Maybe you don’t know but probably you’ve been already hypnotized, by yourself. If you’ve ever experienced Highway Hypnosis that’s an example of what means being in a trance state. You’ve done it naturally, without courses or Self Hypnosis techniques, and it’s the best proof that there’s nothing really complicated about Hypnosis.
Has it ever happened to you that you have to go to work, get into your car, start the engine, enter the road and suddenly you find yourself in front of your workplace? And you simply don’t remember how you got there? This is Highway Hypnosis, so called because it happens often on highways. It is not dangerous, it doesn’t require any procedure, it’s safe because if something happens you’re able to safely handle it, and you don’t get stuck into the trance state.
Obviously there must be a bit of predisposition but it’s very, very common; just like another kind of Hypnosis, the so called Book Hypnosis which happens while when reading a book you get so immersed in it that if someone calls your name you simply don’t hear it.
A very focused attention while being anyway awake and almost completely unaware of what is happening around you. This is also what happens when you’re in a trance state due to the Hypnotherapist. Focused on your breath, awake but untouched by what’s around you and ready to receive suggestions. If something wrong happens when experiencing Highway Hypnosis you suddenly are instantly aware and able to act, like when you have to miss a car cutting through your way.
It’s obviously helped by the repetition of doing the same things to go from home to work, you get bored and your mind begins to wander around, nevertheless your attention is on the road even if on automatic pilot but the rest of your mind goes around. Fascinating right? The Conscious mind is on vacation but you’re still able to drive a car perfectly. You’re aware of what happens even if your awareness is not on duty.
I’ve always been fascinated by Highway Hypnosis because it shows how natural it is entering a trance state and how simple it is to exit from it. Even without external intervention. A part of the mind still is active and actually drives the car, the rest (Consciousness) drifts away. I’ve experienced it myself some times, much more Book Hypnosis given that I’m addicted to reading. Ask my mum how many times she had to touch my shoulder to get a response when I was reading a very good and interesting book.
What about you? Have you ever experienced Highway Hypnosis? Or the book one? Or something similar?
