One of the most common questions I get is “How does Hypnosis Work?” That is an excellent question whose answer is directly related to how our subconscious mind work.
Let’s explore this concept...
Your mind is separated in 3 parts: Your conscious mind, your subconscious mind and your critical mind.
Your conscious mind is the one with the logic where we deduct many of our conclusions and which constitutes only 12% of your mind. You subconscious mind is the one with the automatic programming, which also includes the autonomic nervous system that allows you to breathe without thinking and that constitutes 88% of your mind. Finally, the critical mind is the one that filters the information, which comes from your conscious mind and your external environment. It’s like the gatekeeper of you mind.
Now from the time we are born until we are about 8 years old we are very suggestible and we take in everything as absolute truth and that’s when we begin to form our subconscious programming. Our subconscious programming is also created and altered through other means such as repetition.
After that age is when that barrier we call the critical mind begins to form to protect our subconscious programming, which will affect us for the rest of our lives.
Now when we are in hypnosis, unlike what most people believe, it is the critical mind that goes in abeyance and not the conscious mind, which is why I cannot make you quack like a duck.
As a result a little doorway opens up and the suggestions given while in hypnosis can sink in much more easily and become part of the subconscious programming.
However, when we are in our normal waking state, the critical mind is fully alert and it will not let thoughts, even if they are positive, to go through from the conscious mind.
So let’s say the thought comes to you that you want to quit smoking.
The thought goes from the conscious mind to the critical mind where it is filtered and then rejected because it doesn’t fit the subconscious programming, which says you’ve been smoking for 10 years and you like it. However, when in hypnosis the mind goes in a theta state, otherwise known as the dream state and that is when your critical mind is most vulnerable and where thoughts to quit can be much more easily accepted and successful.
Having said that, Hypnosis is NOT a magic cure. Like many other treatments it takes dedication and willingness to change. However, instead of taking one step at a time you can take three steps at a time towards achieving goal if not more.
However, together we can have 100% effectiveness.