People often ask me “How does Hypnosis work?” I used to trot out all the general information about splitting your attention and allowing your conscious mind to disengage and giving you the oportunity to recieve the important messages direct into your unconscious.  Our conscious thoughts/ mind tends to act a bit like a gatekeeper because the unconscious does not deal with positive/negative concepts. When you absorb something into your unconscious processes they are accepted and acted upon. There is no argument no logic checks, its a bit like saying black or white in your awareness, however in the unconscious it is just seen and accepted.

So our current best guesses which are based on observation are that the UCM  is a bit like an idiot savant and once an idea or concept is accepted it immediately becomes fact. I like to think that our minds are a bit more canny than that, when you think about it we often hold discordant beliefs and we pull out the one that suits a particular occassion so that your behaviour in one environment or situation could well be different in at a different time and place and you have no problem with this apparent mismatch.

Certain beliefs though especially if they relate to self image and self belief rather than a general belief in things are much more subtle and powerful motivators of behaviour. So if you believe you are shy in company you will act in a shy manner, your anxiety levels and your focus will be on high alert, you might blush or stutter, even find it difficult to speak with a firm voice and hearing the hesitation in your own voice become even more unsure of yourself and retreat, keeping a safe distance between yourself and other people.

When you hold a belief that you are a natural extrovert the behaviour follows the belief/matches it and in effect creates a very confident and outgoing image, strong enough to convince everybody even yourself. This is why hypnosis works so well, when you enter a trance state and change your mental state to a more relaxed and open one, you can give yourself permission to consider change, any change.

So if you came to me to quit smoking and you believed that hypnosis could make it easier, more comfortable for you to quit you would find that hypnosis was helpful. If you had known three friends who had used hypnosis to quit smoking and all of them had raved on to you about how easy it was this way you might react in a number of ways and this is the point I wish to make today. You might think well it works for some but not for me, if you believe this it is interesting but you might find that you have a session, throw away your cigerettes and smoking paraphanalia only to start up again in a few months. In this way you have reconciled your belief that it will work for others but not for you.

If you think well I’m stronger minded than they are this system must be wonderful and you come to me with a positive and open mind you might find that a single session is enough and within a day or so all cravings will evaporate and you will forget to think about smoking or cigarettes in an almost magical way! this is true and for some people this is their actual experience. However for some who doubt themselves it becomes necessary for them to practise giving up. They might – do in fact – come and have sessions over a period of time sometimes a year or more. I have had clients stop and start smoking for months until the message gets right into that powerful mind of theirs that they have had enough and they are ready to change thier habit and their belief. When this occurs they suddenly find it easy to suceed even though it had been so difficult only months before.

Your belief and self image allows you to create whatever you believe is possible. I do not mean you can lay around day dreaming about being a film star or millionaire and it all suddenly happens for you. What I mean is that you hold a belief; make it clear in your mind, focus on what you want and you will begin to do those things that make it possible to achieve your goal. That might not sound particularly glamorous or quick, but it can be suprisingly quick if you already have that potential and talent within you.

Hypnotherapy can open you up to a deeper understanding of what you want and what you want to achieve. This is the first step towards actualising your goal, having it clear in your mind, you then have oportunity, you then have choice and choice allows you to begin to direct energy into those areas of life that will create real meaning and satisfaction for you. We are all very different, we all want different things, however we all want to be happy, healthy and content.

So if you are ready to look deeply within yourself and start gaining self awareness and self knowledge, to create changes and oportunities in you life, perhaps to attract wealth or love or fame even contentment and peace of mind. Think about that power you have within yourself; give yourself the time and the space to considered the future that could be yours. Our beliefs do many things,  they create your current environment, where you are now reflects an aspect of what you believe should be/could be. Are you ready for change? Do you deserve it!