Self Hypnosis Practice

Why we love: We have all experienced a kind of hypnosis without maybe being aware of it; when we doze off with our gaze fixated on a random point on the wall, or right when we are about to fall asleep. Self hypnosis gives you tools to consciously enter the subconscious, and potentially alter aspects of your life from there.

For who: For self hypnosis it is important (just like with any type of hypnosis) to really believe in, and be open to it, to get the full experience and benefits. Generally, self hypnosis is considered safe. However, if you are experiencing psychotic symptoms, depression, hallucinations or any other serious mental condition, you should refrain from hypnosis. If you are unsure if self hypnosis is appropriate for you, please consult with a medical professional beforehand.

How it works: Self hypnosis basically means to put yourself in a focused, relaxed hypnotic state, where you work with suggestive statements or affirmations,  to help you address things like unwanted habits, insomnia or fear of public speaking. You follow a few steps to enter a deeply relaxed but yet alert state before you start introducing the area you want to work with. In the hypnotic state you are believed to have access to your subconscious mind and be able to alter beliefs and habits in alignment with your suggestions. The video links to a guided self hypnosis session to get you started. You can also follow the steps below to get an overview on how to practise self hypnosis. 

How to practise self hypnosis: 

• 1. Find a quiet, comfortable place and seat yourself in a way that feels relaxed
• 2. Decide what you want to work with;  do you want to sleep better, be comfortable speaking in front of people, or quit a bad habit?
• 3. Now fixate your gaze at something, like a scratch on the wall or similar
• 4. Start taking deep breaths, and whilst you are doing this, keep your eyes fixated on the point. Use your imagination and really feel that with each inhale and exhale, you are struggling more and more to keep your eyes open.
• 5. Now with closed eyes keep your breath calm and steady.  You can now start the visualisation. Create an idea in your mind of a place or scenery which feels calm and joyous to you. It could be walking in a forest full of colourful birds singing, sitting in front of a campfire, or a completely made up dream world, as long as you feel happy and safe there. 
• 6. Go and explore this place to get really familiar with it and when you feel at peace, use your imagination to make your body even more relaxed and heavy. You can then say to yourself quietly: I am totally at peace 
• 7. Now you are in the calm but alert state that allows you to start working with visualising what you want to work with. Let’s take the public speaking example. Do imagine yourself, as detailed as possible, getting dressed in the morning before your speech, entering the building, the room, imagine sensory things such as touch and smell. And then getting to the point of you delivering the speech with great confidence and charisma. Tap into how it feels to stand there with all that confidence and presence. Now you can continue to affirm your visualisation by saying it out loud “ I speak confidently and with charisma in front of people” (always use positive language instead of for example “I am not afraid of speaking in front of people”). Spend some time doing this before you begin bringing your body and mind back.
• 8. You can begin by imagining that each breath, step by step, brings you back to the room you  are sitting in, and as you do that, you are starting to sense your body more and more. You can finally countdown slowly from 10, knowing that when you reach the number one, you will open your eyes and be back in full consciousness.