WHAT IS HYPNOSIS?
A simple explanation
Hypnosis the act of doing something without thinking about it!! Yes, it really is that simple.
Everyone has experienced being in hypnosis both frequently and spontaneously for most of their lives! You may be surprised to learn that we all do it at least twice daily; this happens just as we are waking up in the morning, and just before we go to sleep at night.
We also go into a hypnosis at other times as well, for example:
A/ Whilst concentrating intently on a task.
B/ Whilst doing things that are boring or routine.
C/ When we say we are ‘miles away’ (daydreaming).
So hypnosis is not something that is magical or mystical, it is a perfectly natural and normal function of the mind; a function that can be utilised for therapy. You do not "go under." In fact you don't go anywhere. During hypnosis you are very relaxed but definitely not asleep.
You are able to access the information contained in the subconscious mind, including memories, emotions, and most importantly, the power to self-heal.
Hypnosis is the tool within the therapy which enables you to take charge of your own life, and therefore become the master of your own destiny. It is the key to access the skills and abilities that you have filed away at the back of your mind and forgotten about. You do not need to learn anything new, you just have to rediscover your own natural aptitudes.
There is no single answer, in fact for each person that is asked the question, there is a different interpretation.
The word hypnosis is derived from the Greek word ‘hypnos’, which means sleep. This in itself is confusing, as hypnosis is not sleep; but then again, neither is it being completely awake!
As there are many misconceptions about hypnosis, perhaps it would prove useful to name a few:
“Is it a condition or a state of mind?”
A hypnotherapist's opinion is that it is a state of mind. This is based upon the fact that a ‘condition’ is persistent and changes slowly, whereas a ‘state’ can be likened to a mood, and is transient and changes frequently.
“Is it sleep?”
No, in fact it is the complete opposite; the brain is very alert and aware, but the body is in a very relaxed state.
“Are hypnosis and meditation the same thing?”
No, they are similar, but hypnosis is used for a specific purpose, meditation is used for non specific reasons. In addition to this, EEG’s, scans and other methods of brain measurement, have proved that the state of the brain is different for hypnosis and meditation.
“Do you have to believe in hypnosis for it to work?”
No, but you do have to be a willing participant, as you are very aware of what is happening.
“Is it brainwashing?”
No, this thought seems to have been implanted in the public mind through movies, TV or demonstrations of stage hypnosis. The parties involved in these shows are under no illusion, they are fully aware that they are “entertaining” the audience, and are happy to do so. Experiments during the war proved that brainwashing cannot take place without the use of drugs.
“Does hypnosis weaken the mind?”
No, in fact the mind becomes more alert, and can retrieve information more easily.
“Do you lose consciousness?”
No, you are always wide awake and in complete control of yourself.
“Is it addictive?”
No, it is not like a drug; and as stated previously, you are always in complete control, therefore you can stop at any time.
“Will any secrets be revealed?”
No, nothing will be said in hypnosis that would not be said at any other time.
“Can you get ‘stuck’ under hypnosis?”
No, certainly not, because you are in a relaxed state of control, you can become fully alert at any time.
“Could you be persuaded to commit a crime?”
No, again, the control rests with the person, and they cannot be persuaded to do anything against their own will or moral judgement. Of course, if the person were already of the criminal fraternity, the answer may well be different, but then again, they would not be doing anything that they wouldn’t have done anyway.
“Is it dangerous?”
No, it can only be beneficial, and I trust that the following information will convince you of that.
By having gone into detail about what hypnosis is not, will perhaps make it easier to say what it is.
Our subconscious mind can be likened the database of a computer; it holds all of the information, whilst our conscious mind is the operator, which puts that information into action.
The normal frequency range of brain activity is 14 – 22 cycles per second, this is known as the Beta range. This is the range at which we all go about our daily tasks of talking, thinking and rationalising, and this is happening in our conscious mind.
To achieve a state of hypnosis it is necessary to slow the brain activity down to a range of
7 – 14 cycles per second, or Alpha range. This is the frequency range of the subconscious mind. It is at this range that all dreaming takes place, and also the range, which enables rapid learning, and where the mind is highly receptive.
At around 10 cycles per second the eyelids “flutter”, this is known as Rapid Eye Movement (R.E.M.), and is one of the signs that the person has achieved a state of hypnosis.
It has been said that all hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis, because it cannot happen unless the person allows it to. The subjects co-operate with the therapist because that is what they want to do.
Relaxation is invaluable in achieving the hypnotic state, and hypnosis helps us to achieve our goals without the stressful application of willpower. It allows us to subconsciously help ourselves. It does not give us motivation to change, but helps us to improve our self-control.
It is not a panacea, but it will inspire a greater belief in our own power to self heal.
Hypnosis cannot force you to do anything against your will, because you are always in control. It can only assist you to do things that you have a sincere wish to carry out.
