What is Hypnosis?

There are so many definitions for hypnosis.  Here is one that's going to make sense.  First, a little understanding.  The brain's activity can be measured in waves.  When the brain is very active, the brain wave activity is active as well.  When the brain slows down or when you relax, your brain waves slow down.  There's something else that happens when your brain waves slow down (or when you relax mentally) you don't think as much, your mind is calm letting go of the excessive mental chatter.  It doesn't mean that you can't think, it's just that you don't think as excessive as in the regular waking state.  This gives your mind an openness or receptiveness.  Hypnosis is a waking state of the mind (not a state that you are asleep) which slows down brain wave activity and allows you to have access to and work with the subconscious mind.  

How Does One Person Hypnotize Another?

Some people believe that you have to have a special power to hypnotize someone.  Nothing can be further from the truth.  I've actually had people become scared and turn away from me because they believe that they are going to go into a hypnotized state by looking into my eyes.  This makes a great movie but it's not how hypnosis works.  You already understand (by reading above) that a hypnotic state is a relaxed mental state.  How does a hypnotist get another into a hypnotized state, by helping the person being hypnotized to relax his/her mind.  The truth is that all it takes is a mental focus on something pleasant.  The hypnotist uses a pleasant voice inflection and may use additional pleasant sounds like the ocean or background music.  If your thoughts focus on just one thing that is pleasant, your body will relax and your mind will push away extraneous/excessive thoughts.  You've had these states many times.  When?  When you are focused on the T.V. a good movie, a good book even a pleasant song.  You may be focusing on someone that you love and enter a trance-like state this way with eyes open.  All it takes is mental focus and some pleasant thoughts and you are there.  This explains the old pocket watches that many people are familiar with.  The hypnotists of "days of old" used to pull out a pocket watch and swing it in front of the patient.  When they would stare at it and watch it go back and forth, the hypnotist would give suggestions of relaxation.  These suggestions would enter the subconscious mind, and the person would relax. 

What is The Subconscious Mind?

The subconscious mind is that place of your mind what stores all of previous experiences that you've had in your life.  Where is that place?  Nobody really knows for sure but it is said to be in your mind.  Where is the mind?  Some theorize that it is in or part of the brain, some think that it is an energy force in or around the body.  Wherever the mind is, most or all would agree that your mind has the capability of storing previous experiences of your life so that you can use them for future reference.  In other words, you learn how to act and react in situations of your life based upon your experiences.  This means that your experiences basically make up who you are.  Of course you have to have a certain belief system about your experiences.  What this means is that if you experienced a miraculous event in your life you may believe that it's God or you may just believe that you are lucky.  If you believe that you experienced this miracle because God has reached out to you, you may live a very religious life.  If you believe you were just lucky, your life may not be affected by the miraculous event.  These experiences and your belief systems (based upon prior knowledge) is "stored" in your subconscious mind and this information gives you your identity.  It forms who you are. So the subconscious is that part of us which we draw our identity from because it stores information of our past experiences.  

What Does Working With The Subconscious Mind Do?

With the right hypnotherapist and a desire for change, working with the subconscious mind can help anyone have very profound and powerful positive changes in their life.  Bad habits like smoking can be stopped, drug and alcohol abuse can end.  You can let go of guilt and sadness that has been lingering for a long time, become more motivated and complete goals.  Weight loss, self-confidence procrastination issues can be resolved and these are only a few of the things that you can accomplish by using the power of the subconscious.