People often ask whether self-hypnosis and meditation are the same thing.
The short answer: no. They share surface similarities — eyes closed, attention focused, altered states possible — but the purpose and mechanism differ.
I practice both. Each has its place. Here’s what distinguishes them and when you might choose one over the other.
Core differences
Meditation
Purpose: Training attention and awareness. Observing the mind clearly. Developing equanimity.
Direction: Observing what is, without trying to change it.
Goal: Present-moment awareness, insight, mental clarity.
State: Alert awareness. Watching experience without manipulation.
Post-practice: Clarity, calm, sometimes insight. Nothing added.
Self-hypnosis
Purpose: Accessing a suggestible state to create change.
Direction: Using focused attention to modify thoughts, feelings, or behaviours.
Goal: Specific outcomes — reduced anxiety, better sleep, increased motivation, habit change.
State: Focused absorption with increased suggestibility. Deep relaxation common.
Post-practice: Movement toward a specific intention. Something added or shifted.
The key distinction
Meditation observes. Hypnosis directs.
In meditation, you notice anxious thoughts without trying to change them. The practice is observation itself.
In hypnosis, you might offer suggestions to yourself: “I am becoming calmer. The anxiety releases with each breath.” The practice is directed change.
Both can produce relaxation. Both can help with anxiety, stress, and focus. But the why and how differ fundamentally.
How they feel different
My meditation experience
Sitting down, closing eyes. Noticing breath. Mind wanders, I return. More wandering, more returning.
The experience is present-focused. I’m here, now, observing whatever is happening.
Sometimes thoughts race. Sometimes they settle. I don’t try to change either — I just notice.
By the end, there’s often clarity. The mind feels cleaner, less cluttered. Nothing has been “installed” — I’ve just observed clearly.
My self-hypnosis experience
Sitting or lying down, closing eyes. Often beginning with body relaxation — systematic releasing of tension from feet to head.
Then deepening. Perhaps counting down, or imagining descending stairs. Moving into a more absorbed, focused state.
Then suggestions. Either listening to a recording or offering myself suggestions about what I want to change. “I am confident in social situations. I feel relaxed when speaking to groups.”
The language is future-directed and change-oriented. I’m programming, in a sense.
By the end, there’s relaxation but also a sense of movement toward something. An intention has been seeded.
When to use each
Choose meditation when:
- You want to observe and understand your mind
- You’re cultivating present-moment awareness as a skill
- You’re not seeking a specific outcome, just clarity
- You want a sustainable daily practice for general wellbeing
- You’re interested in insight and self-knowledge
Choose self-hypnosis when:
- You have a specific goal: reduce anxiety, sleep better, build confidence
- You want to harness suggestion and imagination for change
- You’re working on habits or behaviours
- You prefer outcome-orientation over open-ended practice
- You’re addressing something targeted
Often useful together
Many people practise both:
Meditation daily for general mental fitness and clarity.
Self-hypnosis periodically when targeting specific changes — before a presentation, working on a habit, addressing a particular fear.
They complement rather than compete.
The science perspective
Research frames these practices as overlapping but distinct:
Meditation is associated with changes in:
- Default mode network activity (reduced mind-wandering)
- Prefrontal cortex (attention and executive function)
- Amygdala (emotional reactivity)
Hypnosis is associated with:
- Altered connectivity between cognitive and emotional brain regions
- Changes in anterior cingulate cortex (allows suggestion to bypass critical evaluation)
- Deep relaxation physiology
Both produce relaxation. Both can reduce anxiety. But the mechanisms differ.
Some research suggests hypnotic suggestibility (how responsive you are to hypnotic suggestion) is a relatively stable trait. Meditation benefits seem more universally available.
Common misconceptions
“Hypnosis is losing control”
Self-hypnosis is self-directed. You choose the suggestions. You’re aware throughout. There’s no surrendering to another’s will.
Stage hypnosis creates a misleading impression. Therapeutic and self-hypnosis are nothing like clucking like a chicken.
“Meditation and hypnosis are the same”
The overlap exists, but the practices differ. A meditation purist would object strongly to conflating them. The intention differs fundamentally.
“You can’t hypnotise yourself”
Self-hypnosis is well-established. You don’t need a hypnotist. Recorded scripts work. Even self-generated suggestions work once you understand the principles.
“Meditation is passive, hypnosis is active”
Meditation requires active attention. It appears passive externally but involves constant effort (noticing and returning).
Hypnosis can be receptive — following suggestions — but also involves active imagination and choice.
Both require active mental engagement.
What InTheMoment offers
At InTheMoment, we offer both meditation and self-hypnosis sessions.
When you describe what you want to work on, the AI determines whether meditation or hypnosis (or something in between) fits best.
Working on present-moment awareness, observation, or mindfulness? Meditation session.
Targeting a specific change — anxiety about something, sleep improvement, confidence building? Hypnosis may be more appropriate.
You can also specify: “I want a meditation session” or “I want self-hypnosis for sleep.”
Two free sessions per day of either type. Worth exploring both to see what resonates.
Choosing your practice
The best practice is the one that addresses your actual needs.
If you want to develop fundamental clarity and awareness, start with meditation. This forms a foundation for everything else.
If you have a specific goal you want to work toward, self-hypnosis is effective. Particularly for anxiety, sleep, confidence, and habit change.
If you’re unsure, try both. A week of meditation, a week of hypnosis. Notice what each provides. Let experience guide your choice.
Both practices are valuable. Both work. They just work toward different ends.
Want to explore both meditation and self-hypnosis? Get started with two free sessions per day — describe what you’re working on and we’ll create the right type of session.