Have you ever made a clear decision, created a plan, and genuinely believed you were ready—only to discover that you could not seem to move forward?
It is easy to assume that the problem is discipline, motivation, or willpower. Sometimes, however, the conscious mind is saying yes while another part of us is not fully aligned.
In this solo episode of Something New Is Possible, I share why muscle testing has become such an important part of my life and my work. I talk about my own skepticism, the experience that opened my mind, and how muscle testing eventually became an entryway into Neuro Emotional Coaching®.
When the Mind Says Yes but Something Else Says No
We often try to solve every problem with the intellectual part of the brain. We analyze, make lists, set goals, and tell ourselves what we should do. That approach can work beautifully for everyday tasks. But when a goal touches fear, old emotion, identity, or a survival response, logic alone may not be enough.
This is where I find muscle testing so useful. I use it as an indicator of congruence: a way to explore whether a statement, goal, or possibility feels positive, neutral, or stressful to the system. It can help reveal the distance between what we say we want and what may be happening at a deeper level.
For me, muscle testing does not make a decision for us. It gives us information. That information can help us ask better questions and become more honest about the resistance we may not yet understand.
From Skepticism to Curiosity
When I first saw muscle testing decades ago, I thought it was crazy. I watched a practitioner test someone in different situations and saw the muscle response change consistently. I was not convinced, but I became curious enough to volunteer.
The simple test was to say my own name and then say a different name. I tried to keep my arm strong either way. Still, my experience was noticeably different when the statement was true and when it was not. That moment did not answer every question for me, but it created an opening.
Curiosity led me to work with chiropractors who used muscle testing in their practice. Later, I worked for several years with a psychologist who combined it with Neuro Emotional Technique. After years of traditional individual and group therapy, this work helped me experience a kind of relief and freedom I had been seeking.
Information Is Not the Enemy
One reason people may hesitate around muscle testing is that they are not sure they want to know the answer. What if I believe I want the new job, relationship, car, or life change—but I discover that I am not truly aligned with it?
I understand that concern. Yet I have learned that information is not the enemy. If I can see that my alignment is low, I now have something specific to explore. I can look at the judgment, fear, expectation, or old story beneath the goal instead of simply criticizing myself for not moving forward.
Forgiveness can be a powerful part of that exploration. A statement as simple as “I forgive myself for judging myself” can begin to soften the inner conflict. The point is not to force an answer. It is to create enough space for greater honesty, compassion, and choice.
From Muscle Testing to Neuro Emotional Coaching®
After experiencing this work as a client, I wanted to bring it into my coaching. I trained in Neuro Emotional Technique and eventually integrated additional elements of spirituality, clearing, and conversation into the process. Over time, that became the approach I call Neuro Emotional Coaching®.
Muscle testing is the entryway because it helps identify what issue may need attention first and where the incongruence may be showing up—emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or physically. From there, the work is not only about recognizing the pattern. It is about helping neutralize the old response and create room for something new.
I often describe muscle testing as an oil gauge. A gauge does not shame you or tell you who you are. It gives you information about what may need attention. Once you have that information, you can respond.
Listening from the Inside Out
My larger hope is that more people will learn how to muscle test themselves and others. I believe it can help people verify their intuition, become more familiar with their inner world, and approach change with greater awareness.
Learning may come easily for some people and require patience, courage, and practice for others. Either way, I believe it is possible. We learned to walk and talk through repetition and experience. We can also learn to listen to the body in a new way.
When we reduce the hold of the past, the worry about the future, and the inner conflict we carry in the present, we create more room for harmony. That is the deeper reason this work matters to me.
Key Takeaways
- Muscle testing can be used as an indicator of inner alignment rather than as a substitute for personal judgment.
- The conscious mind may want a goal while emotional or protective patterns create resistance beneath the surface.
- Uncovering a block gives us information and a practical place to begin.
- Curiosity and self-forgiveness can soften judgment and make deeper change possible.
- Neuro Emotional Coaching® uses muscle testing to help identify the heart of an issue and create space for a new response.
- Learning to listen from the inside out takes practice, but Barbara believes anyone can learn.
If you are curious about muscle testing or want to experience Neuro Emotional Coaching® for yourself, listen to the full episode and use the consultation link in the show notes to schedule a complimentary introductory session.
