Marian farrell explains what happens during a hypnosis session
Picture this – Maidens surrendering their virtue and good men (usually men anyway) staggering away, glassy-eyed prepared to steal and kill, all as a result of a hypnotist transfixing the unsuspecting victims with their piercing gaze and swirling gold watch. Hypnosis is more often than not depicted as absolute in its power over people.
In films and television, this obviously plays to popular fears and fantasies. Most of us, at least occasionally, wish for greater influence over the behaviour of others – we also fear being controlled by others. For stage performers, keeping the mystery in hypnosis means more bread and butter, unfortunately portraying it as a powerful form of mind control.
So when people think about hypnosis, they are often very sceptical and who could blame them. But truth is, we experience hypnosis everyday in our lives.
How does that happen?” - When we’re daydreaming for example or when driving, we drift into hypnosis – we drive to our destinations, park the car and then perhaps think back and ask ourselves “how did I get here”? Have you ever been watching a particularly good show on t.v. and became so engrossed that when someone spoke to you, you didn’t hear them because all your attention was taken up by what was happening on the small screen? Hypnosis is simply a relaxed focused state of concentration.
It’s perfectly safe and is a totally natural, drugs-free method of employing the truly astonishing power of the human mind to produce beneficial change. Some of the myths surrounding hypnosis are completely unjustified, so let me dispel a few of them:
-My friend clucked like a chicken on stage. What's the deal with that? You cannot, at any time, be made to do things you do not want to do - you are totally aware of yourself and your surroundings at all times. You are not in anybody’s power and nobody can take control of you. While in hypnosis, your morals and ethics remain intact. In other words, you won't do anything against your will. You can reject or accept suggestions - it's your decision. Scientific experiments have proven that, if someone were to give you suggestions that you disagreed with, you would simply reject them and a clinical hypnotherapist would never do this.
-Can you get stuck or not be able to come out of hypnosis? This is impossible because you can leave hypnosis when you choose to – all you have to do is open your eyes.
-Hypnosis comes from ‘Black Magic’ or is ‘Supernatural’. - Hypnotherapy is based on many years of clinical research by famous Psychologists such as Dr. Sigmund Freud and Dr. Carl Jung, and more recently, by Dr. Milton Erikson and Dr. John Kappas.
-You can’t lie under hypnosis - Oh yes you can! You won’t suddenly ‘blurt out’ your dark secrets – unless you want to!
-Hypnotists have special powers -A hypnotherapist is a normal person who eats, sleeps, feels happy and sad, and loses their car keys. There is nothing special or magical about them at all. They have simply been trained, and have honed this training with experience, to help guide people into a hypnotic state. A stage hypnotist may play on having ‘hypnotic powers’ in order to add excitement and drama to their shows, but they too will readily admit that they are simply using techniques that have been learnt and developed with practice and experience.
-Will I be able to go into hypnosis? - All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You consent to go into hypnosis and so you do.
-Will I be asleep? - Many misconceptions about hypnosis are due to the fact that the term "sleep" is often used when discussing it. Because people experiencing hypnosis are very, very relaxed, it may outwardly appear like sleep but the big difference is that in a hypnotic state - you can think clearly.
-Hypnosis is contrary to religious beliefs - Hypnosis is used to treat anxiety, fears, phobias and other problems and most religious groups accept the proper ethical use of hypnosis for helping people. A professional and ethical hypnotherapist respects the faith of clients and will not use it inappropriately to influence a person's religious beliefs.
So there you have it, the power is NOT in the hypnotist, it is in the client – the person who is gently guided into hypnosis – all the power is already inside the mind of the person experiencing hypnosis. Even Hollywood has got in on the act with Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Ellen Degeneres known to be huge fans. The power of the mind is truly a remarkable thing and some things have to be experienced to be believed.
For further information call Marian Farrell, Adv.Dip.Hyp., M.I.C.H.P. 085-7125814 or 044 931 8535
Check out these websites:
http://www.bscah.com (British Society of Clinical & Academic Hypnosis)
www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/hypnosis/basics/definition/prc-20019177