| Self Hypnosis | | | | focussed state. Your body should soon start to feel |
| Relax, we are told, time and again. But it does not | | | | limp and compliant. Closing the eyes is usually |
| always work - the body wants to relax, but the mind is | | | | associated with this state so allow your eyes to close |
| not sure. Sometimes our mind becomes overactive | | | | gently. I normally use a full body scan from head to |
| and does not allow us the rest we need. The danger | | | | toe, including the bits of our bodies we usually forget |
| of letting our minds run on unchecked is that we could | | | | about e.g. the soles of the feet, scalp, eye lashes, |
| be inadvertently creating all kinds of problems for | | | | fingernails, the jaw and tongue. Just go with the |
| ourselves. Self hypnosis is a safe and easy way to go | | | | relaxation as you are doing this. |
| beyond mere relaxation. It allows you to become calm | | | | 2) Going Deeper into Trance |
| enough to give the deepest recesses of your mind a | | | | This is the bit where once you are relaxed you tell |
| message it will answer. | | | | your body to go even deeper. This is beyond mere |
| | | | relaxation. I like to go to my favorite beach, down a big |
| - better self stress management | | | | flight of stairs, or circle down a spiral staircase, or take |
| - greater ability to withstand pain | | | | a lift from a tall building down into the basement. The |
| - improved health and immune system function | | | | idea is to really enjoy the sensation of deepening and |
| - improved clarity of thought | | | | the body numbness. You will know once you are |
| - greater control of your mood | | | | there. Enjoy it, but remain aware throughout. This is not |
| - ability to overcome negative habits Even if you use it | | | | sleeping. Take all the time it takes to notice fully that it's |
| just to restore energy, it may be enough to help you | | | | really nice to go even deeper. Then, don't hesitate to |
| face your problems with greater insight. | | | | go even further until you are fully in a deep trance. |
| Getting Started | | | | 3) Seeing what you Want |
| All you have to do is go into deep relaxation and then | | | | This is the fun bit where you get to see hear feel, |
| stay aware enough to direct the flow of images. Doing | | | | realize in your imagination in great detail every bit of |
| this enables you to have a dialogue with those | | | | the goal you want. This could be confidence, or |
| sometimes difficult or inaccessible parts of yourself | | | | accelerated learning, more productivity at work, or a |
| that often create sabotage in your life. Through words | | | | slimmer body. |
| and images anyone can learn to speak the language | | | | Make it so it seems real to you and believable. Enjoy |
| of the unconscious and gain a greater degree of | | | | each moment as this is the bit that joins the dots to |
| control over your habits, beliefs and values and thus | | | | the subconscious mind and leaves the imprint that will |
| your life. | | | | bring you closer to your dream. Frame each idea |
| I have known how to use self-hypnosis for over three | | | | positively, work with your imagination and use positive |
| decades now but it only recently that I realised its vast | | | | language. See the results not the problems. Also it is |
| potential for connecting the imagination to our daily life. | | | | useful to use the present tense, to imagine your goals |
| It's like being a practical dreamer. You make your | | | | as already happening around you. 'I feel full on a very |
| dreams work for you. Once you gain control of the | | | | light meal,' and 'I feel happy with the body I have', not 'I |
| constant inner self talk, you become more able to | | | | don't feel hungry anymore' or 'I am no longer |
| influence aspects of your life that would otherwise | | | | overweight.' Avoid the words 'no' and 'don't' as your |
| have become fixed and out of reach. | | | | brain will then only focus on what you don't want. |
| Brain Research | | | | 4) Coming Back |
| A 1967 study by stress researcher Edmund Jacobson | | | | This is easy. Once you have done all you want in the |
| found that visualizing an activity produces small but | | | | goals phase, you decide to come back. You can count |
| measurable reactions in the muscles involved in the | | | | slowly back 5 -1 or just be aware of sounds in the |
| imagined activity. He said, 'an anxious mind cannot exist | | | | room again. Make your voice louder and more |
| in a relaxed body'. Repeated mental rehearsal implants | | | | energetic as you waken yourself. This should restore |
| the learned memory of a successful action, and also | | | | you back to normal feeling fresh and revitalised. |
| conditions the unconscious mind with the outcome you | | | | Well done, you have just completed your first session |
| expect to achieve. | | | | of self hypnosis. Make a note in your diary of any |
| Bear in mind also that a number of studies show that | | | | changes that you notice and repeat sessions as |
| the brain does not distinguish between real and | | | | needed. |
| imagined experience. This is amazing as it means that | | | | Summary |
| when you imagine yourself doing something, you can | | | | Make sure your self hypnosis is about something that |
| get the same physiological reactions as when you | | | | you really want to change and that your intention is |
| actually do them. Great athletes are already aware of | | | | strong enough to carry you through, even to repeat |
| this secret and use it to excel in performance. | | | | sessions. Write your script in four stages as |
| Self Hypnosis Steps | | | | suggested: |
| Make a strong intention to change something. It's best | | | | 1) Relax |
| to plan it first. Write it down, and then read it back to | | | | 2) Go Deeper |
| yourself. Even better, make a recording of it, so you | | | | 3) Your Goals |
| can relax and just listen to the sound of your own | | | | 4) Return |
| voice on headphones. Take about half an hour for one | | | | Switch off your phone and give at least half an hour to |
| session. When you are ready, find a safe, comfortable | | | | each session. Do it in a secluded area where you will |
| place to begin. Be sure you will not be disturbed. | | | | not be disturbed. Be patient on waiting for or noticing |
| Basically there should be four clear stages to your self | | | | any changes. Do it as often as needed to tackle any |
| hypnosis talk or self prepared script. | | | | issues that need working on. Finally, remember to note |
| 1) Relaxing | | | | in your diary the results in the direction of your goals |
| This is the bit where you tell your body to relax. You | | | | and begin to enjoy the fruits of this powerful technique. |
| go from the normal waking state to an internally | | | | |