When you learn NLP, authors and readers often speak of a primary representational system. Many NLP novices mistakenly label people with a representational system. “Oh, he’s auditory.” “Oh, she’s kinesthetic.” Don’t make this mistake. Keep your sensory channels open and notice people’s shifts in representational system from moment to moment and state to state.
Today, we’ll talk about sub-modalities of the kinesthetic representational system.
In NLP, we consider sub-modalities to be the particular characteristics or qualities of a specific representational system. For instance, kinesthetic sub-modalities include temperature, texture, weight, pressure and balance.
I find it harder to identify a useful analogy for manipulating kinesthetic sub-modalities. For visual sub-modalities, you can compare it to manipulating the image on your television or DVD player. For auditory sub-modalities, you can compare it to playing with the sound on your stereo. For kinesthetic, it’s not that simple or obvious, because kinesthetics tend to be very associated.
To find a useful analogy, you might have to imagine several experiences. For instance, being under the shower and turning water temperature up or down. Or, to understand kinesthetic rhythm, imagine being in a loud disco and feeling the techno beat in your chest.
So, what are some of the kinesthetic sub-modalities that you can adjust to change your reaction to the feelings you hallucinate?
- Temperature (Hot vs. cold)
- Texture (rough vs. smooth)
- Vibration
- Pressure
- Weight (Heavy vs. light)
- Location
- Rhythm
- Steady or intermittent
- Facial expression
- Body position
- Eye positions
- Gestures
- Mass – how big is it?
- Intensity
- Density
- Movement (motion, spinning in which direction)
- Balance
- Strong or Weak
- Constant or Intermittent
- Shape of sensation
