Hypnosis Myth #1
Only weak-minded people can be hypnotized
The truth is that everyone can be hypnotized. As a matter of fact, each one of us are using hypnosis in some form every single day of our lives either consciously or unconsciously.
We are experiencing some form of a trance-like hypnotic state each time we engage our imagination, each time we engage our emotions, each time our attention is focused upon our subjective experience.
The goal of a hypnosis session is successful installation of a desired outcomes deep into the subconscious mind from where it eventually expresses automatically without any further conscious activity.
We disempower ourselves when we choose limiting beliefs which reduce the number of available options toward reaching desired outcome; and we empower ourselves whenever we open ourselves to more options.
The people that are easiest to hypnotize are those who have great imagination and are able to maintain the focus on the desired objective.In other words, its people who still nourish that childlike quality of pretending, acting "as if" that which they desire to experience is their only reality.
Hypnosis Myth #2
Hypnotist has complete power over you when you are hypnotized
People who play the role of a hypnotist are not only those who label themselves as hypnotist, but can be anyone who is skilled with using language, capturing another person's imagination or is perceived as having an authority by the listener in a given context. You could say that the first hypnotists we experienced in our lives were our own parents - even if they did the whole act of hypnotizing unknowingly.
Hypnotist or another person who is playing the role of a hypnotist (knowingly or unknowingly) can have as much power over you as you give them. Hypnosis can be done in much more subtle ways than someone telling you to "take a deep breath and close your eyes now ... and hold onto every word I say ... because your life may depend on it". It may be a simple statement that someone utters which stimulates your imagination and more importantly your emotions - a statement of hope and encouragement or of some dismal consequences.
It is always up to you, whether you are having a session with a hypnotist, listening to hypnosis recording or receiving information through some other media - from a doctor, a lawyer, a salesman, an ad in a paper, watching news, reading books or newspapers - whether you want to accept or reject the ideas and statements offered. For that reason we say that "all hypnosis is ultimately self-hypnosis" and that you are always in control.
The role of a hypnotist in a therapeutic setting is to help you establish communication channel with your subcosncious in order to overcome your inner obstacles and reach your goals. All that any hypnotist can do for you, you can do for yourself on your own, too - if you take some time to learn self-hypnosis. A skilled hypnotist can help you a great deal simply due to experience and knowledge of variety of helpful techniques, but ultimately all the power is right in your mind and it is only a matter of learning to access it and practicing to develop, or rather unfold it so that you can accomplish anything you desire.
Hypnosis Myth #3
If you can hear the hypnotist, you were not hypnotized
This misconception has probably come about due to another common misconception which equates the state of hypnosis with sleep.
A lot of people believe that when they are hypnotized they will not be aware of anything that is happening around them.Yet, if you lost all connection with the hypnotist, how could you follow the instructions?
While the level of awareness of your surroundings may shift to some degree, you will still be aware of the hypnotist or his voice.The better you are able to play the game of "let's pretend" and immerse yourself in your subjective reality (inner world experiences), the less will you be aware of your surroundings in the way that you are accustomed to.That's why we call it - "altered reality". In this altered reality, your awareness of the hypnotist may change and you may interpret him as someone else - maybe a friend or a stranger or magician - but you will still be aware of the hypnotist's voice.
Hypnosis Myth #4
You can remain permanently stuck in hypnosis
No one ever got stuck, but some people enjoy deep trance so much that they don't want to come out.Imagine being in a state where your body feels so deeply relaxed that you may not need to pay any attention to it, and your mind is completely free of any stresses associated with your daily life and you are finally able to experience all of your most cherished dreams and secret desires come to life in full color with exquisite sensations.At least here, perhaps for the first time, you are able to experience total freedom, inner peace and happiness and all seems absolutely perfect in your world.You are in control.
Do you know what happens to your body?It begins to release an abundance of pleasure hormones (endorphins).You feel better than you ever felt before.The deeper into trance you go, the better you feel.You have no desire to leave this state.But the session comes to an end and you are invited to emerge out of this state of total bliss.You have two choices: either you reluctantly choose to live this state knowing that you'll be able to experience it again or you refuse to come out.