Sensory Self Hypnosis By Elizabeth Wallmann-Filley PhD; C.Ht It is important to develop a shared language between the body, energy systems, and the personal self. Hypnosis, or suggestion under relaxed circumstances does this. It brings the unconscious into conscious awareness. Hypnosis is simply an altered mind state in which a clearer channel to subconscious process in provided. Hypnosis, by definition is a heighten state of awareness and is ALWAYS "self hypnosis". Everyone can be hypnotized to a degree. The experience is on a continuum. Hypnosis is so simple, that you may not be aware when you are in a trance state. Myths: 1.Hypnosis is NOT a state of sleep. 2.It does not make you do things that go against your constitution. 3.It will not make you do or change something that you don't want to do. 4.A deep trance state does not require a monotonous ritual of induction. 5.Hypnosis is not caused by the power of the therapist. No one can make someone else relax or be in a trance. There is always consent. THUS, in the truest sense, all hypnosis is SELF HYPNOSIS. 6.Once you've been hypnotized you can always change your mind! 7.You cannot get "stuck" in a trance beyond your will. When considering hypnosis, some people reference what has been termed STAGE HYPNOSIS. This form of hypnosis produces some illusions by the use of deceptive props. For example, people are generally volunteering, thus there are expectations and peer pressure which account for the "wild" results. "Come up on stage only if you truly want to be hypnotized". Additionally, the personality of people who volunteer are likely to be exhibitionists by nature, thus are inhibited in their constitution. Individuals are screened through pre-hypnotic suggestions for emotional susceptibility. The conscious mind is the editor, the thinker: It discerns. It inhibits. It is not designed to hold conflicting thoughts. The subconscious is the doer. Before age 5, all information passes directly into the subconscious. Freud considered the conscious mind holding the key to understanding human behavior was held in the subconscious. Unfortunately he framed actions due to simple mechanisms of repression of primitive (childish) mechanisms. Jung greatly expanded this idea with the belief that the subconscious held the super- conscious mind, with is linked to "the Universe". Milton Erikson contributed further with his studies on the mind as a contributing factor in physical disease and the notion of somatic-memory in psychosomatic illness. The following is a brief description of brainwave states and their associated affects, as it relates to hypnosis: Beta: Beta our "normal" waking state. These wavelengths are short and even. Until recently, the term conscious wakeful state has been given to the beta state. Most people do much of their functioning in this state. In terms of true consciousness, however, it represents the tip of the iceberg. Alpha: Alpha wavelengths are slightly longer than the beta waves. The presence of alpha waves can be viewed in terms of mild hypnosis, though most people do not recognize they are in a mild trance. You are probably using alpha waves when you are daydreaming. It is also important to recognize you may be in a mild state of hypnosis when you are watching commercials. Think about it! Theta: Theta wavelengths are long. In theta, people are considered in a deep hypnotic trance. There is an open door to deep levels of the subconscious. Some people do not remember when they reach this level, or may believe they have fallen asleep. It is important to note here that Psychic phenomenon is believed to occur when the individual is operating in the theta state. Delta: Not as much is known about the delta state. We are in the delta state in deep sleep, just prior to REM. It may also be the state where we are reunited by the collective consciousness, particularly when the information experienced is more than our minds can handle. Sensory Self Hypnosis is simply developing deep states of hypnosis (Theta), while conscious attending to physical and energetic sensation, and affirming some very simply and BASIC thinking constructs. It capitalizes on other systems of information by focusing on sensory knowledge. Sensory Self Hypnosis brings in the realms of feeling and sensation through the body and activates a heightened awareness of other informational systems. In short, Sensory Hypnosis is a way of bridging the body/ mind/ and energetic information.