A Simple Way To Do Self Hypnosis

For some self-hypnosis might be fairly easy to do, for others it could take a long while before they gain a mastery of the procedures it involves. The common denominator between those who find it easy to do and those who take longer is that it can be done and that it basically follows 5 steps.

Step 1: Induction

Self hypnosis starts with induction which is the process of bringing yourself into the hypnotic state. Begin by finding a comfortable and quiet spot, away from the rest of your family, especially small kids, who might be tempted to poke you every now and then not knowing that you are doing self-hypnosis. Focus on a word or phrase to keep your mind from wandering off to think about errands or tasks you still have to do after. It will be best if you use the same word every time so that your mind will associate it with self hypnosis and use it as a trigger to get into the hypnotic state when you want to.

Step 2: Deepening

The purpose of deepening is to enable you to progress from the hypnotic state further to being able to communicate directly with the subconscious mind. Some people find it effective to count down from 20 to 1 while feeling themselves go deeper with each number by repeating, “I am going deeper and deeper” with each count.

Step 3: Suggestion

This is the step where the main work of self hypnosis is carried out. In this step visualizations and affirmations are used to “suggest” the desired changes and imprint it on the subconscious mind. Visualization taps into a person’s imagination to create a 3D-like picture, which can be sensed or felt, of the desired behavior already having been achieved.

For example, if the desired behavior is to quit smoking, you may imagine yourself at a party where you might have the opportunity to smoke, but instead choose to do something else more pleasurable. The more vividly you see, hear, feel, smell, and even taste the desired situation, the more powerful the visualization becomes.

On the other hand, affirmations are positive statements that describe the desired changes to the subconscious mind. An example could be, “I am a beautiful, happy and content person.”

Step 4: Post-hypnotic suggestion

This step helps to make the suggestions used in the third step more powerful and long-lasting by helping the mind deal with situations or events that happen outside of self-hypnosis. Going back to the example of smoking, a post-hypnotic suggestion could be “when somebody offers me a pack of cigarettes, I will want to do something else I find more pleasurable than smoke. The stimulus outside of self-hypnosis is someone offering a pack of cigarettes and the response is the behaviors suggested in the visualizations process.

Step 5: Awakening

Awakening is the final step in self-hypnosis (not that you were actually asleep though). A person undergoing self-hypnosis is advised to allow at least 20 to 30 seconds to come back to full consciousness so as not to cause disorientation or confusion about time and place.

An effective technique to awaken from self-hypnosis is to count from 1 to 5 while telling yourself that at each number you are slowly becoming more awake and aware. Allow about 5 to 6 seconds for each count. By the time you reach the number 5, you will be fully conscious.

Self hypnosis, like any other activity or sport that you wish to be good at, requires practice. Follow the 5 steps described above religiously and soon you fully take advantage of the benefits of self hypnosis to make all the changes you desire for yourself.