Big Visual Miss from I Am Modern

Inaccurate perceptions about hypnosis run wild.

Mind control…magic…Voodoo…mental trickier…I have heard it all.  It’s why I invest time prior to any performance or individual session on a pre-talk.  My goals are to establish a level of interest and comfort in the hypnotic process, and how it is a tool to help with emotional and physical well-being.

Yet, it’s hard to dispel the myths, especially when I unintentionally contribute to them.

A few months back I was asked by an editor at I Am Modern magazine to write an article about the benefits of hypnosis for their February 2013 “Health” issue.  She had heard about my “Hypnotic Experience” show after a performance I gave in November in partnership with Professionals in the City.

The resulting article published this past week has been well received.  In fact, I have already received a couple of inquiries from readers who are interested in learning more about the practice of hypnosis.

So, how what’s bad about the story? 

Check out the illustration the editors selected to accompany the article.  It plays to this nonsense stereotype that a hypnotist is a tuxedo clothed illusionist who yields magical powers of mind control.

Yuck!  This disastrous visual selection crushes the message of my article.

I encourage you to read the article, yet focus on the words.  And then read this piece entitled “Hypnosis Myths…Solved.”   It does a wonderful job of clearly explaining what hypnosis is and why it’s such a wonderfully powerful tool for positive change. 

The February issue of I Am Modern magazine includes my article on hypnosis.

A Higher Plain of Happiness

You're driving in the car and a song comes on the radio that takes you back to your high school days.  Neglected memories instantly emerge from deep within your mind. 

Or perhaps you are walking down the street and the smell of freshly baked bread transports you to Sunday dinners growing up.  You're with your family as if time itself has stood still.

That is the power of your subconscious mind.  It has the ability to associate external stimulus (i.e. smells, tastes, sounds, etc.) with warm and pleasant memories.

When properly directed, hypnosis can serve as an effective tool to harness these wonderful feelings to effectively mitigate stress, and improve physical and emotional well-being.

This evening I visited with a woman who from an outsider's view is the definition of exceptional.  Stunning, smart, personable and professionally successful.

Yet, like many of us, she has been challenged to manage a stressful environment and address long-standing self-esteem issues.

We went through a relaxing hypnotic induction which provided a stress release.  After a couple of deepening exercises, I then walked her through two visualizations:

1)  Opening a door to a warm, glow of light to establish base feelings of confidence, comfort and strength.

2) A memory of a time in her life when she recognized and embraced her beauty, intelligence and appeal.  We then attached this feeling in her subconscious mind to a special phrase, which we then reinforced through a mantra.  (It's a process similar to the "umms" during yoga.)

After such a positive experience, I believe hypnosis will serve as a tool she can use to find a higher plain of happiness in life.

For me, it was equally rewarding.  I realize I'm not curing cancer.  Yet, helping one person truly appreciate how wonderful they are is gratifying.  

Visualize a warm glow of light to establish feelings of comfort and confidence.  Image source: cgmotionbox.com

My Call for Stress Busting

I have written frequently on this blog about the adverse impact of stress on our emotional and physical well-being. 

Stress is negative energy and our body seeks to shed it in unhealthy ways.  For many, this can present near-term issues, such as headaches, chest pain, upset stomach and poor sleeping habits.

While this impacts quality of life, it pales in comparison to the long-term damage stress can potentially inflict.  The headline of an article published this week in the Health and Science section of the Washington Post says it all:  "Stress is linked to heart attack and such problems as diabetes and depression."

"Yet another study has been released linking stress to an increased risk of having a heart attack.  The reseach found that women with high-stress jobs...were 67 percent more likely to have a heart attack than women in less-intense jobs."

I've hosted events to teach self-hypnosis as a tool for stress mitigation.  I have also offered up easy-to-follow approaches that can be used daily for stress mitigation.

Regardless of whether hypnosis is right for you, I encourage you to find an activity that is both enjoyable and a stress buster.  Run...swim...practice yoga...take up sculpture...write music...sing...dance...just find your thing!   

The Impossibility of Perfection

Perfection is a wonderful aspiration, right?

For many it's sought in physical appearance.  Do a Web search using the phrase "plastic surgery and beauty" and you'll see what I mean.

For others, perfection is paramount in professional or academic accomplishment, athletic achievement and/or family relationships.  I used the words "and/or" in the previous sentence for a reason.  That's because the desire to craft perfection in different aspects of life can become all consuming.

The perfect marriage...perfect kids...perfect friends...perfect career...perfect hobbies - I hear this all of the time from my friends, neighbors and people I interact with professionally.

To this my response is always the same:  "For me, good enough is good enough."

Perfection is simply an unrealistic expectation.  Its pursuit creates an unsustainable level of stress and dissatisfaction that can manifest itself in a myriad of unhealthy ways, such as restless sleep, irritability, illness, nagging physical injuries, poor career or classroom performance, etc.

In my pre-talk prior to the start of a hypnotic induction I seek to learn a bit about the person who has expressed interest in exploring emotional and physical balance and well being.  I don't probe too far, yet it is often apparent the person has set themselves up for failure and disappointment by pursuing perfection in aspects of their life.

It's not an age thing either.  Earlier this month I hypnotized a group of college and high school students who had defined completely unachievable goals for themselves in school, athletics and personal relationships.  A fair number of them expressed feelings of regret for perceived failure.

Hypnosis is a powerful tool that can help an individual let go of pent up stress and tension, and more effectively manage it in the future.

Plus, I typically encourage a person under hypnosis to embrace the concept they are beautiful, smart, energetic, confident and loved exactly the way they are.  Good enough is good enough!

Yuck!  The unrealistic journey to perfection can create stress and anxiety.  Source: CNN.com