False memoris can be just as interesting and story-worthy as something made up or an actual memory I'd have thought.

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memories

Roger, I've been hypnotised many times, regressing back to childhood and to previous incarnations. I've explored one incarnation in some depth – in fact I know where I was buried! They’ve just been ordinary lives; a Saxon tapestry weaver, a herbalist in a Royalist household during the civil war, a stable boy in the 18thC. It’s quite fascinating, not at all frightening – so long as you have a good hypnotherapist working with you.

It’s not messing with your head, they don’t take control of you, they can't make you say or do anything against your nature, and you can come out of trance whenever you want.

You should talk to Prospero about this – he is a hypnotherapist.

Dee

You should talk to Prospero about this – he is a hypnotherapist

Well you learn something new every day.

I'm somewhat dubious of the benefits of dredging up unconscious memories, as I'm not convinced they are all such memories are accurate. The mind can do odd things and I suspect we have a split between conscious mind/unconscious mind for a useful reason.

A few years ago my mother was seriously ill with a heart condition that meant her blood oxygen level was perilously low. One effect was she lost the ability to know the difference between what she'd dreamt and what she'd genuinely experienced. Hence I'd go to see her and be 'entertained' with a story about how terrorists had broken into the ward through the windows and stolen her slippers. It was disconcerting until I twigged what was happening, and fortunately the condition was short-term.

It has made me wonder whether some hypnotism/regression therapies have a similar effect, hence false memory syndrome.

That's fascinating Dee. I have to admit I am drawn to the idea of hypnotism. Daisy, I don't have any fears about unlocking the unconscious as that's what I'm trying to do all the time!

I don't know. At the same time, I have a great reluctance to meddle...

Roger,
I've only skimmed this thread, but have been hypnotised (therapeutic version not stage hypnosis) and promise you it's more a state of heightened awareness brought on by extreme relaxation than a foregoing of control. Same hypnotherapist taught me to self hypnotise. It works. Used it instead of medication when about to go in for an op once and the medics asked my husband what I'd taken because I was so doped up. It's very useful, similar to meditation only far more relaxing and mind-altering (in my limited experience of trying both.)

Thanks cherys. Have you ever combined self-hypnosis and writing?

Roger, I learned SH years ago, and it’s brilliant… but then I got out of the habit, so thanks for reminding me.

I’d be very interested to hear what Cherys says about using it for writing. One scene in TWH is taken directly from personal experience when I regressed to the childhood of my Saxon incarnation, but I've never tried to write while in trance. Must give it a go!

Dee

I've never consciously used it for writing though often find when about to start a new big chunk of work I get 'tired' suddenly, go and lie down and just before sleep, in that hyper-conscious state Emma described, the scene forms clearly. I get up and write it, quasi-tranced I'd say, no more than that, but highly energised where 10 mins before I felt knackered.

Dee very interested in the idea of writing after self-hypnosis. Why didn't I think of that, especially as it's not going well right now. Thanks for the idea.

Saxon childhood - wow...

I've not tried it, but I'm sure it would be possible to go into trance directing yourself to something that would relate to whatever scene you're trying to wri… zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I'd love to be hypnotised - it's something I always wanted as a child/ teen. Would hope to be able to access lost childhood memories...

I recently started working part-time at a complementary care clinic (hypotherapy, acupuncture, naturopathy etc) and can vouch for what Dee says: being hypnotised doesn't mean that someone else controls your brain! It's more like guided meditation, and you can come out of it whenever you wish - no one can force you to do anything, despite what you might have seen on tv

Apparently, it is indeed quite easy to fall asleep! But then I'm a strong believer in the power of sleep to let ideas mulch in the subconcious for a bit...

Hello Rogermorris
I am a hypnotist myself. I have been doing it for over 12 years now.
It is something I learnt for myself (no a career as I am an artist by profession)
I have helped quite a few people give up smoking and remove fears etc
I have done a few demonstrations in a local spiritualist church on past life regression. Unfortunately there has been no concrete evidence that the lives my subject reported were authentic – but very interesting all the same.
When someone is hypnotised, I stress to them all that they will never loose control of themselves or their minds. Any person in trance will still be aware of all that is going on around them and cannot be made to do anything that goes against their moral code.
Some enter into it feeling nervous, but everyone comes out feeling wonderful and fully relaxed a though they have just had a good night’s sleep.
Hypnosis as a writing tool? Yes – I should say so. To effectively ‘turn off’ the conscious mind and allow the creative subconscious mind to step forwards is most useful. Free-writing would be much the same as it will be the subconscious that is at work after a while.