Trance states are not as mysterious or unusual as they might seem. In fact, they are a natural part of our daily lives, occurring whenever our attention becomes deeply focused on something. When you’re engrossed in a book, captivated by a film, or entirely immersed in a sport, you are in a trance state. These experiences show how everyday activities evoke trance states, shaping our thoughts, feelings, and even behaviours.
The Experience of Everyday Trances
Imagine you are reading an emotional novel. The words on the page draw you in, shaping your emotional experience. You might cry during a tragic moment or feel your heart race during a tense scene. Your body responds as though you are living the events described, even though you’re simply reading. This is a trance: a focused state of attention around the idea or story being presented.
Similarly, when watching a film, your level of attention determines the depth of the trance. If you’re fully absorbed—lights off, no distractions—the film can profoundly shape your experience. A horror movie might make you jump at sudden noises or even feel uneasy in the dark afterward. These lingering feelings and behaviours, like needing to turn on the lights before bed, mirror post-hypnotic suggestions, where the trance state influences actions even after it ends.
Sports evoke trance states too. When you’re deeply focused on playing a game, your attention is so absorbed that you might not notice physical pain or fatigue. Success in these moments can reinforce a sense of confidence, making you more attuned to opportunities for further success. The trance created by your focus shapes both your immediate experience and the expectations you carry forward.
Depth of Trance Matters
The depth of a trance state depends on how much attention is absorbed around the idea or activity. For example, if you’re half-watching a movie while checking your phone, your trance is light. The film might barely influence your emotions or actions because your attention is divided. However, if you’re fully immersed, the trance is deeper, and the film’s impact is more significant. You might find yourself emotionally reactive during the movie and still influenced by its themes or mood after it ends.
Trances are always in relation to something: a book, a film, a person, or an activity. You might even experience multiple trances simultaneously. For instance, watching a film with your partner, you could be in a deep "fear" trance in relation to the horror movie and a "love" trance in relation to your partner. Each shapes your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in different ways.
Recognising Everyday Trances
Understanding everyday trances is particularly valuable for hypnotherapists and other psychological therapists. Recognising that trance states are a natural part of everyday life can provide insights into how to engage clients effectively. For example, discussing a topic that deeply interests a client can evoke a natural trance, as their attention becomes absorbed in the conversation. Similarly, asking questions that draw the client into vividly recalling an experience can deepen this trance.
These everyday trances can serve as gateways to therapeutic work. By evoking a client’s natural trance state, therapists can transition into trances focused on therapeutic ideas, guiding the client toward insights or behavioural changes. This approach allows therapists to build on the client’s natural tendencies and interests, creating a seamless and collaborative therapeutic process. Recognising and utilising everyday trances can enhance rapport, deepen the therapeutic experience, and improve outcomes by aligning the therapy with the client’s natural mental processes.
Takeaway Question
Why is recognising everyday trances important for therapists?
Dan Jones | Inside The Quiet Mind
How Everyday Activities Evoke Trance States
Trance states are not as mysterious or unusual as they might seem. In fact, they are a natural part of our daily lives, occurring whenever our attention becomes deeply focused on something. When you’re engrossed in a book, captivated by a film, or entirely immersed in a sport, you are in a trance state. These experiences show how everyday activities evoke trance states, shaping our thoughts, feelings, and even behaviours.
The Experience of Everyday Trances
Imagine you are reading an emotional novel. The words on the page draw you in, shaping your emotional experience. You might cry during a tragic moment or feel your heart race during a tense scene. Your body responds as though you are living the events described, even though you’re simply reading. This is a trance: a focused state of attention around the idea or story being presented.
Similarly, when watching a film, your level of attention determines the depth of the trance. If you’re fully absorbed—lights off, no distractions—the film can profoundly shape your experience. A horror movie might make you jump at sudden noises or even feel uneasy in the dark afterward. These lingering feelings and behaviours, like needing to turn on the lights before bed, mirror post-hypnotic suggestions, where the trance state influences actions even after it ends.
Sports evoke trance states too. When you’re deeply focused on playing a game, your attention is so absorbed that you might not notice physical pain or fatigue. Success in these moments can reinforce a sense of confidence, making you more attuned to opportunities for further success. The trance created by your focus shapes both your immediate experience and the expectations you carry forward.
Depth of Trance Matters
The depth of a trance state depends on how much attention is absorbed around the idea or activity. For example, if you’re half-watching a movie while checking your phone, your trance is light. The film might barely influence your emotions or actions because your attention is divided. However, if you’re fully immersed, the trance is deeper, and the film’s impact is more significant. You might find yourself emotionally reactive during the movie and still influenced by its themes or mood after it ends.
Trances are always in relation to something: a book, a film, a person, or an activity. You might even experience multiple trances simultaneously. For instance, watching a film with your partner, you could be in a deep "fear" trance in relation to the horror movie and a "love" trance in relation to your partner. Each shapes your thoughts, feelings, and behaviours in different ways.
Recognising Everyday Trances
Understanding everyday trances is particularly valuable for hypnotherapists and other psychological therapists. Recognising that trance states are a natural part of everyday life can provide insights into how to engage clients effectively. For example, discussing a topic that deeply interests a client can evoke a natural trance, as their attention becomes absorbed in the conversation. Similarly, asking questions that draw the client into vividly recalling an experience can deepen this trance.
These everyday trances can serve as gateways to therapeutic work. By evoking a client’s natural trance state, therapists can transition into trances focused on therapeutic ideas, guiding the client toward insights or behavioural changes. This approach allows therapists to build on the client’s natural tendencies and interests, creating a seamless and collaborative therapeutic process. Recognising and utilising everyday trances can enhance rapport, deepen the therapeutic experience, and improve outcomes by aligning the therapy with the client’s natural mental processes.
Takeaway Question
Why is recognising everyday trances important for therapists?
11 months ago | [YT] | 7