Hypnosis can be thought of as an altered state of consciousness in which interesting and useful abilities can be transferred into specific times and places, allowing us to erase old habits, build replacement habits that are just as automatic and, more importantly create generative change. A good analogy is the clipboard in the windows program: we can copy playfulness from a childhood memory and add it to our way of enjoying our work, for example.

Despite dramatic media and stage show portrayals, the incredible things that we can accomplish through hypnosis are not magic. The hypnotic state is quite natural and occurs commonly. Who hasn't absent mindedly driven past an exit, or stepped off an elevator on the wrong floor, only to be disoriented for a few moments? Yet when we experience those moments no great life changes spontaneously occur. Which leads us to consider...

Hypnotherapy is the art of using the opportunities provided by hypnosis to accomplish the wonderful benefits promised in the definition of hypnosis. And, real artistry is involved in presenting to the unconscious mind ideas and suggestions that prompt it to shift the resources, reorganize the beliefs and the patterns of behavior that produce the new, more productive habits and accelerated abilities that are so easily and quickly available through hypnosis.

Assisting another person to go into a hypnotic trance is an easy matter for the most part, and for many simple issues self hypnosis can be perfectly effective in producing desired changes in habits and attitudes. It is most desirable, however, to get the assistance of a highly trained hypnotherapist for issues that are highly emotionally charged, or which are fairly complex. For example, fears and phobias, procrastination, emotional traumas, depression, compulsive behaviors, smoking cessation, and weight control are complex enough that they are most easily and quickly resolved with skilled assistance. The assistance of a skilled hypnotherapist can be also be invaluable if your goals are to build improved relationships, improve sales and interpersonal communications skills, or develop a totally generative positive outlook on life. You can begin learning the necessary skills for yourself from the many excellent books on hypnosis and Neuro Linguistic Programming that are readily available at bookstores.

Self hypnosis starts with your going into a trance, and following the instructions below is an easy way to start learning what it's like to go into a trance easily. Because you're interested in going into a trance and experiencing all that goes with it, you'll find that you can just to allow yourself to be open to learning through doing as you continue reading.
Before you go into trance, however, it's a good idea to know what to do when you're there.

• First choose a goal for yourself . Make sure that your goal is stated in the positive, since your unconscious will tend to give you what you focus your attention on. For example, "I don't want any more insomnia" is going to be MUCH less effective than "I want to sleep restfully tonight and every night, awakening refreshed".
  
  
• More specific suggestions will be more effective. For example, "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better" will not be likely to increase your enjoyment of work as "I am having more and more fun at work while I am getting everything that's really important done in an increasingly efficient way."
  
  
• Next fill your mind with your positive suggestion, saturating your thoughts with it.
  
  
• Then go into a trance and let your unconscious to accomplish your goals automatically.
  
  
• Just allow yourself to awaken naturally when your unconscious is done.
  
  Although immediate results are to be expected, you may need to vary the suggestions that you're using any number of times before attaining your goal. If at first you don't succeed, try something different. Be patient with yourself, and enjoy the pleasures of hypnosis, relaxation, and the fact that you're taking the time to do something good for yourself.