Self Hypnosis in 8 simple steps
Self-hypnosis is a very helpful activity that can help us be more positive, focussed and confident, and attract more success into our lives. It can be performed by anyone who is healthy and has about half an hour to spare. A word of warning before we proceed though - it is not a substitute for medical help, and if you have any medical condition you would want to consult your physician before you proceed with this.
Let us go through each step one by one.
Step 1: As the very first step, find somewhere comfortable and quiet, and seat yourself (or lie down). If you are lying down, there is a good chance that you could fall asleep though.
Step 2: Relax yourself, and try to quiet your mind of its chatter. If any thoughts interrupt you, don't engage them - just observe them and let them go.
Step 3: Count down from 10 to 0. Focus on the number and visualize it as you count down. If you lost focus at any time, start again at 10. There is no need to hurry the process.
Step 4: It is important that you get into alpha state - where you have alpha brainwaves as opposed to the conscious beta waves. For this, relax your body. You may try PMR (Progressive Muscular Relaxation) where you first tense each muscle group and hold for 10 seconds, and then relax it as you exhale. You can work your way from feet up. Feel your body relax.
Step 5: Take ten deep breaths. Take long inhalations, hold for a couple of seconds, and exhale deeply, longer than you took to inhale. Feel the air in your nostrills. You can visualise positive energy and thoughts coming in with each inhalation, and negative energy leaving you with each exhalation.
Step 6: You are now in a trance or alpha state. This is when you can start saying the positive things you want for yourself. You can start by statements like "I am deeply relaxed", followed by short statements you know to be true, like "I am loyal and friendly", "I am kind" etc before you move on to things you want for yourself.
Step 7: It really helps if you have already thought about your affirmations before starting this exercise, and ideally you should have written each positive, simple statement beforehand so it is fresh in your memory. Say simple, positive things, like "I love exercising - it helps me get into a great shape", "I love my spouse. I trust him/her", "My business is fast progressing", "I am very well loved", "I am confident and positive", "I love public speaking" etc. You may pick one or two areas for each session and focus your affirmations on those areas only for that session. You are now directly instructing or programming your subconscious mind.
Step 8: When you are done, tell yourself (in your mind) that "I am ready to return to full consciousness now. I will take count from 0 to 10, and then take deep breaths. After that, I will wake up to full consciousness, deeply relaxed, positive and enthusiastic." Now count from 0 to 10, take ten deep breaths, open your eyes, feel the world around you, and slowly get up.
This exercise will take some practise, and it could be only after a few exercises that you truly get into alpha state. But even if it doesn't happen the first time, your relaxation and positive affirmations are very good for you, and can still work wonders! You may first want to have a session with a certified hypnotherapist so that you would get an idea of how a truly relaxed alpha state feels.
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This article was featured in the Effortless Abundance Carnival - First Edition.
