A new path-breaking incarnation of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) offers renewed awareness and well-researched solutions to many troubled minds. Ram Verma, The NLP Man of India, is a subject expert and researcher who has leveraged a unique in-depth neuroscientific approach and practical hacks to problem-solving and dealing with core vital issues in health and wellbeing, personal, and professional life for over 33 years. With his infectious smile and robust energy, ‘Ram Sir’, as he is fondly called by millions of his YouTube and Instagram subscribers, leverages his 600+ dynamic podcasts, webinars and workshops to share various facets of his NLP 2.0 with insightful vision and conviction.

We spoke to him to understand his efforts to expand the integrated learning of this therapeutic revival.

Q. Ram Sir, you are recognised popularly as the ‘NLP Man of India’. How did you get interested in this science?

In my earlier days, I suffered from migraines, peptic ulcers, alopecia and rheumatoid arthritis. I was staring at complete uncertainty and depressed. A discouraging orthopaedic surgeon prophesied that I would be incapacitated with this debilitating condition. I stumbled upon a life-changing book on neuro linguistic programming. Like a flash of lightning, it was a complete U-turn for me as I realised that it’s my mind playing tricks in creating the patterns of disease in my body. And it was the ultimate breakthrough. I soon erased these mental patterns, painful past memories and traumas. I healed my distorted self-image, transformed the deeply ingrained negative beliefs and implanted patterns of hope and a bright future in my mind. And here I am today, helping and instilling life-mending mantras for better living!

Q. What does NLP (neuro linguistic programming) exactly mean?

It simply means the way in which our language (verbal or non-verbal) programs our neurons or brain cells to create neural pathways. Let us understand it in detail.

Every day, we come across an infinite number of events. We receive these events through our five senses, namely visual sense, auditory sense, kinaesthetic or feeling sense, smell or olfactory sense, or taste, which is a gustatory sense. After the processes of deletion, distortion and generalisation, these events are stored in our subconscious mind. These subconscious patterns now write our life scripts. For example, for any disease in the body, be they any psychosomatic diseases or autoimmune disorders, or any obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or any anxiety, depression, or addiction, there are some subconscious patterns or perceptions in our mind. Once we know how to erase these unwanted patterns and implant empowering patterns, we create long-lasting change or transformation. This is how NLP practically works on us.

Q. There is a fresh renewal and interest in NLP currently. In our intensely stress-filled world today, how relevant and essential is NLP?

It is the only non-invasive and holistic approach that is really helping people in this stressed-filled twenty-first century. Today, the majority of people are suffering from issues like painful memories, broken relationships, anxiety, panic, depression, disturbing inner voices, phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), addiction, and loss of productivity. These issues are not just limited to their work or performance; rather, they cause all the psychosomatic diseases and autoimmune disorders. This is where NLP can heal these subconscious issues with minimum effort and maximum results.

Q. Does NLP have any scientific basis, and is it structured around any logical rationale?

Yes, NLP has a scientific basis to understand the subconscious mind properly and create the desired outcomes. It is like modern or evolved psychology. NLP has explored the idea that every memory or perception has some structure that has various qualities. For example, if you think about any object, like a chair or table, you just create a visual in your mind. But when you think of a moving train, you see a moving image with some sounds. And when you think of your favourite food, you even ignite hunger with the visual image of the food. It simply means that our mind perceives every event in three major modalities, which are visual, auditory or kinesthetic. The moment you create any change in these modalities, you create a change in the response. This was the scientific breakthrough that I experienced while healing myself. I found that all my diseases had some visual, auditory and kinesthetic modalities. And once I made the inner change, I got the desired transformation, and I finally healed myself.

Q. How effective are the NLP techniques in healing mental and physical traumas and phobias that people face?

Very effective. Today we are facing the real mental and emotional issues in the lives of almost every person that are killing their health, relationships and productivity. Today, people feel the pangs of depression, confusion, phobias, loneliness, forgetfulness, addiction, hurt, jealousy and guilt. These damaging emotions cause confusion and mental claustrophobia in people’s lives. All these impact their lives negatively and sometimes trigger thoughts of suicide.

Now, we don’t just need pep talks or vague motivational speeches to resolve these issues; rather, we need systematic techniques that can bring about the required changes. And that too in the least possible time. NLP is the only technique that can bring about positive change, and that’s happening across the globe. Once you learn the techniques, you can practise them in all areas of your life, be it mental, emotional or physical health, social standing, money or spirituality.

Q. In your webinars, boot camps and live shows, what are the common problems people come up with? 

As people become more aware of the benefits of NLP, I have participants from all walks of life attending my workshops and boot camps. Students come to get rid of their exam phobias and gain confidence; youth come to explore their identity, belief systems and values; couples come to create rapport in their relationships; business people come to actualise their outcomes of growth; and others come to get rid of painful past memories, broken hearts, addiction, panic attacks, obsessive behaviours, psychosomatic and autoimmune diseases. I help them realise and release their triggers and understand the obvious outcomes of their ingrained negative behaviours. I help them to negotiate their emotional reactions and, most importantly, change their narrow and outdated perspectives for better personal realities and an expansive world view. It’s not just people with problems who attend my sessions. There are those keen on fine-tuning public speaking and leadership skills and improving their confidence in communication, negotiation and sales competencies.

Q. Why do successful athletes, performers and entrepreneurs use NLP techniques?

NLP is practised across the globe because it delivers quick results, bolsters confidence, and facilitates strategic planning. The legendary footballer Cristiano Ronaldo has said in one of his interviews that he likes to visualise before a game as he is better prepared for the action. Sometimes his subconscious mind does it for him before the warm-up. NLP amps up the confidence levels of performers, entrepreneurs and decision-makers. The meditation they practise helps them concentrate better, sharpen their discerning power, relax and deal with situations with ease and efficiency. Successful people are willing to go the extra mile and learn new skills and trends and holistic methods of self-healing, which mediocre people would just dismiss. I have many successful clients who ask for private consultations as well. NLP is easy to understand and apply in every area of life. Once you learn NLP, you can significantly improve every aspect of your life, of course, with dedicated effort.

Q. Currently, subjects like manifestation and the law of attraction are trending widely on social media. How do you approach these subjects and offer guidelines using NLP techniques?

When we talk about the law of attraction or manifestation, NLP plays a very big role in it. So far as the law of attraction is concerned, we need a healthy mindset for it. You cannot manifest if you have painful past memories, unfinished agendas, a broken or distorted self-image, ego issues, harbouring negativity, narcissistic behaviour, limiting beliefs, unclear values and a shrunken identity. It’s only after resolving the gnawing inner issues can you manifest your heart’s desire. To manifest, you need to have a positive and optimistic mindset, enhanced self-identity, powerful intention, deep clarity of the outcomes, and an empowering belief system.

Q. What is your new version of NLP 2.0? Why did you come up with this new version?

As people are increasingly facing stressful issues and challenges, there is a need to improve the quality of our NLP techniques as well. NLP 2.0 is a decade ahead of current holistic approaches. I have a wide experience of 2500+ days conducting my live sessions before the pandemic, where I helped resolve people’s issues on stage. Along with NLP, I employed other modern techniques like functional neuroplasticity, heart consciousness, vagus nerve activation, frontal lobe sensitisation, epigenetics, psychoneuroimmunology and quantum physics. This new version offers people six times faster results with amazing, long-lasting changes.

The writers are freelance contributors.