What is Hypnosis?

Introduction

Discover the answer to some of the most common questions regarding hypnosis such as “What is Hypnosis”, “Can I be hypnotized”, “What is it like being hypnotized”, and “Can I be forced to do something against my will”.

Learn more about hypnosis and its benefits by visiting the “About Hypnosis” page.

Contrary to what you’ve watched in the movies, hypnosis is not some weird zombie state. That’s just Hollywood!

Let’s talk about what hypnosis really is. Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of mind. Each of us enters hypnosis multiple times a day. We just don’t call it hypnosis. Instead, we call it daydreaming. Think of the last time you were just sitting in a relaxed state and started to daydream, maybe about a future vacation. As you let yourself go and daydream, it may have seemed as if you were already there on vacation. Congratulations, you put yourself into a very light state of hypnosis.

Here’s another example I’m sure you had. You’re driving home from work after a long day. The radio is playing and you’re getting lost in the music. The next thing you know, 20 minutes and gone by and you vaguely remember the drive. Again, congratulations, you were in hypnosis! It’s not called highway hypnosis for nothing.

The only difference between the examples above and doing hypnosis with a consulting hypnotist is your intent. When you come in for a hypnosis session you have a specific intent; weight loss, quitting smoking, to improve your performance. There are many reasons.

So let me give you a simple definition of hypnosis,” Hypnosis is a state of intentional daydreaming in which the individual’s imagination is employed to achieve a specific outcome.”

Can I be Hypnotized?

This is a common question I get from clients the first time we meet. And the answer is “it depends”. Let me explain.

There is the mistaken belief that the hypnotist does something to you to put you into a state of hypnosis. This belief is fostered by both Hollywood and stage hypnotists who do comedy routines. For the stage hypnotist, the illusion that the hypnotist has put the show’s participants into hypnosis gives the audience the impression that the hypnotist is totally in control. Nothing is further to the truth and here’s why.

All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. Yes, you read that right! It doesn’t matter if the hypnosis is done in a comedy show or in a clinical setting, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

Here’s what happens. I as the hypnotist know the instructions. If you follow the instructions, I give you then you’ll put yourself into hypnosis. If you don’t follow the instructions, then there is nothing that I can do to force you into hypnosis. You’re in control of whether you go into hypnosis or not. You’re always in control. And this brings us to one of the biggest misconceptions about hypnosis.

What’s it like being hypnotized?

Typically, most people find the experience of being hypnotized to be a relaxing experience. Your body becomes relaxed, and your mind grows quiet and calm. This is the typical response, however; you don’t need to be relaxed to be hypnotized. I’ve worked with many people over the years who come in for a session after a stressful day at work. They are anything but relaxed. Do they go into a nice state of hypnosis, yes, they do. Why, because you don’t need to be relaxed to be hypnotized. Relaxation is a result of hypnosis, not the cause of hypnosis.

Once you’re in hypnosis you’ll hear everything that is going on. Remember, you’re just in a relaxed daydreamy state. You’ll hear everything I say. If a truck goes by outside, you’ll hear that. You may even have thoughts such as “I need to pick up eggs after I finish here”. These are all normal experiences of someone in hypnosis. And, of course, you’ll remember everything about the session itself.

When the session is over and you’ve emerged yourself from hypnosis you’ll feel more relaxed and calm. Then off you go with the rest of your day.

Can I be forced to do something against my will?

If you understand that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis then you already have an intuitive feel for the answer. Which is of course, NO! There is nothing that anyone can do when you’re in hypnosis to force you to do anything that you do not want to do. Remember, you’re always in control. Want proof?

To prove this, let’s return to the hypnotic comedy show. Unfortunately, due to the audience at many of these shows, the show tends to become, let’s say more risqué as the show progresses. At some point in the show, you’ll see this; the comedic hypnotist is giving instructions to the participants regarding the next skit. The skit involves some type of embarrassing behavior. One of the participants, often a woman, will have a body flinch or some other movement that catches the attention of the hypnotist. The hypnotist will walk over, whisper in the participant’s ear, the participant will open their eyes, and the hypnotist will walk the person off of the stage.

So, what happened? Simply put, the upcoming skit was beyond the participant’s comfort level. The flinch was the signal that the participant had brought herself out of hypnosis. The comedic hypnotist recognized this and walked the person off the stage before they could spoil the upcoming skit.

So, there you have it, a perfect example that proves that you are always in control of the hypnosis session. You control whether or not you go into hypnosis. You control how deeply you go. You control whether or not you accept the suggestions given by the hypnotist. And therefore, you control the success of the session!

Conclusion

There you have it. A simple definition of hypnosis and the answers to a few of the most common questions I get from clients.

Here are five key takeaways

Hypnosis is a naturally occurring state of mind, similar to daydreaming.

All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

Being hypnotized can be a relaxing experience, but relaxation is a result of hypnosis, not a cause of it. You don’t need to be relaxed to be hypnotized.

You can’t be forced to do something against your will when you’re in hypnosis because you’re always in control.

In hypnosis you’re fully aware of your surroundings and everything that is happening around you.