Posted by bob on May 9, 2000, at 23:08:49
In reply to Hypnosis or meditation?, posted by Cass on May 9, 2000, at 15:09:34
harryb,
I think your questions are great ones to take along with you in checking out a hypnotherapist. I'd have to agree with FP on the possiblity of "unwanted" stuff getting dredged up, tho that wasn't anywhere near the focus of what I did HT for. I know my hypnotherapist' answers for your questions because she mentioned most of those concerns or issues up front, explaining what HT can and cannot do before we began anything. I think the trust that positive responses to your concerns can build as well as the knowledge you'd gain over the process would make the therapy all that more effective.Cass,
Soon after I finished the HT I took a medication course from a student of Sri Chinmoy's. Besides the therapy, my hypnotherapist also taught me some self-hypnosis techniques and made me a tape with my particular concerns in mind ... all of that made me much more receptive to and capable of meditation. I dunno -- they could be two means to the same end, but for me they compliment one another far more than they overlap.I've really fallen out of practice -- and both (self-hypnosis and meditation) do take a lot of practice. I was much better at the self-hypnosis than the meditation. I did the HT about three months prior to leaving my academic position several years ago, and I was quite prone to panic attacks at the time (before I discovered klonopin). Putting myself into a deep, restful trance was a far, far better manner of dealing with the rising tide of panic I'd feel in my office as opposed to my other strategy of playing Klondike incessantly. Perhaps the coolest thing about it was I'd set my watch timer for 5 minutes and 20 seconds (figuring on 5 minutes of trance and a few seconds to get there), and I would invariably come out of trance (suddenly, but gently) 5-10 seconds before the timer would go off. At first, I did it because I was afraid I'd just "fall asleep" and miss the beginning of a class, but later I kept doing it because it was just too amusing.
I guess that's what I valued most from the self-hypnosis I'd practice -- not anything from any guided imagery or whatever, but just the simple joy of coming out of trance feeling peaceful, wide awake, and in control.
cheers,
bob
poster:bob
thread:32788
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000508/msgs/32986.html