Transformation into a Puma

How to master confrontations with difficult people in the future.

Who hasn’t experienced it? A coworker drives you up the wall — and not for the first time! You try to stay calm and not get upset, but when the teasing starts again, it just happens: fear and anger show up. Old memories resurface. You try not to overreact, but that’s exactly what happens.

In such situations, a mediator might help resolve the conflict or calm the discussion. But not every time is there a third person in the room to support you. So what can you do yourself to respond more calmly in the future?

Imagine finding yourself in a similar state again. Maybe it’s a confrontation with a new person, or maybe you face the same coworker again. One thing is clear: you want to control your emotions this time! Various NLP methods can help you overcome anger quickly and effectively. One of these methods is called “Bandler’s Puma.”

Children's Role Play

As children, we love to play animals like lions. We are big and strong, imagining ourselves running through the wild, superior to all the other animals. Sometimes we roar loudly and flash our claws. Other times, we chase our prey and capture it.

Role play is not only fun because it stimulates our imagination — it also strengthens our self-confidence. The self-created experiences of success help us deal with real-life setbacks better later on.

Adults often try to stop children from pretending to be lions. “You must be quiet as a mouse and not draw so much attention to yourself,” they say. “But I want to be strong like a lion!” the child roars back. The adults respond: “If you’re quiet now, we’ll go to the zoo tomorrow to see the lions. What do you think?”

The “Bandler’s Puma” Format

Why not take on an animal role in everyday life when facing difficult situations? The puma is the fourth largest cat in the world after the tiger, lion, and jaguar. It is a solitary animal and avoids others except during mating season. Pumas live in a wide range of environments: prairies, forests, deserts, and even high mountains.

Richard Bandler invented the NLP format “Bandler’s Puma” to help people reduce their anger toward others more quickly. In this method, the person imagines becoming a puma. The individual vividly imagines the puma’s power flowing through their body. Standing on a mountain, they look down at their conversation partner far below in the valley.

Working at Eye Level

This exercise is not about belittling or humiliating the other person. It’s mainly meant to help you rediscover your own strength in a playful way. Many users feel intimidated at first when roaring, as they’re not used to raising their voice in front of others. Some can barely make a sound initially. But as they step more into the role of the puma, they begin to swing their paws and roar confidently.

Another benefit of this exercise is that it trains the practitioner’s visualization skills. They take on the role of the puma and imagine a specific situation with all their senses. For NLP beginners, visualizing past or future situations can be quite challenging.

In everyday life, we pay little attention to our thoughts. Later, during early NLP seminars, we learn how powerful our “inner film” really is — whether we’re aware of it or not. By applying the “Bandler’s Puma” format, people reconnect with their primal strength. They experience what it feels like to be loud and stand up for themselves. The tension in the body can be released.

Step-by-Step Guide to the “Bandler’s Puma” NLP Format

1. Develop the Scene: Imagine a person whose behavior has repeatedly upset you or someone you’re even afraid of. Visualize this person in your mind and push them mentally far away — perhaps a hundred meters. Picture them standing in a green meadow. Huge mountains rise on either side of them. The person appears tiny in this valley. Now add music: imagine a brass band playing loudly on one of the mountains, echoing through the valley and off the mountain walls.
2. The Puma: Now imagine a puma sitting on one of the mountains. It has a strong, shiny coat, a powerful presence, and moves gracefully. The puma is huge and gazes down into the valley at the person. It unsheathes its claws. Then mentally step into the puma. Look through its eyes into the valley. You are now the puma. Feel the strength in your paws. Move your paws a few times to truly feel your power. Now let out a mighty roar so loud that the valley and mountains tremble. Then swing your paws, right and left, and grab the person in the valley with a loud cry: “Your ass is mine!”
3. Feel the Relief: If you burst into hearty laughter, enjoy it!