What is Hypnosis?

Modern hypnosis has been used for hundreds of years to build self-confidence, change habits, lose weight with weight loss programs, stop smoking, improve memory, end behavior problems in children and eliminate anxiety, fear and phobias.

The question is, WHAT IS HYPNOSIS? Hypnosis is a state of mind characterized by relaxed brain waves and a state of hyper-suggestibility. Hypnosis and hypnotic suggestions have played a major role in healing for thousands of years. According to the World Health Organization, 90% of the general population can be hypnotized. Hypnosis is a perfectly normal state that just about everyone has experienced. What we call “highway hypnosis” is a natural hypnotic state. You drive somewhere and don’t remember driving or even remember seeing the usual landmarks. You are on automatic pilot. The natural hypnotic state also exists when you become so involved in a book, TV show or some other activity that everything else is blocked out. Someone can talk to you and you don’t even see or hear them. Whenever you concentrate that strongly, you automatically slip into the natural hypnotic state.

The hypnotic state, by itself, is only useful for the relaxation it produces. The real importance of hypnosis to the healing and emotional change process is that while you are in the hypnotic state, your mind is open and receptive to suggestions. Positive and healing suggestions are able to sink deeply into your mind much more quickly and strongly than when you are in a normal, awake state of mind. I say positive suggestions because all research has demonstrated that while in the hypnotic state, you cannot be made to do anything against your moral values.

All of our habitual and behavior controlling thoughts reside in what is called our subconscious mind. It’s called that because it is deeper than our conscious mind. It’s below our level of consciousness. We are unaware of the thoughts and feelings that reside there. Did you ever forget you had a dental appointment or some other appointment that you really didn’t want to keep? Your subconscious mind is where that thought or memory that you had to go to the dentist at 2 PM went when you forgot you had the appointment. Once it was too late to go, your conscious mind relaxed and the memory came back.

Imagine that there is a trap door between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. Normally, the trap door is closed until your brain waves slow down to a relaxed, alpha brain wave level. This happens when you are asleep. The door opens for short periods of time and ideas, images and thoughts come out of your subconscious mind. We call what comes out in your sleep, “dreams”. When you are in a state of hypnosis, the door also opens so helpful suggestions can be directed into your subconscious mind or forgotten memories can be retrieved.

The hypnotic induction that hypnotists use is simply a way to focus your attention and concentration so you will go into that natural, normal hypnotic state. Once in the state of hypnosis, the trap door opens and suggestions to help you can be given. The list of ways hypnosis has been used to help children, adolescents and adults is practically endless but does include: weight loss, stopping smoking, building self-confidence and self-esteem, improving academic performance at every age level, improving test taking ability from children through high school, college, medical and law school as well as the National Teacher Certification Exam, pain management, eliminating anxiety, fear and phobias, stress management, insomnia and other sleep problems and helping to heal physical problems.

The Three Keys to the successful use of hypnosis for self-improvement and personal growth are self-motivation, repetition and believable suggestions.

• The motivation to change must come from within you. If you are trying to change because someone else wants you to “lose weight” or “stop smoking”, the chances are greatly reduced that the hypnosis will work. For example, I’ve worked with many people for weight loss or to quit smoking who came to me because their physician or spouse wanted them to change. These people do not respond as well to the hypnosis as those who really want to change. Those who came because they wanted to quit smoking or lose weight responded quickly and easily. Before you start to use hypnosis for your self- improvement, you should get it clear in your own mind why you want to change. This clear intention to change will help the hypnotic suggestions to take hold and manifest themselves in your everyday life.
• To really work well, suggestions must be reinforced by repetition. Most of the habits, feelings and emotions we want to change are deeply implanted in our subconscious mind and will not just “go away” with one set of suggestions. Most of the time, the hypnotic suggestions need to be repeated on a regular basis until you notice a change. This is one reason that most specialists in hypnosis give clients cassette tapes of their sessions so they can listen to them every day. It’s also the reason why hypnosis tapes you buy can work so well. You get to listen to them every day or often enough that the suggestions become permanently a part of you. There is no way to predict how long it will take to see change. It will depend partly on your motivation and commitment.
• The third key to the successful use of hypnosis for personal change is believable suggestions. If you are to accept a suggestion, your mind must first accept it as a real possibility. Telling a chocoholic that chocolate will be disgusting to them and will make them sick is too big a stretch for the imagination. If a suggestion like this even took hold, it would only last a short time because it would be so unbelievable to a real chocolate lover. In cases like this, one of the successful weight loss suggestions I use is that the next time the individual eats chocolate, it will not taste quite as good as the time before. This is far more acceptable and believable to most people. Then, with enough repetition over a period of time, chocolate loses much of it’s positive taste and control over that person.

Frequently Asked Questions About Hypnosis

What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural, relaxed state of increased mental awareness.

It is a state of mind you pass through on your way into unconscious sleep every night, and pass back through as you wake up every morning.

Hypnosis is one of the quickest and most exciting ways to make positive, lasting change in your life. Hypnosis is completely safe… and you can experience huge leaps forward with just one session!

How does hypnosis work?

Hypnosis works by guiding the mind into a state of deep relaxation. In this “trance” state, the critical filtering capabilities of the conscious mind are bypassed, allowing the hypnotherapist to provide suggestions directly to the subconscious mind.

Hypnosis also works by the hypnotherapist talking in the “language” of the subconscious mind, ensuring the conscious mind doesn’t interfere at all. This is achieved through a combination of guided visualization exercises and through the use of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).

Does hypnosis work for me?

Absolutely 100% YES!

The fact that you want to try hypnosis is enough to diagnose that hypnosis WILL work for you. Hypnosis only DOESN’T work if the person undergoing the session doesn’t want to be hypnotized. The number of people who have successfully created the positive changes they desired using the power of their minds is astounding. It is natural, safe, and it works.

How does hypnosis feel like?

Hypnosis feels fantastic!

During your session, you’ll feel immensely relaxed. And when finished, you’ll be brought back to the waking world feeling fully alive and energetic, truly ready for what the world has to offer you… or, if you wish, you can finish your session by simply dropping off to sleep.

For some people, the hypnosis session may feel as though it lasted just a few minutes. For other, it seems as though they’ve been in that relaxed state for hours. That’s perfectly normal… hypnosis can be so relaxing, you tend to lose track of time!

So what does hypnosis “feel” like? It’s just a state of total and tranquility.

What can I use hypnosis for?

Hypnosis can be used for almost anything… changing your thoughts, behaviors, even your body!

You can use hypnosis to boost your confidence, increase your memory, cure your stage fright, lose weight, develop your psychic powers, improve your sport, stop smoking get rid of phobia, fear or any limitation… and a whole lot more!

Your mind creates your own reality. It can do anything. Hypnosis is your key to taking control of your life.

Is hypnosis safe?

Absolutely. Hypnosis is a completely natural method of absorbing information. In fact, we all enter hypnotic states every day in our waking lives. You CANNOT be hypnotized if you don’t wish to be. And you CANNOT be hypnotized to do anything against your will.

Can I get stuck in hypnosis?

Not at all! During a hypnosis session, you’re simply in a state of deep relaxation. If your hypnotherapist was to leave during a session, or your CD player were to run out of batteries, you would either simply wake up or drift off to sleep. No-one has ever been “stuck” in a state of terminal hypnosis!

I think I’m too intelligent to be hypnotized

Another misconception. Studies have shown that intelligent people are actually easier to hypnotize. And it doesn’t matter if you’re skeptical of the process… the fact you’re trying hypnosis shows you have an open mind. The results will prove themselves!

Hypnosis is a totally natural, completely safe method of self-development… and can help you achieve goals you never thought possible!

How long does it take for hypnosis to work?

Hypnosis often produces dramatic results in as little as one session. However it can take days or a couple of weeks before the changes are truly implemented at a deep level within the mind.