Hypnosis Forum

[onefunnybabe]

Hello

What are the differences between hypnosis and meditation? Don't they both require the brain to be in alpha state? Is the main difference that hypnosis uses the imagination more? What are the similaries and differences?
Paula

[Unknown]

Mediation isn't necessarily defined just as a mindset.

[Unknown]

Hypnosis is getting a person into a particular state of mind. Mediation may be a technique to help getting into that particular state of mind. Think of mediation as thinking deeply about something---concentrated focus on a particular scene in your minds eye. That is the way I understand it from a Christian perspective.

[Unknown]

A Christian example of mediation would be to dwell thinking on Christ's death, burial and resurrection at communion. That should be particularly the mindset of those who partake of communion. I'm non-denomational, just a Christian and have noticed that is commonly practiced in most places.

[Wendi]

Meditation is the absence of thought. Clearing you mind of all thought is the goal. Creating a lack of thought is not easy but that is what meditation teaches you to do. If you are being guided, it is not true meditation. Hypnosis is the focus and direction of your thoughts, igniting your imagination to create a reality.

They are basically the opposite. If you are told you are doing guided meditation, it is a contradiction in terms, and is actually hypnosis.

Wendi
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[LordDrakiss]

Just kidding Wendi ,
Actually I did want to clarify though, Wendi painted a small grain with a LARGE brush, assisted meditation, or "guided" as some less experienced call it.. CAN be a hypnotic session... and the goal of meditation is RARELY to clear your mind, meditation is simply something that is required to achieve the main goal.
In most cases the main goal is an elevation of awareness and an ability to "tune" into certain wavelengths that may make you more at peace, more capable of healing, or even psychicaly aware of the present or future.
Meditation is achieving the same state as hypnosis, the WAY you achieve it is different, many monks do it through raking rock gardens into symbols that speak to their spirit calming them into a state of moving meditation, most people try to achieve that state through "clearing" their mind. (it is important however to remember that meditation is a step in the journey, NOT the goal)
A talented Therapist will simply set an anchor that will allow you to open your mind and put your thoughts to sleep while leaving your body awake, that in itself is far different from hypnosis.

HOWEVER, "*assisted*" meditation should NOT be required to meditate after one week of sucessful meditation, and AFTER you enter the trance state if your therapist says ANYTHING aside from "and now return" I would certainly NOT advise seeing them... it is up to your "inner" self to tell you its mysteries and help you make choices, not your Guru... if you want to get thinner, recall memories clearly, have more confidence and faster reflexes, then go with a hypnotherapist, if you want "inner-enlightenment", elevation of soul, or just plain cool robes... :-p then get hip to meditation.

I hope this helped a little to clarify the difference... often I communicate in a more readily understood fashion if the person or people I am addressing are present to ask immediate questions before I head to the next "Paragraph" of dialog.

P.S. Some "Gurus" actually have alot to contribute to your spiritual journey, it's just if they personaly want to guide you into a trance everytime that I would suspect quiet a bit of impropriety on behalf of the NOT so esteemed one... if you gather my implication...

-- Dr. James Dixon
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[Pat O'Bryan]

I like Tao/Zen meditation, which is the absence of thought.

Not sure I would trust a guru. Remember what you're supposed to do if you see the Buddha on the road?

[onefunnybabe]

[Gryphon]

Hi All,

I am quite new to the subject of hypnosis, so I don't have any really cool educational stuff to say about it (yet). Except this: Listen to Wendi and you will be hypnotized. Wouldn't you agree?

On the subject of meditation: there are lots of different interpretations of what it is, so that's why you get so many different opinions. Even within specific schools of thought that hold meditation close (e.g. buddhists, hindus, yogis, etc.) there are varying forms, techniques and purposes. The "no mind", "no thought", "single pointed mind" ideas are probably the most common definitions of meditation--or the results of "proper" meditation, if that can be said. But some forms also aim towards specific types of control within the mind or body. I read a really interesting study on zen meditators vs. yoga meditators. (If I can find it again, I'll post a link.) The basic idea was to test what happens, by measuring changes in brainwave patterns, when the subjects were disturbed or stimulated in some way during meditation. The results showed that the brainwaves of the zen group did not change much, while the yoga group showed significant change. The study concluded that the reason for the difference was related to the different philosophies of meditation itself. The zen mind is "unmoved", while the yoga mind is highly "in touch." Yet both are very clear states of disciplined consciousness. That's the condensed version of that study, anyway. Pretty interesting, I thought.

I agree with Wendi that "guided meditation" isn't meditation proper. It's more involved with the imagination and the senses. It has a place somewhere in all this, too. Because, at the very least, it can disconnect a person from run-of-the-mill habitual thought processes. It's nice to just get away from time to time, isn't it?

Gryphon

[SwamiDevaPeter]

Meditation, is effortless effort. It is way to explore your inner self, your conditionings, a way to find your true self, your higher self.

Hypnosis is suggestion, a way to evoke change within. HYpnosis is a doorway to your subconcious mind, a way to evoke change in your non-reactive mind.

The two are quite different.

Deva Peter

[Wendi]

Swami knows a thing or two.
Yup, that is the difference.

Wendi
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[SwamiDevaPeter]

The word meditation is vague word at best. One would only have to read for instance The Vigyana Bhairava Tantra which includes one hundred and twelve mediaitions. Medititaion is a way of life, a daily practise..
When one is in a deep state of meditation, the subconciuos mind is bypassed. However in certain pratices or meditations, a heightened state of Alpha waves can be achieved, as well as the linking of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Once again it is simply the technique that makes this attainable.

By speaking directly to the subconsious mind, this is what Hypnosis is. Trance occurs when the subconciuos mind is 'open' or activated. Mediation helps one to reach and function in the inner world, whereas hypnosis helps one to deal with the outer world. The two are quite different, but depanding on nthe technique, they could seem similar with similar results. An example is how both can lead one to deeper relaxation.

[hypnotic]

meditation according to me is deconcentrating the mind.and hypnosis is a state where we take our mind elsewhere and can delve into inner things.

[cheetu]

Hypnosis can be used as a tool to meditate batter. you can be given given a post hypnotic suggestion to have a neutralisation in thoughts by a power affirmation.

pure nlp can help better in this matter

best of luck
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[Child of Universe]