Discussion of Hypnosis from the Non-Hypnosis Community

Three unexpected voices reflect on trance, belief, and consciousness

If you ask me what I do in my spare time—besides travelling or planning my next trip, attending live shows, and going to concerts—my answer is simple: not much. House chores, cooking, reading… like everyone else.

I do, however, spend a lot of time listening to podcasts and watching videos online. Three times a week, I tune in to Byron Katie’s At Home with Katie webinar. I also subscribe to various mental health organization newsletters, and from time to time, I sign up for what they offer as part of my “continuing education.” It’s a non-negotiable endeavour for me—not a must or a “have-to,” but a voluntary engagement born out of genuine curiosity and joy in learning.

So it happened that within two days, I watched three long videos from teachers I admire, and all of them—coincidentally—touched on something profoundly relevant to my work with hypnosis.

The first was Mooji, a beloved spiritual teacher originally from Jamaica, who has inspired countless people with his clear, heart-centred teachings on self-realization and presence. To my surprise, in this particular video, he spoke openly about other life forms in the cosmos. (It always warms me to remember that Mooji is one-quarter Chinese—somehow, that mix of worlds makes me smile.)

Then came Bashar, an entity said to be channelled by filmmaker Darryl Anka since the early 1980s. Bashar claims to come from a civilization called Essassani, in another dimension and star system. Whether one believes in that or not, what struck me was his clear and grounded explanation of the hypnotic state—how trance can help us identify and reset deeply held belief systems.

Finally, Steve Rother, founder of Espavo (an organization dedicated to empowering lightworkers around the world), mentioned that he once earned a hypnotherapy certification—trained as a “clinical hypnotist.” Like many people, he didn’t pursue it professionally, yet in this talk, he shared his reflections on using hypnosis for past-life regression.

What I find fascinating is that none of these teachers come from the hypnosis community—yet all, in their own way, speak to its essence. Whether it’s Mooji pointing toward the vastness of consciousness, Bashar describing the mechanics of belief systems, or Steve Rother reflecting on past-life exploration, they all hint at the same truth: that we are, moment to moment, shaping our inner realities. Hypnosis, then, is not a foreign practice—it is simply a conscious participation in what we’re already doing, all the time.