About Hypnosis

A kindly thought sent out, towards another human being;
Can guard the one receiving it, from sadness, hate and ruin.

There is plenty of evidence that the phenomenon of hypnotic trance has been used by humanity for eons.

What Is Hypnosis?
Many attempts to give a trite definition of this phenomenon have been made, yet still nobody can really state exactly what it is. It is probably more useful to describe more fully a few features of the hypnotic trance state, than attempt to define it. It is an altered state of consciousness, neither fully awake, nor fully asleep. During the trance, breathing may become deeper and the heart rate may decrease. The deeper in trance a person goes, the more strange and unusual the phenomenon. There may be no sensations of pain and often symptoms of illness can disappear. Long-term pain sufferers can learn to use trance to gain relief from suffering. Forgotten childhood memories may be recalled. People who stammer or stutter in the waking state may talk freely whilst in trance. Clinical or medical procedures may take place without anaesthetic or discomfort. Trance may also be used in the treatments of drug addiction and dependency.

Fears And Misconceptions
Is there a possibility that I might not awaken from hypnosis?
Hypnosis is not a kind of sleep, although it might appear so to anyone watching a subject in trance lying there with eyes closed, appearing to be well gone. Hypnosis can incorporate elements of relaxation and drowsiness. On the other hand, an alert vibrant state can just as easily be encouraged. A trance can be terminated simply by saying, `In a moment I want you to open your eyes wide-awake. Open your eyes now’. Immediately the subject will be able to open their eyes and return to a normal state of consciousness.

Can a hypnotist encourage me to do something bad against my will?
There have been several studies on this question and there are as many `yes’ as `no’ answers. I have found that, in general, most people will only accept suggestions that go along with their personal ethical standards. However, if you are going for hypnotherapy it is advisable to check that your therapist belongs to a respectable register of practitioners, one that has a code of ethics and that can verify the standard of training that your therapist has received. (See the useful address section.)

Do only weak minded people enter trance?
The opposite is true. The stronger-minded a person is, the more able they are to enter trance. Remember, hypnosis is a form of concentration; therefore, the “stronger” a mind is the more easily it can reach a concentrated state. The average person is capable of entering sufficiently deep enough states of hypnosis for effective therapy to take place. I often meet people who say to me `I cannot be hypnotised’. To these I say `Yes, I agree with you’, and it is true, for if someone resists suggestion then there is really no chance of helping them to enter trance.

Does hypnosis weaken the mind?
Again, I would say that the opposite is true. Many student and graduates use self-hypnosis to help them study and recall information as well as gain confidence to pass exams etc..

Can you make me tell you things that I would rather keep private?
There are two answers to this question. The first is that no ethical hypnotherapist would even attempt to gain confidential information from you without first asking your permission prior to any trance taking place. The second is that if a therapist attempted this, it is likely that the critical censor in your conscious mind would alert you and prevent anything happening.

Is it possible that when I am in trance I might slip into proper sleep? This can happen. Of course when you are in normal sleep you will leave the trance state. If you are working with a therapist he or she would be aware that you had gone to sleep and would either gently wake you or allow you to take a few moments’ rest. People only fall asleep from hypnosis if they are bored or overtired.

Trance
Hypnotic trance is usually induced by firstly concentrating on a single idea until other thoughts become secondary and eventually merge into the background. At this point the door to the unconscious mind and its processes begins to open. This state of focus, of course, is not unique. Have you ever been reading something and someone has come and spoken to you? At that time you have been so absorbed in your reading that the first thing you know is when you hear that person say, `Hey, I have been speaking to you and you completely ignored me’. This state has no clear boundaries; there are elements of it in everything we do: when walking through the countryside lost in a reverie; just before dropping off to sleep in bed; doing breathing exercises; day-dreaming; driving a car; watching TV. These are just a few examples of altered trance-like states. Animals easily move from one trance state to another - watch your cat snoozing, it is always alert.

Trance And Sleep
We have discovered that hypnosis is neither full wakefulness nor full sleep. However, trance has some things in common with sleep:

•Trance suggestions can cause one to feel tired and relaxed.
• Dreamlike states may be encouraged when working through traumatic memory.
• When returning from a trance, suggestions may be given for forgetting anything that might cause discomfort at the conscious level. This is rather like waking up and forgetting the dreams you have just had.
• The word `sleep’ is often used by hypnotists to begin trance.

The Unconscious Mind
In earlier chapters we discovered that the unconscious mind keeps us alive, stores information in memory, and is there to protect us from being bombarded consciously with too many stimuli. It is also the part that makes any changes that are suggested to it during hypnosis.

The unconscious part of the mind is far more open and susceptible to suggestion than the normal, logical, thinking conscious mind. It can accept suggestion without judgement and action things that the conscious mind would be sceptical or even cynical about.
We discovered that words could be used to influence feelings, emotions and pictures within the unconscious. In fact we discovered that the unconscious could be coaxed into accepting words as real things. Therefore, when the conscious mind is otherwise distracted or directed into a focal point, words can be subtly filtered past it into the unconscious for acceptance. Providing the words are acceptable to that person and do not in anyway challenge their ethical stance or belief systems, and that they wish for the outcome that is suggested, then the unconscious can get to work.

Time And The Unconscious Mind
Linear time means little to the unconscious, which is capable of processing and taking action upon suggestions or commands almost simultaneously. This accounts for reported miraculous or fantastic remissions from illness sometimes occurring soon after a suggestion is made. In his book, The Psychobiology Of Mind-Body Healing Ernest Rossi gives some examples of spontaneous remission. In trance, time becomes distorted and suggestions often encourage the unconscious to live through hours or days of trance time in a matter of minutes. For example, `Whilst you rest in this wonderful place/state, you may take as much time as you need in the next few moments to enjoy a full day of pleasurable healing rest’.

Who Hypnotises Who?
A good hypnotist will admit that the subject actually carries out the process. The hypnotist is a person who can speak in a special way to the subject’s unconscious mind. The subject then either accepts the suggestions and goes into trance, or refuses to accept the suggestions and stays in their present state.

Self-Hypnosis
Teaching yourself self-hypnosis can have some minor difficulties. The problem is that a person is using their own conscious mind with all its scepticism to try to by-pass conscious thought processes, and at the same time asking the unconscious to carry out commands. These commands are likely to be ones that the conscious mind has found difficult to work with itself. It is a kind of swings-and-roundabouts situation. I’m not saying that it doesn’t work, but I have come across many people who admit to reading books on self-hypnosis and only gaining slight or little success when attempting to induce a hypnotic state.

Why use the services of a Skilled Hypnotherapist?
Because of the problems with conscious and unconscious mind mentioned above mentioned you are more likely to get the changes you want if you go to a skilled hypnotherapis. Also he or she should have the necessary experience in dealing with stress related and emotional problems.

For more advice about your problem or my services feel free to phone me at {0151 638 6706} or email me at tombev@freezone.co.uk