HYPNOSIS – THE KEY TO OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND

  Hypnosis can best be described as a deep state of relaxation that bypassed  the analytical left-brain and allows a state of awareness dominated by the subconscious mind.

  Hypnosis began with the advent of mankind.  Shamans and other healers practiced healing ceremonies using words, sound and rhythm to affect a healing on the attendant. The continuous chanting, dancing and participation brought about a level of response in the attendants, which led to their expectations being realized.

  Many well know psychotherapist and psychiatrist used hypnosis in their practice such as Sigmund Feud, Carl Gustav Jung, and Milton Erickson, just to name a few.  Milton Erickson, a psychologist and psychiatrist pioneered the art of indirect suggestion in hypnosis.  Erickson is primarily responsible for shaping our modern view of hypnosis and its official acceptance by the AMA.

  Stage show hypnosis has created many misconceptions about hypnosis.  A common misconception is that one is unconscious or unaware during hypnosis.  At no time is the person unaware.  The greater the depth, the more awareness, and the better the results of hypnosis

  A hypnotized person can be de-hypnotized at any time he chooses.    Anytime a suggestion or posthypnotic suggestion is given that is contrary to the wishes or beliefs of the client, it can be voluntarily rejected.  If the suggestion were of such a nature that harm might result, there would be an immediate return to the conscious state.

  The mind is composed of two segments: the conscious and the subconscious.  Each has the same but yet different faculties.  The conscious mind gathers and analyzes information for storage in the brain’s memory bank, and the subconscious mind uses the stored information to operate the functions of the body process. 

  The conscious and subconscious mind function similarly to balancing scales.  The conscious mind is in the dominant position during ordinary everyday events, gathering information, impressions etc.    Once accepted as believable, true, and important, it deposits the information in the brain’s memory bank.  When the conscious mind becomes impaired or inefficient due to trauma, stress, or drugs, the subconscious mind becomes dominant and receives this information for deposit in the brain’s memory bank whether or not it is believable or true.   So while the conscious mind generally rejects the believability of all incoming information until it has been analyzed with all previously stored information, the subconscious accepts everything and rejects only those suggestions and information that are against survival instincts and against one’s moral values.

  When the subconscious creates a belief system based on prior acceptance of information and images by the conscious mind, it will transform the conscious mind to fit the image or belief.  Belief in success produces success.  Fear of failure produces failure. 

  Should the conscious mind accept something to be true and set limitations based on that belief, the subconscious mind is then limited by that belief.  However, direct suggestion by a qualified hypnotherapist can remove that limiting belief.  Upon acceptance of the suggestion given by the hypnotherapist, the restrictions are removed, leaving the subconscious free to act on the new suggestions. 

  You become what you think about. You create your future by the vary nature of your thoughts.  Your future health, wealth, success or failure depends upon what has been accepted in your subconscious mind.

  Two things are required for hypnosis to be affective: (1) you must have the desire to do something and (2) trust the process. Hypnosis doesn’t work for everyone because everyone doesn’t have the desire or trust in what they seek.

Tonda Adams, J.D., CCHt.