HYPNOSIS or MEDITATION? – The REAL Differences You NEED To Know Before Trying

Are you curious about the difference between meditation and hypnosis? I get asked this question a lot because there’s often confusion surrounding meditation and hypnotherapy.

Are they just two different terms for the same thing or are they completely different?

Both meditation and hypnosis are impressive and powerful tools when used properly and consistently.

Let’s consider two differences and the first one is purpose. While it is possible to meditate with the very specific goal in mind, meditation is often general relaxation usually revolving around understanding the nature of the mind, mindfulness and ridding the mind of that monkey chatter.

Hypnosis can also be used to overcome phobias, change your attitude about certain beliefs, to lose weight — whatever it is, it often is utilised to find a creative solution to a specific problem. Hypnosis also involves focused inward concentration and reduced awareness of other surroundings, very similar to meditation, and it can often result in time distortion. Example, the feeling that time passes more slowly or more quickly than it actually is.

The second difference is attention. Meditation focuses on a fixed point or object, such as the breath or a mantra and the goal is to hold your attention on this focal point. When your thoughts stray and they will, the objective is to return your attention back to that focal point. You learn about how your mind works and how to focus more effectively and be present to experience what’s happening right now.

On the other hand, hypnosis frequently involves following a story, such as confidently navigating a social situation. The experience is the object of your focus. You lead yourself through an experience and gain benefits from that imaginative story. With hypnosis, you can change your normal perception and perspective. You can experience something that might not be available to you in everyday life and through conscious effort.

How do you choose between hypnosis and meditation?

Both meditation and hypnosis can bring you positive benefits and you can actually use both in your life. If you want to learn how to be more present, focused, open and accepting of what happens in your life, then you could start with meditation to quieten your mind, enhance your ability to focus, and decrease the tendency to ruminate in the past or worry about the future. Meditation has been around for thousands of years and is very effective.

Now, hypnosis is more like a surgical tool for dealing with the challenges in your life. Whether you want to increase your confidence, lose weight quit a habit, get over phobias, or detaching from past trauma and relationships. Hypnosis can be a very effective and powerful tool in helping people get out of their own way in regard to longstanding dysfunctional, limiting, or unskilful habits attitudes and behaviours.

Both techniques can work very quickly in some people, but others may find that it takes weeks or months are required to see real benefits. If either one might be of benefit to you, why not give it a try?

As a hypnotherapist I use very particular forms of imagery, permissive suggestion, cognitive processes, and other tools and techniques in order to create lasting change to overcome challenges and issues.

I hope that goes some way to answering that query that so many of you ask me and if you’d like to chat more about your specific challenge I invite you to book a complimentary call using the link below.

Together, let’s awaken your untapped potential and reprogram your mind for success!