The Role of Faith in Hypnosis and Change-Work

The Role of Faith in Hypnosis and Change-Work

A man comes in asking for hypnosis to quit smoking. He says he prays daily for God to remove his desire for cigarettes and with tears in his eyes, admits he is desperate and hopes that I am his answer to prayer.

A young lady, an Atheist, very intelligent and capable comes in asking for hypnosis for weight loss. She has tried every diet imaginable and always ends up the same or worse. She hates to even ask for help, but here she is.

What do these two seemingly distinct people have in common? A crisis of faith.

What is faith? We can call it “belief” but I prefer the word faith. The word evokes a certain feeling which can be uncomfortable for some, it was for me at first, so let’s go with that. Faith to me is a willingness to let go. It is humility. It is surrender. It’s trusting that someone or something outside of yourself has the answers.

Now I’ve met many people of faith. Some are devout followers of a particular tradition and I’ve met people of faith who have no religion at all. These folks are keenly aware of their own shortcomings, their own limitations and wholeheartedly seek help from an outside source. These are the most successful of change-seekers. They are not in it to prove how much more they know than you or to prove you wrong. They patiently listen and take in suggestions to improve themselves and take the action required. In other words, they respond to the suggestion without question.

I used to think that everything needed to be questioned, analyzed, reanalyzed, run through the washer and dryer of the mind before making a decision. I thought that was the “smart” thing to do. I fancied myself an intellectual after all. But guess what? Nothing much ever got accomplished. And most of that was fueled by the fear of making the wrong choice.

I am humbler now. I know when I make a mistake, it’s okay. But sadly, I know so many folks who don’t know that yet. They get stuck. They get stuck in their heads and never actually take the action required for change.

So why are the two people mentioned before similarly in a crisis of faith?

The man prays and prays. He prays all day long to not want cigarettes and since each day he still wants it, he goes ahead and keeps on smoking the cancer sticks. He hasn’t actually taken any action. He is still expecting something or someone else to do it for him. He lies to himself and to God and creates a beautiful tableau of faith but his actions say he has none.

The woman is very capable. She is good at her job, intelligent, things come easily to her because she’s a quick study. She usually has the answers. She is fiercely self-reliant. She believes if she gets enough information, or the right cocktail of knowledge, she’ll finally solve her problem. The trouble is if knowledge was what she needed to change she would have done so by now. What she needs are a shift of perspective, attitude and a humble approach. She needs faith.

I realize it is difficult to put your faith into another person. And I have to give a caution, very few people in life deserve your ultimate faith and trust. But when you find the right person, a hypnotherapist who can guide you without any motives of their own other than to help you, then please surrender. This is faith. Set aside what you’ve learned thus far, release the idea that you know better (it’s tough but you can do it) and then listen. Listen and follow.

Change can be simple. In fact, the simpler you make it, the easier it is to change. Listen and follow and take action to get your goal.

And what about faith in God? If you’ve got a belief system around God, that’s marvelous. You can use that faith to drive you forward toward your goal. But don’t get caught up in foolish thinking. No one, not even God can put the fork down for you or make you quit smoking. You get to decide that. It is entirely up to you.

Take responsibility for yourself. It is a refreshing feeling. You’ll feel more in control, more confident and secure. You’ll feel more capable of change. Surrender to a plan, a person, a hypnosis program that has been proven to work. Have faith in the process and in your own sense of responsibility toward making the change happen and watch yourself transform into a new you. A better you. Perhaps the best you that you could have ever imagined.