Hypnosis and the nature of suggestion

[pamela]

Pamela,

I answered your questions about personal identity as contrasted with liberation from the cultural programing (read "hypnosis) called "my separate identity"... "this is who I am"... etc. repeatedly in the transpersonal psychology thread... all those posts on "enlightenment/liberation

well i am aware of that michael, but not everyone has read that thread that might be reading this one;)

You misunderstand the nature of liberation/enlightenment. It does not obliterate the uniqueness of the individual but rather enhances all "gifts" of the individual. For instance there is no fear after enlightenment, so all that kind of energy is "liberated" for love (in all its manifestations) intelligence and creativity

had you worded this as such in the other thread, then i would have understood.Thank you michael for the clarity and also yet another opportunity to engage you in discussion:)

[Michael Mooney]

Thank you michael for the clarity and also yet another opportunity to engage you in discussion

 

Thank you, Pamela, for your interest and much appreciated friendly reply.

It occurred to me that it might seem ironic/confusing that I use hypnosis in my practice yet aspire to liberate my clients from the "hypnosis of belief"... whether religious or cultural conditioning of personal identity.

 

It is ironic, but one way to transcend ones "life script" based on "personal identity" is to go into a deep hypnosis in which one transcends all attachment to "my movie"... sort of watching it from a balcony seat. With the post-hypnotic suggestion that they will remember that detachment/transcendence after hypnosis, they get a feeling for it that can be integrated into everyday life. They often have a new sense of freedom to "write their own script" so to speak, rather than just following the old cultural hypnosis of "This is who I am. This is what I want/need. To the extent my needs are not fulfilled I am unhappy"... etc.

 

I also teach meditation... to the same result. This without the imagery but just being still and realizing that consciousness (awareness) transcends what we are conscious/aware of... i.e., that consciousness transcends all content.

Then happiness is felt to reside in consciousness itself... just *being* rather than being dependent upon "doing" or"favorable circumstances/results of that doing... whatever the content of what we are experiencing.

 

Hope this is helpful in understanding how I use hypnosis in my practice.

Michael

[Moontanman]

as i have said, that is correct, however you don't have to want to be hypnotized to be hypnotized is what i was trying to say, and if you dont know you are being hypnotized, you can be hypnotized against your will, per say...

 

I'm not sure I understand what you are saying, but I will say again a person who doesn't want to be hypnotized cannot be hypnotized. Can you give me an example of hypnosis against a persons own will?