The very short definition is a guided trance state within a therapeutic context. It is akin to the hypnogogic zone, that state between sleep and awake. The intention of the session communicates to the whole of your energetic system, which is all levels of consciousness in your biofield. Being in the state of parasympathetic dominance, allowing the fight or flight mode and pre-frontal cortex to rest, allows for non-linear insight to come forward.
This doesn’t sound like anything profound, unless you have been able to experience for yourself, or see it in others. The hypnogogic zone is where many brilliant ideas come from. Taking a warm shower allows us to relax, switching from sympathetic to parasympathetic nervous system dominance, and this is where many of us experience life changing realizations.
It is a worthwhile endeavor, to acquaint ourselves with this state of being. We can see new pathways not accessible in everyday consciousness. Doing this with a trained guide, we embark on a journey that is not defined by the parameters of logic and deductive reasoning. Your healing can be far more than what you imagine it could be. Boundaries placed on the human experience by society and reinforced within ourselves can be released from our everyday lives.
It is important to note that yes, you are able to communicate during the session, and can take care of your body as you need to.
Are some people more “hypnotizable” than others?
Yes? I find this question is based on a certain interpretation and practice of hypnotherapy. In the past, hypnotizability was rated based on your response to someone speaking, and having to sit still while doing so. This never worked for me at the beginning. There are many other tools that can induce someone into trance. Movement, music, visual, our own voice, and things that are ingested (drugs, herbs, etc) can all be used. It took me years of practice with dance, movement, massage, drumming and rattling, and work with my dreams before I could comfortably go into trance and trust what I experienced. It could take more practice for some. It makes sense, doesn’t it? We have practiced not trusting anything other than outside authority, not allowing the wisdom of our body, mind, and heart to even be true, ever. Part of having a trusted person as your guide helps to strengthen your relationship to your hypnogogic zone, and discernment in that space for what is important to listen to.