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Where do I start, Hypnosis, or Meditation?
Hypnosis and Meditation are both used to achieve peace of mind, a relaxed body, and sharp focus. Which on do you need more Hypnosis or Meditation, and how do you get started? Most importantly, I think its important to know how each of these techniques works. Having the facts and all the ins and outs of Hypnosis and Meditation will determine which one will be more useful for you.
Hypnosis has been around for centuries
When I first learned Hypnosis, I was so excited to share what I had learned. To summarize, I described Hypnosis as the icing on the cake when it came to changing your life. So, of course, I wanted everyone in my world to know about it. As a result, the responses I received did not match my enthusiasm regarding Hypnosis. The word Hypnosis seems to have a bad connotation attached to it. As if I were going to wave a magic wand and have people clucking like a chicken at will. If you have reservations about Hypnosis here is the link to my Blog Hypnosis Myths & Facts.
Firstly, Hypnosis has been practiced for centuries and has been described in different terms, to name a few:
- Trance
- Mesmerism
- Deep Sleep
- Magic
- Persuasion
Without getting into a lengthy history lesson, Hypnosis was practiced in Ancient Greece, India, and Persia. People attended what was then called healing temples. Collectively they began reciting prayers entering deep levels of trance. Of course, during worship, they began to feel as if they were in a dream-like state. Achieving deep levels of relaxation guided them to:
- Be in an altered state
- Alleviate pain and promote self-healing
- Attain enlightenment through prayer and worship
In the early 1800’s James Baird took the concept of Hypnotherapy and attempted to use it on his patients for surgery. On the one hand, using Hypnosis for surgery did work. However, at best, it took hours for some patients to experience the deepest level of trance called somnambulism. Anesthesia was first discovered in 1846, and no other alternative other than Hypnosis was available prior.
Meditation history
Again, without getting into a heavy-duty history lesson, Meditation goes as far back as 5000 to 3,500 BCE. Initially, it was widely practiced in India. Hindus and Buddhists have practiced Meditation to achieve spiritual enlightenment and self-reflection. Around 5,000 BCE, other forms of Meditation developed in Taoist China. In due time the practice of Meditation worked its way to the Western world by the 18th century.
Not only has Meditation been used to achieve spiritual enlightenment, but people also began to seek it out. There has always been a curiosity amongst humans to achieve their higher-self. And they were drawn to mystery of knowledge to achieve a different level of thinking. For this reason, over the centuries, people have been drawn to Meditation.
Is Hypnosis or Mediation equally needed?
It is essential to realize that Hypnosis and Meditation are equally needed. Moreover, both can easily be a built-into daily routine to:
- Achieve mindfulness
- Have a healthy body
- Open creativity
- Alleviate stress
- Lessen Anxiety
- Change Behavior
- Attract and manifest what you want
Simply put, most of our thinking happens within the Conscious Mind. I heard one of my mentors describe the Conscious Mind as “The Monkey Mind.” We process about 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day! A large percentage of our Conscious thoughts are filled with negativity, past failures, or of what has or will go wrong.
“The Monkey Mind” is hugely active and loud. On a personal note, I did not realize my Monkey Mind until I began Hypnosis and Meditation. The more I tried to stop thinking, my thoughts became louder, bolder and faster. Hence my analogy of the Conscious Mind being “The Monkey Mind.” An illustration of the Unconscious Mind is of an iceberg. If we look at an iceberg on the surface, it appears small; however, below the surface, it is massive and deep. Freud viewed the Unconscious Mind as our principal source of learning and behavior.
The benefits of Hypnosis
Another critical point is that the practice of Hypnosis is used to bypass “The Monkey Mind” straight to the Unconscious Mind. Remember, anything and everything of significance are stored within the Unconscious Mind including:
- Trauma
- Learning
- Behaviors & strategies (wanted and unwanted)
- Limiting beliefs & decision
- Unresolved feelings of anger, sadness, fear, hurt, guilt, shame, etc.
- Memories
How Hypnosis works
If you are thinking of Hypnosis… find a qualified Hypnotherapist in your area. Ultimately, the Unconscious Mind will not accept suggestions from anyone; it does not respect. So, it might be ideal to have an assessment. An assessment will allow you to feel rapport and give time for the Hypnotherapist to evaluate.
Really, the best results are achieved when guided by a Hypnotherapist. However, it is possible to learn Self Hypnosis. Like any other tool, Self-Hypnosis is effective and powerful when studied by a qualified Hypnotherapist. I always train my clients to use Self Hypnosis before sleeping. It is perfectly acceptable to drift off to sleep while the Unconscious Mind is listening to new suggestions.
The benefits of Mediation
Meditation is the art of quieting The Monkey Mind! This process has often been described as just being. You can google many types of Meditation; however, the idea is to just sit. Some may feel it is more challenging to Meditate and quiet The Monkey Mind. Both techniques require the ability to be compliant to the process, breathe, and relax. Over time you may be surprised how easy it is to Meditate. Often during Meditation, you will begin to feel:
- Internal peace
- Clarity of mind
- Forgiveness of self and others
- Channels of creativity & success open
- Connected mentally, physically, emotionally & spiritually
How Meditation works
Just get started and be kind to yourself! Fighting with The Monkey Mind is exhausting. I was taught to observe my thoughts. For example, pretend you are at an airport or train station. Imagine you are sitting on a bench merely watching people move by. Think of yourself as an observer with each thought moving past you.
We could get caught up in how to sit during Meditation and the length of time. Let’s make it simple, start by finding a comfortable place to sit. Set your timer for 5 for minutes and aim to quiet your mind while you observe your thoughts. When is the best time? Anytime, just begin training your body and mind.
To sum it all up, Hypnosis or Meditation?
To summarize, both Hypnosis and Meditation complement each other! Hypnosis is the direct route to the Unconscious Mind. While in a state of trance, the Unconscious Mind is open and ready to receive suggestions to promote wholeness. At this point, language, metaphors, recommendations must be presented in a way that the Unconscious Mind will respect and accept. All of this put together results in creating all the desired changes in your life.
Meditation is the tool used to quiet the Conscious Mind. The daily practice of Meditation will bring clarity and inner peace. Remember, the Conscious Mind will process 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts per day. That’s a whole lot of mental traffic that goes on in one’s mind. Therefore, it would be impossible anyone to sort through their thoughts. When sitting quietly in a meditative state the idea is to quiet become an observe of your thoughts instead of trying to control them. Over time you will notice its easier to meditate.
So this is my take on how both Hypnosis and Meditation are excellent to align, center and increase manifestion. How will you add Hypnosis or Meditation to your daily schedule?
