What is hypnosis? Hypnosis is a state of mind characterized by relaxed brain waves and hyper-suggestibility. Hypnosis and hypnotic suggestions have played a major role in healing for thousands of years. According to the World Health Organization, 90% of the general population can be hypnotized. Hypnosis is a perfectly normal state that just about everyone has experienced. What we call "highway hypnosis" is a natural hypnotic state. You drive somewhere and don't even remember seeing the usual landmarks. You are on automatic pilot. The natural hypnotic state also exists when you become so involved in a book, TV show or some other activity that everything else is blocked out. Someone can talk to you and you don't even see or hear them. Because you were concentrating, you just slipped into the natural hypnotic state.

          The hypnotic state, by itself, is only useful for the relaxation it produces. The real importance of hypnosis is that while you are in that state, you are very receptive to suggestions. Positive and healing suggestions are able to sink deeply into your mind much more quickly than when you are in a normal, awake state. I say positive because while in the hypnotic state, you cannot be made to do anything against your moral values.