One of the guys at work yesterday, asked if I were ever hypnotized. I have been; 4 times. Cigarettes had just gone up to $.75 per pack and smoking 2 packs a day, I thought; thats way too much money to spend each week. I started smoking when I was 13 and by the time I was 16, I was up to a pack a day. I would wake up, open my window, light up a cigarette before even going to the bathroom. My mom and dad both smoked until he had his second heart attack; then they stopped. I feel when a couple both smoke, one of them cant quit: they both have to. By 28, I was working behind a desk and would light one cigarette from another. I was up to 2 packs a day. There seems to be some confusion about how many Kandy smoked. I know there are 20 cigarettes per pack and shed smoke half a pack each day. She says not true. Back in the 60s, smoking cigarettes was cool (smoking most stuff was cool). Kandy and I only smoked Winstons unless the store was out of them; then it was Marlboros but only in a box. Menthols like Salems and Kools were the choice of our black friends. There was a loyalty to your cigarette. There were even sales. A carton of 10 packs would be run in an ad for $3.00. Now I think people smoke whatever is cheapest. I wouldnt answer the door or the phone without one. Each morning, Id read the paper, drink my iced coffee and smoke a cigarette. I always thought the men in the 30s, 40s & 50s movies seemed to be tougher guys back then and they all smoked. A guy I worked with (at Consolidated Intl.) went to a hypnotist to stop. I told him if he went without a cigarette for a week; Id go also. He stopped for the rest of that week, he was so hyper. Twisting paper clips, spinning his pens on his desk, etc. but he never lit up. Even with me smoking in the same room. I called the number he had. He gave me Dr. George Knoxs telephone number. I had heard of Dr. Knox. He lived in Gahanna, pretty close to where we lived and was known as the winningest runner in the senior age group in the world. I read an article about him in 2003. He was a 91 year old psychologist and hypnotherapist who, as an ultra marathon runner, was still competing in races of 60 miles or more. (I just now had to find out what happened to him. I read where he passed at 99 in 2010) He was booked up but another hypnotherapist in his practice wasnt. Barb Scarbarry. I made an appointment to see her. She brought me into a room with a desk at one end and a nice soft, fluffy looking couch and chair at the other end. I told her Id never been hypnotized before and really doubted she could do it. We talked about the process. She would put a record of peaceful sounds on. This one was at the beach. I could hear soft waves and sea gulls in the background while she talked to me. I laid down and started to relax. She had me tighten up my toes; really squeeze them together hard for a few seconds, then let go. We did this with my calves, thighs and tush and each time she told me I could feel myself more relaxed and sinking deeper on the couch. We worked up through my body and my head. I heard her voice but was so relaxed. She told me to picture myself laying on the beach with a good book and a cooler of Coke a Cola. There was no one else on the beach. I didnt have any cigarettes and noticed Id been reading for several hours without the need for one. She put me into several scenarios just like that. I was still awake and while she talked, I was thinking; I could open my eyes anytime I wanted but this felt so relaxing, Ill just go along with her. She told me she would count to five and at 3 I would be more awake, at 4; more and 5; I would sit up and feel great. She did and I did. Actually at 4, she touched my forehead and it felt like a bolt of electricity streamed through me. At 5, I opened my eyes and felt like I was going to jump off the couch. I felt great. It was like I was speeding. I had a pack of Winstons in my pocket; she told me to squeeze the pack and throw it away. I did and havent had a cigarette in almost 35 years. I told her I didnt believe I was hypnotized at all. She said most dont. This event was kind of like John Coffee, the giant of a man in Green Mile who sucked the cancer from the wardens wife so she could live. Barb never smoked and helped many quit: I understand she died of lung cancer. At this time (then), Im now a complete devotee of hypnotism. I have mentioned before; Im not afraid of man nor beast; just dont put me on a ladder or in a glass elevator. Heights are a problem for me. She was booked up forever as I suggested seeing her to all my friends. I got a referral to another hypnotherapist. A large, badly dressed man from India. I asked him to record our session so if I lapsed back into my fear, I could play it again. He did. He started off with me leaning back on a Lazy Boy recliner and said OHH KAAAY BRRIANN . H e had a very thick accent and I just wanted to laugh a little. He had me at the top of a stair case and walking slowly down 10 or 12 steps until I came to a landing. I would stop there, see nothing but darkness and proceed down another set of stairs to the next landing. Thats all I remember. I had no idea if it worked or not. It wasnt the same experience: I thought I just had a good nap. Days later I put myself in a situation where I had to look down over a balcony. Still felt like I was going to get sucked over: still afraid. I replayed his tape, Laughed a little, went to sleep. I had Kandy listen but she couldnt get past the OK Brian part without laughing. I got another referral to a psychologist on the west side of town. He had me follow the lines of the ceilings and walls to one corner and stare at it. I was out. Another great nap. I saw him twice and, well, I must not want to stop being afraid of heights as much as I wanted to quit smoking. I like trying new (to me) stuff like that. I had pain in my right elbow that would come and go. When it would come; it was awful. I had mentioned this to Kay Frain; a woman I have to tell everyone about on my next Journey. Kay suggested that the pain was real (it was) but no conventional doctor would find anything wrong in that area. She knew a master of acupuncture. I couldnt wait to see him. I pictured an Asian man; thin small, a tiny goatee. Thats what I found. I was in a waiting room with 10 other people, hearing soft door bells going off every few minutes. I was escorted to a small room down a hallway that had at least 5 of the same sized rooms on each side. Each with a timer mounted on the door. Thats where my soft bells noise was coming from. She told me to get undressed down to my underwear and lay down on this massage table on my back and the doctor would be right in. I did and he was. He didnt say much after I told him about by right elbow hurting. He felt around the spot; shook his head and moved a tray of long needles with plastic ends on one side. He grabbed the end of one and before I knew it; he popped it (thats the only way I can describe what he did) into my forehead. It didnt hurt. I really didnt feel anything other than his index finger and thumb when he popped it in. I could see the plastic grip end waving around when I tried to look up. Very weird. He placed many on my left side; head; arms a few in my chest and down to my left hand. He hit something as the pain felt like a tiny bolt of lightning had struck me between two of my fingers. He continued down my left leg and managed to give me another bolt of lightning (really painful) when he popped a needle next to my big toe. He was finished. He told me to lay still and he would be back in a half an hour. The was totally relaxed; Im lying there in my underpants listening to some piped in music and needles moving in waves as I breathed. My timer went off; he came in; plucked out each needle and told me I had to come back in two days. I came back. Got the same treatment again but this time after I got dressed; the secretary came in to let me know I needed to buy a few special herbs from him. I was still getting pain in my elbow and now I was getting one in my tush with her trying to sell me stuff that was useless. I never went back to see him. The pain eventually went away as did my next appointment with him. When I cancelled one; the elbow pain just stopped on its own.
Posted on: Thu, 17 Jul 2014 09:33:52 +0000
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