I am constantly asked, “What is hypnosis?”

The answer is both difficult and easy.

Hypnosis is overloading the conscious mind, which then shuts down as it enters a fight- flight-freeze mode. The sub-conscious opens to suggestions, and it is here that the hypnotist will work to help you develop the changes you desire.

For example: When driving a car to work or to a friend’s house, you are alert to everything going on. You know the route. Once there, you probably will not remember a single car you saw while driving. You probably won’t remember how you got there.

You were on automatic. However, when you see a red light in your rear view mirror or hear a siren, you react to that stimulus. You are using all of your senses. You are on automatic until something unusual occurs. 

In an 1876 experiment on two individuals.,  one was completely asleep, the other hypnotized. One paragraph of a popular book was read to each. When asked to regurgitate what they had heard, the sleeping person was unaware of anyone coming into the room, let alone retaining the reading. The hypnotized person quoted word for word.

This is the secret of hypnotism. When hypnotized, you will understand completely that although your body is extremely relaxed, you are hearing every sound around you, smelling, seeing (if your eyes were open) – all more acutely than in a normal conscious state.

Offering a Suggestion

Hypnosis works by suggestibility, which is key to assisting anyone who is creating the sought changes. Without suggestibility, change through hypnosis is not possible.

Hypnosis cannot make you do anything you do not want to do. If you would not do the suggestion in a waking state, you will not do it under hypnosis.

It is critical that a hypnotist knows a person’s suggestibility. After all, this is the way we take in or speak out information. Suggestibility always is a combination of literal and inference. Once the hypnotist knows the right mix, the suggestions offered will be powerful and will make the changes.

Fictional shows often have you seeing a poor soul being manipulated through hypnosis to do things he would not normally do, such as at a stage hypnotism show. At a show, the subjects will cluck like a chicken, cry, laugh, dance, sing and more. That is not forcing a person against his will.

Not a Chance

If I asked you to jump off a 20-story building, would you? Unlikely unless you are hellbent on suicide. You would not do it when awake or when hypnotized. The key here is that unless you are willing to be hypnotized, no hypnosis occurs.

I was in a session with a young lady awhile ago who wanted to feel better with more energy. The hypnosis went well as she was relaxing. 

I suggested she release an image of herself, having placed all her negatives within it. She was asked to attach a feeling of dislike to the image of the person she no longer wanted to be. Although deep within hypnosis, she immediately opened her eyes and returned to full consciousness.

She said she would not like to dislike the negative image of herself.

Another lady who came to see me about quitting smoking had second thoughts. She really did not want to quit.  Under hypnosis, she was asked to see herself doing things she normally would do but without a cigarette. Suddenly, her eyes snapped open.  She did not want to be that way. End of story.

One woman constantly was thinking during her hypnosis.

Was that normal?

Would it affect the outcome? 

Yes, it was natural.

She did not believe me, and I had to prove it.

I often conduct what is known as an arm-raising to create hypnosis. I suggest to the client that her hand and arm begin to lift, rising toward her face.

I asked her to mentally recite poems or multiplication tables. 

As she did this, she laughed to laugh as her arm came up. Amazed, she soon understood how the conscious is the conscious and the sub-conscious is different.

For changes to occur, they must take place within the sub-conscious. The conscious mind is 10 percent, the sub-conscious,  90 percent. The 10 percent cannot change the 90. It quickly is obvious the changes must happen within the 90.

The sub-conscious does not determine bad, good, wrong, right.

Our conscious does. Your subconscious will always give you what you ask it for.

Why not make the requests positive?

Changes happen. But you alone must decide what.

Do not hesitate to contact me by telephone, 310.204.3321, or by email at nickpollak@hypnotherapy4you.net. See my website at www.hypnotherapy4you.net