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What IS Hypnosis?

© T. Darlene Cheek, CHt., RMT

We use hypnosis naturally in many of the things we do in our every day lives, though we may not realize it because we call it something different. For example, how many of you pray or meditate? Is there something you focus or concentrate deeply on, like learning to play an instrument or studying for a course? Do you daydream? Do you imagine what it would feel like to be at your goal weight?

All of these things involve a light state of hypnosis. Hypnosis is simply an altered state of consciousness, a lowering of our brain's frequency. Whenever we are in a relaxed state for any reason, whether our eyes are opened or closed, we are in a state of hypnosis.

As you can see, hypnosis occurs naturally during different times of each day while we are carrying on our every day tasks. I think most of us who have never experienced a guided hypnosis session expect it to be a really deep trance where we don't remember anything and are under complete control of the hypnotist. In actuality, we all experience hypnosis every single day under many different circumstances. Let's take a look at a typical day...

I wake in the morning and sit looking out the window, watching the birds fly back and forth from the tree to the feeder while my coffee brews. I am not quite awake yet, and my brain is still functioning at a lower frequency. I find myself staring out the window, my mind wandering. This is a state of hypnosis.

I drink my coffee, glance through the newspaper, though nothing really sinks in, and then I go get my shower. I seem to be behind schedule already - how did that shower stretch into 30 minutes without me realizing it? Loss of time signals that I was in a light state of hypnosis.

As I'm driving to work, I notice that I'm singing the words to the soap commercial. Catchy tune, but why is that stuck in my head? Commercial ads are specially designed using positive suggestions to make their message stick in your head. Yes, a hypnotic suggestion!

Now I'm working at my desk, focused, concentrating on the project I've been working on. I'm making plans, visualizing how the presentation will look, and a spark of creativity hits! Yes, brought on by a light state of hypnosis, which opened up those old pathways to the subconscious mind.

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