How To Perform Self Hypnosis

Good hypnotherapists are quite difficult to find and are usually expensive to hire due to their many years of learning and experience. However there is a way round this. Not a lot of people know this, but a hypnotherapist merely guides a person into trance - they help them achieve a trance state. It is up to the subject to actually make this happen. This means that it is perfectly possible to hypnotize yourself.

A trance state is actually a very natural state of mind that most of us fall into several times a day. It is best described as a daydream like state - not some weird zombie like state that the media often portray it as. It is like when you are deeply engrossed in a book or TV. It also often happens when driving. You may realise that you drove several miles and can barely remember the journey. You drive safely, but cannot remember doing it as you tranced out. The reason you still drive safely was that your conscious mind was tuned down, and you were using your more intuitive subconscious mind to drive.

A hypnotic trance is a means to quieten your conscious mind, allowing you to better communicate with your subconscious mind, which is the part that drives us, holds our beliefs, habits and fears. You can talk to a smoker about how smoking is bad for them, and them usually whole heartedly agree. However they still continue to do it. This is because you have talked to them on a conscious level. Their conscious mind knows that it is a bad habit, but it is their subconscious mind which drives their urges. In a trance you can more easily talk to the subconscious part of the mind. This is why hypnosis is so effective in a therapeutic setting.

I will show you a very simple technique to get yourself into a trance.

Get yourself comfortable, either seated or led down, and make sure that you won't be disturbed for at least half an hour. Close your eyes and take 20 slow deep breaths, saying to yourself the words 'relax 1', 'relax 2', 'relax 3' and so on, on each out breath. You will notice how you feel deeper relaxed with each number you count. Do this until you reach 20.

Now imagine yourself sliding down a dark tunnel that has a white spot in the distance. Spend a minute or two sliding down this tunnel. This white spot gets bigger and bigger as you slide closer and closer, until eventually you emerge into a pleasant place. It could be anywhere you choose, such as a secluded beach or a garden. Enjoy this haven for a few minutes, and try to visualise it as vividly as you can, using as many of your senses as you can. Use touch, smell and sound as much as you can.

Congratulations, you have entered a hypnotic trance. If done regularly, this technique will really help you in life. Many problems in life are as a result of excessive stress and not enough relaxation. It can effect your energy levels, productivity, mood, motivation, happiness, and even your immune system. Almost every area of your life will improve if you spend just 10-15 minutes per day doing this. Try it every day for a week and see what a positive impact it can make to your life.

About the Author

Jon Rhodes is a professional clinical hypnotherapist and author of The Ultimate Self Hypnosis Scripts Book, and is the creator of a powerful collection of therapeutic hypnosis MP3s