Hypnotherapy: Conscious Mind vs Unconscious Mind

Understanding the differences between the conscious mind and unconscious mind, and how they work together, is essential if you plan to use hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis to create positive change in your life. In this post I give you a solid foundation to begin building your comprehension of these two main parts of the Whole Mind.

Conscious Mind vs Unconscious Mind

Both the conscious mind and the unconscious mind perform very important operations, every moment of every day. Knowing which roles each part of the mind fulfills will help you develop a better relationship between them, and also a better relationship between you and the mind.

It is essential to know that you are not the mind. You have access to the mind, you are connected to the mind, and you are not the mind. In the same way that you have the body, you have the mind. As you continue deepening your knowledge of hypnotherapy, you will also deepen your knowledge of the body-mind connection and your own nature.

The conscious mind is 1% of the Whole Mind

At most one percent. The conscious mind is the part of the mind which you are probably most familiar with. It is what you are using right now to read this post. Here are some qualities of the conscious mind to give you better comprehension of its nature:

The conscious mind:

• Likes logic

• Makes decisions

• Likes linear thinking

• Assumes the perspective of "I"

• Makes judgements about the world

• Creates opinions and beliefs about the world

• Operates when you are awake and conscious

• Likes using the language of words

• Assumes that "I" am doing things

• Connects to voluntary actions

Keep in (conscious) mind that all of these functions are performed by only 1% of the Whole Mind. The tendency to judge yourself and others, the conviction of your opinions, the assumption that "I" am the one doing things and making decisions...

All of these are operated by, at most, 1% of the mind.

The unconscious mind is 99% of the Whole Mind

At least ninety-nine percent. Although you may be most familiar with the conscious mind, the unconscious mind is always in operation, even, and of course, when you are unconscious. Right now, as you are focusing on reading these words using the conscious mind, the unconscious mind is perceiving everything else that is happening in your environment, through all of your physical senses. Here are some qualities of the unconscious mind to give you better comprehension of its nature:

The unconscious mind:

• Likes emotion

• Likes nonlinear thinking

• Likes using the language of imagery

• Stores belief systems about the world

• Perceives the world without judgement

• Stores memories of your entire life

• Connects to involuntary actions

• Operates all of the time

• Creates dreams

Because the unconscious mind is 99% or more of the mind, all of the functions of the conscious mind are, to a very high degree, guided and influenced by the unconscious mind. Your decisions, judgements, opinions, thoughts, and feelings about yourself and your world are all greatly dependent on the operations of the unconscious mind. This is why, in order to change your perception and experience of life, you must create change at the unconscious level.

Comparison of the conscious and unconscious mind

Here is a clearer comparison of some of the qualities of the conscious and unconscious minds:

• The conscious mind likes logic.

• The unconscious mind likes emotion.

• The conscious mind likes linear thinking.

• The unconscious mind likes nonlinear thinking.

• The conscious mind likes using the language of words.

• The unconscious mind likes using the language of imagery.

• The conscious mind makes judgements about the world.

• The unconscious mind perceives the world without judgment.

• The conscious mind creates opinions and beliefs about the world.

• The unconscious mind stores belief systems about the world.

• The conscious mind operates when you are awake and conscious.

• The unconscious mind operates all of the time.

• The conscious mind connects to voluntary actions.

• The unconscious mind connects to involuntary actions.

Cooperation of Conscious and Unconscious Minds

This communication is an exchange of information about: 1) what you are perceiving in the world, and 2) how your perceptions compare and contrast with your current internal belief systems. The conscious mind makes judgements about your perceptions based on the belief systems stored within the unconscious mind, while those same judgements are based on your internal belief systems. This maintains an ongoing feedback loop:

Internal beliefs (influence) » Judgements about world (reinforce) » Internal beliefs (influence) » Judgements about world (reinforce) » and so on...

This is how the conscious mind and unconscious mind work together to create both your perception and experience of reality, and this is neither good nor bad. However, when you want to create positive change in your reality, you must change the way you perceive and experience yourself.

Hypnotherapy Connects the Conscious and Unconscious Minds

Hypnotherapy is a highly effective method for connecting the conscious mind with the unconscious mind—while being consciously aware of their connection. This is the key. Using hypnotherapy, you can intentionally and consciously connect with the unconscious mind. To learn more about how hypnotherapy helps you do this, read this post » How Does Hypnotherapy Work?

The feedback loop between the conscious mind and unconscious mind is extremely stable by design. Over many years, internal belief systems become deeply rooted in the unconscious mind. Thus, your judgements about yourself and the world are reinforced to a greater and greater degree. Thus, it becomes more and more challenging to change your perceptions of reality, and yourself. Hypnotherapy gives you conscious access to the internal belief systems in the unconscious mind, where you can change these beliefs to align with your conscious intentions.

It is completely possible to use hypnotherapy on yourself, a method called self-hypnosis, to achieve these changes. You already have everything you need to become your Best Self.

Your Hypnotherapist,
Devin Ryback

As always, I am available if you would like more guidance.