Have you ever experienced a state of hypnosis? The answer is yes no matter who you are, how old you are, or where you live.
Hypnosis is a state of focused conscious attention in which the mind is most open to suggestion. Hypnosis is a bridge or doorway to the subconscious mind and occurs when the brain is in a state of alpha or theta, the brainwaves just before falling asleep. This is why hypnosis is often associated with relaxation, but it can occur in an active physical state as well.
*Have you ever driven somewhere and couldn’t remember part of the drive? You were in a state of hypnosis. *Have you ever been in “the zone” during intense work or performance? You were in hypnosis. *Remember watching a fascinating movie or reading an exciting book for an hour or two that felt like a much shorter time? That is a hypnogogic state, the state of hypnosis. *Imagine sitting comfortably in a chair with your eyes closed for several minutes listening carefully to someone’s calming voice. This is what hypnosis feels like.
All hypnosis is self hypnosis. No one can hypnotize you to do something you don’t want to do. Hollywood has done a good job of making hypnosis seem mysterious, powerful, and controlling. The fact is, hypnosis is powerful, and can be used for control—but the control and power belong to the client when done intentionally and with consent.
We are hypnotically influenced regularly in many ways. Many persuasive methods are used in the media to sell products, impact choices, sway voters, and program our minds. Many of these methods are intentional, and some are simply a result of the way our minds work.
Research has proven that 95% of our behavior, decisions, and mode of thinking is subconscious. Habits, deep rooted beliefs, and doing something on “auto pilot” are examples of this. Your subconscious mind constantly experiences and records billions of bits of information, which your conscious mind must filter and organize. Only a small percent of this information gets used by your mind every moment, otherwise we would be overloaded and overstimulated continually.
The famous psychologist Carl Jung said that until you make your subconscious mind conscious, it will run your life—but you’ll call it “luck” or “fate.” Hypnosis is a method of tapping into the subconscious mind and taking charge of harmful patterns, habits, and beliefs. You can also tap into your subconscious to strengthen good habits, improve skills, and expand your spiritual practice. Some proven successful examples of hypnosis are
*stopping habits like smoking, overeating, nail biting *overcoming fears and anxieties or mental blocks *improved sleep, nervous system regulation *enhancing athletic or mental performance *lowering cortisol and blood pressure
A hypnotist or hypnotherapist is your guide. Imagine being a tourist on vacation in a large city in Europe for the first time in your life. You don’t speak the language but you want a specific tour of the best places, while avoiding the dangerous areas. Would you attempt this without a guide? Probably not. Think of your hypnosis expert as a trained guide helping you safely navigate the most interesting, fascinating parts of your subconscious to achieve the most helpful results. The valuable mental and emotional tools you learn to use during the process can be repeated by you at any time to benefit you the rest of your life.
As your guide and hypnotherapist, I will ask you about yourself, your concerns, goals, and wishes, and have you complete some written questions about your life. Before your session we will spend time getting acquainted and comfortable, and I’ll explain every part of the process. It is my intention to make you feel welcome and safe at all times, but this is your process—there is no wrong way for you to feel or experience your hypnotherapy.
