Hypnosis & Regression Therapy

Hypnosis Explained

Hypnosis, contrary to what many people believe, is not always a trance state or a sleep state, it is a special psychological state with certain physiological attributes, resembling sleep only superficially and is charcterized by person's activity at a awareness state other than the ordinary consciousness. Hypnosis is natural state of mind and is an integral part of ordinary living. Man's focus and concentration is enhanced, while under this state of mind. The individual is able to concentrate intensely on a specific thought or memory, while blocking out all possible sources of distraction. As a common example we can mention, that anytime when our mind wanders, daydreams or is focused on something, such as reading a book, driving a familiar route, watching a film we are in a state of hypnosis.

To summarise and correct false myths about hypnosis:

1. Hypnosis is like sleep - Hypnosis is not sleep but altered conciousness.
2. Hypnosis is dangerous, the hypnotist controls the subject's mind - The hypnotist can not control the subject's mind, simply guides the subject into state of relaxation where the inner concentration can be focused on the positive goal. The client is in control of his mind and hypnosis occurs only with his cooperation.
3. The subject can be made to do something against his will - Hypnosis cannot force anybody to do something against their will. No one will act against their will as a result of hypnosis, the subject chooses the suggestions which he wants to go along with.
4. Suggestibility to hypnosis indicates gullibility and low intelligence - On contrary, suggestibility to hypnosis is an indication of intelligence, because only people who can concentrate and are able to choose to enter the state of hypnosis may be hypnotised, which requires a reasonably good level of intelligence.

Hypnotherapy Explained

Hypnotherapy is referred to as the use of hypnotism for therapeutic purposes. It makes use of subject's increased response to suggestions. Usually, people's brain wave activity during hypnosis moves from a Beta state to an Alpha state, and sometimes a Theta state which is similar to the patterns recorded during meditation. The procedure known as a hypnotic induction is used for initiation of hypnotic state. It is commonly composed of a long series of preliminary instructions and suggestions. Forms of suggestion include direct verbal suggestions, "indirect" verbal suggestions such as requests or insinuations, metaphors and other rhetorical figures of speech, and non-verbal suggestion in the form of mental imagery, voice tonality, and physical manipulation. Suggestions can be delivered in two main manners: permissively or in a more authoritarian way.

Hypnotherapy can be used to help treat a wide range of issues such as:
• Fears and Phobias
• Behavioural Problems
• Stress and Anxiety
• Physical Conditions
• Bad Habits

Past Life Regression

Past life regression is a technique that uses hypnosis to recover memories of past lives or incarnations. This treatment is typically undertaken as a psychotherapeutic setting to resolve trauma or related difficulties or in the search for spiritual experience. The technique used during the session includes the subject answering a series of questions while hypnotized to uncover identity, setting and events of their past lives.

In many cultures of the world, the people believe that they lived before many times and have been reincarnated. This is the part of a wonderful learning experience which can be called Karma, a concept coming from Hindu Philosophy. Mistakes and cruelties of a previous existence can be purged and put right in the actual existence. The current life gives the opportunity to rectify or learn from the karmic mistakes of a previous existence.

As I mentioned before, there is a difference between hypnosis guided to access the memories of a past life just from curiosity and the hypnotherapy used to access the memories to promote change. Certain part of us in present life can be affected by actions from our previous life. Skills, talents, inclinations, passions and desires may be inherited. Likewise, phobias, irrational fears, fear of death, aversions, mental or physical disorders, difficulties in relationship can be triggered by trauma in a previous life causing a part of our present emotional self to get stuck. Sometimes, simply reliving the trauma can unblock the problem or heal it, but the case may be more complicated and reliving must be complemented by replacing the traumatic experience by another ending to cure the client. On contrary, there is nothing bad about the fact, that somebody who believes in reincarnation is curious about what they may have witnessed and how they lived in previous lives. Such a journey can prove to be an excellent opportunity to know yourself better and learn from one's previous mistakes to become a better person.