What is Neuro-Linguistic Programming?

By Rob Marmur, NLP Trainer and Coach, Certified Hypnotherapist.

Understanding Sensory Experience and NLP: A Comprehensive Guide

Each day, you absorb a wealth of information through your sensory experiences. You hear sounds, see sights, touch objects, smell scents, and taste flavours. Interestingly, auditory experiences can be both external, like the sound of a car or a conversation, and internal, such as the self-talk that NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) refers to. Australians, for instance, often enjoy a good coffee and might internally affirm how great it tastes each morning. Similarly, the sense of touch encompasses both external sensations and internal emotions like joy, exhilaration, anger, or sadness.

All these sensory experiences—both external and internal—constitute what we can label as "an experience."

The Study of Subjective Experience

The first aspect of NLP is the study of subjective experience. Every experience has a structure: you might see something and then feel an emotion, or you might say something to yourself like "that looks good" when buying something. Regardless of the experience, it will have sensory qualities.

Since all experiences have a structure, this structure can be changed. This brings us to the second definition of NLP: it is a field of study that is continually evolving. New processes and techniques are discovered and utilised, while some older methods may be "archived," to use a computing term.

NLP: Whatever Works

As the field of NLP expands, it leads us to another definition: "NLP is whatever works." This means that if a particular method or technique isn't producing the desired results, you should try something else. In computing, this process is called "iteration," where a process is repeated until a specific result or criterion is met.

NLP as a Tool of Modelling

NLP is prominently considered a tool for modelling. Humans share similar sensory qualities, and by analysing and studying those who excel in their fields, we can use NLP processes to recognise and adopt aspects of their excellence. This includes their physiology, non-verbal communication, and internal dialogue, among other factors.

Breaking Down NLP

Finally, let's take a formal look at NLP by breaking it down into its three components:

• Neuro: Refers to our neurology and how we use it.

• Linguistic: Involves what we say to ourselves and others, and how we structure our communication to achieve specific results.

• Programming: Pertains to the patterns we run in our daily lives.

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