Contrary to what most people think, hypnosis is not something that is done to you. And all hypnosis is actually self hypnosis. In the end, it is you who induces the hypnotic state. Once in a hypnotic state, you can use tools such as visualization and imagery to reprogram the subconscious mind. And with a persistent effort, we can actually diminish emotional responses, pain, old beliefs and memories which are no longer appropriate in your lives.

A couple of areas where hypnosis has become quite popular in recent years is weight management and smoking cessation. However, these are only a few of an enormous number of potential applications. Other areas include pain control, habit disorders, addictions, stress, self-esteem issues, sports enhancement, memory, concentration, and symptom control for disease. Self hypnosis could actually be used as a health tool where a person could manage the workings of the total mind and body at optimum levels, continually healing changes brought about by life stressors, while allowing us to accelerate our learning and reach goals far beyond our present expectations.

The mind is amazing thing. It works like a video recorder and our thoughts simply become tapes that we play over and over again. The bad news is that most of us play mainly negative tapes, visualizing negative outcomes, or rehash memories that only serve to stir up anxiety or depression. It is also not uncommon for us to speak internally to ourselves in quite critical ways. As we continually replay these mental tapes, we put ourselves in a light trance state and become preoccupied and internally focused. Thus, it is very important to realize that our thoughts, imagination and internal dialogue can be counterproductive to our real goals in the end.

So when we reprogram our subconscious mind for success, we request to be made aware of our unproductive emotional states and corresponding behaviors, so we can choose to change them. It can actually be as simple as crossing out the undesirable thought pattern, or super-imposing the chosen goal picture, giving a new message to the subconscious mind. While this may sound like very trivial, it is actually a very powerful reprogramming technique.

Self hypnosis allows us to change our internal world. While we use our imagination, we can stir feelings and alter our behavior and attitudes. When you change how you think, you can visualize and imagine you would like things to be, your feelings and behavior will start to change. You will not only see what is possible, but the mind will also send up other suggestions in support of your desired goals. Many times the mind will suggest things that you never even considered. Never forget that the mind actually works backwards. When it sees the ideal goal clearly in great definition, it will make an action plan. Many people report that these changes just seem to occur automatically.