Indirect Suggestion Hypnosis

This information is from author, and leading hypnosis trainer, Keith Livingston.

Please click here to visit his website, HYPNOSIS 101, for more information about hypnosis.

"Most hypnotherapists do direct suggestion hypnosis. Period. But there's a whole other world put there--indirect suggestion hypnosis.

Indirect suggestion hypnosis covers a lot of ground so let's define it and see if we can get our heads wrapped around the idea. Indirect hypnosis is giving suggestions that are not obvious or direct instructions.

An oft-used example is the request "Can you get the door?" It's not in the form of an order like a direct suggestion would be ("Get the door.") The suggestion is implied rather than direct.

But indirect suggestion is so much more than couching suggestions in easier to swallow forms. Indirect suggestion also may include the framework of the session, metaphor, embedded suggestions, and a lot more.

But before we can explore how to use indirect suggestion hypnosis, it's useful to know how it works.

Conscious vs. Unconscious Processing

The unconscious however, is in charge of behaviors that are already well learned, body processes and emotion. The unconscious also has a wonderful ability to pick up patterns and categorizes events based on themes and emotions.

That's why, when you dream, there may not be a lot of logic in the dreams. Dreams often have themes and patterns and involve emotions. They may be difficult for us to understand consciously.

So, when you're communicating with the unconscious mind, it makes sense to package your communication in a way the unconscious already recognizes. Using metaphor, patterns, themes and emotions are powerful ways to drive suggestions deep into the mind.

Back to indirect suggestion.

How does it work?

Embedded Suggestions

Embedded suggestions are simply suggestions that are buried inside other communications as coded messages. The conscious mind focuses on the surface message and your unconscious picks up the messages hidden inside.

So, embedded suggestions use the unconscious mind's ability to notice patterns that may escape the conscious mind.

Metaphor

Metaphor uses the unconscious mind's ability to recognize themes and then apply them to the subject's own situation. You might use metaphor to tell a story that is similar in some way to your subject's situation but that involves a solution. If done well, the person being hypnotized will, without conscious interference, apply the solution delivered in the metaphor.

So, how does indirect suggestion hypnosis work? It works by packaging suggestions in the form that the unconscious already uses."

Please click here to visit Keith's website, HYPNOSIS 101, for more information about hypnosis.

no pressure

Sometimes when you have had a problem for a long time, it may seem hard to balance the complexity of accepting it, while at the same time pursuing a solution and getting your hopes up.

Hypnosis is very positive and gentle, with no pressure to force you to make any changes that do not support you completely. Trust your intuition as to when the timing is right for you.

Your thyroid, your voice

This information is from the Women's Health Network Program:

In Eastern medical paradigms, the thyroid is associated with “sacred voice.” As a component of the fifth chakra, thyroid issues are linked with difficulty speaking our truth, following our dreams, or fully expressing ourselves.

Anatomically, the thyroid sits right over the voice box, and one of the symptoms of thyroid dysfunction is a gravelly or “muted” voice. When the thyroid is underactive, it doesn’t hurt to step back and evaluate how well you’re expressing your individual needs, wants, and opinions to those around you.

Find ways to diminish stress and speak your truth. Speak up, share your opinions, explore the things that make your life meaningful. Don’t feel guilty about asking for, and receiving, more support.

Remember that your voice doesn’t serve to merely communicate — it is connected to your whole being. Likewise, your thyroid doesn’t simply produce thyroid hormone. It is connected to every cell in your body and subject to both physical and psychological influence. My advice is to look at the whole picture when it comes to your thyroid, and you will find the dynamic balance your body is naturally seeking.

Support your thyroid by supporting your adrenals.

As the great balancer of more than 50 hormones in the body, the adrenal glands have a broad impact on your health and energy. The adrenals are primarily responsible for activating your stress (“fight or flight”) response, shifting energy away from restorative processes like digestion and toward the organs of action — your heart and skeletal muscles — by pumping adrenaline and cortisol into your bloodstream.

“If you feel happy and well, have steady energy and emotions, sleep soundly seven to nine hours a night, wake up feeling rested, recover well from stress, and maintain a healthy weight without dieting, then your adrenals are probably doing just fine!”

If, on the other hand, your energy lags during the day, you feel emotionally off-kilter much of the time, you sleep poorly or less than seven hours a night, you can’t shed excess weight even while dieting, and you rely on caffeine or carbohydrates as “pick-me-ups” — these are all red flags indicating adrenal imbalance.

If this is the only thing you do… this will benefit your health on many levels. Not only will supporting your adrenals lighten the burden on your thyroid, it will also help restore your energy levels and overall well-being.

The natural approach to thyroid health.

Astragalus root (A. membranaceus). Astragalus aids in the body’s natural ability to adapt to stress, bolstering the immune system so you stay well while helping to regulate normal blood sugar levels and alleviate insulin resistance.

Cordyceps (C. sinensis). Cordyceps is a prized antioxidant fungus that can slow aging and take a load off the adrenals by supporting the immune system, balancing the inflammatory response, and helping to stabilize blood sugar.

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus, formerly called Siberian ginseng). Eleuthero is an adaptogenic herb that can help protect us against the negative effects of stress, while decreasing fatigue, enhancing mental clarity, helping to balance blood sugar, and even perhaps supporting bone remodeling as well.

Rhodiola rosea (“golden root”). Rhodiola is another adaptogenic herb that protects against stress-related fatigue and “burnout;” increases mental clarity; and offers immune and blood sugar support. An added benefit of Rhodiola is its antidepressant and antianxiety effects.

Licorice root (Glycyrrhiza glabra). Well known for supporting adrenal balance, licorice root aids in increasing energy and endurance. Though many of the above herbs can be used relatively freely of restrictions, certain forms of licorice can increase blood pressure and lower potassium and thus, licorice should be used with care and guidance. Adrenal fatigue, in many instances, is accompanied by low blood pressure, so licorice taken at the appropriate times and dosages can be of benefit in those cases. However, this herb is best taken under the care of an herbalist or a functional medicine practitioner.

Take a pharmaceutical-grade multivitamin–mineral complex. Ensuring a rich foundation of nutrients for the daily production and activity of thyroid hormones may be all you need to get yourself back on track.

Phosphatidylserine (fos-fuh-tie-dul-SEHR-een)(PS) is a phospholipid that is vital to your brain cells and helps reduce high cortisol levels. Cortisol is elevated in response to stress. If your adrenal glands are producing too much cortisol, you may develop conditions such as weight gain, especially around the abdomen, depressed immune function with all of the consequences, accelerated aging and stomach ulcers. If you have too little cortisol, you may suffer from fatigue, chronic fatigue, or exhaustion.

Also consider supplementing with selenium and iodine. Ask your practitioner to test your iodine levels, and talk about boosting your iodine and selenium levels in addition to your multivitamin.

You can do this through the foods you eat or with supplements, but if you do use selenium or iodine supplements, please work with a professional healthcare provider to monitor your levels appropriately… do not recommend taking more than 200 mcg/day.

Nutrient-rich foods to replenish thyroid health:

Iodine (I): seaweed (e.g., nori), clams, shrimp, haddock, oysters, salmon, sardines, pineapple, eggs.

Selenium (Se): smoked herring, smelt, wheat germ, Brazil nuts (just one nut provides ~139 mcg), apple cider vinegar, scallops, barley, lobster.

Zinc (Zn): fresh oysters, ginger root, pecans, dry split peas, Brazil nuts, egg yolk, whole wheat, rye, oats, peanuts.

Vitamin E: wheat germ oil, olive oil, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanuts.

Vitamin A: dark green leafy veggies, liver, winter squash, cantaloupe, stone fruits, papaya, and cod liver oil.

B vitamin complex: brewer’s yeast, wild rice, brown rice, whole wheat, beans, peanuts.

Vitamin C: Red chili, guava, parsley, dark green leafy veggies, strawberries, papaya, citrus fruits.

Remember to work with a professional healthcare provider to monitor your health and any supplements appropriately. See a doctor who specializes in functional medicine, a naturopathic practitioner, or a wholistic nutritionist for a program that best fits your personal needs — dosage, timing, blood pressure, cortisol levels, and other factors should be taken in to consideration.

Creative Imagination

"I can't believe that!" said Alice.

"Can't you?" the Queen said in a pitying tone. "Try again, draw a long breath, and shut your eyes."

Alice laughed. "There's no use trying," she said. "One can't believe impossible things."

"I dare say you haven't had much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast."

From "Alice in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll