We don't realize that often, when a predatory animal is stalking, or has already caught prey, that a form of hypnosis is involved. When the fox catches a rabbit, for example, the rabbit goes into a kind of hypnotic trance that minimizes it's suffering. And with some predators, when they have their prey cornered, they stare directly into it's eyes in a way that kind of paralyzes the prey so it stops trying to get away. It may even be that, when an animal gets caught in a trap and has to chew it's leg off to escape, it to is using a form of hypnosis to minimize the pain and trauma.   Often, just touching or massaging an animal in a certain way can hypnotize it, as in this picture of a shark hypnotized by rubbing it's nose. 

    If you think that you have never been hypnotized, you are almost certainly wrong. It isn't necessary to have a hypnotist standing in front of you and speaking to you and telling you to relax to cause you to be hypnotized. One of the most common types of hypnosis occurs through simple repetition as with advertising, especially TV and radio commercials. Those ads that annoy us with the stupid things that happen in them are often the most effective because of our emotional response to them. Very often, the first time we see or hear an ad, we are not impressed with the product or service advertised but, after hearing the ad dozens, or hundreds, of times, they convince us to buy. That is a form of hypnosis!

    The good news is that we can use this idea on ourselves. There are quite a few books available on self hypnosis, most of which have you laying down, relaxing, and essentially trying to do to yourself what is often done by a professional hypnotist. What usually happens when people buy these books is that they try it a few times and give up, probably because it just seems to be too much trouble. But the part about advertising should tell you that, while that may be the best way to do self-hypnosis, there is a simpler way that can work: repetition. Just repeat your goal, in positive terms, a number of times a day, and you may succeed in convincing yourself. For example, if you want to loose weight, tell yourself several times a day: “I find it easy to eat healthy. I always maintain a healthy body weight. I enjoy exercise. “ and so on. This doesn't work for everyone, some people are more susceptible than others, and some are so easily hypnotized that, as soon as they hear or say something contrary to the goal, they erase the positive suggestion. Still, it is worth trying, not just for weight loss, but for any personal goals.