Hypnosis and Self Hypnosis Explained

You've already been under Hypnosis. Or you have already used Self Hypnosis.

That's true, even if you have never thought about it. Never heard of Highway Hypnosis? It is what happens when you take your car at home, start driving and then you happen to be for example at work, without being aware that you drove all the road. Being it because you were thinking about something very interesting, or being because you did it so many times that you go on auto-pilot the result is the same. Or is it ever happened that you were reading a book so deeply that to call you someone had to shake you?

For that time you were in Trance. That's why we Hypnotherapists say that Hypnosis is a common state of mind, it happens almost every day.

Trance is an altered state of consciousness were our conscious mind plays a very little part while our subconscious rules. A particular state of deep relaxation and focused consciousness very useful as it can be used to achieve particular results. This because while in trance our conscious mind and our subconscious are only one thing working and cooperating together. The process of getting into a trance state is called Hypnosys. What is done in that state is called Hypnotherapy. Self Hypnosis is when you get into the trance state by yourself.

And of course it's a very natural state since you've experienced it already many times in your life.

Moreover the fact that the conscious mind is always aware of what's happening is what makes almost impossible to force someone to do something against his/her will, unless brainwashed. Again, it's a kind of safety mechanism. And also a very creative state of being; in fact it is reported that Isaac Newton when hit by an apple was daydreaming (trance-like state) and suddenly all pieces got together and the Gravity Theory was formed. So in a sense Newton was under Hypnosis.

Different levels of Trance.

It is true that there are different levels from light trance to very heavy trance. This has a lot to do with how much someone is suggestible. As an example those people whom during tv shows aren't able to separate their hands until the Stage Hypnotist says so belongs to heavy trance or highly suggestible people. They are of course the preferred subjects for experiments and stage shows. Other people like me who almost always have some consciousness working are light trance or less suggestible people.

Is it important the level of trance as regards using Self Hypnosis and achieving results? No.

The level of trance's deepness isn't a factor as regards achievements and, from my personal point of view, being that it is required for Self Hypnosis to work an agreement between Conscious and Subconscious having a part of our mind awake and accepting what's going on during trance avoids further disagreements between the two parts of our mind. What's been accepted by the Conscious mind is much more probable to be accepted also by the Subconscious mind. Furthermore just deeply relaxing and entering a light state of trance already increases your well being, even without going on further with Hypnotism or Hypnotherapy.

Can anyone use Hypnosis?

Yes, provided he/she is not in an altered state of mind. Mental issues, alcohol, drugs, whatever modifies consciousness forbids entering in a trance state. Other than that anyone can use Self Hypnosis.

Is Self Hypnosis or a trance state safe?

100%. The worst thing that can happen is that you fell asleep, as it happened to me a couple of times. Which isn't wrong anyway as it means that you are quite relaxed. Whatever happens you can always just open your eyes and deal with what you have to and this is why Hypnotism is one of the safest technique to use. And usually the worst that can happen with Hypnotherapy is that it doesn't work. Clearly if your Hypnotist knows what he's doing.

So, how is done Self Hypnosis?

Basically is relaxing, entering a trance state where creativity and absorption of notions are increased, using particularly crafted sentences to achieve a particular result directing and focusing the combined powers of our whole mind, visualizing the desired outcome, going back to full consciousness. And then Practice, Practice and Practice. Hypnotism is no different from every other tool, you must use it. The more you practice the better you become and so the easier it is to achieve results. And, just like using a bicycle once learned the procedure can be applied to every issue. Self Hypnosis can be mastered in a very short time.

How long does it takes to see results?

It depends on the desired outcome. Since Self Hypnosis requires a certain amount of work from the Conscious mind it is perfectly normal that it requires more time than going to a good Hypnotherapist and just relaxing and letting him/her do all the job.

From my personal experience dealing with mental goals like relaxing more, being stressed less and so on are usually quite fast, from one week on. Working on physical aspects requiring body's changes like boosting an immune system or things like that requires more time. But it depends from person to person. And as usual with systems using the mind the more you believe the faster you achieve. Surely if someone thinks that Self Hypnosis is worthless then it becomes worthless. As medicine demonstrates with the placebo effect our mind plays an important role about everything and this surely applies to Hypnotism.

My personal point of view is that we have the abilities to deal with almost everything. Within reason of course, and that Hypnotherapy is always worth trying as there are pratically no dangers involved in Hypnotism. Again, obviously going to a professional.

What do you think? Did you already know about Hypnosis?

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