The fervor of the Tolling Temple Bells or the Calming Chimes of the Church Bell, the Arresting Sound of the Invocation of Allah from the top of the Mosques or the Soulful Hymns from the Gurudwara, the soothing voice of the Guru preaching or the moist poignant of soulful renditions- all have within them the ability to move anyone to the point of being overwhelmed and experience a mood that is much beyond the mundane and ordinary.
This is much like the story of the devout Meera Bai who was completely in a trance whenever she pursued her love and servitude to her lord Krishna, getting completely immersed into her inner self-surrender yet being aware of her opposing external surroundings.
This state of being completely ecstatic yet in the moment, of being so deep within yet completely aware of the external environment, of being swept into a dream-like relaxation yet perfectly alert to the present moment is called a state of being overtly receptive to all kinds of suggestive indicators of which we are acceptable. In other words, this state of Hypnosis further leads to a sense of spiritual fulfillment.
Hypnosis is the process by virtue of which an individual undergoing the process is led into a state of hyper receptivity in response to the suggestions being given by the administrator of the process.
Hypnosis can be used as an effective medium of administering various techniques and tools that have been designed to provide a sense of clarity on all those matters that may be creating obstructions and problems in one’s life.
So, it will be apt to think of Hypnosis as a universal receptive experience understood by people from all walks of life irrespective of any terms and conditions vis-à-vis socio-economic-cultural differences with the exception of the language being used.
Various Applications of Hypnosis:
Hypnosis can be synonymously called AUTOPILOT MODE – a State of Being, where we get effortlessly, knowingly, willfully, and curiously involved to learn more and benefit from such participation.
The process of Hypnosis is intrinsic to human behaviour, emotional expressions, and thought spaces because suggestions are everywhere around us in our environment and the acceptance of certain suggestions of our choice unfolds the mechanics of what we want to do and achieve – be it materialistic or spiritual.
So it will be safe to say that Hypnosis is a GIVE & TAKE mechanism – where we wilfully accept the suggestion given.
- Hypnosis in day-to-day living takes the shape of Concentration, Immersive Attention, and Captivating Influence – all of this with the permissiveness of the client for example: reading the newspaper, listening to any music, participating in a discussion having a topic of choice, watching a film and getting moved, brushing one’s teeth, driving a car, being in love, etc.
- Hypnosis is used as a part of a therapy, then it is popularly known as Hypnotherapy.
- Hypnosis is used in educational spaces where the suggestions given by the trainer/ educator are organically and automatically accepted by the students.
- Hypnosis is used in office spaces where plans and after-sales are discussed to everyone’s agreement.
- Similarly, when this wilful, conscious, curious yearning to grow deeper and more relaxed in spiritual realms happens by means of prayers, affirmations, mindfulness, and other means, it indicates an acceptance of those suggestions, given by external sources that take us closer to our spiritual goals. This kind of Hypnosis can be then called Spiritual Hypnosis.
So, to crystallize the basic essence of the applications of Hypnosis, it will be correct to state that Hypnosis can be applied in different areas, one of which is spiritual growth. When applied to spiritual growth, it becomes spiritual hypnosis.
Hypnosis & Spirituality
Hypnosis is effectively used to amplify the positives and understand and reduce the hindrances and blocks. By means of this approach, the process strives to bring out the best version of the person in all aspects of personality be it physical, mental, emotional, social, and also spiritual. This then brings us to the common end product and similarity between Hypnosis and Spirituality.
The term Spirituality is closely and solely associated with the Spirit or the Soul, where the ultimate objective of the individual soul is to be as much in alignment with the Universal Consciousness or the Highest Self or God or the Almighty or whatever we may attribute the universal power to be associated with.
Spirituality enables casting a loving, empathetic, unconditional, and non-judgemental perception about the self as well as others. Hypnosis is a state of unbridled openness that enables the individual to be able to realize this objective.
It would be right to state that Hypnosis is the medium of channeling Spiritual Soulfulness. Since spirituality deals with understanding the real meaning of life and the blissful joy associated with the boundless power of the self, Hypnosis complements this innate seeking, by adding depth and focused inner awareness, by slowly and gradually reducing one’s peripheral awareness or external distractions.
The key offshoots when one is getting slowly submerged in suggestions being provided by the Therapist are an increased sense of calm, deeper states of relaxation, greater clarity about thought and emotions, and identification of possible triggers or causes of certain hindrances.
All these revelations are introspective and reflective in nature that enables the spiritual seeker to keep a track of all uplifting as well as debilitating elements in one’s self-growth on the sojourn.
Spiritual Realisation or insight is an unraveling that germinates from the subconscious part of the mind. It is this power of the subconscious that is accessed during the initiation into a meditative exercise that unfolds all that is functioning inside our heart and mind.
We have learned how meditation is an exercise in mindfulness that gradually takes us from the outer/ conscious world to our inner/ subconscious reality. This inward travel is catalyzed by the process of Hypnosis, which accelerates and deepens our innate and real selves.
So, we can say Hypnosis is used to access the spiritual aspect of the individual that is like a reservoir of possibilities in addressing concerns, initiating the healing process, and coping with all stress-inducing agents.
Hypnosis & Spiritual Hypnosis:
Hypnosis connects the individual with their deeper self and facilitates spiritualism. Hence, the essential difference between Hypnosis and Spiritual Hypnosis is the former is a part of the latter.
In fact, Spiritual Hypnosis can be either administered by an external facilitator like a spiritual ‘Guru ‘or a teacher to connect to the source or can be initiated by the self as well in the form of meditation using mantras or prayers that create a spiraling effect into descending into our innermost space.
Hypnosis is a medium to evoke spirituality within by gaining insight and perspective. This helps in healing and recovering on the psychological level which activates the pure subconscious manifesting in our body, mind, and soul. This is akin to a spiritual awakening that is characterized by a shift in consciousness that helps the individual to notice those elements of the self that were previously unrealized.
This integrated feeling of being wholesome within oneself on one hand and also being a part of the ultimate source, the Universal Consciousness, having the infinite power within to rewrite certain thoughts, beliefs, and feelings to affect a noticeable and measurable change, eventually culminating in a sustainable transformation, is nothing short of discovering ourselves as potent spiritual beings.
Scientific Aspect Of Hypnosis and Spiritual Hypnosis:
The flowchart of hypnosis on the level of brain wave activity leading to spirituality can be represented below:
Stage 1: Conscious Awareness = Beta Level Brain Activity
Stage 2: State of Relaxation/ Active Imagination/ Open to suggestions = Alpha Level Brain Activity
Stage 3: Trailing off into Deeper States/ May even miss out on parts of suggestions= Theta Level Activity
Stage 4: A Deep Sleep State where Suggestions are being Accepted = Delta Level Activity
This is exactly the way mindfulness is achieved in meditation or spiritual practices where the awareness moves from the external to the internal. Hence, we can see and understand from the above flowchart that the process of Hypnosis facilitates the flowering of inner awareness /spirituality/ true meaning and purpose of oneself and others.
The state of Spiritual Hypnosis is nothing but Hypnosis used to attain spiritual purposes. The elements of spirituality are understanding the self and realizing one’s truest potential by identifying and addressing all hindrances and blocks that serve as an impediment to one’s spiritual growth.
Conclusion
So, to conclude Hypnosis is to Spiritual Hypnosis what Light is to a Lighthouse.
In conclusion, Spiritual Hypnosis is a medium, a matrix that facilitates a deeper connection with the understanding of things inside and around us, using operating procedures like mantras, japas, rituals, devotion, karmas, and many other aspects of spirituality.
The beauty of mesmerization by our own love for the Cosmos, the Almighty, God, or the Universal Consciousness can be depicted as Devotion or Bhakti as the vehicle for spiritual pursuit.
There are some who get motivated to get closer to a meaningful and spiritual life by delivering good deeds or Karma as we have all heard. All these acts of self-emancipation are triggered and exponentially magnified by the state of being mesmerized by devotional love.
The strange fact of the matter is that these acts were always present in our conscious knowledge system but the conviction and willingness to perform them happens only after being in this heightened state of rapture.
Spiritual Hypnosis is not a designated technical term by itself that can be noticed in official glossaries, but an informal epithet adopted here to explain the extent of the wilful and dutiful surrender of the devotee/ seeker to the overwhelming presence of the universal consciousness.
Since the mannerism of drifting to a relaxed personal space concurs with the essence and effects of hypnosis and such a trance emanates from a wilful surrender of the individual, it can be attributed to a branch of Hypnosis leading to soulful experiences. Just like writing this article in itself is a state of Hypnosis because it involves accepting suggestions given by the mind to effectively communicate what I feel.
Finally, it will be correct to say that Hypnosis is an innate operating system of our mental software that offers insightful revelations depending on the program that runs on it. So in this case, if the program is spiritual, Hypnosis or acceptance of spiritual suggestions will lead the individual to deeper states of relaxation.
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