Overcoming Obstacles: a Self-Hypnosis Journey for [Import]

My grandfather was a hypnotist for many years and I went to him to lose weight when I was a teenager. I lost 22 lbs in a month and a half after seeing him in his office one time. Years later, as a young adult, I went to see another hypno-therapist to quit smoking and to gain confidence. Unfortunately for me, that visit left me lighter in the wallet but still heavy with fear and self doubt.

This cd was my first attempt at hypnosis since that time and over all, I'm happy with it. The few problems I have with the cd are major, as I see them, but the message you can still get from listening to the cd makes it worth buying.

The first problem I have is how quickly she tries to take you into deep sleep. There should be far more time spent on relaxation before she attempts to take you under. For me, this creates anxiety because I know I am nowhere near relaxed enough to go under.

The second problem I have is with the visualization techniques. She asks you to visualize something but then she doesn't give you enough time to do it and what's worse, she begins making her own suggestions, making any image you might have had all mixed up with her images, again, creating panic and making it near impossible to accomplish what needs to be done.

The third problem I have is when she talks about the stairs. This is again a visualization issue. When she asks you to imagine the stairs, the tendency is to be at the bottom of the stairs but then suddenly, she puts you at the top of the stairs. In my mind, I saw myself run to the stairs and scramble up them so I could be where I supposed to be. It was comical and again, I lost concentration.

Having said all this, I would again like to say that I do enjoy the cd and since I have begun listening to it, I have begun to notice some changes in my attitude. I am happier and seem to be more confident with myself and how I act. I am not as afraid of things as was before I bought the cd. They aren't major changes, but they are a start and for somebody who couldn't even find the courage to start making changes, this is a very big deal.

I've tried a number of self-hypnosis and meditative recordings over the years, but none have had the ability to put me under as quickly or as deeply as this one. Ms. Rose has skillfully taken the audio hypnosis genre to a new level. In the introductory track, she immediately puts you at ease with a comfortable, friendly demeanor, speaking in clear, everyday language which allows you to build a sense of safety and trust. Some may be put off by the more familiar tone, but I found it refreshing.

In the second track, she guides you through a number of visualizations in a calm, low-key tone that seems to bypass much of the transient noise in your mind and speaks directly to your inner consciousness. Here, you are offered new perspectives, some very good imagery for overcoming personal roadblocks, a bit of regression to simpler times before such obstacles existed, and a wealth of positive and believable affirmations. The accompanying music is surprisingly good. Light and meandering, it never gets tiresome.

At the very least, you'll feel like you've had a long talk with a caring friend who wants to share a more positive perspective on life. I highly recommend this work and I'm not EVER selling mine. :)

This is an interesting CD on self-hypnosis. If you are interested in exploring it, I recommend it to you. It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, and you should be able to find something useful to take away from it.

I use this CD to fall asleep most every night. I pop it into my DVD player, set my TV sleep timer to turn itself off in 45 minutes, and fall asleep. I have listened to the CD while awake, as it has exercises that accompany it that enhance the self-hypnosis experience. However, I really enjoy falling asleep with it on in the background at a low level. The subconscious does the rest...

Since I have been using this CD, I find I feel better on all fronts. I do exude more self-esteem and confidence in myself, and it has been commented upon by some of my co-workers and friends. I feel happier, and find myself breathing deeply when stress comes my way without even thinking about it.

I've read some of the commentary by others on this item, but I'd urge you to try it for yourself. I don't have a hypnotist uncle, friend, etc... to compare this to, but I've had experience working with NLP (Neuro-Lingusitic Programming), and I am a big believer in the power of the mind. This may not be the best self-hypnosis CD on the market, but it is definitely a good one.

While I have your attention, may I recommend the following for your reading and listening pleasure? They are available on Amazon.com, and are excellent tools if you have an interest in Self-Hypnosis and self-esteem work:

-- The Self-Hypnosis Kit by Cherith Powell and Greg Forde

-- Create Your Own Affirmations by Shakti Gawain

Cherith Powell's kit is excellent, however, it is in cassette form... which is frankly antiquated and hard to use. You can find and use a CD in many devices (computer, DVD player AND a CD player). However, cassette players are fewer and fewer these days.

The Affirmation kit by Shakti Gawain has cards along with a booklet. I've scanned the cards into .jpg format (picture format for a computer) and added them to my desktop collection. They are a subconscious, positive, constant reminder through my workday that keeps me focused on how great it is to be me and all the wonderful things that I have and continue to accomplish. You can just utilize the cards, but I like to be creative in surrounding myself with positive messages while not obtruding on other's. If they want to know my secret to happiness, all they need do is ask. :-)

The CD I am reviewing here by Ms. Rose also works with affirmations, and has an excellent exercise in the description/beginning portion of the program. I recommend that you go through with the work and do the exercise, as I have found great rewards by doing the same.

Good reading, and good health to you and yours!

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