What does it feel like to be HYPNOTIZED?

(Not like the guy in the photo. He's definately in some kind of crazy trance, but I think that is HARD drugs! )

Hypnosis is a natural state of heightened awareness, where you are able to
open your mind to beneficial suggestions and where you can make use of your imagination to help make POSITIVE
changes in your life.

Everybody experiences trance differently - it is a unique experience, but the client is always in control. In general a hypnotic trance is a pleasant, relaxing and tranquil experience. While hypnotised you will be aware of all physical sensations around you, perhaps even noticing sounds you wouldn't otherwise be aware of. After a traumatic incident such as a car accident or violent robbery, a subject under hypnosis may be able to recall with extreme accuracy, car numbers, details etc that their subconscious mind has remembered but their conscious mind has overlooked. When you are fully aware again you may be able to recall everything that happened while you were in your trance, depending how deep your trance was.

To give you an example of this, last year I myself went and had ultra-deep hypnosis done by a specialist in an unusual field of hypnosis - just so I could experience what that was like [because to make change with someone light hypnosis works much better than deep hypnosis, and this lady specialized in ultra-deep hypnosis]. The craziest thing for me was that [even though i use hypnosis on clients every week] it did not matter how ultra-deep I went into trance, i was still perfectly aware i was in a room talking with the hypnotherapist, whilst having an almost complete dual-awareness of where we were and what we were exploring in the ultra-deep hypnotic state. It is such an unusual sensation, even though I am constantly working with people in hypnosis and explaining this 'duality' of mind to them.. even when I myself was in this deepest of deep trances [which would have no purpose in a therapeutic context - if you are to work with me, it will only be light trance) I was still so aware of my surroundings that I kept asking myself if it was working or if I was doing it right!! - when I came out of the trance this absolutely bewildered me because that meant that even I had unrealistic expectations of the hypnosis session despite being a fully qualified and experienced hypnotherapist myself!! - No matter how deep you go, you really can NEVER lose control or awareness. You are ALWAYS aware, semi-awake and totally in control!

 

  
  Hypnosis  
 

 

Remember way back to this morning when you were half awake and half asleep? You couldn't be bothered to wake yourself up properly but because you weren't really all the way deep down asleep you could appreciate all the comfortable feelings that go with being snuggled down in your bed. Well that's pretty much how it feels to be hypnotised. You're not asleep but you're not awake either. Hypnotherapy is rather like being in a daydream, it is a state called "trance". It might be a deep trance or it might only be a light trance. Whatever level you achieve it's absolutely the right level for you at that moment. With hypnosis there's no right or wrong way to experience it, there's just different ways and they're all good. Many people experience a trance like state while driving a car - the journey is often made on "automatic pilot" mode, the mind being totally occupied by other matters. How many times do you "switch off" in the middle of a boring conversation or lecture, and daydream?
That's the natural hypnotic state. That is ALL that hypnosis is.

But WHY does it work?? - Simple. As most people know, the LEARNING STATE of mind is relaxed, peaceful and happy. It is very hard for people to learn things when they are stressed out, tense and focussing on too many things at the same time. Essentially hypnosis is just the natural LEARNING state. It happens easily because when the CONSCIOUS mind is not paying much attention by being distracted by thoughts or driving or watching a film.. the unconscious mind is left wide-open for suggestions to just flow in without the conscious-mind trying to intervene and argue and analyze etc. Thus when the hypnotherapist puts you into a nice relaxing state, the LEARNINGS (suggestions) go strait into the subconscious mind when they can take effect. This is why constantly telling yourself with your internal dialogue "I will not do this any more" etc etc etc doesn't work, because you are trying to install it in the subconscious whilst in an irritated, annoyed or stressed state and the commuication can NOT get through.
But I've seen Stage Hypnotists' control people! - Actually stage hypnotists choose their participants VERY carefully. They always choose very conservative,introverted, shy, or timid people; or excessively willing people. That way the participant will do whatever the hypnotist says and can later say the 'hypnotist' made them do it and avoid any responsibility of acting like a fool on stage. Also, shy and introverted people are usually so paranoid of people judging them that they will NEVER pretend it's not working through fear of embarrassing the Stage Hypnotist.