Photo by Lahar Samantarai | The Signal
The subconscious is constantly consuming information, and the moment that someone enters a trance their mind becomes vulnerable to suggestion. One way to unlock subconscious power is through the memorizing effects of hypnosis.
Whether it’s for entertainment or therapy, the power of suggestion through words has a surprising effect on the subconscious mind. As a profession, hypnotists have mastered certain techniques that can put clients or curious audience members to sleep with the snap of a finger.
Superstition Vs. Reality
When it comes to hypnotism, people are generally skeptical from misconceptions associated with it’s illusionary yet real powers. Hypnotism is not mind control, it’s simply suggestions, and whether someone chooses to reenact those suggestions depends on their own personal experiences and morals.
Those who allow themselves to be hypnotised enter a state of relaxation, similar to the feeling of being in a trance or deep meditation. The vast significance of this profession can be used to provide entertainment or therapy.
According to professional Hypnotist and performer Alan Reyes, a good example of a trance state is being on the cellphone while driving and not remembering how you go to your destination, and it’s something that everyone does without realizing. Some hypnotists are skilled that they can put someone to sleep just by saying certain words.
“If you ever go to one of my shows, every word that I say fro
m the time that I open my mouth I’m hypnotizing people,” Reyes said.
Reyes was exposed to hypnotism while attending a real estate seminar. One of the guest speakers was Marshall Sylver, a well-known hypnotist that focuses on changing people’s lives through subconscious suggestion.
While attending the show, Reyes recalls watching a woman who was put to sleep instantly after an induction performed by Marshal Sylver. While on stage, that same woman’s behavior was strange yet amusing.
“She started doing these crazy things on the stage, and I said, ‘wow, I know she’s not faking it,” Reyes said. “There’s something else [there], and that’s what spurred me to start studying the brain a lot more.”
There are many ways to influence someone’s subconscious. Hypnosis has been used to positively influence people with weight loss, forensic hypnosis, helping victims recall traumatic incidents and holistic hypnosis helps clients cope with pain, fear or provide a sense of relaxation.
Probing the Mind of a hypnotist
Q&A with Alan Reyes
When you first started practicing hypnosis, where did you learn some of the proper techniques? The first time that you hypnotized someone, did it freak you out in any way?
“I actually took an online course, which was very easy, and anybody can take it from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute Tarzana California. I started with my wife, and I remember the first time I did this thing called ‘arm raising.’ Her arm started raising, and I was going, ‘wow that’s amazing she never listens to me.’ She snapped out of it, but I was absolutely convinced that it worked.”
You talked about how every hypnotist has a specific focus or niche. What is your focus and how did you initially channel that towards a specific audience?
“In order to get good at something you have to focus on one little spot. This is, in my opinion, the fastest way to do it. I would go to the bar on a Tuesday night, there’d be nobody there. So then Wednesday morning I go talk to the owner and say, ‘hey I noticed there was nobody here last night what if I do a show here.’ It was the most challenging environments because people were drunk, stoned, on drugs or whatever. That was a really good way to learn. I decided to do corporate work. I do a lot of insurance companies, agencies associations and banks, because I can speak their lingo. I can find something in common with them very quickly. I understand what they’re doing, [because] of my MBA in finance.”
We talked a little bit about the power of the subconscious, how do you get a complete stranger to let their guard down and allow you to hypnotize them?
“When you’re conscious your brain has this Rottweiler running around, filtering everything out, not letting you in. It’s going to filter all the behaviors you want to do. I use language patterns. Then once I get those Rottweilers out of the way, I can speak directly to your subconscious mind. I can’t make you do anything that you would never do, or something against your morals. As I have no real power over you, other than that [which] you allow me to have.”
What are some things that you really enjoy about hypnosis? What makes your shows exciting for the audience members?
“I like how powerful the subconscious mind is and the surprise of the whole thing. You just never ever know what is going to happen. In fact, my show patterns [specific] things, because that allows me to test what language works on somebody. In other words, are they more auditory, are they more visual or do they respond to feelings? The suggestions you give them later on in the show doesn’t matter because it depends upon the volunteers and their past experience.”
To learn more about team building workshops offered by Alan Reyes visit his website at reyespresentations.com.
Hypnotherapy
Relaxation is one of the many benefits of hypnosis. Georgia State University Alumni Jim Colton is a professional hypnotist that focuses on helping people relieve stress allowing them to see faster results in areas such as confidence, health, clarity, goal formation and more.
Colton was recommended to try hypnotherapy through a friend, who lost 75 pounds by seeing a hypnotist. After seeing the results for himself, Colton decided to do more research on the profession and with the support of his family he took a course, graduated top of his class and made an impactful change in his life.
“My stress level went down immensely and my confidence went up,” Colton said. “I woke up at three o’clock one morning looked at my wife, and said, ‘I’m going to retire and start my practice full time.’
Colton also specializes in self-hypnosis, pain control, emergency hypnosis and age regression, which helps people cope with trauma by taking them back to a moment in their childhood.
“The deeper you get into it the more you discover what you can do, and the more exciting this is. It’s really a lot of fun,” Colton said.
For questions and information about hypnotherapy visit Jim Colton’s website at jimcoltonhypnosis.com.
Being Hypnotised: My Experience
The feeling of hypnosis is very relaxing and mind bottling. Initially, I was nervous, because I was not sure how it would effect me. After experiencing hypnosis, I was refreshed, alert and ready to share my experience with others.
My body felt weightless, as I focused on the sound of the hypnotist’s voice. Everything that was previously on my mind was wiped away, leaving me comfortable and euphoric.
Excellent article! Except for one thing ……. STOP using the word SLEEP. …..people being hypnotized DO NOT go to sleep. They are in a deep state of relaxation.