Ernest L. Rossi, Ph.D.
An unusually lucid presentation and integration!

Elizabeth M. Erickson
I have read this book and was very favorably impressed with it.

Book Description
Effective Self Hypnosis: Pathways to the Unconscious and the accompanying audiocassette tape are a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of self hypnosis. Beginning with a history of the phenomenon gives a firm foundation for understanding. Next, the pillars of hypnosis: the unconscious, mind/body, and suggestion are the building blocks to develop concepts. These concepts are presented with exercises for understanding and easy accessiblity. The step-by-step instructions offer a gradual personal experience to practice self suggestion and trance phenomena as skills to use. The skills can be then be applied successfully to help in many areas. The final section shows how to use this method of self hypnosis to enhance learning, sports, self control, overcome pain and fear, quit bad habits, and lessen stress. Creative individualizing and adapting of the method is encouraged. The companion tape supplements the book and leads the listener into producing and working with self hypnosis.

From the Inside Flap
"Effective Self Hypnosis" is a complete course in self hypnosis. Hypnosis is first and foremost an experience and this book guides readers into the experience with exercises throughout. For those who like to have an intellectual understanding, this book also provides historical and theoretical sections. Easy to read, "Effective Self Hypnosis" shows readers how to do hypnosis and then guides in applying it. About the Tape: This 55 minute tape accompanies the book to help enhance your experience with self hypnosis. Side One answers many questions and shows the listener how to work with the pillars of hypnosis, suggestion, mind and body, and the unconscious. Side Two offers a guided trance experience for relaxation, calming, and stress reduction. Together with the book, you will have the tools you need to experience and work with self hypnosis.

About the Author
C. Alexander Simpkins Ph.D. and Annellen M. Simpkins Ph.D. are psychologists who have specialized in understanding the mind. They have devoted many years to the study of hypnosis with Milton H. Erickson, Ernest Rossi, and G. Wilson Shaffer. They have taught self hypnosis and meditation to people of all ages. They are authors of numerous books: Principles of Self Hypnosis, Principles of Meditation, Living Meditation, Meditation from Thought to Action, Zen Around the World, Simple Zen, Simple Taoism, Simple Confucianism, and forthcoming Simple Buddhism.

Excerpted from Effective Self Hypnosis: Pathways to the Unconscious, Book/Tape Combination by C. Alexander Simpkins, Annellen M. Simpkins, Ernest L. Rossi, Carmen Z. Simpkins. Copyright © 2000. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
From the Introduction There are many books written about hypnosis, but self hypnosis is unique, requiring special skills. The individual attempting self hypnosis must be both the hypnotist and the subject simultaneously. The dilemma in self hypnosis is how to voluntarily do the involuntary, to deliberately be spontaneous and regain rapport with your own inner self. Self hypnosis returns you to balance. Both the conscious and unconscious can learn to work together for orienting and problem solving in hypnotic work. You will learn to return to natural functioning with your unconscious and to cooperate with your inner needs in a healthy and positive way. Self hypnosis facilitates constructive responses and better use of potentials. Normally, we have routine patterns of thoughts, attitudes, concerns and feelings. Like a television set receiving only three channels, this becomes the limited spectrum of possibility for television viewing. We tune the TV to these channels only, ignoring any other signals. Then, one day we become curious about new possibilities for input and decide to put a satellite dish on the roof. Suddenly new channels become available with new programming options. Similarly, our assumptions limit us to a certain range of experiences. Other mental events are either disregarded or experienced as meaningless static. Openness to the unconscious through hypnosis draws in more data and new perspectives. These new potentials may be integrated to expand the horizons of experience. People vary on how they respond to hypnosis ... Once you become familiar with your own personal response to hypnosis, you can broaden and evolve to learn other responses. Rather than programming your mind with direct suggestion, the traditional stereotype of hypnosis, this book teaches you how to sensitize to intuitions from your unconscious processes. Paradoxically, this may result in desensitization to learned limitations, as will be shown later. Spontaneous responses occur, rather than redundant conditioning. Throughout we invite you to interact with your responses and use them creatively. About this Book This book is divided into four parts. Part I, The Story of Hypnosis shows the evolution and expansion of self hypnosis, growing out of the traditions of hypnosis itself. Included are early developments and clinical applications along with later research findings. Part II, The Pillars of Hypnosis, explains the fundamental tools used in hypnosis: the unconscious mind, the mind and body working together, and suggestion. Exercises are also offered, so you can develop the skills used in self hypnosis. Part III, Pathways to Trance, gives step-by-step instructions for inducing hypnosis in yourself. Find your way into trance by trying varied self hypnostic experiences. We encourage you to experiment with the many kinds of exercises. These are opportunities to try out new skills. Special work with resistances can help people who find it difficult to develop a trance or respond to self suggestion. Part IV, Navigating the Sea of Life, offers approaches to specific problems, using and developing the self hypnotic skills taught earlier in the book. Self Hypnosis can be a practical tool for specific target areas while also facilitating a general constructive process within. These applications can also be viewed as paradigms for more generalized personal development. ..We hope you will be able to find your own positive potential for growth and development through the use of this book.

SYNOPSIS

Effective Self Hypnosis: Pathways to the Unconscious is a comprehensive guide to the theory and practice of self hypnosis. Beginning with a history of the phenomenon gives a firm foundation for understanding. Next, the pillars of hypnosis: the unconscious, mind/body, and suggestion are the building blocks to develop concepts. These concepts are presented with exercises for understanding and easy accessiblity. The step-by-step instructions offer a gradual personal experience to practice self suggestion and trance phenomena as skills to use. The skills can be then be applied successfully to help in many areas. The final section shows how to use this method of self hypnosis to enhance learning, sports, self control, overcome pain and fear, quit bad habits, and lessen stress. Creative individualizing and adapting of the method is encouraged.

About the Author
C. Alexander Simpkins Ph.D. and Annellen M. Simpkins Ph.D. are psychologists who have specialized in understanding the mind. They have devoted many years to the study of hypnosis with Milton H. Erickson, Ernest Rossi, and G. Wilson Shaffer. They have taught self hypnosis and meditation to people of all ages. They are authors of numerous books: Principles of Self Hypnosis, Principles of Meditation, Living Meditation, Meditation from Thought to Action, Zen Around the World, Simple Zen, Simple Taoism, Simple Confucianism and forthcoming Simple Buddhism.

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