In the last (first) post, we learned the following:
Hypnosis is a state of hyper-suggestibility where the conscious and subconscious (unconscious) minds dissociate. It is a state of mind where the subject is more likely to accept the operator’s suggestions. All normal people are hypnotizable.
Did you know that you have been hypnotized millions of times in your life? It’s true. Hypnosis is the alpha level of consciousness. You pass through this daydream like state as you fall asleep at night. And you pass through it again as you awaken in the morning.
What is even more interesting is that research has proven that if you watch much television, you are in this alpha state for two-thirds of your viewing time. That’s what makes TV commercials so convincing!! And I’ve capitalized on this fact
in my Neuro-VISION technology.
ARE THERE DIFFERENT LEVELS OR DEPTHS OF HYPNOSIS?
Yes, there are different levels, or depths of hypnosis. And there are different hypnotic phenomena that can be elicited from a subject depending upon the depth of the subject’s “trance.”For instance, while a person is in hypnosis, it is possible to suggest that they will be unable to feel pain, and indeed, surgery has been performed under hypno-anesthesia many times. But not everyone is capable of attaining the required depth for this procedure.
DO I HAVE TO BE A “DEEP” SUBJECT FOR SUCCESS?
For the therapeutic applications of hypnosis we most often deal with, depth of any kind is not required. You can be the lightest possible subject and still receive all of the benefits from hypnosis that the deepest subjects will obtain.
ARE THERE ANY DANGERS IN HYPNOSIS AND SELF-HYPNOSIS?
There are basically no dangers to the practice of self hypnosis. It is impossible to “get stuck” in hypnosis. The worst thing that could possibly happen while a subject is in hypnosis is that she might fall into a natural state of sleep for 20 or 30 minutes.MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HYPNOSIS
There are many misconceptions about hypnosis. Most of them are due to the stage and television acts. Ironically, it is because of the fact that the television can hypnotize you that these misconceptions are so strongly entrenched in people’s minds.IS HYPNOSIS SLEEP?
The largest misconception about hypnosis is that it is sleep. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you are asleep, you are unconscious. If you are unconscious, you cannot hear anything. If you cannot hear anything, then the hypnotist cannot help you. Hypnosis is a state of keen awareness. The subject is wide-awake and aware of everything around her.IS THERE A HYPNOTIZED FEELING?
The second largest misconception is that there is a hypnotized feeling. There is no hypnotized feeling. Most people feel very relaxed when in hypnosis, as relaxation seems to be the essence of hypnosis. Some people feel heavy. Some people feel light. Some people feel no difference from the waking state.Well that’s all that we have time for today. In the next issue we’ll discuss more of the misconceptions about hypnosis. And we’ll start to touch upon some of the different forms of hypnosis that are available, and the pros and cons of each.
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT: Repeat the same lesson that you learned in the last post: Lay back, close your eyes and listen carefully. For the first minute or allow yourself to become aware of every single external sound that you can hear. Then
shift to listening to your breathing. After you have been listening to your breathing for a minute or two, see how many other sounds you can hear within your body: heart beat, etc.Take about ten minutes to do this little exercise once or twice per day and you will be amazed how much more relaxed you feel.
Feel free to visit the Neuro-VISION Self-Hypnosis Website to learn more.
