Benefits Of Learning Self Hypnosis (Questions And Answers)
In his post we will be taking a look at some of the benefits you get by learning self hypnosis.
Whether or not you are a hypnotherapist or just curious about the magic and mystery of hypnosis, it’s important to know about all the amazing benefits hypnosis can bring you.
Hypnosis is an amazing and incredible way to make changes in your life because your thoughts create the world around you every minute of every day.
Our subconscious minds are in a sense “hypnotised” by marketing and advertising, television, the movies, radio, and even by the people around us. The subconscious mind is like a preprogrammed car on autopilot. The subconscious mind will take the familiar road whether you want to go there or not. It has no ability to steer itself in a new direction because it follows whatever is programmed into it over time. The subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between reality and imagination, so it believes whatever it is you tell it!
The subconscious mind is like a giant sponge, absorbing everything around. Everything you have ever done in your life gets stored in your subconscious. What this means is you reap what you sow and you are what you think you are in every sense of the word!
In many aspects, we attract back into our lives, whatever it is we are putting out. That can be a scary thought for some of us. When it comes right down to it, our thoughts really do become things, so the next time something bad happens to you, maybe you should stop and think about what might have created it!
Many people use self-hypnosis to achieve goals and to promote healing. Guided Imagery, which is a form of trance, is used all of the time in the Health Care System to help patients visualize themselves healing, and self-hypnosis is very similar.
What You Can Do With Hypnosis
- Make changes must faster.
- Manage Stress Better.
- Stop Smoking.
- Lose Weight.
- Overcome Addictions.
- Be More Successful.
- Heal Your Body.
- Improve Your Life.
- Think More Positively.
- Embrace Change.
- Supercharge Confidence.
- Be More Prosperous
Those who engage in a regular hypnosis program you can better manage stress and anxiety and live a healthier life. Hypnosis helps you do everything better, and that’s really the beauty of it. Hypnosis is by far one of the easiest ways there is to make changes.
Hypnosis is a very gentle process, and one that is extremely effective and very relaxing and using hypnosis, you can literally train your mind to focus on whatever it is you want to create.
How Self Hypnosis Can Improve Your Brain Power
The mind actually goes in and out of different brainwave states on a regular basis. The Alpha brainwave state is the state most often accessed during hypnotic trance. The Beta brainwave state is the dominant state of mind most of us are in during the course of our day and the Beta brainwave state typically corresponds to a frequency level of about 12 to 40 Hz.
The Alpha brainwave state, on the other hand, which is the state of mind accessed during hypnosis, operates at about 8 to 12 Hz, which is a little slower than the Beta state. The Alpha brainwave state is often associated with a very relaxed state of mind. When we contemplate or problem solve, we are also accessing the Alpha brainwave state.
The Theta brainwave state is even slower than Alpha and it operates at around 4 to 8 Hz. Theta is a very deep state of relaxation, light sleep and even dreaming and it is the state of mind most often accessed during meditation and deep levels of hypnosis.
Research has proven thirty minutes a day of Theta meditation can dramatically improve health and well-being and even cause someone not to need as much sleep. The same thing can be said with deeper levels of hypnotic trance, so hypnosis can indeed be very beneficial to someone’s health.
One of the deepest and slowest brainwave states is Delta and it occurs around 0 to 4 Hz. Delta brainwave states typically occur in very deep sleep, and this level of mind is not typically accessed during hypnosis.
Some Common Questions And Answers Related To Hypnosis
The following are some common questions and answers you might need to know more about no matter what kind of hypnosis you choose to practice.
Hypnosis is characterized by:
- A pleasantly relaxed posture.
- REM or rapid eye movement.
- A slowing down of the rational, thinking conscious mind.
- Inward focused concentration.
- Greater access into the subconscious or deeper mind via the imagination.
- A much greater receptivity to suggestion.
Is Self Hypnosis Dangerous ?
One is never out of control and no one can be told to do something that goes against his or her morals or values. The hypnotist does not control anyone, in any way, shape or form. People will not reveal secrets either because they cannot be made to do or say anything they do not wish to do. In addition, if someone were to reveal something to a hypnotist, it would always be kept confidential the same as if they were in a counseling or therapy session.
No one can hypnotise anyone against his or her will because all hypnosis is essentially self-hypnosis. Stage hypnotists select people with certain characteristics and people that are highly suggestible, and much of the trick lies in choosing the right kind of person.
Hypnosis Isn’t Real
If someone does not believe in “hypnosis” or they do not believe they can be hypnotised, then they probably cannot be hypnotised because each of us must allow ourselves to go into trance. Hypnosis does not change anyone’s personality or interfere with their mind in any way and hypnosis is in no way dangerous.
What Does it Feel like to be Hypnotised?
Hypnosis is not sleep, although the subject will most likely feel rested and refreshed after a session. Hypnosis is not dangerous because the mind is always in control. No one can get “stuck” in hypnosis either because their conscious mind would step back into play in the case of an emergency.
There is also no fear that someone would not awaken because the mind is very strong. Hypnosis is similar to sleep, but it is not sleep. It is also not unconsciousness. It is simply relaxed concentration. Someone may recall everything the hypnotist says during a session or they may drift in and out of consciousness awareness.
While some people feel like they have not actually been hypnotised, others feel as if they have woken from a deep sleep. It is not necessary to be in a deep level of trance in order to make changes because even light levels are extremely effective. If people can follow instructions and relax they can be hypnotised.
Cautions and Contra-indications
People that are not ideal candidates for hypnosis are people that might be under the influence of drugs or alcohol or people that have a learning disability or mental disorder. It is also recommended that those with epilepsy not be hypnotised as well because the state of hypnosis could elicit seizures (only for those who currently have epilepsy). In addition, hypnosis may not be suitable for those with a heart condition those with extremely high blood pressure or those that have psychosis or mental illness. In the case where one has a chronic health condition the hypnotherapist may seek approval from the client’s health care provider.
Is There Any Touching Involved?
Typically hypnosis does not involve touch unless the hypnotherapist specifically asks if they can touch someone during a session. For example, some hypnotherapists may touch a shoulder or arm to help bring about a relaxed state of mind, but they should always ask for permission. It’s always a good idea to ask permission to touch, whenever it is appropriate. Permission to touch could be phrased like: “During this session, I may need to touch your hand, forearm, elbow, shoulder or forehead, is that all right with you?”
The Hypnotic Contract
The hypnotic contract is also a good practice to get into. When you ask someone permission by saying something like: “Would you like to do hypnosis with me now?” you can be sure that they do in fact want to be hypnotised and are a willing participant.
How Long Will it Take to Get Hypnotised?
Hypnosis does not need to take a lot of time as well, and as a matter of fact the more someone experience hypnosis the faster and deeper they will go into hypnotic trance. It is not necessary to spend hours in a hypnosis session because even a short session can be extremely effective.
The mind may wander during a hypnosis session, but that is completely normal because just as it does in sleep, the mind will go in and out of different states of awareness.
Hypnosis is actually a state of very heightened awareness and focus and hypnosis gives one access into the subconscious mind, where changes are more easily made. Since the subconscious mind does not know the difference between reality and imagination, it believes whatever you tell it while in trance. While some people may notice changes immediately others find it may take a bit longer. Hypnosis allows you to overwrite old programming that no longer serves you, replacing it with new ideas and mindsets that reflect the kind of life you want to be living. Although hypnosis is a highly suggestible state of mind that does not mean that you are more easily led to do anything you do not want to do.
Can Hypnotherapy Be Used in a Negative Way?
Hypnotherapy cannot be used in a negative way because you cannot be led to do anything you do not want to do. Since one has to allow themselves to be hypnotised, some may find that hypnosis does not work for them because they may enter into the process with disbelief.
Should Hypnosis be an Alternative for a Doctor Visit?
Hypnosis should NOT be used as a substitute for medical care. It’s fine to use hypnosis along with your medical care. Hypnosis should be used in conjunction with what you are already doing and it is not recommended that you use hypnosis as a substitute for medical intervention or treatment. If you gave a chronic or ongoing medical condition, you should always check in with your doctor to ensure hypnosis is safe for you.
You should feel free to check in with your healthcare provider.
How many sessions do I need?
There are no hard and fast rules on how many sessions one may need because everyone is different. You may notice changes right away or you may find you need several sessions to break through old habits and mindsets.
Suggestibility Tests
The extent to which someone is able to accept hypnotic suggestion varies, according to their state of mind. A hypnotic suggestibility test measures one’s potential to enter into hypnotic trance. The more someone is able to experience the suggestions, the deeper they will go into trance. The truth of the matter is that everyone is suggestible; it’s just that some people are more susceptible to suggestion than others. It is not necessary to be in a deep level of trance to experience change because even light levels are extremely beneficial.
A person’s suggestibility can be rated high, medium or low. Approximately 80% of the population falls in the medium range with 10% falling in the high range and 10% falling in the low.
A person who was highly suggestible would be able to undergo hypnosis quite easily while one of lower suggestibility would be more resistant in submitting to hypnosis.
We all experience trance day in and day out, every time we get lost in thought, watch a great movie or read a good book. Hypnosis merely allows you to take advantage of this “suggestible” state of mind, helping you make changes in your life.
The greater the suggestibility that you experience, the greater the effect suggestions offered will have upon your perception of reality. In hypnosis, which is an altered state of consciousness, you can reach very high levels of suggestibility.
In this altered state, suggestions can profoundly affect your perceptions helping you overcome challenging issues.
One popular suggestibility test is the balloon test.
The Balloon Test
Have your subject stand up facing you with their feet a comfortable distance apart. Instruct them to close their eyes and extend both of their arms out in front of you. Next ask them to make a fist with their right hand with their thumb pointing upwards. With their left hand, have them extend their fingers outward with their palm facing upwards. Now ask them to use their imagination and act as if they are holding a bunch of colorful helium balloons in their right hand while imagining a heavy book or stack of books in their left hand.
Instruct them to feel as if the helium balloons are pulling up their right hand, higher and higher as the gas rises and pulls their arms upwards. At the same time, they can imagine the heavy book weighing their left arm down as if it is a strain to do so. You can vary this in a number of ways, by telling them you are placing more and more heavy books in the left hand, as their right hand drifts up further and further. The further up their right hand drifts, the heavier their left hand feels. You could even mention the discomfort they feel, trying to hold all those heavy books in one hand.
For further effect, try telling them at the count of 3, you will then place 3 more heavy books in their left hand, as you snap your fingers. You can the count from 1 to 3, and then snap your fingers, and have them open their eyes.
For the results of this test, you can make a note if their arms responded to what you said by moving up or down.
Depending on how much their arms move would constitute how much or how little non-analytical they are on a scale. If their arms moved only a small amount or not at all, then that would show that they are very analytical. If their arms moved a lot, that would indicate they are very suggestible.
Locking Elbow Test
This test must also be done with authoritatively. Have your subject stand facing you and say something like:
“I’d like you to place your right arm facing straight out with your fingers extended. On the count of three you will follow my instructions and use your imagination you will not be able to bend your arm at the elbow… 1 …
Now concentrate on you arm and act as if there is a steel rod from your shoulder all the way down to your fingers. Lock your elbows as if they will not bend, 2. This steel rod is very firm and straight, and it’s like a solid piece of steel.
This steel rod is not even part of your body anymore and it is so firm, you cannot bend it … And 3 (say the numbers in a very forceful commanding tone)
Now go ahead and try, and notice how you cannot bend it, you cannot bend it … and stop trying.”
The more authoritative you are, the better the suggestibility tests work.
You might also be interested in reading the truth of hypnosis.