What is Hypnosis?
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What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis is a term that sparks curiosity and is often misunderstood. While many people think of hypnosis as a mystical state of mind control, it is actually a scientifically studied phenomenon involving a focused state of attention and an increased level of suggestibility.
At its core, hypnosis taps into a natural capability of the human brain: the ability to concentrate intensely while tuning out distractions. This focused attention is deeply rooted in neurobiology. We often enter similar states of concentration in everyday activities like playing video games, watching TV, praying, reading, or running. In these moments, we become so absorbed in what we are doing that we ignore everything else around us.
Suggestibility, another key aspect of hypnosis, also has its roots in the brain's wiring. Our brains are equipped with mirror neurons—special cells that help us learn and interact socially by mimicking the behaviours, expressions, and emotions of others. This ability to mirror others is essential for social learning and underlies why hypnosis can be effective.
Hypnotic responsiveness is not a magical or mysterious ability but rather a natural, genetically inherited trait of the human brain. It is a deliberate and motivated process that allows people to alter their perception of themselves, their bodies, actions, and even their surroundings to varying degrees.
The role of a hypnotist, or what is known as heterohypnosis, is primarily to guide and create an environment that helps individuals access this innate ability to transform their experience. The hypnotist’s suggestions are not about controlling someone’s mind but rather facilitating a state where the person’s own mind becomes more receptive to suggestion. If the suggestions are not acceptable to the client- then they will be ignored.
You may have heard people say, "No one can hypnotise me," reflecting a fear of losing control or having their mind manipulated against their will. However, this belief overlooks a fundamental truth: everyone is capable of experiencing hypnotic states. In fact, self-hypnosis—where we repeat positive affirmations or suggestions to ourselves—is a common practice many people engage in without even realising it. Also, hypnosis is not something that someone does to you. It is what you do to yourself! No one can put you in a ‘trance’- you are given the suggestions to experience whatever it is that you create for yourself.