The mind can be broadly defined as the set of cognitive processes and mental activities that allow us to think, feel, perceive, and interact with the world around us. It’s a complex and multifaceted construct that plays a fundamental role in shaping our experiences and behaviour. The Mind is divided into two main components: the conscious mind and the unconscious mind. These two parts play very different roles.

The conscious mind refers to the mental processes and activities we know and can actively control. This includes our thoughts, perceptions, and feelings that we are aware of in the present moment. For example, when we are engaged in a conversation with someone, our conscious mind is processing the words that they are saying, our emotional reactions to what they are saying, and our own thoughts and responses to the conversation.

The subconscious mind, on the other hand, refers to mental processes that occur outside of our conscious awareness. These can include automatic behaviours, reflexes, and instincts, as well as deeper psychological processes such as repressed memories and unconscious desires. While we may not be aware of these mental processes, they have a significant impact on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

The formation of our subconscious mind is heavily developed in the first 7 years of our life, when we exist in the Theta brain wave state, aka hypnosis - which is a highly receptive state. This developmental period is characterized by a sponge-like ability to absorb the world around us, laying the foundation upon which our subconscious mind will build.

Our understanding of the world is constructed based on how we perceive and experience reality, as well as how we observe our parents and others’ reactions to life. Subconsciously, we assimilate these observations and learn how to express our emotions for example how we react when we are angry or how best to express love, and when not to! These messages from our environment become ingrained in our subconscious and become our programmes, shaping our automatic, underlying perspective of reality.

As we mature, we develop new subconscious patterns and beliefs through repeated experiences, such as mastering a habitual movement or skill. However, the foundation of these patterns and beliefs are often established during our formative years, providing an undercurrent - a background programme - that influences our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours throughout our lives.

The key to recognising the subconscious programs that are currently running in our minds is to examine our life. The things we cherish in our lives are often the manifestation of our subconscious beliefs and programming, which create a welcoming environment for them to enter and thrive. Conversely, any obstacles or difficulties that we encounter arise because our subconscious programs do not support their manifestation. Although our conscious mind may ardently seek such outcomes, the limitations imposed by our subconscious mind preclude their realisation.

It is precisely this subconscious aspect of our cognition that can engender cycles of relational patterns, often without our explicit awareness. As these programs operate beneath the threshold of conscious awareness, their detection and resolution can be particularly challenging.

To achieve the desired outcomes and create the life we truly aspire to, we must alter the underlying subconscious programs that underpin our beliefs and behaviours. Hypnotherapy has emerged as a particularly potent tool for achieving such transformation, owing to its capacity to penetrate deeply into the subconscious mind and reprogram its fundamental components.