The key to self hypnosis instruction is practice. Once you understand how self-hypnosis works, you can hypnotize yourself at any time and in any place, simply by relaxing. Learning to relax may come easy or it may be extremely difficult-everyone is different. Once you have the hang of it, you'll realize the goldmine you've just discovered.
Self-hypnosis helps stimulate positive energy. Though self-hypnosis can be executed several times a day-any time you desire-for the most benefit, self-hypnosis should take place the first thing in the morning and again as you turn in for the night.
Hypnosis Education Lessons
If you're serious about learning hypnosis, start by promising yourself that you will dedicate time to hypnosis education. In other words, promise yourself that you will read all of the material about self-hypnosis that you can get your hands on, take the time to practice the relaxation techniques you've learned and commit each step-in order-to memory. Taking time out for yourself should be an easy task, but for many people it can prove to be one of their biggest obstacles. Once you recognize that you are important enough to warrant the time and energy self-hypnosis requires, you shouldn't have any problem learning the technique.
Find a Trigger Word: Your trigger word can be a place you visited once or a place you visit frequently, or it can be a word that to you means relaxation. Each time you say this word, you will automatically associate it with your happy place.
Happy Place: Start by selecting a quiet place where the main ingredient is a calm atmosphere. Once you have recognized your happy place, it's important that you visualize it. When you visualize your happy place, make sure all the amenities you require in order to remain happy are present. If that means you have a cool drink and soothing music, that's fine. If it's something else, visualize it and it will be yours, too.
Visualize each item as vividly as possible-don't just see the textures of the moss growing on the rocks in the river, or the roughness of the rocks. Actually feel the water running over the textures and the soothing sound the babbling brook makes. Don't just feel the wetness of the water as it rolls gently toward shore-taste the salt spray and feel the hot crunch of the sand beneath your bare toes. In other words, make your happy place so real that you can't tell it apart from the real place.
Now, recline in your happy place and begin learning how to relax.
Relaxation: Learning to relax is an art. You probably have watched your own father practice this technique many times after dinner. He simply reclines in his favorite chair and in minutes-regardless of whether the TV is on or the sunlight is streaming in the window directly on his face or the baby is crying-he's snoring. That's because he's been practicing this technique for years, and he's perfected the art of relaxation. He's learned how to shut out noise and other distractions by simply finding something that's more interesting to him. He enjoys taking a nap, so once he reclines in his chair, a nap is his total focus.
For some people it's easier to relax if they can focus on a particular place, such as a tropical location. Place yourself in a chaise lounge in the water with the warm waves gently lapping at your body. Then start to relax your body from your feet all the way to the crown of your head.
Focus On Each Muscle Individually: Work your way up your body, feet first, and slowly relax the muscles. Make sure each muscle is relaxed before you move on to the next one. By the time you have relaxed your entire body, your breathing will have changed. If you are truly relaxed, your breathing should be even and deep.
Work On Your Breathing: Count from 1 to 7 as you inhale and then count backwards from 7 to 1 as you exhale. The counting ritual is important because it helps keep your mind focused on the goal, which is relaxation. Take several breaths before moving on to the countdown.
Countdown: Take a deep breath, and then count slowly from 10 all the way to 1. The lower the numbers get, the deeper the relaxation will set in.
Suggestion: While relaxed in this manner, it's easy to create suggestive ideas in your mind. Picture yourself issuing a short statement that is positive and uplifting. For instance, you could say something like, "I am in control." Repeat this statement over and over, slowly but firmly.
Always use positive suggestion. Draw the focus on to what you really want. If you want something or someone to go away, focus on a positive way in which to approach this negative subject. Never incorporate negative suggestions, such as "I don't," "I won't" or "I can't." Instead, say something like, "I did," "I will" or "I can."
Wake Up Call: Though you aren't really sleeping at this point, you will be in a dreamlike state, so it's important that you maintain thinking positive as you bring yourself out of self-hypnosis.
Give yourself a direct order such as, "I will count to 3 and wake up feeling like a million," or "I will count to 3, and when I snap my fingers I will wake feeling refreshed."
 | If you want to know how hypnosis works, keep in mind that it isn't all about guys waving a pendulum in front of your face. It is actually about putting your own powers of suggestion to work. |
 | If you want to try hypnosis to stop smoking, you need to be dedicated because, despite what you have seen on television, hypnosis isn't magic. You'll need to work hard to kick the habit successfully. |
Self hypnosis techniques all start with relaxation and controlling your breathing. Then, once you are in a relaxed state, you can start focusing on what you'd like to change. |
Hypnosis for weight loss can be useful, as it helps you find new ways to deal with triggers that might lead to emotional eating. |
The history of hypnosis began with a practice called "animal magnetism" and evolved to incorporate relaxation techniques people can use to start making changes in their lives. |
