The conscious mind that (thinks) its making the decisions is like the tip of the consciousness iceberg.. Only able to deal with about 7 bits of information at a time, while the unconscious and subconscious parts processes thousands of bits of data every moment, below our level of analytical or ‘normal’ awareness.

Normally, we consider the subconscious.. just below the surface.
The filing cabinet with memories, our stored knowledge, all the teachings we have accumulated that shape our reactions to the unfolding present moment.
The unconscious, we may consider to be the part of the mind that rules our automatic functions, the instincts, the fight, flight and flee.

But for the purposes of this short blog post, I'm just going to talk about the 'unconscious' as all of the parts beneath the surface. Memories, instincts, automatic functions, and core beliefs.

The unconscious mind will shape our actions (and let's be honest, most people re-act, rather than act much of the time) based upon many unconscious programs, ‘memory movies’ and survival strategies running in the background.

If we really want to change our lives, some of the holding patterns need to be unpacked and re-sorted using techniques that allow authentic communication with this, powerful part of our minds.

A huge proportion of the things we want to change, from the ways in which we deal with stress, to our ability to cope with uncertainties, various ‘sticky’ habits and reactions to triggers, are all lodged in unconscious programs.
We need to go to that mysterious place, in order to change.
We need to have the conscious mind, 'chill out', and get out the way for a second, in order for us to gain access to rewire the unconscious parts that tend to call the shots beneath the surface.

No amount of sharing the same old story (with the same emotions) will necessarily help change deeply ingrained issues or ways of being. No matter how many people we talk to about our problems, no matter how deeply and compassionately they respond, some things just seem to stick.

I'm sure most of us have a few 'sticky issues', addictions, patterns, beliefs, reactions we have talked about for years, with no real lasting change?

Some patterns or survival strategies that were ‘programmed in’ when we were children, (by our first hypnotists, our parents and caregivers), back when we were pretty much living in a highly suggestible state, before our ability to critique, analyze and question.. Those patterns seem to have a different quality to the patterns of thinking or behaving we can shift with conscious will power.

You probably know that the brain doesn't really know the difference between an imagined memory and a ‘real’ memory, your biology and physiology react immediately to a thought.

Most people have watched a scary movie, and even though you know it’s just a movie, you might notice sweaty palms, racing heart, holding your breath…
The movie has taken you into a hypnotic state. A trance. When the credits roll, you come back into your body, the trance is broken.

You might have heard, you can actually grow muscle tissue by imagining, with all your senses, lifting weights, and seeing yourself strong, feeling what it will feel like WHEN you are strong.

We know MANY placebos work just as well as (if not better than) the actual medication.

When most of us walk into a doctor's office, we are already in a state of heightened suggestibility.

The doctor gives us a pill, and in this heightened state of suggestibility and emotion, (maybe in pain or afraid of a negative health outcome), being already ‘in trance’ when the doctor suggests we 'will feel better' in a few hours, we take that on as fact.
We believe what is said and our brain makes that real, the mind real-izes this suggestion and even a sugar pill works.

Knowing how powerful our minds are, it makes sense to tap into this power.

We now know that our brains are very adaptable, we can create new neural pathways, giving ourselves ‘choice’ in moments of chaos, in those times of being reactive and triggered.

Luckily practical neuroscience, NLP and hypnotherapy offer us insights around how to gain access to the unconscious mind. How to shift triggers and build resources.

We can bring our inner resources, that we all have, (or can create) forward into the moments in which we need them the most.
We can learn fast, effective tools to break anxiety in the moment that it comes up, tools to hijack the ruminating, and negative thoughts. We can learn ways to carve out NEW neural pathways, giving our minds options, rather than reaction patterns.

It just takes practice, rehearsal and some pretty cool techniques.

This is the work I love. It's fun, it's engaging, it creates change.

Hypnosis?

OMG, you are going to make me do stuff I don't want to do, I don't want to lose control!!
Such a common misconception.

Hypnosis is co-creative. It takes imagination and ability to focus attention.

Maybe, consciously - you want that change, but you know that 'conscious will power' won't get you there...

Or else you would have made that change already.

Your un-conscious mind has probably become so good at that action, or way of reacting because it worked for a while, then it became automatic, a habit.
And when it's automatic, a habit, you don't THINK about doing it anymore - it just happens.

Remember when you went from 'consciously driving the car, maybe when you were a teenager, and you EVEN turned the music off, (because it was one less thing to distract your conscious mind)?
The conscious mind that can only pay attention to a few things at once, so when we are learning something new, we limit all distractions..
Then one day, we realize, "I drove all the way to work, and don't remember a thing, talking on the phone on Bluetooth, listening and singing to the music. And still you got there safely. Driving became automatic. Your unconscious mind stepped up and said 'okay, we got this, conscious mind, you can get on with the other stuff'

We hypnotize ourselves all the time...
If we shut our eyes and think of a presenting to a group...some of us are 'hypnotizing ourselves with a sense of confidence, we pull up a feeling of excitement.. and imagine seeing an engaged attentive group, smiling and interacting.. we see ourselves answering questions with confidence and feeling great...
Others are hypnotizing themselves, imagining a sense of anxiety and agitation, they are seeing a disengaged group, looking bored.. they are seeing themselves struggle with questions and feeling like they have no confidence at all..

Who do you think would do better presenting?

Our ingrained 'self hypnosis' is why we often need help stopping habits, we WANT to stop.. But we just can't seem to break our own trance
That familiar trance, maybe finding ourselves walking to the fridge, opening the door.. gazing... reaching for the cake... and suddenly, three slices just vanished.
It all just happened before we knew what we were doing.

So, FYI..

We all know what trance feels like. It happens all the time. We live our lives in trance.

Dropping the conscious mind, is just a very different experience when done with attention and intention, when done with a supportive caring guide, using techniques to create positive change, to create new neural pathways giving the brain flexibility to act, rather react in old habitual ways.

And be assured, suggestions made in 'trance' have to pass the guard dogs of the conscious mind for changes to happen.

That's why you really have to want the change for hypnosis to work.

In the light 'altered state' we generally use for change work, you can still move and talk.
Sometimes talking will even take you deeper.

It's easy to float in, and out, and in again. It's enjoyable, it's relaxing, it helps you to BE the change you want to see in your reality.