What is a Hypnotic Trance?
Contents
Hypnotic Trance
A hypnotic trance is a natural state that most people experience every day while daydreaming or becoming absorbed in a book, movie, film or engaging task. It is a state of altered awareness. It feels different to different people, usually a little like daydreaming. You may be less responsive to external stimuli when in a trance.
A light trance is commonly experienced when in a state of focus such as if reading a compelling book where you almost stop hearing outside noises. Deeper trance states feel more profound and often include deep relaxation. In a deep trance you may feel like you had been asleep once you come out of it.
What does it feel like to be in a trance?
It usually feels very pleasant to be in a hypnotic trance. You may feel very relaxed and calm. You may have vivid visualizations, but not everyone experiences this. In a deeper trance you may find that your arms and legs feel very heavy.
How deeply you go into a hypnotic trance will affect your experience. Some people go into hypnosis easily but for many there is a bit of practice required to get skilled at it. Find out more in our article on what does hypnosis feel like?
Common Sensations During a Hypnotic Trance
- Heavy arms or legs
- Losing track of time
- Feeling deeply relaxed
- Tinging sensations
- Feeling detached from distractions
- A pleasant floating sensation
- Increased focus on imagery
- Inspiring thoughts
- Feeling that you were asleep
Time Distortion in Hypnotic Trance
Many people find that time distortion occurs during hypnosis, so a 30 minute hypnosis might feel more like 5 minutes have passed. This happens when your subconscious mind is deeply distracted from everyday life and instead focused inward on visualizations, ideas and suggestions. Your perception of time can feel very different from the actual amount of time that has passed.
Characteristics of Hypnotic Trance States
When you are in a hypnotic trance you may notice some or many of the following characteristics:
- Focused attention
- Responsiveness to suggestions
- Time distortion
- Feeling absorbed in the experience
- Floating or drifting sensations
- Feeling positive about the suggestions
- Improved imagination
- Less aware of distractions
- Physical relaxation & heaviness
Levels of Trance
Light Hypnotic Trance
A light hypnotic trance can be quite subtle. It may feel just like being relaxed and listening. Your conscious mind usually hears almost everything in a light trance state. In this level you will be aware of where you are and what is going on and you should feel pleasantly relaxed.
Medium Hypnotic Trance
Getting into a medium hypnotic trance will feel a little different from a light trance. You may remain aware of your surroundings but feel deeply relaxed and perhaps experience a heaviness in your arms, legs or both. Usually some of the content of the session will go unnoticed, you may be aware that you have “zoned out” and then you bring your attention back to the hypnosis suggestions.
Deep Hypnotic Trance
In a deep trance you would experience a profound level of relaxation. During the hypnosis you may become so relaxed and inwardly focused that you pay little attention to your surroundings and remember little from the session afterwards, being less aware of the content, almost as if you were asleep. You may be convinced that you were asleep in fact. A short time later you may find that you remember certain suggestions, phrases or visualizations as if recalling a vivid dream.
It is common for people to believe that they must reach a deep trance for hypnosis to work well. The reality is that excellent results can be achieved even in a very light trance. Deep trance certainly feels more profound, so you may feel more convinced that something significant or powerful happened, but often the influences on the subconscious mind are subtle and barely noticeable at first. In a deep trance many people are convinced they were asleep even though they were aware at least in parts of the session.
Is Hypnotic Trance the Same as Sleep?
Some people may wonder if they were deeply hypnotized or simply asleep. It can be difficult to tell because a deep level of hypnosis does feel a lot like sleep. However, if you hear the prompt waking you up then it is unlikely that you were asleep. If you can’t remember anything about the hypnosis suggestions and missed the wake up prompt and subsequently remember nothing, then perhaps you were asleep.
Achieving the Ideal Level of Trance
Most people who try hypnosis want to experience a deep hypnotic trance because they believe that will bring the best results. The good news is that with practice most people can achieve this level of hypnosis but it can require regular practice in order to let go and trust in the process enough to go deep. Despite the belief that a deep trance brings better results I find that fantastic results can happen just from a very light trance, it partly depends on the conscious motivation of the individual and how much they trust the process.
Not Sure if You Can Be Hypnotized?
Try our hypnosis quiz to explore how easily you might be hypnotized.
FAQ
What does a hypnotic trance feel like?
A hypnotic trance usually feels deeply relaxing. You may experience a sensation of heaviness in your arms or legs, time distortion, vivid imagination and a feeling similar to daydreaming.
Is a hypnotic trance the same as sleep?
No. Sometimes a deep hypnosis does feel very similar to sleep, especially if at first you can’t remember everything. Usually people remain aware during hypnosis and can hear the hypnotist throughout the session.
Can you hear during hypnosis?
Yes. Most people will hear everything that is said in the hypnosis session, especially in a light or medium trance state. In a deeper hypnotic trance you may not remember everything initially because you were so relaxed and deeply hypnotized.
Can anyone enter a hypnotic trance?
Most people can, yes. However you need to be willing to participate and follow the instructions because it is impossible to hypnotize anyone against their will.
Can you get stuck in a hypnotic trance?
No it is impossible to get stuck in hypnosis. A hypnotic trance naturally ends if the session finishes or stop early. Remember, hypnosis is a state of relaxation and focused attention you would naturally emerge from hypnosis even if the session stopped or you needed to end it early.
What is time distortion in hypnosis?
Time distortion occurs in hypnosis very often. It is simply where time feels as though it passes faster or slower than it actually does. It is a common experience during hypnosis to feel that only 5 or 10 minutes passed when in fact it was 25 to 40 minutes.
Do you need a deep trance for hypnosis to work?
No, this is a common misunderstanding. Many people achieve excellent results from light and medium trance states, sometimes better than in a deep trance.
In a deep trance the entire suggestion work and post-hypnotic suggestions are addressing the subconscious mind, with the conscious mind less aware. Sometimes it is more powerful when the conscious mind hears the motivating, positive ideas at the same time as the subconscious is being influenced by them.
What does being in a trance feel like?
Being in a trance often feel a little like daydreaming. You may feel focused on the hypnosis and less aware of your surroundings. People often feel deeply relaxed and as though their arms and legs are very heavy.
More information
Rachael Eccles is an Advanced Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist with over 20 years of experience. She is fully licensed and registered with the GHR GHSC and CNHC.
She specializes in helping people overcome anxiety, lose weight, break habits and build confidence using proven hypnotherapy and mindfulness techniques.
Rachael has created one of the world's largest collections of hypnosis downloads and meditation audios (700+), and has been featured as an expert on BBC radio, Hello magazine and Thrillist.
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