In his famous work, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill said “What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” Hypnotherapy, or hypnosis, works on the same principle.
Quite simply hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation where the subconscious mind is more receptive to ideas and suggestions. Those who have experienced hypnosis describe it as being half awake and half asleep. This state of hypnosis is actually experienced several times during the day by most individuals. During the time just before falling asleep at night, day dreaming, meditation or being absorbed in music or television can be described as a specific state of hypnosis. However, watching television does not use the subconscious mind to its fullest potential.
Other terms used for hypnosis can include self hypnosis or self change hypnosis, neuro-linguistic programming, and emotional freedom technique. All of these terms describe a particular state of hypnosis achieved either by yourself or with the aid of a hypnotherapist.
The theory behind hypnotherapy or hypnosis, is that all individuals have within themselves the a
bility to achieve their goals. Through the use of hypnosis to unleash the potential of the subconscious mind, a hypnotherapist releases the individual to achieve the goals and make specific gains in their life travels. Hypnotherapists believe that they are able to help individuals stop smoking, lose weight, get their dream job, become more organized or even spice up their love life.
Interestingly, you don’t require the services of a hypnotherapist to use the power of hypnosis. Most individuals are able to change almost any aspect of their lives using self hypnosis to create new beliefs, generate positive feelings and even defuse negative memories.
World-class athletes will use a variation on self hypnosis through the
use of visualization. In other words, they visualize themselves achieving their goal, crossing the finish line and accepting the first-place prize. By intensely visualizing each step of the race over the entire course, as well as the way that their body will feel, many world-class athletes have been able to achieve goals far beyond what they initially believed they could. This is really no more than self hypnosis.
It is important to understand that no one can be hypnotized to do something that their conscious mind would otherwise object to. For instance, if a generally passive individual is hypnotized they cannot be made to commit murder because it is not otherwise in their personality. While hypnosis will be able to change specific aspects and beliefs, such as changing negative thoughts about money to positive thoughts, it is unable to change the basic morality of an individual.
If someone is aggressive and would otherwise commit murder then hypnosis will only make the job easier for the individual and not make him do it.
However, the purpose for most people in using hypnosis and self hypnosis is to better themselves or erase bad habits, such as smoking. There are also hypnotherapists who believe they are able to use hypnosis in order to help alleviate the symptoms of specific conditions such as anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome. Many of the medical conditions which hypnotherapists propose they are able to help are those conditions which have significant ties to added stress. For instance, individuals who suffer from asthma or irritable bowel syndrome will find their condition worsens significantly when they suffer from extreme stress. In fact, in the therapy to treat irritable bowel syndrome has become so popular that there are hypnotherapists who specialize in this treatment.
Hypnotherapists believe that mental blocks and limiting self belief will stop all of us from achieving our full potential. Individuals who become wealthy believe deep down that they will become wealthy and that they deserve it. Hypnotherapists believe that only those who believe in the possibility can achieve the probability. If you truly believe you can quit smoking with the help of hypnosis then you will.
Hypnosis will help you to expand your beliefs and understanding of what you are attempting to change, whether that is making more money, eradicating stress from your life or eliminating a bad habit. It is more about empowerment and imagination than it is about control.
So, erase all those images of people acting like chickens on stage and open yourself up to the possibilities that can exist when you use self hypnosis in order to relax your conscious mind and expand the potential of what you can achieve.
Resources:
University of Maryland medical Center: Hypnotherapy
http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/hypnotherapy-000353.htm
Hypnosis Motivation Institute: hypnotherapy
http://www.hypnosis.edu/articles/mind-body/
MayoClinic: Hypnosis
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hypnosis/MY01020
Vanderbuilt: Weight Loss Through Hypnosis
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/health_psychology/hypnosis.htm
Successful Hypnotherapy: Anxiety and Stress can be Helped with Hypnosis
http://www.iaph.org/symptoms_treated/anxiety.htm
MD India: Weight Loss with Hypnosis
http://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/weight-loss-with-hypnosis-does-it-work.htm
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