Self-Hypnosis Techniques

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Permalink Reply by Roy Hunter on October 7, 2008 at 8:35pm

I literally wrote the book on self-hypnosis (MASTER THE POWER OF SELF-HYPNOSIS, Sterling Publishing, 1997...available from Amazon.com). In my opinion, self-hypnosis is GREAT for managing stress and for motivation. I also use it to reduce my frequency and severity of headaches.

That being said, self-hypnosis is like using a muscle. If I need to move a chair, I need no assistance. However, it is easier to move a couch if someone on the other end helps me lift it. This metaphor holds true if I need someone to use regression or parts therapy to help me discover a subconscious cause of a problem. I need someone who is NOT emotionally attached to the outcome to assist in the process.

The late Charles Tebbetts (my teacher and mentor) used self-hypnosis to recover from a totally paralyzing stroke. He told me that he spent several hours concentrating on a finger, then a thumb, then his entire hand...followed by the other hand, one finger at a time. The next day he worked on his toes and feet. He spent the entire week using self-hypnosis to imagine muscle-by-muscle working properly, based on the fact that IMAGINATION is the LANGUAGE OF THE SUBCONSCIOUS. After regaining muscle movement, he worked on his speech. When I took his course in 1983, many weeks passed before I ever knew about his virtually miraculous recovery from a stroke with self-hypnosis.

Roy Hunter, M.S., FAPHP
www.royhunter.com

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Permalink Reply by Deborah Henning on May 14, 2009 at 5:09pm

Hello John,
I have been reading some of your writings in The NGH's Journals and have found them very interesting as well as informative. You seem to have a way of keep words on a positive level and that is what I am looking for. I actually really enjoy your points of view. I was wondering if you can suggest any Scripts that you feel are the best for weight reduction or release. Recently I have opened a business "Alternative Approaches", in a small town in Dutton, Ontario, Canada... You may have a hard time finding it on your map..lol ...but I am looking forward to helping many with anything I can. As for self hypnosis I have also been using The NGH method but I will look into the 7 path as well.
Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.

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Permalink Reply by bob burns on May 15, 2009 at 8:15am

Of course IF hypnosis included the removal of the critical factor it might then be argued that there is no such thing as self-hypnosis, based on the fact that no one person can remove their own critical factor.
C'mon guys, surely no one's gonna' let me get away with that...

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on May 15, 2009 at 12:12pm

bob burns said:

Of course IF hypnosis included the removal of the critical factor it might then be argued that there is no such thing as self-hypnosis, based on the fact that no one person can remove their own critical factor.
C'mon guys, surely no one's gonna' let me get away with that...

It's ok Bob, we're getting used to it. There is a technology called "audio recording" that allows you to make a recording of your own voice and then even copy it (burn it) to a CD.

It then becomes easy to listen to your own voice and follow the instructions that you provide in the session. The judgmental mind likes and readily accepts this "self-hypnosis" because you are the only one it really trusts, and it knows before hand what is going to be said, and what the intent is.

You should try it. It works very well.
John

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Permalink Reply by bob burns on May 16, 2009 at 12:36am

I know that that's a belief system John, thought of initially by one person of course, and then accepted by others. But I and many other hypnotists have a problem with it. I might argue for example that listening to a recording of my voice will entrance me, indeed it will, I actually use this sytem for meditational purposes and some in hear have already suggested to me that I quite like the sound of my own voice. But I feel that's all that will really be happening. I will be entranced but NOT deeply hypnotised. I also do not accept that my judgemental mind ONLY trusts ME. Again, someone's idea accepted too readily by individuals who never put too much real thought into it. Sorry but I honestly feel it's true. The emperical evidence tells me so.
And my own experiences suggest this: I hypnotise Dave. Dave stops smoking, loses 5 stone and quacks like a duck (I wouldn't do that, honest). Evidently Dave trusts ME. I now give Dave a script and a tape recorder and tell him to go away and try self hypnosis. Now remember: Dave trusts Dave, BUT he does NOT achieve hypnosis. It would appear that no matter how much Dave trusts Dave he still cannot achieve self hypnosis. Now then John, I know that you know that this happens frequently. But yet you and I will place Dave (who you argue DOESN'T completely trust US) into hypnosis in approximately 60 seconds!
Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to believe that some believe they've achieved self hypnosis. But I question if they have, IF in order to 'truly' achieve hypnosis the critical factor has to be put aside.
Understand I have no problem being wrong. But it's very difficult sometimes listening to someone cite how something works based in either a book or what a certain organisation teaches when one's own (and others) actual findings suggest strongly 'something else'.
By the way has everyone in here (other than me) been trained by a certain organisation? I'm not being funny. This is not a rhetorical question. Have they? That would explain soooooooo much.

Kind regards,
Bob

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Permalink Reply by Fable Goodman on May 16, 2009 at 1:49am

bob burns said:

By the way has everyone in here (other than me) been trained by a certain organisation? I'm not being funny. This is not a rhetorical question. Have they? That would explain soooooooo much. Kind regards,
Bob

Not sure which organisation you mean bob, and as here are members from all over the world, I think it is unlikely that we all trained with the same organisation.

I was trained by With: the Blyhte College of Hypnosis and Psychotherapy, Peter Blyhe, Sue Washington, Dr Don Ebrahims, The National College of Hypnosis and Psychotherapy, School of Hypnosis and Advanced Psychotherapy, Proudfoot School, Durham University (counselling dyploma), and Sunderland University (Psychology and Sociology degree), + any number of training seminars/ workshops with other Organisations and individuals.

I am guessing a number of people on this site, also have a vaste range of training and experience,

Hope this answers your question.

Love and hugs,


Fable

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on May 16, 2009 at 6:16am

bob burns said:

I know that that's a belief system John, thought of initially by one person of course, and then accepted by others. But I and many other hypnotists have a problem with it. I might argue for example that listening to a recording of my voice will entrance me, indeed it will, I actually use this sytem for meditational purposes and some in hear have already suggested to me that I quite like the sound of my own voice. But I feel that's all that will really be happening. I will be entranced but NOT deeply hypnotised. I also do not accept that my judgemental mind ONLY trusts ME. Again, someone's idea accepted too readily by individuals who never put too much real thought into it. Sorry but I honestly feel it's true. The emperical evidence tells me so.
And my own experiences suggest this: I hypnotise Dave. Dave stops smoking, loses 5 stone and quacks like a duck (I wouldn't do that, honest). Evidently Dave trusts ME. I now give Dave a script and a tape recorder and tell him to go away and try self hypnosis. Now remember: Dave trusts Dave, BUT he does NOT achieve hypnosis. It would appear that no matter how much Dave trusts Dave he still cannot achieve self hypnosis. Now then John, I know that you know that this happens frequently. But yet you and I will place Dave (who you argue DOESN'T completely trust US) into hypnosis in approximately 60 seconds! Don't get me wrong. I'm happy to believe that some believe they've achieved self hypnosis. But I question if they have, IF in order to 'truly' achieve hypnosis the critical factor has to be put aside. Understand I have no problem being wrong. But it's very difficult sometimes listening to someone cite how something works based in either a book or what a certain organisation teaches when one's own (and others) actual findings suggest strongly 'something else'.
By the way has everyone in here (other than me) been trained by a certain organisation? I'm not being funny. This is not a rhetorical question. Have they? That would explain soooooooo much.

Kind regards,
Bob

Bob,
You provide me with much humor. LOL.

What I was referring to with the trust of the judgmental mind, was that you are the only one it trusts "completely", and this is bolstered because you already know the complete content of the recorded session.

Its not a matter of who hypnotizes you, or Dave, it is only a matter of if, you or Dave, follow the instructions for the hypnosis, in person, or on a CD. If you could train a parrot to recite an induction, and a subject was willing to follow the instructions the parrot gave, they would achieve trance.

As far as training goes, I was trained by another hypnotist who had dutifully created the obligatory credentialing certification body. But after I found several holes in what I was taught, I took it upon myself to do my own research about hypnosis and trance to find out what they really were, what was really required to achieve them, and how the mind worked in reference to them. I wrote a book about that journey, that lasted over a year and used over 100 different subjects.

The book is called "The Nature of Trance" and is available on my website.

The information that I post here comes from that research, not from what has been passed down and modified person to person over time. Instead of just providing my groundless opinion, I created a model of the hypnosis/trance mechanism of which I provide the data that supports my conclusions. I have yet to run across a single hypnotist who has read it, that disagrees, or that has not said that their understanding of hypnosis and trance was far improved after reading it.

with all the respect you deserve
John

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Permalink Reply by the grumpy hypnotist on May 16, 2009 at 6:42am

I get a lot out of daily/nightly using audio programs such as Paraliminals, Hemi-Sync, Neuroprogrammer and Brainwave Generator. I think they have a definite impact, although I am not sure they would be considered self-hypnosis, perhaps. I love the theory behind 7PATH and have the greatest regard for Banyan's work, but for some reason I don't practice that as regularly as I "should".

I have found there is a bit of risk involved with using audio programs a lot, because sometimes it feels like I am dependent on them ("oh no, I don't have my iPod, I can't do it now...").

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on May 16, 2009 at 11:29am

Currently, a lot of the time I don't even know what I'm doing in trance. Sometimes I suspect I'm just playing around, as I do verbally with my conscious mind. Other times, I become more 'aware' in trance, often when there's some kind of trouble: as if my unconscious mind is saying, "Hey, I don't know what to make of this -- take a look."

Conrad.

Conrad,
That is what I have found to be the judgmental mind waking up the analytical mind to find out what the truth is. (In my model anyway) It is an excellent example. Thank you.

John

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Permalink Reply by bob burns on May 18, 2009 at 1:20am

Hi John. Glad I make you laugh. It's true I am very very funny.
When you say John "If you could train a parrot to recite an induction, and a subject was willing to follow the instructions the parrot gave, they would achieve trance" I agree with you. BUT I don't believe they'd be able to do much in that trance. I go there listening to any decent R & B music. It's called chilling.
I'm sure your book, "The Nature of Trance", is very good and that you truly have 'not run across a single hypnotist who has read it, that disagrees, or that has not said that their understanding of hypnosis and trance was far improved after reading it'. Unfortunately I had never heard of either the book , not you before entering this site. But I'm sure it's excellent. Now that we're on friendly terms you may wish to send me a copy. And I of course will recipricate be sending you one of my CD's. I'm told I have a lovely voice.
I DO, to be candid, always have trouble explaining this in the written word BUT when I'm one to one with a fellow therapist I always manage to get there somehow. OF COURSE I could be wrong and if I am I would simply LOVE to be shown how.But I simply don't see self-hypnosis existing in the form many hypnotists claim. Self-trance yes.
When I was young I trained myself (not sure how to be honest) to slip into a state where I could put needles into my hand and feel no pain. This was of course TRANCE but I don't believe it was self hypnosis and for me there is a vast difference.
But may I ask you this?:
Do you agree or disagree that 'The Critical Factor' exists (please feel free to use your preferred name)? And if so what do you think it's there for? Might seem a stupid question but I've learned how the answers can change to both questions and by many different experienced therapists. Even one who believes it is a totally seperate entity from the self. Might seem crazy but he is a wonderful therapist.
And thankyou for your respect in this. You come across as a very nice man.
Bob

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Permalink Reply by John Cleesattel on May 18, 2009 at 5:37am

bob burns said:

Hi John. Glad I make you laugh. It's true I am very very funny.
I DO, to be candid, always have trouble explaining this in the written word BUT when I'm one to one with a fellow therapist I always manage to get there somehow. OF COURSE I could be wrong and if I am I would simply LOVE to be shown how.But I simply don't see self-hypnosis existing in the form many hypnotists claim. Self-trance yes Well Bob, I define hypnosis as simply the purposeful induction of a trance state, by whatever means is successful. So, to me self-hypnosis and self-trance are synonymous.

When I was young I trained myself (not sure how to be honest) to slip into a state where I could put needles into my hand and feel no pain. This was of course TRANCE but I don't believe it was self hypnosis and for me there is a vast difference.

Oh? I think here lies the boggle. I have found the hypnosis and trance aren't the mystical magical metaphysical planes of consciousness that some hypnotists tout. I have found that trance it is simply a natural thing that we do that enables us to multi-task. Enabling a purposeful trance either in yourself or others is what I call Hypnosis.

But may I ask you this?:
Do you agree or disagree that 'The Critical Factor' exists (please feel free to use your preferred name)? And if so what do you think it's there for? Might seem a stupid question but I've learned how the answers can change to both questions and by many different experienced therapists. Even one who believes it is a totally seperate entity from the self. Might seem crazy but he is a wonderful therapist.

The "critical factor" is just the ability of the analytical mind to determine what is true/false and real/fake. That is what the analytical mind does, it interfaces with the outside world and provides us with the reality of it.

The judgmental mind however; makes decisions on Yes/No, I will/I won't, good/bad, but does not have the ability to tell what is real. This is one reason why hypnotherapy works at all.

Trance enables the analytical mind to go dormant, and coincidentally, the more dormant the analytical mind is, the deeper we say trance is.

This is also why the "sleep" command is so effective; because the analytical mind is dormant during sleep, and you are effectively saying "go dormant" to the analytical mind when you use the sleep suggestion.


And thankyou for your respect in this. You come across as a very nice man.
Bob

I do try very hard
John

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Permalink Reply by bob burns on May 18, 2009 at 8:06am

Ahhh John, I think I have it now, thankyou. All of course, what we talk about in here, are complete and absolute constructs. And of course once the construct is constructed it kinda' gets believed that that's what it is; the name given to it. certainly by the constructor and his/her followers for sure.
If that is the case then the analytical mind you describe, which I prefer to call the critical factor (which I actually believe to be a part OF the analytical mind but never mind) just as well might be a viking sentry gaurding the pathway between concious and sub-concious. And why not? It's far more romantic than either your or my construct, that's for sure. But only a construct nontheless. Anyway it's all pretty harmless I suppose. Kind of like religions but without the cruelty.
And just to close, as you will have gathered by now, trance-state and self-hypnosis could never be regarded as synonymous in my construct. They are two entirely seperate things that I find somehow completely and utterly obvious to my intellect.
Funny innit?

Bob

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