We are a culture of “doing” and sometimes “being.”
If we look at ourselves as two interlaced and free-flowing entities, we intuitively know there must be a balance. The part of us that physically cooks a meal needs to be in touch with the creative energy of imagination and curiosity to create something special. Just as to daydream and inspire needs a place to land and blend with what might be as simple as a hug or handshake.
Most people think of hypnosis and are immediately reminded of something they saw on television or watched at a fair or exhibition. What we remember is a hypnotist making people fall asleep and then act foolish on stage. In movies, we were shown the Hollywood version of mind control as patients were stripped of their dignity and diminished using hypnosis.
Until recently, I myself thought hypnosis was nothing more than tricks for those interested in entertainment.
In 2017, I read a book that offered hypnosis as a method to heal past trauma and after doing a lot of homework I reached out to a friend to have a session.
What I have learned is that with the right practitioner, hypnosis not only can be but also is a powerful healing tool. Unlike what we recall from television where people are sound asleep and not aware of the present moment, one is actually quite aware of what is happening.
A hypnosis patient is guided into a deep trance state, which I call super consciousness or an area of Theta brainwave. Theta state is the area of consciousness between being awake and being asleep. So Theta is actually a deep meditative state and considered by Shamanic healers as the bridge to the subconscious mind.
Let me clear up possible myths about being in a hypnotic trance. You are not asleep and unable to understand what is going on, you are simply very relaxed and feel very alive and empowered. I can say for the record that in Theta state one is fully aware of their surroundings and can come back to a fully awake state without assistance, so you are always in control.
In hypnotic trance or Theta state, the power of suggestion or the ability to see beyond our beliefs and patterns is very powerful. This is where our greatest healing work happens.
In many respects, hypnosis is no different from other healing modalities and a client must find a practitioner they trust, someone who will manage their experience with complete care and integrity. All good healing practitioners tune in and are literally there with a client as they journey through an experience that is meaningful to them, something they need to heal.
I am very fortunate to know Sandy a very talented healer and certified hypnotist. I can offer her contact information to those interested in her services.
Earlier this summer I had a session with Sandy and to be honest I was not 100 percent certain what I would be working on?
I had a gut feeling there was something unsettling from my childhood that was calling for my awareness and this is where my session led us.
I almost immediately went to a place in my past where I was 7 or 8, and fully connected to an experience that had upset me. The remainder of the session became about processing the underlying pieces of what was perceived in those moments and fully understanding this reality. All healing of this nature is about seeing a trauma clearly, knowing how it affected you and then stepping forward to heal or reclaim. We honor the feelings from the past, in a sense lightening their weight while creating a new loving perception for yourself and all who were involved.
These moments of healing always stun me with the power they possess to transform something we may barely have remembered. These transformational unfoldings always leave a client completely uplifted. It is something you can see in their eyes like something new and bright has reappeared for them. Also important is to review the core messages of the healing so that there is a takeaway as a reminder of the power that was reclaimed.
As we enlighten a moment from our history and brighten a space within ourselves, we also can brighten and heal for others who surrounded us in these moments. What we affect through healing is always much bigger than ourselves (or should be)!
By Tom Kelly
What is “risk” and how does it affect our lives? This documentary caught my eye recently and really helps the viewer understand and answer some tough questions for ourselves and the risk we take. No, it is not about money or wealth. This documentary discusses how risk participates in our daily lives and how risk helps and hinders us grow regardless of age or gender. Without understanding how risk enhances our lives, we can miss the key components that help make us more powerful at living. I like the real-life stories and analysis of high-risk living and how it translates into everyday life for the average person. In the documentary alcohol is mentioned with this notation, one glass of wine equates to medicine with all subsequent glasses considered poison for the body (I know, bad example for those I hope will watch). Just a tiny glimpse of all the invaluable information within this 50-minute documentary.
– Tom Kelly (see below for official film bio and link to watch Risk Factor)
Risk permeates our lives. Filmmaker Robert Lang’s journey to demystify risk leads him to a renowned statistician at Cambridge, an extreme ice climber on an avalanche-prone mountain, a physicist at a nuclear reactor, and a security guru at the Boston Marathon. Lang replays and reconsiders his most risk-laden life experiences – from a drunken joyride to a murder on his doorstep, to a brush with nuclear radiation, to the pages of his family history that speak to current fears about terrorism.
Watch the full documentary at TVO (TV Ontario) from this > Risk Factor