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Self Hypnosis is a Powerful Tool for your Life

By Rebecca Carter

Self hypnosis is a life-changing tool that I learned. Since that time I have found a lot of different uses for this tool. Many people are apprehensive about self hypnosis because they are not quite sure what it is. Once they understand how it works, they are no longer apprehensive and are open to using it.

How Self Hypnosis Works

There are four levels of consciousness that have been identified and measured for the human body by scientists on an EEG machine. An EEG machine is an Electroencephalography machine that records the electrical activity along the scalp produced by the firing of neurons within the brain.

Beta Consciousness Step

The first of the four levels is called beta consciousness (13-40 cycles per second) and you would recognize this as “fully-awake” consciousness. This is the state that we are in most of the time, when we are talking, thinking, interacting with others, working, or generally living our lives.

Alpha Consciousness Step

The next level down towards sleep is known as alpha consciousness (8-13 cycles per second). The cycles per second are slower and this is the level where hypnosis occurs. Think of it as the state that you are in just prior to falling asleep. You may start to have dream sensations in this state, but you are not quite fully asleep or awake. It is a very suggestive state. You are open and accepting in this state without the judgments of the beta state of consciousness. You may be alarmed to know that we fall into this alpha state of consciousness very easily, and sometimes do so while we are watching television. This explains why TV advertising is, and always will be, one of the most effective forms of advertising. It is also the best level for learning—more about this later.

Theta Consciousness Step

The next two levels are sleep levels. Theta consciousness (4-7 cycles per second) is the dreaming state, although there is evidence that we dream at both sleep levels. Delta consciousness (1/2-4 cycles per second) is the deep sleep level. We usually go into delta consciousness when we first go to sleep and then rise up into theta level during the night.

Self hypnosis involves taking one’s level of consciousness from beta (waking) to alpha (pre-sleep) through a series of relaxation exercises and the use of a sound that is a repetitive rhythm or beat from the hypnotist’s voice, a metronome , music or all three. As I mentioned before, we may fall into the alpha state while watching television or even while driving. It is a state where you are generally aware of what is going on in the room, but very open and impressionable to suggestion.

You cannot, however, be convinced by anyone else to do something that you choose not to do. So if you have seen a stage hypnotist convince their hypnosis subject to flap their arms and sing like a bird, they really don’t object to doing so. It may be that the alpha state has allowed them to relax enough that they are not embarrassed to flap and sing, but it is entirely their free will. If they had chosen not to do it, they simply would not respond to the hypnotist’s suggestions.

This meditative state has many benefits for our lives. Using it over time can change your life in many ways. 

Seven Ways to use Self Hypnosis as a Powerful Tool

Self hypnosis is very conducive to learning

 I found that if I really want to retain information from a book or an audio or video program, putting myself into a light trance really helps. When I took a hypnosis class to learn how to hypnotize others, the instructor put each of us into a light trance every morning. I found there was no studying involved and that I was able to learn and commit to memory all of the various steps to the basic induction without effort.

Self hypnosis helps you to relax

Whenever I feel nervous or stressed out, I can put myself into a light trance that completely relaxes my whole body and mind. I am then able to function the way I choose, not the way that being stressed would cause me to function.

Self hypnosis helps you to sleep

When I worked for a large consulting firm, I was traveling constantly from one time zone to another. Others around me were extremely jet-lagged, but I was able to fall asleep whenever and wherever I chose by putting myself into a light trance.

Self hypnosis is a great way to learn to meditate

It is the quickest way to learn how to meditate. You can learn all about the benefits of meditation here.

It can help you learn how to focus

In the alpha state, I found it is much easier to tune out distractions and really focus on complex issues.

Self hypnosis can help you develop a “presence”

As I used this tool over time I experienced that I was more present in my physical body, more centered and I developed a sense of quiet confidence.

Self hypnosis can be used to contact your spirit guides

It led me to “automatic writing”, a method of connecting with your higher self to gain guidance and information. After using this method for awhile, my spirit guides were able to contact me with information about my life purpose and plan. This event for me has been life-changing and led me to the pursuit of my spiritual path.

About the Author

Rebecca Carter, a product manager and happy mother of two wonderful kids. Besides, she likes working for the coursework help sharing her experience in a form of small articles.