HypnosisAlbert Einstein reckoned that humans use only about 10% of their brains. According to some reports, while hypnotised, we could gain access to the other90%.
Every human being who is mentally sound can be hypnotised to some degree. You can use hypnosis for a lot of things, for instance to control weight, pain,sleep, and to raise confidence. You can also use it to quit smoking, developconcentration and memory. In fact, you can use it for anything that depends onyour own efforts. I) ORIGINS OF HYPNOSIS: The art and science of hypnosis isboth old and new.
*Old because it was used in ancient time and has a pedigreethat stretches back to the beginning of mankind’s conscious development *Newbecause only over the past 100 years has it been subject to the full force ofscientific scrutiny, after discovery that the unconscious mind, emotions andpersonal history directly affect a person’s state of mental, emotional andphysical health. A) Old origins _ Hypnosis has existed very early in religiousrituals. However, the earliest known description of hypnosis date back 6000years to rites performed in Egyptian sleep temples. _The Indus Vedas ,aknowledge sacred book written around 1500 BC, mentions the use of hypnotictechniques and procedures.
_According to some specialists, accounts of what wewould now call hypnosis can be found in the Bible and in the Talmud. _In thepast, hypnosis is always associated with the occult: witchdoctors and shamans(medicine man)practised hypnosis :”ritual hypnosis and dance were integralelements of shaman’s communication with spirits”. B) New origins- modern useof hypnosis There are two leading men in the scientific study of hypnosis: _1734-1815: Franz Anton Mesmer, born in Vienna. Mesmer is considered the fatherof hypnosis.
He is remembered for the term “Mesmerism” which means a personwho is raptly attentive, or who is temporally deprived of his normal consciousqualities. He described a process of inducing trance through a series of passeshe made with his hands . He succeed in treating a considerable variety ofailments. _ 1932-1974: Milton Erickson, a psychologist and psychiatristpioneered the art of indirect suggestions in hypnosis.
He is considered thefather of modern hypnosis. His methods bypassed the conscious mind through theuse of both verbal and non-verbal pacing techniques including metaphor ,confusion, and many others. He has immensely influenced the practice ofcontemporary hypnotherapy. II) HYPNOSIS: A) Curent examples As long as there asbeen human beings, there has been hypnosis, we use this commonly occurring stateof mind, unknowingly, all the time. It is just natural for us.
_ For examples ifyou have ever watched a television program or movie and become really absorbedinto the program, you were probably in trance. This trance is what caused younot to hear your mother calling you to dinner. _ Advertisers understand this,they use television programs to induce a hypnotic trance and then provide youhypnotic suggestions, called commercials! _ Another common instance of thisnaturally occurring state of mind is when you are driving down the road, withyour mind focused on some other task, and last thing you know: you haveforgotten to turn. That is called “Highway hypnosis”. B) Definition _Definition: Hypnosis is a mental state of heightened suggestibility,characterised by trance like sleep.
The basis of hypnosis is the fixation of thesubject attention upon a gradually narrowing source of stimulation, until he isattendant upon only the direction of the hypnotist. _Techniques: This isvariously achieved by repetition of instructions in a low, level voice, orhaving the subject fix his gaze upon a light in an otherwise dark room. Thesubject remembers nothing of what he did during the hypnotic period. But certaineffects may be suggested to continue after the subject returns to consciousness,these are called post hypnotic suggestions. _major purpose: During hypnosis, theconscious mind is distracted, so that new, positive suggestions are more readilyaccepted. According to the specialists of hypnosis ,these new constructive ideassubstitute negative old ones, therefore creating permanent beneficial changes inyour life.
C) Hypnotherapy: _ What is hypnotherapy? Hypnotherapy is basicallythe use of hypnosis as a medium for psychotherapy. People will either behypnotised by a therapist (hetero-hypnosis) or taught to hypnotise yourself(self hypnosis) as a way of achieving personal insight. _ How does hypnotherapywork? Essentially, there are two main aspects of hypnotic trance which are usedin psychotherapy: 1) The subconscious mind is more open to positive suggestions,made by yourself or the hypnotherapist. 2) The mind may express itself moredirectly and more spontaneously Through thoughts or images. _ What benefits canbe achieved through hypnotherapy’some of main benefits of hypnotherapy can beclassed as follows: Personal development, cessation of habits, management ofanxiety and stress, and psychological and emotional well-being. _ You couldconquer your phobia: Phobia is an anxiety about a person, place or thing whichcon not be voluntary controlled.
A simple phobia, one which is focused on asingle feared object such as spiders is rarely called for treatment, but it canhave little impact on the patient’s quality of life. You could quit thisphobia with 3 sessions of hypnotherapy: -first session: uncover the cause ofpatient’s phobia. -second session: the hypnotherapist uses behaviouraltechniques to enable patient to approach spiders in his imagination. -thirdsession devotes to supportive therapy with positive imaging and post hypnoticsuggestions.
The hypnotherapist encourage people to touch spiders in real life. _ Hypnosis to stop smoking: It is the subconscious motivation to smoke that mustbe changed in order to quit smoking. Hypnosis made it easy and you have nowithdrawal symptoms. It does not work the same for everyone: many people havefound quitting smoking with self hypnosis to be easy and painless, but forothers, it is difficult no matter which method is used. _ Hypnosis for paincontrol: The experience of pain is a combination of the type of pain, tension,fear and anxiety. Often tension and anxiety can intensify the pain.
Byrelaxation of the body, there is a natural reduction of pain. By propersuggestion in the hypnotic state, the experience of pain can be reduced oreliminated for periods of time. It is good to teach clients self hypnosis andimagery so that the client can use it when needed. _ Hypnoanesthesia ReubenPercarve achieved the first major surgical operation of this kind to be doneanywhere without conventional anaesthetic. He is responsible for theHypnoanesthesia in the surgical operation performed in Quebec.
The patient wasoperated successfully for the appendix. His recover was excellent without anyside effects normally associated with this type of surgery. III) WRONG DANGERSOF HYPNOSIS: _ What if I can not wake up? It never happens. Getting out ofhypnosis is never a problem.
You will put all of your efforts into getting intoa hypnotic state, not getting out of it. . The worst that can happen is that youdrift off into normal sleep, in which case you will wake up just as you wouldany other time. _ Will I lose consciousness? No, you will no more loseconsciousness in the hypnotic state than you did when you were paying completeattention to your reading.
To someone else you will appear to be asleep becauseyour eyes are closed and you are relaxed, but you will know that you are notasleep like at night. _ Can I be hypnotised against my will? No, no matter, howwill you have learned to go into the hypnotic state, you can always refuse to doso if you desire. _ If I am in the hypnotic state and someone suggests me to doan immoral act, will I comply? No, it is unlikely that a person could violate aconcept of morality to which he is strongly attached. CONCLUSION: Today, thereare many legitimate university based on studies of the various phenomena ofhypnosis and it is not uncommon for dentists and physicians to use it in theirpractices. There is no magic by any of us, hypnosis will not make you stronger,good looking, irresistible to girls or boys, a world class athlete and a genius.
The fact is that hypnosis eventually becomes everything anyone could reasonablyexpect. It is a great way to do anything that depends on your own efforts.
