What is Hypnosis?

The problem with the word ‘hypnosis’ is that it’s often used to point to both the way in which the process is induced and its results and methods.

To make matters complicated there’s the fact that all hypnosis is ultimately self-hypnosis. This is because it is the individual who is making hypnosis happen, whether a hypnotist is actually guiding the process or not.

Let’s start by explaining what a typical hypnotherapy session consists of. Here follows the main stages of a session:

The next most useful way I can categorise hypnosis is to divide it into ‘guided’ and ‘unguided’ . Let us look at ‘guided’ hypnosis first. 

Guided Hypnosis

1. Guided by the hypnotherapist in person
2. Guided by the hypnotherapist in absentia ( recorded by the hypnotherapist )
3. Guided by the client ( recorded by the client )

Guided Hypnosis : by the hypnotherapist in person

Guided Hypnosis : by the hypnotherapist in absentia 

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Guided Hypnosis: by the Client​

The third scenario involves you recording a simplified session for yourself using a smart phone or similar device. You would either read a professional pre-written induction or simply leave a blank space at the beginning of the recording so you can induce hypnosis on your own. ​

Self Hypnosis

Unguided hypnosis refers to self hypnosis that is happening without any external guidance. This would still involve the phases described above (induction / deepening , suggestions / affirmation and ending) but they would all be guided internally by you.

This kind of self hypnosis is quite advanced and only possible after a fair bit of practice. If you want to become fluent in it I would suggest you start first by seeing a hypnotherapist who will teach you how to successfully use guided self hypnosis. Once you are feeling confident with that you can proceed to this more advanced technique.

Differently from self hypnosis, meditation is not usually divided into formal ’stages’ although you normally will be invited to relax and sometimes focus on an object at the beginning. Meditations can be guided or unguided  and you can find out about the different types and how to get started here.

Guided Meditation vs Self Hypnosis

Central to both hypnosis and meditation is the practice of developing concentration. Concentration is the result of directing attention towards one idea at a time with as little effort as possible and with as much self compassion and kindness as possible.

The idea is not to always be perfectly focussed on the idea chosen but to practice maintaining focus and re-directing attention whenever we become distracted. Concentration is essential to both hypnosis and meditation because without it neither is possible.

The difference between the two here lies on what we are concentrating on. For meditation we are focussing on developing full awareness of ourselves and others in the present moment because the ultimate goal is realise our “Buddha nature” and become enlightened and fully awake beings .

In Hypnosis the ideas we concentrate on are usually specific goals pre-chosen before each session. These ideas can range from the practical to the spiritual and there is no real limit to what we can work on.

Contemplation

The skill of concentration is then applied to contemplation in both hypnosis and meditation. Contemplation is what happens when although we are controlling what we are paying attention to (concentration) we are also open to receive new information with a curious and accepting attitude.

So for example, we may be noticing a certain tension in the area of our heart. We concentrate on this area and on the feeling and sensation around it. We are not thinking about our to-do list in this moment or judging what we are doing or anything else.

If we realise we have drifted towards some other subject we gently redirect our attention towards the tension in the heart. Then we open up to receive information around it and learn something new about it. What is emerging around this feeling or sensation?

 This is something that both hypnosis and meditation foster but once again in meditation there are pre-determined areas we would most likely concentrate on, such as ideas and metaphors that teach spiritual concepts such as detachment or equanimity whereas in hypnosis there are no limitations: we could contemplate an event, a relationship, a feeling or any other idea that is useful for understanding ourselves and overcome a specific problem.

Multitasking is not good for you

Now, it has to be said that sometimes people pride themselves in being able to think about two things at the same time. The reality is we often just travel very swiftly from one idea and then back to another, back and forth, several times.

This involves a lot of mental energy however and it stops us from fully engaging with one idea. It’s kind of like mental multitasking. Nothing receives the proper attention.

In both hypnosis and meditation this is actively discouraged and one pointed attention to one idea at a time is encouraged. 

When you practice meditation and hypnosis you are effectively going to ‘mind gym’ and developing a muscle, except the ‘muscle’ promotes mental agility rather than physical agility.

Mantras serve the same purpose as affirmations

Another similarity between meditation and hypnosis is that they both work with repetition. Mantras are nothing but affirmations , also called suggestions.

The difference is that mantras are given by teachers and are determined by specific spiritual traditions whereas in self hypnosis the suggestions can be either given by the therapist or you can create your own ones using specific rules .

Prayers is a form of hypnotic suggestion

Incidentally ‘prayers’ could be seen as another form of suggestion or affirmation. The idea is that when you enter a concentrated state of mind where you are solely focussing on your wish and you are directing your mind towards paying attention only to the idea at hand.

You are not thinking about what you are going to have for dinner or what you’re gonna watch on TV. It has to be noted however that since prayers don’t follow particular rules you may end up getting what you ask for just like with self hypnosis, so be careful not to ask for what you don’t want or you may get it!

Meditation and Hypnosis: similarities and differences

As it is becoming more apparent meditation and hypnosis have a lot more in common that anticipated.

It could be argued that they both induce or work with the same mental process or produce the same mental state (depending on how whether you choose to see hypnosis as a state or as a process) but the ways in which they are induced differs. Let’s look at these more in depth:

• Focus on the breath and point of focus

Both hypnosis and mediation work with the breath. Typically when you first enter hypnosis you will be taking some deep breaths while focusing on a spot.

This is because deep breathing is relaxing and focusing on a spot helps concentration. In hypnosis this is called diaphragmatic breathing with eye fixation.

Meditation also often starts by taking a few deep breaths, and sometimes we are asked to look at an object, such as a candle, a picture, or a blank wall, but focusing on the breath may not stop after the first deep breaths are over and we may be asked to continually be aware of the breath as an anchor to present moment awareness.

• Body Scan vs Progressive relaxation

We have already discussed what the body scan is. Progressive relaxation is not quite the same thing. The difference is that during progressive relaxation we focus on relaxing each and every part of the body in turn by either physically tensing and releasing each muscles or imagining it or else using other visualisation techniques to allow the muscles to relax. 

A body scan on the other hand, although it may result in relaxation, is not aimed at it. Rather, it involves simply observing what is without wanting or needing to change it.

• Other induction techniques

Hypnosis uses a variety of induction methods that are not utilised by meditators. These can involve using memory recall or imagining scenarios that are found to be relaxing by the client in order to enter the hypnotic state.

Language and tone of voice as well as speed are also used very specifically to induce hypnosis quickly. 

There are shock techniques that can be used to induce hypnosis as well as tricks that can confuse the conscious mind and bypass its critical factor to accept suggestions more readily.

These would never be used in a meditation session but are sometimes necessary with clients that are very analytical and anxious and find it hard to switch off and tune in.

• Spiritual bypassing vs dealing with the emotions

One of the main goals of meditation is to be able to detach from our thoughts and emotions and let them flow and pass by without becoming attached to them.

The idea is to not engage with them but to simply observe them as temporary manifestations. This can be very beneficial because it can help us stop catastrophizing and worrying about the future or the past and it anchors us in the present moment. 

However there is a danger of using this technique to run away from our emotions especially if they are unpleasant. When we do this we are ‘spiritually bypassing’ unresolved and uncomfortable feelings and although we may feel great in the short term as a result of it, these feelings will still affect us negatively.

In fact they may cause even more damage by going underground and wreck havoc by creating psychosomatic illness or self sabotaging behaviours. 

Hypnosis on the other hand promotes emotional exploration and release. The idea is that it is healthy to experience emotions and allowing them to flow. In fact hypnotherapy works with the emotions, using them as agents of inner healing and transformation.

• Different aims

While meditation’s main aim is to achieve ‘enlightenment’ hypnosis’s aim is to allow us to achieve our own personal goals, which we can decide in advance.

These goals could be spiritual or may be emotional or behavioural or practical or they may involve some or all of these elements at one time.

The difference is the goal is determined by you: you decide what you want to use hypnosis for and this will determine the content of the hypnotic session itself to suit those goals.