Everyone seems to have an opinion about hypnosis. Unfortunately most of the time those expressed opinions are totally inaccurate. People have ideas about hypnosis that have been influenced from what they have seen on TV or how hypnosis has been incorrectly portrayed in the movies. Stage Hypnotists have not helped the situation much by reinforcing the idea that hypnosis is some form of mind control. This is simply not true.
Hypnosis is not mind control. It never was. If you have ever seen a magic show, you accept that what you are witnessing is just an illusion. The better the magician, the better the illusion that the magician is able to create. Stage Hypnotists also create an illusion. The illusion created is that through some powerful force they have taken over control of your mind. No hypnotist ever has control of your mind. All hypnosis is simply Self Hypnosis. All hypnotists, stage or otherwise, merely act as guides. It is you who are always in control.
You have a choice to accept or reject any idea presented, at any level of the mind. The remarkable thing about hypnosis remains this: Whatever you do accept as an ideal into your subconscious mind - positive or negative - becomes your new reality.
It's interesting is that many of us have accepted negative suggestions into our subconscious minds during our early childhood years when we had not yet developed the ability to filter them out. Many of these early negative suggestions (or programs) still continue to affect us well into adulthood. These negative, limiting suggestions presented to us early on in our life (i.e. “I’m not good enough” or “I can’t”) form the basis of perceptions or beliefs within ourselves that commonly form the root cause of symptomology we experience later on in life. With hypnosis, the power behind these limiting unwanted negative suggestions can be replaced with more positive, uplifting suggestions. This create a much more empowering position from which to learn from life’s challenges.
The following questions often arise:
Absolutely! You are entirely aware throughout the entire session , in fact, in the hypnotic state your senses are much more highly acute. In addition you are in in a much higher state of awareness than normal.
No. It is you who is always in control. Think about it... if a hypnotist could make you do anything they wanted to, well then hypnotists would be the richest people in the world. We would simply ask everyone to empty their bank accounts, give us all their money and we would run the world. That is not the case. You are always in control, to accept or reject any suggestion given, at any level of mind.
You will remember everything that occurs during hypnosis unless you choose to accept a suggestion to forget something. In deep states of trance there can sometimes be a naturally occurring tendency to experience a limited sense of amnesia. This is easily countered with a suggestion that you will always remember everything upon emerging from the hypnotic state.
Everyone can be hypnotized. The only factor that stops a person from enjoying the benefits of hypnosis is fear. Period!
In addition, hypnosis will not occur if someone doesn’t want to be hypnotized, has a limited mental capacity or is under the influence of mind altering drugs. All people naturally experience a state very similar to the hypnotic trance throughout a normal waking day. We just don’t associate these naturally occurring events with hypnosis. All of us can recall a time when we were so absorbed in thought that we failed to notice what wass happening around us. Perhaps this occurred while reading a book or during a bus ride to work. Maybe we even missed our stop. People often zone out to another level of consciousness while watching TV( TV advertisers know all about this!) or while listening to a lecture. These are just a few examples of the many times that we allow our subconscious mind to take over. These focused states of attention are very similar to hypnosis. All of us are already experts on the hypnotic experience, we just didn’t know it.
Close your eyes for a moment and just let yourself achieve a nice quiet state.
That’s exactly what hypnosis feels like. You are still able to hear, think, feel and smell. In hypnosis you are typically more aware of what is going on around you because of an increased ability to focus. You may experience a deep feeling of warmth and of relaxation. Many people new to the experience find it hard to believe that they were ever in hypnosis because it just feels so normal.
You’re not asleep, so you don’t have to worry about waking up. Some people do find the hypnotic state so relaxing that they really would like to remain in the relaxing hypnotic state and not return to their stressful, everyday lives. I usually give these people the choice to stay in the wonderful hypnotic state and pay for an additional session. So far, they have always chosen to emerge. They always look forward to their next session and at that time they are able to return to that same wonderful level of relaxation.
Yes, and even more so. We still haven’t explored all the awesome benefits of this wonderful, natural state of mind. Your subconscious mind is extremely powerful.
All that is really required is the proper mental attitude and a strong desire to want change within one’s life. This attitude and desire along with a willingness to cooperate and follow the instructions provided gives hypnotherapy a very high success rate. It is really amazing to see how efficiently and effectively the mind and the body are able to heal and correct themselves.
What
is hypnotherapy?