While taking a sports psychology intensive, I came across an idea for a product. The idea was a bracelet that would provide visual feedback conditioning to the wearer.

As the individual accomplishes preset goals, a symbol-charm would be added to the bracelet. I thought that this might be a neat ‘tool’ that a psychologist could use with clients.

If any psychologists would like to help me make this project a reality, please contact me via the Contact link on the main status bar.

I’ve divided the product design/use into 3 stages, as described below.

Stage 1:  The Physical Journey

According to experts, there are 5 universal symbols or shapes.  Based on research, the shapes also have universal meaning. (From “Signs of Life – The Five Universal Shapes and How to Use Them,” by Dr. Angeles Arrien.)

Renowned psychologist Dr. Carl Jung, advocated the Symbol as the psychological mechanism that transforms Energy. 

Dr. Don Greene, Sports Psychologist, tells us that Energy, and its centering, is critical to Optimal Performance and to health – if you feel well, you will be well!

If one can associate a Symbol with good health or goals, then viewing that shape or symbol will promote the individual’s success.

The five symbols or shapes and their meanings are:

Circle	Wholeness
Triangle	Goals & Dreams
Square	Stability
Cross	Relationship
Spiral	Growth

These shapes or symbols make up the “Courage Bracelet” — like a charm bracelet.  But each charm or symbol, and their order on the bracelet, will have unique meaning to each individual.

The design needs to work for both men and women.  The shapes need to snap into and out of the bracelet as necessary.  The shapes are not solid.  They are outlines of the shapes, and can be added to or removed from the bracelet.  You will learn why later.

Here’s how it works:

1. Show your client the table of Shapes and Meanings.  Then ask your client to draw out, in the order of importance to them, the five shapes.
2. The shape that they draw in Position 3 is the one that has the most importance to them at this point in their life.  This becomes the largest charm on their bracelet.  They get this one (and the bracelet) for their first step – working with you, having the courage to be there, focused and ready to go.

Quick Shape-Position Interpretation (from Signs of Life):

• Position 1 – Where You Think You Are.  This position describes the part of yourself which you are most aware, and which you are most comfortable at this time.
• Position 2 – Your Strengths.  This position indicates areas of your nature that are currently fluid, strong, and resourceful.
• Position 3 – Where You Are.  This is the most significant shape.  It shows your true current growth process.  This shape stands for the work that is really going on, right now, in the core of your being.  This is the most significant shape for healing and creativity.
• Position 4 – Your Motivation.  This position points to past challenges, tests, and circumstances that have motivated your current process of change.  Why you do things differently now.
• Position 5 – Old, Unfinished Business.  This position indicates a process you have outgrown or one that you dislike, still resist, or are judging, or wish to put aside.

Here’s an example of a full interpretation for the Circle:

• “If the Circle is in Position 1 it indicates your desire to be independent and self-sufficient.  This is the process that has your attention and that is a source of inspiration to you.
• The Circle in Position 2 means that the heroic journey currently is effortless for you, whether or not you are aware of that.  Your heroic behavior points out to others that your strengths are self-reliance and resourcefulness.

Note: The heroic journey that of a hero or heroine, is universal to all cultures.  It represents each step of our life journey.  The issues, strengths, courage, victories, challenges, explorations, unanswered questions, etc. that make each of us a unique individual.

• In Position 3, the Circle shows that the process of individuation is occurring at the core of your nature.  When fully engaged, this process of achieving and experiencing independence will allow your natural creative and restorative abilities to flow into all areas of your life.
• The Circle in Position 4 denotes that a past heroic journey motivated you to become responsible and self-reliant.  The process of individuation was the past challenge that caused you to move to your present core work (defined by the shape you have placed in Position 3).
• When the Circle is in Position 5, you may be resisting or denying the process of individuation.  The heroic journey currently does not have your attention and you do have no interest in exploring it at this time.

1. Based on what shapes that the client draws in Positions 1, 2, 4, and 5 determines how you develop their Goal Setting Plan, and what shape they earn next for their Courage Bracelet.  Set up the Short Term, Intermediate, and Long Term goals on the client’s Goal Setting chart.  A goal should be set up for each of the other 4 remaining shape meanings.
2. With each critical goal that is obtained, a new shape is added to the Courage Bracelet.
3. When all 5 shapes are obtained, the client has completed Stage1 – The Physical Journey.

Stage 2:  The Spiritual Journey

I like to call Stage 2, “The Spiritual Journey.’  It lets the client transcend the physical body, and begin to get in touch with their spiritual body.  How can this be done?

In a previous post AlphaWAVE Relaxation / Performance Improvement Disk I explained how a yellow/green dot at a specific optical frequency can induce Alpha brainwaves. This is very important to your client. Here’s why:

• Using the yellow/green dot slows down the left-brain.  It immediately begins pulling the client over to the right-brain, producing alpha waves.  If the user conditions themself, it will cause 2/3 of their brain to produce the same frequency.  This is pure alpha, and a very blissful feeling.  This total training effect takes less than a month, with only just a few minutes of use each day.  You can easily work this into your client sessions.

• It’s important to note, that this is not color therapy.  This is purely a physiological response that can be measured using a blood pressure meter or by using biofeedback instrumentation.  The yellow/green dot is visual biofeedback.

How the yellow/green dot works:

The process is achieved by focusing on a fluorescent (yellow/green) circle, painted on a white background.  Clients then close their eyes to see a violet afterimage, which is at the high frequency, shortest wavelength end of the visual spectrum (400 nanometers).  This can induce a relaxed state of consciousness with low brainwaves (7-12 Hertz – alpha waves), which may reduce pain, depression, stress, and heart-risk factors. (Dr. B. Costello, 1998)

In summary, 2/3 of your brain, which is visual image processing related, synchronizes at the same frequency producing alpha waves.

• Also, the yellow/green dot just happens to be a circle (can be other shapes or images too) – the universal symbol for Wholeness, as is the actual bracelet, which surrounds the wrist.  You could also use the other universal symbols (in place of the fluorescent circle), but the circle seems best.  Feel free to experiment.

So, how do the Shapes and Yellow/green Dot Relate?

• The client has worked with the symbols, and knows that the one in position 3 is their most important.
• As you begin teaching the client to use the yellow/green dot, ask them to remove their most important shape from the bracelet and position it in the center of the yellow dot.
• As they begin using the yellow/green dot, they also begin to associate or condition the shape into their right brain.  Once they really experience the alpha state from use of the yellow/green dot (and they will), they will have also conditioned themself to the symbol.
• Thereafter, just looking at their symbol will produce alpha waves – very quickly, anytime, anyplace.

Stage 3: What Happens Next? – Lucid Dreams

• A curious thing is that those who can produce alpha-waves, also have more lucid dreams.  Lucid dreams are those in which the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming, and can suggest that things happen in their dream.
• Tell your client that if they have a dream, and the symbol appears, to use that as a trigger to become aware.  They will know when this happens.  It’s a really different feeling, just like the first time that alpha state really gets turned on when using the yellow/green dot.
• When they become aware that they are dreaming, the client tells themself (in the dream) that their, weight loss. cancer (or what ever they need to cure/improve upon) will happen, and that they will feel stronger with each day.
• Now, just like the yellow/green dot, this will take between 2 and 4 weeks, depending on the person – but it does work.