I grew up with low self-esteem and often encountered feelings of rejection. Many years of therapies and workshops transformed me into a self-actualized person. I’ve gained the courage and basic sense of self-worth to profit from living an adventuresome lifestyle in different cultures.
Ten percent of Americans suffer from depression, with an increase of twenty percent per year . Usually depression can be linked to a lack of self-worth, or self-esteem. This is partly because we live in a very competitive and fast-paced society where priority is not given to taking time for oneself for self-examination or personal growth. It’s easier to be how others want us rather than be ourselves. A very effective way of dealing with subconscious material is hypnosis.
What is hypnosis?
Most of us would think of nightclub acts. But you can easily and safely do this yourself (self-hypnosis) to eliminate negative beliefs and behaviors and substitute positive ones – to boost self-esteem. Hypnosis is a heightened state of receptivity, suggestibility, responsiveness, openness, to thoughts, sensations, or actions, in which the end result is to acquire automatic positive responses.
You are almost always in a hypnotic state (trance, hypnagogic state) but it’s especially noticeable when falling asleep and upon awakening. Notice how effective TV commercials are and you will get an idea of how suggestibility works. Or how the media in general influence public thought and action.
During hypnosis, your brain switches from the normal thinking/sensory-motor state of beta frequency (12-20 Hz), to the lower frequency alpha (8-12 Hz), which is more relaxed, aware, and expanded – where creativity and ideas emanate – a state of peace and well-being. This is the bridge to long forgotten memories, and the state in which your subconscious mind is open to accepting new programming.
You will recognize this state by any of the following bodily sensations tingling fingertips, numbness or limb distortion, light feeling of floating away from your body, heavy like sinking, energy moving through the body, emotions heightened, fluttering eyelids, salvation increases or decreases and tiredness (but you do not fall asleep).
Here is a step-by-step approach to using hypnosis:
1. Generate a goal/intention.
For example, one aspect of how you’d like your life to be, loving yourself and with a high level of self-confidence.
2. Formulate a statement with these characteristics:
Simple and easy to understand, can be repeated in 5 seconds or less and uses vivid images that are always positive, believable and specific. One way to do this is to recognize a limiting belief. “I am too fat and so no one likes me.” You might examine situations when this seems to be true and how often. Are there any cases where this isn’t true? Next flip this into a positive statement: “I feel fine in my body and people like me.” Hold onto this statement.
3. Sitting or lying in a comfortable position, breathe gently:
From your belly, counting to 7 during the inhalation, hold for a count of 2, and then exhaling while counting to 11. Hold for 2 counts, then repeat 3 times. You will find that this becomes automatic.
4. Go deeper by visualizing the breath traveling through and relaxing each of 10 body parts.
Spend about 10 seconds on each in the order given: begin at the head, and then proceed to neck, shoulders, arms, hands, chest, stomach, buttocks, legs and feet.
5. Now bring in your goal.
Say it, visualize it, experience it as if it were really happening.
6. Visualize it as if you already attained the goal.
Especially notice any feelings. If they are negative or limiting, gently let them go. Stay with this as long as it feels comfortable.
7. Feel gratitude.
Spend 15-20 sec. or more feeling thankful for having attained your positive goal. How well this works depends on how real you can make your intention statement seem, being present as if the desired intention was happening in the here and now. This is how Native American shamans do rainmaking. After going to a high energy place and doing appropriate rituals to contact the Great Spirit, they can actually feel the rain and give thanks to Spirit.
Remember that emotions are the fuel sending the subconscious into action. Be in touch with them and you will have success. In any case you should become very relaxed and free of tensions and stress. Give this a try!
