Who hasn't heard of hypnosis, the altered state of consciousness, and by what miracle can this method help us to forget our overwhelming desires for chocolate or cheese?
Hypnosis, from the Greek Hypnos (the god of sleep), is a state of awakeness and consciousness, where the subject detaches themself from their environment and functions on an unconscious level.
In theory, hypnosis is a changed state of consciousness, either light (like daydreaming or mild hypnotic trances) or deeper. It's unlike other changed states such as meditation because it separates consciousness from unconsciousness.
What happens is you lie down on a sofa like at a psychiatrist's and let yourself get carried away by sounds, fix your mind on something, close your eyes and relax. The hypnotist speaks softly, encouraging you to sleep and relax. Like with yoga, abdominal breathing is used to attain full relaxation.
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