Hypnosis, fear and rigid thinking.

I had an interesting experience this week as I was putting together a trade show display for an exposition in a rather socially conservative venue. When I looked at the list of participants, I noted that I was listed as a personal coach, rather than a hypnotherapist. It raised a few alarm bells in my mind - was the expo organizer somehow hiding the "H" word? When I got to the expo with my banner that says "Explore with Hypnosis" would there be a sudden nasty surprise? Needless to say, a lot of clearing of the air needed to be done beforehand.

It turned out that this actually was not that big an issue. The primary concern was that a lot of the people attending the expo tend to be very conservative. Many of them are fundamentalist Christians or social-conservatives. For them, the thought of hypnosis is frightening. So, what causes that fear?

I hear a number of fundamentalist preachers talk about hypnosis opening one up to diabolical influences, and the like. The biggest concern many fundamentalist Christians have is that somehow, hypnosis will open you up to belief in other religions, what they refer to as "straying from the path" of Christianity.

In the article Hypnosis and Yoga Open Up Spiritual Doors, by Dan Delzell, I found several revealing quotes:

• "Christians should never allow themselves to be put in a trance"
• "Altered states of consciousness and other mystical practices open doors in the spiritual realm."
• "You also don't see the spirits that come through these doors."
• "No born again believer should utilize yoga or hypnosis because of the spiritual dangers associated with these practices."
• "Any door other than Christ is just a cheap imitation"

I think that pretty much gives the picture . And to a certain extent, Rev Delzell has some good points, just not the ones he is trying to make.

I have worked with people of all religions, including some of the most conservative religious fundamentalists. Once I explain what hypnosis is, there is usually no problem. Anyone with a reasonable willingness to understand and think for themselves will usually relax at that point and the process continues.

The key is the "think for themselves" part. More on that later. For the moment, let's look at hypnosis itself. What do rigid religious thinkers say about it and what's the real truth?

In his article, Rev. Delzell often refers to altered states of consciousness. He states that any altered state of consciousness can open us up to diabolical influences. So, just what is an altered state of consciousness and when does it occur? Basically, an altered state of consciousness is any state of consciousness other than normal awareness. Sleeping and dreaming are altered states of consciousness. Daydreaming and imagination are also altered states of consciousness. So is focused attention and suspension of disbelief - the process you use when reading a good novel.
Are these dangerous? No. Are they a natural part of the everyday experience? Yes.

There is nothing magic about hypnosis. If you have ever read a book and gotten into it, you've been hypnotized. If you have ever daydreamed, you have been in a state of hypnosis. Hypnosis is merely a state of focused concentration and suspension of disbelief - the same process you use when you read a novel or watch a movie. If you get into the story - if you ever shed a tear in a sad scene or felt relieved when the hero triumphed, then you were momentarily suspending that same disbelief enough to feel the story.

We are actually in hypnosis several minutes in the course of each 90 minute cycle of consciousness - known as the ultradian rhythm. Furthermore, when you take a moment to think about something, letting your thoughts go inside while you consider some question, you are entering a state of spontaneous hypnosis. Does that bring about diabolical influences? No.

Hypnosis does not lead to loss of will. On several occasions, while I was working with someone in hypnotic trance, they heard something they disagreed with. It might have been something I said, or maybe something they remembered during our work. In any case, if they disagreed they told me so - whether in hypnosis or not. The person's will and discernment were solidly intact.

Spiritually, there is nothing intrinsically dangerous about hypnosis. What frightens fundamentalists - or any other rigid thinkers - is that hypnosis and spiritual exploration exercise the mind. Like a physical workout, any mental exercise tends to foster strength and fitness. In this case, that means the ability to think for one's self. People start asking questions, and questions are what rigid thinkers fear most.

Hypnosis is perfectly safe for any person of religious faith. As many of my clients will attest, religious faith actually grows stronger, deeper as a result of the hypnotic process. Faith is a powerful healing tool and in my work with believers, we incorporate that faith into the healing process. The result is win-win for everyone. The person's mind-body health improves, while their faith is deepened.
 In the words of  T.S. Elliot, "We shall never cease from our explorations, and the end result of our journey will be to return home and know the place for the very first time." For many people, hypnosis and meditation can foster deeper thought. So can study of faith-based topics, critical thinking and personal discernment. As a Christian myself, I have found that the process has only deepened my commitment to God.