Can I be hypnotized?

Have you ever done a little research on hypnosis, and heard the old catch phrase: “there is no such thing as hypnosis; there is only self-hypnosis”.  Did that statement clear everything up, or did it leave you wanting to understand more?

A much better and more realistic question would be: “Do you want to be hypnotized?”

Delving a little further into the idea that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis, we can say that hypnosis, or the state of trance it induces, happens because a person is committed to and intent on following the hypnotist’s instructions.

If you consider yourself un-hypnotizable, it could be that you are entering the idea of hypnosis with a poor desire to follow instructions, or perhaps you never thought that being dedicated to following instructions could make a difference in the outcome.

Take the following sequence of instructions from an audio CD by Tad James for example:

“….Close the eyes and relax the muscles around the eyes so they’re so relaxed you can’t relax them anymore. And then, holding on to the relaxation, test them and make sure you can’t open them…...”

From closing your eyes to making sure you can’t open them, these are all instructions that need to be followed out sequentially in order for the exercise to be effective.  These actions can only be as effective as the person’s choice to accept and follow through with them.  James continues to explain that those who can’t be hypnotized are essentially people who are not committed to follow directions.

Imagine you were trying to make Kraft Dinner, but you weren’t committed to following the directions on the box.  Imagine you didn’t feel like boiling water on the stove, but instead decided to pour the macaroni into a bowl with cold tap water, and then dumped in the powdered cheese.  The unappealing meal would be a result of your unwillingness to follow the directions properly.  Obviously if someone later asked you if you like making Kraft Dinner, it wouldn’t be fair to tell them that it tastes like garbage and the instructions were all wrong.

Here is another example demonstrating how having predefined notions can prevent you from accepting useful information. If you walk into a store with the mindset that you will absolutely not purchase anything, you are not likely to, even if it’s something you may need.  Conversely, if you walk into a store with the mindset that you will purchase whatever can improve your problem with “X” (X being anything from a headache to needing new socks), it will be easy to focus all of your attention and resources on any information that may lead you to solving your predicament, or in this case purchasing an item that is immediately effective in fulfilling your needs.

Similarly, if you remain close-minded to potentially helpful information during a hypno-therapy session, you will not get as many positive insights as possible. However, if you enter the session with an open mind and suspend your pre-judgments for just a short while, you will have a very different and more profound experience.  If you keep in mind problem “X” and are open to all suggestions regarding it, you may find solutions in front of you that you never considered.  All you need to do is follow the lead of your therapist, accepting and following each instruction with the comprehension of its positive intent.

If you’re feeling a good level of comfort with your Hypnotherapist, then combining the desire to enter trance with the intent to follow directions is a sure way to achieve inner awareness and transformation.

For more details, feel free to contact me.