Talking about a losing streak can be rough. It’s a bit like talking about
cancer. No one experiencing it seems to want to call it like it is. To
lose consistently is an outward manifestation of one’s personal energy. It
is a low ebb within the etheric body. Think of it as a contraction of the
etheric field. Instead of being surround by a force field, that can extend
eight feet out from your physical self, the etheric energy is weak and may
only extend out a few inches. “The force fields are down, captain.”
When it comes to winning and losing, both coexist and both are valid and
necessary. As a fisherman, I did not catch fish every time out, though my
love of fishing never waned. Not catching fish did not stymie my passion
for fishing. The challenge of outsmarting a fish motivated my passion.
During a losing streak, the focus needs to be on the challenge, not the
losing.
Don’t Look at the
Wall!
The man speaking, during a motivational lecture, was a professional race
car driver. “At a speed of 133 miles an hour, going into a turn,” he said,
“don’t look at the wall. If you look at the wall, you will hit the wall.
The car goes where your eyes are looking. Don’t look at the wall.” I think
this wisdom also applies in a game, when losing. Keep your focus on what
you want, not what you don’t want.
If losing is part of the game, then is the risk of losing the motivation
to win? If not for the challenge of avoiding the loss, why play the game?
Winning involves the thrill of overcoming the challenge, strategizing,
playing smarter, and figuring out the puzzle for success. Isn’t the
journey to success the experience we relish the most? Doesn’t this hold
true for any challenge in life? Play for the thrill of a challenge, or you
might as well be playing checkers with an eight year old.
Ending a Losing
Streak
I keep a record of all my casino sessions. Keeping a journal enables me to
follow the evolution of my game. A good record can provide the clues that
lead up to a losing streak. In other words, the answers to a slump may be
found within the pages of the journal. The hard part may be taking an
objective perspective when reviewing the record.
A while back, I wrote an article about observing yourself during a game.
In the article, I explained self-observation as a process of detaching
from ego, intellect and judgment. It is like separating your spiritual
self from your physical body and peering down from above. It is like
becoming the spectator instead of being the player. Being detached allows
for an unbiased look at what you are doing, what you are thinking, what
you are saying. You can note your strengths and weaknesses. Conducting
this observation, independent of your physical being, is a bit tricky. We
typically put more effort into getting others to observe us. “Mommy,
mommy, look at me, no hands!”
During a losing streak it is natural to be to self-critical, but you must
resist being too critical. Remember, you have worked hard to become an
advantage player. You know the difference between greatness and
mediocrity. No one wants to settle for less than a win, making it
imperative that you avoid becoming demoralized if you experience a string
of losses. Playing demoralized is the worst feeling, when attempting to
overcome a game with odds against you to win. It is like filling your
pockets with sand before going for a swim.
Remedies for a
Slump
So, what is my suggested remedy for a slump? Some say that you should play
through a slump. This may work if your bankroll and ego can finance a
losing streak, along with an emotional whack in the mouth. I am sure that
there is merit to this idea. Nothing like a smack in the chops to wake up
and fly right.
I suggest to push the stop button and look for the “log jam” that has
stuffed up the machine! Here are just a few typical examples of events
that can trigger a slump: consumption of alcohol, playing under
bankrolled, playing too aggressively, playing for too long, over betting
the bankroll, chasing a loss, playing while emotionally or physically
stressed and playing in denial of the fact that you are in a slump.
The key to these behaviors is identifying the triggers. Your life is
reflected in the energy of the game. Somewhere, there is a wobble in the
force. If you look for it, you will find it. Perception of the wobble
provides the “heads up” that you may be playing out of control. Playing
out of control could be a sign of physical or emotional instability
somewhere in your life.
Can’t I Just Take
a Pill?
What is the cure? I am not sure that there is one specific cure that is
appropriate for every player, but here’s what I do first when I am in a
slump. I back off the game and examine my journal. I also contemplate my
physical and emotional state during the time of the slump and prior to the
slump.
The second thing that I check is my spiritual alignment. I may still visit
the casino, but I will not play. I only watch. I watch for signs that my
intuitive perception is switched on. Think of it as a litmus test to
measure the accuracy of my perception and alignment with energy. How? I
push out with my feelings and perceive the direction of the game by
sensing the energy of a game. I pull in that perception, as a feeling, I
then translate the feeling into logical and rational information. (You may
want to check out the four meditations published at the playing4keeps.com
web site.)
Next, I validate what I am feeling. What does the energy feel like? How
does it influence my feelings for winning and losing? When my perception
is in agreement with the “money flow”, I know that my perception is dialed
in. When I am dialed in, I take heart knowing that an important aspect of
my game is intact. If I am not dialed in, then I know I am “off” and
accept that I am off. No point in “forcing a square peg”. Once I have
recognized that the game’s results are contrary to my perception, I accept
that my most important skill for winning, my intuition, has been crippled.
I need to re-boot. Self-honesty in a gambling scenario may be rough to
accept, at least until you learn emotional detachment.
Take an Honest
Look
Watching is the easiest way to play the game and be emotionally detached.
Since there are no bets at risk, there should be nothing to influence
decisions emotionally. With this clarity, your focus can be on the
direction of the game and how it plays out energetically. You cannot
possibly lose from the experience of watching. It is a free education,
right or wrong. Your intention is focused unselfishly and without bias.
Since you are detached from your own needs and desires, you are more
likely to channel perceptions more clearly, without the pressure of having
money at risk. Impartially, you will discover if your perception of the
game’s energy is true and correct. As you witness the game’s results, it
provides you with immediate and honest feedback to confirm whether your
perception is “on” or “off”.
Incidentally, there is no right or wrong. There is just a confirmation
about your perception being aligned with the energy of a particular
experience. Sometimes you will be “right on” and other times you may find
yourself in “right field”. You must be emotionally detached to accept the
truth of the present moment. Otherwise, you force your perception to fit
what you want, rather than accept what is truly happening. I am talking
about denial.
If you find that you are losing in more than one casino game, this is a
bigger problem. You must discover the leaks in your games by sourcing the
“messages”, to find the answers to your losses. Solving the puzzle becomes
your “new game” to play. “Get yourself out of the handcuffs Houdini!” It’s
not magic. You are challenged to review your life and analyze the
metaphors appearing in your life.
Back in the
Saddle for Keeps
You end a slump by locking in small wins. Any win is a good win. Your goal
is to rekindle your confidence. Limit yourself to fewer and shorter
sessions. It all starts when you employ courageous self-discipline. You
must “lock-in” the first win and walk away with the profit. The
subconscious mind needs to experience the win, no matter how small,
confirming that you are back to winning.
Experiencing a losing streak happens to most players. Winning and losing
are just reflecting the highs and lows in life. It is an outward
expression of the spiritual energy, no praise, no blame. It means life
changes as our energy changes. It means you can have choices and can be in
control of your life. Nothing lasts forever and a shift in energy can take
place in the blink of an eye. Change means you have something new and
exciting to learn. It means raising your energy to pull out of a slump.
Once you figure it out, you will project a bigger energy expressing that
you are playing for keeps.
Copyright © 2017 by Michael Vernon
Playing 4 Keeps™
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