EPISODE · Aug 25, 2025 · 1H 33M
Hypnosis, Brain Hacking, & Mental Mastery - Dr David Spiegel - #985
from Modern Wisdom · host Chris Williamson
Dr. David Spiegel is a psychiatrist, Stanford professor, and leading authority on hypnosis and stress-related health. What exactly is hypnosis? Most of us picture it as a magician’s trick, when someone dangles a watch, your eyes get heavy, and suddenly you’re suggestible. But that barely scratches the surface. The real question is, what’s the true purpose of hypnosis? And what if we aren’t just hypnotized during those sessions, but in some sense all the time, walking through life under subtle trances we don’t even notice? Expect to learn what Dr. Speigel thinks most people misunderstand about what hypnosis is or how it works, what’s actually happening in the brain when we enter a hypnotic state, if anyone can be hypnotized or is there a specific “profile” of someone more likely to respond, the neurobiological difference between someone pretending to be hypnotized vs. someone actually in a trance state, how effective hypnosis is for improving sleep, the role hypnosis could play in reducing our reliance on pharmaceuticals, and much more… Timestamps: (0:00) The Biggest Misunderstandings About Hypnosis (6:00) Why Can We Be Hypnotised? (22:44) What is Hypnosis? (25:24) Why are Some People Hypnotisable and Others Not? (34:04) Predicting Hypnotisability Through Genes (38:54) Can You Train Hypnotisability? (41:28) Is In-Person Hypnosis More Effective? (54:21) Training Your Brain to Tolerate Pain (01:04:51) How to Use Self-Hypnosis to Maximum Effect (01:07:08) What Areas Could Hypnosis Be Combined With? (01:11:57) The Positive Effects of Breath Work (01:15:15) David’s Stand Out Hypnosis Cases (01:24:31) Overcoming Resistance with Hypnosis (01:30:29) Why Has Hypnosis Been Sidelined in Modern Medicine? (01:32:42) Find Out More About David Sponsors: See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Get $100 off the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get up to $350 off the Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom Get 20% off Reveri's yearly or lifetime membership at https://reverihealth.app.link/modern-wisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM) Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman - Get In Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What this episode covers
Dr. David Spiegel is a psychiatrist, Stanford professor, and leading authority on hypnosis and stress-related health. What exactly is hypnosis? Most of us picture it as a magician’s trick, when someone dangles a watch, your eyes get heavy, and suddenly you’re suggestible. But that barely scratches the surface. The real question is, what’s the true purpose of hypnosis? And what if we aren’t just hypnotized during those sessions, but in some sense all the time, walking through life under subtle trances we don’t even notice? Expect to learn what Dr. Speigel thinks most people misunderstand about what hypnosis is or how it works, what’s actually happening in the brain when we enter a hypnotic state, if anyone can be hypnotized or is there a specific “profile” of someone more likely to respond, the neurobiological difference between someone pretending to be hypnotized vs. someone actually in a trance state, how effective hypnosis is for improving sleep, the role hypnosis could play in reducing our reliance on pharmaceuticals, and much more… Timestamps: (0:00) The Biggest Misunderstandings About Hypnosis (6:00) Why Can We Be Hypnotised? (22:44) What is Hypnosis? (25:24) Why are Some People Hypnotisable and Others Not? (34:04) Predicting Hypnotisability Through Genes (38:54) Can You Train Hypnotisability? (41:28) Is In-Person Hypnosis More Effective? (54:21) Training Your Brain to Tolerate Pain (01:04:51) How to Use Self-Hypnosis to Maximum Effect (01:07:08) What Areas Could Hypnosis Be Combined With? (01:11:57) The Positive Effects of Breath Work (01:15:15) David’s Stand Out Hypnosis Cases (01:24:31) Overcoming Resistance with Hypnosis (01:30:29) Why Has Hypnosis Been Sidelined in Modern Medicine? (01:32:42) Find Out More About David Sponsors: See me on tour in America: https://chriswilliamson.live See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://chriswillx.com/deals Get 35% off your first subscription on the best supplements from Momentous at https://livemomentous.com/modernwisdom Get $100 off the best bloodwork analysis in America at https://functionhealth.com/modernwisdom Get up to $350 off the Pod 5 at https://eightsleep.com/modernwisdom Get a Free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular Flavours with your first purchase at https://drinklmnt.com/modernwisdom Extra Stuff: Get my free reading list of 100 books to read before you die: https://chriswillx.com/books Try my productivity energy drink Neutonic: https://neutonic.com/modernwisdom Get 20% off Reveri's yearly or lifetime membership at https://reverihealth.app.link/modern-wisdom (use code MODERNWISDOM) Episodes You Might Enjoy: #577 - David Goggins - This Is How To Master Your Life: lnkfi.re/SN-Goggins #712 - Dr Jordan Peterson - How To Destroy Your Negative Beliefs: lnkfi.re/SN-Peterson #700 - Dr Andrew Huberman - The Secret Tools To Hack Your Brain: lnkfi.re/SN-Huberman - Get In Touch: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chriswillx Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/chriswillx YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/modernwisdompodcast Email: https://chriswillx.com/contact - Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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Hypnosis, Brain Hacking, & Mental Mastery - Dr David Spiegel - #985
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