Hypnosis- Yay or Nay?

Now that we know a little about Past Life Regression Therapy, let us go a little deeper into this topic and talk about hypnosis!

If you are a movie buff like me, you would have seen hypnotism in some of them. Hypnotism is generally portrayed in a very negative light. We have been shown people being controlled physically and emotionally with the help of hypnosis. If you are a part of the group that believes hypnosis is negative and can be used to control or manipulate you, this blog is going to be a real eye opener for you!

Hypnosis, as verified by Daniel Block (MD certified psychiatrist, Pennsylvania), is a trance-like mental state in which people experience increased attention, concentration, and suggestibility. 

In Layman's terms, it is a state of deep relaxation same as the one you experience before sleep and after waking up. This state is also called a semi-sleep state and is very natural. 

Let me ask you a few questions:

• Have you ever felt extremely engrossed in a movie/web series and lost track of time?
• Have you ever gotten so indulged in a thought or a song that you drove to a wrong place instead of your destination?
• Have you ever zoned out while someone is talking to you and completely lost track of the conversation?

If your answer to even one of these questions is a yes then congratulations my friend, you have experienced hypnosis in your life. 

Let us study a bit about the Human Mind

Human mind is divided into three parts- conscious, subconscious and unconscious. Since unconscious is a state of deep sleep, we will be focusing on are the conscious and subconscious mind. 

         The above image shows the roles of our conscious and subconscious mind

In a non-hypnotic state, your conscious mind is the most active. Hypnotism is the state where your subconscious mind takes over your conscious mind and your concentration shifts to inside your body rather than the outside world. Subconscious mind holds your long-term memories of this life and beyond it. The idea of hypnosis is to suggest your subconscious mind to take you to the root cause of your problem. 

So surprise... it is not a magic pill that can allow someone to control you. In fact you are completely aware of what you are saying and what is happening around you in a hypnotic state since the conscious mind is still active. And guess what? You can lie or omit information too while being hypnotised- as a matter of fact, I have. Although it is not suggested since your therapist is supposed to know what you are experiencing to be able to guide you better but it is a possibility. That is how much you are actions are in your own control. 

How do we experience hypnotism?

I am trained to use music and breathing suggestions to induce hypnosis or trance state. Guided breathing, as used in most meditations, has the capability to slow your brain waves, relax your mind and body and hence make your subconscious mind more active than your conscious mind. This is called the Alpha state. This is where we are aiming to reach with hypnosis. 

Is it scary?

Well of course it is scary. Thanks to the movies, books and advertisements that have successfully ruined the understanding of hypnotism for us. But in reality, hypnotism is as natural as sleeping. We encounter a self-hypnotic state almost everyday in our lives and therapist-induced hypnosis is no different. With enough experience, you can learn to hypnotise yourself and connect deeper to your inner self. This helps in healing. 

As mentioned in the book "The Power of Your Subconscious Mind" by Joseph Murphy- in an alpha state or semi-sleep state, the subconscious mind has the ability to take suggestions very easily and once those suggestions are communicated to the subconscious, the mind works towards fulfilling it. For example: If in an alpha state, you suggest your mind to heal your backache, your mind will henceforth work towards it and make your pains better and ,with regular suggestion, eventually free you of the pain. 

Therefore, just like regular practise in cricket will make you a pro at it, regular suggestions to your mind will make you achieve your desired goals. 

I hope this blog gave you a better understanding of what hypnosis actually is. If you are 1% less skeptical about trying hypnotism on yourself, my goal is achieved!

Feel free to contact me on mmansukhani0@gmail.com for more information