Hypnosis provides a means for the conscious mind to communicate directly with the unconscious body and vice-versa. It provides an opportunity to let the body know what it is you consciously want, so it can find the most appropriate way of achieving it. And it is a means whereby the body can communicate its beliefs and intentions to the conscious mind.
The experience of trance
Hypnosis is a wonderful and natural state that has to be experienced to be properly understood and appreciated. (There are still people – including psychologists – who don't even believe it exists!)
In fact, trance, another word for the state of hypnosis, is a common experience to us all. We experience trance in everyday life when we daydream, become fully absorbed in an activity, meditate. The states we are in just before we go to sleep and just before we wake up are called hypnagogic and hypnopompic states. Shock is a form of deep trance. Hypnotic trance is simply a formal, sustained and purposeful type of trance.
It is impossible to describe what hypnosis is like or what you will experience, because everybody has a different experience. You might experience any of the following, or something completely different: a state of heightened awareness; a loss of conscious thought; creative and imaginative perceptions; spiritual connections; and so on. However you experience trance is the right way, and each time you go into trance your experience can be very different.
In trance:
You feel wonderful
You are in complete (unconscious) control
You do or say only what you feel comfortable with
You reveal only what it's safe for you to reveal
You only make changes your unconscious is happy to make
Your unconscious is protecting you, keeping you safe and looking after your interests at all times
You can 'wake up' whenever you want
It is your trance, and it's up to you what the experience will be like.
The danger myth
Because of its portrayal in the media, people tend to have major misconceptions about hypnosis. Although improving in this regard, the media still tends to represent hypnosis as mind control and therefore something dangerous and to be feared.
In fact, even in the deepest trance, the hypnotized person is in complete control of themselves; this is true, even if they are not in conscious control and whether or not they have conscious awareness. The unconscious preserves all our values and beliefs, and keeps us safe and protected. Indeed, the unconscious is far better (since it is more reliable and wiser) at doing this than the conscious mind. (This is why in matters of safety the unconscious takes the predominant role. We cannot easily override the feelings of pain and fear that prevent us from coming to harm.)
Hypnosis is not usually presented in a very different manner. The hypnotist is portrayed as overbearing and authoritarian, issuing commands to the subject who has no choice but to obey. And this is how hypnosis was often delivered in the past: it is referred to as the authoritarian approach. But it wasn't a very effective way of hypnotizing people in the past, and would be even less effective now (since people are even less likely to accept any authority blindly). Hypnosis requires trust and rapport. Without it, there is no trance. Being authoritarian is not a good way of building trust.
Most hypnosis today is permissive. The hypnotist gives choices, possibilities, suggestions; the client (their unconscious) decides whether to accept them or reject them.
In stage hypnosis shows we people are seen doing absurd, embarrassing things, and you may think you wouldn't be seen dead doing them. This gives the impression that hypnotism can make people do things they don't want to do - because you wouldn't do that. But in fact those people really do want to behave like that! Some people need alcohol to make a fool of themselves; some need hypnosis; some need nothing at all; and some wouldn't dream of it whatever the circumstances!
If you think about it, hypnosis wouldn't make sense if it could make you do anything at all that you didn't want to do! It would be some occult, paranormal practice - which it patently is not!
Far from being able to make anyone do anything, in truth, hypnotherapists often have the opposite problem: how can they encourage the client's unconscious to make this (consciously) desired change? If your unconscious has some good reason to maintain a particular symptom or behaviour it won't give it up simply because your conscious mind and the hypnotist ask it to! The unconscious itself has to be convinced. This may mean that (in therapy) we have to address and heal past experiences (which have given rise to limiting unconscious beliefs) before the unconscious body will agree to make the change.
For these reasons, hypnotherapy that relies on direct suggestion of desired behaviour is likely to have only a temporary benefit (on good hypnotic subjects) or be entirely ineffectual. It is vital to address and resolve the causes of the unwanted symptoms or behaviour.
Trance benefits
Hypnosis affords direct communication with the unconscious without the interference of the conscious mind. Anything can be asked of the unconscious, including:
To take certain action or make specific changes (to your behaviour, symptoms, feelings, beliefs, perspectives, identity)
To generate new possibilities and alternatives
To communicate its wishes
To stimulate creativity
To give you the benefits of its wisdom (in the form of the higher self)
Trance can also be used to find the origin of problems, so that they can more easily be resolved.
In addition, the hypnotic trance itself is hugely beneficial. Not only is it very relaxing, giving rest and time out, but it provides space and time to get in touch with yourself.
Your body - your unconscious - will let you know what it wants and needs if you pay it real attention. It's vital to make this contact regularly - otherwise you can easily forget who you are, lose sight of your priorities, and forget what you really want.
One reason people get ill or unhappy is because they lose this contact with themselves. By spending time with yourself, you enable the conscious mind to align again with the unconscious, with your true nature. This brings health, happiness, and personal and spiritual development. Hypnosis (and self-hypnosis) is not the only way to achieve all this, but it is an excellent way.