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: have you ever been so deep in thought that you drive past your street or miss your off-ramp on the freeway? Do you ever get “lost” or confused weaving in and out of aisles in shopping-mall parking lots? Have you ever become so involved with the plot of a movie you were watching or a book you are reading that you feel disorientated for a few minutes after you finish watching/reading it? 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. Finally, in the rush of doing your holiday shopping, did you notice that you bought all of the gifts that you intended to purchase plus one or two unintended goodies for yourself?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, the advertisers and designers of those shop displays/parking lots, etc. did their jobs very well. And you have been hypnotized.
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| Photo by Sara Fogan A plethora of yummy and artistic goodies at JWI Confectionery |
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: have you ever been so deep in thought that you drive past your street or miss your off-ramp on the freeway? Do you ever get “lost” or confused weaving in and out of aisles in shopping-mall parking lots? Have you ever become so involved with the plot of a movie you were watching or a book you are reading that you feel disorientated for a few minutes after you finish watching/reading it? 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. Finally, in the rush of doing your holiday shopping, did you notice that you bought all of the gifts that you intended to purchase plus one or two unintended goodies for yourself?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, the advertisers and designers of those shop displays/parking lots, etc. did their jobs very well. And you have been 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/.
