The Transparent Hypnotist

Forgive me friends, there maybe changes on the horizon for the transparent hypnotist. I find today that I must hurry off and leave blogging for another time. But I will not leave you completely without a hypnosis thought for the day…

Here are the immortal words of Dorothy Dix:

“Happiness is largely a matter of self-hypnotism. You can think yourself happy or you can think yourself miserable.”

Photograph by Łukasz Strachanowski (cc)

Life seems brighter this week. The quality of light has changed, there is a coolness to the mornings, and I feel very much alive. Maybe it was a week spent in nature. Maybe it is the idea of new prospects on the horizon. I have a feeling of hopefulness about everything (come to think about it, maybe it was a week away from the pessimism of television that is influencing my mood). Maybe it is because I have been trying out David Mason’s 10 Steps to Happiness. Maybe it is because I have been maintaining my goal to do self-hypnosis everyday (with simple, positive suggestions to help me with various concerns as they arise). Whatever the case, I am filled with something other than restlessness, something positive and directing. I am not sure where the pull of the path with lead but it will be interesting to follow its dictates.

Something I have been experiencing lately is how I deal with the question – does hypnosis work? In my first years as a hypnotist, when someone would ask me this question (and they always ask me this), I would exuberantly launch into a diatribe filled with hypnosis enthusiasm. As the years have progressed, I find the question a little more annoying, but realize it is a way to connect with someone else, a way to educate. But recently, when people ask me this, darker thoughts occur. Would I be involved in a profession that offers nothings but scams and hollow promises (that is an emphatic NO)? Why would someone ask me “does hypnosis work?” Do you ask your doctor if his or her advice will “really work” (well maybe)? Do you ask your sanitation workers if the chemicals they use will really remove the dirt?

In my week away, while engaging in self-hypnosis, I asked myself why this question annoyed me so much. The answer came back that it takes a lot of energy to create change. In a career where everything is about change, I had lost sight of the fact that I am not only helping those who seek my services to achieve inner-change, but also helping change the face of hypnotism itself. Sure I come across the occasional person outside my field who is somewhat knowledgeable in the realities of hypnosis, but that sort of person is still not the prevailing population. That means that I have to maintain enough energy to have a realistic discourse on hypnosis with most people I meet. Sometimes my energy wains as I find myself repeating and re-repeating myself.

That is awful, isn’t it? I know. And so, that is one thing I worked on last week - rather than giving all my energy away on those conversations, I can gain energy from other people’s interest in what I do for a living. Today, I feel like this is all possible.

Photograph by Sebastian Fritzon (cc)

Wow. There is a lot to catch up on in the world of hypnosis. Sadly, my time is limited, but I shifted through a few things to catch-up.

Quotes of the Week

Once again, hypnotic therapy works quite well in such situations. It helps people overcome their nerves about facing people and makes them more confident in such situations – from the article Overcoming Social Anxiety And Shyness on Best Syndication.

Meditation, relaxation training and even self-hypnosis can not only blunt the negative effects of anxiety and tension but also promote beneficial emotional and physical changes of their own – from the article Combat cognitive decline with lifestyle changes in the dailypress.com, which presents ideas by psychologist Terry J. Gingras.

Scientifically Good

Previous research shows that hypnosis can improve quality of life and symptoms for individuals with ulcers and irritable bowel syndrome. The British scientists did suggest that perhaps hypnotherapy helps all three conditions because all three are subject to fluctuation and worsening of symptoms due to psychological stress. Hypnotherapy can potentially remedy those flare-ups without drugs – from the article Hypnotherapy Effective for Reducing Inflammation, Colitis in The Alternative Health Journal.

Brown (1991) points out the benefits of hypnosis on treating people diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. There are many psychological factors involved with this eating disorder including negative body image, perfectionism, and outside factors such as family. This study showed that using hypnosis sessions to treat people with bulimia, showed to be very effective. The hypnosis techniques involved relaxation, imagery, and positive suggestions to target the subconscious mind of the patient. Hypnosis was able to improve and treat the psychological issues contributing to bulimia nervosa – from the article Use Hypnotherapy to Treat Bulimia in Natural News.

It is Saturday as I type this and I am sitting in the quiet sanctuary of a friend’s house. All of my companions are out and about, but I remain here to relax, read, and type my Sunday Question to you. Tomorrow I am up for one last day hike, starting at sunrise, and ending with a five hour drive back home. Therefore this moment seems most perfect to spend it it with you.

One of my companions who has joined me for the duration of this impromptu trip week, says she is now completely worn-out and wants another week to just recuperate from the rigors of hiking, playing with puppies, and occasionally finding a wonderful catfish restaurant. I can see her point to a certain degree – a change of schedule and such can be a bit tiring. However for me it is totally invigorating. 

So the Sunday Question is – are vacations just that, a break and restoration or are they just the opposite (and why?)

by Terry O’Brien

Sometimes, I feel like a strangeness magnet. Not a weirdness magnet, because weird things don’t happen to me, but there have been several strange coincidences that have happened in my life, and one of them is relevant.

I went to Japan back in August, 2007. The World Science Fiction Convention was held in Yokohama that year, and being a true SF fan and Japan fan, I finally decided to attend, and spend several days surrounding the convention in Tokyo and on tour through other parts of the country. And it was during this trip that not one but two strange coincidences occurred.

The first strange coincidence was at the convention that I ran into my old friend Erick Wujcik. Erick was a very highly regarded game designer, whose best publication is a revolutionary diceless roleplaying system based on the Amber novels of Roger Zelazny. I hadn’t seem him for several years, as he had been teaching in China, and I wasn’t expecting him at the convention, but our paths crossed one morning as we passed on our separate ways to breakfast. We managed to chat a moment and promise to meet later, but that really didn’t happen. Regrettably but also fortunately, that was my last chance to see him as he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a few months later and died the following April.

But, even though that encounter was a strange coincidence, the strangeness I’m thinking about was even stranger.

That strange coincidence was when I was watching Japanese TV in my cramped hotel room in Tokyo. I was bored, lacking Internet access in my room, so I was channel surfing. I found a lot of baseball games, a couple American and British imports (like the Turtles or early Doctor Who in Japanese), strange gameshows and some kid’s anime. But one show caught my eye and I’m glad I paused to get a closer look.

The scene I was seeing was of a man, imprisoned in a jail cell, chained to a chair, with an opaque mask over his eyes. My first question to myself was “why is he wearing a mask?” The first answer that jumped into my mind was, of course, that somehow he could hypnotize people by meeting their gaze. While I was pondering this question, the scene shifted to who were apparently the stars of the program, a group of teenagers ranging from early to late teens. It was unclear how or why they were together, but it seemed like they were some kind of investigators, nor could I tell what role the two adults (one an older man in a wheelchair and the other reminded me of a stereotypical detective, complete with a fedora, which he would run his hand across in a very expressive gesture) played. However, knowing more than a little about common elements of television drama, I could tell this the first episode of an ongoing series.

There was also the strange woman in a white summer dress and parasol who had some undefined connection with the villain and the heroes. She had the amazing power of “Summon Limousine” that would cause a black limo to suddenly appear whenever anyone got too close to her, cutting them off and sweeping her away.

Curious, and lacking anything better to do, I continued to watch. Several minutes later, my patience was rewarded. I know only a few words of Japanese, but there is one I know very well, and when the teenagers were visiting the cell of the prisoner, I heard it: “saimin”. While “saimin” in Japanese can mean a type of raman noodle dish, it also has another meaning: “hypnotism”. Given the context, my suspicion was correct, the prisoner was a powerful hypnotist. And, of course, as the villain of the piece, he would have to escape, which he did by tricking the guard into removing his mask. Under the villain’s control, the guard rampaged inside the prison, while the hypnotist was in a coma and being driven away in an ambulance. However, as the guard was incapacitated, the villain, who was apparently controlling the guard remotely, suddenly opened his eyes and entranced the nurse attending him by eye contract. He then took control of the ambulance and drove away, just as the heroes realized what he was doing, watching him drive away.

And that’s all I know about the show. I don’t know a title, or how long it ran, or anything else, and lacking any further information or any resource to search, it remains just another strange coincidence and a great mystery.

Location: Superior, CO
Cyber Location: www.soundofyoursoul.com

1. Are you a full time hypnotist, a part-time hypnotist, a professional who incorporates hypnotism occasionally in your other
practice, or are you a hobbyist?

Well, I received my training from the Transpersonal Hypnotherapy Institute 11 years ago, but didn’t take the final written exam to become certified until several weeks ago. I didn’t initially take the training to be a therapist. I just wanted to explore how the unconscious mind works, but I had a spiritual awakening seven years ago triggered by the music of a famous rock band, wrote a book about my journey, and now I’m being drawn to work more with individuals and possibly start a practice. So, I guess I’d be considered a hobbyist on my way to becoming a part-time therapist.

2. Do you specialize in any type of hypnotism?

Because I explore my possible past lives with the band in my book, I Found All the Parts: Healing the Soul through Rock ‘n’ Roll, I’m most interested in past-life regression and how music impacts our emotions and memories. I would also like to possibly become certified in between-life regression popularized by Dr. Michael Newton and his books Journey of Souls and Destiny of Souls. I’m also drawn to being a stage hypnotist, but that’s probably something I’d consider down the road when I get more experience.

3. Is there any form of hypnotism that you do not practice and why (i.e. entertainment, past-life regression, pain management)?

Not interested in smoking cessation and weight loss right now.

4. Do you use self-hypnosis regularly in your life? If so, how?

I took hypno-birthing classes when pregnant with my second child eight years ago, but I didn’t easily go into a trance state. I tend to do visualizations more than anything else.

5. Describe your hypnotism office or work setting.

I’ve only worked with people I know, so it’s the recliners in my basement which so far everyone loves. I also play a CD from Hemi-Sync with binaural beats which supposedly helps induce Theta brainwaves.

6. Describe a typical day in your life.

Get kids off to school, check emails and google alerts, write comments on blogs related to my book found via google alerts, go to appointments and come home by the time my daughters are back from school. When I have a regression session at my house, I try to make time to focus a bit before the appointment and get myself into a relaxed state.

7. Where did you get your training in hypnotism and are you certified by any organization?

I’m certified from the Transpersonal Hypnotherapy Institute in Colorado.

8. What is the most fabulous hypnotism technique you use or prefer?

I don’t have one yet. Wish I did!

9. What was the worse moment you ever experienced in a hypnotism setting that ended up being a valuable learning experience?

Going through hypnotherapy training was absolutely terrifying for me. It brought up a tremendous amount of fear, and now I believe it was due to past-life issues. I learned that working with the unconscious is very powerful, and I now respect the incredible depths of wisdom, memories and healing each of us are capable of accessing through hypnosis.

10. Do you have any words of advice to potential clients or other hypnotists that you would like to share?

Not really, because I’m just getting started. But I’ve enjoyed reading previous Q&A’s on this site from other hypnotists, and appreciate their taking the time to share what they’ve learned.

It has been on again off again with accessing the Internet and as late as I was with yesterday’s posting, I wrote this in hope that you read (or re-read) David’s post from yesterday.

And do come back tomorrow for the 10 questions. Rock and roll, baby. On Saturday we will have some esoteric thoughts from Terry with HypnoMedia.

Photograph by Pensiero (cc)

As I travel the back roads, lost sites, and in general follow my bliss, today seems like a supreme day to feature guest poster David Mason’s 10 Steps to Happiness. I hope you enjoy them!!!!

Not only have I awakened to sunlight streaming through the flaps of my tent, but also to the smell of coffee. My partner has brought me cup. Though we remained dry yesterday, nature kept us from being free and easy as she continually seemed miffed about something and seemed quite ready to unleash a torrential downpour.

I did get an email with some pertinent hypno world news, or news that applies directly to one of the participants on the Transparent Hypnotist. Kate Beaven-Marks has just received her certification to be an NGH instructor! In layman’s terms that means she can teach you how to be a hypnotist. I congratulate Kate for this achievement (and I am very proud of her as well). You go, girl!!!!

Being in the back country and with people waiting for me to put up this device (some of the hiking purist are really annoyed with me), I have a small request for my hypnotist readers out there. As I am not in a position to properly do the weekly hypno world news, would you please help me out. If you have news yourself or know of any that relates to hypnosis, would you leave a comment about it? Huge thanks!