June Milligan, M.Ed. CCHt
Hypnotist ~ Energy Psychologist
Personal Empowerment Coach
WHAT IS HYPNOSIS?
There is nothing mysterious about hypnosis. It is a state of consciousness one enters and leaves naturally during everyday experiences. It feels very much like daydreaming, like the state between sleeping and waking. In this state you are more open to suggestions, because your brain wave vibrations change, giving you more access to your subconscious mind.
Your conscious mind is still fully aware of what is going on the whole time. In this very relaxed state your subconscious mind has the abilituy to accept information and suggestions given by the hypnotist. Hypnosis uses this natural human process to change negative patterns into positive patterns of behavior.
HOW DOES ONE ENTER A STATE OF HYPNOSIS?
There are five components necessary to achieve hypnosis, and the hypnotic state is based solely on the relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind.
Motivation - You must want to be hypnotized
Relaxation - Hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation
Imagination - You will actively use your imagination
Concentration - You will use your ability to concentrate
Suggestion - You will hear and respond to suggestions
The subconscious mind has no power to reason. It simply accepts and acts upon any fact or suggestion given it by the conscious mind. Advertisers understand this. They use television programs to induce a hypnotic trance, then provide you with hypnotic suggestions called commercials.
There is no question that you can be hypnotized. You've done it thousands of times. You did it when you were daydreaming and missed your turn off the freeway, or when you followed suggestions in a commercial to prefer a particular brand name that you saw repeatedly on television.
The hypnotic state is an excellent mental state for making changes in your life. That is because during hypnosis you can set aside limiting beliefs that may have been preventing you from achieving a more healthy, happy, prosperous you.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS?
It is important for you to understand the relationship between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. The conscious mind (about 10% of your mind) is working right now as you are reading this. It is that part of you that is aware of what is going on right now. Decisions and choices are made by the conscious mind.
The subconscious mind (about 90% of your mind) can be compared to a computer in that it stores the data for all the experiences that we have ever had. It also automatically controls our bodily functions such as heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, organs functioning, the immune system, muscles, bones and tissues from the cellular level to whole-body functioning.
The subconscious mind is creative, intuitive, irrational, and emotional. Because it's illogical, it can make you into anything you want to be: slender, rich, happy, famous. It can also keep you stuck in negative or limiting behavior. It contains your core beliefs about yourself, your values, as well as everything you've ever thought, every word you've ever heard or spoken, every experience you've ever had. And the subconscious mind must act on those beliefs. In other words, it can only create in your life what you believe, what has been suggested to you as the truth, whether it was REALLY the truth or not.
Your subconscious mind operates only on its programming, just like a computer. And just like a computer, your subconscious mind can be reprogrammed. The programming you are currently operating on has been placed there from many sources throughout your life, whether they were positive or negative. If your parents taught that you could achieve anything in life, that is the programming you are acting out now. If they taught you that life is hard and attaining money is a struggle, then you are making THAT programming come true.
In contrast, the conscious mind is logical and analytical and it is where we spend most of our time. It basically performs these functions:
1. The conscious mind analyzes and problem-solves, by evaluating whatever concern, situation or issue you are thinking of;
2. The conscious mind makes decisions that we may think are automatic, but are actually made by engaging a part of our subconscious mind;
3. The conscious mind uses what we call will power. But will power doesn't last, does it? You may mean well, but the new intention fails, and the old behavior returns;
4. The conscious mind also holds our working memory, the part of our mind we use every day in order to function.
However, all conscious decisions are influenced by the data stored in our subconscious mind.
SO HOW DO WE REPROGRAM OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND?
By bypassing what scientists call the "critical factor." The critical factor is like a guard at the gate between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. It has the power to accept or reject suggestions coming into the subconscious mind. And it has the very best intentions. Its job is to protect us. Because change is viewed as a threat, any suggestion that does not match the existing programming automatically gets rejected. That's how it's accomplishing the goal of protecting us.
So the only way a real change can take place is to get the new programming into our subconscious mind. Three ways to get to the subconscious mind and bypass the critical factor is through our memories, habits and emotions. But this takes time, sometimes a lifetime.
The faster, easier way to bypass the critical factor is through hypnosis. Through the experience of relaxation, the critical factor seems to go to sleep for awhile. The conscious mind stays awake and can still make decisions. So now you're in control while your subconscious mind is receptive to any suggestion that your conscious mind wants to allow in.
HOW DOES HYPNOSIS FEEL?
You will remain conscious of your surroundings and you may not feel hypnotized, since you have experienced light levels of hypnosis at other times without knowing it. You may experience:
- A heavy feeling like you are sinking
- A sense of being light and floating
- A sense of energy moving through your body
- Different emotions
- A tingling sensation
- A sense of numbness
If you know that you MAY experience these sensations, you won't become alarmed. Just expect the trance to occur naturally and it will. Suggestions made while in hypnosis may stay with some individuals indefinitely. Others may need reinforcement. But the effects of hypnosis are cumulative. The more the techniques are practiced, and posthypnotic suggestions are acted upon, the more permanent the results become.
There is nothing mysterious about hypnosis. It is a state of consciousness one enters and leaves naturally during everyday experiences. It feels very much like daydreaming, like the state between sleeping and waking. In this state you are more open to suggestions, because your brain wave vibrations change, giving you more access to your subconscious mind.
Your conscious mind is still fully aware of what is going on the whole time. In this very relaxed state your subconscious mind has the abilituy to accept information and suggestions given by the hypnotist. Hypnosis uses this natural human process to change negative patterns into positive patterns of behavior.
HOW DOES ONE ENTER A STATE OF HYPNOSIS?
There are five components necessary to achieve hypnosis, and the hypnotic state is based solely on the relationship between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind.
Motivation - You must want to be hypnotized
Relaxation - Hypnosis is a deep state of relaxation
Imagination - You will actively use your imagination
Concentration - You will use your ability to concentrate
Suggestion - You will hear and respond to suggestions
The subconscious mind has no power to reason. It simply accepts and acts upon any fact or suggestion given it by the conscious mind. Advertisers understand this. They use television programs to induce a hypnotic trance, then provide you with hypnotic suggestions called commercials.
There is no question that you can be hypnotized. You've done it thousands of times. You did it when you were daydreaming and missed your turn off the freeway, or when you followed suggestions in a commercial to prefer a particular brand name that you saw repeatedly on television.
The hypnotic state is an excellent mental state for making changes in your life. That is because during hypnosis you can set aside limiting beliefs that may have been preventing you from achieving a more healthy, happy, prosperous you.
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONSCIOUS AND SUBCONSCIOUS MINDS?
It is important for you to understand the relationship between your conscious mind and your subconscious mind. The conscious mind (about 10% of your mind) is working right now as you are reading this. It is that part of you that is aware of what is going on right now. Decisions and choices are made by the conscious mind.
The subconscious mind (about 90% of your mind) can be compared to a computer in that it stores the data for all the experiences that we have ever had. It also automatically controls our bodily functions such as heart beating, breathing, eyes blinking, organs functioning, the immune system, muscles, bones and tissues from the cellular level to whole-body functioning.
The subconscious mind is creative, intuitive, irrational, and emotional. Because it's illogical, it can make you into anything you want to be: slender, rich, happy, famous. It can also keep you stuck in negative or limiting behavior. It contains your core beliefs about yourself, your values, as well as everything you've ever thought, every word you've ever heard or spoken, every experience you've ever had. And the subconscious mind must act on those beliefs. In other words, it can only create in your life what you believe, what has been suggested to you as the truth, whether it was REALLY the truth or not.
Your subconscious mind operates only on its programming, just like a computer. And just like a computer, your subconscious mind can be reprogrammed. The programming you are currently operating on has been placed there from many sources throughout your life, whether they were positive or negative. If your parents taught that you could achieve anything in life, that is the programming you are acting out now. If they taught you that life is hard and attaining money is a struggle, then you are making THAT programming come true.
In contrast, the conscious mind is logical and analytical and it is where we spend most of our time. It basically performs these functions:
1. The conscious mind analyzes and problem-solves, by evaluating whatever concern, situation or issue you are thinking of;
2. The conscious mind makes decisions that we may think are automatic, but are actually made by engaging a part of our subconscious mind;
3. The conscious mind uses what we call will power. But will power doesn't last, does it? You may mean well, but the new intention fails, and the old behavior returns;
4. The conscious mind also holds our working memory, the part of our mind we use every day in order to function.
However, all conscious decisions are influenced by the data stored in our subconscious mind.
SO HOW DO WE REPROGRAM OUR SUBCONSCIOUS MIND?
By bypassing what scientists call the "critical factor." The critical factor is like a guard at the gate between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind. It has the power to accept or reject suggestions coming into the subconscious mind. And it has the very best intentions. Its job is to protect us. Because change is viewed as a threat, any suggestion that does not match the existing programming automatically gets rejected. That's how it's accomplishing the goal of protecting us.
So the only way a real change can take place is to get the new programming into our subconscious mind. Three ways to get to the subconscious mind and bypass the critical factor is through our memories, habits and emotions. But this takes time, sometimes a lifetime.
The faster, easier way to bypass the critical factor is through hypnosis. Through the experience of relaxation, the critical factor seems to go to sleep for awhile. The conscious mind stays awake and can still make decisions. So now you're in control while your subconscious mind is receptive to any suggestion that your conscious mind wants to allow in.
HOW DOES HYPNOSIS FEEL?
You will remain conscious of your surroundings and you may not feel hypnotized, since you have experienced light levels of hypnosis at other times without knowing it. You may experience:
- A heavy feeling like you are sinking
- A sense of being light and floating
- A sense of energy moving through your body
- Different emotions
- A tingling sensation
- A sense of numbness
If you know that you MAY experience these sensations, you won't become alarmed. Just expect the trance to occur naturally and it will. Suggestions made while in hypnosis may stay with some individuals indefinitely. Others may need reinforcement. But the effects of hypnosis are cumulative. The more the techniques are practiced, and posthypnotic suggestions are acted upon, the more permanent the results become.