Yes, you read that right. I tried hypnosis. You might be imagining every bad hypnosis scenario you’ve seen in movies or Vegas shows so I know that it sounds a little crazy. Just hear me out. No one lulled me into a trance, I was not convinced to forget my name and there were no trigger words. Aside from cartoon depictions, pop culture references and that signature black and white swirl, hypnosis is not some outlandish method for mind control. Femme Fatale DC, a feminist group for creatives, hosted a feminine hypnosis session for women to “de-hypnotize ourselves from the damaging, sexist messages that were embedded in our minds over the years.” The description seemed interesting and easy. I’m always looking for ways to empower and embrace the strength of femininity, so the session seemed like just another way to achieve that. Plus, the hectic transition into another semester discouraged me so I needed to channel my Girl Boss through some form of motivation. If all else fails, at least it makes a great conversation starter.
Before
On a stormy, Friday evening I made my way to the FemmeFatale shop. As we tentatively arrived at the store, we were asked to remove our shoes before entering a dimly lit room. Around the room, neon lights illuminated the murals on the wall with a pink glow. The room was filled with the droning sounds of two fans that warded away the evening humidity. On a small platform in front of the large shop window stood Janna Gayle, our hypno-therapist, who greeted us for check in. Since we arrived early, we were invited to walk around the shop and socialize. Around the store were paintings of feminine symbols and images like the female form, empowering sayings, icons and more. The shop was very comforting, which settled the doubts I had when I entered the room.
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During
Before the session began, Janna introduced herself and her experience in hypnotherapy. She also asked the women in the room to introduce themselves and explain why we were there so that we can all enjoy the experience as a group. After introductions, Janna cleared the air by explaining the actual process of hypnosis. She explained that during hypnosis, you are guided through two brain wavelengths to reach the theta wave length. The theta wavelength is ideal for hypnosis as the mind is in a relaxed, open state which allows emotional expression and deep subconscious activity. The point of hypnosis is to bridge the gap between conscious and subconscious mind in order to better communicate thoughts, desires and emotion.
Courtesy of Jada Robinson
We sat on our yoga mats with our legs crossed and followed Janna in deep breathing exercises to level our emotional state and center our minds. We then shook our arms and rolled our shoulders to release any excess energy we held. Janna asked that we lie back on our mats in a position most comfortable to us and close our eyes. Just like normal meditation, we eased into subconsciousness as we released tension from our entire bodies and slowed our thinking process. As we sat there, Janna suggested that we envision our happy place, to survey the surroundings and immerse ourselves there in that moment. After a few minutes, she told us to imagine our younger self approaching us in this space. From this point, we took a journey with our younger self through times in history where women demonstrated strength and power like the legendary Amazon tribe. After the journey, we were told to take time to talk to our younger self. First, we had to tell her about the phenomenal, strong woman she grew up to be. We were told to tell her about traits that we wanted her to have like assertiveness, bravery, or patience. The meditation ended by Janna instructing us to depart from our younger selves with love and slowly regain our consciousness.
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Overall, the hypnosis was more like a mix of guided meditation with deep self reflection. You know those journal ideas about writing a letter to your younger self? It was like that except you were imagining that you were having an active conversation about things you wanted to teach. I personally felt that it was more effective than writing a letter.
The Result
Was I reformed? Had I finally conditioned myself to fully embrace my inner Amazonian?
The answer: no. I did not feel exceptionally empowered, which I didn’t fully expect to happen. Janna did say that for desired results that more sessions would need to take place, but for me this was just an experimental experience. Although my attitude didn’t magically change from one session, I realize that I have become more self aware of emotions, actions and habits. Since the session, I have become more conscious of moments where I need to demonstrate my own strength and power. Would I try hypnosis again? Maybe. In the meantime, I’m going to be the best girl boss I can be.