Effects of Hypnosis on GI Problems

Effects of Hypnosis on GI Problems

Olafur S. Palsson, Psy.D.

Associate Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine, UNC-Chapel Hill


Hypnosis is a treatment method which still carries an aura of mystery that, unfortunately, continues
to be promoted by misrepresentations in movies and stage shows for entertainment. In reality, there
is little mysterious about hypnosis anymore. It is a well-researched clinical technique which was
formally accepted as a treatment method by the American Medical Association and the American
Psychological Association over thirty years ago. Clinical hypnosis is currently used by thousands of
clinicians in the U.S. to treat both psychological and medical problems.
Until recently, the possibility of using hypnosis to treat gastrointestinal problems had received little
attention. In the last 15 years, however, research has shown that hypnosis can influence
gastrointestinal functioning in powerful ways, and that it is particularly effective in helping patients
with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and to control nausea and vomiting.

How Hypnosis Works

Hypnosis is a special mental state in which a person's focus of attention becomes narrow and
intense like the beam of a bright flashlight in a dark room. This state is usually created with the aid
of a hypnotist who guides the person systematically to relax, focus only on one thing, and to allow
things to happen by themselves.
Whatever the mind focuses on while in this special mental state of hypnosis holds the entire
attention. Therefore, people tend to experience things they think of, imagine or remember, more
vividly and clearly than under usual circumstances. This is why people can sometimes recall things
from their distant past under hypnosis although they are unable to do so in the normal waking state
(research has shown, however, that such hypnotically enhanced recall can be highly contaminated
by the person's imagination). The narrow hyperfocus of this mental state is also why therapists
using hypnosis are frequently able to help people make strong positive changes in their emotions
and physical functioning. Hypnosis can work like a magnifying glass on the mind's effects on the
body and emotion.

Clinical hypnosis relies on suggestion, imagery and relaxation to produce its therapeutic effects.
Hypnotic suggestions are things that the hypnotist verbally suggests may happen while the person
is under hypnosis. Due to the focused and receptive state of the hypnotized person, these
suggestions happen almost automatically and without conscious decision or effort. For example, if
you receive the suggestion under hypnosis that your arm may be getting heavy, you will very likely
feel it becoming heavy, without trying to do anything to make it happen. This "automaticity" -- the feeling of things happening by themselves -- is by some considered the hallmark of hypnosis and is
often surprising to people experiencing hypnosis for the first time.
Hypnotic imagery consists of mentally picturing events or situations or places in a way that has a
desired positive physical or mental effect. For example, patients undergoing surgical or dental
procedures are sometimes taught to enter a hypnotic state and go to a pleasant place in their mind.
When successfully applied, the person gets completely engrossed in the vivid enjoyable imagery
and is therefore happily unaware of the unpleasantness of the procedure.
The hypnotic state is naturally accompanied by relaxation, and the physical relaxing effects are
often deliberately strengthened further by clinicians through suggestions and relaxing imagery.
Some of the benefits that come from hypnosis treatment are likely to result partly or entirely from
the fact that hypnosis is a powerful relaxation method.

Over decades of research and clinical experience, hypnosis has proven to have many valuable
therapeutic uses. In psychotherapy, hypnotic techniques can speed the therapy process in various
ways -- for example, by facilitating a patient's selfunderstanding, extinguishing unfortunate habits,
uncovering repressed or forgotten memories, reducing anxiety and phobias, and helping a person
to assume a new and more adaptive outlook. In medicine and health psychology, hypnosis is used
to reduce pain and discomfort associated with medical procedures such as childbirth, treatment of
burns, and surgery where chemical anesthesia cannot be used effectively. It is also used to treat
chronic pain and psychosomatic problems and to counter unhealthy habits that can contribute to
illness. In dentistry, hypnotic analgesia is an effective needle-less alternative to topical anesthetic
drugs, reduces bleeding and discomfort in oral surgery, and is used to treat teeth grinding and
temporomandibular disorder.

The Effects of Hypnosis on Gastrointestinal Functioning

In recent years, the effects of gastrointestinal functioning and GI symptoms have been studied
extensively. The hypnotic state itself, without any particular suggestions, seems to slow down the
gut. Clear-cut and specific changes in GI functioning can be induced in individuals by directing
thinking or inducing specific emotional states under hypnosis.
For example, one study [1] found that when healthy volunteers were hypnotized and simply
instructed to relax, the orocaecal transit time (the time it takes material to pass through the GI tract
from the mouth to the first part of the colon) was lengthened from 93 to 133 minutes. Another study
[2] found that being in a hypnotic state decreases muscle movements in the stomach. The same
study demonstrated that the emotional state of happiness, created under hypnosis, suppresses
gastric muscle activity while anger and excitement increase muscle movement in the stomach. A
pair of other studies [3] have shown that when volunteers were guided to use imagery of eating a delicious meal while they were under hypnosis, gastric acid secretion was increased by 89%, and
that acid production of the stomach could also be deliberately decreased during hypnosis using
hypnotic instructions. Close to fifty published studies have reported on the therapeutic effects of
hypnosis on nausea and vomiting problems related to chemotherapy, after surgery, and during
pregnancy. Overall, this substantial body of literature indicates that hypnosis can be a powerful aid
in controlling nausea and vomiting.

Hypnosis may also be helpful in preventing gastrointestinal problems from recurring after they
have been treated with medication. One study [4] of thirty patients with relapsing duodenal ulcers
who had been successfully treated with a course of medication, found that only 53% of the patients
who received preventive hypnosis treatment had a relapse within one year. By contrast, everyone
(100%) in a comparison group receiving no hypnosis relapsed in the same period of time.
In 1984, researchers in Manchester in England published a study [5] report in the journal Lancet,
showing that hypnosis treatment dramatically improved the symptoms of IBS patients who had
failed to benefit from other treatment. The researchers had randomly divided patients with severe
IBS problems into two groups. Fifteen patients were treated with seven hypnosis sessions. Fifteen
comparison patients were treated with seven sessions of psychotherapy, and those patients also
received placebo pills (pills with no medically active ingredients) which they were told were a new
research medication for IBS symptoms. Every patient in the hypnosis group improved, and that
group showed substantial improvement in all central symptoms of IBS. The control group showed
only very modest improvement in symptoms.
Partly due to these dramatic results with treatment-refractory patients, a dozen other studies have
followed, including three U.S. studies. The general conclusions from most of these studies are that
hypnosis seems to improve the symptoms of 80% or more of all treated patients who have welldefined "classic" IBS problems, especially if they do not have complicating factors such as
psychiatric disorders. The improvement is, in many cases, maintained for at least a year after the
end of treatment. What is particularly remarkable is that this high rate of positive treatment
response is seen even in studies where all the participating patients had failed to improve from
regular medical care.

The dramatic response of IBS patients to hypnosis treatment raises the question of exactly how this
kind of treatment influences the symptoms in such a beneficial way.
Four studies to date, two in England and two in the U.S., have tried to discover how hypnosis
treatment affects the body of IBS patients. Since it is well known that many people with IBS have
unusual pain sensitivity in their intestines, which is thought to be related to the clinical pain they
experience, much of the focus of these studies has been on assessing the impact of this kind of
treatment on intestinal pain thresholds.

For Deatil see this
http://www.med.unc.edu/ibs/files/educational-gi-handouts/IBS%20and%20Hypnosis.pdf

Hypnosis Help In

Weight Loss Motivation Substance Abuse Self-Image Study Habits Self-Confidence Stress Fears Anger Phobias Frustration Insomnia Worry Pain Management Guilt Sports Forgiveness Stuttering Nail Biting Fear of Dentist Anxiety Fear of Doctor Assertiveness Fear of Surgery Public Speaking Assist Healing Memory Impotency Concentration Child Birth Lower Blood Pressure Sexual Problems Smoking Agoraphobia Stage Fright Obsessions Reach Goals Passive-Aggressive Procrastination Obsessive-Compulsive Change Habits Relaxation Improve Sales Addictions Attitude Adjustment Improve Health Career Success Bed Wetting Self-Mastery

Bed Wetting Exam Anxiety Sleep Disorders Stop Smoking Relationship Enhancement Skin Problems Hair Twisting Medication Side Effects Nausea Premature Ejaculation Surgical Recovery Inhibition Tardiness Fear of Flying Gambling Fear of Heights Performance Anxiety Fear of Water Perfectionism Fear of Animals Lack of Initiative Communication Self-Expression Self-Defeating Behaviors Helplessness Self-Criticism Hopelessness Irritability Overly Critical Pessimism Negativism Controlling Death or Loss Social Phobia Panic Attacks Discouraged Temptation Fear Loss of Control Hypochondria Fear of Failure Self-Awareness Fear of Success Aggression Lack of Ambition Self-Esteem Self-Control Self-Blame Inferiority Hostility Superiority

Moodiness Jealousy Overeating Rejection Age Regression Shame Past Life Regression Indecision Irrational thoughts Resistance to Change Lack of Enthusiasm Self-Hypnosis Lack of Direction Restlessness Ulcers Sadness Writers Block Insecurity Tics Mistrust Abandonment Victimization Exercise Anesthesia Cravings Biofeedback Creativity Presurgical Trauma Postsurgical Fear of School Cramps Chronic Pain Gagging Problem Solving Dreams Hypertension Nightmares Resistance Headaches Responsibility Immune System Self-Forgiveness Fear of Death Thumb Sucking Relaxation Stubbornness Breathing Irrational Vision

Stress Management Lucknow

Group Hypnosis Lucknow

Group Hypnosis 

Hypnosis Training Lucknow

Hypnosis Training Lucknow

Stop Smoking Learn Hypnosis

Age Regression in Hypnosis

Age Regression In 

hypnosis

Age regression is a concept tied to the ideas of hypnosis, especially as used in a therapeutic context. It is the process in hypnosis of taking a client back to a younger age, and some say a different life at times, in order to process experiences or material that have been forgotten by the conscious mind. There are a number of reasons why age regression might be suggested as a treatment, and there exist strong arguments for and against doing it or for believing that what is recalled is truly what happened.
Therapists skilled in hypnosis might use age regression for several reasons. One of these is to treat phobias. Understanding origin of a phobia could be useful in helping to conquer it, but sometimes understanding of where the fear first occurred is not accessible to the conscious mind. Hypnosis is often thought of as being able to access a deeper level of consciousness, where repressed memories may lie. Another reason age regression could be used is to look for buried memories of abuse, particularly if it appears a client suffers all the hallmarks of abuse without remembering it.
In either of these circumstances, age regression may or may not be successful. First, a person must be one of the types of folks who are easily hypnotized. Another thing to consider, is how vulnerable a person might be to the therapist’s suggestions. A therapist who believes a client has been abused may consciously or unconsciously confer that belief to a client, and this could cause the client to produce memories that are not real.

The issue of the benefits of age regression invites even more skeptics when it comes to regression to a past life. Many people strongly believe this is possible and that past life memories can inform the present life. Others just as strongly believe that there are no past lives, and thus what occurs in this form of hypnosis is an imaginative adventure of the client. That adventure may still be useful therapeutically, as it is a production of the mind that could be a comment on a client’s present state of being.
Whether age regression is a scientifically founded tactic or other, typically it would not be something performed right away in hypnosis. A person would usually be informed before it was used, except in the controversial use of it in treating attachment disorders in kids. Most adults would know ahead to expect it.
When a person is hypnotized, the therapist would suggest the person was a particular age, or might ask to be taken to a specific age when a phobia or other experiences suspected may have begun. Several sessions might be needed to glean the information of that age the therapist or client want to visit. In most cases, follow up sessions would be used to discuss findings; it can be very damaging to a client to regress to trauma without adequate counseling afterward.

Hypnosis Training in lucknow

Hypnosis training by expert Clinical Hypnotherapist in Lucknow

Hypnosis is the great tool to control emotion and improve behavior, by self hypnosis we not only improve our quality of life but also improve quality of thinking. Here in Lucknow its first time we are offering Basic of hypnosis programme by which any one can learn hypnosis.

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Is I Need Hypnotherapy

A Child Call At Center For Hypnosis - A small story  

Hello friends, Here i am going to tell you a story of one of  my client about hypnosis and hypnosis related issues. i have got a call some days back, a boy called me on phone i am not sure how much he have about i guess that he may fall in between 13 to 17 years. he called me and asked " is hypnotherapy will help me in increasing my concentration in studies, as i am not able to concentrate in my studies'. that's the question we often get so i told him that on phone its is very difficult to say and commit   but in general hypnosis and other relaxation techniques help the client and if they practices them well then they make miracle change in personality and thinking process. he listen and ask " as people say that hypnosis is the process by which any body can know about his past and scratch all the information's which are hidden then it is very difficult... because every one have some hidden truth." i said hypnosis is not a magical thing as generally people think, its is just a process of creating high concentration in mind physiologically we could say that if the supply of blood goes toward brain then brain start to work in rapid manner but with silent mode so this all process would called hypnosis. he had silence then said " sir would i need this therapy" i said there are several factors which are responsible for the concentration like physiological factors, psychological factors, some social and environmental factors and if we talk about hypnosis if the factor related to stress,  low mood, mood swing and excess pressure then by hypnotherapy it is easily subsides and eliminate too. this time that boy smile as i heard a small confidence in him he had taken a appointment and in only few session he is now well and making good marks in their studies. 

A nice experiences i have from that. Thanks 

Stress

Stress Reducing Tips 

1. Breathe Easily:-
 “Breathing from your diaphragm oxygenates your blood, which helps you relax almost instantly,”  Shallow chest breathing, by contrast, can cause your heart to beat faster and your muscles to tense up, exacerbating feelings of stress. To breathe deeply, begin by putting your hand on your abdomen just below the navel. Inhale slowly through your nose and watch your hand move out as your belly expands. Hold the breath for a few seconds, then exhale slowly. Repeat several times.


2. Visualize Calm It sound
 has found that it’s highly effective in reducing stress. Imagining you’re in a hot shower and a wave of relaxation is washing your stress down the drain.Close your eyes, take three long, slow breaths, and spend a few seconds picturing a relaxing scene, such as walking in a meadow, kneeling by a brook, or lying on the beach. Focus on the details — the sights, the sounds, the smells.

3. Make Time for a Mini Self-
 Massaging the palm of one hand by making a circular motion with the thumb of the other. Or use a massage gadget. 


4. Say Cheese Smiling is a two-way mechanism. 
We do it when we’re relaxed and happy, but doing it can also make us feel relaxed and happy. “Smiling transmits nerve impulses from the facial muscles to the limbic system, a key emotional center in the brain, tilting the neurochemical balance toward calm.


5. Do Some Math Using a scale of one to 10, 
with one being the equivalent of a minor hassle and 10 being a true catastrophe, assign a number to whatever it is that’s making you feel anxious.You’ll find that most problems we encounter rate somewhere in the two to five range — in other words, they’re really not such a big deal,

6. Stop Gritting Your Teeth Stress
tends to settle in certain parts of our bodies, the jaw being one of them. When things get hectic, Place your index fingertips on your jaw joints, just in front of your ears; clench your teeth and inhale deeply. Hold the breath for a moment, and as you exhale say, “Ah-h-h-h,” then unclench your teeth. Repeat a few times.


8. Compose a Mantra Devise an affirmation 
— a short, clear, positive statement that focuses on your coping abilities. “Affirmations are a good way to silence the self-critical voice we all carry with us that only adds to our stress, The next time you feel as if your life is one disaster after another, repeat 10 times, “I feel calm. I can handle this.”

9. Be a Fighter
At the first sign of stress, you often hear people complain, ‘What did I do to deserve this? The trouble is, feeling like a victim only increases feelings of stress and helplessness. Instead, focus on being proactive. If your flight gets canceled, don’t wallow in self-pity. Find another one. If your office is too hot or too cold, don’t suffer in silence. Call the building manager and ask what can be done to make things more comfortable.


10. Put It on Paper Writing provides perspective
paper into two parts. On the left side, list the stressors you may be able to change, and on the right, list the ones you can’t. “Change what you can and stop fretting over what you can’t.”

thanks

Concentration, Brain,Hypnosis

Tip 1: Attempt Silence 

Many people sabotage their ability to focus on one task or project at a time by not limiting the amount of noise around them. For example, perhaps you are working while listening to music. Or maybe you like to leave your windows open while trying to finish a project at home while your neighbors mow their lawns.

Whatever the circumstance, try to limit or even eliminate the noise that happens around you while you are trying to concentrate.

Tip 2: Take Exercise Breaks

Your mind can only focus for a limited period of time before needing a break. Some experts suggest taking a short 10-minute exercise break after each 45-minute work session.

This method does two things to improve your ability to focus. First, it gives your brain a much-needed rest. Second, if you use this short break for simple exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, or jogging, you allow your blood to flow more effectively to your brain. After 10 minutes, your brain is refreshed and ready to work again.

Tip 3: Use Hypnosis

Your mind and spirit is more powerful than you may imagine. Hypnosis is a highly effective way to improve your ability to concentrate.

First, try self-hypnosis by suggesting specific actions repeatedly. For example, you can "train" your brain to concentrate more effectively through gentle self-suggestion and imagery. Second, use the help of a therapist who can suggest ideas and thoughts to your brain's subconscious to help develop the ability to concentrate.

Professional athletes have long claimed that such hypnosis is how they are able to maximize their performance. 

Tip 4: Set Deadlines

Without a firm deadline to finish tasks, you may find yourself easily distracted by other tasks, regardless of priority. Set a deadline for the task on which you want to focus your attention. Don’t consider the deadline as negotiable. Otherwise your brain will begin to learn that it can ignore any deadlines that you set in the future.

The ability to focus is the foundation of success in everything people do.

WEIGHT LOSS hypnosis

WEIGHT LOSS hypnosis

Yes! You heard it right, weight loss through hypnosis. Hypnosis can finally bring an end to those abnormal craving and midnight sneaking into the kitchen. But first, let us dig in to the real definition of hypnosis to establish facts in that effect. Hypnosis is a mental state where you are in a trance, where you are subject to suggestions, self-suggestion, or autosuggestions. In Hypnotherapy sessions you’re in hypnotic induction where you are more receptive to new ideas and commands since the mind is at an open state.

Is it really effective? How does it work? Before anything else, this is not magic. Unlike the popular belief, it cannot magically reboot, reset or reprogram the human mind to achieve results. It is a series of extreme concentration followed by relaxation and focus that induces the mind to re-pattern its eating habits and retain them consistently. According to anderbilt.edu, studies showing weight loss as a result of hypnosis alone are few in number and suffer from methodological problems. There were people who underwent hypnosis for weight loss and after 12 weeks, they loss an average of 10.2lbs. The results were promising and interesting to the media, but the control group was small, and we cannot generalized the finding that it will be effective to everyone.

The core of the hypnosis therapy for weight loss is to reprogram or modify a person’s behavior towards food, diet, and other factors that trigger weight loss. For example, if one person is prone to binges because of emotional eating, hypnosis can suggest new reactions. When faced by a bad day or almost at the top of emotional eating, one can suggest that instead of venting out on ice cream, one can go to the gym and workout.

Hypnosis results convey that it is extremely important to know that behavioral modification in relationship with weight management is far more relevant and effective than hypnosis alone. You can ask your psychologist or a hypnosis specialist regarding this but before you commit on anything, consult with your physician first. It is strongly suggests that you make sure about the effects of a modified eating pattern to your health. Sometimes, eating patterns are responses to some underlying pathological and or dietary ailments such as diabetes.  For those who have nutrition imbalance, be extra cautious in putting your mind under hypnosis. Your health strongly depend on how and what you eat. Modifying them means putting your health needs compromised.

Raja Yoga

Raja Yoga

Rāja Yoga ("royal yoga", "royal union", also known as Classical Yoga and Ashtanga Yoga) is concerned principally with the cultivation of the mind using meditation (dhyana) to further one's acquaintance with reality and finally achieve liberation.
Raja yoga was first described in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, and is part of the Samkhya tradition.
In the context of Hindu philosophy Raja Yoga is known simply as yoga. Yoga is one of the six orthodox (astika) schools of Hindu philosophy. It forms an integral part of the spiritual practices of may Hindu traditions including Brahma Kumaris and Prajapita Brahma Kumaris religion.
Contents -
1 The term
2 Concept
3 Practice
4 Eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga
4.1 Yama
4.2 Niyama
4.3 Asana
4.4 Pranayama
4.5 Pratyahara
4.6 Dharana
4.7 Dhyana
4.8 Samadhi
The term Rāja Yoga is a retronym, introduced in the 15th-century Hatha Yoga Pradipika to distinguish the school based on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali from the more current school of Hatha Yoga expounded by Yogi Swatmarama. Currently (2011 C.E.)the term is also used to describe the meditation practice of the Brahma Kumaris.
Raja Yoga is traditionally referred to as Aṣṭānga (eight-limbed) yoga because there are eight aspects to the path to which one must attend. Patanjali uses the expression 'Kriya Yoga' in his first sutra of the second chapter: Tapas svadyaya ishvarapranidhanani kriya yogah (2:1), "Discipline, insight, and devotion are the pillars of Kriya Yoga". This is not to be confused with the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga of K. Pattabhi Jois.[citation needed] The Kriya Yoga propounded by Paramahansa Yogananda is closely related.

Concept

Raja Yoga is so-called because it is primarily concerned with the mind. The mind is traditionally conceived as the "king" of the psycho-physical structure which does its bidding (whether or not one has realized this)[citation needed]. Because of the relationship between the mind and the body, the body must be first "tamed" through self-discipline and purified by various means (see Hatha Yoga). A good level of overall health and psychological integration must be attained before the deeper aspects of yoga can be pursued. Humans have all sorts of addictions and obsessions and these preclude the attainment of tranquil abiding (meditation). Through restraint (yama) such as celibacy, abstaining from intoxicants, and careful attention to one's actions of body, speech and mind, the human being becomes fit to practice meditation. This yoke that one puts upon oneself (discipline) is another meaning of the word yoga.
Every thought, feeling, perception, or memory you may have causes a modification, or ripple, in the mind. It distorts and colors the mental mirror. If you can restrain the mind from forming into modifications, there will be no distortion, and you will experience your true Self. - Swami Satchidananda
Patañjali's Yoga Sutras begin with the statement yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ, "Yoga limits the oscillations of the mind". They go on to detail the ways in which mind can create false ideations, and advocate meditation on real objects. This process, it is said, will lead to a spontaneous state of quiet mind, the "Nirbija" or "seedless state", in which there is no mental object of focus.

Practices that serve to maintain for the individual the ability to access this state may be considered Raja Yoga practices. Thus Raja Yoga encompasses and differentiates itself from other forms of Yoga by encouraging the mind to avoid the sort of absorption in obsessional practice (including other traditional yogic practices) that can create false mental objects.
In this sense Raja Yoga is called the "king among yogas": all yogic practices are seen as potential tools for obtaining the seedless state, itself considered to be the starting point in the quest to cleanse Karma and obtain Moksha or Nirvana. Historically, schools of yoga that label themselves "Raja" offer students a mix of yogic practices and (hopefully or ideally) this philosophical viewpoint.
Lord Krishna describes the yogi as follows: "A yogi is greater than the ascetic, greater than the empiricist, and greater than the fruitive worker. Therefore, O Arjuna, in all circumstances be a yogi"


Raja Yoga aims at controlling all thought-waves or mental modifications. While a Hatha Yogi starts his Sadhana, or spiritual practice, with Asanas (postures) and Pranayama, a Raja Yogi starts his Sadhana with the mind as well as a certain minimum of asanas and pranayamas usually included as a preparation for the meditation and concentration. In Samadhi Pada I,27 it is stated that the word of Ishvara is OM, the Pranava. Through the sounding of the Word and through reflection upon its meaning, the Way is found.

In the Jangama dhyana technique of Raja Yoga, the yogi concentrates the mind and sight between the eyebrows. According to Patanjali, this is one method of achieving the initial concentration (dharana: Yoga Sutras, III: 1) necessary for the mind to go introverted in meditation (dhyana: Yoga Sutras, III: 2). In deeper practice of the Jangama dhyana technique, the mind concentrated between the eyebrows begins to automatically lose all location and focus on the watching itself. Eventually, the meditator experiences only the consciousness of existence and achieves Self Realization. In his classic Raja Yoga, Swami Vivekananda describes the process in the following way:
When the mind has been trained to remain fixed on a certain internal or external location, there comes to it the power of flowing in an unbroken current, as it were, towards that point. This state is called dhyana. When one has so intensified the power of dhyana as to be able to reject the external part of perception and remain meditating only on the internal part, the meaning, that state is called Samadhi.


Eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga


The eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga are:
Yama – code of conduct, self-restraint
Niyama – religious observances, commitments to practice, such as study and devotion
Āsana – integration of mind and body through physical activity
Pranayama – regulation of breath leading to integration of mind and body
Pratyahara – abstraction of the senses, withdrawal of the senses of perception from their objects
Dharana – concentration, one-pointedness of mind
Dhyana – meditation (quiet activity that leads to samadhi)
Samādhi – the quiet state of blissful awareness, superconscious(?) state. Attained when yogi constantly sees Paramatma in his (jivaatma) heart.
They are sometimes divided into the lower and the upper four limbs, the lower ones—from yama to pranayama—being parallel to the lower limbs of Hatha Yoga, while the upper ones—from pratyahara to samadhi—being specific for the Raja yoga. The upper three limbs practiced simultaneously constitute the Samyama.

Myths About Hypnosis

Myths About Hypnosis

Hypnosis Myth -1

Only weak-minded people can be hypnotized

The truth is that everyone can be hypnotized.  As a matter of fact, each one of us are using hypnosis in some form every single day of our lives either consciously or unconsciously.
We are experiencing some form of a trance-like hypnotic state each time we engage our imagination, each time we engage our emotions, each time our attention is focused upon our subjective experience.
The goal of a hypnosis session is successful installation of a desired outcomes deep into the subconscious mind from where it eventually expresses automatically without any further conscious activity. 
We dis empower ourselves when we choose limiting beliefs which reduce the number of available options toward reaching desired outcome; and we empower ourselves whenever we open ourselves to more options.
The people that are easiest to hypnotize are those who have great imagination and are able to maintain the focus on the desired objective.  In other words, its people who still nourish that childlike quality of pretending, acting "as if" that which they desire to experience is their only reality.

Hypnosis Myth -2 

Hypnotist has complete power over you when you are hypnotized

People who play the role of a hypnotist are not only those who label themselves as hypnotist, but can be anyone who is skilled with using language, capturing another person's imagination or is perceived as having an authority by the listener in a given context. You could say that the first hypnotists we experienced in our lives were our own parents - even if they did the whole act of hypnotizing unknowingly.
Hypnotist or another person who is playing the role of a hypnotist (knowingly or unknowingly) can have as much power over you as you give them. Hypnosis can be done in much more subtle ways than someone telling you to "take a deep breath and close your eyes now ... and hold onto every word I say ... because your life may depend on it". It may be a simple statement that someone utters which stimulates your imagination and more importantly your emotions - a statement of hope and encouragement or of some dismal consequences.
It is always up to you, whether you are having a session with a hypnotist, listening to hypnosis recording or receiving information through some other media - from a doctor, a lawyer, a salesman, an ad in a paper, watching news, reading books or newspapers - whether you want to accept or reject the ideas and statements offered. For that reason we say that "all hypnosis is ultimately self-hypnosis" and that you are always in control.
The role of a hypnotist in a therapeutic setting is to help you establish communication channel with your subconscious in order to overcome your inner obstacles and reach your goals. All that any hypnotist can do for you, you can do for yourself on your own, too - if you take some time to learn self-hypnosis. A skilled hypnotist can help you a great deal simply due to experience and knowledge of variety of helpful techniques, but ultimately all the power is right in your mind and it is only a matter of learning to access it and practicing to develop, or rather unfold it so that you can accomplish anything you desire.

Hypnosis Myth -3

If you can hear the hypnotist, you were not hypnotized

This misconception has probably come about due to another common misconception which equates the state of hypnosis with sleep. 
A lot of people believe that when they are hypnotized they will not be aware of anything that is happening around them.  Yet, if you lost all connection with the hypnotist, how could you follow the instructions? 
While the level of awareness of your surroundings may shift to some degree, you will still be aware of the hypnotist or his voice.  The better you are able to play the game of "let's pretend" and immerse yourself in your subjective reality (inner world experiences), the less will you be aware of your surroundings in the way that you are accustomed to.  That's why we call it - "altered reality". In this altered reality, your awareness of the hypnotist may change and you may interpret him as someone else - maybe a friend or a stranger or magician - but you will still be aware of the hypnotist's voice.

Hypnosis Myth -4

You can remain permanently stuck in hypnosis

No one ever got stuck, but some people enjoy deep trance so much that they don't want to come out.  Imagine being in a state where your body feels so deeply relaxed that you may not need to pay any attention to it, and your mind is completely free of any stresses associated with your daily life and you are finally able to experience all of your most cherished dreams and secret desires come to life in full color with exquisite sensations.  At least here, perhaps for the first time, you are able to experience total freedom, inner peace and happiness and all seems absolutely perfect in your world.  You are in control. 
Do you know what happens to your body?  It begins to release an abundance of pleasure hormones .  You feel better than you ever felt before.  The deeper into trance you go, the better you feel.  You have no desire to leave this state.  But the session comes to an end and you are invited to emerge out of this state of total bliss.  You have two choices: either you reluctantly choose to live this state knowing that you'll be able to experience it again or you refuse to come out. 
Thanks 
www.hellopsychologist.in

Meditation ( Start Living Without Worries )

1) Make it a formal practice. You will only get to the next level in meditation by setting aside specific time (preferably two times a day) to be still.

2) Start with the breath. Breathing deep slows the heart rate, relaxes the muscles, focuses the mind and is an ideal way to begin practice.
3) Stretch first. Stretching loosens the muscles and tendons allowing you to sit (or lie) more comfortably. Additionally, stretching starts the process of “going inward” and brings added attention to the body.

4) Meditate with Purpose. Beginners must understand that meditation is an ACTIVE process. The art of focusing your attention to a single point is hard work, and you have to be purposefully engaged!

5) Notice frustration creep up on you. This is very common for beginners as we think “hey, what am I doing here” or “why can’t I just quiet my damn mind already”. When this happens, really focus in on your breath and let the frustrated feelings go.

6) Experiment. Although many of us think of effective meditation as a Yogi sitting cross-legged beneath a Bonzi tree, beginners should be more experimental and try different types of meditation. Try sitting, lying, eyes open, eyes closed, etc.

7) Feel your body parts. A great practice for beginning meditators is to take notice of the body when a meditative state starts to take hold. Once the mind quiets, put all your attention to the feet and then slowly move your way up the body (include your internal organs). This is very healthy and an indicator that you are on the right path.

8) Pick a specific room in your home to meditate. Make sure it is not the same room where you do work, exercise, or sleep. Place candles and other spiritual paraphernalia in the room to help you feel at ease.

9) Read a book (or two) on meditation. Preferably an instructional guide AND one that describes the benefits of deep meditative states. 

10) Commit for the long haul. Meditation is a life-long practice, and you will benefit most by NOT examining the results of your daily practice. Just do the best you can every day, and then let it go!

11) Listen to instructional tapes and CDs.  www.hellopsychologist.in 

12) Generate moments of awareness during the day. Finding your breath and “being present” while not in formal practice is a wonderful way to evolve your meditation habits.

13) Make sure you will not be disturbed. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is not insuring peaceful practice conditions. If you have it in the back of your mind that the phone might ring, your kids might wake, or your coffee pot might whistle than you will not be able to attain a state of deep relaxation.

14) Notice small adjustments. For beginning meditators, the slightest physical movements can transform a meditative practice from one of frustration to one of renewal. These adjustments may be barely noticeable to an observer, but they can mean everything for your practice.

15) Use a candle. Meditating with eyes closed can be challenging for a beginner. Lighting a candle and using it as your point of focus allows you to strengthen your attention with a visual cue. This can be very powerful.

16) Do NOT Stress. This may be the most important tip for beginners, and the hardest to implement. No matter what happens during your meditation practice, do not stress about it. This includes being nervous before meditating and angry afterwards. Meditation is what it is, and just do the best you can at the time.

17) Do it together. Meditating with a partner or loved one can have many wonderful benefits, and can improve your practice. However, it is necessary to make sure that you set agreed-upon ground rules before you begin!

18) Meditate early in the morning. Without a doubt, early morning is an ideal
time to practice: it is quieter, your mind is not filled with the usual clutter, and there is less chance you will be disturbed. Make it a habit to get up half an hour earlier to meditate.

19) Be Grateful at the end. Once your practice is through, spend 2-3 minutes feeling appreciative of the opportunity to practice and your mind’s ability to focus.