Hypnosis - What it Is, What it Is Not

Hypnosis is a wonderful state of mind we float in and out of all day long. It is the peaceful state of slower brainwaves we pass into and out of while falling asleep and again upon waking.

The brain wave’s slow down from the faster “beta” brain wave, which is related to full awakeness, into the “alpha” level of frequency, where the brain waves are slower and more relaxed. Alpha could be considered the pre-cursor to sleep, but this isn’t always so. You absolutely enter hypnosis while seemingly wide-awake.

Common ways we drift into and out of “hypnosis” or the “alpha” brain wave, during times of relaxation, reading a good book, surfing the internet, watching television, listening to music and even while having a very focused thought. Everyone has experienced some sort of “road hypnosis.” Yes, you can and do drift into the Alpha Brain Wave while you’re driving.

How do you know?

Let me ask you this? Have you ever been driving home and started imagining something that happened at work, a conversation you had, things you need to do later or thinking about something you wished you had said or done differently? Next thing you know, you arrive home and can’t really recall how you got there? Yes, this happens to everyone at some time or another.

You’ve slipped into hypnosis, my friend.

People often ask me if everyone is hypnotizeable. I can’t count how many potential clients or contacts at a party or networking event have told me they don’t believe they can be hypnotized. I always get a chuckle over this and ask them, if they are able to fall asleep at night. Additionally, I will ask them, if they are able to also wake up. They always have an amused look on their face as they say…well…..yeeeessss.

Then I explain to them that they are hypnotizeable. Let’s face it, everyone falls asleep and everyone then wakes up…we all go through the same levels of consciousness during this process, so in some way we can all be hypnotized. Some of us walk around in a permanent state of hypnosis, which is probably wonderful.

Regardless of whether or not you can achieve a deep level of hypnosis or a light level