Hypnosis
and Hypnotherapy
At Hypnae
Center Pte
Ltd, we specialize in the treatment of
anxiety-related problems and emotional difficulties and cover a wide
range of
psychological issues with hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
What then is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a state of consciousness one enters and leaves
naturally all the time during your day-to day experiences. It feels
very much
like day dreaming i.e., the state between sleeping and waking.
In this state of relaxation
you are more open to suggestions. In this state (also called theta)
your brain
wave vibration rate slows down, giving you access to your subconscious mind.
While your conscious mind is still completely aware of what is going on
the
whole time. In this relaxed state of mind, your subconscious mind has
the
ability to accept information given to it by the hypnotherapist.
Hypnosis is a valuable tool for self-empowerment and
continuous personal growth. Hypnosis is a state of heightened
suggestibility.
We are all influenced by suggestions. Hypnosis uses this natural human
process
to change negative patterns into positive patterns of behavior. There
is
nothing mysterious about hypnosis.
There are five components necessary to induce hypnosis.
●
Motivation - You must want to be
hypnotized.
●
Relaxation - Hypnosis is a state
of deep
relaxation.
●
Concentration - You will use your
ability to
concentrate.
●
Imagination - You will use your
vivid
imagination.
●
Suggestion - You will hear and
respond to
suggestions.
Its
application is based solely on the relationship between
the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind,
having no
power to reason, accepts and acts upon any fact or suggestion given to
it by
the conscious mind. However, you will not accept suggestions that
contradicts with your conscious mind and thoughts because you are
always in control while in hypnosis.
As long as there have been human beings, there has been
hypnosis. We use this commonly occurring, and natural state of mind,
unknowingly, all the time. It is just natural for us. For example, if
you have
ever watched a television program or a movie and became really absorbed
into
the program, you were probably in a trance.
Advertisers understand this. They use television programs to
induce a hypnotic trance and then provide you hypnotic suggestions,
called
commercials!
Everyone has already experienced hypnosis, by accident or
intentionally.
Another
common example of this naturally occurring state of
mind is when you are driving down the road, with your mind focused on
some
other task (a day dream perhaps), and next thing you know, you have
passed your
next turn.
So
now you know you can be hypnotized.
You have done it literally thousands of times. You did it
yourself when you were daydreaming and missed that turn, you have been
hypnotized when you enjoyed a television program, and you have followed
hypnotic and post-hypnotic suggestions when you preferred some brand
name that
you saw repeatedly on television.
How does hypnosis works?
The hypnotic state is an optimum
state for making changes in
your life. During hypnosis you can set aside limiting beliefs that may
have
been preventing you from moving toward a more healthy, and happier you.
In order for you to understand how hypnosis works, it is
very important for you to understand the relationship between your
conscious
mind and your subconscious mind.
(i)
The Conscious Mind
The conscious mind, which accounts for 10% of our mind, is
working right now as you are reading this. It is that part of you that
is aware
of what is going on right now. Choices and decisions are made by the
conscious
mind.
The conscious mind is logical and analytical and it is where
we spend most of our time. It basically performs four functions which
will be discussed at a separate forum.
The conscious mind
analyzes and is a
problem-solver by evaluating whatever concern, situation or issue has
its
attention
The conscious
mind makes decisions that we often think are
automatic, but in reality, engage a part of our conscious mind. The conscious mind exercises
what we call will
power. Will Power seldom lasts, does it? You mean well, but conscious
intent
fails and the old behavior reoccurs. The conscious mind also is the
place of
working memory. It is the memory we use every day to function.
Where we all live, however, is in the level below this level
of awareness, the subconscious mind. The subconscious mind accounts for
the
other 90%. Conscious
decisions are
influenced by the data stored in our subconscious mind.
(ii)
The Subconscious Mind
The subconscious mind, which accounts for 90% of our mind,
can be compared to a computer in that it stores the data for all the
experiences we have ever had. One of the most important functions of
the
subconscious mind is that it automatically controls our bodily
functions;
breathing, heart beating, eyes blinking, the immune system and organs,
muscles,
bones and tissues from the cellular level to its inter-relatedness as a
whole
body functioning.
The subconscious mind is creative, intuitive, irrational,
and emotional. Being irrational it can work for you or against you. Because it's illogical it
can make you into
anything you want to be, i.e., rich, famous, slender, happy. It can
also keep
you stuck in negative behavior. It contains your values, your core
beliefs
about your self, every thought you have ever had, every word that has
ever been
said to you, every experience you have ever had.
Just like a computer operates only on its programming, so
does your subconscious mind. Also like a computer, your subconscious
mind can
be reprogrammed. We are constantly reprogramming our subconscious mind
through
our experiences and self-talk. If our internal dialogue is saying we
are fat, a
smoker, a success, a failure; then that is what we become.
This programming has been placed in there from many sources
and it must operate on this programming.
How do
we get suggestions into the
subconscious mind?
Bypassing the "Critical Factor"
There is a part of the conscious mind called the critical factor.
It's kind of like a guard at the gateway between the conscious mind and
the subconscious Mind. It has the power to accept or reject suggestions
from
entering the subconscious mind. It has very good intentions. Its job
is to
protect us. Because change is viewed as a threat to our nervous system,
any
suggestion that does not match the existing programming automatically
gets
rejected. That is how it accomplishes its goal of protecting us.
The only way a real change can take place is to get the new
programming into our subconscious mind. The
only way to get to the subconscious mind bypass the critical
factor, is
through our memories, habits, and emotions. Memories are only created
through
experience and you may need many positive experiences to diminish the
effects
the negative experience. This could take a long time to create.
Habits require will power and time in order to become habits.
Emotions either happen randomly or require changing the way you think
about a
situation and that can be enormously difficult to do and also takes
time. There is
another much easier way to bypass the
critical factor, and that is through hypnosis. Through the induction of
relaxation, the critical factor goes to sleep for awhile. The conscious mind
stays awake, and can still make decisions. But now you're in control
while your
subconscious is receptive to any suggestion that your conscious mind
wants to
let in.
How
does Hypnosis make you feel?
Since everyone has experienced light levels of hypnosis at
different times, don't be surprised if you don't feel hypnotized. All
that is
required to be hypnotized is a motivation to be hypnotized,
concentration,
imagination, relaxation, and the willingness to respond to suggestion.
There
are ways to check for the depth level of hypnosis, usually in a
one-on-one
session.
During
hypnosis, you will remain conscious of your
surroundings. Some of the sensations you may experience are:
●
Tingling in your fingertips or
limbs
●
A sense of numbness or limb
distortion
●
A sense of being light and
floating away from
your body
●
A heavy feeling like you are
sinking
●
A sense of energy moving through
your body
●
Feelings of emotions
●
Fluttering eyelids
●
An increase or decrease in
salivation.
When you
notice that you are experiencing these sensations, do
not be alarm or you may shock yourself right out of your trance.
Just
expect the trance to occur gradually and it will. Suggestions stay with
some
individuals indefinitely, others need reinforcement. The effects of
hypnosis
are cumulative: the more the techniques are practiced and post-hypnotic
suggestions are brought into play, the more permanent the results
become.
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