Hypnosis and The Physical Body

I had the ever famous question come up today about whether the person was in hypnosis after watching my “Short Hypnosis Session” Video on YouTube, due to the fact that felt like they could open their eyes any time they wanted.

I wonder if the day will come when the myth about “losing control” during hypnosis will come to an end?

You see, first and foremost, it’s important to understand this: hypnosis is a mental state of awareness. You are always in control.

Hypnosis is defined as:

“A heightened state of suggestibility”

Secondly, the body does what the mind tells it to do.

So why is it necessary to relax the body in order to go into hypnosis?

It’s not. You can be perfectly wide awake, physically active and be in a state of trance, following suggestions.

Are there physiological signs and symptoms that might suggest one is in a mental state of hypnosis?

Yes. Some of the physiological signs of being in hypnosis are: change in breathing, change in bodily temperature, change in emotions, feeling lighter, feeling heavier, eyes fluttering, body tingling, a floating feeling, a sinking feeling, feeling very relaxed, etc.

Do any of those signs inherently mean you are in hypnosis? In other words, if you are feeling like you are floating in a different context other than trying to become hypnotized, does this experience mean that you are in hypnosis?

I leave that to you to decide …

And at the same time, when you are experiencing hypnosis: “A heightened state of suggestibility” then does that evoke one, all, or any of these physical sensations?

Again, I leave that to you.

Let’s back track just a bit and start with, why do we go into hypnosis in the first place?

There’s something you want to change. You want something different that you have not otherwise been able to accomplish through your conscious awareness. Therefore, you turn to hypnosis. Why? Because you know you need to make a change at the subconscious level of mind, where your beliefs are stored.

When the critical factor is bypassed and suggestions are being accepted and acted upon, by the subconscious mind, then the purpose of hypnosis has been met.

You don’t have to be relaxed or have any physiological occurrences in order for that to take place.

Though, the approach to relax the mind in order to bypass the critical factor through the process of relaxing the body is a VERY common approach to achieving hypnosis.

I use this approach often, myself.

Why? Simply because the mind and body are connected. So, if we can get the body to relax, typically the mind will follow. If we can get the mind to relax, typically the body will follow. And that is the theory for achieving both physical and mentally relaxed states in order to go into hypnosis.

Though common, relaxation is not the ONLY way to hypnotize someone.

People become hypnotized while driving, working, becoming hysterical, feeling emotional, in shock, etc. Keywords are used to hypnotize. Milton Erikson used metaphors and clients didn’t even know they were hypnotized until later they realized the changes that they made. People become hypnotized by staring at objects. The ways in which we become hypnotized is limitless. Anything that throws off your mental state from one of complete consciousness, to a slightly altered state of awareness might also bring about the hypnotic state.

The point is, people go in and out of hypnosis all the time without experiencing any physical sensations of it. While physical sensations can play a role in producing hypnosis and hypnosis can also create physical sensations, neither are inherently consequential to the others existence.