Many professional hypnotists believe it is wrong to use hypnosis as a form of entertainment. They claim that irrevocable damage can be caused by such displays carried out by unskilled people.

This seems a little odd perhaps even hypocritical, as yet no one has come up with a logical accurate description of the hypnotic state, and indeed there are those that claim that all hypnosis is in fact self hypnosis. In the absence of a clear understanding of what hypnosis is it is not surprising that many "schools of hypnosis ? have grown up around the world teaching often conflicting approaches to this subject.

I take a simplistic view; it seems that if a person is relaxed, comfortable and willing to listen and observe the words and actions of another he is also receptive to suggestions.

If I suggest that you imagine cutting a juicy lemon and placing a slice on your tongue your mouth will water. Why? Because your brain reacts to the suggestion.

That is the basis of hypnosis, relax the subject, talk to him in general terms and make none threatening suggestions that he experiences something.

The pain / pleasure principle is often quoted as a method of eliciting change in someone's behavior. Anthony Robbins became famous over twenty years ago by challenging an analyst, on live TV to cure one of his patients of a phobia.

The patient had been undergoing therapy for two years, with no effect. Robbins took the woman off stage for 30 minutes and when they returned the woman was cured of her phobia.

When asked to explain how he did it Robbins simple stated he talked to the woman in such a way that the pleasure of overcoming her phobia was so attractive and the pain of continuing with here phobia was so unattractive that her brain moved her away from pain and towards pleasure. The phobia was resolved.

If you want to use self hypnosis to bring about change in your life, make your self comfortable, relax and decide on the subject of your self hypnosis session.

Visualize all the pain and discomfort associated with continuing with your present approach to the problem. Then imagine having solved the problem, how you will feel, how proud, the sense of achievement. It seems that if the brain believes something will happen it invariably does. It makes sense to concentrate on moving ahead and not dwell on negative thoughts and actions.