Self Help Hypnosis

Simmi

The Force is Strong With This One
I am looking at these self help hypnosis cd - a number from Paul Mckenna and thinking twice before I go get any.

My main concern is that, I have never before been hypnotised and yes, it's a scary thought of someone messing with with my head.
My question for anyone here that would know a little more about this subject is that, would something like preparing oneself to go into a hypnotic state on a regular basis make themsleves unknowingly and readily susceptible to suggestion from all the mass programming going on from lets say Television or anything else?

These things are becoming more popular now, I can't be sure that there is some other motive about allowing these things to be published.
 
Just me here with a very limited knowledge and experience, but I gotta say... Over 30 years ago, I was interested in self-hypnosis. I was because I had no other human being around to discuss the outlandish, esoteric concepts running through my thoughts. I'm sure I would've heard the words blasphemy, heresy, and more. All I had was and I read much Edgar Cayce. He gave some basic instructions on how to do this. Imagine a place, look for a guide, blah, blah... It felt more like meditation and controlling a dream. I backed out every time because , being alone, I think it was possible to "dream" what is on/in my mind. In other words, I experience preconceived notions. I am no expert by any stretch, but perhaps if this was REALLY possible, without enough knowledge and skill, one could be sucked into something one may regret. Lies or Truth? I dunno. I just feel I should ask you to be wary on this endeavor. If something "bad" does happen, I surely didn't wanna be alone. Writing this gives me a spook...
:umm:
 
Hi Al

Well, it is kinda hard to research this subject, it's not really my field of expertise and finding material that won't literally send me to sleep on the first paragraph is pretty hard. Reading does that to me.

I did try hypnosis with a practitioner before however, I was never able to be hypnotised. My studies have so far (google is the best I can manage for now) revealed that around 10% cannot be hypnotised. I have so much stress from the loss of a dearly departed last year that I am unable to shake it off. My health has suffered as a result and continues to suffer. It is imperitive I get a handle on this or it will take it's toll. Since I live in a country where I do not speak the language, getting counsiling would be not impossible but certainly not easy. Summising that this kind of stress is from a state of mind, one could argue that hypnosis could help change perspectives and break the circle of guilt (could I have done more to prevent this) and loss.

After regular daily doses of all of the various dietary supplements I can swallow for the last four months (I am a keen reader of the Diet and Health Forum and) which indeed have helped me alot, I do feel however, supplements alone are not enough to fix the problem.

Having read a few of the wave books (slowly) and reading materials here for the better part of two years, I could not think of a better place to come to ask for advice and experiences about a contentious subject without being totally laughed at and where the question of being hypnotised even once increases ones vulnerability into being put into a hypnotic state from TV and such.
 
Simmi said:
... I could not think of a better place to come to ask for advice and experiences about a contentious subject without being totally laughed at ...

I do not think anyone here would "laugh" at you with malice. If anything, there are many, many helping hands. As the old saying goes, if asked with sincerity, there are NO stupid questions. Indeed, I am sad for your loss, and do not have the wisdom of what to say. Only that people here with "soul" "feel" with you. Losing track of hope is all to easy, I think. My view is that this network of fine people and your continued attempts at self improvement will provide you with insight and I hope comfort in understanding as we all can learn together. One, alone cannot do this. I dare not speak for all here, but I do think this forum can be excellent support in your endeavors.

edit: I try to tell myself to never say never. No matter how deep is the hole I think I am in. With honest effort, somehow (so far), I have always adjusted, accepted, or hopefully crawled out of that hole to enjoy another day. It sure sounds good, but man-o-man, it is hard work.
:flowers: :flowers: :flowers:
 
Simmi said:
I did try hypnosis with a practitioner before however, I was never able to be hypnotised. My studies have so far (google is the best I can manage for now) revealed that around 10% cannot be hypnotised. I have so much stress from the loss of a dearly departed last year that I am unable to shake it off. My health has suffered as a result and continues to suffer. It is imperitive I get a handle on this or it will take it's toll.

Have you tried kinesiology? I've found this very useful for when the body starts picking up things that are generated by the mind or the emotions. It might work for you too.

_http://www.kinesiology.com.au/whatiskin.htm
 
I have only limited knowledge also but it is something I am looking into. I don't think it is anything to fear but of course one must be cautious.

I was doing an eye exercise course and I only found out later that some of the eye exercises were a form of self-hypnosis. Had the term 'self-hypnosis' been used I probably would have been far more nervous about the exercises which turned out to be a lot of fun!

I have no idea about the Paul Mckenna CD's and I am wary of any external stimuli that tries to induce a certain state on my brain. You could learn the gist of what is going on and try to get to such a state through meditation. This is probably a gentler method and you may be more relaxed having control over what is going on rather than following a CD.

JP :)
 
Hi all

Ruth, thanks for the suggestion of kinesiology.
Kinesiology is not available around here, but well may soon be, since it seems to be used increasingly in Europe. Saying that, Austria is pretty backwards when it comes to health. I ran out of the dentist surgery here 8 months ago :scared: because he wanted to put Mercury Amalgum fillings in my teeth. Not likely I told him and the response was - well that is the standard treatment and if I wanted more - I should go to another country. It is the same with the Doctors. I have to go abroad to get my prescriptions because they are not even in the list of available drugs for the country. Ridiculous. AND And and ...

Al and Jeff, thanks for the re-assuring words.

So, I tried the materials yesterday - nope - I am not yet succumbing to the power of suggestion. So, I guess I shall have to just keep repeating them until I finally get receptive or I give up trying out of frustration.
 
Hi,

Don't worry, Hypnosis isn't magic, you already do it to yourself every day, maybe even every hour, I think the main reason these things are being popularized is more like spreading ridiculous information on it so that when people experience it, they simply chuck it to the side as ineffective.

If you would like, a highly recommended book would be My Voice Will Go With You, and anything by Milton Erickson. He does have a very interesting and effective self-hypnosis technique, not discussed in MVWGWY. Unfortunately, I can't find the text right now, but essentially, and it's the technique that I use is a kind of indirect hypnosis. Before going to bed, I will do some deep breathing, in through the nose, out through the mouth, and I will give some thought to what I want to accomplish, though I normally use this for say a difficult programming project, or simply needing to wake up in the morning and remember to do something, and then I will ask myself something to the effect of: "I wonder what method my unconscious mind thinks I should use to accomplish X. What if it could help me to accomplish my tasks."

Normally, I find that self-hypnosis CDs don't really help or work very well on me, firstly, because they are rarely self-hypnosis, they are direct hypnosis, and a static CD or audio recording feels bland and boring, I also have a serious intellectual block for clumsy induction routines, not saying I am not suggestable, but that really has nothing to do with it. Suggestability is a function of 4 things: Liking, Authority, Indebtedness, and Social Proof. You are suggestable to people you like, people who are an authority, people you are indebted too, and in general to the movements of your social group. The more present these things are, the more likely you will be suggestable. It's hard to take something to heart from someone you don't like, someone who is obviously incompetent, someone you have no reason to listen to, or someone who is not part of your social group in anyway.

Another method, and a good one, of self-hypnosis, is to place a monotonous sound near you and begin to count it as you breathe deeply, in through your nose, out through your mouth, or nose, whichever you prefer. It's good to take a pause for a moment, don't try to force yourself into a trance, because you'll naturally start questioning whether it's working or not, this is actually good, stop for a moment and start over, with each iteration, it gets easier. This is called Fractionation, or at least, that's how I have heard it called, though apparently, this is not so common a term...

That gets you into a trance state, but what to do when you are there is the hard part. A couple of good ideas are:

Think before you start about what you want to accomplish, try condensing it into a sentence that is very ambiguous. The techniques of ambiguity only take a moment to learn, but they are Nominalisation, Index Ambiguity/Deletion, and Verb ambiguity. Nominalisations are nouns that cannot be put in a wheelbarrow, thinking, knowledge, plans, ideas, strategies, love, understandings, learnings. Index Ambiguity are things that a person can easily apply to themselves. For instance, "People find themselves easily acquiring mathematical learning when they practice daily". Index deletion is simple as well, in the previous sentence, they practice daily is an example of index deletion. What do they practice? Yoga? Pilates? Addition? Subtraction? Algebra? Ambiguous verbs are harder to explain, but simply put, they are more or less intangible/non-observable actions. I think, solve, riddle, ponder,change, wonder, become aware, sense etc.

As a general rule, direct commands are ineffective, it's best to have an idea of the goal, and no specific expectation or plan about how you are going to accomplish this, many people try to hypnotize themselves, and then deliver an illogical or comical plan to their subconscious, don't do that, simply decide on what you want, write it out, or draw a picture representing it, doesn't matter if you can draw well or not.

Once you are in the trance, and begin wondering, pondering, or considering your goal, and ideas about that goal, being as indirect as possible, you may want to setup some kind of anchor, not necessarily connected with the trance, but more or less with the idea or goal. Anchors can really be anything, they can be thoughts, colors, words, even ideas or other anchors, but a good one is to think before you start about something common, but not too common, in your environment. I call this the punch bug anchor theory. You know that game of punch bug? Whenever you see a volkswagon beetle, you punch the person next to you and say "Punch bug, no punch backs." It's a stupid child's game, and my friends would play this constantly. You don't think it, but actually, if you agree to play this game, you'll get punched alot. Until you are looking for them, you never notice how many volkswagon beetles there are on the road.

So to apply the method, find something in your environment that is common enough to be present 3-4 times per day, and attach to it the idea of remembering your goal, this could be whenever you see a volkswagon, or hear a specific word, or see a certain color shirt etc. Again, be indirect in setting it up, and be sure to do it at least 3 times, and to reinforce your anchor each session.

It's also a good idea to setup an anchor to remember setting up an anchor, and to set one up to remember to do your self-hypnosis.

In the end, all hypnosis is a kind of self-hypnosis, because you need to feel comfortable and receptive to being led somewhere, that is, in a trance, but don't be afraid, you can always stop and come back up. The whole idea of some guy with intense eyes mesmerizing you is more fiction that fact, and you can always stop and leave, or not listen.

Well, I hope this helps, just some random ideas.
 
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