Inner workings of the mind
I am going to take a brief moment to clarify a little of how the mind works. Although this explanation may not be 100% accurate, it provides enough understanding for the purposes required here. In essence, we have multiple parts to our mind. Some people refer to them as separate minds. For instance, you have probably heard of your conscious mind and your subconscious or unconscious mind. They all part of the same physical entity, but perform slightly different tasks and have different cognitive abilities.
The conscious mind
This is your analytical mind always seeking solutions and creating reasons for us doing what we do. Its working memory which is prone to forgetting things it deems as no longer important. It is where we spend most of our awake time. Once this part of the mind has analysed and produced a solution created, the repetitive carrying out of the task is passed over to the subconscious mind. In a way the conscious mind is said to make sense of the world and is our decision-making mind.
The subconscious mind
If the conscious mind is the tip of an iceberg above water, then the subconscious mind is what lurks beneath. It is more primal, instinctive and its primary goal is to protect you and keep you safe. It does not have the same analytical and decision-making abilities. Yet, is vastly more powerful than the conscious mind. Considered to be the powerhouse of the mind, it is the source of all emotions and it is very good at repeating complex tasks. Tasks, which the conscious mind has found solutions for. Like walking, talking, swimming, riding a bike and myriad of other functions we have learned, and perform without thinking.
It is always engaged and remembers every sight, sound, feeling ,taste and every thought… everything, even those memories which are unavailable to the conscious mind are available to the subconscious.
For all its power, one may consider it almost childlike, open, creative, trusting and once something is ingrained, it is slow to accept change.
The critical factor
Also know as the inner observer. Its goal is to act like a librarian who categorises and files information coming in. It categorises information as supporting my view of the world (Morals, Beliefs, Values etc.) or as everything else. In this way it is the protector of You and all that you are.
The goal with therapy is to provide the client with alternative behaviours and ways of thinking, so as to add to their view of the world. Leading to the easing of any difficulty, providing a fresh view of the situation which inevitable leads to a happier life.
The critical factor is always present, even whilst in hypnosis, you cannot be made to do something that goes against your morals or beliefs and you will either simply ignore a suggestion and / or snap out of hypnosis. Similarly to a disturbance in a library, it will only be tolerated for so long before those responsible will be thrown out and told never to come back.
Hypnotic workings of the mind continued
As someone is hypnotised, they enter an altered state of mind. Now a side effect of this state of mind is that the mind becomes more open and less critical of what is being said. As you are guided further by the hypnotist, your imagination becomes engaged and it bridges the gap between the conscious and subconscious minds. And as you go deeper into hypnosis, you consciously less likely to judge information given to you in the form of suggestions. Which are simply short statements, that propose an idea or imply something as fact. Now when hypnotised, suggestions tend to be accepted more readily by your subconscious mind. They can be compounded, by giving a similar suggestion, again and again, until in that moment, they become your reality. Using our previous analogy, our librarian dozed off and some alternative ideas have been added to the me pile. So our current view of the world is altered and is why a stage hypnotist can give a person an onion and tell them they are eating an apple, and for that moment they believe they are eating an apple. In the context of entertainment, this lasts only a short period as the concepts are so foreign that, once the critical factor (our librarian) becomes more engaged again, the suggestion that an onion is an apple is refuted and our librarian sets about reestablishing order.
Inducing Hypnosis
Hypnosis can also be used to describe the process of hypnotising or guiding someone into hypnosis. Hypnotic states can be induced in so many ways, through any of our five senses and although people mostly think of the eyes, it is more likely a voice which will stimulate your hypnotic juices. During therapy, we mostly request you to relax, slow your breathing, while offering language patterns which are designed to cause the mind to search for meaning beneath their ambiguity. However, there are a plethora of options from overloading or confusing the conscious mind, to requesting the subject to imagining a time from their past. Even a little jolt to the conscious mind and interrupting a common pattern, create an opening to the subconscious. As does eliciting an emotional response, where for a brief instant the conscious mind is off balance.
So, so many techniques with which to pull the threads to unweave the artistic tapestry of the mind. In essence, each of the techniques, engage the imagination, narrow conscious focus and invite an altered state and should you choose to follow, can then be enhanced through further suggestion, creating a state in which to safely discover, learn new ways and to ultimately have more options available to you.
