Have you ever wondered whether hypnosis and spirituality have anything to do with each other?
Some of the most common questions I’ve gotten about hypnosis and hypnotherapy since I became a certified hypnotherapist in 2009 have been about what, if anything, getting hypnotized has to do with spiritual experiences. Some typical questions include:
“Will hypnosis open me up to evil spirits?”
“Can I be hypnotized if I’m a _____ (insert Christian, Muslim, Atheist, etc.)?”
“Will getting hypnotized affect my relationship with God?”
“Will hypnosis affect my beliefs about ____ (insert my religion, the universe, past lives, what happens when I die?”
Sometimes I get people who are specifically interested in using hypnosis to have a spiritual experience. Others are hoping hypnotherapy has nothing to do with spirituality or the supernatural in any way, shape or form. For the most part, I believe people are asking these questions to know whether their safety, worldview, values, and religious beliefs will be respected, protected or supported throughout the process of working with me towards a goal to improve their well being.
While I can’t speak on behalf or every hypnotist or hypnotherapist for what it’s like to work with them, I can shed some light on this issue in general and for my own personal practice.
First off, it is the duty of every wellness practitioner and every mental health professional, to competently and ethically protect the physical and psychological safety of their client while in their stead. This includes hypnotherapists.
I respect the faith and worldview of my client and do not encourage anything except for what is necessary to achieve the results they asked for in a way that honors their belief and value system. I am not a “new age” or past life regression hypnotist nor do take on the role of pastor or priest. There isn’t an inherently religious nature to hypnotherapy, though the feeling of the alpha state may remind clients of spiritual experiences where they felt peace, oneness, clarity, and other wonderful, resourceful feelings. That being said, spiritual experiences can be facilitated through the use of hypnotherapy if the client and hypnotherapist are in alignment with that goal.
To clarify, the act of being hypnotized simply means utilizing one’s ability to concentrate and follow directions to help a person enter a natural state of increased responsiveness to suggestion. Suggestion in this context is a term standing for an idea, feeling, or goal. Responsiveness meaning reacting positively (like being captivated and moved by a sunset, work of art or speech instead of being distracted or unaffected). So the focus of a session could be that of a spiritual nature or not.
Let’s say the goal of a hypnotherapy session is to stop a bad habit like smoking cigarettes...
One client with this goal may be a bit skeptical of what hypnosis is all about but motivated enough to quit nicotine to decide to try it.That client usually tells me right off the bat something like “I’m not into anything woo woo but if hypnotherapy can help me have an aversion response to cigarettes and the confidence to become a non smoker for life...please tell me the science behind this if that will help me believe in it and get my results or just go ahead and work your magic on me if I shouldn’t analyze it!”
I’m going to guide a session differently for that client than I would with one who may have the same goal, but names a concern of a spiritual nature needing to be resolved in order to become a non smoker. Perhaps they believe they’ve been turning to cigarettes as a way of dealing with stress instead of the God they believe in and wish to prevent an addiction from interfering in that relationship. You can read about the experience of one such client in this exact situation who worked with me, along with a detailed account of my own life changing experience with hypnotherapy, from pages 130 -137 in the book Experiencing Spiritual Hypnosis, edited by Roy C. Hunter, featuring case studies from 14 other well known hypnosis professionals.
If you’re interested to see whether hypnosis can help you achieve your goals while respecting your worldview, faith, or values, be sure to review my Hypnotherapy FAQ and have a thorough consult with a hypnotherapist like me before making a decision as to whether hypnotherapy services are best for you.
