There are many misconceptions about what hypnosis is, thanks to writers who wish to make hypnosis some scary, dark process. If you’ve watched movies like Get Out, The Manchurian Candidate, or The Incredibles 2: you’ve got a very solid idea about what hypnosis is NOT.
Hypnosis is NOT mind control, where you are taken over by a puppet master who usurps your will and hears your deepest darkest secrets, before turning you into an undercover operative for the government.
Hypnosis is NOT going to sleep and then waking up without knowing what occurred during the session.
Hypnosis is NOT making you cluck like a chicken with the snap of a finger (unless that’s your heart’s desire).
Hypnosis is a timeless tool used to assist you in reaching your subconscious. Once in your subconscious, your hypnotist alters the everyday associations that, much like the background applications on a computer, run the day-to-day operations of your mind.
For instance, you may have formed a belief, from an early age, that carrying added weight will make you safe in some way. (Safe from negative attention from men. Safe from notice in a crowd. Safe from being seen as an equal, etc.)
Or perhaps you want a promotion, but each time you stand before a crowd to speak, you are transported back to one (or usually many), instances in your past when you were made to feel less-than other people.
With both of these examples, your subconscious is going to work against your conscious mind’s desire to achieve these goals. This is because your subconscious is geared to protect you. Your subconscious is also much more powerful than your conscious mind, so it rules the brain. Because of this, it should be easy to see why your conscious desire for success in these areas will be derailed.
During hypnosis you hear what is being said, much like you’d overhear the conversation of people one table over, while at a restaurant. Through repetition and metaphor, the hypnotic suggestions given during the session will sink in deep and help steer the subconscious toward the desired outcome.
After the session is over, you feel rested and relaxed, much like after having a massage. You also feel empowered to achieve your goals, because the barriers to your success have been changed or removed. The end result is that you experience personal change with less effort, less maintenance, and more overall joy.