Hypnosis
is a state of intense focused concentration, where peripheral distractions
are minimized or excluded. It is a natural way of having access
to the subconscious. It is a form of communication that harmonizes
your conscious and subconscious minds. If properly used, it is a
means of achieving more of the potential which we all possess.
A
hypnotherapist/hypnotist is the individual who guides another into
a highly relaxed state by using a variety of techniques to help
the subject bypass the critical factor of his or her conscious,
analytical, outer mind in order to reach the subconscious, intuitive,
inner mind.
Hypnosis occurs when your "critical factor" is persuaded to take a break. With your mental watchdog napping, a choice suggestion or two can easily be incorporated by your inner mind.
We have all experienced brief periods of the hypnotic state but may not have been aware of it. Natural trance occurs during moments of intense concentration or creativity when, for example, a composer may have not recollection of having written a phrase. The notes seemed to have arranged themselves. Or an accountant may become so involved in his weekly business report that he's unaware of the movement and noise around him. Moviegoers can become so engrossed in what is happening on the screen, their focus is so exclusively there, that they respond to events as though they are part of them, and not a member of the audience. Drivers have had the experience of being so preoccupied with something that they lose all sense of the road, of the flow of traffic, and of whether or not they have passed other cars. Because you have already learned to drive, your driving skill is stored in your subconscious. As you begin your journey, you get into your car, maneuver out into the highway, move into a continuous flow of traffic, and reach a constant speed. Now your conscious mind is free. Because the knowledge required for driving exists in your subconscious, your conscious mind drifts off, allowing your subconscious to become more active. You may become so engrossed in your thoughts that you drive in the direction of your office, when your actual destination is the grocery store or the movie theater. When your attention is needed to change lanes, avoid something in the road, stop at a toll gate, or slow down for an off ramp, your conscious mind comes into play again. You may even arrive at your destination and wonder how you got there so quickly.
All of these instances have features common with the hypnotic state. The major difference is that they are isolated events and other things soon impinge on your consciousness to terminate them. What is important is that they do occur, you do experience them, and they are not psychological abnormalities. With some learning, it is possible to consciously create the conditions in which these states may occur and be maintained. In other words, there is nothing particularly magical or mystical about the hypnotic state. Because it is such a familiar feeling, some people, after their first hypnotic session, question whether they were truly hypnotized.
Hypnosis induced by a hypnotist/hypnotherapist is probably not what you expect it to be. Our bodies are very relaxed, but the more we go into hypnosis, the more alert our minds become. In hypnosis all of your five senses, including sound, smell, taste, and vision, are many times better than they are right now. You may be concerned about what hypnosis can do to you. Hypnosis is not in any way harmful, but it is completely understandable for a beginning hypnotic subject to have some reservations.
