ANCHOR/COLLAPSE
by Dianne Ruth, PhD

There are three primary types of anchors:  visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. Anchors are generally created spontaneously throughout our life.  

An automatically created visual anchor might be, for example, every time you SEE a baby animal, you go a little soft inside. An auditory example might be, every time you HEAR a particular tune, you get feelings of nostalgia over your first "puppy love" romance.  

A kinesthetic anchor involves a unique TOUCH, TASTE, or SMELL. The odor of fresh baked pastry might bring back good memories of grandmother's kitchen; the touch of silk might create feelings of sensuousness; or the taste of cold milk might associate you into childhood memories. 

This system will show you how to create your choice of wanted anchors such as feelings of delight, great presence, feeling loved, secure, powerful, and so forth. It will also show you how to use great anchors to simply and easily collapse or defuse unwanted and unpleasant feelings, usually from some situation or event.

When first setting up a stimulus for a knee anchor, it is easier to use the hand and knee that are on the same side of the body. Begin sitting up straight with your eyes closed.

Think of some pleasant experience while squeezing your right knee for a few moments. It may include feelings of being centered and grounded. These feelings are often experienced while resting in a special place in nature. Or it might include, for example, feelings of confidence, relaxation, or courage.

Go back into your memory and locate an event when you felt the wanted emotion. You might recreate the same posture such as having your shoulders relaxed while breathing deeply. The event should generate a powerful and positive response such as when receiving deserved recognition for some achievement. Then while still thinking of the experience, release your knee and open your eyes. Clear your mind by looking around you and taking a deep breath.  This is called "breaking state."

Ideally, you should remove the stimulus (let go of your knee), while at the peak of the desired emotional experience. STACKING an anchor involves repeating the sequence with several different experiences that reinforce each other. 

Now test the anchor. Place your hand on your knee again and squeeze. Keep your eyes closed. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and notice if those same pleasant feelings come back. If they do, you have an anchor. If they do not, you will need to do the original sequence again until they return.

Setting a Second Anchor

Now concentrate on your left knee. Begin by selecting a situation when you were dissatisfied with either the way you felt or performed. Put your hand on your other knee, close your eyes, and think of the situation. Allow yourself to re-experience it while you squeeze your left knee with your left hand. Then while still experiencing the event, release your knee and clear your mind. Test this anchor.

After clearing your mind, decide what internal resource or ability, if you had possessed it at the time, would have made a difference. For example, you may have felt tense. If you had been relaxed, you would have been more in control. 

Also, you would have thought of better ways of responding to the situation. In this example, you would find a time when you were more relaxed, such as while sunbathing, getting a massage, and so forth. Once you have selected your preferred response, anchor this feeling, for example, relaxation, on top of your other positive resources. Check it, then clear your mind.

Anchor Collapse

Now for the "Squeeze Knees Anchor Collapse." Close your eyes. Squeeze both knees simultaneously and hold them equally for about 60 seconds. Just continue to breathe and notice what happens. After the 60 seconds, release both anchors (knees) at the same time and clear your mind again.

The last step is to think about the original unpleasant experience and get a sense of how different it is. Sometimes it will be a little different. Sometimes it will be a lot different, and sometimes it will be completely transformed. Whichever way it was for you, you have experienced taking control of your life by changing your response.

Summary of Squeeze Knees Anchor/Collapse

Directions: Keep your eyes closed when recalling a memory. Clear your mind after each step. Test each anchor by squeezing knee for 30 to 60 seconds. Repeat the process if necessary.

1. While reliving a pleasant experience, anchor it, for example, on the right knee. Stack the anchor with one or two more positive experiences for greater power.

2. Review the unpleasant experience and identify the unwanted response. Anchor it, for example, on the left knee.

3. Select and generate a more effective and desirable response. Anchor it, for example, on the right knee.

4. Squeeze both knees simultaneously for about 30 to 60 seconds.

5. Assess the differences in feelings.

6. Fantasize two or three similar situations that you expect to occur in the future. Imagine how they will be different because of the work you have just completed.

Bonus

Whenever you experience a positive moment that includes good feelings, anchor them on your stack of anchors (right knee). If someone compliments you, and it gives you warm feelings, anchor them; if you see a double rainbow that leaves you in awe of nature's beauty, anchor that; if you win a prize or receive a bonus, anchor the excitement, etc.  

Now these anchors become like a bank account. You can continue to "deposit" exquisite feelings, then whenever you are feeling out-of-sorts, you can squeeze your right knee for a few moments and "withdraw" all those positively wonderful feelings again!

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