Hypnosis
Hypnosis is an awake state of consciousness where the individual becomes absorbed in a particular area of attention, to the exclusion of other stimuli. In a state of hypnosis, barriers, created by the human intellect to judge and limit ideas that are passed to the subconscious mind, are bridged, so that suggestions may more easily be absorbed by the subconscious mind.
First it may be necessary to separate popular notions of hypnosis from what actually happens in the context of hypnotherapy. Hypnosis is often understood from the perspective of what happens during stage hypnosis, which is a staged performance for the purpose of entertainment. The popular notion here is of a person being 'made' to do silly things, like quack like a duck, see the audience as being naked, or display a host of other behaviors uncharacteristic of the person. In reality, the person only displays certain behaviors because part of him or her has agreed to follow the suggestions of the hypnotist.
The individual is always in complete control of his or her thoughts and behaviors. If the person is asked to do something he or she finds somehow uncomfortable, the suggestion simply will not be followed, and the person may even come out of trance if the suggestion seems very objectionable. Stage hypnosis, as well as hypnotherapy, only work as long as there is continued rapport between the individual and hypnotist, and the individual decides to continue following the suggestions. The person being hypnotized is always in complete control.
Trance States and Wordweaving™
So what is trance? Again, the popular notion is generally that the individual must be in a very 'deep' state of hypnosis for suggestions to be very effective. But rather than being the exclusive result of a deep hypnotic induction, trance states are experienced by everyone many times every day. The mental processes of daydreaming are one everyday example. People have problems in their lives when they exhibit maladaptive trance states during the course of their day. A person gets into a particular 'state of mind', which while the problem is happening, is experienced as the person's reality. The purpose of hypnotherapy is to help the client to be free from these maladaptive associations, or to 'de-hypnotize' the client from the combined trances that are creating the problem.
Whereas traditional hypnotherapy is aimed at specific problems, and oftentimes may use standardized scripts to deal with those problems, Wordweaving™ begins with the assumption that it is not the problem that is the problem, but the individual's unique relationship to the problem that is the real issue. The Wordweaving™ approach directly targets the key areas within an individual's psyche where the issues are recreated every time the problem surfaces. It uses the natural trance states that the client experiences during their problem to resolve the underlying issues, and uses language patterns from NLP to give it maximum effectiveness.
Uses and Benefits of Hypnotherapy
In general, hypnotherapy can be used to help an individual in a broad range of areas. A very partial list of areas that could be treated include:
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Negative behaviors and habits
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Fears and anxieties
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Memory
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Stress release
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Overeating and weight loss
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Self-
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Smoking cessation
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Academic performance
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Test anxiety
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Pain management
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Sleep problems
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Phobias
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Stuttering
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My use of the Wordweaving™ approach allows me to be very flexible in what issues I can handle, because the approach does not target specific problems, but rather a client's relationship to his or her problem.
Regression and Past Life Regression
Regression and past life regression both enable a person’s subconscious to access memories from the past. The difference between the two is that past life memories tend to be more removed and difficult to access than present life memories. Due to the passage of time or because of factors such as trauma, even present life memories can be difficult to access. The techniques used in present or past life regression may be quite similar or even the same.
While present life regression therapy focuses on dealing with the effects of current life experiences, the use of past life regression opens up a greater range of memories. While it may not be necessary during regression to go into past lives, the re-experiencing of past lives may more easily enable a person to gain knowledge and understanding about personality traits, the original cause of health issues, one’s life purpose, recurring behavior patterns, phobias and many other issues a person may want to focus on. The process of regression can be used to gain knowledge, understanding, healing, and the perspective to understand present events.
The Existence of Past Lives
A person may or may not, for religious or other reasons, believe in past lives. The fact remains that many people do, while undergoing hypnosis, experience what seems to them to be memories of past lives. These memories may be from past lives, though it is possible that they are fictitious creations of the subconscious mind. Memories from the past may be colored by or reinterpreted according attitudes, other memories, one’s emotional state, or any of a number of factors. Memories of the past are always being created and recreated by an interaction of the conscious and subconscious mind. But whether or not past lives exist, the use of past life regression continues to help people gain understanding, experience healing, and to improve their lives.
