Processing Problems

The next basic processor widely used in the system is the “Process this” module. It is designed to work with any mental material: problems, states, beliefs, emotions, thoughts — in general, anything present in the psyche that causes discomfort or limits behavior. This is a universal tool that is then used both in manual work and in automatic protocols.

The logic of its application is extremely simple. When attention is directed at some material (hereinafter, the word “problem” refers to any internal object, mental material that is intended to be worked on), the command “Process this” is issued. After that, an automatic processing sequence is initiated, as described in the instructions. In other words, attention points to the object, and the command triggers the internal procedure of processing it.

In terms of its function, this processor is similar to those used in a number of other systems (in particular, BSFF), and is applied in a similar way. The key difference lies not in the form of the command, but in the mechanism of working with the material — this will be examined in detail in the next chapter. At this stage, it is important to understand the scope of application and the basic logic.

The “Process this” processor can be applied to almost any kind of mental material: negative emotions, intrusive thoughts, persistent beliefs, episodes from the past, current emotional states. In some cases, it can also be used with bodily sensations, for example with a headache, but with an important caveat: the system does not replace medical care. If there is a physical problem, it must be addressed with medical methods, not by expecting a “miracle” from processing.

In practice, the work looks like this: you hold the problem in your attention and state the command. For example: “This person irritates me — process this” or “I consider myself incapable of success — process this.” There are no strict requirements for wording — the only important thing is that it is clear what material you are referring to.

At this point, people familiar with popular literature on affirmations often have a reaction: “You shouldn’t use negative wording, the subconscious will take it as a command and reinforce the negative.” This concern arises from mixing different approaches. In this system, affirmations are not used at all.

Phrases with negative content here are not suggestions. They serve the function of labeling the material. In effect, the message is: “There is an internal object with these properties — apply processing to it.” Nothing is being reinforced or fixed. No programming occurs in the conventional sense of the word.

The principle of the system is not the addition of new beliefs, but the dismantling and weakening of existing ones. This is deprogramming, not programming. Therefore, concerns about “installing negative beliefs” in this context have no basis. If such beliefs about how the mind works cause doubt or tension — that, too, is perfectly suitable material for processing with the same module.

More subtle aspects of working with specific types of problems — how to formulate the material, what to pay attention to, which reactions to consider significant — will be covered in the corresponding chapter below. Here, it is important to fix the main point: the “Process this” processor is a universal mechanism for initiating the automatic processing of identified internal material, without suggestion, without interpretation, and without the need to “do it right.”