If you’re in western, you probably already have some idea about hypnosis, maybe you’ve seen some on TV, in a show or even on the street.
In Asia and other parts of the world, it’s generally less common though so let’s see what it is.
- What is it not?
- So what is Hypnosis?
- What does the Hypnotist do?
- How does it feel?
- The Science of Hypnosis
As you’ve seen, I’ll start by what hypnosis isn’t, it’ll be easier. 🙂
What is it not?
Mind Control
The hypnotist does not have control of your mind. Only you can go into trance and only if you want to. You can see the hypnotist as a guide helping you bring your focus in the right direction.
The hypnotist cannot make you do things you don’t want to do. You’re free to accept or refuse any suggestion or instruction and the hypnotist cannot make you do anything you do not want to do.
Stage hypnosis gives the impression that the hypnotist controls the subject but it’s not true and the person will just do things he or she agrees to do.
The context is everything here as it’s a show and people want to have fun so it greatly reduces the inhibition.
Furthermore, the hypnotist has the responsibility of anything odd or weird and if it ends up not being funny or improper in any way, nobody will blame the hypnotized person.
Your Secrets are safe, it’s not Inception. 🙂
You just share what you like ONLY, it’s not a mind robbery.
Similarly, hypnosis is not about putting anyone else’s thoughts into you, you are in control always, the mind is resilient and its primary purpose is to protect you.
You are the one in control and you keep it at all time, you just allow yourself to be guided in a direction you and the hypnotist both agreed on.
You cannot not be hypnotized
If you already tried, maybe it was not the good time or the good person or you were not confident at this specific moment but if you want to be hypnotized, then it will work.
Since you’re in control, you need to allow it, that’s for sure.
A note about the above, it also depends on the skill of the hypnotist.
Milton Erickson, probably the greatest hypnotist of all time, is famous for many things and among them, he was particularly efficient at bringing potentially anyone into trance, even the most reluctant subjects.
Maybe you just have a feeling that it would not work on you… A lot of people believe that hypnosis works only on weak minds (dumb people if you prefer). They’ll be happy to learn that it’s more the contrary actually. Everyone is more or less suggestible but it seems that the most successful among us tend to be more.
It’s not like sleeping.
Hypnosis is not like sleeping as we see on TV shows and you are actually highly focused even when you allow your mind to drift, it’s just another part of you, the Unconscious Mind, that is in charge.
So what is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is both a state and a process.
It’s a state you go into every days as you narrow your focus on something specific like reading, watching a movie… and as such it’s totally natural and we go in and out of trance all the time.
It’s also a process leading and maintaining this state of trance, you can do it on your own with self-hypnosis or with the help of an hypnotist.
What’s the difference between Hypnosis & Trance?
To make things simple, there is no difference and it’s OK to use both terms interchangeably.
If you really want to differentiate them then consider that Trance is the state while Hypnosis is the process to maintain it and voila. 🙂
Why use Hypnosis?
It acts as an amplifier and being in hypnosis gives you access to your Unconscious Mind and all of its more or less known resources, you can use it for a variety of changes or simply for your enjoyment as trance allows you to discover yourself more deeply in a similar way to meditation.
For example, hypnosis can help you with:
- Stress and Anxiety Management
- Pain Relief
- Fear & Phobia Cure
- Self Image and Limiting Beliefs
- Weight Management
- Smoking Cessation
- Self Discovery
- And more…
What does the Hypnotist do?
The Hypnotist guides you in this process, he helps you go into trance and allows you to reach deeper and more Unconscious levels so that you can access deeper resources. They’re already there it’s just that you did not know about them. 🙂
A good analogy is to see it like it’s a tour.
You arrive somewhere as a tourist and hire a guide to bring you places, asking them to go through the best routes in order to see the best spots.
Once you’re at a museum or a resort for example, they wait for you outside, they do not dictate your experience, this is yours and yours only. And they’ll be just here to bring you places.
In the end, it’s mostly nice affirmations and change-work that comes from you and they simply have more impact because on how they’re delivered and because they reach a different part of your mind.
How does it feel?
It feels different for everyone and even then, every trance feels different so there is no universal answer to this question.
Being in trance generally feels good though and just being in trance with some level of consciousness of it is generally a wonderful experience and people generally love it.
The Science of Hypnosis
Is Hypnosis a Placebo?
Seeing the research made by Irving Kirsch, it sort of is and he describe hypnosis as a Non-deceptive Placebo… and it’s a good thing. It means that if you have confidence it will help you, then it will, it’s similar with most Mind Therapies I believe.
So it’s a fake treatment?
Not necessarily and Dr. Richard Nongard curated this awesome list of 101 proofs that Hypnosis works, go check it out, if you’re not convinced yet.
Want to try? Contact me and let’s discuss it.
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