Spiritual Hypnotherapy

Hypnosis is a term used to describe a non-ordinaryunderstood that there are two aspects of
state of consciousness that allows clients to respondconsciousness that come into play in the hypnotic
to suggestion with higher than normal receptivity. Allprocess: the conscious and the subconscious (or
hypnosis is self-hypnosis. Hypnosis is a state that canunconscious, as Jung referred to it ). With the work of
spontaneously come about for a person or it is a stateRoberto Assiogoli and the birth of transpersonal
that can be self-induced or induced with the help of apsychology, however, there emerged an
facilitator or hypnotherapist.acknowledgement of a third aspect of consciousness:
Hypnotherapy is the practice of therapy that takesthe higher Self, or the transcendent aspect of
place in the non-ordinary state of hypnoticconsciousness.
consciousness. Hypnotherapy directly engages theThe higher Self, a spiritual, wise, and infinite aspect of
client's conscious and subconscious mind in theour consciousness, can be directly accessed and
process of doing therapy. The hypnotherapy processengaged as the inner therapist/healer in the
is usually interactive and involves verbal and non-verbalhypnotherapy process. It is an aspect of human
communications between the client and hypnotherapistconsciousness that goes beyond our waking, ordinary
while the client is in the hypnotic state. Most therapeuticego consciousness that embodies, presents or can
work is greatly enhanced while clients are in a hypnoticaccess certain wisdom not experienced in normal
state because they are able to access information,consciousness. 1 (Alexander, 11)
healing, creativity, memories and insight that is notArthur Hastings, a professor of transpersonal
normally available when in the waking conscious state.psychology states:
Change is facilitated from within the clients in...the higher Self is said to be a distinct part or function
hypnotherapy; it is inwardly generated and intrinsic toof the individual. It is an entity in itself, with
the clients themselves. The hypnotherapist isconsciousness or awareness like the ego, and it is
responsible for having the tools and skills to assist theassumed to be a part of everyone. It witnesses the
clients in helping themselves, which minimizes the oftenperson's experiences. It is non punitive, objective, and
incorrectly perceived "power" the therapist has overnon-judgmental. Its orientation is towards higher values,
the client.life purpose, healthy emotional and mental
By engaging a transpersonal or spiritual focus indevelopment, and spiritual qualities. 2 (Hastings, 180)
hypnotherapy the client's personal transformation canWillis Harman believes that in all major religious and
be supported even further. By invoking and accessingmystical traditions there is a parallel wisdom that a
the client's higher Self or the wisest transcendentnecessary component of being human is an impetus
aspect of consciousness, clients are also able tofor the inner search of higher Self:
access expanded states of consciousness similar toIn studies of comparative religion it appears that,
those experienced in meditation or in profound statesbesides the many exoteric forms, there is within any
of presence: states when the egoic or self- involvedof the major traditions an esoteric or "inner circle" form,
consciousness is transcended or simply out of thewhich is essentially the same for all traditions. This
way. Through these transpersonal states of"perennial wisdom" seems to recommend an inner
consciousness, healing and profound change can takesearch involving some sort of meditative or yogic
place, often fairly effortlessly. Clients report that thesediscipline, and discovery and identification with, a
expanded states of consciousness change them in"higher" or "true" Self3 (Harman, 34)
lasting positive ways. Clients realize that, for instance,The Tao never does anything,yet through it all things
they have pain, but are not the pain. They canare done.
potentially experience themselves as spiritual inIf powerful men and womencould center themselves in
essence: as a spiritual being having a humanit,
experience of pain. From these hypnotically accessedThe whole world would be transformedby itself, in its
transcendent states, clients begin to have a newnatural rhythms.
sense of self and a new way of relating to thePeople would be contentwith their simple lives,in
challenges of their lives. They become dis-identifiedharmony, free of desire.
from their stories and the previously perceived rolesWhen there is no desire,all things are at peace.
they have played in their lives. Their consciousness is(Mitchell, 37)
expanded along with an expanded sense of Self.Taoism and Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy as a Spiritual PracticeAs a student of many spiritual traditions and as a
I became a transpersonal psychotherapist because ofpractitioner who combines spiritual practices while
my interest and passion for being able to work withworking with clients, I have observed that many of the
people's consciousness to promote change, healing,tenets of Taoism are at play in the process of
and transformation. As a client of hypnotherapy, aworking with the higher Self in hypnotherapy. The
long-time practitioner of self-hypnosis, and as aproverbial Taoist concept of "going with the flow"
hypnotherapist who has facilitated over 20,000underlies all the of the hypnotherapy process I use with
hypnotic sessions, I have years and years ofclients and teach to hypnotherapists. As I discuss
experience of directly knowing the profound andspecific Taoist concepts and show how they support,
lasting effects of hypnotherapeutic work. I haveand at times determine, the structure and evolution of
discovered over and over that facilitating ahypnotherapy sessions, I will weave in quotes from the
transpersonal form of hypnotherapy is a spiritualTao de Ching that teach the concepts.
practice for both the client and the hypnotherapist. InIt must also be stated that writing about Taoism is
hypnotherapy we can learn to access and utilizedifficult and paradoxical because, asstated in the first
expanded states of consciousness directly, at will, andline of book One in the Tao de Ching, "The Tao that
for support of a variety of personal goals andcan be told, is not the eternal Tao" 4. (Feng, English, line
purposes. The process of being in an expanded state1) Words are too limiting in trying to capture the
is just as healing and significant in supporting change asessence of the Tao; rather the Tao is to be lived and
is directing the state of consciousness towards aexperienced. I have had years of learning about and
therapeutic personal goal or outcome.living the Tao through the practice of presence in the
As the client being in the hypnotic state, accessing thenon-ordinary and mystical states accessed in
higher Self awareness becomes a profound teacherhypnotherapy. I will show how the practice of
of how our consciousness works to create ourhypnotherapy brings to life the philosophy and spiritual
realities. These hypnotic states also become vehiclespractice of Taoism of "going with the flow" and how
through which we can re-create our realities. As theaccessing the higher Self brings wisdom, healing and
hypnotherapist you are often in a expanded state ofan expansion of consciousness to both the client and
profound presence entrained and aligned with thethe practitioner. Simply being in the state of
client's state of consciousness. The art of guiding aconsciousness of presence while accessing the inner
client's process is to be so present that you are out ofwisdom of the higher self is expanding and healing and
your own way and accessing your own higher Self asmany times results in an expansion of consciousness
the hypnotic guide, The practice of hypnotherapy, bothfor all involved.
as a client and as a hypnotherapist, then, becomesTo read more go to Holly's web site to read her Free
another form of a spiritual practice that puts us directlyebook on spiritual hypnotherapy.
in touch with our spiritual nature and how our1 Karen Alexander, Defining the Higher Self: A
consciousness creates the forms and structures ofTheoretical Model and Techniques.
our lives.PhD dissertation., Rosebridge Graduate School of
In this dissertation I will show how this spiritualIntegrative Psychology, 1994
awareness and presence can be cultivated as a2 Arthur Hastings, With the Tongues of Men and
spiritual practice by working with many of the intrinsicAngels, San Francisco: Holt, Rinehart & Winston,
energetic principles that are naturally there as a part of1991
hypnotherapy. These principles and precepts are also3 Willis Harman, A Re-examination of the Metaphysical
naturally mirrored in Taoist philosophy. I will show howFoundations of Modern Science, Sausalito, CA: Institute
Taoist precepts are naturally intrinsic working withof Noetic Sciences, 1991
hypnotherapy as a spiritual practice.4 Tao de Ching. Translated by Stephen Mitchell, New
The Higher Self and How it is Accessed and Utilized inYork: First Harper Perennial Edition,1991.
Hypnotherapy5 Tao de Ching. Translated by Gai-Fu Feng and Jane
Throughout the history of hypnosis, and since the firstEnglish, New York: Random House Publisher, 1972.
psychological theories of Sigmund Freud, we have