All self-hypnosis is auto-hypnosis
To me, we are doing the public a great disservice by lying to them. We can do a greater service by encouraging people to recognize their trance states/hypnosis and to choose whether being in them is healthy or not. They can also learn to USE their naturally occurring trance states/hypnosis to reprogram themselves! One might, for example, take themselves out of hypnosis when deciding not to deal with a unhealthy relationship anymore.
While I do understand concerns if we, as a profession, were to tell the truth about hypnosis (that it is not always self-induced), I think you must have missed my point about the reality that while in the hands of a skilled and ethical hypnotherapist, you are THE MOST IN CONTROL OF YOUR MIND ever! So while the word "hypnosis" might end up having some negative connotations, it could be rather empowering for people to believe that they can learn to utilize the power of hypnosis for good - whether with guidance or self-induced. Or, as someone else suggested, we could change the name of hypnosis (whose origins give a completely false impression of what it really is, anyway - SLEEP).
Here's one thing that troubles me. Most hypnotherapists, when describing what hypnotherapy is, use the examples of "driving down the highway, getting lost in a book, a movie, or a tv program, etc." These are all natural functions that occur without conscious consideration. So while we are choosing to drive down a long highway with the monotonous drone of the tires eating up miles and miles of yellow lines, lulling our minds and bodies into comfort, the sameness of the scenery flowing past our peripheral awareness, we do not choose to go into trance/hypnosis. It just happens. As it probably did for you when you just read my description. So how can we be so inconsistent? How can we say we naturally go into and out of trance (hypnosis) all day long, and then, in the same breath, tell folks that we only go into hypnosis because we choose to?
"All hypnosis is self-hypnosis" (to me), implies conscious consensus and agreement. Most trance states occur organically and without conscious volition. Or they are induced by another (for good or evil purposes). In order to determine whether all hypnosis is self-hypnosis (or not) we have to define hypnosis. I will set forth several definitions as defined by reputable sources. Please notice that in no definition is there ANY reference to "a state which is self-induced." The hypnosis that is created by oneself is "auto-hypnosis." So if you wanted to be accurate with the public, you could state that some hypnosis is self-hypnosis, but it is really called "auto-hypnosis." The definitions for auto-hypnosis are beneath the definitions for hypnosis.
hypnosis
* An artificially induced altered state of consciousness, characterized by heightened suggestibility and receptivity to direction.
* Hypnotism.
* A sleeplike condition.
hypnosis
* A trancelike state resembling somnambulism, usually induced by another person, in which the subject may experience forgotten or suppressed memories, hallucinations, and heightened suggestibility.
* A sleeplike state or condition.
* Hypnotism.
hypnosis
1 : a state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject
2 : any of various conditions that resemble sleep
3 :HYPNOTISM
hypnosis
a state that resembles sleep but that is induced by suggestion
hypnosis
A state of heightened awareness and focused concentration that can be used to manipulate the perception of pain.
autohypnosis
n. In both senses also called self-hypnosis.
* The act or process of hypnotizing oneself.
* A self-induced hypnotic state.
autohypnosis
self-induced and usually automatic hypnosis
autohypnosis
Self-induced hypnosis, accomplished by concentrating on self-absorbing thought or on the idea of being hypnotised.
Synonym:
autohypnotism,
idiohypnotism,
statuvolence.
So folks, if you have made it this far, thanks for reading! Maybe we SHOULD come up with a new word to describe what we do. It could be the only way.... if we're worried about telling people the literal (as several dictionaries define it) truth of what hypnosis is.
Love, Steph
While I do understand concerns if we, as a profession, were to tell the truth about hypnosis (that it is not always self-induced), I think you must have missed my point about the reality that while in the hands of a skilled and ethical hypnotherapist, you are THE MOST IN CONTROL OF YOUR MIND ever! So while the word "hypnosis" might end up having some negative connotations, it could be rather empowering for people to believe that they can learn to utilize the power of hypnosis for good - whether with guidance or self-induced. Or, as someone else suggested, we could change the name of hypnosis (whose origins give a completely false impression of what it really is, anyway - SLEEP).
Here's one thing that troubles me. Most hypnotherapists, when describing what hypnotherapy is, use the examples of "driving down the highway, getting lost in a book, a movie, or a tv program, etc." These are all natural functions that occur without conscious consideration. So while we are choosing to drive down a long highway with the monotonous drone of the tires eating up miles and miles of yellow lines, lulling our minds and bodies into comfort, the sameness of the scenery flowing past our peripheral awareness, we do not choose to go into trance/hypnosis. It just happens. As it probably did for you when you just read my description. So how can we be so inconsistent? How can we say we naturally go into and out of trance (hypnosis) all day long, and then, in the same breath, tell folks that we only go into hypnosis because we choose to?
"All hypnosis is self-hypnosis" (to me), implies conscious consensus and agreement. Most trance states occur organically and without conscious volition. Or they are induced by another (for good or evil purposes). In order to determine whether all hypnosis is self-hypnosis (or not) we have to define hypnosis. I will set forth several definitions as defined by reputable sources. Please notice that in no definition is there ANY reference to "a state which is self-induced." The hypnosis that is created by oneself is "auto-hypnosis." So if you wanted to be accurate with the public, you could state that some hypnosis is self-hypnosis, but it is really called "auto-hypnosis." The definitions for auto-hypnosis are beneath the definitions for hypnosis.
hypnosis
* An artificially induced altered state of consciousness, characterized by heightened suggestibility and receptivity to direction.
* Hypnotism.
* A sleeplike condition.
hypnosis
* A trancelike state resembling somnambulism, usually induced by another person, in which the subject may experience forgotten or suppressed memories, hallucinations, and heightened suggestibility.
* A sleeplike state or condition.
* Hypnotism.
hypnosis
1 : a state that resembles sleep but is induced by a person whose suggestions are readily accepted by the subject
2 : any of various conditions that resemble sleep
3 :HYPNOTISM
hypnosis
a state that resembles sleep but that is induced by suggestion
hypnosis
A state of heightened awareness and focused concentration that can be used to manipulate the perception of pain.
autohypnosis
n. In both senses also called self-hypnosis.
* The act or process of hypnotizing oneself.
* A self-induced hypnotic state.
autohypnosis
self-induced and usually automatic hypnosis
autohypnosis
Self-induced hypnosis, accomplished by concentrating on self-absorbing thought or on the idea of being hypnotised.
Synonym:
autohypnotism,
idiohypnotism,
statuvolence.
So folks, if you have made it this far, thanks for reading! Maybe we SHOULD come up with a new word to describe what we do. It could be the only way.... if we're worried about telling people the literal (as several dictionaries define it) truth of what hypnosis is.
Love, Steph
2 Comments:
Brian David Phillips said...
Stephanie, that's an interesting take. I agree with some of it. For me, a useful definition of trancework is based upon imaginative involvement and consent for changework. I use a general definition of trancework which would then include hypnosis, NLP, focused trance, guided imagery, and the like that goes like this:
"Trancework . . . a wonderful special modality of changework that relies on trance . . . TRANCE . . . consensual guided intensified imaginative involvement to bypass the critical factor of the conscious mind and establish appropriate selective thinking via forms of influence and suggestion through formal and informal ritual induction procedures within variable contexts for entertainment, recreational, therapeutic and educational obectives."
This allows me to exclude things like highway hypnosis or daydreaming reverie and focus on actual intentional processes.
BTW, your blog was just referred to me by one of the Hypnosis Technique Exchange members http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypnosisTechniqueExchange and I think it's an interesting blog. I've added it to my "hypnoblogs" roll at http://briandavidphillips.typepad.com/brian/ . . . please keep it up!
All the best,
Brian David Phillips, PhD, CH
http://www.briandavidphillips.com
I need help with auto-hypnosis.. I can put myself in a trance, and I can even voluntarily go into sleep paralysis.. I want to attempt to use my subconscious mind to connect with others to attain universal knowledge while in a trance.. How do I stop from waking up? Every time someone asks me a question, it wakes me up. What was Edgar Cayce doing right?
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