Simple ways to learn self-hypnosis

Many people think of hypnosis as something that one person ‘does’ to another; the stage magician with the audience member, or the therapist with the client. In fact, self-hypnosis is easy to learn and has many benefits.

What is self-hypnosis?

Self-hypnosis is similar to meditation, but it comes without the historical links to beliefs and spirituality.

Self hypnosis is safe, though it would be best to chat with your GP or a professional hypnotherapist before starting if you have any pre-existing mental health issues.

And the benefits of self-hypnosis are that you can try out the experience of hypnotic trance at any time, when you need it, and without an appointment.

Self-hypnosis techniques

There are quite a few different techniques, but I like this one. Read through the instructions a few times before you start. Regular practice will be well worth the effort. The following will give you some ideas, but once your eyes are closed all you need to remember is ‘PNP’ – Pool, Numbers, Peaceful place. And it doesn’t matter if you do these things in a different order.

Also, remember that if visualising isn’t your thing, you can think about the same things in whatever way suits you best. For example, at step five, you can imagine hearing someone say the numbers, clearly and softly instead of visualising them on a blackboard.

How to do self-hypnosis

Before you begin, turn off everything that could be disturbing or distracting. That includes your phone, computer, TV, stereo, and everything else. You need a time and place you will not be disturbed, and where it’s safe for you to close your eyes and ignore your surroundings for a while (for example, not whilst driving).

Choose a time limit. Beginners should start with around ten minutes. This gives time to get fully relaxed but isn’t too long to maintain your focus. Set this intention clearly in your mind in words, for example, ‘I’m going to stay in self-hypnosis for ten minutes’ or ‘I will open my eyes at [time]’.

Get comfortable. Find a body position that will allow you to fully relax, but not fall asleep. Sitting in a comfortable, but supportive, chair works well for most people. You might feel a little colder as you relax, so a light blanket might be good.

Pool

Close your eyes and imagine you’re floating in a pool of warm water. You can feel the warmth fully penetrating every part of your body. Relax your body, and calm your mind. Remind yourself gently of your time limit.

Numbers

Imagine a chalkboard floating a comfortable distance in front of you. Imagine you are holding a new and perfect piece of white chalk. It’s large and comfortable in your hand. In the other hand, you have a brand-new eraser that always works perfectly.

Start by writing the number one hundred. Then erase it and imagine your body becoming more relaxed. Write the number ninety-nine on the board. Erase that and relax even more. Continue writing, erasing, and relaxing until you’ve gone all the way down to one. If you lose track, go back to the last number you remember and start over there. It’s sometimes challenging to prevent your mind from wandering, but you will get better focus each time you practice.

Peaceful place

Now imagine a door. It’s a perfectly handcrafted wooden door. It’s slightly rough and warm to the touch. The door opens easily and, on the other side, you find your ideal place to relax. It might be a beautiful room, a beach, a meadow by a mountain lake, or a garden. It’s your space, so it can be whatever is right for you.

Enter this peaceful place and add whatever things, sounds, and feelings you wish to make the space as perfect as possible. Take the time to create the ideal setting that feels the most peaceful to you. Enjoy this space for as long as you like. As a general rule, the more time you’re able to spend in this perfect, imaginary space, the longer you’ll be able to maintain the feeling of relaxation.

When it feels right to do so, allow yourself to become more aware of your actual surroundings, and open your eyes. Most people will find this happens at the time they chose at step one. If you’re worried about over-running, set an alarm clock.

Learn self-hypnosis

If you can, learn self-hypnosis during times when you feel calm, or at least mild levels of stress and anxiety. Once you have practised a few times, it will be easier to use during times of greater stress.

Decide in advance if you want your self-hypnosis to help you reach a specific goal. There are examples below. Create affirming statements about your goal, such as “I am relaxed”. Repeat these to yourself when you reach the peaceful place.

And if you find you learn better when someone can show you what to do, please book a one-off wellness session where I can teach you these techniques.

Self-hypnosis for sleep and anxiety

Hypnosis increases deep sleep by up to 80%, assists in the process of falling asleep, and helps sleepwalkers wake up as an episode starts. Improving your sleep can ease anxiety and phobias and reduce chronic or acute pain. By using self-hypnosis, you can treat your symptoms whenever and for however long you need to.

Self hypnosis for sugar addiction and slimming

In trance, you are more susceptible to suggestion, that’s one of the reasons it works as therapy. It’s easier to take in motivational messages about things you want to do but have trouble getting started. Suggestions can help you to break habits ranging from smoking to eating habits and negative self-talk. If you want to make this sort of lifestyle change, set aside a little time each day to use self-hypnosis and repeat helpful affirmations.

Self hypnosis for learning

Hypnosis does not always work as a memory recovery method as well as people think. But it can be used to improve memory formation and attention span. Try entering trance for a few minutes before and after a study session and thinking of the information you need to remember; break down the information into simple symbols or formulae for ease of remembering. Self-hypnosis can also help boost confidence and helps you relax, as discussed above, and a calm mind is better able to hold and access information.

Are you still struggling? Sometimes the easiest way to learn self hypnosis is to work with someone who can teach you the skills. I’d be happy to help. CLICK HERE to book a one-off session with me to learn self-hypnosis, or a series of sessions to help you with anxiety, habits, learning and much more.