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Self-hypnosis is the skill of developing a relationship between your conscious and unconscious. This relationship can be described as talking to your unconscious and then carefully listening and patiently waiting for a response from the unconscious. Self hypnosis is a way of letting in a "little more" sensory information. A Hypnotist is a teacher, an artist, and the words he or she chooses and uses are the tools of this historic profession. A Hypnotist, through choice of specific words, seeks to establish a rapport with a client and at the proper time may make suggestions to facilitate the client's goal.

A Hypnotist is skilled in the art of teaching self-hypnosis described as an Alpha state; a relaxed and contented state of mind in which brain wave cycles are slowed and learning new physical and emotional behavior is at an optimum level. A "waking" state describes our normal day to day conscious mind, and is primarily associated with Beta cps, (see below). The target goal of hypnosis is the Alpha/ Theta state.

The four basic brain waves seen in an electroencephalogram (EEG) are Delta, Theta, Alpha and Beta. The Alpha wave was discovered by Austrian Psychiatrist, Dr. Hans Berger. Each of the four basic EEG waves are linked to different states of consciousness. Delta is seen only in the deepest stages of sleep, Theta is seen in light sleep and drowsiness, Alpha is seen in waking states where there is relaxed and effortless concentration. Alpha is also experienced at that time when you first awake in the morning, while Beta is seen in highly stressful situations, and where there is difficult mental concentration and focus.

Alpha production is an innate skill of our brains. However, the fast paced life style most of us have adopted has resulted in a loss of the skill to produce Theta and Alpha waves. People who have more Alpha brain waves have less anxiety.

Creativity is another activity for which Alpha waves are helpful. Scientists have shown that the human brain displays different brain wave cycles during periods of high creative output. In order to have a creative inspiration, your brain needs to be able to produce a big burst of Alpha, predominately on the left side, effectively shutting the left-brain down . This allows the creative right-brain to expose the new idea.

"The goal of hypnosis is to generate creative contentment during self-hypnosis. "

Robert Gutkin, CH

The Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice copyright ©2003, National Guild of Hypnotists