Blacking out in deeper states of trance. What is this?

Firstly let me allay your fears, there is absolutely no risk of you not coming out trance. It is awesome that you can relax and go so deep into trance. The fact that you can continue to do this, already tells me your subconscious mind knows this! Otherwise it would never allow you be so relaxed.

I just wish as a hypnotherapist that each and every client I have could get down to a level almost that deep.

This state is what therapists would call the Esdaile State or the coma state, I and most other therapists prefer to use the Esdaile State label to remove the negative connotations associated with the word coma. Now there are a few strategies that you can use to control when you re-emerge. This state is great for anaesthetic free dentistry/surgery. But to affect change in behaviours etc we dont use such a deep state, we still want the subconcious paying attention and not resting..

The most elegant strategy is to tell your subconcious as you go into the session at which time you want to awaken feeling relaxed and refreshed. The human mind is an awesome timekeeper, you probably already do this. Just think about when you have to get up early to catch a plane, you set the alarm and more often than not you awaken just a moment before it goes off.
Less elegant is to set an alarm, If you are truly worried have another person check on you around the time you want to be awake after your session.

One other thing to consider is that you may just be dropping into a beautiful restful healing sleep. Either way please bare this in mind, No one has ever been stuck in trance.

For further research check out Esdaile on the internet.

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Its interesting that you can achieve this state on your own, perhaps you could share with us the technique that you use to achieve it?

Strictly speaking the Esdaille state, is a mesmeric state and as Steve says, is also known as the hypnotic coma state. Its not a medical coma though, your unconscious mind remains in complete control.

Dr Esdaille used this state as a general anesthesia during the surgery he performed in India, in the days before ether was used. Its thought also to be a healing state with recovery after surgery dramatically improved.

The hypnotic coma is considered to be a euphoric state and the reason it is sometimes difficult to emerge someone from this state is that they enjoy being there so much. It is truly a state of mind, with the body becoming of secondary importance.

There is a deeper state than that called the Sichort state, also considered to be a powerful healing state where subjects experience massive time distortion. There is still much to be discovered about these states, not least of which will be, the next depth level.

Are they hypnotic states though? Well, I dont think so. I believe that they are altered states of consciousness that you can achieve with the aid of hypnosis but as soon as you go past somnambulism the ability to impart suggestions to the subconscious mind is lost. So from a purist hypnotherapy point of view, these states have no value.

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Some people establish a time frame for their trance. Simply telling their mind that the trance will last for "x" amount of time, at which time they will awaken refreshed, renewed, etc... It can be quite amazing how the unconscious mind keeps quite accurate "real time" and works like an alarm clock. This may help allay any fear that you will stay too long in this state. I've seen people do this with amazing accuracy, regarding hypnotic trance, cat naps, and even waking in the morning to start their day without an alarm clock.

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Wow! Sounds as if you have mastered quieting your mind.

If you are unconscious, you may have slowed down to safe, ultra-healing Delta Brain Waves.

If it is the Esdaile State, you will likely emerge back into full awakened awareness with a feeling of being calmer, wiser, happier for no reason. No risk of being "stuck" for too long either way.

How are you feeling when you awaken?
Thanks for sharing.

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I've heard of this before but have never experienced it. However, I know someone that has actually experienced very disturbing images when in a deep state. It put him off self hypnosis for a while because of it.

Tony M
www.hypnosisunlocked.com

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quite often when using self hypnosis I simply drift into a deep sleep for around fifteen minutes especially when using hypnosis cd s.

I call them power naps !
ive not tried to analyse it too much as I enjoy them but often had strange mini dreams as entering the state,the dreams are pretty relevant and realistic with ideas about stuff that's happening but minutes after I forget all about them.
weird stuff indeed

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The Nature of Hypnosis and Suggestion (Collected Papers of Milton H. Erickson)

You can find this online very easy. If you download the PDF you can simply use CTRL + F to find everything on self - hypnosis /auto hypnosis. What he says about self hypnosis is very different than what 99% of books on the subject tell you to do. I highly recommend learning from the master himself.

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Hello.

I'm curious though because you say "The hypnotic coma is considered to be a euphoric state and the reason it is sometimes difficult to emerge someone from this state is that they enjoy being there so much."

Since discovering self hypnosis I regularly slip into euphoric, and physically paralysing hypnotic states that are indeed hard to exit because they are so intensely pleasurable. But how can a coma be euphoric if, as the word implies, one is unconscious? (personnally I never lose consciousness) . thanks in advance

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