An Honest Look At Hypnosis

In this article, we will take a look at what hypnosis actually is and why it is so popular in sports and just how it can be of extreme benefit to the athlete. While we don't fully understand hypnosis from a medical/scientific standpoint, many studies are in process at the time of this writing that will shed some more light on exactly what this wonderful state is and how we can continue to use it in the future. Here's what we do know about hypnosis…

Hypnosis is a natural state that each of us has the ability to enter. It is in fact a state that we have entered many many times and probably do so on a regular daily basis. Although when you just fall into a trance with no purpose or direction nothing much useful is going to happen. When it is guided and specific to an outcome it can be of unquestionable benefit.

Some people are more talented than others at entering deep trance (This deep level of hypnosis is commonly called somnambulism). Everyone is able to enter this somnambulistic level of trance, but some enter it more easily than others. The various depths and levels of trance are outlined below – along with their medical, recreational and scientific uses.

Nearly every school of thought about mental health defines two major parts to the entity we call personality. Some call it Id and Ego; some call it Child and Parent. Whereas many hypnotists and NLP practitioners and many more indeed will call it your Conscious Mind and Sub-conscious Mind (or Unconscious Mind, as some people prefer to say). Both of these and all of these terms are of course correct and refer to the very same thing.

Your conscious mind is the part of you that you "think" with. It consists of all of your conscious thought, while your subconscious handles the many millions of details that you encounter every day of your life. When we say automatic processes we refer to breathing, blood pressure, things like driving etc. These are the sorts of things that you don’t have to think about. You don’t have to think every few seconds – ok, now its time to breathe in, I’ll do that now, oh yeah, and now breathe out…nearly forgot that one. All of the things you do on auto pilot. That is reading the newspaper, while getting dressed and cleaning your teeth at the same time in the morning before work. This is all run by your sub conscious. A good analogy that is often used is that of a sailing ship. The Captain (your conscious mind) does all the logical, rational thinking. He makes conscious, informed decisions on a high level based on the information before him. He does not deal with the lower-level, more mundane tasks... that's the Crew's (your subconscious mind's) job. If he wants the ship to turn right, he might give the command "All Hands! Full to Starboard!!!" The captain obviously doesn't turn the boat himself... this is where the crew comes in. "Behind the scenes", there is a man who rings the chime to indicate a turn, which prompts engineering to fire up a motor, which requires more steam and prompts workers to shovel and burn more coal, which needs still other workers to replenish coal. These men work hard and deserve a good meal, so there are cooks that make food that waiters need to serve. Others have to replenish the food supplies, sweep the floors, check the weather, monitor sonar and radar, plot courses and a million other tasks... All just so the Captain can bark his next order. In order to do so, he must pay attention to the feedback from his crew. Can you guess what happens when the Captain starts ignoring, or even worse, mistdeating the crew? That's right... Mutiny. Which is exactly what happens when some of us get out of rapport with our own subconscious. Whenever you have felt a conflict in your own inner thoughts about direction, motivation or whatever, somewhere along the line, your conscious and sub conscious are probably not pulling at the same ends of the rope…or maybe not even the same rope!

Basically, hypnosis allows us to open the subconscious mind to suggestion while the conscious mind wanders, or is otherwise distdacted. In other words, hypnosis whips your "Crew" back into shape.

Hypnosis is not mind contdol, brainwashing, black magic or voodoo. The hypnotist has no "special power". Hypnosis is a cooperative activity, which requires the full consent of the client or subject. You may have heard and it is entirely true that, all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. The subject enters a state of hypnosis of their own accord - the hypnotist merely guides the subject through this experience and offers therapeutic suggestions (or entertaining suggestions, depending on the line of work) along the way. With sports people the suggestions are of course aimed and directed at improved performance, enhanced recovery, greater mental clarity and motivation etc.

You may not know it, but chances are you've already been hypnotized at some point in time! This happens all of the time without you being even aware of it – and that’s the beauty of hypnosis. That’s actually what makes TV commercials so very dangerous to the receptive mind of suggestions. Have you ever been daydreaming; so oblivious to the world that you didn't even hear someone speaking to you or calling your name? Ever read a book or watch a movie and get so into it that you lose track of all time and feel as though you are there? Have you ever been driving down the road and suddenly "snap to", wondering how you have travelled the last few miles? Of course a slightly dangerous procedure – unless you have a very alert subconscious driving and a very trusting conscious mind. These are all altered-states, where your subconscious mind has jumped to the surface and taken over while your conscious mind wanders. In essence, you have been hypnotized!

Many people react to professionally guided hypnosis in many different ways. Although we can all and have all been hypnotised, there are various reactions to being guided into these altered states for a very specific purpose. Because of this, no simple table can accurately describe everyone's reaction to hypnosis. Some people appear to be "out cold", while others will have fluttering eyelids or some other types of twitching. Young children, who are actually in altered states most of the time, will squirm or even giggle while in hypnosis. The point here is that hypnosis is almost completely subjective and just because a subject may or may not show one or more of these signs does not necessarily mean that the subject is or isn't hypnotized. These three levels of trance are simplified and not really meant to signify concrete states of hypnosis, and many schools of hypnosis thought will argue that there are many more and various states, but that is all beside and against the point of this introduction.

Signs of Hypnosis

The overall effect is another highly subjective area of hypnosis. While there are some similarities in the experiences of most subjects, none of these effects are a requirement or a direct indication of successful hypnosis.

Effects of Hypnosis

• Deep Relaxation - Most subjects will experience an intense feeling of relaxation. Although, relaxation is not necessary for trance, many methods of hypnosis promote trance through dissociation with the body. This is usually done through deep relaxation.
• Floating or Sinking - Many subjects report the gentle feeling of floating or sinking into the chair or couch that they are on.
• Increased Senses - While hypnosis usually involves dissociation from the body, typically, many people report that they also become aware of certain things through an increase in the sensitivity of their senses.
• Amnesia - Many people experience amnesia about the content of the hypnotic experience. This is actually encouraged, and even intentionally suggested, when using hypnosis in a therapeutic setting.
• Time Distortion - Trance can do some amazing things to a person’s perception of time. Many sessions that last an hour feel like ten or fifteen minutes to an awakened subject. Sometimes, twenty-minute sessions feel like hours. Time distortion is completely subjective - everyone experiences it differently.

Hypnosis is generally regarded as having three levels or stages of "depth". There is a fairly heated argument between different camps regarding the actual levels (even if there actually are any) of hypnosis and what characteristics belong to each level.

Stages of Hypnosis

One must bear in mind that these stages are very fluid. Please, do not get the idea that only a person in medium trance can receive post-hypnotic suggestions, or that only a person in deep trance can experience anesthesia. Everyone is different and people respond in different ways to hypnosis. This table is only presented as a basic outline to possibilities. And with the athlete and sports person that means that you can suggest the ability to achieve certain things and have the sub conscious and conscious mind agree.

There is a very big difference with weight training when you approach the heavy loaded barbell with the notion that ‘this is heavy and is gonna crush me, break my spine and Ill fail to make three reps or even lift it’, and when you go for it with a positive belief that ‘This is heavy and I can push every muscle like pumping hydraulics so that I can forcefully and powerfully lift that weight and perform the maximum number of reps truly possible for my current progressing strength levels.’

This happens in waves with many things. In the medical world hypnosis has not always fared well under the skeptical eye of most, yet is now the NHS recognised and recommended referral for people to quit smoking and even lose weight. However in the sports field hypnosis has always been accepted as a useful tool for success because it delivers the results for positive, healthy, motivated mind set that is required of success.

Most people don't even have the small amount of knowledge about hypnosis that you have recently gained. In order to help these people to trust the hypnotic experience and relax sufficiently, then there must be a disposal of a few myths regarding hypnosis. Most uncertainties about hypnosis stem from issues where the client/subject believes that they will lose control and be made to eat onions or something of the sort. This is not the case other than the mutation of hypnosis for stage antics and entertainment. An entirely different form of hypnosis if you can even call it that to begin with. Following are some of the questions you may be thinking to yourself about hypnosis before investigating it further for your advantage in succeeded further with your sport.

• Will I fall asleep? No, you will not fall asleep. While many people look "out cold" while in a trance, this is usually just a product of the extreme relaxation and comfort of the subject. Hypnosis is not sleep. At all times, you will be completely awake and in control. You can talk, move and get up at any time you wish.

• Will I Lose control or be manipulated in trance? Not at all. Hypnosis is a cooperative activity, which means that you must consent to everything that the operator suggest to you. If a hypnotist were to suggest something that would make you uncomfortable, cause harm or is out of line with your morals, you would either come out of trance immediately, or simply ignore the suggestion. You are suggestible under hypnosis, but not commandable! Nobody can take over or control your mind with hypnosis, only guide you into new positive and motivating ways to think instead of negative and debilitating ways you may be running your thoughts.
• If that's so, why do people on stage bark like dogs and act like fools? Have you ever known anyone personally that has gone on stage? The stage hypnotist plays with a bit of a stacked deck. Think about it... Who goes up on stage? Volunteers! Those are people who enjoy being the centre of attention and acting like the court jester. Quite often you can see these people launching out of their chairs, jumping in the air shouting "me, me, me, me, ME!!!!" And in many cases they may have even been drinking or are mildly under the influences of an intoxication anyway. Chances are they might bark like a dog even if they weren't hypnotized just to get a laugh! This is not meant to take anything away from stage-hypnotists - stage hypnotism is an extraordinary art that is difficult to master. But, in order to put ten to fifty subjects under trance in less than ten minutes, and then have them do entertaining things, it helps to have the right type of subjects. And this is not medical or therapeutic hypnosis in any context whatsoever.
• What Will Hypnosis Feel Like? As discussed above, Hypnosis can feel radically different to different people, so nobody can tell you exactly what you'll feel. But I can tell you this... It will be completely comfortable...you will relax completely... And you will have a profoundly incredible and positive experience. The best way to learn about it is to experience it.

• What if I cannot be hypnotised? Everyone can be hypnotized. Let me say that again: Everyone can be hypnotized. This does not necessarily mean that everyone will submit to hypnosis. Remember, hypnosis is cooperative... The subject is always in charge. But rest assured that, anyone with an I.Q. above that of a raw onion, who can relax, comprehend and follow simple instructions, can be hypnotized, if they are to allow it.
• Can a person get stuck in a hypnotised state? This is the most common fear that people seem to have about the mythical state of hypnosis and it probably the most absurd once you understand the mechanisms of hypnosis. You've never become permanently "stuck" daydreaming, have you?!? Of course not! While a few people are reluctant to "snap to", just because hypnosis is so cool and feels so good, everyone comes out of hypnosis feeling great, refreshed and full of life. And that is a guaranteed benefit of this particular altered state. Just think about when you are going to the cinema and you are engrossed in an amazing movie, and you’re sat on the edge of your seat, totally absorbed, as if you are there in it, the main character, seeing through their eyes, hearing what they hear, feeling what they feel….and you are unaware of the world around you. Doesn’t that feel totally amazing. And when the movie ends you drift back to reality feeling positively affected and thrilled with the entertaining movie. That’s pretty much what can happen in hypnosis but you cannot get stuck in that state.

So now you know a little bit more about the state and science of this very useful tool. Perhaps you can think up or dream up many ways in which hypnosis may be of benefit to you. Maybe you will even go out and try a session to see what impact it has on your competition or training or even your life. Perhaps you will wait for more articles to find out even more about this amazingly interesting science.