It is well-known that suggestions (mental influences) take effect during hypnosis.
And it’s also understandable that it’s not possible to influence yourself during self-hypnosis.
Now there is a technique when using self-hypnosis that allows you to influence yourself effectively even before the actual hypnosis takes place. Through this, self-hypnosis has become practical to use for the first time.
This technique is called the pre-hypnotic suggestion.
The pre-hypnotic suggestion has its basis in the fact that if a stimulus is repeated often enough and regularly, it will linger in the memory or continue to have an effect. If a somewhat deeper self-hypnosis is then induced, the pre-hypnotic suggestion then continues to have an effect automatically and can become incorporated into the ideomotor system and be put into effect.
With the pre-hypnotic suggestion, a hypnoid state is already brought about, that is to say, a light self-hypnosis.
Even a light hypnosis can be sufficient to successfully overcome mental inhibitions, for example, or personal shortcomings. Therefore a deep hypnosis is not required for hypnosis therapy. A deeper self-hypnosis (hypotaxie) is only required in very difficult cases and this can easily be learned following a step-by-step guide (see graphic link below).
MODERN HYPNOSIS TECHNIQUES by Tony Gaschler
Learn how to hypnotise myself | A step-by-step guide
German language version: Selbsthypnose lernen nach Anleitung | Alles im Selbstkurs!