The Real Truth about Hypnosis
31 Frequently Asked Questions and Answers!
(page 2 of 4)
By Dianne Ruth,
CCH, PhD
How does hypnosis, meditation, prayer, creative visualization and guided
imagery differ?
Meditation is a form of
hypnosis. The mind is focused and an altered state
of awareness occurs. A wise spirit
ual teacher once told me that meditation
is for listening to God; prayer is for talking to God. During meditation,
you are engaging in inner contemplation or reflection.
Creative visualization is making pictures or mental images. For instance,
imagine what your living room might look like if the furniture were
rearranged. It is the seeing of an image without emotional content.
Guided imagery is using the imagination to create perceptions using all of
your senses. Imagine yourself lounging in your newly arranged living room.
Your emotions are calm and peaceful, and your body is relaxed.
Now, imagine seeing yourself, and possibly another sharing a snack. Taste the
“goodies,” smell the spicy sweet scent of a freshly cut bouquet of flowers,
and hear the sound of soft melodies floating in the background.
Feel the
texture of the rug as you tuck your bare toes into the softness of it. Feel
the warmth from the crackling fireplace as yellow flames make dancing
shadows on the wall.
Hypnotherapy is goal-oriented. Hypnotherapy is used for dealing with
resolving issues, trauma, inner conflicts, and for improving one’s sense of
well being.
Hypnosis provides a way to “reprogram” your brain to generate
better and more desirable responses that you choose to have.
Some people
have some misconceptions about “hypnosis,” and feel more comfortable calling
it guided imagery or creative visualization.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, psychotherapy has a 20% recovery rate after two to seven years of weekly sessions.
A
comparison study as reported by “American Health Magazine” showed that
psychoanalysis has a 38% recovery after 600 sessions; behavior
therapy has a 72% recovery after 22 sessions; hypnotherapy has a 93% recovery after 6 sessions.
By going to the US Library of National Medicine, National Institute of Health
MedLinePlus,
www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/
website, (in the search box, type in the word "hypnosis"), you will find 93 articles describing the research and
effectiveness of using hypnotherapy for a wide variety of medical problems.
Some of the ones listed are...
●
cancer
● pain control
●
headaches
● breast
diseases
● posttraumatic stress disorder
● arthritis
● irritable bowel
syndrome
● orgasmic dysfunction
● delayed ejaculation
● and many other
conditions.
The power of hypnosis is documented by doctors, dentists and many other
leading health professionals. It was approved as a legitimate medical and
dental treatment method by the American Medical Association in 1958.
If there is some deep information that you do not want to divulge, or if the
information is not consciously known, you generally will not reveal it.
Hypnosis can bring back information that has been repressed or
forgotten–only if you agree.
Even more important is that hypnotherapy can help you make a huge quantum
leap forward with just one session!
No. There is a lot of misinformation about hypnosis especially among some
clerical people. This stems mostly from fearing what they know nothing
about.
Hypnosis is a natural state of mind that all people experience. They
just aren’t aware of when it happens because it is so normal.
For extensive information on “Hypnosis and Religious Faith,” go to the
following website, starting with this link,
www.durbinhypnosis.com/hypnosis
religion.htm,
then click or tap on Hypnosis and Religion Volume 1. There
is a large library with different religions represented giving testimonials
to the acceptance of hypnosis and hypnotherapy.
A
hypnotist may practice in a private setting.
The
hypnotist is active in directing the process and the client is generally
passive, non-verbal and non-interactive in the trance experience.
The success of hypnosis depends on the subject’s willingness and abilities
to respond to the suggestions.
A stage or entertainment hypnotist induces the hypnotic trance state with the
willing participation
of the client and gives direct suggestions.
During stage or entertainment hypnosis, volunteers are requested from the
audience. To begin
with, the only people that volunteer are going to be the types who love to
be the center of attention and love to ham it up!
The subjects are screened
and carefully selected by the hypnotist for their willingness and ability to
respond to hypnotic suggestions.
In spite of the audience witnessing the
oddity of the subject’s behavior during hypnosis, the subject is thinking,
“I wonder when I will feel hypnotized....”
A
hypnotherapist guides the client into a hypnotic trance state;
the client
and hypnotherapist are interactive and verbally communicate.
An example
might be when a client recovers memories of a childhood trauma through
hypnotic regression. During the process, the hypnotherapist facilitates the
client in giving details of the event and then helps the client in
re-parenting, reframing, or defusing the negative emotional charge and
healing the traumatized inner child.
The client is co-creating the therapeutic process. The hypnotic state
enhances the process and helps the client to access an expanded sense of
self and more of his or her inner wisdom and creativity for problem solving,
memory enhancement and self-healing.
No. The hypnotist or hypnotherapist can only offer their very best skills
and experience to facilitate hypnosis for you.
They cannot guarantee how you
will respond nor can they take responsibility for your behavior. Only you
can do that.
The words subconscious and unconscious are often used interchangeably. One
distinction between the two is, the subconscious refers to the realm beneath
or beyond conscious awareness.
Alternately, the unconscious is where psychic
or psychological material is stored. This material has a pronounced
influence on behavior.
The conscious mind is the tip of the iceberg. It is critical, analytical,
reasoning and intellectual. It makes decisions; it directs our movements and
activities; however, it cannot carry out our intentions unless the
subconscious or unconscious mind is in agreement.
The unconscious mind is a magnificent reservoir of stored experiences. It is
composed of a colorful energetic field that is centered in the brain and
extends throughout and around the body.
It captures and absorbs absolutely
everything that it is exposed to. It sorts and organizes it into retrievable
data. It also contains all the knowledge necessary for your healing,
recovery, and optimal body-mind-spirit health.
I prefer the term inner mind to represent all levels of the subconscious and
unconscious mind. This includes the spiritual or transpersonal level as
well.
It is within this all inclusive realm where hypnosis/hypnotherapy can
operate most successfully with facilitating better physical and emotional
health and quality of life.
Because the unconscious or inner mind takes in everything around it, nothing
is ever lost.
Even when it may appear that nothing is happening, the
unconscious is often busy reorganizing massive amounts of material so it can
accommodate and utilize new ideas. Sooner or later, it all comes together
over time, and the desired change(s) take place.
The hypnotic trance is divided into four theoretical levels. First a light
state, (this is sometimes referred to as “waking” hypnosis), then a medium
level, which can then progress into a deep trance.
The fourth level or deepest state is when a person completely loses all
conscious awareness. This level is rarely reached, and is limited in its
usefulness.
One instance of value would be if a person had to undergo major
surgery such as an amputation without anesthesia.
The light to medium trance level is the most productive, and the most easily
achieved. Usually, just simply relaxing the eyes and a moderate amount of body
relaxation will produce the most desirable state.
It is not important how
deep you go, just that you are willing to give hypnosis a chance to work.
Yes, if you want to be. No one can be hypnotized without his or her consent.
You are always in control and nothing can be done against your will. All it
takes is reasonable intelligence, focus and concentration.
Hypnosis is a
natural, comfortable altered state of awareness with increased mental,
emotional and physical comfort and relaxation. Children as young as three
all the way up through elderly people can be hypnotized.
There is a very small minority who has difficulty going into hypnosis during
a session. There can be the person who really does not want to be hypnotized
(perhaps to debunk the idea); another possibility is someone who can’t relax
and let go enough to go with the experience. Perhaps fearing loss of
control, which we know is a myth, or fearing the unknown, is behind this
one.
Most importantly is the willingness to suspend logic, analysis and rational
thinking temporarily, and to be open to this incredibly positive experience.
It is best to set aside any preconceived ideas; just experience the sessions
in your own unique way. Practice improves results.
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The Real
Truth
about Hypnosis
(page 3 of 4)
