12 Short Steps to Self-hypnosis Mastery

 Want to apply and learn the benefits of self-hypnosis? Follow one suggestion every month in the year ahead and develop mastery over your mind. Acronyms are a useful mnemonic just in case you’re wondering what the heck you’re supposed to be focused on. Here are twelve steps to SELF-HYPNOSIS mastery:

January

S – Suggestions…develop a list of personal suggestions for yourself. Target specific behavioural/belief systems that you want to change. It’s important that you address something with a ‘feeling’ component to it or something that holds meaning for you.

February

E – Engagement…there’s no point having a list of suggestions written down and not in use! Engage its use by recording them onto an app or if you want to go further, record it with music on ‘Audacity’ and start listening on a daily basis…best upon rising or just before going to sleep.

March

L – Listen…create a mindfulness journal for yourself and take up mindfulness meditation. Notice what thoughts are coming up for you as you meditate. Listen to your self-talk. Often we think that we need to change something about ourselves when in reality our focus is off-track.

April

F – Focus…develop your powers of concentration. The more you learn to focus in a relaxed state, the easier self-hypnosis will be for you. Look at the ticking of the hands of a clock or the flickering of a flame. Start at 1 minute and go up to 10 minutes and notice that it gets easier and easier each time.

May

H – Hypnotic music…music is a powerful ‘mind drug’. There are countless hypnotic tracks online. I like the classics; Baroque music from Vivaldi, Bach and Mozart but there are literally thousands from all genres available for your use. Its aim is to lower your brain-wave from beta to alpha and theta states where your unconscious mind is more open to receiving your suggestions. Anchor a particular musical track to some sort of victory in your life. E.g. you’ve spoken in public and was previously petrified. As soon as you’ve done that, play the track as you drive back home. Next time you are preparing for a speech, play the track again. It will help elicit the same victorious feelings.

June

Y – Yearn…nothing much will happen if you use self-hypnosis without desire. There must be a real yearning for change to occur. What’s your why to what it is that you want? Answer that question since it’s the key that will open the hidden doors in your mind. (Time to get some stuff out of the closet that doesn’t belong there – e.g. other peoples’ whys).

July

P – Performance…it’s absolutely vital that you take action towards change. Little steps taken on a daily basis over a period of time are better than big dramatic and inconsistent changes. A good example here is weight-loss. Binge dieting can lead to binge eating. It’s best to introduce positive changes gradually over time. Performance is also about finding activities that you can do in which you notice time flies by. It could be running, dancing, writing, painting, gardening…find something that you can do that enhances a relaxed state. When putting yourself in hypnosis, bring up this feeling through your imagination and notice yourself getting into a focused state of attention faster.

August

N – Noise…just how much noise are you allowing in your ear? Again, self-hypnosis demands an evaluation of absolutely everything that you are listening to; radio, TV, social media, other peoples’ opinions etc. Go on a noise fast for a while and see how easy it is to program yourself. Realise that there’s an agenda behind everything else. Quieten your mind and say no to noise.

September

O – Observe…in the same vein as the noise fast, allow your powers of observation to grow by noting at least 10 things that you are aware of each time your environment changes. You can say this to yourself, ask questions about what you notice or write it down in your journal. This is predominantly visual but you could also note how you feel about your environment too.

October

S – Stick…sticking to a plan of listening/writing/meditating/relaxing. It will help your suggestions stick to your unconscious mind. You are actually validating yourself. Your unconscious mind is saying ‘this guy’s for real,’ and will agree to your suggestions.

November

I – Intellect…learn more about your brain and what drives your behaviour. I recommend the book ‘You are the Placebo’ by Jo Dispenza. The book is loaded with scientific research about the brain and the benefits of hypnosis as well as meditation.

December

S – Subliminals…some people don’t believe in subliminal tracks and some people do. Why not give it a go? They are actually suggestions recorded onto musical tracks but recorded in such a way so that your conscious mind can’t pick it up (yay because sometimes your conscious mind just gets in the way to your progress)…yet it is discerned by your unconscious mind. Congratulate yourself if you’ve done all of the steps above – extend your hand – pat yourself on your back if you’ve been able to record all those insights and changes into your journal. Remember, it only takes one little domino to tip and the whole path changes.