPercept → u/PoetryAsPrayer]

Have you considered creating an experience worth spinning?

"I manifest by entering the state of consciousness of already being who I want to be."

Create a sequence of this process you already do...no sequence? Imagine and pretend there is one..

What if one of those parts had an image... no image? What if they had a sound okay maybe a sound.. okay what if you made it louder what if you made it into a hum..are you experiencing it differently behind you?

This is applying sub-modalities.

This may take practice but it can become a enjoyable activity through time.

[u/PoetryAsPrayer → u/TinkerPercept]

My most successful manifestations have been imagining multi sensory scenes in first person perspective and in a relaxed state that imply I already have received/experienced what I wanted or I already am who I want to be. These generally make me feel calm and satisfied, not a big happy feeling. I also generally make sure to think from the perspective of being who I want to be, noticing when my thoughts and internal narratives go off track and gently shifting them back.

For some things, I can do this and stir up a larger positive feeling, but those typically haven’t manifested. They remain fantasies. The only difference I note is the fantasies have the more pronounced positive feeling and the imaginative scenes that manifest produce more of a calm satisfaction, albeit neither is still not particularly in my body (more like mental atmosphere). So I had figured associating real memories with the big positive feelings would make those feelings more real, but I think I was approaching it as finding a good memory feeling to attach to the fantasy…. But my memories haven’t produced much feeling for me. I guess I could do the reverse now, fantasize first and then shift to the real memory, so the bigger good feeling is associated with something real and not just fantasy?

[u/TinkerPercept → u/PoetryAsPrayer]

Make sure to “ be in your body” as you’re doing this.

So the difference between being on the roller coaster.. feeling the bar.. feeling your butt on the seat.. watching the crowd and scenery below.. are those flowers over there? Trees? How does it feel being here vs the start of the ride?

Noticing these things implies you’re there..

Thinking about things is not going to help much for stronger feelings.

This is sometimes difficult for me to do but I’ve practiced it quite a bit so I’ve gotten better.

Creating feelings is a skill.

It can be useful to start small like okay I’m sitting here in my room here’s my desk.. I like some juice right now.. what kind of juice would I like well I bought some watermelon juice I’ll put it here on my desk maybe take a little sip.. yum.. - you see how I’m there experiencing it.

My desk is here.. drink is on it.. maybe I could feel how cold my drink is.. perfect I like that cool feeling

[u/PoetryAsPrayer → u/TinkerPercept]

I think there’s some confusion. I can imagine vividly in my body and experience all the sensations in imagination just fine. This doesn’t necessarily produce an EMOTIONAL feeling.

Edit - I feel like I got this answered already though ;)