Self- Hypnosis-It Works

Within each of us there lies the power to transform our lives, increase the spiritual richness of our existence, and bring about positive changes in our situation through the effects of positive visualization. All too often, this creative, trans formative power is locked away in a corner of our minds, imprisoned behind the stresses, tensions, or petty annoyances with which our thoughts are bombarded every day in this hectic modern world. Fortunately, however, there is a key that allows us to unlock this 'door' and set our mental energies free, ready to bring us inner peace, and giving us the inspiration to reach our dreams. That key is self-hypnosis techniques.

Self-hypnosis is a way of putting yourself into a hypnotic state where your mind and spirit can relax, and you can eventually begin to focus on positive visualization without outside distractions. The meditative techniques of countless religions and cultures have incorporated elements of self-hypnosis. Many doctors and scientists - beginning with the 19Th-century Scottish surgeon James Braid, who claimed to have cured his rheumatism with it - have also realized the effectiveness of self-hypnosis.

The practice of self-hypnosis is fairly simple, but requires enough self-discipline to begin doing it regularly, on a weekly or even daily basis. If you are planning to gain the benefits of self-hypnosis yourself, you should choose a time when you know you are likely to have free time for this mental exercise, and be certain to adhere to this schedule except in case of emergency. You should also carry out brief self-hypnoses at other times when you are undergoing exceptional stress, if you can find the opportunity to do so, and also when you are about to undertake some very important matter.

Choosing a comfortable, quiet place, you should sit or lie down in such a way that you do not need to tense your muscles to remain in a comfortable position. Make sure that you will not slump when you relax. Dim light is usually considered best, and some burn candles or incense to increase the soothing atmosphere. You then close your eyes and follow a routine of counting, with each 'count' being accompanied by a deeper relaxation. Once you are fully relaxed, you can immerse yourself in an imaginary inner sanctum, thus clearing your soul of tension, or you can engage in positive visualization to energize yourself for the achievement of your goals and desires.

Self-hypnosis is useful for relaxation, which in turn refreshes the mind. All the nattering urgency's of daily life are smoothed away in the inner calm of self-hypnosis, letting your soul take a deep breath, as it were, regaining its focus, vigor, and energy. The complete exclusion of the outside world is generally not possible, nor even necessary - you will still be registering some sensory input. But the important thing is to cleanse your mind of distractions and cares with the peace of the hypnotic state. Once you achieve this state, you will find that you emerge from your self-hypnosis sessions with your mental powers strengthened, your alertness sharpened, and your mood lifted.

These self-hypnosis techniques also help with the goal of positive visualization. In positive visualization, you replace the negative mental roadblocks of thinking about what you lack, with the positive, invigorating image of what you want and need. Releasing all effort to rationalize a plan that will bring you to your goal, you focus on the goal itself, and let your creative imagination roam freely, so that your intuition can find the best course to pursue without interference from your conscious mind. You then follow your "gut" feeling about what you should do next, trusting in your positive visualization to bring you to the desired result while letting your instincts choose the exact course to follow. Self-hypnosis is an immense aid to this technique, creating an inward tranquility that allows powerful visualization and opens your mind to attunement to the wise prompting of your subconscious.