London College of Clinical Hypnosis Malaysia

Exploring your inner psyche through hypnosis

By Sheila Menon

There are times when even the most positive amongst us gets frustrated. Responsibilities seem endless, expenses keeping growing and time is an increasingly scarce commodity.

There has been a trend in Malaysia and all around the world to get in touch with one’s self. But it can be confusing knowing where to start. Travel is one option because it broadens one’s horizons and allows you to escape for a while. But there are times when it would be nice just to get an insight about what makes us tick.

Another strategy is to journey inwards, to discover your true nature. And no journey of self-discovery is quite complete without exploring the unconscious mind.

Sigmund Freud (one of the most eminent psychologists of all time) said that the conscious mind, all that we are aware of, forms the mere tip of the iceberg about who we are as individuals.

We get glimpses of our true nature when a spontaneous thought or emotion pops into our conscious mind. Freud said that they come from the unconscious mind, which appears to be hidden, but is in fact a large part of one’s psyche.

Understanding the unconscious mind

The conscious mind works tirelessly behind the scenes solving problems, remembering information and occasionally giving rise to an “aha moment”. Certainly, no journey of self-discovery, can be complete without getting to know your unconscious mind.

Hypnotherapists often consider the unconscious mind the real mind. This is because it is the seat of emotions and the storehouse of life experiences and memories.

The conscious mind is considered a sophisticated mechanism for analysing sequential facts or working out details. But it can get completely muddled trying to make sense of emotions. Clearly a new route is needed if you want to know what makes you tick or to make emotional changes.

Of course not everyone who signs up for personal discovery or hypnosis courses has a problem. Some people are just curious about themselves. Getting in touch with one’s emotions often leads to feelings of completeness, personal confidence and wellbeing. For some people this is enough.

But others become fascinated and there is a natural progression to learn how to help others through charity work, sharing with friends or even as therapists. So exploring your inner psyche for personal reasons leads to skills, enhances satisfaction and provides invaluable knowledge.

Learning about hypnosis has several extra advantages for modern living. Hypnosis is a natural form of relaxation. In fact, anyone who has experienced a pleasant daydream knows what hypnosis feels like.

Regular practice is mentally and physically rejuvenating and can help people manage stress and problems of modern life such as insomnia, chronic pain, frustration and even some gastric problems.

Using hypnosis as a form of psychotherapy

This is because the unconscious mind is also the gateway between the body and the mind. The more in tune you are with yourself, the more at ease and healthy your body becomes. It is not surprising therefore that hypnosis is also called the oldest Western form of psychotherapy. In Eastern tradition it is the close cousin of meditation.

The nicest thing about hypnosis is that it is a natural state. There are only positive side effects like improved confidence and feelings of mental calm. Personal discovery using hypnosis is working with your own nature, and many people describe the experience as being connected to their true nature. And it is as simple as having a daydream.

A simple and safe way to explore hypnosis is to utilise the few moments just before you drift into sleep. This state is called a hypnogogic state and is a naturally occurring state of hypnosis.

Take a few moments to enjoy the sense of lying on your bed. Then imagine yourself waking up feeling fresh and rejuvenated and full of positive energy. As you create this image, picture yourself waking up with renewed energy or imagine how well and positive you will feel.

Naturally and without too much effort you will already be in communication with your unconscious mind and through these simple images you inner mind gets the message of how you wish to feel when you wake up.

Sheila Menon is Principal of the London College of Clinical Hypnosis (LCCH Asia). You can visit the www.lcch.asia website; email info@hypnosis-malaysia.com; or call 03-7960-6439 for more information.

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