Make sure the temperature is good, too. Have a blanket or a sweater ready if you run on the chilly side. Sometimes feeling warm can be very comforting, too.
The amount of time you want to dedicate to this is up to you. Most prefer to be in a trance (we try to avoid that phrase as it has certain. . . err. . . negative connotations) for about 15 or 20 minutes, but you should also allow time to get in and out of it, too.
If you want to quit a bad habit, something to the point is the most effective. Think along the lines of, “I choose no longer to smoke. Cigarettes have no appeal to me. " If you want to think more positively, aim for something like, “I am capable of whatever I set my mind to. I am in control and I am valuable. " If you want to reach a specific goal, like weight loss, say it in the present tense: “I am eating healthy. I am losing my excess weight. My clothes feel better and I feel better. " These are statements you will be reciting to yourself when you’re under. Again, it’s up to you, but many find them life-affirming and effective.
Alternatively, some like to pick a point on the wall and focus on it. It could be the corner, it could be a smudge, it could be wherever you want it to be. Focus on the point, concentrating on your eyelids. Repeat to yourself that they’re getting heavier and heavier and let them close when you cannot keep them open anymore.
Relax your toes, then your feet. Continue with your calves, thighs, hips, stomach and so on, until you’ve relaxed each portion, including your face and head. Using imagery techniques of something you find comforting or soothing, such as water (feel the water rushing over your feet and ankles, cleansing them of tension) can be effective as well.
At this point, you can use visualization as you so choose. Think of a lemon and cut it in half in your mind. Imagine the juices oozing out and getting over your fingers. Place it in your mouth. What’s your reaction? How does it feel, taste, and smell? Then, move onto more meaningful visions. Imagine your bills blowing away in the breeze. Imagine you running off those pounds. Get as detailed as possible. Always think of your five senses.
As you take each step, imagine the feel of the step under your feet. Once you are at the fifth step imagine and truly feel the refreshing coolness of the water and tell yourself that you are stepping into an oasis of purity and cleanliness. As you begin to descend the last five steps, start to feel the water getting higher and higher up your body. You should now start to feel somewhat numb and your heart will start to race a bit, but notice it and let any qualms about the situation just drift away into the water.
Now start to narrate what you are doing; speak in the present and future tense quietly to yourself, or as if you are reading it from a page. Start to picture three boxes under the water that you have to swim to get to. Once you have found the boxes, open them slowly, one at a time, and narrate to yourself what is happening when you open the box. For example, “As I open the box I feel a radiant light engulf me, I feel it becoming a part of me. This light is my new found confidence that I can never lose as it is now a part of me” and then proceed on to the next box. You should avoid using statements with a negative connotation, such as “I don’t want to be tired and irritable. " Instead, say, “I am becoming calm and relaxed. " Examples of positive statements include: “I am strong and slender,” “I am successful and positive,” and, if you have pain, “My back is beginning to feel wonderful. " (See warning on pain. )
Once it passes, continue up the stairs, visualizing each step by its number, feeling the steps underneath you. Will yourself to carry on up the stairs. For the record, this water visualization isn’t 100% hard and true. If you come up with another scenario that you prefer, use it! It’s just as good, if not better, since it works for you.
Take your time getting up. Then tell yourself, “Wide awake, wide awake,” or something you’re used to, in order to wake up. This will put your mind back in the conscious state, bringing you back to reality.
If the first time doesn’t seem effective, don’t write it off automatically. Some things take time to get used to and to get good at. Come back to it in a few days and revisit the experiences. You may be surprised. Open your mind. You have to believe there is a possibility of this working in order for it to work. Any skepticism on your part will impede your progress.
Entwine your fingers together. Keep them together throughout your trance, telling yourself that they are stuck together – almost as if they’re covered in glue. Then, try to take them apart. If you find you can’t. . . proof! Think of one arm getting heavier and heavier. You don’t need to consciously pick one; your brain will do this for you. Imagine a book on top of it, holding it down. Then, try to lift it up. Can you?
Many use hypnosis to get over certain issues like shyness. You don’t have to attack the shyness head on; something related will do. Simply imagining yourself going about the world with your head high, smiling, and making eye contact can be the first step toward a more extroverted you.
Timers can be helpful, too. Some find that getting out of the trance is difficult and they lose track of time. If you don’t want to accidentally spend hours hypnotized, you can use a timer. Just make sure it has a soothing tone to get you out of it.
There is no wrong way to go about this. Whether it’s kicking a bad habit, having focus in your work life, or just changing your thinking, hypnosis can help. Getting rid of the stressors in your life is an integral part of being the person you want to become and this will help. And the more you do it, the better and more natural it’ll feel.
