Hypnosis and The Spiritual Connection

The foundation for my work in hypnotherapy is based on the human trinity. Each of us is a trinity within himself or herself. I am a trinity, you are a trinity. We are made up of body, mind and spirit. We are physical, emotional and spiritual beings. These three aspects of our being are so different and yet so integrated that one part of the human trinity cannot be affected without having some effect on the other two. If you have a physical problem, it affects you emotionally and spiritually. If you have an emotional problem, it affects you physically and spiritually. If you have a spiritual problem, it affects you emotionally and physically. Accepting this theory of the human trinity, one understands that life is more than just being alive mentally and physically.

An airplane does not cease to be an airplane when it sets in the hanger or taxies along the runway, but its true nature as an airplane becomes apparent only when it is airborne. Similarly, a person is a human being even when he or she is functioning only on the physical and psychological plane, but one shows his or her essential humanness when he rises to the spiritual dimensions.

A man asked his three daughters how much they loved him. The oldest of them replied that she loved him more than all the gold and silver in the world. The father was noticeably pleased with her answer. His second daughter responded, "I love you more than the most valuable jewels in the world." The father was pleased with her response. The third and youngest said, "I love you better than salt." The man was not especially elated with her remark and dismissed it lightly as an indication of her immaturity. Overhearing the conversation, his wife left the salt out of the man's next meal. He was thus confronted with the deep meaning of his daughter's remark. She was saying that he was the flavoring, the seasoning and spice of her life. Developing the spiritual aspect is to life what salt it to food. The spiritual dimension gives flavor, seasoning and spice to life. When one is functioning in all levels (physical, emotional, and spiritual), life is more joyful, more productive and more healthy.

I come to you as a Christian Minister who looks upon hypnosis as a valuable tool of counseling and healing. Coming from a religious profession and working in a church related hospital, I am often asked, "Why does one of religious faith need hypnosis?" I believe this question can be answered by referring to a statement of Jesus, "I am come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly." Hypnosis is one of the gifts of God that helps people experience the "more abundant life."

Whether you are a Christian or not, whether you are religious or not, many of your clients come to you as religious people. Therefore, you can better relate to them and their history by understanding their religious faith. If the person can be helped and it is appropriate, I use religious as well as secular imagery and healing stories, but do not force my religious beliefs on the client.

Individuals with a strong Christian faith respond well to hypnosis that employs religious imagery. When appropriate for a person in pain, I often use the following religious imagery: After induction, I suggest that the patient visualize or imagine Jesus beside the bed. I say, "Imagine the physical presence of Jesus as fully and completely as you can. Is he short or tall? Is he dressed in the clothes of today or of the first century? Is complexion light or dark? It is your picture so get it as detailed as possible. Jesus is placing his hand on the area of discomfort (If the area is an area where it would be inappropriate to touch, I have them imagine Jesus placing his hand on their head.) You feel that his touch is very warm and the warmth is drawing out the discomfort. Slowly but surely, the discomfort is being reduced, slowly the discomfort is being pulled from your body by the healing touch of Jesus. At the same time you sense that healing power of Jesus flowing into you and at the same time activating your own healing chemicals. The area is becoming more and more comfortable. His touch is bringing healing to the area.

I repeat this thought in various ways and then suggest that the physical presence of Jesus is becoming a spirit and is slowly fading from view, but the individual will continue to feel the spiritual presence of Jesus bringing ease and healing. Each patient with whom I have used this procedure has experienced significant-to-total reduction of pain

Jesus said, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and recovery of sight to the blind and to set at liberty them that are bruised." Following the guidance given by Jesus in Luke 4:18 and by properly using hypnosis; we can heal the broken heart of those who have lost the spiritual connection, bring deliverance to those who are in captivity due to physical, emotional, and/or spiritual pain, give sight to the emotionally and spiritually blind, and set at liberty those who bound by unwanted habits.