Thread: (Auto)Hypnosis & Suggestions.

I have practised hypnotherapy in the past, and am working along the lines you are about self-hypnosis - but I haven't tackled it head-on yet. At the moment I'm just using subliminal messages on screen, but expect that will take a little time. I've been researching Silva Ultramind ESP System and see it as a good way forward - they advocate reaching alpha level (10 cycles per second), rather than theta (deeper at 20 cycles), and I think that's an important factor (in other words you need to learn how to stay centered in alpha rhythm - not too sleepy). I got into Silva through lucid dreaming but I'm actually really impressed with it as a method of self-empowerment, so I've got a bit sidetracked.

You said you want to get into a deep trance, but that may not be too helpful for the kind of suggestions you want to give yourself. Suggestions given at theta level affect the body more (eg self-healing), but I'd say suggestions about lucid dreaming are more about consciousness. Although you may disagree.

Anyway - I must point out I'm no expert on brain waves and stuff. I know a lot about how hypnosis works in a practical sense from using hypnotherapy for a couple years - but the Silva literature seems to me well founded on common sense. I've got the home study course, and would recommend it. But would warn that Jose Silva has a spiritual slant on life (which suits me but wouldn't suit everyone).

I've used self-hypnosis before, but I'm taking my time to get into it with lucid dreaming because I'm tackling a number of issues in my life right now. The Silva centering exercise is great, and is one of the most powerful methods of reaching alpha I've come across - they have the alpha rhythm tapping away in the background, so perhaps that helps. I believe you can get this free to download from the silvaultramindsystem.com - they do a kind of sneak preview as a freebie.

I'd just say though as a word of caution - I still can't go to sleep without my left index finger twitching (which is one of the signals I gave myself one time during self-hypnosis). It's no problem unless my finger happens to scratch on the pillow near my ear :p

The point is to be careful what suggestions you give yourself. Good luck and tell us how you get on.

SKA - just to let you know your post inspired me to work on autosuggestion last night just before dropping off. And it worked. I've posted what I did as a new thread in Attaining Lucidity.

Well please share it in this topic too. I'm trying to gather all practical information on Self Hypnosis in this Thread. Anyone else?

Originally Posted by SKA

Well please share it in this topic too. I'm trying to gather all practical information on Self Hypnosis in this Thread. Anyone else?

SKA - I'm on a massive learning curve and not ready to share yet. I wrote the info above on self-hypnosis in a moment of euphoria, but with hindsight there were actually 3 other factors involved that may well have contributed to the LD. I was using on screen subliminal messages, writing down 15 times a day "I intend to LD", and - most important - the day before I'd had a kind of breakthrough in overcoming an internal reservation about LDs. I know quite a lot about hypnosis, but I'm no expert on LD, and it would be premature for me to put the 2 together. My research is taking me in a whole new direction, and I'm approaching LD from a different angle now. I need to ask a lot of questions before I can come up with any answers

I'm planning to ask some of those questions in this forum soon, and when my research starts to make sense I'll be happy to share it.

Just some second thoughts - I didn't find taped suggestions as good as holding on to enjoyable suggestions internally just before sleep. And about "deep" trance - it's a bit of a myth. People assume that if they can hear clearly what's being said they're not in a deep trance, but if they couldn't hear the suggestions they're unlikely to take effect. Hypnosis just means that the conscious mind allows suggestions to slip past its censoring function and enter the subconscious. This can happen anytime - eg my son (when aged 9) ate his xmas dinner and got appendicitis soon after. He has never eaten a traditional xmas dinner since. The suggestion became implanted in his subconscious that a particular meal causes illness. Shock is often a catalyst in allowing suggestions to slip through. Relaxation is just another catalyst. Inspiring suggestions are another - and work in a synergistic way with the relaxation to deepen receptivity and reach the subconscious. So the suggestions should always inspire and invoke imagination and make you think yes yes yes - that's exactly what I want, I can just imagine how it will be, and I can't wait for that to become a reality.

SKA,
I tried yesterday a self-hypnosis induction I made which worked amasingly well for me. I don't have results yet (like having LDs) but since I felt incredibly well and focused...
The key is imagination. The more you can imagine what you want in details (feelings, senses, etc.), the more it will work.
You do not want to have a "deep" trance... How can we do valuable work in a deep inconsciousness-like state of mind? Instead you want to change your state of consciousness in a way that you will be able to talk more directly to your subconscious.

Here is the induction I tried. It is not a complicated one.

1-Make yourself confortable and prepare yourself to enjoy the experience. You can, if you want, free yourself from your day's concerns and begin to relax a bit.

2-Close your eyes and imagine a row of six LEDs, like an electronic display. Both are switched off. (if you want, you can imagine something else more suitable for you - personnal symbols are very powerful)

3-You are now ready to turn on the device who will remove one by one the five barriers who are between you and your subconscious:

1. The stress barrier. You will now deepen your relaxation a bit. Let the process be done by itself, do not rush or make a mental effort. When the first LED is turned on (you'll know then; it will turn on by itself), the first barrier is removed.
2. The barrier of your logical mind. You want him turned off. Just stay focused and wait for the second LED to be turned on.
3. Now this is your critical sense, who analyse everething, which will be shuted down. Stay focused and wait for the third LED.
4. Your mind have the tendency to generalize everything (like seeing different trees and give both them the minimalistic 'tree' label). You don't want your sugestions being the subject of that traitment. Let the fourth LED turn on.
5. Your "ego observer" is watching you and don't want you to make a mess in your mind. You need his autorisation to go any further. As he let you enter to help you doing LDs (a pure and white goal), the fifth LED turn on.
6. All systems are now on and continuously balanced and stimulated. The last LED turn on to tell you that you are now hypnotised and able to stay in this state the time you want.

If you try it for yourself, feel free to change things according to your feeling. Thrust yourself and make it more "personnal".