What is hypnosis?

Hypnosis is a natural state of mind in which the physical body is deeply relaxed and the mind is alert, clear and focused. It is a level of relaxed awareness, as all humans drift into different levels of trance states throughout the day. It is normal for each of us to enter this state, most common right before we fall asleep and right after we wake up. There are also many other times during the day that we may enter a natural trance state, for example, while driving. Have you ever missed your exit on the freeway because you were “spacing out”? Other common examples of daily trance states are watching TV, listening to music, exercising, and daydreaming. All of these are examples of what is called “environmental hypnosis.” When you are in the hypnotic state in a hypnotherapy session, you will be awake, aware, and will hear and remember everything that is said.

What is hypnotherapy?

Hypnotherapy is the process of using the power of suggestion in hypnosis to create a state of suggestibility in the subconscious mind. Once the brain goes from the most alert state (Beta brain wave) into the more relaxed and receptive Alpha brain wave state, suggestions bypass the critical conscious mind and are received by the subconscious mind. It is theorized that our subconscious mind makes up 90% of the mind. Suggestibility simply means open to suggestion. Hypnotic suggestions are used during hypnosis to create the desired changes in your life.

What does hypnosis feel like?

The experience or “feeling” of hypnosis is different for everybody. Most people associate a feeling of relaxation with hypnosis because most hypnotherapists use relaxation techniques in therapy. Physically, people will have different responses to relaxation instructions – some feel heaviness in the body, others, a feeling of lightness or floating. Mentally, responses vary from a feeling of extreme focus or awareness to a profound sense of calm. During hypnosis, your mind may drift and you may drift into thoughts. Even though your subconscious mind is in a highly suggestible state, your conscious mind may do what it always does: think, ask questions, and try to figure it out.

What is breathwork?

Breathwork dates as far back to 2700 B.C.E in China and 3000 B.C.E in India. It’s also been used in Japan and Tibet for centuries. These practices have since been refined and modernized to fit into today’s society. The physical, emotional, psychological, and even spiritual benefits have been well established and studied and continue to be studied today.

Using the breath to energize and relax the body is one application of breathwork, as is using the breath in meditation as a point of focus, and to remain in present moment awareness.

It is estimated that up to 80% of us are upper chest breathers, and not breathing down into the diaphragm. This puts the body out of balance, and can contribute to anxiety, hypertension, tiredness and brain fog, impaired immune function, and poor sleep.

Breathwork can supercharge the body, and by relearning how to breathe (like a baby), you can create a balancing of many systems in the body.