How to do Self-Hypnosis

All hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis. We all go in and out of hypnosis many times during the day. If you’ve ever passed your exit on the highway, daydreamed during a meeting, or lost yourself in a good book, you were in a light state of hypnosis. Here's a quick overview of how to do your own self-hypnosis.

Step One:       Choose one goal ahead of time.

Hypnosis works best when we focus on one goal at a time, and do not try to get ourselves to stop smoking, lose weight, and exercise all at one time. The idea is to focus on one goal at a time. If you tend to think in words, write one simple phrase that you can say over and over to yourself, such as "I am prosperous," or "business is booming," or  "I now weigh (insert goal weight)" or "I am an ex-smoker now." Or if you are more visual, you can just see or imagine yourself as you would like to be. See yourself wearing your skinny jeans, or exercising, or passing the test, landing a great new job or giving a great presentation. But decide ahead of time where your focus will be.

Step Two:      The Relaxation Phase

First thing in the morning or right before you go to bed are ideal times to practice self-hypnosis. Make sure you can be alone and undisturbed. Close your eyes. Take three deep breathes. Tell yourself that you are breathing in peace and relaxation, and breathing out stress and tension. Then imagine that you are somewhere that makes you feel relaxed and at ease. For some, this might be a beach. For others, a forest, mountaintop, a quiet lake, or even a spa. Imagine the details. For instance, if you are on a beach, imagine the color of the sand, the feel of it under your feet, the clean fresh air and blue sky. You get the idea. Do this for 5 minutes or until your arms and legs start to feel tingly or numb, or perhaps heavy, or you feel yourself very relaxed.

Step Three:    Positive Suggestion & Mental Imagery

Then for another 5 minutes repeat your one statement over and over to yourself. Allow yourself to feel the excitement of the statement or visualization. Imagine how happy and thrilled you'd be if you already accomplished this goal. Dwell on it. Imagine that it has already occurred. Spend just five or ten minutes. Then forget about the exercise when you are done. Do not look for results, but do one action during the day which shows you have faith in what you are doing. For instance, if you are working on prosperity, spend the extra dollar to show that you have faith that the extra money will be there for you. You are "acting as if" you are more prosperous. But do not look for results. If you do the work, the results will come. Remember, the real work is done in the mind. Trust your subconscious mind to bring you the new desired results.

Tips on Affirmations:

Make sure your statements are positive, believable, simple, and in the present tense. Do not use future tense. Do not say you "want" anything. Or you will always be wanting it. You already have it. It's yours now. Feel it. Imagine it. (For the best book I've ever read on affirmations, read "The Nature of Personal Reality" by Jane Roberts).

Some affirmations are ineffective because we are unwittingly giving the subconscious mind the wrong message. We put it in the future, and there is no future to the subconscious.  Or we use the "no" word. The subconscious mind doesn't understand the "No" word, so avoid saying things like "I no longer smoke." To the subconscious, you are virtually saying "I smoke." It's like saying don't think of a pink elephant. The first thing you think of is the pink elephant.  Instead, say, "I easily quit smoking." "I am an ex-smoker now." Or "I've reached my ideal weight. I now weigh (insert goal), or "I now exercise regularly." That sort of language is more effective.

Give it Time

Some time may be required before the subconscious accepts the new beliefs. There may be some interference from old beliefs for awhile. So keep at it. Even if you get great results immediately, reinforce the suggestions on a daily basis for a month, until you are certain that the new behavior has solidified, and seems natural and normal to you now.