Hypnosis is a natural state of mind which we routinely enter and exit several times each day – while reading, listening to music, watching TV, day dreaming…even while driving a car! In general, whenever you are doing something without consciously thinking about it, you are in a hypnotic state of mind. As one of our natural human mind states, each individual has the power and ability to move in or out of hypnosis at will once they understand what it is and how it is achieved.

Hypnotic suggestion from a trained practitioner, along with the power of your own concentration and determination, can help you realize many of the life goals that may seem elusive. Also known as “guided meditation”, hypnosis is a tool that can provide immense rewards and self-mastery.

Having an undesirable habit which we want to stop, but find virtually impossible to do so, is NOT a matter of personal weakness or a lack of willpower. It is instead a function of how our mind works: the two parts of our mind, our conscious mind and subconscious mind, are simply in conflict. In general, the conscious mind is involved in problem-solving – it is our awareness. Conversely, although the subconscious mind is very powerful and protective of you, it lacks the thinking and rationalizing abilities of the conscious mind. It is more like a huge library which stores memory of events and emotions. It is also where our habits are formed and kept. Under hypnosis, the subconscious mind becomes accessible and open to suggestions that you want to hear. It then stores this “new” information as reality. Now that the conscious and subconscious minds view a problem (or habit) similarly, changes can be surprisingly easy!

While in a state of hypnosis, your breathing slows and the muscles in your body become completely relaxed. Mentally and physically, it is an extremely pleasant sensation. Some people experience a feeling of lightness; others feel securely weighted in the chair. Because you remain mentally very alert and because it is not a “new” or “foreign” experience, some may even doubt that they were hypnotized. A look at the clock will usually dispel this notion for, as with any other extremely pleasant experience, time flies under hypnosis!

Yes! As a naturally occurring event, the hypnotic state is perfectly safe. Actually, you cannot be hypnotized unless you want to be. Since you will never lose consciousness and will hear every word during your session, you will never relinquish control of your own self-will and decision-making abilities. If a suggestion were made with which you fundamentally disagreed, you would simply emerge from this state of relaxation on your own.

Virtually anyone who wants to be hypnotized can be hypnotized! Three factors influence your success:

• Willingness to be hypnotized
• Ability to use your imagination
• Motivation for change

Hypnosis is a way of utilizing the naturally occurring brainwave state known as Theta. You enter theta while falling asleep, waking up and during times of relaxation and meditation. In fact, many people are aware of theta while driving on the highway, during showering, daydreaming or doing any automatic task while disengaged from conscious thinking. It’s a profoundly powerful and relaxing state of mind that elicits creative streams of consciousness without judgment, censoring or guilt. The theta state can open the door to enhanced problem solving and personal insight and was commonly used by great thinkers like Albert Einstein and Thomas Edison.

Meditation and hypnosis are similar in that they both relax you and allow you to quiet your mind. In general, meditation is a calming of the mind with no particular goal but to relax. Hypnosis, on the other hand, not only relaxes you but also has the intention of helping you accomplish specific goals, such as losing weight, quitting smoking and gaining confidence. Hypnosis verbally guides you, like a guided daydream, to focus your attention away from distractions, including negative thinking, and imagine your life unfolding as you wish. It’s like looking through a telescope and only seeing your goal, with all distractions from your goal temporarily eliminated. 

In addition, meditation can be very difficult to learn and accomplish, especially if you have a very active mind and many stressful events happening in life. Hypnosis is easy. All you need is a willingness to relax, listen to the calming voice and music, and imagine and BE the person you desire and deserve to be.