Olympian Answers Your Frequently Asked Hypnosis Questions1. What is Hypnosis? Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness, which the individual experiences as being different from normal alertness. During normal alertness the conscious mind dominates your activities. Your conscious mind is multifaceted but mostly it is your critical, rational and logical part. 
It is the home or place of your will power. Suggestions for change are not accepted, in this part of you, since this part of your mind will say things like:"This is too hard," or, "This is impossible",and, "I cannot do this anymore." Even if you 'will' yourself to do the thing you desire, your logical part feeds you back all of your old habits. If you were to measure the electrical activity of the brain by using an electroencephalograph (EEG) machine the brain wave during normal alertness would show a pattern known as beta waves, which are high frequency, fast waves. Beta waves exist in stressful, go, go situations, Which describes most peoples busy lives. During an altered state of consciousness, you are relaxed and in this state the unconscious mind dominates. This is the seat of your imagination. Here suggestions can be given and may be accepted, because the imagination flourishes. The Unconscious mind can accept statements like, "I can do this",and, "I know this is possible." If you were to measure brain activity using (EEGs) during this state of relaxation, they would be of a slower frequency, than beta, and are called alpha waves. 2. How does Hypnosis work? Hypnosis works by harnessing the power of the imagination. The unconscious mind is the seat of your imagination. All change happens at the unconscious. All change happens during alpha activity. The unconscious accepts suggestions for change, and these suggestions empower your mind, which directs your body to act. 3. Is Hypnosis dangerous?  No. Everyone goes into a mild trance everyday, and this can be experienced while watching an interesting movie and allowing your imagination to weave with the story line. Daydreaming in the midst of a boring task, or driving along a familiar and routine path to work, or just relaxing after a hard day at work, are other examples of trance states. 4. Is Hypnosis like being asleep? Hypnosis does not resemble sleep, and you will not expect to be asleep during hypnosis. Some people can and do experience very deep levels of trance, but they can always respond to suggestions. When we sleep, we all( except for sleep walkers) undergo sleep paralysis, and will not respond to suggestions. Sleep paralysis protects you from hurting yourself when you dream. If your brain were hooked up to an (EEG) machine, the brain activity during your very deep sleep, is called delta waves, and light sleep or drowsiness produces theta waves. They are the slowest brain waves.It is critical that the unconscious hears the suggestions in order to integrate them with the imagination at the deepest cellular level of your body. This requires alpha wave activity, and there are no alpha waves when we sleep. 5. Will I lose control? Can I be made to do something against my will?  This question comes from the fact that most people are only familiar with "stage hypnosis", which is used as a form of entertainment. One of the greatest fears among people is to get up on stage and be the center of attention. The people that go on stage are the same people that are the life of a party. For them appearing to be out of control, and appearing to do things against their will is fun. They love attention, and are not afraid to be the class clown. In stage hypnosis the subjects are asked to bark like dogs, quack like ducks, or do a number of bizarre things for pure entertainment, and they gladly follow along.The people on stage never lose control, nor do things against their will. Hypnotherapists do not have the power to control anyone. Even though your conscious mind is quiet, it is not asleep, and if you are asked to do something that goes against your values you will immediately open your eyes, and become alert. Your unconscious mind will accept positive suggestions, but it will always reject, and protect you from negative suggestions. 6.What is the conscious mind? The conscious mind has a number of attributes including: -It is the seat of your will power. This is where you 'will' yourself to lose weight, stop smoking, etc. -The conscious mind is the part of you that is developed after you unconscious mind. It reacts slower than your unconscious mind. -It is responsible for your intellectual thinking, it is the seat or place of your self talk, whether that is positive or negative. -It is the part of you that is aware of only 7plus or minus 2 bits of information per second. -The unconscious seeks the answer “why?” -It is your logical part, and it likes things to make sense, and have a reason behind it. -It likes order, and can only think of one thing after another. It is sequential. -The unconscious is a linear thinker, so it thinks in terms of cause and effect. 7. What is the unconscious mind? The unconscious mind has a number of characteristics including: -It is the home of your imagination. This is where you imagine yourself thin, or as a non-smoker, etc. The imagination always wins over will power. -The unconscious mind was developed first and it is where your instincts and habits reside. For example, it is instinctual to run if a bear or big dog is chasing you, because it is the role of the unconscious to protect your body. Waiting for the slow conscious mind to tell you to run would be too late. -It is nonverbal, and it is your feeling, emotional center. -It remembers over 2 million bits of information per second, and houses all your memories.
-It knows the answer to “why”. This is called your intuition. -The unconscious mind is intuitive and makes associations easily. -It is the part of you that can multi task. It works on problems simultaneously. 8. If I can be hypnotized, am I weak minded?  No. People that are hypnotized are strong willed people and intelligent. As an Olympic athlete, I wanted to be the best in the world and hypnosis was the way to get there. Those that understand the benefits of hypnosis are willing to undergo the process. I do not believe in the notion of weak minded people. There are only people that lack information. 9. What if I do not believe in my unconscious? Your unconscious mind would be happier if you did believe in it, and your life would be a lot more rewarding, but it does not need you to believe in it. Notice that you cannot see radio waves, but you know they exist because you can listen to your radio every time you turn it on. When you start to believe in your unconscious it will be there waiting for you to tune into it.
In fact, it is your unconscious that keeps you breathing, day and night, and is responsible for you being alive. Imagine having to tell yourself to breathe during deep sleep when you experience sleep paralysis. Also, when you forget where you put your keys, or you are trying to retrieve information during an exam, it is the unconscious that remembers. Think back to a time when this happened to you. You might recall when you stopped searching desperately for the keys, and allowed yourself to relax, then you found the keys, or after you left the exam room and were relaxed the answers to the exam came flooding back. 10. If I do not believe in my unconscious can I still be hypnotized?  Yes. All you need to be hypnotized is the motivation for change, which requires you to do some work, and the ability to listen, relax and take direction. 11. I was hypnotized before and it did not work, what happened? Firstly, all hypnotherapists have different techniques, and it might be a matter of finding out what works best for you. Secondly, hypnosis works, but it does require more than a “fix me” attitude, so you will be required to do some work, since all healing and change comes from within you.
Book a Session with me Today by contacting me. Back To Home Page
|
