I’m going to try hypnosis.
I found this app on my iPhone (yes…there’s an app for that). It’s called Free Hypnosis by Joseph Clough Medical. There is a whole section of free hypnosis recordings covering basic things like deep relaxation and getting focused. Also, there is a section where you can purchase ($2.99 each) hypnosis recordings designed specifically for things like weight loss, quitting smoking etc.
I think it is slightly ironic that his icon says “JC”….as in Jesus Christ. No, I’m not saying he is claiming to be Jesus. HOWEVER I did feel slightly skeptical about this because of what it might say about me spiritually. Why am I not at peace? I am not, by any means, attempting to replace the peace that I get from having a relationship with God. And I know that there is nothing he cannot do. I would just like to see how this works.
First, I decided to look up some facts. Know what I am getting into. How to do it effectively.
Turns out “zoning out” can be considered a state of hypnosis. Being “hypnotized” simply means that all of your senses are alert and awake while you are in a hypnotic state.
Also, the subconscious mind makes up about 90% of your total mind power. It’s funny to think that the thoughts you are actively thinking may or may not be what you’re actually thinking? I think the same goes with communication. The majority of how we communicate comes from our body language.
Hypnotherapy entails the use of trance and suggestion to adjust habits of thought, feeling and behavior. So basically, you’re allowing your subconscious mind to be given suggestions that will help that 90% mind power use its power wisely. So instead of 90% of your brain saying “HEY give me a cigarette!!” it could be saying “You should totally go workout!” How awesome would that be?!
So, probably starting tonight or tomorrow I’m going to begin my journey through the (free) hypnosis recordings and observe. This should be a fun little experiment!
Hush! i talk my dream aloud - 
I’m curious to see how that goes. I don’t think I can be hypnotized, though I can get to a relaxed state. I’ve only tried it a couple times, including a couple of audience participation type deals. I just can’t shut my inner dialogue off long enough to go under. I think it could be helpful for people, though. It’s also interesting to me that some of your first comments are about God and feeling what – guilty, bad, inadequate…all those kinds of feelings wrapped up in the word “skeptical”. Maybe I’m reading too much into it. But I just wanted to say that I think it’s perfectly normal for us to not be at peace and to do things like meditating (hypnosis) to calm down our minds. We can have a great relationship with God and still not be as centered as we’d like to be. We’re only human.
Mostly feeling guilty. Like cheating on God or something. It’s not like hypnosis is another religion or anything. But I understand what you mean. God won’t fix everything for me, so I have to do for myself the best I can. My sister quit smoking using one of the hypnosis apps, so she was actually pretty excited when I told her.
I was taught to believe some of the worst things at a very developmental age and need to pretty much relearn how to think about certain things. If that makes sense. Hope you “stay tuned” to see what happens! It should be interesting.
It does make perfect sense! I’ve heard that from other people before too. I think, in a way, that I was fortunate to come to religion later in life. My parents had a bad church experience when I was too young to remember, but hearing about it has made me shudder to think what I could have grown up with – psychologically speaking. I feel that same guilty feeling sometimes, though, if I ever look “outside” of God for something. But then I think, “What is there that could help me that’s really outside of God?” Maybe that’s the help he’s giving me, right? But I so agree with you – we have to put in the effort and do things to fix ourselves too. I mean, maybe God sent you the hypnosis idea, but you have to make the effort to do it. That’s cool that it worked for your sister! I hope it does some great things for you, too :)
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Thank you Elizabeth, hope you are enjoying my work! :)