There are many myths about hypnosis, but the idea that you will lose control is not true…or is it?

So you get ready to go see a hypnotist, and one of your friends looks at you and says, “Oh, that’s mind control.”

That is fake news. But this episode is still going to be ambiguous. 

I often joke with my clients when they ask me if they are going to cluck like a chicken. I tell them, “Chicken clucking is on Tuesdays.” I’ve heard it so ofte,n and it’s kind of just the whole cliche of hypnosis. The chicken clucking is not bad, it’s the mind-control-negativity that the media and movies portrait. 

What will a Hypnotist do? 

Will we use language patterns that talk directly to your subconscious mind? Yes.

We are like detectives who can notice your body language and notice when something is making you uncomfortable. Yes.

We are kind and compassionate and want the best for you. Yes 

You wonder, will you tell us your secrets? No, your secrets are part of your values; we don’t change that. 

Can you hide a lie under hypnosis? Absolutely. If you have the value that allows you to lie about something, you will lie under hypnosis. It’s no different. We don’t have truth serums.

Having said all that, there are bad hypnotists out there who will do their best to trick you or use language patterns that are not what I would call ethical.

Now I said this was going to be ambiguous.

So, is there Mind Control in hypnosis?

Yes, but we don’t control your mind. You do. You are the one who can dictate the change that you want to make.

If you see a hypnotist, you want to solve a problem and you want to gain control of that situation.

We help you to make that change by helping you to get rid of the control that is keeping you stuck, and we do that by helping to change your subconscious mind. 

Your mind is changeable. It also takes repetition.

Now that I’ve said all that, I’m going to become very metaphysical here, because this is a very ambiguous topic.

Control is an illusion

If you break it down to the fundamentals.

What do we really have control over?

We have about as much control as an ant on a cosmic level. If you look at the view from up in the sky down at this massive planet, we are just tiny little ants trying to control our tiny little world.

• We can’t control our thinking because our brain automatically thinks for us.
• We can’t control Mother Nature, she does exactly what she wants.
• We can’t control the future because the future doesn’t turn out exactly like you think it will. The future is an illusion. 

 When you hold on too tight to control, you are actually out of control.

The need to control often manifests in OCD, anxiety, fears, and everything in between. I see it all the time in my practice. 

But what can you control?

• Habits- you can control and change your habits if you wish.
• Your outlook- keeping in mind that you do have a negative bias to keep you safe. But otherwise, you can change your outlook yourself.
• Self-Talk- The way you view yourself and the way you talk to yourself. 
• Thoughts- You can’t change the stream of thoughts; they just continue on. But you can notice them and change the emotions attached to them.

What about your beliefs? 

You can change your beliefs but for some, it takes work. Beliefs are based on perceptions, regardless of facts. 

 A person can hold onto a belief and it doesn’t matter what facts are there to dispute it. This means you have to change your bias and perception about that belief, and that can sometimes be difficult.

 I’ll give you an example. You can tell somebody that the earth is not flat and no matter what facts they are given, if they truly believe that the earth is flat, they will hold onto that belief.

Most beliefs are based on the all-or-nothing component. 

Try this to change a belief 

Think of something that you feel has total control over your life. Something that is causing you angst. When you have it in your body and you notice it, I want you to ask this question.

This is a powerful Byron Katie question.  When you have this belief in your mind, I want you to ask this question. 

Is this belief 100% true?

Again, we tend to be all-or-nothing thinkers, so if you can find a crack in that belief that proves that it’s not 100% true, then you can start to change that belief.

Once you put a crack in it, you’re brain starts to question it and gives room to disintegrate it. 

The second question. 

How will my life change without this belief?

Whenever you have a very strong belief and you’re trying to see a different perspective or gain control over these beliefs, try asking those questions. 

You are in control of making choices and you’re in control of making decisions, but in order to make a decision, you have to give up some control.

Loss of control is stepping into the unknown. 

Let’s go back to the original question. Can hypnosis take control of your life? The bottom line…

No, a hypnotist can’t control you. You have to do that.

When you start to use hypnosis, either with a hypnotist or self-hypnosis, you start to notice that you have more control over yourself, your beliefs, your thoughts, the way you view yourself,  and how you talk to yourself.

And that is powerful control.

Remember, you have a powerful mind, and it can be changed to support the life you want to live.

In the meantime, enjoy your day, one minute at a time.

Hugs, Cheryl 

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• The work of Byron Katie
• Cheryl J Reynolds 
• Achieve your goals with Hypnosis-mini-meditation 
• How to deal with the loss of control