"Change by hypnosis" |
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| How do you know you have been hypnotized? |
Less than two minutes after the portly gentleman with a cane encountered me in a narrow hall, he was
telling me his story about “going to be hypnotized many years ago”.
Just mentioning I’m a Hypnotherapist is usually enough to get the stories flowing.
…”and I don’t think I was really hypnotized but I did cut back on my evening snacking for a while,” he
concluded as he patted the basketball belly under his jacket.
“What makes you think you weren’t really hypnotized?
“Well, because I heard everything…and remembered it. I was nice and relaxed, but I just felt about
like I would if I closed my eyes and listened to a story on the radio.“
“So what did you want from your hypnosis session?”
“Oh, I wanted to stop spending all my evening munching on something. I still do it. Ritz crackers and
peanut butter. Pretzels and cheese. Ice cream. Ham and cheese rollups.” His eyes glazed as he savored
the remembered flavors.
“But didn’t you just say you DID cut back on your evening snacking for awhile?
“Yeah, I did. And I’ve often wondered it wasn’t because I HAD to… after spending all that money and
all, you know?”
I bit back a grin.
Hypnosis is such a natural and familiar state that some people find it hard to accept that their change in
behavior…which is nothing more than doing what they feel like doing…is exactly how you experience post
hypnotic suggestions.
Executing post hypnotic suggestions feel completely ordinary and normal because that’s what you are doing
all the time.
And “feeling hypnotized” often feels familiar because hypnosis techniques are completely natural and normal
“stuff” that you experience all the time.
Hypnosis duplicates the same kind of natural situations that create memory, beliefs, and habits.
Trance states happen many times a day. Mr. Don’tthinkIwashypnotized actually induced a mild trance state in
himself when he was listing…and mentally relishing…his favorite evening snacks. This is a type of “naturalistic
induction”. They often begin with the words “I wonder if you can remember a time when….”
Any time you are remembering a past event or imagining a future one, you are in a trance state. “Pretend…”
is a magic word that induces trance in almost all children and many adults.
That is why television is the ultimate hypnotic In 30 seconds you are in an alpha state, passive, suggestible
and non-critical…because you have agreed to pretend that those actors in costume reciting “lines” are
real…and that’s why businesses fork out big bucks for commercials designed to take advantage of your
hypnotic state.
I wonder if you can remember how you feel when you are engrossed in watching television? Well, that’s
what hypnosis feels like.
And how do you feel when you buy that product you saw on television? It feels like you are doing what you
wanted to do, doesn’t it? Of course, it does. That’s what executing a post hypnotic suggestion feels like.
And how do you know you were really hypnotized? Well, you "bought it", didn’t you?
So I said to Mr. Don’tknowifIwashypnotized, “I don’t know enough about your particular experience to
comment on it, but others have said similar things because Hypnosis feels so natural.
Hypnotherapists often use little techniques to help people discover that they really are in trance. For
example, if you were told that you should try to open your eyes but you wouldn’t be able to, and that
happened, would you be convinced that you were hypnotized?”
“I might. How about a free sample demonstration…with a few thoughts about not snacking so I can
see if hypnosis really works. You know, so I know if what happened to me was an accident or not.
Hard as he tried, he couldn’t control the playful twinkle behind his glasses.
I grinned. “But didn’t you already say that you HAD to be successful after spending all that money? It
would be a terrible thing to sabotage your success by not charging you, now wouldn’t it?”
“You got a card?” he asked, laughing.
Note: You will probably want to go back to the Index and check out the many "Change Tools" to
find a CD that will allow you to experience Hypnosis for yourself. Like riding a bicycle, playing
a guitar, or swimming, the more you practice, the better you get at it. Or, call (717) 509-5550
for a personal appointment.