Some call it intuition, some call it the sixth sense, some call it being "psychic." Whatever we choose to call it, it exists. For some, it is a "gut feeling" that alerts them to danger...or alerts them that something good is about to happen. For others, it is an inner voice that tells them when something isn't quite right. Some people will think of a person they haven't spoken to in a long while, then the phone rings and guess who it is?
Then there are those who have intuitive feelings that are so clear and strong, that they hear other people's thoughts, see their future, predict future events, and more. Then there are those who will tell you that they have no intuition whatsoever. Then there are the skeptics. They will dismiss intuitive experiences as "coincidence," which only means things happening at the same time and explains nothing
What makes some be able to tell the future, some have gut feelings, and some think that they have no intuition? Is it a gift? A talent? Although I do believe it is a gift of sorts, I have found that this "gift" can be found in just about anyone who truly wants it.
When I was a young child, I used to associate people with colors. I remember saying things like "look mommy, he's a blue person." What I was too young to realize is that I was seeing auras. I also believed that if I woke up early enough in the morning, that I could fly. I did this regularly until I told an adult. She told me that flying was impossible and that I was dreaming. I stopped trying and the experiences stopped. What I did not know was that I was having conscious out of body experiences. These are but a few of the "paranormal" experiences I had on a regular basis as a child.
I have worked with many children, including my own, and I have heard the most amazing things about past lives, dreams that happened later, and things that they could not have possibly known or understood at their age. I believe that many people have these kinds of experiences as children. I would even say that probably most children have some kind of intuitive experience.
Then we grow up. We go to school and learn new things. We become distracted with things outside of ourselves and some of us learn to ignore that little voice inside in favor of things that we "learned." For some people, this have proved harmful and even fatal. A friend of mine was in a car accident. After he woke up in the hospital, he said that before he got into the car, he had a "feeling" that he should not get into the car...but he thought that he was just being paranoid. After this experience, he started paying more attention to those gut feelings. Most people have a story or two like this one.
After years of ignoring intuition, or gut feelings, some people may think that they don't have it at all. Like any feelings, you may not be in touch with them, but they still exist. Getting back in touch with that inner voice, for some, can be a long process. If you are interested in getting back in touch with your intuition, there are many things you can do to begin the process. There are exercises, that if practiced regularly, can help you start feeling on an intuitive level again.
One way to begin (and one of the best) is to start meditating. You do not have to sit and stare at a candle for hours on end to learn to meditate. One of the easiest ways is to join a meditation class. Another great way to learn meditation is to use a guided imagery recording. Guided imagery is a form of meditation in which you are guided through a meditation. This usually starts with some relaxation exercises, and then you will be guided through the meditation using visualization. This type of meditation is wonderful for those who have trouble imagining, or visualizing, or who have a busy mind and find it hard to slow down.
Once you are able to slow your mind and focus, then you are ready to begin some exercises to get in touch with your intuitive self. I suggest to my students that they keep two journals. One to record feelings and things that they may sense throughout the day, and the second one to record dreams.
In your daily journal, you can write things down that you have a feeling about. For example: "2:15pm. I suddenly had a thought about my sister, and (____________)." More than likely, the more you do this, the more you will find that the thoughts/feelings you are having really do have something to do with things that happen. This exercise is a confidence builder.
Keep your dream journal next to your bed, and be sure to have a pen with it. In this book, you are to record all your dreams. Even if you haven't remembered a dream in a long time, simply suggest to yourself that you will remember your dreams. Eventually, you will remember a dream, then you will remember more. It is important to write dreams down as soon as you wake from them. Even if it is 4am, write it down immediately. The longer you wait, the more the dream fades. Keeping a dream log is another good confidence builder.
Hypnosis is another way to get in touch with your intuition. As a Hypnotherapist, I have worked with many people who wanted to increase or improve their intuitive abilities, and I have found it to be very effective. Hypnosis is a powerful tool for self-improvement. Through hypnosis, you can access the subconscious mind directly and open yourself to your intuition. Hypnosis is much like meditation, but because you have a guide, it is easier to focus and you are less likely to get distracted.
I have studied the metaphysical/intuitive arts for over 25 years. I have learned many things, but when it comes to increasing intuitive/psychic ability, I have learned one thing that is probably more important than any exercise you can do: Trust yourself. You trust your "gut," then you get more accurate gut feelings, not the other way around.
If you begin with some of the suggestions I have given in this post, you are on your way to discovering your intuition. Have faith...and have fun!!! Until next time...
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Hypnosis and "The Secret"
It seems that everyone is talking about "The Secret" lately. In case you haven't heard of it, it is mainly about the "Law of Attraction," which says that we attract, create, and become what we think about most.
Whether it is God, some cosmic force in the universe, or simply programming our subconscious mind to take action and direct us toward what we are thinking...it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that it seems to work.
You can find evidence of this "Law of Attraction" everywhere. As Esther Hicks says in "The Secret," the one who talks about sickness most, has it...the one who talks about prosperity most, has it. There are so many examples. Pay attention to what the people around you talk about most and notice how this plays out in their lives. The problem is that most of us are not even conscious of what we are thinking most and we create (sometimes exactly what we don't want) simply by default.
So it seems simple...just change how we think and we will start attracting what we want in life, right? Maybe simple, but as many people have found, not so easy. How do you change a lifetime of thinking patterns? It certainly doesn't happen overnight, and some people get very frustrated that their thoughts keep reverting back their old way of thinking over and over again. The idea behind "the Secret, " and "Law of Attraction" is to think about what we DO want, instead of what we don't want...and consciously do it on a regular basis. So how do we change a lifetime of negative thinking patterns and start using this "Law of Attraction" to benefit out lives? Since this is an article about hypnosis, I will start there.
Hypnosis creates a state of mind that opens the door to the subconscious mind. This part of the mind contains all the old ideas, thinking patterns, learned behaviors, and controls the unconscious (automatic) body processes (breathing, heart beat, blinking, etc...). Using hypnosis, it is possible to "reprogram" old thinking patterns and create new ones. It is much like planting seeds in a garden, and the seeds start to grow, and soon you find yourself thinking about different things than you used to, and according to the "Law of Attraction, " you will start to manifest things and situations in your life that match your new thinking.
There are many things you can do other than hypnosis to help change your thinking patterns into ones that will attract what you want in your life. One way is to say affirmations. An affirmation (in this context) is a statement of something you want as if you already have it. A good example of this is, let’s say you want a better job. Say to yourself something like "Now that I have the perfect job, I am happier and things are going well for me." Another great affirmation is "Every day, in every way, I get better and better." This is a good one because it covers everything.
Affirmations work best if you write them down, always in the present tense, and read them everyday as many times as you can. You can also make index cards with affirmations on them and put them around the house, in your car, and other places where you will see them on a regular basis. Even if you don't actually read each one, your subconscious will see them and be reminded of what you want to create.
Another project that is very effective is to make a collage with pictures of what you would like to achieve. A friend of mine was going through her closet and found a collage that she had made several years before, and on it were several things that she had wanted to create at the time. There was a picture of a man and a woman who seemed very happy together, standing in front of a white house with a picket fence, and a big white dog. There were pictures of beautiful clothes, money, and several other things.
At the time she found this collage (that she had actually forgotten about) she realized that almost everything on that collage had happened. She was married to a man she was very happy with (who actually looked similar to the man in the picture), and this man came with a white house with a picket fence AND a big white dog! She was making more money in her business than she had made before, and she even had clothes that were similar to the ones on the collage. I would say that is pretty powerful stuff.
Using these tools, you can actually learn to change your thinking and use "The secret" change your life.
Whether it is God, some cosmic force in the universe, or simply programming our subconscious mind to take action and direct us toward what we are thinking...it doesn't really matter. What does matter is that it seems to work.
You can find evidence of this "Law of Attraction" everywhere. As Esther Hicks says in "The Secret," the one who talks about sickness most, has it...the one who talks about prosperity most, has it. There are so many examples. Pay attention to what the people around you talk about most and notice how this plays out in their lives. The problem is that most of us are not even conscious of what we are thinking most and we create (sometimes exactly what we don't want) simply by default.
So it seems simple...just change how we think and we will start attracting what we want in life, right? Maybe simple, but as many people have found, not so easy. How do you change a lifetime of thinking patterns? It certainly doesn't happen overnight, and some people get very frustrated that their thoughts keep reverting back their old way of thinking over and over again. The idea behind "the Secret, " and "Law of Attraction" is to think about what we DO want, instead of what we don't want...and consciously do it on a regular basis. So how do we change a lifetime of negative thinking patterns and start using this "Law of Attraction" to benefit out lives? Since this is an article about hypnosis, I will start there.
Hypnosis creates a state of mind that opens the door to the subconscious mind. This part of the mind contains all the old ideas, thinking patterns, learned behaviors, and controls the unconscious (automatic) body processes (breathing, heart beat, blinking, etc...). Using hypnosis, it is possible to "reprogram" old thinking patterns and create new ones. It is much like planting seeds in a garden, and the seeds start to grow, and soon you find yourself thinking about different things than you used to, and according to the "Law of Attraction, " you will start to manifest things and situations in your life that match your new thinking.
There are many things you can do other than hypnosis to help change your thinking patterns into ones that will attract what you want in your life. One way is to say affirmations. An affirmation (in this context) is a statement of something you want as if you already have it. A good example of this is, let’s say you want a better job. Say to yourself something like "Now that I have the perfect job, I am happier and things are going well for me." Another great affirmation is "Every day, in every way, I get better and better." This is a good one because it covers everything.
Affirmations work best if you write them down, always in the present tense, and read them everyday as many times as you can. You can also make index cards with affirmations on them and put them around the house, in your car, and other places where you will see them on a regular basis. Even if you don't actually read each one, your subconscious will see them and be reminded of what you want to create.
Another project that is very effective is to make a collage with pictures of what you would like to achieve. A friend of mine was going through her closet and found a collage that she had made several years before, and on it were several things that she had wanted to create at the time. There was a picture of a man and a woman who seemed very happy together, standing in front of a white house with a picket fence, and a big white dog. There were pictures of beautiful clothes, money, and several other things.
At the time she found this collage (that she had actually forgotten about) she realized that almost everything on that collage had happened. She was married to a man she was very happy with (who actually looked similar to the man in the picture), and this man came with a white house with a picket fence AND a big white dog! She was making more money in her business than she had made before, and she even had clothes that were similar to the ones on the collage. I would say that is pretty powerful stuff.
Using these tools, you can actually learn to change your thinking and use "The secret" change your life.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
The Effects of Hypnosis on Health and Healing
What positive effects does hypnosis have on physical health? There have been many studies done on the mind-body connection that suggest that it can actually have a profound effect on physical health.
When the mind is still, it has a direct effect on the body, and the mind is more open to suggestions. At this time it is then able to cooperate with positive images and suggestions that may enhance physical and emotional healing.
Research suggests that the positive physiological impact from deep relaxation may be due to its’ effect on a hormone called Cortisol. This hormone is released during the "fight or flight" response and is helpful during those times, but prolonged release during the response to everyday stress can slow healing and tissue repair and inhibit the immune system.
Hypnosis works on both the body and the mind, can ease stress, and promote a sense of tranquility, even during stressful situations. This process uses the "power of the mind" to help the body relax, heal, and maintain health. It can help create a balance of body, mind, and spirit.
Research has shown that deep relaxation, such as being in a "hypnotic state" can:
*Enhance sleep
*Reduce stress and anxiety
*Decrease blood glucose levels (especially helpful with diabetes)
*Decrease pain
*Decrease blood pressure
*Promote a sense of well-being
*Enhance ability to deal with stressful situations
*Enhance self-confidence
*Enhance overall quality of life
*Enhance physical and emotional healing
*Slow down a busy, racing mind
*Reduce the need for certain medications
The following is one of my favorite examples of the power of hypnosis in utilizing the mind/body connection for healing:
Several years before I became a hypnotherapist, my sister had a bone marrow transplant (1987). Before the transplant, she was taught visualization and a form of self hypnosis by a nurse. This nurse told her to imagine the chemotherapy drug as "pac-men" swimming through her bloodstream and eating all the "bad cells." This was my first introduction to hypnosis.
During her stay at UCLA medical Center (about a month), she constantly visualized herself as healthy. She imagined that my bone marrow (I was her donor) was taking hold in her bones and creating her new immune system. She drew probably a thousand pages filled with little circles. She said that each circle represented a healthy white blood cell and she imagined them growing healthy and strong.
She is not only alive 21 years later, she never got what is called "graft versus host disease" (a type of rejection) that most people got back then (bone marrow transplants were still considered experimental in 1987), and she has had no complications and no sign of the leukemia that almost killed her at age 17.
Was it the medicine that cured her? Was it self hypnosis? Was it the visualizations and picture drawing? Was it her positive attitude and will to live that kept her alive against the odds? I believe that it was a combination of all of the above, but I also believe that if she had not learned self hypnosis and visualization, she may not be where she is today.
Hypnosis is a powerful tool for healing. It is a natural state of mind that most people go through several times a day. It is during these times that the subconscious mind is most susceptible to suggestions. A skilled hypnotherapist can induce the hypnotic state and help you "plant" seeds for healing.
When the mind is still, it has a direct effect on the body, and the mind is more open to suggestions. At this time it is then able to cooperate with positive images and suggestions that may enhance physical and emotional healing.
Research suggests that the positive physiological impact from deep relaxation may be due to its’ effect on a hormone called Cortisol. This hormone is released during the "fight or flight" response and is helpful during those times, but prolonged release during the response to everyday stress can slow healing and tissue repair and inhibit the immune system.
Hypnosis works on both the body and the mind, can ease stress, and promote a sense of tranquility, even during stressful situations. This process uses the "power of the mind" to help the body relax, heal, and maintain health. It can help create a balance of body, mind, and spirit.
Research has shown that deep relaxation, such as being in a "hypnotic state" can:
*Enhance sleep
*Reduce stress and anxiety
*Decrease blood glucose levels (especially helpful with diabetes)
*Decrease pain
*Decrease blood pressure
*Promote a sense of well-being
*Enhance ability to deal with stressful situations
*Enhance self-confidence
*Enhance overall quality of life
*Enhance physical and emotional healing
*Slow down a busy, racing mind
*Reduce the need for certain medications
The following is one of my favorite examples of the power of hypnosis in utilizing the mind/body connection for healing:
Several years before I became a hypnotherapist, my sister had a bone marrow transplant (1987). Before the transplant, she was taught visualization and a form of self hypnosis by a nurse. This nurse told her to imagine the chemotherapy drug as "pac-men" swimming through her bloodstream and eating all the "bad cells." This was my first introduction to hypnosis.
During her stay at UCLA medical Center (about a month), she constantly visualized herself as healthy. She imagined that my bone marrow (I was her donor) was taking hold in her bones and creating her new immune system. She drew probably a thousand pages filled with little circles. She said that each circle represented a healthy white blood cell and she imagined them growing healthy and strong.
She is not only alive 21 years later, she never got what is called "graft versus host disease" (a type of rejection) that most people got back then (bone marrow transplants were still considered experimental in 1987), and she has had no complications and no sign of the leukemia that almost killed her at age 17.
Was it the medicine that cured her? Was it self hypnosis? Was it the visualizations and picture drawing? Was it her positive attitude and will to live that kept her alive against the odds? I believe that it was a combination of all of the above, but I also believe that if she had not learned self hypnosis and visualization, she may not be where she is today.
Hypnosis is a powerful tool for healing. It is a natural state of mind that most people go through several times a day. It is during these times that the subconscious mind is most susceptible to suggestions. A skilled hypnotherapist can induce the hypnotic state and help you "plant" seeds for healing.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Hypnosis Works!
In nearly two decades as a Hypnotherapist, I have found that there are many common misconceptions and/or beliefs about what hypnosis is, and what it isn’t. Many of these beliefs come from movies, in which you see a man swinging a watch and a person goes immediately into a deep trance and seems to be controlled by the hypnotist. Stage shows are fun, but they also give the impression that the hypnotist is controlling the hypnotized subjects to do his or her will. Nothing could be further from the truth. In this blog I will dispel some of the myths about hypnosis and explain what hypnosis is and how it can be a powerful tool for self change
What is Hypnosis?
There are many ways to explain what hypnosis is and what it can do, and although some things about hypnosis are very complex, I am going to give you the “nuts and bolts,” and explain it as simply as possible.
First, all hypnosis is self hypnosis. It is a relaxed state of mind and body, in which conscious mind is slightly distracted, making the door to the subconscious open and ready to accept suggestions for change. Whether you are totally conscious, or what seems to be a sleep-like state, your subconscious mind is always awake and aware and will only accept suggestions that are within the boundaries of your personality to accept. Hypnosis cannot make you do anything that you do not want to do. Hypnosis can, however, help you to do things that you want to do, such as let go of unwanted behaviors, or create new, more productive behaviors.
Contrary to what many people believe, hypnosis is not “mind control,” and you do not surrender your will to the hypnotist. Nobody can control your will. Hypnosis works with the imagination, which is a bridge to the subconscious mind. Hypnosis is a stated of heightened awareness and intense focus. In this state, you can plant the seeds for success. These seeds begin growing into natural behaviors.
Hypnosis can help with many things, such as:
* Weight Loss
* Exercise Motivation
* Performance Enhancement (Sports, Stage, Music, Personal, etc...)
* Test Taking/Study Habits
* Memory/Concentration
* Overcoming Fears
* Health and Healing
* Nail Biting
* Sleep Issues
* Self Esteem/Confidence
* Organizational Skills
* Letting go of unwanted behaviors/habits
* Create new habits/behaviors that you choose
* Help you feel more Empowered in your life
* Sales/Business
* Stress Reduction
* And so much more...
How does hypnosis help?
If you have been trying to change a behavior (for example, lose weight, quit smoking, overcoming stage fright, etc...), you know that mere “will power” is not usually enough to make the changes you desire. This is because the will is simply a “want.” The imagination, which is like a bridge to the subconscious, has more ammunition than the will. It recalls every time you have tried and failed, and can come up with all the reasons why you should keep the unwanted behavior. A general rule is that when the will opposes the imagination, the imagination wins, every time. This is mainly because the imagination has much more power than the will. Hypnosis can help by getting your imagination in line with your will. When both are going in the same direction, change happens easily, naturally, and effortlessly.
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