Fear is a funny thing.
Take the fear of dogs, for example…
I have a dog. I grew up with dogs.
And I’ve always loved dogs.
But that’s only me.
Some people are terribly afraid of dogs. Even my cute cuddly poodle Frisby would send them into a panic.
You might be wondering – What does this have to do with self-hypnosis?
To answer that, we have to understand where the problem lies.
Clearly, it’s not with the dog.
If it was the dog, then everyone would be afraid of it.
No, the source is more subjective…
The problem is in the subconscious mind. That’s what determines whether we feel safe, or in danger. Where we tap into courage or choose to hide. Where we move toward freedom or remain stuck.
What exactly does the subconscious mind do?
Imagine a pirate ship. Big black sails. A captain with an eye-patch and a hook for a hand, stands at the helm, directing his crew.
The captain is clearly in charge. He gives orders. He decides where the ship will go.
But the crew… they are the ones making everything happen. They take care of all the little details. They report the urgent things to the captain. And they know what to do to take care of the ship.
The conscious mind is the captain. That’s the part that uses logic to make decisions. And that part thinks it has total control.
The unconscious mind is the crew. And it takes care of everything else.
Literally everything.
It stores and organizes memories. Some memories it will present when needed. Other memories will be repressed with unresolved negative emotions.
It is the domain of emotions.
It controls all perceptions – receiving information through the 5 senses. The subconscious mind processes all those details and turns it into a simple picture for the conscious mind.
It maintains instincts and habits, allowing us to operate efficiently.
And it preserves the body. Keeping the heart beating. Breathing for you while you sleep. Even directing the immune system.
Want to see how this works with a fear of dogs?
Check this out:
The Fear Reaction Process
A child has a frightening experience with a dog. It could be a physical attack or even a scary photo.
The child feels unsafe, and then fear. The subconscious engages in fight-or-flight mode to protect the child.
After the event, the subconscious holds on to that memory. For the sake of safety and efficiency, it makes a decision. The subconscious mind generalizes a new rule: “That dog was dangerous. If I want to be safe, I should stay away from all dogs”
Years later, the subconscious mind recognizes all dogs as a threat. Fight-or-flight mode is engaged for the safety of the (now) adult.
This is a simplified example that does not explain all cases of fear. But the subconscious mind makes those same decisions for all fears.
And you might be thinking something like “I didn’t decide to have these fears. Why would I choose this?”
I know, it sounds crazy. Those decisions were made so quickly that you didn’t even notice. And they were made for your protection.
And you know what? That’s great news!
Because if someone decides to have a fear of dogs, that means they can decide to feel safe around dogs.
That’s where self-hypnosis comes in
The decision to be afraid was made at the subconscious level.
So the fastest and easiest way to undo that decision, or to make a decision to feel safe, is to make a new decision at the unconscious level
In a moment I’ll share a way for you to try self-hypnosis in the most effective way possible. But first, it’s important to understand exactly what hypnosis is.
From what we’ve seen on TV and in movies, hypnosis appears to be something totally different than the real-life experience.
Hypnosis is not:
- Sleep or Unconsciousness The subconscious is inaccessible when one is in those states. Hypnosis is actually a state of full awareness and relaxation.
- Gullibility The subconscious mind always has the truth in perspective, and hypnosis doesn’t change that. However, the subconscious mind can be willing to pretend, or to suspend disbelief for a short time.
- Weak-Minded Hypnosis and strength are not even related. It’s a state of complete and total focus.
- Loss of self-control It’s actually the opposite. It is full control over what to pay attention to and which instructions to follow. And it’s ultimate control to make any change you want.
I’ll show you what hypnosis feels like right now!
Ready?
Close your eyes. Count to 5. Then open them again.
That’s it.
Either you followed instructions and experienced that state of awareness and slight relaxation.
Or you kept reading and made the choice not to follow along. You have the same choice in hypnosis.
And now you have a taste of what that feels like!
So how exactly can hypnosis help with a fear of dogs?
There are a few components of hypnosis that can be used to make a change like this:
Ready to give it a try?
Don’t worry about finding a hypnotist in your area, how much they’ll charge, and whether you can trust them.
You can download a self-hypnosis recording right now from www.selfhypnosis.com
Listen in the comfort and safety of your own home, and begin to make a change easily and effortlessly!