Hypnotherapy
If the hypnotist leaves me in the hypnosis state and goes away, I will never be able to get out of the trance.
This is one of the inherent fears that many subjects have, and this is also purely an untrue statement. A hypnotized subject is always alert and has complete control. Often, if the hypnotist merely leaves the room, the subject invariably gets out of the trance as the rapport between the hypnotist and the subject is invariably broken.
Besides, if the subject is in a deep trance and is so relaxed that he is unwilling to get up, he will simply fall asleep and will get up as he is supposed to after a good, relaxed, natural sleep. And it will happen only if the subject has enjoyed the state of hypnosis. Else he will neither relax nor sleep.
Hypnotherapy
Trance is a state of complete loss of consciousness.
A 'trance' by many people is understood as complete loss of consciousness where in the subject does not know what is happening around. The truth is, the subject in hypnosis state is more aware of himself and his surroundings and will not necessarily fall asleep.
Hypnosis is basically a form of deep relaxation which induces the 'alpha' state in the brain. As is has been scientifically proven, effective healing of both mind and body must take place at the alpha level. Hypnotherapists are the people who have acquired or learned the way to induce this alpha state into other people.
Hypnotherapy
A Hypnotist can control my mind, make me reveal all my secrets and make me do anything.
This has been one of the major myths that keeps many suffering people away from hypnotists. Unfortunately the movies and television programs have really exaggerated this myth. The fact is that not all people are susceptible to hypnosis, and that no hypnotist, however clever and crafty, can take over your mind and make you do things that you would not want to do, or are against your will in any way.
The truth is that a hypnotized subject is more alert than a normal person. He is completely conscious of his surrounding. The subject has complete control over himself and will not reveal any secrets or do anything until he wishes to.
If a person resists going into hypnosis state then there is little a hypnotist can do.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnosis is not sleep, and a person does not feel like being in sleep when he is in a trance. It is not even a state of loss of consciousness. The question arises, what does a person feel when he is experiencing hypnosis, or when he is in a trance?
Well, the hypnotic trance is quite unspectacular. Hypnosis is a natural phenomenon which we encounter daily.
Have you ever found yourself:
Looking out of a window with a far away look in your eyes, thinking deeply and intensely about a particular thing?
Reading a really good book and getting so absorbed and you forget where you are and how much time passed while you were reading?
Getting involved in a lengthy but pleasurable task like gardening or playing, and forgetting about the time?
Sitting in a passenger seat of a car or a train for a long time and feeling that the journey is nearly putting you to sleep?
Jogging or working out and feeling detached from your worries for a while?
If you can relate to any of these experiences, you have already been in a hypnosis. The only difference is that you will not call it a hypnotic trance in everyday terms. However, if anything needs your attention, someone calls your name, door bell or the phone rings, you snap out of the experience immediately.
We all switch in and out of hypnosis several times a day quite naturally and automatically. All a hypnotist does is help you achieve a trance-like state on purpose rather than leaving it to chance.
No hypnotist can hypnotize you against your will. If you do not want to follow his or her instructions, there is nothing he or she can do.
When you are in hypnosis, you direct your attention inwards. Even though you are aware of where you are and who is with you, these things are no longer at the centre of your attention. Instead, you are concentrating on the suggestions the therapist is giving you. While you do this, you can still open your eyes whenever you want, but since you are in a relaxed and peaceful state, you are less likely to feel inclined to open your eyes.
The role of the hypnotherapist is to take you on a journey into hypnosis. He or she only facilitate hypnosis, it is the person who goes into hypnosis, if he or she wants to.
All hypnosis is really self hypnosis.
There are many myths about hypnosis that keep suffering people away from this wonderful healing therapy. I will clear them all one by one in future articles.
