HOW TO USE SELF-HYPNOSIS
TO CREATE LASTING CHANGES IN YOUR LIFE

The previous article explained what hypnosis is: A form of deep relaxation combined with specialized techniques of inward mental focus. Creating this state of mind allows you to access your subconscious patterns and then retrain them to achieve specific goals.

Whatever is programmed into a computer will continue to run forever -- unless the programmer sits down at the keyboard and downloads new software. It is the same with you -- your brain will continue running all the old programs that are causing your problems, unless and until you "REPROGRAM" yourself.

If you have any fears, problems, or patterns that are interfering with your ability to manage from day to day or are keeping you from living the happy and fulfilled life you desire, hynotherapy can make a difference.

SUGGESTIONS FOR USING SELF-HYPNOSIS TAPES:

We have a wide range of tapes available that can help you achieve a variety of goals, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, making more money, overcoming shyness, doing better in school, eliminating insomnia, and dozens of others. The following suggestions will help you get the best possible results when using these tapes:

Preparations for use:

Before beginning your self-hypnosis program, please review the following directions:

* Make a commitment to the program. While some people do get permanent results after just one session (8 percent of the population, in fact), the rule of thumb for the other 92% of us is that it usually takes 28 days to permanently alter a habit and create lasting changes in our subconscious thought and behavior patterns. For best results, use your tape at least once a day for 28 days, and then you can reinforce your new habits by using the tape once a week or so for as long as you feel the need.

* The best times of day to use the tapes are first thing in the morning (your brainwaves are already in a relaxed state because you've been asleep all night), or right before you go to bed (some say this is the best time of all, because the positive suggestions on the tape have all night to continue to anchor themselves in your subconscious mind while you're sleeping.)

*Never, ever use a hypnosis tape in a moving vehicle! In fact, you should not be doing any other activity at all while listening to the tapes, since the process requires you to be sitting still with your eyes closed and going into a deep state of relaxation.

* In order to avoid distractions, try to create a quiet space to do your hypnosis sessions: Find a quiet room, turn off the ringer on the telephone, and tell family members not to disturb you.

* If you do get interrupted, or if you need to stop your session for any reason, you always have the power to open your eyes, get up, and shut off the tape. YOU are in control at all times.

* It's best to do your sessions in a comfortable sitting position, because if you are lying down you may fall asleep instead of following along with the instructions on the tape. (If you do happen to fall asleep, that's okay. You will simply sleep normally, and wake up as you always do after sleeping).

* Something that is very helpful to use in conjunction with hypnosis is aromatherapy. Find a bottle of any scent that is pleasing to you, and use an aromatherapy diffuser to fill the room with this scent during your sessions. Then, carry a small bottle of this scent in your pocket throughout the day, and smell it whenever you wish to reinforce your hypnosis program. The sense of smell is the strongest sense associated with memory, and therefore any scent that you associate with your hypnosis program can instantly reinforce it at very deep subconscious levels.

* If you are using hypnosis to treat any medical or physical condition (including weight loss) or any form of mental illness, consult with your physician or psychiatrist first. Hypnosis is approved by the American Medical Association; however, it is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment. If you have an illness or ailment, it is important to seek proper diagnosis and treatment from a health-care provider. Upon referral from your physician, hypnosis can be used to enhance the treatment of many physical and psychological conditions.

What to Expect From Your Self-Hypnosis Program:

Each tape will guide you through a complete self-hypnosis session. All you really need to do is sit comfortably with your eyes closed and follow along with the instructions on the tape.

At the beginning of each tape there are guided relaxation exercises which help to put your mind and body into a state of receptivity. When you are deeply relaxed, your brainwaves slow down, going from the "beta" frequencies to the "alpha/theta" frequencies, which opens up access to your subconscious mind. All "reprogramming" of habits and beliefs MUST be performed at the level of the subconscious mind in order for the changes to be lasting and effective.

Once your mind and body are relaxed, positive new suggestions will be given to your subconscious mind to help you break out of negative patterns and achieve the results you desire.

Finally, you will be given a "post-hypnotic suggestion" you can use to reinforce your new habits and patterns while you are awake. (For example, you may be told on the tape that "Every time you touch your thumb with your index finger, you reinforce the new habits you have gained even more deeply.")

During the session, keep in mind that:

* The hypnotist will not control your mind. Remember, you cannot be made to do anything against your will while in hypnosis. You will remain in control, and you can accept or reject anything you hear at any time.

* You will not enter a "trance" or fall asleep. You will be awake, fully conscious, alert and aware through the whole process.

* Because you are awake during the session, you are going to hear and be aware of any background noises in your environment: cars passing by or birds chirping outside, or the humming of the refrigerator in the next room, and so on. This is normal, and should not distract you from the process unless the noises are unusually loud or offensive.

* You can also cough if you need to, or shift your position, or scratch an itch. As long as you keep your eyes closed throughout the session, you should be able to remain in a relaxed state even if you move around a little bit.

Different people have different experiences when participating in a hypnosis program:

* Some people enter a very light state of relaxation, while for others, the relaxed state is much deeper. You may even have different experiences at different times: going very deeply one day, yet only reaching a light state the next time you use the tape. As long as you are using the tape every day, you should get results.

* Your body may experience any or all of the following sensations at different times: Some people feel "lighter," while others feel "heavier" during hypnosis. Your eyelids may flicker, like they do when you're dreaming at night. You may feel a little colder or warmer as your body becomes relaxed. And your sense of time may be distorted, meaning that thirty minutes may seem like only five minutes have passed, or vice versa.

* Regardless of your physical sensations, most people find hypnosis to be a very pleasant and peaceful experience. The deep levels of relaxation you reach can make you feel very serene, refreshed and rejuvenated, the way you would feel after a nice nap.

* In fact, regardless of which program they are using, many people report that they get an extra "bonus" from working with hypnosis: Their stress levels automatically begin to decrease. This is a very normal result of practicing mind/body relaxation exercises. Many clients report that after working with hypnosis for awhile, they no longer get stressed out by things that used to drive them crazy in the past. As a result, they experience unexpected improvements in their work, their relationships, their energy levels, and their overall state of happiness and contentment. HYPNOSIS IS GOOD FOR YOU.

* And finally, as mentioned above, remember that results may vary. A handful of people experience permanent changes in their habits after just a single session, but for most people, the results happen more gradually. This is why it's important to use your tape consistently for the first 28 days, and then reinforce your results by continuing to use the tape once or twice a week for the next month or so. Just as with exercise, the more you do it, the stronger you get!

How will your results manifest? Usually, after using self-hypnosis for awhile, you begin to notice subtle changes in your behavior. For example, you may find that your desire to engage in self-defeating behaviors is fading away, and you're becoming more attracted to healthier behaviors. Your emotional responses generally shift as well: Your reactions to situations become calmer and more confident, less filled with anxiety and stress. Over time, you notice that you are developing positive new habits that bring about the conditions you want in your life.

Take smoking, for example. I've seen a handful of cases where a smoker was hypnotized one time, and that was it -- they never smoked another cigarette for the rest of their lives. But the more normal course of change for smokers using hypnosis is a gradual decrease in their desire for cigarettes. They find that they're smoking less and less. They find that they'll light a cigarette, take a drag, and say to themselves, "Why did I light this? I really don't even want it. It doesn't taste good to me anymore," and they'll put the cigarette out. Eventually, the craving for cigarettes fades away completely, making it very easy for the client to simply stop smoking at that point.

Catalog of Self-Hypnosis Tapes

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