The unconscious has many layers and we are still discovering the wonderful features of this most interesting phenomenon. In the old days, Dr Freud labelled it as a “beast” and it had quite a discouraging impression in the eyes of public for a long while. Darkness, sickness and many other negative aspects were considered to be the very essence of the unconscious mind. When I’ve first learned about this concept, I imagined it as a huge dark warehouse where everything was hidden and one could easily get lost and stay stuck (!) .
However, thanks to hypnotists like Dr Erickson and Dave Elman, we now know that the unconscious mind is one of the most fascinating characteristics of the vast human potential. For instance, the unconscious mind runs and regulates your bodily functions. While you are reading these lines, your heartbeat and blood pressure level are being regulated by a superior system, your eye balls are automatically moving and many neurotransmitters are being fired in the background for many other purposes. When you get injured or get cut, automatic programs of healing are being run and you are right back on track again.
One of the amazing capabilities of the unconscious mind is the ability to follow a certain instruction without having to keep it in your conscious mind all the time. A post hypnotic suggestion is an idea, a basic instruction you give yourself to be carried at a certain time, place or situation. As a human, you’ve been using it for your whole life without knowing it’s name. For instance, if you really need to get up at an early time in the morning you repeat this idea to yourself by saying “I’ve got to get up by 7am” and in the morning you realize that you are up five minutes earlier than the alarm clock and you never wonder how this happened.
The unconscious does not draw a thick line between past, present and future. So, if you provide a simple and straight forward post hypnotic suggestion, it will be applied when the right time/situation comes. The reason why we call it a hypnotic suggestion is that hypnosis has been proven to be the fastest way to influence your unconscious mind.
A Little Treat
Simple Anesthesia: Anesthesia is a natural phenomenon which can easily be created by our own bodies. When listening an exciting lecture for three hours, we don’t necessarily feel our bottom whereas when the lecture is dull and boring, we start complaining about the uncomfortable seats. So, let’s just do a simple exercise which will cause a numbness in the jaw. First, sit comfortably and choose a spot on the wall or ceiling opposite you. While looking at the ceiling, repeat these suggestions to yourself without having any doubt whatsoever.
In a moment I am going to close my eyes and when I do, a feeling of numbness flows to my right jaw.
After closing your eyes (and getting any kind of response whether minor or major) go ahead and do this second part.
In a moment, I am going to open and close my eyelids and when I do, the numbness becomes twice as deep.
Now, you may repeat this procedure as much as you like. Even if you get a really minor response, it means you have an influence over your body, which is true for everyone.
Dreams: Many of my clients complain about not being able to remember their dreams. Since our mind works on the principle of conditioning, thanks to Pavlov, we can easily recall dreams by giving the right suggestion. So, when you go to bed tonight, just before you fall a sleep, repeat yourself this sentence and believe in it (this nails it):
I dream every night and I easily remember my dreams. When I open my eyes in the morning, my dreams flow to my mind smoothly in clear and vivid images.
Waking Up: Some people do find it quite difficult to get up early and feel good about it. So here is another one for night people like me:
Every night I sleep deep and relaxed. I wake up at …am and feel a wave of freshness, recuperation and energy all over y body. I feel light and strong mentally and physically. The moment I open my eyes, I feel like having bathed in fresh spring water.
A post hypnothic suggestion can be used for anything; however, the main principle behind this is conditioning, meaning repetition so that the program can become automatic and you don’t have to consciously remember it everyday, and the other is believing in it. After a while, an automatic program becomes a knowing rather than a believing. Go ahead and explore!
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Aw, this was a quite quality post. In theory I’d like to write like this as well – taking time and real work to generate a very good article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and in no way glimpse for getting anything done.