Self-Hypnosis
Taking change into your own hands
I am a huge advocate of teaching self-hypnosis to my clients. Having this fantastic tool at your disposal means that you have the power to create your own inner change.
On this page you’ll find information about self-hypnosis and a simple process you can follow to learn self-hypnosis for yourself.
You can also find out more about my Self-Hypnosis Workshops.
What is hypnosis and self-hypnosis?
All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. What I mean by this is that when you visit a hypnotherapist, the therapist isn’t doing anything to you that you couldn’t do to yourself. They aren’t hypnotizing you, they are guiding you to hypnotise yourself by following their instructions.
Hypnosis itself is a verb rather than a noun. It’s the act of guiding your mind using suggestion and mental imagery towards a desired outcome, so that fundamental changes can take place within the brain that will allow that to become a reality in your life.
What is trance and the state of hypnosis?
The hypnotic state itself is not a state that is special to hypnosis. It is an everyday state that we experience many times throughout the day, for instance when we daydream, or when we switch to mental autopilot driving a car, or when we are deeply absorbed in a book. It’s like the state you can get into when you are in flow, and are deeply engrossed in a hobby or at work.
In general, formal hypnosis and self-hypnosis naturally creates this relaxed and ‘trancey’ state of mind, where the brainwaves slow down from the fast delta waves of our active wakefulness, to the alpha and theta waves of relaxation and inward focus, or even down to the beta waves of sleep. This is why you can feel like you were ‘hypnotised’, but in fact hypnosis is happening from the moment you begin to consciously direct your thoughts and inner experience. It is the process.
What is the difference between hypnosis and meditation?
Meditation generally has the goal of quietening the mind, and training that inner muscle to notice when you are getting caught up in thoughts and instead coming back to a place of quiet, non-judgmental being.
Hypnosis on the other hand is about actively using your brain to improve your quality of life in someway. Hypnosis without the guided thoughts and imagery would be very akin to meditation! So really, hypnosis is meditation with a goal in mind.
What can self-hypnosis help me with?
When we are focused and motivated, we tend to perform better. When we make the best uses of the resources that we have, we are more efficient in our achievements. You can use self-hypnosis to improve yourself in ways only limited by your creativity. Athletes and sports people use self-hypnosis to improve their performance. Self-hypnosis can be used to alter the perception of pain. Artists may use self-hypnosis to enhance their creativity. Business people may use it to improve their confidence or overcome fear. Many of us are using self-hypnosis subconsciously in the way we talk to ourselves and put ourselves down. Instead, we can use it to develop yourself in a positive way, using your focus in a goal-directed way.
I am particularly interested in helping people in business to make changes within themselves that will help them achieve all they want from their enterprises.
What are some of the advantages of self-hypnosis?
You can do it anywhere. It is natural and completely safe. You are in control of the experience, so will have less resistance to it. Everything suggestion and image you generate in self-hypnosis will come from you, and will therefore be uniquely and completely tailored for you. Once you’ve learned it, it is absolutely free!
How to hypnotize yourself
There’s a huge scope for the use of self-hypnosis, but at the very core of it there’s a simple process anyone can follow. You are in control at all times, you are choosing to do this so choose to engage completely, enthusiastically and positively with the experience. And remember, if at any times you do feel uncomfortable (unlikely!), you can simply open your eyes to end the session.
The Four Basic Steps
- Find a comfortable place to sit and give yourself a few moments to settle in
- Close your eyes and guide yourself into a more relaxed state
- Give yourself positive, enthusiastic suggestions related to your goal
- End your self-hypnosis session and return to full alertness
Step One: Find a comfortable place and take a few moments to settle in
Choose a time and place where you aren’t going to be disturbed. I recommend sitting in a comfortable seat rather than lying down, as you don’t want to fall asleep. Preferably keep your legs and arms uncrossed, your hands and feet not touching. Consciously notice and let go of any tension in any of your muscles, so your shoulders might drop, your hips might soften, the muscles of your face might loosen. Soften the focus of your gaze and give your breathing a minute or two to settle down after getting into position.
Step Two: Close your eyes and guide yourself into a more relaxed state
Closing your eyes shuts out all of the overwhelming visual stimuli that flood your brain each second. Tell yourself that you are going to go into hypnosis, that you are looking forward to it, that you are in control and that you are going to respond to all the wonderful suggestions you’re going to give yourself.
There are lots of different methods for guiding yourself into a more relaxed state, or a ‘deeper’ state of comfort. Here I’ll explain the progressive muscle relaxation method. Simply start at the top of your head and imagine that you are releasing any tension found in each part of your body as you scan down through your neck, shoulders, chest and torso, through your arms and fingers, down through your hips, thighs and all the way down to your toes. You can visualize or imagine the sensation of that tension dissolving and your body being left feeling deeply pleasant and comfortable.
Remember, the goal isn’t to completely zone out. It’s to get to a nice comfortable starting point where you are more relaxed than you were, and comfortably focused on your inner world.
Step Three: Give yourself positive, enthusiastic suggestions related to your goal
If you have followed mine – and your own – instructions so far, you’ll be more relaxed and more focused. Again, you need to forget the misconception that hypnosis is about being completely out of it. You can say to yourself something like: “I am quietly focused on my own inner experience, and am now in hypnosis.”
And you are now in a great state to turn your attention towards the suggestions that you would like to give to yourself for self-improvement. These suggestions should be simple and clear, formed in the positive and given with enthusiasm and conviction. They should be personal and significant to you. It’s also a good idea to keep them within the realms of reality! You might prefer to prepare these before your self-hypnosis session, but it is also interesting to see what powerful ones come up for you while you are hypnotized.
Here are some examples (based on business, as that’s my bag):
I am confident in my ability to make money
My business is growing and I welcome and am ready for it
I see opportunities to grow my business everywhere
I attract my ideal clients to me
I eat healthily and I notice the increase in energy that give me
I love making videos for social media
As you say these to yourself, agree with them and feel the power of your intention behind them. You can even visualize what they look, sound and feel like to achieve. Repeat them and really enjoy the feeling of them.
Tips and inspiration for crafting suggestions
Step Four: End your self-hypnosis session and return to full alertness
When you have given yourself the suggestions and you wish to end your self-hypnosis session, tell yourself that you are coming out of hypnosis and will count from one to five, and by the time you reach five you will be fully alert, refreshed and ready to open your eyes and carry on your day.