Persuasion Metaphors From Around The World

Many folks consider the concept of 'energy' to be somewhat new agey. Personally I consider it to be an integral part of understanding the self. And understanding ourselves, is absolutely the first step in learning to persuade.

At a recent seminar in Tucson, I went deeply into the idea of core drives and how these drives can be utilized to persuade powerfully, reaching our clients' and prospect's emotional triggers, triggers which are universal.

Chakras are an ancient Indian concept considered 'woo woo' by many people, and yet, if for nothing else, they are an amazing metaphor for the core values and drives within each of us. Each Chakra is an energy vortex corresponding to a different need or drive that we as humans have.

Spiritual and religious affiliations aside, these energy centers, I believe, are interrelated with the notion of mastering ourselves. And mastering ourselves, is the first step in persuasion. I look at it this way: we have anything and everything we want at our disposal. We have all the knowledge ever explored from all throughout history and if we are curious enough, we can glean what works, use it, and leave what isn't valuable behind.

I am also of the opinion that there is great value to the different kinds of energy flows in our bodies. Chinese medicine practitioners refer to this as Qi (or Chi). These energy flows can be traced throughout our bodies in rivers of energy called Meridians. Along the meridians are points. . .these are called tsubos and are where acupuncturists put the needles when there is a blockage of energy which results in 'stagnation' or 'dis ease'. Meridians control different things in our bodies, correspond to different organs, and when we have an awareness of these flows, we can more readily help ourselves. Call it DNA, Qi, Chi, Chakras or meridians. . . it's all about power.

How can we absorb value from the chakra system if only metaphorically?

Here's a very brief outline of the chakras and how they correspond to our core drives. The base chakra is related to security similar to the fight/flight mechanism. The second chakra is about sexual reproduction and is related to our fourth core value which is replicating ourselves. The third chakra is about power, similar to the third core value of fight.

So as we get higher into the chakras they have to do with love-based decisions, discrimination and wisdom, mind, prayer and higher consciousness. These correspond nicely with Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Maslow was an American psychologist in the mid 1900s. He created a scale in the form of a pyramid that is strikingly similar to the chakra system. His contention was that if the base needs of breath, sleep, food, water, were not met, then there was no advancement. Obviously, if we don't breathe, sleep, eat or drink, we don't require creativity, higher education, morality, because we're not alive.

At the bottom of the pyramid are two of the four core values in addition to biological functions. The physiological basis for physical human existence-food, water, air, sleep, sex, excretion and homeostasis (internal balance)-has extreme power where persuasion is concerned. Obviously, we're not really able to utilize air or sleep (unless you're selling mattresses) or excretion or homeostasis (unless you're a doctor). The next level up for Maslow pertains to security-the fight and flight core values-and also corresponds to the third chakra of power.

Also for purposes of persuasion, there are imperative psychological needs that are represented at the top of the pyramid including: the need to be needed, the need to feel hope, the need to believe problems are a result of something outside ourselves, the need to be noticed and understood, the 'law of being right', and the principle of giving people a sense of power. These fit in with the rest of the chakras-the fourth one representing love and energy, the fifth one representing communication, the sixth one requiring an inner sense of knowingness, and finally that higher spiritual plane which is represented by union, bliss, God.

When we elicit our prospect's and client's criteria and deep values, and when we gain a really strong sense of rapport, we are definitely tapping into these needs. Think about rapport. . .with rapport, one feels noticed, necessary, listened to and when all that is in place we can hone in on the core values.

About the Author

Kenrick Cleveland teaches techniques to earn the business of wealthy clients using persuasion. He runs public and private seminars and offers home study courses and coaching programs in persuasion techniques.

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