Hypnotic-like Aspects of the Tibetan Tradition of Dzogchen Meditation.

Dzogchen meditation, practiced for over 1,200 years by Bonpo and Buddhist yogis, uses meditation and yogic exercises to help practitioners awaken from illusions of self and reality that cause suffering. Its philosophy and practice closely resemble hypnosis, employing hypnotic-like techniques such as selective attention, visualization, and posthypnotic suggestion to facilitate advanced insights into the nature of mind. The phenomenological and psychophysiological effects of Dzogchen are comparable to those of hypnosis. Additionally, theoretical similarities exist between Dzogchen and several hypnosis theories, including ego state therapy, neo-dissociation, sociocognitive, and Ericksonian approaches.

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Abstract

Dzogchen meditation has been practiced by Bonpo and Buddhist yogis for at least 1,200 years. Dzogchen utilizes methods of meditation and yogic exercises that are said to help one fully awaken from illusions of self and reality that cause suffering in life. The philosophy and experiential practice of Dzogchen is very similar to hypnosis. Dzogchen techniques utilize hypnotic-like practices of selective attention, visualization, and posthypnotic suggestion to help yogis experience advanced insights into the nature of mind. The experience of Dzogchen can be likened to the experience of hypnosis in terms of their phenomenological and psychophysiological effects. Finally, there are also many theoretical similarities between aspects of the ego state therapy, neo-dissociation, sociocognitive, and Ericksonian theories of hypnosis with the tradition of Dzogchen meditation.