Natural States of Hypnosis

(This blog was originally posted on December 29, 2013)

Photo Courtesy of Photolia

Hypnosis naturally occurs whenever your mind is so overloaded by stimuli
(message units)  that you enter a hypersuggestible state.

 

The first question I ask a new client is, “Have you ever been hypnotized?”

According to John G. Kappas, Ph.D., founder of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute, “hypnosis is created by an overload of message units, disorganizing our inhibitory process, triggering our fight-flight-mechanism and ultimately resulting in a hyper-suggestible state, providing access to the subconscious mind.” Even if you have never worked formally with a hypnotherapist or hypnotist, you have experienced hypnosis. In fact, you are in a light state of hypnosis (trance) at least two times every day, 30 minutes after you wake up in the morning and 30 minutes before you drift off to sleep.

Other examples of natural hypnosis include being so deep in thought that you drive past your street or miss your off-ramp on the freeway; getting “lost” or confused weaving in and out of aisles in shopping-mall parking lots; or becoming so involved with the plot of a movie or theatrical performance that you feel disorientated for a few minutes after it show finishes. A very powerful example of environmental hypnosis is when someone stands still as a tornado (or tsunami wave, forest fire, etc.) barrels toward him—mesmerized by what he sees and seemingly unable to look away or flee to safety. Did you temporarily forget where you were while you listened to a marching band play the National Anthem and watched the fireworks display during your neighborhood’s Independence Day celebrations this evening?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, the advertisers and designers of parking lots, choreographers for the fireworks display, and even Mother Nature have done their jobs very well: you were hypnotized.

 

 

Sara R. Fogan, C.Ht. is a certified hypnotherapist based in Southern California. She graduated with honors from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute in 2005. For more information about Calminsense Hypnotherapy®, please visit http://www.calminsensehypnotherapy.com/.