Choicepoint Solutions

What is Hypnosis?

Over the years many definitions and theories have been presented about what the hypnotic state is . Some scientists even deny that there is a state called hypnosis! In fact, you experience the hypnotic or trance state every day, probably without even being aware of it . If you have ever been so involved in a book, movie, television program, or even a daydream, that you did not hear someone speaking to you, you have experienced trance . Or, if you have driven somewhere in your car and, upon arriving, been unable to remember the journey, you have experienced trance . As well, brain scientists tell us that we all experience a light trance state approximately every 90 minutes as part of the way our brains process and store information . This is part of what are called the Ultradian Rhythms .

Although books, movies and television have often portrayed hypnosis as strange and mysterious, the province of sideshows and faith healers, hypnosis is not in the least supernatural or mysterious . You have been in trance literally thousands of times without noticing because it is a natural state of mind . That is why people often disbelieve at first that they have been hypnotized because trance is not a unique feeling . Unfortunately, the myths and misunderstandings presented in the popular media have of clouded the value of hypnosis for making positive changes to how you feel and act .

Science has demonstrated that we are all of two minds, a conscious and an unconscious mind. Although your conscious mind directs your moment to moment activities, the conscious mind is very small and limited in its capacity, being able to process only 5 to 9 pieces of information at any time. That is why telephone numbers tend to be only 7 numbers long! All the other millions of pieces of information you receive each moment are processed and stored by the unconscious mind.

Hypnosis is a process designed to assist a person to enter that state of mind called trance, during which the critical function of the conscious mind is by-passed and direct communication is established with the unconscious mind. Contrary to popular preconception, you do not give up any control in the trance state . In fact, since your core beliefs and values are stored unconsciously, you are more in control, and less likely to act against your values in trance than while "conscious". Indeed, trance is achieved only when you voluntarily agree to cooperate in being lead by the Hypnotherapist to learn a process, called hypnosis, for the purpose of entering trance and accessing unconscious resources. All hypnosis is really self-hypnosis . You are always in control of the process .

The conscious mind is designed to analyze, reason and judge. It decides what is right and wrong, and what can and cannot be done. Consequently, the limitations that you experience in your life are often the result of limitations in your conscious understanding or "map" of the world, not in the world itself. Facilitating direct communication with your unconscious mind through hypnosis provides access to powerful resources. Your unconscious mind is the reservoir of everything that you have experienced and learned throughout your lifetime .

Your unconscious mind also runs your body, managing blood flow, heart rate, digestion, and communicating on an ongoing basis with the immune system. Scientific evidence exists which indicates that mental processes, including beliefs, thoughts and emotions, affect your body down to the cellular level. In hypnosis, the conscious, critical mind is bypassed and you can access and make changes on the emotional, psychological, even chemical and physical levels .