What is Self-Hypnosis?
The hypnosis recording I’m offering here can best be characterized as a "guided self-hypnosis,” but what does that even mean?
Self-hypnosis is, most simply, a "self-induced, intentional trance...[entering] into a deeply relaxed state, fighting tension and triggering your relaxation response. "
Quoting from a great article from the Cleveland Clinic (3):
“We commonly enter everyday trances when we’re deeply engrossed in a book or movie,” Jillian Williams LISW-S, says. “It’s what happens when time seems to pass effortlessly. It’s like when we’re driving somewhere, arrive and cannot remember anything about the journey.”
Self-hypnosis, Williams continues, allows your mind to achieve a deep state of relaxation. While in this hypnotic state, you either make suggestions or set intentions for yourself, or use an audio stream or download as a guide.”
A lot of our associations with hypnosis (including my own before I began learning more about it) involve swinging clocks and people up on a stage being manipulated into doing things they wouldn't normally, but that's actually not what hypnosis is!
Hypnosis is actually all about entering into a trance, or a deeply relaxed but focused state (like that of daydreaming or meditation). Then, once in this state, hypnosis involves making suggestions for your subconscious mind to accept. The brain enters an altered state when we're in trance, and in this state, "attention is highly focused and [our] level of awareness of external stimuli is decreased." (2,3)
Because of these shifts in brain activity, and the ability to be deeply inwardly focused during hypnosis, we can use hypnosis in a very intentional and targeted way to address myriad issues and difficulties, and to help us to break free of old patterns of thought and/or behavior that have been keeping us stuck for too long.
Again quoting the Cleveland Clinic (3):
“Self-hypnosis is...an empowering way to improve control of your thoughts and emotions, Williams notes.
“When people are focused and motivated to accomplish a goal and most effectively use their abilities, they are at the peak of their personal power,” she explains.
“Self-hypnosis is a means of learning to focus yourself and motivate yourself. It helps you be more self-aware and make the best use of your innate skills,” Williams continues. “If you think about it, when you see other people do amazing things, they’re usually intensely focused on what they’re doing and what they’re trying to accomplish. Self-hypnosis is all about developing and using your focus in a goal-directed fashion.”
Self-hypnosis can help with becoming more compassionate to yourself and others, can help you to break a bad habit, to embrace change, to get closer to goals, to reduce anxiety and depression, to release fear and increase your sense of safety in the world. You can target your self-hypnosis sessions to any goal, objective, or lifestyle change you can think of, which I think is pretty amazing.
I have personally been using self-hypnosis for several months, and the changes I have felt personally in my own life have been powerful (and quick!), and that's a major reason why I want to help you to experience these benefits too.
I hope you'll give this powerful tool a try, and please comment on this post if you’d like to share your experience listening to this recording. I’d love to hear from you.
Sources and further reading:
1. https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/self-hypnosis
2. https://www.verywellmind.com/using-self-hypnosis-for-stress-management-3145203