Self-Hypnosis

This technique is to be practised daily for five to ten minutes. The need to practise must be emphasised in order to obtain permanent results.

Whenever you wish to go into a state of self-hypnosis, make yourself as comfortable as possible and close your eyes.

Take a few deep breaths. Make them deep enough so that you can feel both your chest and stomach rise as you breathe in, and fall as you breathe out. This should be done at a level comfortable for you.

As you breathe in relaxation, see if you can give it a colour. This is optional — it is equally acceptable simply to feel more relaxed.

As you breathe out tension, you may see a colour or something that your mind links with tension leaving your body, or you may simply feel the tension leaving.

If you see a colour that your mind links with relaxation coming in, see if you can bring it down through the muscles of your body, as this will help them relax even more.

Progressive relaxation of the body

Take a few more deep breaths and relax the muscles of your face, jaw, neck and throat as you breathe out.

After a few more deep breaths, relax your shoulders, arms and hands as you breathe out.

Be aware of what you feel, especially in your arms and hands, as this differs from person to person. Some feel lighter, some heavier; some feel tingling, warmth, or deep relaxation.

If you feel nothing at all, give it more time. Some people take longer to relax, and practising relaxation will help.

After a few more deep breaths, relax the muscles of your back as you breathe out. The top half of your body should now feel pleasantly relaxed and perhaps heavy, similar to the feeling before falling into a deep, comfortable sleep — but aim for a state between awake and asleep.

Now take a few more deep breaths and relax the muscles of your hips as you breathe out.

After a few more deep breaths, relax the muscles of your thighs as you breathe out — both the upper and lower parts.

After a few more deep breaths, relax the muscles of your calves down to your feet as you breathe out.

Deepening relaxation

Now become aware of the lower half of your body and how deeply you have relaxed. This is a further indication of your level of relaxation. We can be using hypnosis to improve sleep.

See if you can now go deeper by relaxing upwards through the muscles of your body. Bring the warm, soothing colour up through your body if you have chosen to use one. If you are already well relaxed, relaxing upwards may not be necessary.

On your next few deep breaths, relax from your feet up through the muscles of your legs.

On the next few deep breaths, relax from your hips up through the muscles of your back again.

On the next few deep breaths, relax the muscles of your shoulders, arms and hands again.

On the next few deep breaths, relax the muscles of your neck, throat, jaw and face.

Now, on your next few deep breaths, relax all the muscles of your body.

Calming the mind

Be aware now of your whole body and the state of relaxation you have reached. This will vary from session to session, so accept whatever level you achieve. Understand what hypnosis can do over time.

The number of deep breaths you take can also be varied to find what works best for you. Be aware of the warm, soothing colour throughout your body if you were able to bring it in.

After relaxing your body, become more aware of your mind. Let thoughts drift in and out without holding on to them.

If you are a visual person, you may calm your mind by visualising a scene or situation that you find calming and relaxing. Make it as vivid as possible so that it feels as if you are really there.

Mind and body work together. Calmness of mind leads to relaxation of the body, just as relaxation of the body leads to calmness of mind. The power of suggestion is powerful.

You may remain in this trance for as long as you like, though in real time it will usually be no more than five to ten minutes.

Ending the session

When you have used the time for whatever purpose you choose, decide when the time has come to count slowly from one to five.

Before counting, say silently to yourself:

“On the count of five I will feel calm, relaxed and confident … confident that my mind has the resources to achieve any goals I decide to achieve. When I reach the count of five I will feel wide awake, I will feel fine. My ability to enter self-hypnosis will increase until these feelings of calmness and relaxation become an essential feature of my life.”

Then slowly count from one to five.

Important notes

If something arises that requires your attention while practising self-hypnosis, you can immediately leave the state and become fully alert. It is under your control.

For the same reason, you can vary the process of self-hypnosis to suit you as an individual.

It is important to understand that hypnosis is a normal state that we experience every day. Because it is natural, it is not dangerous for the vast majority of people.

Always sit or lie down when practising self-hypnosis, as you are drifting between awake and asleep and cannot safely do anything else at the same time. Everyday activities such as driving a car are far more dangerous.

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