NLP Submodalities: Coding the Human Brain
We experience the world through our five senses i.e. what we see, hear, feel/touch, smell and taste. They are also termed as VAKOG:
Visual – See
Auditory – Hear
Kinesthetic – Feel/Touch
Olfactory – Smell
Gustatory – Taste.
In NLP, we call them modalities.
These 5 senses or modalities have a finer details in it, which are called Submodalities.
Defining NLP Submodalities
Submodalities are the building blocks of our senses. These finer details lead our senses. We create the representation of the world through these finer details.
Submodalities are literally the ways that our brains sort and code our experience. In order to explain the concept of submodalities, you need to think of a pleasant experience.
If you see a picture of the experience, you are using the visual submodality.
Identify whether the picture is in color or black and white. Is the picture panoramic or in a photo frame? Is the memory in the form or a movie or is it a still picture? Is the picture at a distance, or close by? Is the picture dark or bright, in focus or out of focus? This is the visual inner representation of the memory.
When you are able to hear the sounds in the memory, you are using the auditory submodality.
Identify whether the sound is soft or loud, thin or full , timbre or resonant. What is the direction of the sound? Is the sound stereo or mono, clear or dull, moving fast or slow? Identify all aspects of the sound. This is the auditory inner representation of the memory.
If you can also feel the sensations within that memory, you are using the kinesthetical submodality.
Identify the intensity of the feelings, and the texture on your skin. If the feeling had shape, what would the shape be? If the feeling had weight, what would the load be? Did the experience feel hot or cold? Which part of the body experienced a sensation? Identify all aspects of the feeling. This is the kinesthetical inner representation of the memory.
For instance, we are more likely to remember a large bright picture than a small dull one.
Importance of NLP Submodalities
When we change the coding in our thinking, we are changing the meaning. When the meaning changes, our State changes. When our State changes, our responses change. Our state determines our behaviour. When we do different things, we can change our reality and our personal world.
In NLP, we use submodalities to overcome our unwanted habits, behaviours, phobias, addictions, etc. You can literally use submodalities in all areas of your life. In fact unknowingly you are using it. We have already talked about some of the submodalities like the NLP Swish Pattern in our blogs, but if you’re new to the topic and interested in learning more about NLP Submodalities as well as NLP, sign up for one of our upcoming NLP Practitioner Certification Programs.
Tell us what you think of NLP Submodalities. We would love to hear from you [ contact us].
