This is actually something I ask my clients when the come in the first time, and they usually answer in the negative. Happily, they’re wrong! Hypnosis is learning, and learning is hypnosis. Hypnosis is not necessarily trance, and trance is not necessarily hypnosis.

Now, the reason I talk about learning instead of trance in my definitions of hypnosis is because there are so many misconceptions about hypnosis out there - even among hypnotists!

One common definition of hypnosis is as follows: “Hypnosis is the bypass of the critical factor and the establishment of selective thinking.” Dave Elman is widely credited with defining hypnosis this way. I like this definition, so we’ll go with it. It’s simple, easy, and uncomplicated.

See, many people get hung up on ‘conscious mind’ and ‘unconscious mind’, as if we actually know what those words really mean. Ask 100 hypnotists what hypnosis is, and you’ll get 100 different answers. (I’ve asked over 100 , and I always get a different answer.)

No confusion is necessary, though. ‘Establishment of selective thinking’ means focus. Simple enough. ‘Bypass of the critical factor’ means, according to me, learning. Most people equate the critical factor with the conscious mind. I don’t. I see the critical factor as a simple toggle switch in the brain - when it’s up, the brain rejects new information. When it’s down, the brain accepts new information. See? Learning. Easy.

If you accepted any of this information, then you have technically been hypnotized by this blog posting (or you’ve hypnotized yourself regarding this post, either way is fine by me.) That’s the ‘normal’ style of learning. Consciously thinking things through, and choosing whether or not to accept them. If I tell you something absurd, like “It’s easier to stand on your head all the time,” then you’ll simply reject that information. What’s more, you’ll do it without having to think about it - that’s an unconscious use of your critical factor. (Ever try to talk politics with someone who’s made their mind up?)

The reason it looks and feels different when a ‘hypnotist’ does hypnosis with someone is because hypnotists are trained to take the learning state and streeeeeeeeetttttttcccchhhhhh it out, instead of trying to slip in information in the times when things ‘click’. We simply take that ‘click’ and keep it active for a while.

I don’t teach that many things I want you to have to think about consciously, so explanations are present primarily to put the client at ease during our sessions together. Most of what I teach is feelings, habits, beliefs, values, and simple mental patterns. These things CANNOT be taught by sheer explanation (though I’ve occasionally tried and failed!)

So, that’s why I’m a ‘hypnotist’ instead of a ‘teacher’, ‘trainer’, or anything else.

Jeremy