What is Hypnosis? Hypnotherapy?
The first thing to understand, is the way the brain operates. One way of looking at it is with the analogy of a car engine;
On the motorway driving along at 70 mph the car is in 4th gear. But when we have to slow down due to traffic we change to 3rd gear. Then when we come off the motorway and approach a junction, we slow down again and change to 2nd gear. We do this all the way home, changing gear dependant on our speed, until we get into our driveway and come to a stop and put the car into neutral. With that journey finished we turn the engine off.
The brain is a bit like that, in that it runs at different speeds, much like a car, except that instead of measuring miles per hour, the brain has cycles or waves.
Brainwave speed is measured in Hertz (cycles per second) and they are divided into bands for slow, moderate, and fast waves.
Our brains activity changes depending on what we’re doing and feeling. When our brainwaves slow down we can feel tired, slow, sluggish, or dreamy. However at faster frequencies, we feel wired, or hyper-alert.
The following are just broad descriptions – in reality things are much more complex, as brainwaves reflect different aspects when they occur at different locations in the brain.
DELTA WAVES (.5 TO 3 HZ)
Delta brainwaves are the slowest. They are generated in deepest meditation and dreamless sleep. Delta waves suspend external awareness and are the source of empathy. Healing and regeneration are occur at this level, which is why deep restorative sleep is so essential to the healing process.
THETA WAVES (3 TO 8 HZ)
Theta brainwaves most often occur in sleep and deep meditation. A gateway to learning and memory. Our senses are withdrawn from the external world and we focus on information generated from within.. It’s in this state that we experience our dreams, vivid imagery, intuition and thoughts beyond our normal conscious awareness. It’s where we store our fears, troubles, and nightmares.
ALPHA WAVES (8 TO 12 HZ)
Alpha brainwaves are present when we are in a state of physical and mental relaxation, although aware of what is happening around us, but not quite meditation. Alpha is, being here, in the present, it is the resting state for the brain. The Alpha wave state is an aid to mental coordination, mind/body integration, learning, calmness, alertness,
BETA WAVES (12 TO 38 HZ)
Beta brainwaves occur in our normal waking state of consciousness when attention is directed towards cognitive tasks and the outside world. Beta is a fast state and occurs when we are alert, attentive, involved in problem solving, using our judgment, making decisions, and engaged in other focused mental activity. Continued high frequency processing is not a very efficient way for the brain to operate, as it takes a large amount of energy.
GAMMA WAVES (38 TO 42 HZ)
Gamma brainwaves are the fastest of the brain waves, and are present when simultaneous processing of information from different brain areas occurs. Gamma had been dismissed as ‘brain noise’ until researchers found it was highly active when experiencing states of love, altruism, and other ‘higher virtues’. The presence of Gamma relates to expanded consciousness and spiritual emergence. Gamma rhythms modulate perception and consciousness, they disappear when anaesthetised.
Alright, so now you realise that the brain runs at different speeds much like a car. Staying with the car analogy, when driving at 70 mph (Gamma) you can’t take in very much of what you’re passing. Two reasons for this, the first one, you are focussed on driving and not hitting any other cars whilst staying on the road. The second reason is that unless it’s some distance away, everything is going past so fast, you don’t have time to take it in.
However, when driving in town at 20 mph as we have to in a lot of towns now, it becomes a lot easier to notice whats going on around you, you might see someone you know, you might wave or if the windows open, even have half a conversation with them.
It’s the same with you’re brain, normally during the day, whilst busy you’re in the Beta state, but when you stop and relax, you move into the Alpha state. If you do this with purpose and some form of instruction, you can enter the Hypnotic state.
In this state, you can leave your conscious thoughts behind and move into the subconscious …
Now there are a couple of things you need to know about the conscious and the subconscious parts of your mind. Firstly, using another common analogy, the mind, like an iceberg consists of two parts …
The tip of the iceberg, about one tenth of the total is above the water level, this is equivalent to the conscious mind. The part that deals with daily decision making, rational thinking, logic and judgement.
And the subconscious, which is the equivalent of the submerged remaining 90%. It acts a bit like an auto pilot. It deals with memories, emotions, imagination and habits, and the autonomic nervous system,. There are three parts to your autonomic nervous system: 1 The sympathetic system is responsible for your body’s ‘fight or flight’ reaction. 2 The parasympathetic system looks after the workings of your body during rest and recuperation. It also controls your heart rate and body temperature under normal conditions. 3 The enteric system controls the workings of your gut.
All very interesting, however, what’s more interesting is the fact that the conscious part of our mind is the critical part. The part that operates mainly in the Beta state.The part that analyses everything. It acts as a filter for our everyday lives. It’s this part of our mind that we have to get past in order to communicate with our subconscious mind.
However when we move into a more restful relaxed state, that state of lovely flowing thoughts, we move into the Alpha state. The brain activity has slowed down, and, using the car analogy once more, the conscious mind has taken a back seat, it’s still there, but it’s not in the drivers seat, its just resting in the back seat.
In the Alpha state, and indeed the Theta state if we get deep enough, this is where we can make change, using suggestions, visualisation and applicable metaphors. The subconscious is non critical, and is willing to accept positive suggestions, because it is non critical it doesn’t differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary, it also seems to have the ability to learn from metaphors and apply the lessons to it’s own problems or issues. After all, it’s main function is to look after us. Sometimes all it needs, is to see things in a different way in order to affect positive change, “Reframing”.
In some cases, old belief systems may need to be let go of or core issues may need to be resolved. If not, our mind may be in conflict, with two opposing beliefs systems and the results will probably reflect that, it’s important that we bring the subconscious beliefs into agreement with our conscious mind.
The most effective way to influence our subconscious is to use the emotional motivation behind our desire to change. Our subconscious mind works best with images and symbols, visualization is always a powerful and effective tool for creating change.
Basically, that’s it! ………………………. But to do it well and be effective, there’s a lot more to know. Please understand that this is just a simplified overview of Hypnosis and Therapy.
A Quick Summary
Hypnosis is a natural state
A relaxed state of mind (an alpha state) needs to be induced. Usually accomplished during an induction where suggestions are given to relax.
Once a deep state of relaxation and focus is achieved, the mind is ready to accept suggestions.
Metaphors, direct suggestions, and visualizations are used to communicate with the subconscious mind.
Sometimes old belief systems need to be discarded or core issues need to be dealt with in order for effective change to occur.
To simplify it even further, here are the basic keys to hypnosis:
1 Breath is the key to relaxation.
2 Relaxation is the key to suggestion.
3 Suggestion is the key to hypnosis.
What is Hypnosis? Hypnotherapy?
The first thing to understand, is the way the brain operates. One way of looking at it is with the analogy of a car engine;
On the motorway driving along at 70 mph the car is in 4th gear. But when we have to slow down due to traffic we change to 3rd gear. Then when we come off the motorway and approach a junction, we slow down again and change to 2nd gear. We do this all the way home, changing gear dependant on our speed, until we get into our driveway and come to a stop and put the car into neutral. With that journey finished we turn the engine off.
The brain is a bit like that, in that it runs at different speeds, much like a car, except that instead of measuring miles per hour, the brain has cycles or waves.
Brainwave speed is measured in Hertz (cycles per second) and they are divided into bands for slow, moderate, and fast waves.
Our brains activity changes depending on what we’re doing and feeling. When our brainwaves slow down we can feel tired, slow, sluggish, or dreamy. However at faster frequencies, we feel wired, or hyper-alert.
The following are just broad descriptions – in reality things are much more complex, as brainwaves reflect different aspects when they occur at different locations in the brain.
DELTA WAVES (.5 TO 3 HZ)
Delta brainwaves are the slowest. They are generated in deepest meditation and dreamless sleep. Delta waves suspend external awareness and are the source of empathy. Healing and regeneration are occur at this level, which is why deep restorative sleep is so essential to the healing process.
THETA WAVES (3 TO 8 HZ)
Theta brainwaves most often occur in sleep and deep meditation. A gateway to learning and memory. Our senses are withdrawn from the external world and we focus on information generated from within.. It’s in this state that we experience our dreams, vivid imagery, intuition and thoughts beyond our normal conscious awareness. It’s where we store our fears, troubles, and nightmares.
ALPHA WAVES (8 TO 12 HZ)
Alpha brainwaves are present when we are in a state of physical and mental relaxation, although aware of what is happening around us, but not quite meditation. Alpha is, being here, in the present, it is the resting state for the brain. The Alpha wave state is an aid to mental coordination, mind/body integration, learning, calmness, alertness,
BETA WAVES (12 TO 38 HZ)
Beta brainwaves occur in our normal waking state of consciousness when attention is directed towards cognitive tasks and the outside world. Beta is a fast state and occurs when we are alert, attentive, involved in problem solving, using our judgment, making decisions, and engaged in other focused mental activity. Continued high frequency processing is not a very efficient way for the brain to operate, as it takes a large amount of energy.
GAMMA WAVES (38 TO 42 HZ)
Gamma brainwaves are the fastest of the brain waves, and are present when simultaneous processing of information from different brain areas occurs. Gamma had been dismissed as ‘brain noise’ until researchers found it was highly active when experiencing states of love, altruism, and other ‘higher virtues’. The presence of Gamma relates to expanded consciousness and spiritual emergence. Gamma rhythms modulate perception and consciousness, they disappear when anaesthetised.
Alright, so now you realise that the brain runs at different speeds much like a car. Staying with the car analogy, when driving at 70 mph (Gamma) you can’t take in very much of what you’re passing. Two reasons for this, the first one, you are focussed on driving and not hitting any other cars whilst staying on the road. The second reason is that unless it’s some distance away, everything is going past so fast, you don’t have time to take it in.
However, when driving in town at 20 mph as we have to in a lot of towns now, it becomes a lot easier to notice whats going on around you, you might see someone you know, you might wave or if the windows open, even have half a conversation with them.
It’s the same with you’re brain, normally during the day, whilst busy you’re in the Beta state, but when you stop and relax, you move into the Alpha state. If you do this with purpose and some form of instruction, you can enter the Hypnotic state.
In this state, you can leave your conscious thoughts behind and move into the subconscious …
Now there are a couple of things you need to know about the conscious and the subconscious parts of your mind. Firstly, using another common analogy, the mind, like an iceberg consists of two parts …
The tip of the iceberg, about one tenth of the total is above the water level, this is equivalent to the conscious mind. The part that deals with daily decision making, rational thinking, logic and judgement.
And the subconscious, which is the equivalent of the submerged remaining 90%. It acts a bit like an auto pilot. It deals with memories, emotions, imagination and habits, and the autonomic nervous system,. There are three parts to your autonomic nervous system: 1 The sympathetic system is responsible for your body’s ‘fight or flight’ reaction. 2 The parasympathetic system looks after the workings of your body during rest and recuperation. It also controls your heart rate and body temperature under normal conditions. 3 The enteric system controls the workings of your gut.
All very interesting, however, what’s more interesting is the fact that the conscious part of our mind is the critical part. The part that operates mainly in the Beta state.The part that analyses everything. It acts as a filter for our everyday lives. It’s this part of our mind that we have to get past in order to communicate with our subconscious mind.
However when we move into a more restful relaxed state, that state of lovely flowing thoughts, we move into the Alpha state. The brain activity has slowed down, and, using the car analogy once more, the conscious mind has taken a back seat, it’s still there, but it’s not in the drivers seat, its just resting in the back seat.
In the Alpha state, and indeed the Theta state if we get deep enough, this is where we can make change, using suggestions, visualisation and applicable metaphors. The subconscious is non critical, and is willing to accept positive suggestions, because it is non critical it doesn’t differentiate between what is real and what is imaginary, it also seems to have the ability to learn from metaphors and apply the lessons to it’s own problems or issues. After all, it’s main function is to look after us. Sometimes all it needs, is to see things in a different way in order to affect positive change, “Reframing”.
In some cases, old belief systems may need to be let go of or core issues may need to be resolved. If not, our mind may be in conflict, with two opposing beliefs systems and the results will probably reflect that, it’s important that we bring the subconscious beliefs into agreement with our conscious mind.
The most effective way to influence our subconscious is to use the emotional motivation behind our desire to change. Our subconscious mind works best with images and symbols, visualization is always a powerful and effective tool for creating change.
Basically, that’s it! ………………………. But to do it well and be effective, there’s a lot more to know. Please understand that this is just a simplified overview of Hypnosis and Therapy.
A Quick Summary
Hypnosis is a natural state
A relaxed state of mind (an alpha state) needs to be induced. Usually accomplished during an induction where suggestions are given to relax.
Once a deep state of relaxation and focus is achieved, the mind is ready to accept suggestions.
Metaphors, direct suggestions, and visualizations are used to communicate with the subconscious mind.
Sometimes old belief systems need to be discarded or core issues need to be dealt with in order for effective change to occur.
To simplify it even further, here are the basic keys to hypnosis:
1 Breath is the key to relaxation.
2 Relaxation is the key to suggestion.
3 Suggestion is the key to hypnosis.