A Metaphorical Look at how Hypnosis Works

We have a conscious mind and a subconscious mind.  The conscious mind is what we use when we are awake, thinking about a problem, crossing the road safely and so on. The subconscious mind functions to keep us breathing, maintains our body temperature, sustains other involuntary functions and so on. The subconscious also stores items that our conscious mind has “forgotten” or does not have realisation of, such as some factual information, interpretation of past memories, values and belief systems. As our behaviours and perception of our world are mostly driven by these, it follows that if we can access the subconscious in a deliberate, controlled and skilful way, we can retrieve information, investigate how past memories are affecting us, change our beliefs and hence change our lives.  This is the basis of Hypnotherapy.

If the subconscious mind is likened to a wise old man, then the conscious mind, in comparison, would be a cosmically smaller and younger soldier.  This soldier, however, is guarding the narrow gate that leads to where the wise man resides, and we can only gain access to the wise man if we distract the soldier, or when he is totally focussed on something else, or he is off duty and resting.

The old man is not only wise and has the potential to provide valuable information, he is also very open minded to any new and helpful suggestions, which he will then pass on to the soldier for presenting to the outside world; that is, once he is awake, alert and resumes his duties again.