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How does it feel to be hypnotised?
How do you put people into hypnosis?
What about those stage hypnotists that make people do strange and silly things?
How do I know if I can be hypnotised?
What does hypnosis feel like ... or ... How can I tell if I'm hypnotised?
Is hypnosis a 100% consent state?
What if I'm under a doctor's care or taking medication?
What Is Self Empowerment? How can I learn more about it?
What Areas Can Hypnotherapy Be Helpful In?
Why don't more people use self-hypnosis or get hypnotherapy sessions?
What's
the difference between self-hypnosis, "guided imagery," "creative visualisation"
or meditation?
How quickly will I experience results from hypnosis?
Can Hypnosis be Spiritual? I Don't Believe in Religion!
How can I learn more about hypnosis?
Elevated Therapy`s Self-Hypnosis Routine
Hypnosis is a very normal and natural altered
state of consciousness (an altered state of awareness), one we all experience
from time to time in which the mind remains clear, alert and focused on
something. Have you ever "become really absorbed" while watching TV? Or
driven to work on "auto pilot?" That's the same kind of altered state as
hypnosis.
Some misconceptions about hypnosis are that it's
a frightening or eerie state, or that it feels very weird, but it's actually
very normal and very pleasant.
Some people ask if they've really been hypnotised,
just because it feels like such a normal state and they were expecting
something very strange. The zombie-type states
you see depicted in movies and on TV are pure fantasy. .
Hypnosis itself is unlikely to assist in a relief
of symptoms, whatever those symptoms might be.
It is the therapy – hypnotherapy - which
is carried out within the altered state that is significant.
It adopts two altogether different forms in its
clinical approach.
Suggestion Therapy
This clinical form of treatment is ideal for
helping to cope with such things as self-development, particular fears,
doubts, nerves, smoking, certain habits, some weight-control problems,
stress, hypno-healing
(working with the body`s immune and healing systems)
and so forth.
Analytical Therapy
This is used for the more fundamental or deep-seated
problems or issues. This approach aims to find and eliminate the underlying
rudimentary cause of such things as irrational fears, emotional problems,
relationship difficulties, psychosexual problems, lack of confidence, personality
problems, sleeping difficulties, stuttering/stammering, anxiety, inferiority
complex, unhappiness, phobias, etc. and most other problems and issues
where there is a psychological factor at work.
How does it feel to be hypnotised?
It feels great! Hypnosis is a natural state that
feels similar to that feeling you get right before you fall asleep at night.
When you awaken, you feel refreshed and revitalised.
You just feel as if you are relaxing in a very
comfortable space with your eyes closed. You can hear everything--my voice,
the sounds outside the building, a car going down the street outside, whatever.
Think about it - your unconscious mind uses the
same set of ears that your conscious mind hears with! How effective would
it be if, once you entered the trance state, you suddenly lost all ability
to hear the hypnotherapists's words?
You're mindful the entire time, aware of everything
going on around you as well as what your unconscious is revealing to you.
I liken it to watching TV in one room while a
radio plays in another; you can shift your awareness back and forth between
the
two, concentrating on one but still aware of
the other.
How do you put people into hypnosis?
Using words, a soothing tone, mental imagery and various exercises and techniques (such as deep breathing) to induce a pleasant, lethargic state to begin with.
Not at all. No one under hypnosis can be induced
to do anything against his or her will. Whatever moral and ethical codes
you hold in a normal waking state will still be in place under hypnosis.
You can actually lie when in hypnosis.
Your unconscious mind was formed when you were
about age five. Its job is to protect and help you. Just like you cannot
be made to do anything against your moral code, you will not say anything
that is embarrassing and will not reveal more than you are comfortable
doing. Usually, if a hypnotherapist`s suggestion
conflicts with a client's value system, the client simply brings him or
herself up out of hypnosis; they just "wake
up." You are in complete control at all times.
Hypnotherapy is a gentle, loving process and
hypnotherapists are trained to not judge.
You will heal and change in your own timing.
What about those stage hypnotists that make people do strange and silly things?
The "control factor" is still zero. Think about
it: we've all seen or heard about those stage shows--we all have expectations
about what happens in them. If you have never been formally hypnotised
before, you may be expecting "fireworks."
When that doesn't happen, you think, "Oh, it's
not working on me," and STOP TRYING, open your eyes and sit there waiting
to be let off the stage. The people who will do well as volunteers are
the people who do not expect to be transported to another realm. They understand
that they will still “know what's going on” and still “hear everything
the hypnotist says.”
They stay with it and follow the hypnotist's
instructions, even when they're not sure if it's working.
You cannot simultaneously BE the show and SEE
the show! You have to pick one and stick with it!
Does anyone really think that if they volunteer
to go on stage that the hypnotist will suggest they do something BRILLIANT?
Anyone who volunteers is agreeing to play the part, whether they consciously
admit it or not.
For some, hypnosis (like alcohol) is a convenient
"excuse" to act out and not take responsibility for their behaviour.
You'll remember everything--everything I say and
everything you experience or everything you need to remember.
However, because most clients receive a great
deal of information it may take days, weeks or months to really process.
I often encourage you to write your experience
down as soon as possible. As with any experience, it's not unusual to lose
the subtler details with the passage of time, and some of the patterns
you uncover may not “click” into place until much later.
Depth of the hypnotic state is an idea that used
to be a focal point, but lately the hypnosis community and hypnosis professionals
have realised that depth (or not) has little bearing. My view on this is
that my clients go as deep (or stay as light) as they need to and what
is appropriate for them, and we still get good results.
It is a fact that the more hypnosis one undergoes,
the greater and easier one drops down into the altered state.
It is a skill and like all skills – improves
with practice.
How do I know if I can be hypnotised?
Everyone can be hypnotised but one has to be willing to do it. All hypnosis is self-hypnosis, which means if you want to do it, you will. The very small minority of people who have difficulty in a session are usually those who a) don't really want to be hypnotised (perhaps to debunk the idea); or b) can't relax and let go enough (perhaps fearing loss of control, which we know is a myth, or fearing the unknown) to go with the experience. Some things you can do to increase your ability to go under hypnosis easier and faster are practising meditation, visualisation, yoga or relaxation techniques.
What does hypnosis feel like
... or ... How can I tell if I'm hypnotised?
Many of us experience a "trance-like" state while being given a good sermon at church, listening to some good music on the radio, reading a gripping novel, or even while watching TV! Here are some personal feelings one may experience when in a hypnotic state:
1.Physical relaxation (Body muscles feel relaxed).
2.Fluttering of eyelids when entering and coming out of hypnosis.
3.Mental relaxation.
4.General feeling of drowsiness as if ready to doze.
5.Eyelids heavy (extreme effort to raise them).
6.Eyes smarting and/or tearing. Remove contacts; they create dryness.
7.Eyelids locked together, unable to open.
8.Jaw muscles relaxed.
9.Teeth unclenched.
10.Tongue loose and natural. When tense, the tongue goes higher.
11.Dryness in mouth.
12.Desire to swallow.
13.Moisture at corners of mouth.
14.Desire to scratch an itch, but not sure of doing it.
15.Twitching or jerking in any part of the body.
16.Euphoria (state of well-being).
17.Tingling or numbness in any portion of body.
18.Heavy feeling in any portion or entire body.
19.Desire to laugh, smile, giggle, or cry.
20.Lack of desire to open eyes (relaxation feels too good).
21.Body warmth or chill.
22.Feel personal freedom, carefree or uninhibited.
23.Sexual/sensual stimulation or awareness.
24.Time distortion (minutes seems like hours and vice versa).
25.Voice sounds fading in and out.
26.Letting go as if falling asleep.
27.Occasional involuntary sigh.
28.Feeling of lightness.
29.Feeling of floating.
30.Partial body detachment as if part of the body is not there.
No. Again, hypnosis is a very natural and normal
state and cannot hold anyone against his or her will. If a client were
to go so
deep as to enter a truly unconscious state (a
very rare occurrence), they would simply go into natural sleep and awaken
when they were rested. It is impossible for anyone to be `left or lost`
in hypnosis.
After hypnosis, a person awakens naturally, just
as they do after sleep! If the hypnotherapist were to leave before counting
them awake, the subject would eventually realise that the session had ended
and would awaken on their own.
During the session, if there were an emergency,
or the subject no longer wished to participate, they could easily awaken
themselves at any time and simply stop.
Can hypnosis
hurt me?
In over two hundred years of recorded hypnosis
history, there is no documented case of anyone being hurt with hypnosis.
Hypnosis can only be used in a positive way. If anyone tries to give you
suggestions against your morals, religious beliefs or anything you feel
strongly about, you could instantly emerge from the state of relaxation
on your own.
Is hypnosis
a 100% consent state?
If at any time you want to emerge from the state
of hynosis, for any reason, you will instantly, naturally open your eyes
and become fully alert. No one can keep you in hypnosis against your will.
What if I'm under a doctor's care or taking medication?
If you have any questions about whether or not
hypnosis will help or conflict with a present medical condition, ask you
GP.
The interesting reaction of hypnosis on medication
is that, over long periods of time, it tends to "potentiate" medication,
which means if you're currently taking medication, after a series of hypnosis
sessions you may find that you need less amounts of it, or a lesser strength
of the drug. Hypnosis can often complement traditional medical care and
better or more informed doctors favour it. It can act as an adjunct to
medical treatment.
"Helping me get past my fear of public speaking?"
"Improving my golf game?" "Helping me relax during exams?"
"Curing my insomnia?" Etc. Let's put it this
way: think for a moment about any issue in your life that you'd like to
improve and ask yourself, "Does my mind interact with this issue/activity
in any way? Do my thoughts/beliefs affect my performance?
Do my feelings contribute to my experiences in
this area? Have I had past experiences that are reinforcing my beliefs/thoughts/emotions
in a negative way? Is it my expectation that I will NOT get the results
I desire?"
Are you getting the picture? The mind, body and
emotions are all connected. Therefore, I'm not aware of ANY issue that
can not be at least significantly improved/relieved
through the regular use of hypnosis.
Generally, there is a positive effect from hypnotherapy.
When pain and trauma is released from the unconscious mind and the physical
body's stored stress is also released from your cells. You can experience
calmness. peace. and a feeling of joy from resolving an old issue, changing
your behaviours and old patterns, leaning new information connecting with
your inner wisdom, changes in how you perceive yourself and others. You
can actually learn to let go of old hurts and angers, so they no longer
affect you physically and emotionally. Your unconscious mind holds our
keys to health, happiness and self-empowerment!
| Stress | Health | Tension Headaches |
| Allergies | Insominia | Visualisation |
| Relaxation | Self-Confidence | Motivation |
| Sadness | Emotional Pain | Addictions |
| Creativity | Goal Setting | Medical Procedures |
| Trust Issues | Inner Child | Self-Improvement |
| Regression | Test Anxiety | Weight Management |
| Anxiety | Childbirth | Spiritual Development |
| Sports Performance | Pain Management | Fears/Phobias |
| Smoking Cessation | Mind/Body Healing | Dental Procedures |
| Co-Dependency | Developing Skills | And much more... |
Why don't
more people use self-hypnosis or get hypnotherapy sessions?
Why don't more people take their vitamins? Or
exercise? We KNOW what's good for us but that doesn't mean we'll do it.
We're busy. Most of us barely keep up with all the things we feel we HAVE
to do, let alone all that stuff that seems "optional." The other reason,
I believe, is that hypnosis appears very simple. So simple, that when people
first try it, they think it's too easy to do any good. So they stop,
thinking either it doesn't work or they're not doing it right. The truth
is, an activity does not need to be complex in order to be beneficial.
(Consider sit-ups and flossing and swallowing those vitamin pills!)
Our society is very geared toward DOING. Most
of us are not comfortable with just BEING. Practice sitting quietly on
a daily basis for even 5 minutes. You'll be surprised how challenging this
is!
What's
the difference between self-hypnosis, "guided imagery," "creative visualisation"
or meditation?
Truthfully, there's not a tremendous difference at all. I believe that the widespread misconceptions about hypnosis have made people afraid to call the process by its rightful name--especially in the business environment. “Guided Imagery” or “Previewing” perhaps sound a little less mystical than “Hypnosis” and "Self-Hypnosis." All of these processes are simply procedures to relax the body and focus the mind. The state you attain can feel similar for each--no matter what you choose to call it.
How quickly will I experience results from hypnosis?
How quickly do you WANT to see results? There's
a lot of factors at work here. First, and foremost, there's your motivation
level and commitment. If you're "trying" to quit smoking because your partner
has put you up to it, you're not really all that motivated yourself, now
are you?
My advice there: just quit wasting your time
and money and be honest. There's no such thing as "trying to quit." You're
either ready to be a non-smoker or you're not. Same is true with just about
anything. If your motivation and commitment level is HIGH, you'll likely
experience results straight away or very quickly. If it's low, you
may stop going to the hypnotherapist or stop listening to that new
tape long before you see any results. Other factors that determine your
success can include your comfort-level and respect for the hypnotherapist
you're working with, as well as the regularity of your hypnosis sessions.
Hypnosis is NOT a magic pill. Sorry!
You will actually have to do some WORK along
the way, such as attending your hypnotherapy sessions or listening
to your self-hypnosis tape on a daily basis. If you are expecting to be
"put to sleep" and awaken "never wanting to eat chocolate again," you're
probably destined for disappointment. It just doesn't happen that way.
On the other hand, I have many clients who quit smoking after my `one smoking
session`, they were what I'd call HIGHLY MOTIVATED and have COMMITMENT.
Have you?
Many people expect to be rich by not doing anything
to make it happen!
Elevated Therapy when working within these realms creates an open, accepting (sacred) space for you to learn more about yourself and expand into who you want to be and who you really are. This occurs as you learn the skills of working with the unconscious and superconscious minds and experience your own healing as you expand and grow.
I create an ambience where this experience is filled with fun, love, laughter, understanding, acceptance, the free exchange of knowledge and wisdom, and respect for you and your life experiences.
How can I
learn more about hypnosis?
Depends. What exactly do you want to learn? If
you're just curious about hypnosis, try reading a book on the subject or
buying a self-hypnosis tape that will guide you through the process.
An excellent place to start is the Hypnosis
Books area at Elevated Therapy International.
You can also try some of the Life-Force Tapes / CD`s or get a Customised / Designer Tape for yourself here on site.
If you would like to train as a hypnotherapist, check out the International Accreditation Training Programme and the Elevated Therapy Links page or the Classified Ads section. (Disclaimer applies)
Also see UK Hypnotherapy
Organisations on site.
If you are trained in hypnosis and would like
to enhance or further develop your skills, then have a look at what
Elevated Therapy International
has to offer HERE.
If you require added help and support why not
consider Counselling On-Line at Elevated Therapy International?
CLICK
HERE
Elevated Therapy`s Self-Hypnosis Routine
Prior to trance, decide for how long and how deeply you want to relax. Say it out loud or in your head - it doesn't matter which but do this so that you can programme a wake-up time. If you do this you should awaken around the exact time that you chose. Any suggestions or healing affirmations you want to be absorbed by your unconscious mind can be read or spoken out loud at this point. Decide what you want to gain from this self-hypnosis session and then:
1. Take a deep breath, hold it and count to three, then slowly release your breath. At the same time as you breathe out, close your eyes and relax.
2. Allow
the whole of your body to sink down and become heavy. Imagine that you
are going into deep hypnosis and that you are becoming more deeply relaxed.
Tell yourself that you are becoming more and more relaxed.
Remember that the most profound relaxation comes
at the bottom of the outbreath, so collapse your stomach muscles on each
outbreath.
3. Let your breathing become slower and deeper and imagine that you are going deeper into hypnosis with every outward breath. Tell yourself that you are sinking deeper and deeper, until you reach a level at which you feel comfortable.
4. Use some
form of visualisation to go to a place of peace and tranquility - your
own sanctuary, perhaps a holiday or fantasy place and just relax; or if
you want to improve some behaviour, you can use auto-suggestion or affirmations
at this point.
Power suggestions are stated in the present and
the positive. Use these sentence stems: I feel..., I am..., I have...,
I know.
Remember, the unconscious mind is literal and
can assimilate suggestions or affirmations in this relaxed state even though
the conscious mind might not yet believe they are true. That is the beauty
of hypnosis!
5. When you are satisfied that you have benefited from the relaxation or have programmed your mind with the new information, you can count back from five to one telling yourself that when you get to one you will feel (whatever it is you want to feel) and return to your normal waking state, having benefited from the trance.
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