Cultivate Self Love & Acceptance

Before the hypnosis begins, you breathe in for a count of four, hold for four, and breathe out for six, then let your breathing settle to its natural rhythm. The long exhale helps your muscles release, so you sink into the body before the staircase begins.

Each number is paired with a deeper layer of ease, from "deeply relaxed, so comfortable" at ten to "total relaxation" at one. You rest your hand on a firm handrail on your left, and at the bottom you let go of it, along with your worries. It leaves you in your favourite place of calm, such as a beach or garden.

The session describes the subconscious as something that protects you by holding on to old, out-of-date patterns. Rather than fighting it, the voice thanks it for that work, then says it is safe to open up to new, positive suggestions. That sets the tone for the self-love messages that follow.

You bring to mind one thing you don't like about your body and swap it for a positive thought. You consider how that body part has served you or shaped who you are. The example given is legs: you might not like them, but they have carried you to many places and experiences.

You imagine floating weightless, then soaring like a bird, guided by your instincts. You are asked whether to follow the flock or step away from outside influences, and what you choose. It is a picture of independence, with enough love left over to share with people on similar or different paths.

After suggestions that grow stronger by the day, the hour and the minute, you are brought back with a count from one to five. At five your eyes open and you are alert, with mind and body fully returned, which is why it works well as a morning practice.