10 Fascinating Facts About Hypnosis:

1. We all experience hypnosis every single day of our lives (multiple times a day), whether we consciously realize it or not. Hypnosis is a natural state of consciousness.

2. Hypnosis is not a sleep state; but the state between ‘awake’ and ‘asleep’. There are different levels and depths of hypnosis but the state itself is simply one of lower conscious mind activity and higher subconscious activity.

3. Hypnosis can be used as an anesthesia. In fact, hypnotic anesthesia has been around longer than any modern chemical anesthesia. During times of war, it was used to replace anesthetics when supplies were low.

4. Hypnosis has nothing to do with magic, intelligence or religion. Hypnosis is science - and therefore works regardless of one's belief system. Everyone can be hypnotized.

5. Hypnosis happens in the nervous system; not in the mind. And the most profound state of hypnosis is produced when both parts of the autonomic nervous system become symbiotic (bringing balance instead of resistance).

6. We are all in a post-hypnotic state induced in early infancy. Hypnosis is a totally natural phenomenon that we all experience every day of our lives whether we consciously realize it or not. The conscious mind doesn’t even emerge until we’re about 5-7 years of age. Does this mean children particularly up until that age are walking around 'hypnotized'? YES.

7. All emotions are located in the subconscious mind and stimulate mind chemicals (i.e. dopamine, adrenaline, serotonin, melatonin, cortisol, etc.) There are different emotional activities within the different levels of hypnosis (alpha, theta, delta). When a person is hypnotized and the deeper they are in hypnosis, the closer they are to their emotions and their subconscious mind.

8. Hypnosis is a science related to brainwave activity. The mind is like a dual-processing neuro-frequency computer, it operates on frequencies and power. These various electrical currents is what we refer to as "mind power"; (conscious power, physical power and emotional power). In hypnosis, a person is in a lower brainwave frequency state; a state of decreased conscious mind activity and increased subconscious receptiveness.

9. While some people still consider hypnotherapy to be an alternative medicine, it has actually been used for far longer than any kind of conventional medicine has been around for. Hypnosis was first used by ancient Egyptians and Greeks over 3000 years ago. The word hypnosis comes from the Greek God, Hypnos. Origin: In Roman mythology, the God of sleep is Somnus.

10. Hypnosis is not an 'altered' state of consciousness. It is a natural state of physical relaxation and focused concentration, similar to meditation. Altered states of consciousness are usually derived from illicit substances, not hypnosis. Hypnosis tends to be a shift of awareness in the direction of sleep without actually falling asleep.