What is New Age Hypnosis?

Features of the New Age 

Although there has been tremendous progress in science, the progress in the world of spirituality has been very slow so far. Along with experiencing the marvels of science and religion, mankind had also witnessed the darker side of science which has potential to destroy humanity. Also, we are aware of the darker side of religions that breeds separatism, radicalization, hatred and fanaticism. A new approach towards religiousness and spirituality can be the antidote to this poison in the new age.

The new age is moving towards increased interest in mysticism and spirituality. Spirituality, we know, is the final, distilled essence of all religious experience and It transcends all walls of separation. The new age is valuing increased interest in Oneness and Non-duality (Advaitya). 

The new age is surely and definitely moving towards a synthesis of science and religion for lasting world peace. Religious traditions are imbibing a scientific and rational spirit and people of science are deciphering ancient Vedic scriptures to derive transcendental wisdom. It is heart welcoming that the scriptures of all traditions, cultures and religions are being studied by scholars and practitioners and relooked into for hidden and buried information. Thoughtful individuals like Einstein could see the blurring of boundaries and perfect blend of scientific and spiritual path.  

The new age is also witnessing a convergence of scientific discipline which are artificially compartmentalized. For e.g. Quantum Physics in essence is a biological science as consciousness is evolved. Neuroscience, Quantum mechanics and Meditation has brought in new concept of Healing and therapy. More importantly a proper understanding of Spiritual Oneness or Non-duality is central to the healing process that happens in hypnosis.

The globe is shrinking through communication and travel and fortunately people across culture are moving away from universalism and embracing and valuing diversity.

New age is the approach for deconditioning and dehypnotizing ourselves in all aspects of our life and started taking pride in its rich cultural heritage. It is aiming to cut off from the conditioned and colonized mindset and have started valuing indigenous roots.  Prof. Bhawuk highlighted some important insights into indigenous psychology.

 So far psychology as a discipline had been dominated by western psychology and psychology of 1% of the population of the world is imposed on the rest of the world (Triandis, 1994) as universal knowledge. This is reflected in the studies in sociology, politics, economics, history and other disciplines, like psychology, anthropology, etc.  

Prof Dharma Bhawuk (2011) noted that in the past few decades, in India, “psychology moved away from its Indian roots to mimic Western method and theory”. The Western approach did not appear to fit to the Indian psyche and anything that did not fit the Western model was considered an anomaly”. The new age psychology is moving from a mere scientific discipline to a ‘technology of transcendence’. Consciousness based psychology (coined by Dr. Soumitra Basu and Michael Miovic) is the new age psychology which deals with the science of consciousness. 

The earlier approach to psychotherapy and healing involved exploration of one’s problems, psycho-analyzing, untangling and rewriting them, the new age demands attention in two significant directions – the world of soul and the world of cell.

New age Hypnotherapy

The new age is also relooking into the world of psychotherapy and healing into a more humane, subjective, transpersonal and transcendental experience and hypnosis has moved to areas of scientific awareness of body-mind being a single entity.

Beyond Erickson 

Erickson was a profounder of Indirect Hypnosis. He had heralded the new age of hypnosis by approaching Hypnosis in a completely new way. It was beyond the world of scripts and visualizations. Into a world of indirect suggestions which was based on principles of observation and utilization of the clients’ conscious and unconscious behaviour. He made immense contribution particularly in the areas of storytelling, confusion techniques, use of metaphors, allegories and indirect language, etc.

He collaborated with Ernest Huxley and published a 4 volume Book but unfortunately most of their work is lost to home fire. He was a researcher as well a visionary and revolutionized the process of hypnotherapy in many areas. One of his collaborators, Ernest Rossi worked on the plausible hypothesis of gene expression. Different gene expression was recorded during hypnosis which are now being studied throughout the world. In this modern age, we believe hypnotherapy should provide not only plausible but evidence-based hypothesis and science.  

Although Milton Erickson had been very instrumental he had left the earth over 4 decades and hypnotherapy demands relooking into newer and more innovative ways of psychotherapy and healing. It would be worthwhile to relegate him to history with all due honours and look into newer avenues this new age demands. The new age is looking at hypnotherapy beyond the work of Erickson.

The new age is very keen on understanding the fundamentals of consciousness. Vedanta and Quantum mechanics have brought together a common understanding on concepts. One of this is the focus on the subjective experience of the non-judgmental observer– outlined in Drig drishya viveka.

New age is the age of transcending the ego. It aims at going beyond ego strengthening and ego purification and aims for a total dissolution of the ego. It is an age of mindlessness and goes beyond mindfulness. This is attained at the 4^th state of consciousness – Turiya and the new age gives more importance to sadhana and self-hypnosis as a means to experience this state.

New age is belief based and not faith based. And the therapist utilizes the belief of the client. The belief is to be derived from the subconscious and the unconscious. 

In modern time, Dr. Bruce Lipton’s The Biology of Belief can be said to be the harbinger of the new age science with seminal work on the belief system and epigenetics. There are also other eminent scholars like Dr. Joe Dispenza, gave us an insight on habit formation and how to transcend conditioned behavior. However, in the real sense, the New age originated since the time of the Upanishads and Shri Aurobindo in his work opened up the different dimensions of planes of consciousness that included hypnosis and another phenomenon. In the world of cells, one is involved in understanding and utilizing how the brain maintains the problem or more specifically, the world of neuro-psychobiology and related fields. A lot of interesting scientific work is happening in the area of impact of nerve cells determining our behvioiur. Dr. Ernest Rossi had initiated a lot of seminal work in this direction.

 The other area where the world of hypnosis is heading is in the study of consciousness – the attainment of the 4^th state or Turiya as foundational to hypnosis, Yoga Nidra and Sadhana – the world of the Soul.   Thus, the new age of hypnosis requires in depth understanding of the problem at a much deeper level – at the soul level and at the cell level. Further research is required in different states of consciousness, both in areas of biomedical research (the domain of the cell) and to higher levels of spiritual consciousness (the domain of the soul). 

New dimensions of Hypnosis 

Hypnotherapy and hypnosis borrow primarily from 4 subjects: they are Psychology, Physiology, Philosophy and the much less talked about Paranormal Sciences. It is summarised diagrammatically:

1. The world of Cells

Let us now go a bit detailed about both these areas, the world of cell and the world of soul.

1. The world of cell – Physiology and Pathogenesis 

Homeostasis (continuous maintenance of equilibrium of all the parameters at molecular and systemic level) is fundamental to life and an aberration in any body parameters causes disorders or diseases.

Psychic disturbance can be behavioural, cognitive or both. The basis of psychosomatic stress is the psychodynamic dis-creativity in oneself which either creates the disease or contributes to its propagation. All diseases arise from the faulty functioning of discriminative wisdom (Pragyaparadha jayate sarve rogam: Charaka Samihita).

A perceptual conceptual corruption that causes psychic disturbance produces stress. It is like a virus in a computer that can crash all the data and even erase the hard disc. Psychological disorders and organic disorders are understood at the molecular level. However, these levels by themselves do not constitute a disorder or disease. Thus, mere biochemical reaction does not reverse the disease. 

Thoughts and emotions are floating particles in a blood stream. Emotions are further identified with numerous biochemical substances such as hormones, neurotransmitters and other information substances. Our bodily symptoms often arise when events are inadequately processed so that there is repression into the unconscious. The unconscious is the hidden dynamo that drives the body function at all times. Hypnosis utilizes this hidden message from the unconscious.

The new age of healing utilises interdisciplinary field of studies where a human organism is considered as a structured and interconnected unity where the biological and psychological systems systematically influence each other reciprocally. Thus, in the new age there are development of subjects like Psycho-neuro-endocrino-immunology (PNEI), Psychoneuroimmunology or Psycho oncology, etc. This happens because of bidirectional linkages between the central nervous, the endocrine and the immune systems and that there are direct neural and endocrine connections between the physiology that underlies emotional states and immune system. 

 In order to attain health, we have to access the information connected to sickness that is contained in the state dependent memoryand learning of the client (unconscious mind). A new age hypnotherapist’s job is to access these states dependent memory residing deep within one’s unconscious. He understands that healing is multidimensional and integral and that there are clinical and transpersonal waysto help.  

Healing starts with the identification of the elements in the belief system that can help one to understand the thought process. All negative emotions like anger, sadness, depression, fear, helplessness, confusion, frustration, embarrassment, shame, etc. makes us susceptible to illness. 

Healing requires courage. Fear blocks possibility of healing and recovery. Loneliness is a major factor in immune suppression.  

During hypnosis, the brain undergoes plasticity through development of new synapses.  Neuroimaging science has proven that during hypnosis changes in the conditioned or stereotype pathways contribute to an internal transformation in a client. Neurologically this is supported in the areas of the brain such as Prefrontal cortex (PFC) and downgrading of function of other areas.

Cellular Healing and the role of the unconscious

All of us have the unconscious potential or capability to heal ourselves at the cellular level. Cellular healing is based on one’s ability to boost and redirect healing potential of one’s immune system. Our unconscious mind understands and “trance-late” the message in a way so complex that its understanding is beyond the capability of the conscious mind.

The unconscious mind is our multitasking system. We should trust its problem-solving capabilities allowing it to work by providing generally “artfully vague” commands.  Also, the unconscious mind knows how to communicate love and compassion.  

There is a need to provide the unconscious a wide set of possibilities that it can choose the one who want to see it happening. The whole process is a communicational event.

New age hypnosisis a tool to access state-bound information at a deeper level and facilitate recovery of the client’s personal balance through constant unconscious monitoring of the client’s allostatic change (achieving stability through change).

The role of the patient in the healing process

Therapy results from the inner re-synthesis of the patient’s behavior achieved by the patient himself; it is the experience of re-associating and reorganizing their own experiential life that eventuates in a cure. (Erickson & Rossi, 1986).

The suggestibility of a subject is a very important element in the healing process.

People who assume personal responsibility in the management of their sickness experience a faster recovery from ill health than those who were passive recipients of treatment. Spontaneous remission of illness relates to resilience, meaning, hope and science. From a hypnotherapist’s point of view, it is important to know that diseases are metaphors the body creates to express its discomfort because of a traumatized mind. As therapists, we need to identify these maladaptive metaphors and replace them. 

The New age therapist 

Hypnosis is emerging as a New age scientific discipline as it has moved beyond addressing illness, and enhancing wellness by opening up areas of personality development and creative enhancement, etc. It is more focused on transpersonal psychology and there is communion in consciousness.

For therapists, it is the human factor that motivates one to actively participate and assume responsibility in healing and recovery. Healing is the product of meaning and empowerment. 

The therapist identifies two linguistic elements:

• Vocabular universe: identification of a particular linguistic modality that people use in communication with the environment in which they live and work. This is based on cultural background.
• Generative themes: Subjects that are utmost to the client.

By using the client’s vocabulary and meaningful themes, the dialogue becomes meaningful. By accessing the unconscious mind, the therapist accesses the client’s brain’s GPS which will guide them to the road to recovery. 

For achieving this, the new age therapist has first to achieve the state of equanimity and equipoise in all aspects of life with perfect Samiran or remembrance 24/7 before commencing effective therapy. Once the therapist is ready, the universe conspires to provide favourable ground for initiating therapy.

In terms of psychotherapy and healing, it is the age when the realization dawns that healing is done through the therapist and not by him. The therapist is simply a facilitator of the healing process and participates in it as an impassioned observer –drashta bhav.

The therapist realizes that for him to attain this state there is a need of constant practice (abhyesana) and humility (vairagya). What is required is being in a state of equipoise or equanimity – a state of sthithipragyna (Bhagavad Gita). Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra refers to the state of chittavrittinoradha.

Practical: 

• Induce Hypnosis
• Set up an Ideo motor response. (By communicating directly with the patient’s unconscious, the therapist focuses on the part of the body that requires healing through ideo-motor signaling. 
• If the Patient is able to experience their immune system communicating via their unconscious mind and involuntary finger signalling, they suspend their doubt long enough for their unconscious to initiate the healing process. The process helps in the dissociation of the conscious from the unconscious mind.)
• Give suggestions that states of health and the effectiveness of the immune system are influenced by our everyday life experiences 
• Tell the unconscious to maintain any learning it has made from stressful situations 
• Regress the Patient to the first experience they had that may have negatively influenced the strength of the Patient’s immune system. 
• Ask the unconscious mind to store any learning made from these negative life experiences  without  storing the amazing or depotentiation effects of the experience. 
• Ask the unconscious if it is willing to release the experience so that it no longer influences the immune system in a negative way. 
• Tell the unconscious to release the experience.  
• Ask the unconscious to find the next significant time something happened that influenced the immune system in a positive way. 
• Tell the unconscious to release this experience.  
• This process is continued until all negative experiences have been released.  
• Ask the unconscious if there is any reason why the immune system cannot regenerate to their maximum healing potential.
• Ask the cells to re‐generate and start healing the Patient.  
• Ask the unconscious how long it will take for the patient to be healed to the maximum level.
• Start incrementing with days, weeks and months and use ideo motor signalling. 

1. The World of the Psyche or Soul

‘Psyche’ is the root word for Psychology, Psychotherapy, Psychiatry, etc. It originally meant soul which the West wrongly attributes it to Mind, Behaviour, etc. Swami Abhedananda asserts Indian Psychology is True Psychology as it deals with Psyche or soul.  In traditional Indian thought Psychology was never a subject independent of metaphysics.

In the new age of hypnosis, creativity is geared to a higher order and maybe to a radically different mode. The concept of Soul and consciousness is central to the practice of Hypnosis, Dhyana and Yoga Nidra. As therapists we need to know the background of our clients or patients to understand what they understand by consciousness.

Consciousness

CoWestern Concept – Modern Scientific perspectives	Eastern Concept – Mystical perspectives
Sensory, perceptual and cognitive experience	Supra Physical, Supra rational modes of experience
Fragmented approach	Integral approach
Objective experience	Subjective experience
Phenomenology – deals with world of phenomena	Without any phenomenon
Personality	Impersonality
Consciousness refers to Physical and mental awareness	Consciousness is ‘chit’ or ‘chitta’ – pure divine consciousness
Shri Aurobindo’s vision of consciousness is pluri- dimensional and integral.  It integrates the mystical and scientific perspectives of consciousness in a unique and meaningful way.

Consciousness: Scientific principle

Western science is beginning to believe in this new age that the brain is too complex for any single research approach. Thus, an interdisciplinary approach in our search for the mystery of consciousness should also include spirituality, the inseparable discipline of life.

Consciousness or conscious experience can never come under the net of reductive explanation of western science. However, it is because of Quantum physics that scientist got an indication of the mystery of consciousness. We hope that the physics of consciousness could be understood in terms of Quantum Mechanics.

A neurologist, knowing the brain terrain and seeing the data output, may be able to tell what the activity was that induced each specific brain lobe to fire…. But the experience of the vison is something else. The conscious experience escapes the machine’s reading.

Anatomy of Consciousness

According to Rossi, consciousness can be understood as a series of continuously emerging experiential states that focus attention to evoke activity-dependent gene expression and neurogenesis in the dynamics of self-reflection and co-creation of the self. He believed auto immune diseases do respond to prolonged unlimited time frame in therapy. He attributes his recovery from stroke to his manipulation of genes through hypnosis. 

It should be not long that there is conclusive evidence that the state of hypnosis is gene activity dependent.

Consciousness: Vedantic Principles

According to Vedanta, consciousness is the living energy and the fundamental quality of life particle and it is purely spiritual. It is expressed as chit.

From the Vedantic perspective, the expression, “I am” is the conscious experience and inherent transcendental property of the self. False consciousness is exhibited under the impression that ‘I am a product of material nature’.

Consciousness as per Vedanta is beyond the mind and the brain. Thus, Indriyani parany ahur  indriyebhyah param manah  manasas tu para buddhir  Yo buddheh   paratas tu sah.( BG, 3.42)

It means, the working sense are superior to dull matter, mind is higher than the senses, intelligence is still higher than the mind and he (the soul) is even higher than intelligence.

Katha Upanishad (1.33-34) uses the metaphor: The individual is the passenger (Life particle or consciousness) in the chariot of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument (reins), and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and the senses. So, it is understood by great thinker. 

States of consciousness

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra refers to 7 states of consciousness: 

Saptadha prantabhumihi pragya (II.27). Patanjali describes different kinds of Samadhi. Samadhi is a state of communion where the presence of the observer is completely negated. (Ref Vyas, B. & Vyas, R., Indian Hypnotherapy)

Types of Samadhi	Description
Sampragyata	Dialectical thinking, active mentation, abundance of interest and distinctive individuality – an experience with thought-habit functioning as center
Asampragyata	Consciousness retains only impressions of fact without psychological association – an experience without any center of thought habit
Savitarka	Experience having thoughtful modification at the center. Variable interpretations due to the mind altering between verbal and conceptual thinking. Use of Metaphors in Hypnosis illustrates.
Nirvitarka	The center of thought modification is nonexistent and perception is clear. All subjective projections of the mind are dropped
Sabij	Centers around a thought seed
Nirbij	Nucleus of identity is destroyed – cessation of all reactive tendency
Dharma-Megha	Only That alone – Kaivalya. Consciousness gained its pristine, pure originality

Common origins of Dhana, Yoga Nidra and Hypnosis

• Historically and pragmatically distinct, hypnosis and meditation share much in the way of phenomenology, neurocognitive mechanisms and potential therapeutic prospects. The earliest reference to psychotherapy and hypnosis is Atharva Veda. 
• Mantra vidya was the main technique for manas chikitsa used in the Atharva Veda. It relied on the meaning and vibration of sounds.

Mantras were used in 5 type of therapies, but the following 3 are relevant to the study of hypnosis.

• Sankalpa: This is similar to auto suggestion or self-hypnosis. Sankalpa means atma-bal or will power. By this method of sakalpa, the ego can be made very strong and energetic and able to deal with its problem. With a strong ego, there cannot be any disintegration of psychic personality. This science is reflected later in Hartland’s Ego strengthening procedure
•  Sandesha: This literally means suggestion by a therapist or practitioner. It was the refined application of symbolism, personification, metaphors and aversion, the use of which we can see in modern Ericksonian hypnotherapy
•  Samavashikarana: This is hypnotherapy. It is a special intense type of suggestion used by the therapist. This was used to enhance the qualities of personality and was used to treat diseases like epilepsy, hysteria and consumption. Although there are many types of samavashikaran, in Atharva Veda heightened verbal suggestions were utilised.

• Patanjali mentions of various siddhis in Vibhuti pada. They include: vashita, meaning the ability to control the will of others.   Vagbhatta in his Ashtanga Samhita mentions meditations for psychosomatic disorders. 
• When we meditate, we are actually de-hypnotizing ourselves from what we have been taught from childhood.

States of Consciousness – Hypnosis and Dhyana

• The 3 states of mind – waking, dreaming and deep sleep – are compared to lily pads in Mundaka Upanishad. 
• The ego-based individual is compared to a frog who compulsively and ceaselessly jumps from one lily pad to another its entire life while the real Self watches in the background, unchanging. 
• This 4^th state or Turiya is the witnessing self (Sakshi). Mandukya Upanishad
• Experience of Hypnosis, Yoga Nidra and Meditation originate at the 4^th state of consciousness and extends beyond. 
• Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra talks of 7 states of consciousness (Tasya Saptadha prantabhumihi pragya, 2.27) which is elaborated in Yoga Vashishtha.

• 5^th State:  defined as “abiding in mere non-duality, with all distinction and division extinguished, he is seen as one asleep. 
• 6^th State:  described as where he dwells, “without knot” liberated while living and without conception or ideation.
• 7^th State: described as state of enlightenment, which is the state of liberation without the body.  

Yoga Nidra: the foundation of Hypnosis

Yoga Nidra is a meditative practice that dates back to antiquity and can be traced back to scriptures like Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism, Kashmiri Shaivism, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, and Shankaracharya’s Yoga Taravali. 

The hatha yoga texts contain few explicit descriptions of yoga-nidra ( Vasistha-Samhita, III.57-75; Yoga Yajnavalkya, VII-1-37.

The Hathayogapradipika (IV.43–50) describes the process of khecari-mudra, which culminates in the attainment of yoga-nidra. This is also reflected in Shandilya-Upanishad (I.35) 

In Ayurvedic literature, the Charaka-samhita, a revelation that is partially ascribed to Patanjali, contains a discussion of the theory of sleep in the Sutra-sthana.

The contemporary description of Yoga Nidra is equated with a kind of lucid dream state, in which dream imagery takes place for the practitioner, but they do not identify or become attached to them, but become objective observer. 

Very recently, the term Yoga Nidra is popularised by Bihar School of Yoga, which centres around the practice, similar in hypnosis:   Making mental resolution or setting an intention (samkalpa), Initiating rotations of consciousness through the body, practicing breath awareness (nostrils, throat, chest, counting the breath), Relaxing the mind and emotions, visualizing various images, Reaffirming mental resolutions or intentions 

Yoga Nidra and Hypnosis

Similarities:   Usage of trance; Employment of a guide; demarcation of intensified liminal space for healing than psychotherapy; therapist or guide participates more intensely in the patient’s phenomenological field.

Classification	Explanation of differences
Domain	Unlike Hypnosis, Yoga Nidra operates within the realm of indigenous spirituality and psychology
State	Phenomena that can be labelled hypnotic, such as time distortion, primary process imagery, dream imagery and catalepsy may take place, but are not utilized as a convincer for ratification of meditative state in Yoga Nidra.
Resolution or suggestion	The Yoga Nidra practice of Sankapla, or resolution before and after the exercise, is similar to a post-hypnotic suggestion used in Hypnotherapy. However, the resolution is decided by the client rather than the therapist
Attachment	Amnesia and other hypnotic phenomena may be apparent, but the practitioner attempts to remain alert with non-attachment to any imagery, sensations, or experiences
Awareness	Yoga Nidra utilises cultivation of awareness as a means to produce a witness state of consciousness. While this is different from Hypnosis, there is a resemblance with Ernest Hilgard’s idea of the hidden observer in the neo–dissociation theory.
Mode of application	Suggestions for rotation of consciousness and imagery used in Yoga Nidra to make one more alert. However, in hypnosis, techniques, such as fractionation (brief re-alerting and re-entrance to the trance state) and pauses in the hypnotic induction are a means for deepening the sense of trance.
Therapeutic alliance	The relation in Yoga Nidra is in a more intensified liminal space for healing than traditional psychotherapy; the boundaries between the therapist and the patient are further removed from the typical, psychotherapeutic environment, and the therapist participates more intensely in the patient’s phenomenological field.

Dhyana and Hypnosis: Altered state of consciousness

One mediates upon the supreme Self certainly achieves the supreme Self. – The Gita, 8.8

Hypnosis	Dhyana
Scientific and therapeutic	Spiritual
Subject of scientific scrutiny	Philosophical
Studied scientifically since last two centuries	Spiritual experiences since time immemorial
Fertile ground for research. Subjective. Difficult to quantify	A moral and ethical code of living is a prerequisite before initiation
Anyone can learn	Requires a guide, initially
Goal oriented	Types of samadhi: goal oriented, goalless & nameless experience
Relaxation and breathing awareness utilised during induction	Stillness of body and mind is essential; esoteric breathing exercises (pranayama) facilitates experience
Utilised for therapeutic healing and overall development	Health giving, disease prevention and aids in spiritual growth
Self-hypnosis is easily taught and practised	Requires a guru or guide
Archetypal symbols and meaningful images may be utilised	Focalisation on a form of sound, mantra or visual symbol of a deity
Insight generation and creativity is a step by step process.	A pathless path where there is no destination. Enlightenment happens.
Guided hypnosis unlikely to cause harm	Hypnosis can be harmful if not practised under a guru or guide
Freedom from affliction by hypnotherapy	Attainment of kaivalya – journey of alone to alone

Practical demonstration: Meditation on Turiya or 4^th state of consciousness

Related concepts for hypnotherapists

Guiding principles in healing and therapy in the New Age

1. Every departure from health is a family affair, in which every member also experiences some form of departure from physical and emotional health. Every member should know apriori that any information or opinion conveyed to the sufferer would be incorporated unconsciously into the sufferer’s mindset. Thus, the therapeutic approach is holistic and integral.
2. The sufferer is experiencing pain, anguish, and/or a paralyzing fear of their body and of their future. This subjective pain needs to be felt empathetically. This is possible only when the therapist can perform niskam karma.
3. Every communication produces changes in the sufferer’s mental map; therefore, every communication by the therapist must instill hope.
4. Any transformation work (change work) has to address the sufferer’s unconscious mind. 
5. The solution to a problem can only come from a higher dimension of the problem – concurred by Einstein.
6. To properly effect therapy and healing, the therapist needs to have a Sattvic and Dharmic view of life. One needs to be essentially spiritual and healing happens through the therapist and not by him.

Why Indirect Hypnosis

Firstly, with the indirect approach the hypnotic subject or client, does not realize how the therapist is hypnotizing them, or even if you are hypnotizing them. There is no scope to offer resistance or sabotage therapy.

Secondly, hypnosis and hypnotherapy should be used to empower clients to feel strong, confident, and responsible for their own therapeutic changes. Direct hypnosis method often gives a sense of disempowerment.

Next, the indirect hypnotic approach is so gentle and respectful that it does not evoke any fear or inhibition in the client.

Of course, indirect hypnosis requires specialist training and the ‘art’ of applying indirect hypnosis is in using implication and suggestions to achieve outcomes – whether that outcome is hypnotic induction or therapeutic change.

In hypnotherapy, the indirect approach appeals to us both in trance induction and therapy. The direct approach is very effective only when the rapport, confidence and trust is built in the relationship.

Finally, Indirect hypnosis appeals to the Indian psyche.

Indian Psyche and the Indirect approach

Traditionally Indians are seekers and not believers. We are encouraged to question, contradict and challenge ideas. Our Shastras talk of shravan, manan and nidhidhyasan as stages in self transformation.

Sinha (1993) contends that Indian approach to life was based on introspection and observation. It was never empirical or experimental. The outlook was based on metaphysics.

Mode of teaching is through self-enquiry. The teacher is a guide who is regarded as the incarnation of the divine (Ref Guru Gita).

As Indians we are inclusivist and can cohabit, coexist and accept all forms of opinion. We are collaborative and not competitive. We work through insight, intuition, instinct and inner intelligence more than with the use of intellect, logical reasoning

Finally, we are uncomfortable with enforceable structures, formats, code but work with Dharmic principles & values

Bibliography

Abhedananda, S. (1946). True Psychology: Advaita Ashram: Kolkata

Aurobindo, S. (2018). The Gita: In the vision and the words of Sri Aurobindo. Shri Aurobindo Ashram press: Pondicherry, India

Bhawuk, D. P. S (2011). Spirituality and Indian Psychology: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita, Springer: New York

Bryant, E. F. 2009). The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: With insights from the traditional commentators. Macmillan: New Delhi.

Dispenza, Joe (2012). Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose a Mind and Create a New one. HayHouse India: New Delhi.

Lipton, B. (2015). The Biology of Belief: Unlocking the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles. HayHouse India: New Delhi.

Triandis, H. C. (1994b). Culture and Social behavior. New York: McGraw Hill

Vyas, B. & Vyas, R. (2016). Indian Handbook of Hypnotherapy (4th ed.). Concept Publishing Co. pvt. Ltd: New Delhi.

Vyas, B. & Vyas, R. (2017). Contemporarising Raj Yoga: Neuroscience and Practices. Concept Publishing Co. pvt. Ltd: New Delhi.

Vyas, B. & Vyas, R. (2021). Space Time Consciousness: Rationale of the Paranormal. Concept Publishing Co. pvt. Ltd: New Delhi.

Other books:

Swami Avedananda – True Psychology. 

The Bhagwat Gita 

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra.

The Guru Gita