Self-Hypnosis Is Essentially A Deep Meditation: Here's How It's Done

Hypnosis isn't nearly as crazy as those embarrassing stage performances would like us to believe. In fact, every time we get absorbed in a movie or scroll on our phones for hours, we're actually activating a mild state of hypnosis. We asked a hypnotist all our burning questions about this misunderstood practice, and it turns out that self-hypnosis isn't as difficult—or as scary—as you might think. Here's the scoop.

"It's a real practice just like meditation," she says. "You can learn it and practice; you can read a book; you can try on your own or work with audio-hypnosis tracks." When you're first getting started, though, she adds that it never hurts to have a session with a professional hypnotist first.

The stages of hypnosis aren't rigid. They're ultimately brain-wave states, "so you go in and out like a wave," Cummins says (and research confirms1), but you'll typically experience three stages:

You can apply the principles of self-hypnosis to a number of goals, including but not limited to:

Breaking an addiction of any kind is no easy feat. Hypnosis is often associated with quitting smoking2, with one small study suggesting it might help people with more serious drug addictions3, too. Peer-reviewed research showing that hypnosis can be an alternative treatment for addiction is very limited. However, with any goal, it's important for the subject to believe it's possible, and hypnosis seems to help people do that.

If someone wanted to be more confident, their hypnosis session would revolve largely around imagining what that confidence would be like. Consider the rules of manifestation here: When we get clear on what we're actually trying to achieve and what it feels like, we can better embody it.

On that note, Cummins notes she often sees hypnosis used to help people achieve goals like losing weight, eating better, or just being healthier overall. The idea is that when we're able to really imagine what it would look and feel like to be healthy, we can more confidently move toward that goal.

For people struggling with stress and anxiousness, hypnosis can be used as a tool for stepping back and noticing these feelings from a distance. From that objective place, you could imagine how it would look if you didn't feel like that. Cummins adds she's also seen people who have anxious habits, like nail-biting, find success with hypnosis.

"When you really have that strong desire but you're getting stuck in your behaviors," Cummins says, "hypnosis is a great way to come into alignment and to really sink into an internal source of motivation to make the change you want to make."

Here, Cummins shares a short self-hypnosis routine for beginners. Read through the steps here, or follow along with the guided audio below:

Your goals don't end when your self-hypnosis session is done! Carry your intention with you through the day, consistently tapping into that mental space where your goal feels real. "Say your intention before you go to bed," Cummins says. "Breathe it into your body, anchor it in. Say it in the morning when you're brushing your teeth or having your coffee, and breathe it into your body, anchoring it in." The more you recall it, the more it will be reinforced.

As with any practice, Cummins says it's important to cultivate a sense of compassion and curiosity with yourself. "It is a practice—and an ability," she notes, "so, not being so hard on yourself, having fun with it, and doing it consistently, so you can really learn how your mind works and how to make it work for you."

Once you've got the process for self-hypnosis down pat, it really won't take long to drop into a receptive state, Cummins says, adding, "it's amazing how your mind follows your instruction."

Once you identify those emotions, you can start to work through them using some of the tools outlined in this primer on shadow work.

When you're looking to achieve goals, release negative patterns, or reinforce positivity, your unconscious mind can be an ally. Practicing the fundamentals of self-hypnosis is one way to get a better understanding of this world that lies within.