Whenever I speak about the subject of guided meditation, I am often asked if it is the same as hypnosis. In this post I'd like to clarify the difference between guided meditation and hypnosis. The American Psychological Association describes hypnosis as a cooperative interaction in which the participant responds to the suggestions of the hypnotist.
The participant enters a trance like state using the suggestions of the hypnotist and an even be touch induced. There are many ways to hypnotize someone depending on what method has been studied by the hypnotist. As with all things, some people will enter a hypnotic trance more easily than others. But because trance is a natural state, anyone can be hypnotised providing a they understand what is spoken to them, and b they consent to the process.
If you feel uncertain or insecure you should spend time with your hypnotherapist first to establish trust and rapport. This will make the process smoother and more comfortable and increase the likelihood of successful therapy. Although the hypnotherapist is offering suggestions to the unconscious mind, the client will not accept a suggestion that they choose not to. In hypnotherapy, the client is not under the control of the hypnotherapist. Hypnosis is not something imposed on people, but something they do for themselves.
A hypnotherapist simply serves as a facilitator to guide them. Hypnotherapy is most effective when the client is highly motivated.
Two theories attempt to answer this question: One theory views hypnosis as dissociation and the other theory views it as the performance of a social role. According to the dissociation view, hypnosis is effectively a dissociated state of consciousness, much like our earlier example where you may drive to work, but you are only minimally aware of the process of driving because your attention is focused elsewhere.
Taking a different approach to explain hypnosis, the social-cognitive theory of hypnosis sees people in hypnotic states as performing the social role of a hypnotized person. Meditation is the act of focusing on a single target such as the breath or a repeated sound to increase awareness of the moment. While hypnosis is generally achieved through the interaction of a therapist and the person being treated, an individual can perform meditation alone.
Often, however, people wishing to learn to meditate receive some training in techniques to achieve a meditative state. Although there are a number of different techniques in use, the central feature of all meditation is clearing the mind in order to achieve a state of relaxed awareness and focus Chen et al.
Mindfulness meditation has recently become popular. Meditative techniques have their roots in religious practices Figure 2 , but their use has grown in popularity among practitioners of alternative medicine. Research indicates that meditation may help reduce blood pressure, and the American Heart Association suggests that meditation might be used in conjunction with more traditional treatments as a way to manage hypertension, although there is not sufficient data for a recommendation to be made Brook et al.
Figure 2. Hypnosis is most commonly used to manage pain in medical conditions such as arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome IBS , as in dental procedures or childbirth. It is also common in psychiatric and psychological work to treat or manage phobias, insomnia and other sleep disorders, as well as negative habits such as smoking or other addictions. Several types of hypnosis, called hypnotherapy, have been developed over the years.
Some well-known techniques are the traditional type which was practiced by Victorian era hypnotists, Ericksonian which was founded by the psychiatrist Milton Erickson who is also known as the father of modern hypnotherapy, solution focused hypnotherapy which focuses on the solution to the problem rather than the problem itself and involves setting future goals for oneself, and cognitive-behavioral which aims to help connect and align conscious and subconscious. Self-hypnosis is a technique often advertised to achieve relaxation and self-confidence, a process which is very similar to meditation.
Mediation is any of various techniques to achieve an alternate state of mind or consciousness. Historically, meditation is done in various religious traditions to either connect with a higher being or to reach a higher state of being.
Modern practices of meditation are based on these ancient practices but are devoid of the spiritual dimension, becoming instead both the technique and the goal, which is focused attention or heightened awareness. There are two main methods used by practitioners to reach that higher state of consciousness or being.
Meditation dates back to ancient history, with images of meditative poses dating as far back as — BC and texts dating back to BC in India. China also has its own share, with texts dating back to — BC. The older religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism are most prominent sources of meditative practice although relatively newer ones like Islam, Judaism and Christianity have their own traditions. With the translation of Eastern texts, 16 th and 17 th century European philosophers like Voltaire and Schopenhauer took up meditation as a topic for discussion.
Only in the 20 th century did meditation come into prominence and practice in the United States, accompanied by scientific study and research on medical application. Aside from self-practice, meditation is sometimes recommended by medical practitioners as an alternative to pain management.
Mental health professionals also use meditation programs to manage or treat disorders such as depression, personality disorders, insomnia, and anxiety disorders.
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