Short answer: Yes, Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis can be used by any Christian or by any other religion or relationship with God. Hypnosis is not diabolical and it is not mentioned in the Bible.

Let’s elaborate.

What’s Hypnosis? Is Hypnosis Real? Does Hypnosis work? Is Hypnosis Safe?

Hypnosis is state of focused concentration where you bypass the Critical Factor (CF) and are more open to suggestions. It is a state where you access your subconscious with a very specific goal.

You don’t need to be relaxed for Hypnosis to work. You are not asleep. You are always aware. Your not “under or submitted”. You are always in control.

If you do a search in Internet you will find a lot of definitions of Hypnosis, because there are a lot of misconceptions about what hypnosis is and the scientific community has not agree how exactly hypnosis works.

We know Hypnosis works. We know Hypnosis is real. We know is not the same as the Placebo Effect, although it is very similar. We know that is safe when used properly by a person with the proper training and experience.

We also know Hypnosis is not Mind Control. You cannot be forced to do something against your moral principles. Is not 100%s effective. Sometimes doesn’t work. It is not a “special power” than only some people have. Animals cannot be hypnotized. Most people can be hypnotized … if you are able to concentrate and have imagination you can be hypnotized.

A very important note here, always check with your Health Care Professional first. If you are under medical treatment check first.

Hypnosis as it is practiced today by Health Care Professionals, Ministers, Priests, Pastors, Stage Hypnotists, Hypnotherapists, Hypnotists and Consulting Hypnotists has nothing to do with Mental Control or having your mind empty and open to diabolic spirits.

The title of this post “Should Christians Submit To Hypnosis” is wrong. You are never under, you are not submitted to hypnosis or the hypnotist. Your are never “in trance” or “asleep” when you are in hypnosis. All those are old terms used even today by hypnotists, because they are terms more recognized by the public and because there is not an exact word to define how hypnosis feels.

Hypnosis is very similar to daydreaming and many hypnotists will tell you that it is a normal state in which we go many times during the day.

Some people are afraid of the fact that “Hypnosis allows you access to your subconscious“, but what they do not realize is that we access the subconscious many times during the day. That most of the things we do, we do them accessing the subconscious. Like what shoe you put first in the morning. What coffee you drink and why. Think about all the things you do during the day “without thinking” … many times you are accessing your subconscious.

What’s the Critical Factor (CF)?

Is not a physical part of your brain … it is a concept about how your mind works. The Critical Factor (CF) is basically the part of your mind that accepts what is “true to you”. Notice that I did not say what is the truth, or what is correct. It is an interpretation of what is true to you. If you have parents that told you all the time that you were not smart, there is moment that your mind accept this as “the truth about you”, does not matter if in reality is true or false.

If a person when very low self-time visit a Hypnotist or Hypnotherapist, he or she will bypass the CF and suggest to your mind that “you are smart” (using the same example). If done correctly your mind will change the “you are not smart” by “you are smart”. Of course you can do this change without hypnosis, but it takes more time. Hypnosis make it easier because you go directly to your subconscious.

Now let’s come back for a moment to the religious part.

• Hypnosis is not mentioned in the Bible. The way we use Hypnosis started around the 1700.
• You are never under the control of the Hypnotist. That’s a false impression given by State Hypnosis. Remember Stage Hypnosis, is real many times, but it is a show … so part of the show is “The Power Of The Hypnotist”.
• Your mind is never empty. It is the other way around you are in a focused concentration.
• You cannot be forced to do something againts your moral principles.
• I, as a Consulting Hypnotist, cannot “make you” do any change if you don’t want it. Even if it is a positive change that could benefit your life.
• No hypnotist can hypnotize you if you don’t want. Now there are ways around … like politicians, sale people and maybe your Priest or Pastor use it. Maybe they don’t use hypnosis, but use one of the parts … suggestions. Don’t believe me … just go to youtube.com and search for Stage Hypnosis and them compare to a Pastor’s presentation. Pay attention to the wording, touches, body and hand movements, voice and face expressions.
• You are never in state where diabolic forces could take over your mind or your soul or your body. This is totally false and based in the belief that Hypnosis is Mind Control. It is not, other way my whole family would be under my control and they are not.
• Many Christian religions accept Hypnosis as “health treatment”.
• Very few Christian religions see hypnosis as diabolic. The ones who see it that way is because they don’t know what hypnosis is and base their beliefs on false information about what hypnosis can do or cannot do.
• Again … do not believe me. Search the Bible for the word “hypnosis”, you won’t find it.
• Search in the Bible for what hypnosis does … “focused concentration”. There is nothing against it. The fact is that most influential Christian leaders use “focused concentration with the goal of changing something in a positive way”, when they are in deep pray or Christian meditation.

You see when you really pray or go into deep Christian meditation, you are using similar principles to Hypnosis and Self-Hypnosis. True, it is not the same, but the principles behind are … intention, concentration, suggestion.

Although it is truth that some Hypnotists use the spiritual side of hypnosis, most use only the scientific side. Meaning it is used for problems like:

• Asthma.
• Phobias, fears.
• Insomnia.
• Addictions.
• Bedwetting.
• Labor and delivery.
• Cancer related pain.
• Weight loss. Weight Management and Weight Control.
• Stress.
• Skin problems.
• Nail bitin.
• Stop Smoking. Smoking Cessation.

Just to mention some uses.

Now it is not 100% effective and sometimes does not work at all. Hypnosis is not a Miracle Cure or  A Cure All solution. In many cases hypnosis is used in combination with other techniques or treatments.

I’m a Consulting Hypnotist and I learned about Hypnosis when I was in High School, I had a friend who was a Hypnotist  and a teacher who showed us how to manipulate animals “into hypnosis”. Of course he told us, “Animals cannot be hypnotized. It is just a manipulation trick that looks like Hypnosis”.

I was what many call A Lay Hypnotist, a person who knows about hypnosis without proper and formal preparation. Hypnosis is very easy to learn. Now to be able to Hypnotize properly, in a safe manner takes time and formal training.

Actually I forgot about Hypnosis for many years until I decided to make Hypnosis my way of living, my way of helping others and I became a Certified Consulting Hypnotist.

If you want to experience hypnosis. First, talk to your Doctor. Then consult with a Health Care Professional that practices hypnosis very often. Notice, I did not say “that knows Hypnosis”. It is important that he/she knows what he/she is doing. One thing is to know something, another to be efficient in it. All Doctors know how to do surgery, but not all of them do surgery very often.

If your problem is not medical you can consult a Hypnotherapist or a Consulting Hypnotist. Some Health Care Professionals know Consulting Hypnotists to whom they refer patients when needed.

Depending of the country, province or state, the regulations and laws are different for whom can practice Hypnosis, Hypnotherapy (Hypnosis used as therapy) and/or Consulting Hypnotist.

I’m a Life Coach who practices Life Coaching, Consulting Hypnotist (Hypnosis) and Neuro-Linguistic Programming(NLP). I do it “full-time”. My close friends and family will “recommend you” not to mention the word “Hypnosis” in a conversation with me, because I start talking and don’t stop … and … start doing demonstrations. I love all  the good and positive things that can be done with hypnosis.

Hypnosis is a powerful technique that can help you create many positive outcomes in your life. Again is not a miracle power, cure or treatment, but a powerful tool.

More questions please write ohidalgo@nlphypnosiscentre.com or visit us at www.nlphypnosiscentre.com

Olivier Hidalgo