Living Skillfully: Your Mind and Health

How to use your mind to improve your life and health, by West Auckland hypnotherapist and health coach Mike Reeves-McMillan

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Revised self-hypnosis starter script: blue sky, blue sea

September 5th, 2008 · View Comments

[podcast]http://hypno.co.nz/audio/bluesky_bluesea.mp3[/podcast]

I’ve bought a new and better microphone, a Rode Podcaster, and I’m going through re-recording my hypnotherapy scripts – they should now sound a lot crisper and less muddy. I’m also making small changes to some of them, adding in things that I’ve learned or come up with since I first recorded them.

The first is my self-hypnosis starter script, now six minutes long with the addition of a “deepening” section. As well as rising safely into a beautiful blue sky, you’ll now also be led through imagining sinking safely into a beautiful blue sea. You can also read the text version.

I’m posting this to my “podcast” section since some people are subscribed to the podcast and not the main blog. It’s not brand-new content but it is improved content.

Let me know in the comments or by email (mikerm at hypno dot co dot nz) if you have any trouble with the file. I’ve listened to it in Windows Media Player, using headphones, and it sounds fine to me, but if you experience any difficulties with the audio, the volume or my accent please say something so I can try to do something about it.

The intended use for the script is this:

  1. Get clear in your mind what you want to change in your life (you could use a planning technique like my 7 simple steps to a workable personal change plan).
  2. Express it in a few short, positively-phrased, present-tense sentences: “I take steps each day to tidy my environment” might be one, or “I find exercise more and more appealing”. You don’t have to memorize these word-for-word, but have the general sense of them in your head.
  3. Pick one or two words to act as a summary of your few sentences. “Tidying up” or “Exercise”, perhaps.
  4. Sit down and listen to the script. It’s deliberately left open-ended so that you can take however long you like. If you’re worried that you might drift off for ages, set a timer, say for 10 minutes. You will inevitably re-orient (or fall asleep) sooner or later. You can’t get “stuck” in hypnosis.
  5. After the script finishes playing, call your sentences to mind and repeat them to yourself in your head. Finish with a few repetitions of the summary words.
  6. Bring yourself back to your normal state of consciousness.
  7. Use your summary words from time to time during the day to remind yourself.

You can use it as often as you need to. If you find you’re not getting sufficient change happening, let me know (mikerm at hypno dot co dot nz, or leave a comment), telling me what you’re trying to achieve and what you’re doing; I may be able to suggest something, or you may simply be overambitious. This technique is best suited for changes where you already have the knowledge you need and just need some more motivation, or to change how you think or feel about something.

(Update: This recording is just part of my online self-hypnosis course Change Your Mind, which uses video, email and audio downloads to teach you my AIM method for focussing on your goals and improving your ability to deal with the challenges of life.)

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