Instead of always try to explain what hypnosis IS, it is also important to tell what it isn’t.
My great Hypnosis teacher and mentor Dr. George Bien has this brilliant explanation:

Hypnosis is an escape mechanism caused by focus or distraction, interest or boredom, joy or sadness. It is the escape to inner self that creates power or debility.”

It really is a natural state of mind! Everyone and I mean everyone is in this state several times each day. Even those who doesn’t believe in hypnosis. This is science folks!
In this natural state of mind, you automatically bypass the critical and logical mind. I can explain it like this. Think of the last time you were in a car. Driver or passenger makes no difference. At some point I know you suddenly became focused on traffic, or that you reached your destination or maybe someone talked to you. Right before that you were sort of daydreaming. Sorting out things in your mind, still able to manage the car. Making the right turns, use the brakes and so on. Bu in the moment you suddenly became aware you were driving, you can’t remember the last turn, if there were any pedestrians, the color of the car that used its brakes in front of you. But still you managed to drive safely, maybe even safer than if you were “awake” and focused.
Because you bypassed the conscious mind.

Over many years Hollywood, fiction, books and charlatans has made hypnosis and trance mysterious. It really isn’t. And these misconceptions we still have to work with today. 9 out of 10 clients need to have these things straightened out. And first then hypnosis works properly.

Even though mankind have worked with hypnosis since the Egyptian sleep temples, and maybe even before that, it wasn’t before 1955, the British Medical Association accepted hypnosis as a official treatment. The American medical association followed up in 1958.
“AN ARTIFICIAL STATE, PSYCHICALLY INDUCED, USUALLY BY ANOTHER PERSON, WHERE THE SUBJECT GOES UNCONSCIOUS, BUT RESPONDS WITH CERTAIN LIMITATIONS TO THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE HYPNOTIST OR OPERATOR.”But wait.. Now I am confused! Hypnosis is a natural state, so why is it artificial now! No wonder people still doesn’t know what it really is.Let’s take a look at the academic description of hypnosis!
Aroused attentive – means you are aware, not out.
Receptive – Means taking in.
Focal concentration – Yes, you are focusing.
Corresponding diminution – There is lessoning
Peripheral Awareness – Less concern of surroundings.

If you look up hypnosis this day, in the American dictionary it would describe hypnosis like this:

“HYPNOSIS IS ESSENTIALLY A PSYCO-PHYSIOLOGOCAL STATE OF AROUSED, ATTENTIVE, RECEPTIVE, FOCAL CONCENTRATION, WITH A CORROSPONDING DIMINUTION IN PERIPHERAL AWARENESS.”

Psycho-physiological state - Means mind – body!

And all hypnosis IS self hypnosis!Hypnosis is strong when used correct.

The academic description also works for me, but if I should describe it simple, I would go for Dr. George Bien’s description.

No one in the state of hypnosis would do anything, they wouldn’t normally do! But hypnosis eliminates the critical mind, so we can go ahead. That is how stage hypnosis works.
And the smarter you are, the easier it is to get you into a hypnotic trance.

Hypnosis is not about being visual, but about sensing. If you are able to sense, the audio and visual will begin to create itself in your mind. As a natural ability of your beautiful creative mind! The feelings will emerge, and you will be able to communicate this, as you never did before.

Hypnosis is strong when used correct.

Author's Bio: 

Author's Bio
Certified Master Hypnotherapist / IACT Certified Master Trainer, George Bien, USA. One of just 32 Certified in the world Master Trainers from IACT. Past life regression, Dick Sutphen, USA

Life between Life training by Michael Newton, EnglandIm certified the following places:

Hypnotherapist / hypnosis seminar, Dick Sutphen, USA

Certified hypnotherapist, NGH
(National Guild of Hypnotherapists)

Certified hypnotherapist & past life regression, IHF
(International Hypnosis Federation)

Certified Level 1 Member i IARRT
(Internationat Association for Regression Research and Therapies)

Certified Master Hypnotherapist &
Certified Master Trainer i IACT
(International Association of Counselers and therapists)

Certified School & instructor i IHF.
(International Hypnosis Federation)

Besides this I am trained and educated in the field of:

Thought Field Therapy
Mindfullness
Acupuncture
Sitha Healing
Intuition
and more…

I never stop learning or inspire myself……