by Maxwell Gauthier, Rapid Transformational Therapist –
I used to have trouble sleeping on airplanes. The noise and movement made it hard to relax, so I would toss and turn in my seat until I finally fell asleep an hour or two later. But, ever since I learned how to hypnotize myself, I fall asleep in just five minutes. Every time, and no matter where I am. It’s like magic.
See, hypnosis is not like you see it in the movies. There are no dangling stopwatches, and you won’t start quacking like a duck (unless you want to!). In fact, hypnosis is a completely natural state and you enter it regularly without even knowing it. Do you remember a time where you were so engaged in a movie and the characters within it that when the credits rolled, you “returned to the room?” Or the last time you were driving home from the grocery store and suddenly realized that you got home without thinking, as if you were on autopilot? These are examples of being in a natural trance, entering a “dream-like” state.
As a hypnotherapist, my top priority is to create an environment where my clients feel safe to explore what is bothering them. For this reason, I start all of my programs by introducing them to a tool called self-hypnosis. After only five minutes of practise with this tool, clients can quiet their mind, slow down their thoughts and enter a deep state of relaxation. I’m going to show you how to do this too.
When newborn babies fall asleep, they often roll their eyes upwards right before they shut their eyes. This helps them relax and enter a light sleep state known as Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. If you’ve never seen this before, I highly recommend finding a video of this on YouTube. It is absolutely fascinating to witness.
To enter self-hypnosis, you simply follow the steps of a newborn baby. First, take your eyeballs and look up, as if you’re looking into your own eyebrows. You may notice some strain in your eyes, which is an indicator that you are doing this correctly.
Secondly, take a deep breath in, and when you exhale, allow your eyelids to close slowly as you keep your eyeballs facing upwards. At this point, your eyes are closed but your eyeballs are still looking up.
Thirdly, you’ll probably notice a subtle or not-so-subtle “fluttering” sensation as your eyes dance around. I’ll be the first to tell you that this will feel strange at first and it may take a few practices to get used to the feeling. But once your eyes have been fluttering for 10 to 15 seconds, you can let them relax wherever they want to.
And that’s all there is to it. If you are still finding it difficult to relax, it may be helpful to count down from 100 to one in your head and to remind yourself that it is safe to be calm at this moment.
For more information, visit www.maximumtherapy.live.
