It is not too uncommon to find a person with a spider phobia. If you are reading this page, you probably include yourself amongst the number of people who have a dread fear of those creepy, eight-legged beasties.

It’s pretty easy to understand why you would be afraid of spiders. They creep around with their fat bodies and hairy legs, spinning webs to snare prey and suck the life out of them. And the big ones don’t even start! As a matter of fact, you are probably getting the heebie-jeebies just reading these lines. Thankfully, you don’t need to live with your spider phobia forever. Through hypnosis, you can rid yourself of your spider phobia and stop freezing up whenever you see one of those creepy-crawly monsters.

To understand how hypnosis can help you with your spider phobia, you must understand how hypnosis works. First, it relaxes you into a state not unlike meditation or deep sleep. However, the relaxation is not entirely like either of those examples, as it still keeps your mind open to suggestion and the second portion of hypnosis. By applying suggestion to your subconscious mind, it can alter your conscious mind. In this case, your subconscious mind will tell your conscious mind that spiders are more afraid of you than you are of them, so there is no need to freeze up when you see them.

Hypnosis is actually very simple, but its results are very powerful. Ridding people of their fears is one of its most common uses and it can work wonders on your spider phobia. Through the use of self-hypnosis tapes or by visiting a hypnotherapist, you can quickly set aside your arachnophobia and be comfortable enough around spiders to either leave them to their own devices, or just whack them with a newspaper.

When you decide that it is time for your spider phobia to finally leave you alone, hypnosis can allow you to be comfortable around our eight-legged friends. You may not want them in your home, but you can at least have the confidence to get rid of them yourself, instead of either freezing up or hollering for someone else to come and kill your spiders for you. So let hypnosis work for you, and put your spider phobia into your past, where it belongs.

About the Author

http://www.about-hypnosis.com teaches you how to use hypnosis to improve your life. Hypnotism can help with weight loss, stopping smoking, fear of public speaking and more. You can also learn to hypnotize yourself.

Technorati Tags: Hypnosis, NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Hypnotism, Hypnotherapy, Hypnosis Training, NLP Training

Popularity: 12% [?]

Self hypnosis is usually thought of as a person listening to an audio tape, mp3, or other mass-produced media, intended to induce a willingness to absorb suggestions centered around a specific topic such as weight loss, stop smoking, etc. Unfortunately, this kind of hypnosis is generally prepared by someone who has never met the person being hypnotized, often presenting unwanted, even unpleasant imagery and suggestions. For example, if you sunburn easily, that last thing you want to hear about is a slow walk on a sunny beach. In this case, the “self” in self hypnosis simply means that you listen to it by yourself!

A true self hypnosis would necessarily be designed and created by the very person who will ultimately use and benefit from it. Unlike the mass-produced hypnosis, this hypnosis is made for the exact purpose the person wishes, including the precise words and phrases that mean the most to that particular person. The true self hypnosis is thus crafted by the person to suit his or her own needs. The benefits derived could only be accomplished with such a personal, one-of-a-kind hypnosis. In this case, the “self” in self hypnosis really does mean that you are hypnotized by yourself!

Custom Hypnosis Scripts

The form of hypnosis in this discussion entails the use of the spoken word. There are other forms – drug induced, fixation of sensory attention, etc. But for our purpose, let us confine ourselves to the spoken word, which is by far the most popular of modern methods. The hypnosis, therefore, requires the composition of what will be recited to the person, otherwise known as a script. It has been shown in the literature that the choice of words included in the hypnosis script can have a profound effect on its success in conveying the beneficial ideas to the user. Even if it is written using widely accepted grammar, and just the right jargon to reflect society’s opinions on the topic of the hypnosis, this does not guarantee that those words will have any powerful meaning for the person being hypnotized. It must be meaningful to the user, even if to no one else. A fabricated nonsense word fitting no frame of reference to the rest of the world, may be just the thing for the person who made up the word and knows just what it means. This is one of the great advantages of the custom hypnosis script. Particular people, familiar objects, events, routines, etc. peculiar to the person (and possibly no one else) are probably the most effective words to use. Always keep in mind that the aim of the script is to create a supremely meaningful experience for the person from start to finish. Therefore, all elements of the script should be to the taste, vocabulary, and possess a complete resonance with the beliefs of the individual using the hypnosis. As in the sunburn example above, if the imagery is objectionable to the person, it will probably be at that point in the script that the person “turns off” to t hypnosis experience. Likewise, if an objectionable behvioral idea is presented, that idea will either not be acted upon, or may even have some unwanted collateral effect, worsening the sitiuation. However, if the person to be hypnotized can truly say something like, “I wish I could think about this topic using the ideas contained in this hypnosis script.”, we would have every reason to anticipate success. Though there is such a thing as “brainwashing”, forcing the commission of behaviors and accepting concepts against the will of the person, it is not self hypnosis. In self hypnosis, the user must want to be hypnotized, and must want the ideas presented in the hypnosis, as well.

Having extolled the virtues of custom wording in hypnosis, we may now move on to the common elements found in many hypnosis scripts, regardless of wording. They may be termed in this way: stillness of the physical body; the imagination gateway; suggestion ideation; return to ordinary consciousness.

The Hypnosis Script Elements:

Stillness of the Physical Body

Since hypnotic induction depends on the mind concentrating on an “inner reality”, stimulation to the physical body should be at a minimum. Many scripts begin with instructions to relax the various muscles, moving from one group to another. This is called progressive relaxation. However you want to accomplish this “stillness” is your option. The body function of breathing is, of course, one movement that can’t be stopped and so it may be used as part of the relaxation, with instructions for slow and rhythmic breathing. Truly, the simple act of giving one’s self permission to be still and quiet may suffice, and prove quite enjoyable to those who lead generally hectic lives.

The Imagination Gateway

This next portion of the hypnosis script is essential, as it provides the entry point into one’s inner reality. When the person is engrossed in the imagination and dissociated from the surroundings, the person becomes more suggestible. This is the goal of hypnotic induction, to raise the level of suggestibility. Imagination is not limited to the laws of the physical universe. You may imagine any place, anywhere. Usually, though not necessarily, it is a place where you will feel comfortable and want to return to often. As you construct your scenario, be sure to include all of the five senses, plus movement (or the lack of it). Mention them in the context of the place you are creating and as you touch upon them all, you will find that you have created a rather complete experience. Remember, this need not be the relaxing lakeside or stroll on the beach that one might expect, unless you want it to be. It all depends on your own free flowing imagination. This is the ultimate in freedom!

Suggestion Ideation

Once you are thoroughly surrounded by your imagined place, it is time to give yourself the ideas you want/need. Though the whole thing takes place within your own mind, we can still call these ideas suggestions because you will hear them spoken to you, even if they are of your own invention. There has been much written about how to word a suggestion – keep it positive and direct, etc. In this case, all it has to be is meaningful to you. It doesn’t matter if you use negativity, double negatives, or negative numbers, so long as it makes good sense to you. Suggestions may be thought of as falling into one of two categories: philosophical and behavioral. The philosophical variety would consist of those ideas that form the reasoning behind something that we do or feel, the why. For example, a stop smoking hypnosis may delve into the rationale for quitting – my family is important to me and needs me to be healthy; It is better to live a long life than a short one, etc. The behvioral suggestions would give direct instruction regarding what to feel, or what to do. To continue the smoking example – cigarettes taste like burning garbage and are abhorrent to me.

It may seem unecessary, even artificial to categorize ideas in this way. If it seems so to you, then it is unecessary. In truth, it is best to write any suggestion that you desire.

There is one more type of suggestion worth mentioning. On occasion, it may be useful to trigger some sort of behavior or emotion at the mention of a particular word, or the sight of a particular person, thing, or even imagining a particular symbol.. For example, to combat anxiety, the suggestion might be, “when I say the word ‘playful’ to myself I will instantly regain my composure and will calmly face the challenges before me.” Picturing a symbolic object or person may also be very effective for this purpose. Symbols in themselves have a powerfully hypnotic connection to non-conscious thinking. For more about the non-conscious, please see the article, “What’s Hard to Find, but Always With You?” at http://www.hypnosoft.com.

Closing Your Hypnosis Script

After making the suggestions, it is time to wind down the hypnosis and return to ordinary thinking. You may want to extend the pleasure of relaxation, giving yourself some time to rest. If the hypnosis is to be used just before sleep, you may wish to give yourself instructions on how you want to fall asleep and what time you want to awaken. For other types of hypnosis, you will want to give the instruction to awaken. Many scripts use backward counting to give the mind a chance to prepare for the return. For example, “you will hear counting, moving backward from three to one. When you reach one, you will awaken and return to your ordinary thinking. Three…two…one. You are awake.”

Recording Your Hypnosis Script

When your script is complete, you will want to record it on a cassette tape, computer file, or other medium. Some people like to have music playing in the backgound. Many do not, finding it a distraction. Also, some people like to look at something hypnotic while listening to their hypnosis. Such pictures are available at http://www.geocities.com/hypnosis_self_hypnosis.

The work of Richard A. Blumenthal, MS, NCC has been published in such esteemed journals as Medical Hypnoanalysis, The International Journal of Psychosomatics, The Journal of Human Behavior and Learning, and The British Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. Mr. Blumenthal is the originator of Rational Suggestion Therapy, and the inventor of HypnoSoft Self Hypnosis Software, located at http://www.hypnosoft.com, for which he was awarded a United States patent.

rbtw@optonline.net

Technorati Tags: Hypnosis, NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Hypnotism, Hypnotherapy, Hypnosis Training, NLP Training

Popularity: 14% [?]

NeuroLinguistic Programming, or NLP, is a much used tool in many coaching practices but the tool can, and should, be applied to situations in our every day lives as NLP has several techniques for diagnosing and intervening in certain situations.

Let’s Meet Erica

Erica is an engaging and beautiful five year-old: a mess of long brown hair, expressive eyes and a delicate air of innocence. Erica, like many little girls, is a proud member of a Brownie Troop. Unlike most girls, however, Erica never spoke. Outside her home, Erica transformed into a shy flower who was terrified to make herself heard.

Week after week, Erica would attend her troop meetings and pass them in total silence. After seven months of silent participation, the girls were offered an opportunity to present a play to a group of younger Girl Scouts.

Erica’s Troop Leader wanted to ensure that Erica did not miss out on the incredibly opportunity to collaborate with the girls in her troop and share in the joy of post-performance accomplishment.

The girls were charged with creating the entire play: writing the script, preparing costumes and producing the play. Erica would sit silently, working diligently at the tasks the other girls assigned. Because of her inability to feel confident speaking to the troop, she was missing out on a chance to be heard and fully contribute her special beauty to the play.

Determined that no child be left out, the Troop Leader gathered the girls together one evening and began teaching them an NLP technique called Anchoring. An anchor is a unique stimulus that involves multiple senses to stimulate and stir the brain to remember and recall a particular resource. It is a way to get in touch with a specific feeling, recall and recreate it in the body at will.

The Troop Leader approached Erica and asked her, “Erica, can you say, I’m a strawberry?” Erica’s face turned a deep shade of crimson and her eyes drifted to her shoes. Her reply was barely audible: “…bewwy” she mumbled rather unintelligibly.

The Troop Leader recognized the incredible courage it took for Erica to reply and set to reinforce Erica’s personal triumph. She crouched down so as to be eye-to-eye with Erica and gazed into her eyes, smiled and said “Erica, you have the most beautiful voice that I had ever heard. Your words and thoughts are a precious gift. Thank you for sharing your voice with me. Could you please say them one more time so that we could all listen?”

Slowly, the Troop Leader asked her girls to surround Erica. All the girls in the troop loved Erica and wanted to support her in her first tentative verbal steps. They waited for Erica to speak.

Erica smiled tentatively and said the word, “bewwy” again.

The Troop Leader then guided each girl to make full eye contact with Erica. They all took turns making full eye contact with her, smiling, applauding and hugging her. Through their collective actions, the troop showered Erica with multiple images and feelings of positive reinforcement.

The Troop Leader coaxed another sentence out of Erica and response from the troop, guiding Erica to touch her hand in a unique way as the girls began to respond lovingly to her words, knowing that the touch would enable Erica to reproduce the same feelings of support on her own.

The next time that she spoke the word “bewwy” she smiled with pride, knowing that she had accomplished something great and that she was loved and valued.

By the end of that session, Erica was talking a blue streak. She was saying things like, “I wuv giwl scouts and I have de best weader.”

The simple little change that Erica felt and experienced that day is just a small building block to the foundation that she will need to become a woman who is strong and self empowered, capable of leading others like her to their own healing.

NLP Anchoring The NLP Anchoring process can be broken down into four steps.

For ease of illustration, we’ll use confidence as the desired feeling. Everyone can use a little more confidence. As you read through each of the steps, take time to reflect and respond. 1. Recall a time in your life when you felt confident. Allow your mind to run a movie of that memory. See what you were seeing, feel what you felt at that time. If there were sounds, hear those sounds, tune into what you were saying to yourself and how you felt about that. Make the memory vivid and as real as you possibly can. Use your imagination.

Now kick it up a notch to expand all the senses. Make the colors brighter, the images larger and the sounds more clear and vibrant, you might even want to add a soundtrack of your favorite music, whatever you can do to make the image unique and more powerful is best and most effective for best results. 2. Choose a place on your body where you will touch yourself or use an object to remind you of that feeling of the time when you felt confident (ie use a keychain or a small hand held object.) You can also visualize a symbol that represents the meaning of what you want to anchor. For example, you could visualize making a fist and putting it up into the air in a power move and saying, “Yes!”

Now combine that touch with the actual memory. Right before the point in the movie when the feeling is the most intense, you fire off the anchor by using the unique touch or any other method of anchoring that you have chosen. 3. Repeat the process. Think of the time when you felt confident and fire off the anchor by touching the object, visualizing the image, hearing the sounds, feeling the sensations in your body or creating that unique touch. 4. Test it out. Fire off the anchor. You should expect to be instantly transported to a time in your memory when you felt confident. If not, repeat the process until you get the desired feeling on demand. And finally: Remember to have fun!

NLP is a great process and it works surprisingly well – magically transforming negative situations (or collapsing negative anchors) and installing new empowering ones.

Isn’t it time you started chopping some of those daunting memories that have been preventing you from being the best person you can be?

About the author:

Andrea Amador is The Juicy Woman. Drawing upon her 18 years of vast experience and leadership abilities acquired as Managing Agent and Vice President of 3 corporations owning prime Manhattan Real Estate, she balances that experience with her 31 years of personal growth work and comes to the table as a powerhouse of energy. As a certified energy coach, Andrea inspires women to live juicy. Skilled at the level of Master Practitioner in Neuro Lin

Technorati Tags: Hypnosis, NLP, Neuro Linguistic Programming, Hypnotism, Hypnotherapy, Hypnosis Training, NLP Training

Popularity: 12% [?]