The Submodalities of Time
Explore the unique features of your timeline.
For many people, this is one of the most fascinating parts of their NLP training.
In which representational system do you first perceive your timeline, and how does it evolve?
If you could also see, hear, feel your timeline — how would it appear to you now?
Location / Direction
- from back to front; from left to right; right to left; from top to bottom
- far away / close
- Where in space are your future, present, and past located?
- At what distance from you are the past, present, and future?
- Does the timeline run through you (associated) or outside of you (dissociated)?
- Is it above or below you (height)?
Form / Shape / Extension
- line, arc, spiral, parallel lines, multiple strands, stream, loop
- stepped, flat, with height differences
- rope with photos, film, road, beam, microchip, 1:1 scale, tube, islands in the sea
- limited/unlimited; interrupted/continuous
Appearance
- colorful/black-and-white; bright/dark; sharp/blurred; transparent/opaque
- expanded/compact; small/large; near/far
Movement
- moving/still; jerky/flowing; photo/film; fast/slow
Sound
- loud/quiet; clear/unclear; high/low; fast/slow
Feeling / Smell / Taste
- intense/neutral; pleasant/unpleasant; connected/disconnected; present/absent; attractive/repulsive; enthusiastic/indifferent; happy/sad; light/heavy; dense/airy; fragrant/odorless; tasteless/flavorful, etc.
The more flexibility you develop with the submodalities of time, the greater your understanding of how others and different cultures experience time. You also expand your freedom to use your brain — not just own it.
Experimenting with the Submodalities of Time
- Now modify the characteristic submodalities of your timeline
and observe how this changes your emotions and perceptions. Ensure that you can always return to your original timeline.
How does each change affect you? Which submodalities make the biggest difference?
a) Change:
Direction, extension, shape, arrangement of past and future, being associated or dissociated from the timeline.
b) Change:
V: color, brightness, sharpness, size, distance
A: sounds, noises, voices, volume, pitch, background music
K: intensity and quality of your feelings
O: smell
G: taste
How does this alter your perception? Which version feels most comfortable? In what situations could this be useful for you? Always return to the original submodalities of your timeline for ecological balance.
If you wish to keep a modified version, set a trial period or define specific contexts in which you’d like to access it as an option. - Try out the submodalities someone else uses in their timeline.
How does this change your perception or feeling?
Be sure to return to your original timeline submodalities (ecology). - Try adopting someone else’s complete timeline.
How does that change your perception? Make sure you return to your own timeline’s submodalities afterward (ecology). - Consider the advantages and disadvantages of specific time representations in various contexts.
Experiment with how you represent time in different situations — for example: when you felt depressed, very busy and successful, deeply relaxed on vacation, or in love. What differences in your time submodalities do you notice, and how do they affect your reactions? - Experiment with the submodalities of the future:
For example:
- How does it feel if your future is very close and detailed (e.g., ten years ahead is just a step away)?
- What if it’s distant and blurry?
- What if the next few days are vivid and near, while the distant future is hazy and far (or vice versa)?
- If today extends to your doorway, next week to the street outside, etc.?
- What happens if your future is dark and small versus bright, large, and shiny?
- What if you place a symbol for every goal or wish somewhere along your future timeline?
- Play with individual and (sub)cultural differences in timelines.
How might the future look for an energetic optimist versus someone who thinks, “Nothing matters anyway”? How about a forward-thinking manager versus a “no future” type, a hippie versus an archivist, a planner versus a punk, a perfectionist versus a habitual procrastinator? What might the timeline of a nun, a globetrotter, or a Bedouin look like compared to that of a German? And so on.
