Hypnosis, under many different names, has been around since before the Pharaohs. It has been used as a cure all, mystical rite, entertainment, and forbidden magical tool. Hypnosis has been revered and feared in cycle after cycle throughout the centuries. In the 1800's hypnosis gained recognition from the medical profession as a safe anesthesia. But it was time consuming to use and didn't work for everyone. With the advent of ether, hypnosis fell into disuse. Magicians and showmen began using it for entertainment, and hypnosis lost credibility as a therapeutic and medical tool. Some professionals continued to use hypnosis successfully, but mainly it was mystics and spiritual seekers who continued to use hypnosis as a tool for growth and  self help. The state of hypnosis often allows a clearer channel to the higher self.

“Fear never goes away.” That’s how my fellow Toastmaster, Christopher, ended an excellent presentation on fear. I don’t know about you, but I found that extremely unsettling. “Fear never goes away.” If that’s true, then we need to find ways of living and working with fear in a positive way. As I see it, this requires three things: 

1. First of all, we must recognize the futility of making fear our enemy. If we’re going to live together, we need to welcome it. 

2. Secondly, we need to disarm fear by coming to terms with what we’re afraid of.

3. Third and finally, entertain the possibility of incredible success.

The mother of a 15year old boy called me to inquire about the effectiveness of hypnosis.  She explained that her son had been having problems in school since he was five years old.  He was disobedient, rebellious, hostile and a loner.  He had been in counseling for many years, yet seemed to continue to behave inappropriately and unable to get along with anyone.
 
As he got older his behavior became worse.  He was becoming an introvert.  He had been expelled from school because of inappropriate behavior with one of his female teachers.
 
My experience in counseling indicated that a person has to want to change, and hypnosis, a powerful tool, would not be helpful in this case because the young man was already hostile towards counselors and his behavior was getting him attention.  I was not very encouraging, although I did tell her that if he ever showed interest in learning self-hypnosis, I would be willing to take him as a client.

By now you are no doubt familiar with the principles of Law of Attraction and Conscious Creation, and have seen or read The Secret—and you are aware of using the power of positively directed thought to improve your life.

But let’s be honest…How often do you remember to apply these? Maybe once or twice a month? Or when you come across something you really want to manifest—so you get busy visualizing? Have you really made it a way of life? Are you impatient to see things become reality, but the slowness of the process is making you crazy?

I just read something that made me stop and take stock. I have always been a rather joyful, somewhat carefree individual. Of late; however, I have become very heavy in my feeling nature and as this is not a familiar place for me, it has been wreaking havoc. I am painfully aware that I have stopped playing. I have stopped enjoying the little things. For instance, until three years ago, I regularly enjoyed a great evening of water bumper cars, go carts and miniature golf – to say nothing of a full day at Magic Mountain (mid-week, of course). I absolutely love roller coasters!  There is no such thing for me as too high or too fast!  When did I let my guard down?  When did I become this serious, joy-less person?  How could this have happened to me – a virtual female Peter Pan?