Hypnosis FAQ

Common Hypnosis Questions

• What is Hypnosis?
• Will I "come out" of hypnosis?
• Can I be hypnotized against my will?
• Can I be made to do something in hypnosis that I don't want to do?
• Will I reveal any secrets while under hypnosis?
• Is hypnosis safe?
• Is it true that only weak willed people can succumb to hypnosis?
• Will my church have a problem with hypnosis?

hypnosis heightens senses all is self-hypnosis don't black out 1 hour hypnosis = 4 hours sleep athletes use hypnosis

What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural state of mind, which you have probably already experienced. For example, if you drive the same way often, to work or school or a friend's house, you've probably experienced the feeling of suddenly arriving there without remembering the last part of your drive. What kind of car were you following? How many lights did you have to stop at? You probably couldn't say. You may also have had the experience of driving to another destination, when suddenly you realize you've accidentally driven halfway to work. If you can identify with any of this, congratulations, you've experienced...

HIGHWAY HYPNOSIS!

This is the same state of mind as hypnosis. In hypnosis, you are not asleep or unconscious. You are awake and aware of everything going on around you. You will most likely remember everything that is said to you and everything that you do under hypnosis. (Spontaneous amnesia can occur occasionally in people, but this is no different than an interruption in the conversation making you forget what you were just talking about.)

Another time you experience hypnosis is when you're absorbed in a really good movie or TV show. You "suspend" disbelief and imagine the story unfolding on the screen as if it's real. You experience real emotional responses. The rest of the world around you disappears out of your awareness.

You can also reach this state of mind anytime you wish by learning self-hypnosis or by having a professional hypnotize you. Hypnosis creates a state of heightened suggestibility, which can be used for many purposes. Stage hypnotists use this heightened suggestibility to give entertaining suggestions that will bring out the natural creativity and imagination in their volunteers. Clinical hypnotists use this heightened suggestibility to give positive suggestions to help their clients reach their goals. You can also do this yourself through self-hypnosis.

Will I wake up?

Of course. There has never been anyone permanently "stuck" in hypnosis. Since you're not asleep or unconscious or in any other kind of unnatural state, you are aware of everything around you and perfectly capable of bringing yourself out of hypnosis at any time you wish. If you were hypnotized, then left alone, you would either wonder where everyone had gone and bring yourself out of hypnosis, or if you were tired, you might fall asleep and wake up normally like any other time you had dozed off. The main point is that you never need to worry about not coming out of hypnosis.

Can I be hypnotized against my will?

No. All hypnosis is basically self-hypnosis. A hypnotist really only acts as a guide to show you how to put yourself into hypnosis. The hypnotist appeals to your imagination through images and suggestions in order to assist you in reaching a state of hypnosis, but it can only work if you cooperate and allow the suggestions to work.

This means that if you don't want to be hypnotized, you won't be. (Yes, you can look a hypnotist in the eyes without fear.) That also means that if you challenge a hypnotist to hypnotize you with the attitude "I bet you can't," then you've already won. You have all the control in hypnosis, and we as hypnotists can do nothing unless you believe it can happen, want it to happen, and allow it to happen.

Can I be made to do something in hypnosis that I don't want to do?

No. You are aware of everything the entire time you are hypnotized, and can reject any suggestions you don't want to follow. Just like you can't be hypnotized against your will, you can't do anything you don't want to while in hypnosis.

Will I reveal any secrets while under hypnosis?

No. You can't do anything in hypnosis that you don't want to do. This includes telling secrets. In fact, people can lie when in hypnosis.

Is hypnosis safe?

Definitely. As I explained earlier, hypnosis is a natural state we already experience, like daydreaming, highway hypnosis, or watching a movie. We can refuse suggestions or bring ourselves out of hypnosis at any time.

Is it true that only weak willed people can succumb to hypnosis?

Absolutely not. This idea stems from the mistaken belief that hypnotized people are under the control of the hypnotist. Since the person in hypnosis can choose whether to be hypnotized or not and whether they will respond to the given suggestions or not, they don't give up any control to the hypnotist. In fact, people with good concentration skills and a good imagination have the easiest time going into hypnosis. higher intellegence

Will my church have a problem with hypnosis?

I'm not an expert in religion, so I refer you to Chaplain Paul Durbin, who has created a thoughtful, in-depth article about religion and hypnosis, including articles from clergy of several different faiths.

The article suggests that with the exclusion of Christian Science and Seventh-Day-Adventist, most other religions support the use of hypnosis for helping people. This includes Protestant and Orthodox Churches, Catholic, Jewish, Buddhism, Hinduism, Shintoism, Yoga, and Muslim.

A few facts worth noting:

• The Christian Science Church was founded on hypnosis techniques. The Church's founder, Mary Baker Eddy was a client and student of hypnotist Phineas Quimby. After hypnosis helped her overcome illness, she then integrated what she had learned with her Christian faith. Later, after accusations in the New York Times that she had plagiarized Quimby, Mary Baker Eddy separated her church from hypnosis.
• The Roman Catholic Church approved hypnosis by decree in 1847. Pope Pius approved hypnosis for childbirth in 1956.

In my experience, most people who are opposed to hypnosis are operating under the misconceptions I've covered in this FAQ. Usually once those misconceptions are exposed as false, the resistance disappears.

More questions?

You can find a walkthrough of a typical stage show in the stage show outline. And questions about stage shows specifically are answered in the stage show FAQ.