What is Self-Hypnosis?
Knowing the meaning of hypnosis will help you to grasp the concept of self-hypnosis. Hypnosis is a relaxed, focused state of mind. It’s the state of mind that’s open to suggestions. It’s similar to the minds of children before they develop critical thinking. Swiss Psychologist, Jean Piaget, from his research concluded that children from age 0-7 perceive the world through magical thinking and are unable to think logically.
Hypnosis is a natural state of mind
We experience different levels of hypnosis as we go about our day. We accept it as a natural sate of being, until we learn that specific state is called hypnosis. The state is so familiar that some of my clients, experiencing hetero-hypnosis for the first time, have told me that they were not hypnotized. Like many, they had the misconception that being hypnotized meant losing conscious awareness and control over one’s being. Hypnosis affects the mind. The mind affects the body, your emotions and ideomotor responses.
When I was in hypnotherapy school one of my instructors told me that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. Here’s why – whether you’re giving yourself the suggestions to enter the state of hypnosis or the suggestions are coming from someone else, you’re the one who decides to accept or reject the suggestions.
Dr. John Kappas, founder of the HMI (Hypnosis Motivation Institute), makes a clear distinction in his book, The Professional Hypnotism Manual, between hereto-hypnosis and what he terms true self-hypnosis. According to Dr. Kappas, hetero-hypnosis involves the disorganization of the inhibitory processes, and true self-hypnosis requires the organization of the inhibitory processes.
The benefits of self-hypnosis
You can use it to achieve, but not limited to, specific goals, improve your athletic and academic performance, eliminate stress and anxiety. It can help you to stop smoking and over come other bad habits.
Whatever a hypnotherapist can help you achieve with hypnosis you can give yourself suggestions to achieve the same results.
Law of Repetition and Association
The Law of Repetition and the Law of Association govern self-hypnosis conditioning. Repetitive action and/or words lead to self-hypnosis. If you sit in the same chair, use the same lighting or same room, after a while your subconscious mind associates one with the other. Whenever you sit in the chair, use the room or turn on the light, you will enter the self-hypnotic state quickly and easily.
There are many techniques you can use for self-hypnosis. I learned my technique as a student at HMI (Hypnosis Motivation Institute). Over the years I’ve tweaked it to fit my own style of teaching.
There is a learning curve for self-induced hypnosis. You will first need to condition yourself for self-hypnosis with specific key words. You’re going to choose keywords that affect you emotionally, physically and intellectually.
Until you become conditioned to self-hypnosis, you may question whether or not you’re in the state. Don’t expect any dramatic changes in your physical, emotional or intellectual state. Your mind may wonder and the sounds around you can be a distraction. The feelings you experience – tingling, lightness, heaviness etc., may become heightened.
Your surrounding
Have a clear and purposeful intention before you begin your hypnotic session – is it to relax, affirm, learn, let go, replace, or maybe you just want to go with the flow of your thoughts. Until you become familiar with the process, use self-hypnosis for deep relaxation. After your learning curve you can graduate to using it for achieving other goals.
Find a place that’s quiet and comfortable with the perfect temperature for you. Choose a time when you can be alone and undisturbed for at least 30 minutes. As you become more skilled at self-hypnosis it can take less time to go in and out of state to accomplish your specific goal.
Keeping the Law of Association and Repetition in mind – when it comes to your surroundings – what do want your subconscious mind to associate with you entering the state of self-hypnosis? Is it incense, a dimly lit or dark room? Are you going to sit in the same chair in the same room? Choose a couple of things that you want to include in the ambiance of your self-hypnotic experience.
Turn off your phone and other distractions. Sit, with legs uncrossed instead of lying down. Your association with lying down is sleep and you want to avoid falling asleep, if possible. Choose how long you want your self-hypnosis experience to last from start to finish. Use an alarm clock until your internal clock becomes conditioned.
Conditioning yourself to use a particular place for self-hypnosis doesn’t mean you can’t enter the state somewhere else. Practice will help you enter the state easily, regardless of where you are.
Your physical keywords
As you condition yourself to self-hypnosis it’s important to find a word that will create physical changes in YOUR body. To find your keyword sit on a chair in a comfortable position without shoes and legs uncrossed. Rest the palms of your hands on your legs. Concentrate on the palm of your hands resting on your legs and become aware of what you’re feeling.
Are you feeling warm and tingly, cold and heavy, or relaxed and expansive? Connect to the word that elicits the strongest feeling. Here are some examples – light, relaxed, heavy, warm, cold, expansive, fluttery, cool, and tingly or something else. Choose your physical key word and write it down for future reference. Practice using your physical keyword to bring about the feeling and moving it through your entire body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
Your emotional key words
Sitting in the same position you can find your emotional keyword by focusing on your breathing. As you breathe in and out become aware of your emotional state and attach a positive word to what you’re feeling. Here are some examples – happy, peaceful, Joyful, confident, bold, cheerful, content, proud, satisfied, receptive, excited, or delighted.
Your intellectual key words
In his book, Professional Hypnotism Manual, Dr. John Kappas, determined that the Intellectual key words were the most important in self-hypnosis conditioning. The words he suggested were either “deep hypnotic sleep or deep sleep. “My choice for my clients and myself has been “deep sleep.” However, I’ve added some other phrases – I give myself permission to enter the state of self-hypnosis and I allow myself to enter the state of self-hypnosis. My clients and I have had the same positive results.
Getting out of state
It’s very important to bring yourself out of the state of self-hypnosis. If you forget this important step you’ll remain suggestible to yourself and the negativity in your environment. To condition yourself to leave the state of hypnosis you simple need to do or say something that your mind will associate with leaving the state. Try this – count from 1 upwards to 5 and then say the words “wide awake” or “I’m now leaving the state of self-hypnosis and becoming fully aware of my surroundings.” Stand up and move your body.
Putting it together. You have chosen your surroundings. You have your emotional, physical and intellectual key words. You’ve decided what triggers you’re going to use to leave the state of self-hypnosis.
Your intention for the first few sessions is for relaxing and conditioning. Then you can graduate to using self-hypnosis for powerful changes in your life.
Self-hypnosis
Following the steps above prepare to condition yourself for self-hypnosis – Close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths – breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. As you breathe out say your physical keyword. Allow the physical feeling to permeate every part of your body. At breath number 5 repeat your emotional keyword and allow yourself to experience strong emotion.
Now Imagine, visualize, feel or picture yourself at the top of 12 steps at the bottom of the steps is a door. Starting with your right foot begin to walk slowly down the stairs one step at a time. With each step you become more deeply relaxed and your emotional and physical feelings intensify.
When you reach the bottom of the stairs open the door to a place that is just right for you. A place where you can relax in peace. It could be a place that’s real or imagined. Use all your senses to experience your perfect place. What do you see? Take a look around. What do you hear? Pay close attention. What do you feel? Touch and explore. What do you smell and taste? Claim this perfect place as your own.
When you’re ready to leave your self-hypnotic state – count from 1 upward to 5 and use your trigger words to exit the state of self-hypnosis.
Self-hypnosis is a conditioned response – you need to practice on a regular basis, for a least 15 minutes, to maximize your results.
Contact me for more information and/or a free consultation. Hypnosis Works – it’s a powerful tool for change. Get unstuck! Become motivated! Be unstoppable with confidence! Hypnosis will help you live your ideal life. Contact me today.
Adalia John Cht
818-741-8909
Skype:adaliaj1
adalia[at]claimyourconfidencenow[dot]com
Other resources
WikiHow – Hypnotize to yourself with the best me technique
Books
Hypnosis can help you to make powerful changes in your life
Adalia John Cht
818-741-8909
Skype:adaliaj1
adalia[at]claimyourconfidencenow[dot]com