“Hypnosis can be used to improve any area of life. It's most commonly used to lose weight, quit smoking, sleep better, or for general stress relief. But it's equally useful to increase productivity and concentration, improve confidence and self-esteem, and enhance relationships.”
So, to me, this means that hypnosis has a connection with any occasion where suggestion is likely to happen. Somehow we put ourselves in a state where the seemingly impossible becomes possible, and it all starts with the intention of embracing something, a concentration on some subject matter which can be anything really, not just what is mentioned above. Now how does it work? I found this explanation from https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/self-hypnosis.html
“Hypnotism works by reaching a relaxed state whereby it is possible to sink deeper into our minds and rewrite or reprogram our subconscious. Through physical and mental relaxation, self-hypnosis can allow people to bypass their conscious minds and introduce positive thoughts and ideas into their unconscious.”
This makes allot of sense to me because of my experience with physical yoga movements (asanas), breath work (pranayama), and meditation (dhyana). All of these disciplines allow us to enter into a deeper relaxation where the agitation that often arises in the mind is quieted. The reason why suggestion in these exercises of something new or different would be more likely to be embraced by the conscious mind is because our defenses are down, fear is allowed to leave, and love, the possibility of connection is opened. This does make me interested in the differences between hypnosis and meditation. I have found, what I feel, is a good example of these two practices here: http://www.selfhypnosis.com/meditation-vs-self-hypnosis/
“The main difference between the two, in my opinion, is that self hypnosis tends to have an end-point in mind – whether it is to make you more confident, help you to overcome fear or anxiety, to cope with everyday stresses, rediscover your inner wisdom, develop better eating patterns, sleep better, stop smoking, etc.; whatever it is… you enter self hypnosis with a goal in mind. Meditation, on the other hand, has no particular goal to aim at, other than, in its purest form, it is the complete emptying of the mind. The end game for true meditation (unlike the guided form) is to be able to free the mind completely of all thoughts.”
Finally I would like to address the interest of my work friend for past life regression with self-hypnosis. I would also like to mention that the best reason that I have found to delve into one's past lives is to heal some form of trauma that exist from a past life. Perhaps there is a fear of something that seems to have no record within one's current life time, through past life regression one might find that that trauma originated from a life beyond this current manifestation. If you would like to know more about a true story of one such occurrence, you can find it in a book that I received as a gift a while back called “Many Lives, Many Masters.” Truly an eye opening work! Is everything in it true? That is up to the reader and what makes sense to them, but it certainly expanded my possibilities, and helped me release some of my fears. Here is a link to a review of this book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34452.Many_Lives_Many_Masters
According to http://www.healpastlives.com/pastlf/exercise/exregres.htm self-hypnosis is a journey through an imaged space within the mind. Or is it? I have heard before that the essence of everything is thought. So perhaps it is somewhere between real and imagined. My experience of the guided hypnosis process was very relaxing and assist in bringing my energy to a better more balanced state. On this journey, I believe it is most important, and I have heard from a self-hypnosis practitioner, that it is very important to have an open and trusting attitude in order to gain the benefits from the practice. Building a space where you can trust the process is a fundamental part of the hypnosis process. Yoga stretches and poses might be beneficial in this, working through layers of fear and anxiety through the body, allowing for trust and faith to enter into one's consciousness. Once able to enter into this sacred space, a journey is introduced through guided words and or thoughts, presenting you with a choice to enter into the past life as an observer or to come back to simple relaxation, trusting the answer that you are given through feeling/intuition rather that trying to fight it. “Fighting it” is also another sign that there is more work to be done in the for of releasing fear in my experience.
This article has been quite interesting for me, I hope that you have enjoyed it my friend! I believe that I have a new practice that can aid me in a new and different way when the time is appropriate. From what I learned and feel, hypnosis is a practice that requires a powerful need to be met, and a powerful faith that a solution is possible. Perhaps this is a powerful attachment to accomplish a goal. I think that great physical or mental pain and suffering might be motivators, but also curiosity. It is interesting, thank you, my friend! May you find whatever you are looking for this week, and find the strength to focus on that goal which you seek to be successful in! Peace, Love, and Good Vibes your way! Aaron :-)