What is Hypnosis and what is it not? Let's answer the second part of that question first; simply because it's easier to do so and it gets any misconceptions out of the way immediately and allows us to concentrate on hypnosis, hypnotism and hypnotherapy.
Hypnosis is not sleep, though one can easily fall into the trap of thinking it is. The word hypnotism was derived, by the Scottish surgeon James Braid, (1795 - 1860) from the Greek word, "hypnos", meaning sleep.
Many people assume sleep and hypnosis to be similar states. To the uninitiated it may seem so, but to the practitioner it is a fact that hypnosis is more closely related to wakefulness than it is to sleep.
Experiments using brain-wave scanners confirm this to be the reality, which means that hypnosis and sleep are opposite sides of the coin, so to speak.
In sleep the attention of the person is diffused, while in hypnosis the attention is focused. Focussed attention is a characteristic of conscious awareness and the wakened state.
There are many illustrious names associated with hypnosis, hypnotism, hypnotherapy, and I'm sure that over time we will meet some of them.
Hypnosis is possibly as old as mankind, with earliest references dating back to ancient Egypt, Greece and China.
There are many myths. I have already mentioned, "sleep". Others include: - you can be made to do what you don't want to do - it's dangerous - weak willed subjects are the best subjects - you can get stuck in hypnosis - you will not remember anything - the hypnotist has strange powers - it's the work of the devil - only a certain percentage of people can be hypnotised and so on.
If only a small number of people can be hypnotised, then clearly any discussion of hypnosis is of minority interest, and the interest would soon vanish. The truth is that the majority of people can be hypnotised.
Having said that most people have the capacity to be hypnotised, it is usual for the person, not only to consent to being hypnotised, but also to co-operate in the process. One can certainly resist the process if one has a mind to.
Now, since I am coming from a therapeutic standpoint, we have to ask why anyone would want to resist being hypnotised, if they have come to the hypnotherapist for him or her to use that "tool" to "set them free", from whatever is a challenge in their lives.
You might also ask, why anyone would go to see a stage show, where people "perform" silly acts! Consider this. In their own minds the volunteers have already given permission and indicated their desire to be the centre of interest, to take part in the stage hypnotist's games.
Why would anyone subject himself or herself to that? I'll leave each one of you to answer this question, " Would you volunteer?" Whatever your answer, yes or no, I'd love to know your reasons for the 'yes' or 'no'!
You don't need to go to a stage hypnotism show to see people behaving in a silly manner. Watch any game show on television!
So, what is hypnosis?
For the purposes of this article, I would describe the 'state' of hypnosis as an 'altered state' of awareness, which will allow access to the 'unconscious' mind, while having reduced or eliminated any interference from the conscious, critical, analytical mind. This altered state is otherwise known as "trance".
We, all of us, are in and out of trance many times during each day, without realising that we have been in a trance or in an altered state of mind.
I can hear you saying, "not me"! Really?
Have you ever been so engrossed in a television programme that you have blocked out someone talking to you completely or just absorbed it as a conversation taking place in the background, without any relevance to you? You were in an altered state.
Again, have you been so engrossed in a book to the extent that all other sounds were deleted? You were in a trance- like state.
What about this example! Have you ever driven from A to B; arriving at your destination, and wondered how you got there? Yes! You were in an altered state, trance, if you like. Your unconscious mind was keeping watch.
"There are three main components of the process of inducing hypnosis: relaxation, imagination, and enactment". ( Hildergard and Lebaron, 1984).
Hypnosis is now widely used in a variety of fields, including medicine, police investigation procedures, stress management, dentistry as well as education and accelerated learning.
Professional athletes are increasingly using hypnosis to prepare for competition and to enhance performance. Have you watched footballers or rugby players before they take that free kick? Or athletes lining up before a race?
How does hypnosis work? Our minds work on two levels - the conscious and the unconscious. We make decisions, think and act deliberately with our conscious minds, while the unconscious mind controls our automatic habits. Have you changed your mind and found your mind has 'a mind of its own'? That is your unconscious mind at work. In the relaxed state of hypnosis it is so quick and easy to change habits of a lifetime, because we can communicate directly with the unconscious mind in a positive way, without any interference from the conscious mind.
Will hypnosis work for me? Generally every person who can understand and process language and with no severe mental disorders can benefit from hypnosis.
How will I know if I am hypnotised? Some people feel relaxed and lethargic, some, as if they are daydreaming; some experience focussed concentration. One thing people do notice is an inexplicable change in their daily behaviours, depending on what they have come to see the hypnotherapist for.
Is hypnosis safe? Yes, it is completely safe. Hypnosis is not sleep, nor can you get 'stuck' in hypnosis. Hypnosis is a safe relaxing and enjoyable experience. For some so relaxing that they do fall asleep. A gentle nudge will stop the snoring!!!!!!
A word to the wise. With hypnosis and hypnotherapy the therapist does not wave a magic wand and all problems are solved or eliminated. The client has to have the "want" to bring the change that they seek into their lives. 'Should' and 'need' are not sufficient motivators. "Want and co-operation with the therapist" are the keys.
Remember, the conscious mind is only a tiny part of the "twofold" mind. It is like the tip of the iceberg. The greater part, the unconscious mind, like the rest of the iceberg, is bigger - much, much bigger and can and will work faster than you can imagine.
The unconscious mind has some 'wonderful' attributes and some 'strange' ones too. Intrigued? Well, that's for another time! Today is about hypnosis.
About the Author
My name is Maurice Roberts, otherwise, 'Catalyst'. I chose that name because of what I do, and that is help people be or become what ever they truly desire to be. I am a Hypnotherapist & Psychotherapist - EFT / TFT (Emotional and Thought Field Therapist), NLP Practitioner, (Neuro- Linguistic Programming) registered with the NHS. I am also a Life Coach and Counsellor.
To receive a free gift, a 'philosophy for living' guideline, please e-mail me at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
