Whether you are learning to be a hypnotist or thinking of turning to a hypnotist/hypnotherapist for help, it is important to have a clear understanding of what hypnosis is and what it is not. Why?
Well, when it comes to becoming a hypnotist, you must be able to know people’s fears about being hypnotized. Many people have common misconceptions about hypnosis that have been fueled by movies (think Manchurian Candidate), theater and comedy hypnosis shows, and various other forms of media. These misconceptions can make people resistant to going into hypnosis. When you, as a hypnotist, clear up these misconceptions, you will increase your chances of successfully hypnotizing your client/subject!
Now, as far as being the person undergoing hypnosis, having misconceptions about hypnosis can lower your chances of receiving the full benefits of hypnosis, as you are likely to resist going into hypnosis. When you clear up those misconceptions, you can Relax Y enjoy the process like you go into hypnosisand you will receive all the benefits that hypnosis has to offer.
To help both the hypnotist and the person being hypnotized, I have included below the eight most common misconceptions and myths about hypnosis with an explanation of the truth about hypnosis.
1. The good, the bad, the ugly Hypnosis.
Let’s face it, all hypnosis is not the same. Do not be fooled. There is good, bad and regular hypnosis. It all depends on how it is done and who does it. The best form of hypnosis is performed by a skilled hypnotist/hypnotherapist who has a good foundation in proven psychological principles to help him get what he needs in the most effective way.
There really is a lot of crap in the world of hypnosis today. In today’s world, people are learning more and more to think for themselves and they don’t like being told what to do. All that old “you’re getting veddy, veddy sleepy” stuff is outdated and ineffective. Thank God that science and psychology (as well as many great hypnotists) have elevated hypnosis to a much higher plane today. Although I still think there is great value in direct hypnosis (in certain situations), my personal feeling is that indirect/conversational hypnosis is very much on the “razor’s edge” of effectiveness and topicality.
Also, be very careful and save your wallet because there are many hypnosis hucksters out there selling “hypnotic snake oil” products, such as inexpensive subliminal messages and pseudo-spirituality stuff (“You are now completely whole because you are ‘one’ with the universe.”). Don’t get me wrong, I am not against all subliminal messages, and I believe that hypnosis can be used in combination with spirituality. I’m just saying that there are plenty of charlatans who are willing to sell you anything in the name of real hypnosis. Many of these people have no real experience or training in hypnosis at all!
2. Only the weak minded can be hypnotized/I can’t be hypnotized.
You may have heard that “intelligent” people cannot be hypnotized. Part of the reason behind this myth is simply bad old hypnosis like the one I mentioned above. People don’t like being bossed around and told things like, “Your eyes FEEL so heavy you CAN’T open your eyes!” while they’re thinking to themselves, “Oh YES I CAN!” Most people don’t find that sort of thing very enjoyable, so they just don’t go into hypnosis. It’s that easy.
On the other hand, when you actually experience being skillfully and gently guided into a state of deep relaxation and concentration, you will realize that you can, in fact, be hypnotized. Actually, anyone with good mental faculties and a reasonable amount of intelligence can be hypnotized. Truth be told, experience shows that people who are intelligent and have a creative mind make the best hypnosis subjects/clients because they can “think outside the box” and don’t limit their imagination of what is possible for them.
3. Hypnosis is not mind control/you are not the hypnotist’s puppet.
The only person who has absolute control over your mind is you. A hypnotist cannot force you to do something you are not willing to do. Weird news, stage hypnotists, and people who don’t know much about hypnosis have promoted this myth for far too long.
That said, a person can use hypnosis and persuasion techniques (for both good and bad purposes) to make another person more willing to do what they say and accept their suggestions. However, ultimately each person has the power to make their own decisions (even under hypnosis). A hypnotist cannot force anyone to do anything against his will (even go against his morals) unless he is already willing to do it in the first place.
Generally speaking, the hypnotist serves as a kind of guide to bring you into a relaxed and focused state and uses psychologically sound hypnotic techniques to help you make changes or experience certain things that you want to experience.
4. Hypnosis is not sleep.
People who try hypnosis for the first time are often a bit disappointed by this myth. They say things like, “I could hear everything you said” or “I felt like I could open my eyes and walk out if I wanted to.” Actually, when you are in hypnosis, you can be aware of everything that is going on around you.
In hypnosis, you are simply deeply relaxed and very focused. When you sleep, your conscious faculties seem to disappear for a time. When you wake up, they seem to come back to you. Hypnosis is a kind of “middle ground” between these two states of consciousness. It is not the same as when you are asleep, nor is it the same as when you are wide awake.
One of the causes behind this misconception is that hypnotists often use the word “SLEEP!” as a command to put someone into hypnosis. This is because the dream is used as a metaphor to help someone go into hypnosis. I will teach you more about hypnotic metaphors in later articles.
5. You can’t get “stuck” in hypnosis.
No one has ever been trapped in hypnosis. The only reason a person would stay in hypnosis is because he feels great being so relaxed and focused. Some people don’t want to come out of hypnosis because they don’t want that feeling to go away. The worst that would happen if the hypnotist suddenly left or died while the person was under hypnosis is that the hypnotized person would probably fall asleep and wake up feeling really fine.
6. Hypnosis is not amnesia.
You will not forget everything that happened while you were in hypnosis. Remember, hypnosis is not sleep. You are not unconscious while you are in hypnosis. You are very relaxed and very focused. Now, a hypnotist may suggest that a person forget everything that was said during the hypnosis session, causing the person to not remember. However, as a general rule, people tend to remember everything that happens while they are in hypnosis.
7. You will not reveal your deep, dark secrets in hypnosis.
As I said before, you are in control of your own mind and you will be even when you are in hypnosis. You won’t reveal anything you don’t want others to know unless you want to. However, hypnosis can be used as a way to help people explore and deal with things that they might not normally want to talk about under normal circumstances. This is always done with the person’s consent and usually in the context of hypnotherapy.
8. You will not become someone else.
It will always be you when you are in hypnosis. That said, a hypnotist can use hypnosis to help another person explore what it would be like to “become” someone else. This is usually done so that the subject/client can experience what it would be like to have the traits that the person she is “becoming” possesses (eg, confidence). The hypnotized person can bring this trait back into her own personality when she comes out of hypnosis. (I will teach you the techniques to provoke this hypnotic phenomenon in later articles)
Well, if you want to be hypnotized, I hope this clears up any misconceptions you may have had about hypnosis. If you are a hypnotist, you now have answers to help people calm their fears and clear up their misconceptions. I hope this has helped!