Quick Stress Relief

You can use self-hypnosis for quick relaxation in stressful situations.

You can use deep breathing to relax and release your muscles. You can fix your mind on the "dan tien," the center of the body in traditional Chinese medicine, which is about three finger widths below the navel.

Or, you can program yourself to relax on cue.

Do a standard self-hypnosis session, using induction, relaxation, and deepening, as described in the induction section. When you reach a state of deep relaxation, say to yourself: I reach this state of calm relaxation whenever I want by saying the word "relax."

Then go ahead with a gentle trance termination. Do this a few times on consecutive days.

You will find this technique invaluable in dealing with everyday stresses. Any time you feel yourself under a lot of stress or pressure, stop for a moment, take a deep breath, focus your mind on the tan tien, and say to yourself "relax." You will be able to recapture the feeling of relaxation without going through the hypnosis procedure. This is a form of post-hypnotic suggestion.

This will allow you to calm down and think clearly. You will then have the clarity of mind and self-confidence to solve your problem or ride out the situation. This is a great technique for those of you who have test anxiety to use right before you take the exam.