Although a subject put under hypnosis does appear to assume the features of somebody asleep, they are essentially completely alert. Hypnosis is astonishingly hard to illustrate, as nobody in fact knows what is taking place inside the brain of a subject under hypnosis. What we do know is that while in trance state the hypnotic subject becomes extremely suggestible. A subject`s attention, whilst they are going into hypnosis, is narrowed down bit by bit. Firstly, the sense of sight is lost as the subject is demanded to close their eyes. After a little while it is not unusual for the hypnotic subject to lose complete perception of their body. Though one by one the senses are slowly slipping away, one sense is significantly enhanced by the induction process. This is the sense of hearing. A hypnotized subject can repeatedly hear faraway sounds that they would not be able to hear in the conventional waking state. This, naturally, means that through the whole process the subject can hear all that the hypnotist may say. When you start to induce hypnosis in people you will frequently find that after awakening the subject, they will suppose they could not have been put under hypnosis as they could still hear your voice. The delusion that they won`t be able to hear your voice often comes from those persons who consider hypnosis to be like sleep.

A person in the hypnotic state is very suggestible. One of the main reasons for this is that, while in the trance, you are just able to concentrate on one thing at a time. For example, if I were to tell you that you are a dainty ballerina, you would immediately compare this hypnotic suggestion with what you already know to be true, and, lest of course you are a ballerina, you would tell me I am talking nonsense. The hypnotised subject then again is not able to entertain the thought that they might not be what I have suggested, as their partial attention is taken up by the thought that they are actually a delicate ballerina. The consequence, as desired, ends in the subject hopping to their feet to carry out a series of pirouettes across the stage.

The human mind is split into two so distinct parts. The conscious mind, which is accountable for all our conscious thoughts and decisions, and the subconscious mind, which coordinates our autonomous activity. The mind can be best called a computer, the subconscious as the processor and the conscious as the monitor and keyboard. Our subconscious mind is a form of protector; it protects our body and helps us to survive.

Though our subconscious can do voluminoustasks that consciously may be impracticable, it also has one pretty principal characteristic. Somewhere between our two minds is what we call the critical factor. This is undoubtedly best described as a door, at which is a guardian. Our subconscious mind will process anything that enters it no matter how unusual. So, as long as you can put a suggestion through the door it will be accepted. This is precisely the reason why hypnosis works. The guardian's door can be haphazardly opened while we are under hypnosis.