deepest thoughts, the ones that we are not even aware of having. When we work on a problem, read or watch a movie, which is our conscious that is paying attention. Nothing gets through to the subconscious without the conscious approving it; it acts like a gateway.
When we sleep, our conscious gives control over to the subconscious; the Ego turns over the controls to the I.D.
At the cusp of falling asleep and just as we wake up, our brains are in a transition mode while the subconscious and the conscious switch places. We know we sleep, but we never remember the moment that we fall asleep. We are unaware of the transition.
That transition is always a moment of confusion for our brain because it has two types of thinking that are exchanging their roles. Hypnosis seeks to recreate that moment of confusion and then it allows the subject to switch from their conscious to the subconscious.
Without the conscious acting as a gateway, the subconscious is able to be accessed directly and it is open to suggestions. If you are using hypnosis as a stage show, then the suggestions are all short-term, designed to amuse a crowd.
If you are using hypnosis to help people, such as using hypnotherapy, then you can implant suggestions to help people get over various problems or needs. Hypnotherapy is used to help overcome phobias, fears, traumas, to break bad habits and to help cultivate new, better habits.
For example, if you have somebody who is afraid of spiders you can tell them that a spider is not dangerous but they will still be afraid. You can tell them that they are many times bigger than the spider and can easily get rid of the spider, removing the object of the fear, but the person who fears spiders will not respond to the logic that they have nothing to fear from something to much smaller than themselves.
Their conscious will not let the words sink into the subconscious, so that person continues to fear spiders.
Now, put that same person into a hypnotic trance and tell them that spiders are not something to fear, nor are they something that will hurt them.
Without the conscious there to deflect those suggestions, the subconscious directly picks up on the suggestions, and upon awakening, the subject’s fear of spiders will have lessened. That is an example of how hypnosis can help by making the subject more suggestible.
Naturally, as a hypnotist, you have a degree of responsibility to the subjects. Hypnosis is not something that should be abused. People cannot be made to do anything that they do not want to do but that does not mean that you should ever try.
With the ability to hypnotize, you have the responsibility to always act responsibly with your subjects.
The trance state is vital to hypnosis because it is the state that allows the conscious to give way to the unconscious mind and thus, suggestible. Going into a trance state is possible through meditation, yoga, self-hypnosis and hypnosis by others. You have probably been in a trance state before that you have put yourself into.
If you have ever found yourself on autopilot, usually by doing something mindless and repetitive, that means you have put yourself into a trance state.
Common examples are of people who went on autopilot when driving and then suddenly realized that they missed their street or turn, while running or exercising or while doing a hobby.
Anything that does not require much thinking and has repetitive motions can induce a hypnotic state. Gardening, knitting, watching TV and crocheting can all induce a type of hypnotic state.
If you doubt that watching TV can put you in a hypnotic trance, then you have never been so focused on a movie that you tune everything else out; you can do the same by reading.
The trance state is a suggestible state in which the subject can selectively choose what to pay attention to. During a stage show, the hypnotist will tell the stage subjects to tune out the background noise and focus only on him; that is why no matter how much you yell and cheer, they do not come out of their trance. They were told to listen only to the hypnotist and that is what they do.
That selective state is why somebody can drive while on autopilot, they do not drive poorly and they obey the rules of the road and continue to do what they need to do to drive, even changing lanes but they have tuned out everything but the act of driving.
People engrossed in a book can do the same thing. They are not being rude and ignoring you if you speak to them, their brains just are not registering that you are speaking. They have focused on their book and the rest of the world no longer exists to them at that moment.
That autopilot state is what you will put your subjects into. They will be fully aware of their surroundings and of everything that you say and do but they will be focusing only on what you tell them to focus on.
You are not controlling them, despite that myth that continues to endure, but you are able to influence what they are paying attention to and focusing on.
In fact, sometimes people who want to be hypnotized will get angry after a session because they remembered the entire session. Hollywood and the movie industry portrays hypnotic sessions and something that the subject will never remember; which is not true.
Just because somebody is aware of all that is going on around them it does not mean that they were not in a hypnotic trance. Their awareness is heightened when in a hypnotic trance, not the other way around.
As a hypnotist, you should always clearly detail what hypnosis is to your subjects so that they know exactly what will happen and what to expect.
By going over the common misconceptions and myths and debunking them, you will be ensuring that the session will go smoothly and there will be no miscommunication.
By taking the time to go over this with first time clients, you will avoid any problems where they do not think that they were ever hypnotized. To them, you were just speaking to them because there is not always a sensation that comes with being a hypnotic trance. Let them know what to expect up front every time.
Much like in the spider example, the hypnotic trance helps the subject be more open to suggestions. Their belief system, which controls their conscious thinking is bypassed, making it easier for you to make suggestions.
That is why a stage hypnotist can tell a stage full of subjects during a summer show during the heat of the day that they are freezing cold and they will huddle together for warmth. That belief system bypass does not mean that they will do anything that goes against their core beliefs or morals.
This is why it is possible to use hypnosis for stage shows, because you the subject’s belief system is suspended so you can make them think that they are cold, or hot, or a rock star, singing on the stage.
For hypnotherapy, you can help them fix faulty belief systems or implant other useful suggestions, such as to not feel cravings to smoke. Somebody with very low self-esteem can benefit greatly by a session in which their beliefs that they are inadequate are replaced with suggestions and beliefs that they are worthy and they have value.
Hypnosis Odds and Ends
This chapter is a hodgepodge of many hypnosis secrets. Before you know how to perform it, you need to have a more intimate idea of what it is and how it is used.
These key points will help you when you get to the chapters that teach you how to learn to hypnotize. These points go into more depth than just the basics, but do not be fooled by the name of odds and ends because these are all key points that you need
