| Misconceptions on Hypnosis and Asked Questions: |
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1) Can everyone get hypnotized? Yes, hypnotic trance is a proven function of the human brain. In fact, our subconscious mind is always doing a whole variety of things in our bodies that we are not aware of; regulating breathing, controlling body temperature, controlling emotions, etc. What most people refer to as “hypnosis” is a state that everyone has the capacity to enter, but at different intensities and rhythms. On stage, a hypnotist has about 5 minutes to hypnotize a group of people, which means not everyone goes under. However, in therapy, the hypnotherapist is working one on one and has more time. Therefore, trance in hypnotherapy is 100% accurate. 2) How does hypnosis feel? Hypnosis feels like when you’re in the back seat of a car on a very long drive, on the beach laying down or the first 30 seconds after you wake up. You’re in a state where you are very conscious of everything going on around you, everything sounds very clear and loud. You’re telling yourself; “I know I’m awake, I can move if I want to, but I’m just sooo relaxed.” THAT’S IT! You’re aware, you know what’s happening, but you just…don’t care! 3) Is hypnosis real? What’s the science behind it all? If hypnosis is NOT real, then a lot of large corporations have really wasted their money by paying us to do shows! And MANY clients have wasted their money paying us to improve certain aspects of their lives. Simply put, hypnosis opens up the subconscious part of our mind, the part we do not control, and makes it stronger than the conscious part. The subconscious mind can make us do all the same things as the conscious mind and quite a few things more. People in trance have been hooked up to brain scans and there is a difference in brain wave activity. (refer to question 9 for more evidence) 4) Can you get stuck in a trance? No! Trance is a state in which a person places themselves, with guidance from a hypnotist. If the person has the capacity to put themselves in, they have the capacity to bring themselves out. When getting hypnotized, you are going from a waking (less suggestible) state, to a hypnotic (more suggestible) state. If you can make yourself do that, then logically, isn’t it a lot easier to go from a SUGGESTIBLE state to a LESS SUGESTIBLE state? If a subject is not given the suggestion to wake up, either their trance will turn into normal sleep and they will wake up or they will just snap out! 5) Why is hypnosis one of the best forms of entertainment? Because the entertainer takes the back seat, the main star is YOU and your friends. Hypnosis deals with the mind of people, and it touches on a science that a lot of people have no experience with. The mix of humour, mystery and interaction makes hypnosis shows one of the most refreshingly entertaining types of shows. 6) Is hypnosis safe? Yes! 100% safe. Anything that happened in trance can be undone in or out of trance. Hypnotists are taught to handle subjects with care and not make them do anything that can be harmful to them. If this rule is respected, hypnosis has no dangers. Nonetheless, all humans have subconscious circuitry that assures safety. It goes a lot deeper than the suggestions a hypnotist gives and thus subjects will always remember to not harm themselves or others. 7) Are there any after-effects for people who have been hypnotized? Often a hypnotist may give a subject what we call a “post-hypnotic suggestion.” This means that certain realities will manifest themselves even after the subject is awake; basically, it leaves one window of the subconscious mind open. In shows, these suggestions will fade shortly after the spectator is awake. In therapy, they can keep this for as long as they want, but it is often something to help them in their lives. Ex: Every time you brush your teeth you will feel an overwhelming confidence that you can bring with you for the rest of your day! 8) Is it true that people can do certain things under hypnosis that they cannot do when they are awake? Yes! Hypnosis gives someone complete control over a lot of things that we do not have control over when we are awake, like taste. It is possible to eat something that is supposed to taste terrible (like onions) and your mind will convince you that it tastes delicious (like an apple). Spidey does this in his shows quite often and you can see no unpleasant reaction from the subjects, not even any tears. Similarly, it is possible to stop bleeding, accelerate the process of healing a bruise, tighten muscles until the body is still like a board and many more things! 9) Is it true that Spidey once had a girl drink a whole glass of Vodka like it was water? Yes, Spidey has done this in a few of his shows, but there are a few VERY important things to keep in mind. The girls are always asked if they can hold down their alcohol, if they are driving that night and if they are 18 or older. The demonstration was in order to show just how powerful the mind can be. The girls think that the vodka is water and so they drink it all without any side effects, except for the fact that they have bad breath. When they wake up (an hour later) the effect hits them. It is a very powerful demonstration with ethical boundaries. It is also important to note that the content in the glass was measured to equal 6 and a half shots of vodka, which is not an overwhelming quantity it is just impossible to take it all down when one is not in trance! |
