Self Hypnosis

The first and most important consideration about self-hypnosis is to realise how “normal” it is. The essential difference between self-hypnosis and a hypnotic state induced by a hypnotist is the person calling the shots. In one instance, you open your subconscious to the guidance of another person and in the second, you conduct the entire process yourself. In both instances, though, you are responsible for all that takes place.

Furthermore, the difference between suggestions made under self-hypnosis and those made to you in a waking state or in a therapist induced hypnotic state is only one of degree.

So, how do you perform self-hypnosis?

One way is to visit a hypnotist and get them to give you a post-hypnotic suggestion that allows you to enter self-hypnosis when and as you decide. However you can also teach yourself simply by using the simple technique that I will describe below. Regular practice of the technique will allow you to induce a trace state more rapidly and more deeply.

Hypnosis essentially consists of two parts. The first part involves simply including a trance state and the second is the presentation of a suggestion that your subconscious will accept without the usual resistance. In this way with time, the suggestion will begin to expresses itself in your life.

The Formal Trance State

The trance state differs from the normal waking state in a number of physiological ways. The most significant of these is your attention. In the normal waking state, you can take in many things, you can be aware of hundreds of different stimuli all at the same time; in the trance state, all your attention is focussed on one area.

In the waking state, your awareness is broad, flat and all encompassing; in the trance state, your awareness is focussed and therefore, heightened and more intense.

This intensified awareness in the trance state is what causes your subconscious to be so receptive to suggestion.

A Self Induced Trance

There are a thousand ways to bring about the trance state but the one I favour has a “proof” stage incorporated into it.

Essentially, it consists of filling up the senses with you own observations, then narrowing those observations down one by one until your attention is focussed. This is the trance state.

Find yourself a comfortable place to sit in a dimly lit room. Ensure you will not be interrupted. Take off your shoes, wear loose clothes and make sure you’re warm.

Before you begin anything, tell yourself several times that the moment you reach the trance state, your right hand will begin to rise. Slowly, surely and of its own accord. This will be a signal from your unconscious that you have begun to enter the trance state. (There is no mystery about how this works; it’s just like the “mental alarm clock” we are all familiar with – you tell yourself several times before dozing off that you’re going to wake at 5am and sure enough, you’ll wake up at 5am.)

Leave your hands apart, resting comfortably on your lap.

Find one thing in the room that you can focus on. Perhaps a spot on the wall. Maybe it’s a reflection on a brass door handle or a highlight on a white vase. Fix your attention on that spot. (The objective is to continue focussing on that spot throughout the exercise.)

Now, using only your peripheral vision, without letting your eyes move from that visual highlight you have chosen, note six different things you can see in that room. Take a single slow but normal breath with each object that you name to yourself. Say to yourself quietly in your mind: “I can see the light switch (slow breathe). I can see the corner of the sofa (slow breathe), I can see the lamp”(slow breathe). I can see the photograph (slow breathe). I can see the Persian carpet (slow breathe). I can see my hands on my knees” (slow breathe).

Now, without allowing your eyes to stray from the spot, focusing on the spot intensely, note six different sounds you can hear. “I can hear the clock ticking” (slow breathe). “I can hear the tap dripping in the bathroom” (slow breathe). “I can hear the sound of my own breathing” (slow breathe). “I can hear the hum of the air-conditioner” (slow breathe). “I can hear a motorcycle passing” (slow breathe). “I can hear crickets in the garden” (slow breathe).

Once again, without letting your eyes stray from the spot, note six different things you can feel. “I can feel the carpet under my feet” (slow breathe). “I can feel the chair against the back of my legs” (slow breathe). “I can feel my belt sticking into my hip” (slow breathe). “I can feel my back resting against the chair” (slow breathe). “I can feel a draught coming from the window” (slow breathe). “I can feel my elbows resting against my body” (slow breathe).

Now repeat this process but this time with five things you can see, hear and feel, (All the while making sure to keep focussing on the spot, on the spot intensely, and taking a slow and normal breath with each count) Note how the spot may seem to move and shift, this is an indication of developing and deepening of trance.

Repeat with four, three, two and one

As you approach one you may find your eyes becoming so tired and strained that you will feel the need to just close them

You may also notice by the time you approach the last cycle that one hand will start to feel different to the other hand and that this hand may be drifting upwards of its own accord. You may get such a surprise that you will jar yourself out of the trance state at that instant. This last part of the process, the automatically rising hand, is nothing more than a once-only demonstration of how your subconscious is communicating with you. Place too much importance on it and you may inhibit the process. If this happens, it is not important. One cannot make the unconscious do anything that it does not want to do of it’s own accord. And how the unconscious thinks you can never know because it thinks and acts it’s own things in it’s own way and you cannot force it to your will. So just watch it and if it chooses to demonstrate it’s presence then it will do so, if not then it may at another time. Irrespective you can enter a deep trace, a trance that gets deeper and deeper as you relax further into slow and steady breathing.

Presenting The Suggestion

Say, for example, that the following encompassed everything that you would like to achieve through your calming self-hypnosis.

More and more, I am relaxing into a state of great peace and calm. I am feeling content, tranquil and at ease with the world. I radiate this peace and calm to all I come in contact with and they feel at ease with me.

The object of self-hypnosis is to feed these words to your subconscious once you have reached the trance state.

In order to do this, prior to hypnosis, write out the suggestions and memorise them at the outset of your self-hypnosis session, instead of telling yourself that your right hand is going to rise, tell yourself that you are going to recite your affirmation once you have reached the trance state. Your subconscious will take care of the rest.

Alternatively, record your affirmation on a tape recorder and, at the outset of your calming self-hypnosis session, instruct yourself to turn on you message once you have reached the trance state.

SUMMARY

Sit in a comfortable chair or lay on a comfortable surface. Remove your shoes. Rest your hands apart, comfortably on your lap or to your side.

Tell yourself that you’re going to recite your affirmations (autosuggestions) once you enter the trance state. Alternatively, tell yourself that you’re going to play a pre-recorded tape.

Concentrate on one spot in the room – continue to focus on that spot intensely, even though the spot may shift and wonder and become hard to focus on.

Note six different things you can see in that room. Using only your peripheral vision, note them one by one, taking a slow normal breath between each count.

Note six different things you can hear. Without taking you eyes from that bright spot, note them one by one taking a slow normal breath between each count.

Note six different things you can feel at the same time slow breathing with each count.

Then note five different things you can see. And hear. And feel.

Note four. And three. And two. And one.

Recite affirmations that you have memorised to yourself. Alternatively, play the pre-recorded tape.