Time keeps on slippin', slippin', slippin', into the future. Who does not remember that great song by the Steve Miller Band? A simple song that calls for a revolution by a solution through helping others.
If that song is playing in your head now, then that instilled program from the cultural trance is a part of your psyche. That was way back in 1976, just a short 49 years ago. It's a great program, as it calls one to be a better steward of humanity. The question is, how many programs are still running freely in your mind that you want and that serve a useful purpose? I can tell you as a professional hypnotherapist, that most people are running old, outdated programs that are faulty and cause great distress to self and others. Not to worry, as they are only programs and can be changed.
With that in mind, and it now being 2025, I thought I'd jump on the AI bandwagon and see what the new emerging hive mind has to say....
The term "cultural trance" refers to a state of collective psychological conditioning where individuals within a society unconsciously adopt and perpetuate the beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors promoted by their culture. It suggests that people are often unaware of how deeply their thoughts and actions are shaped by societal structures, media, traditions, or institutions, leading them to conform without critical examination.
Key aspects of cultural trance include:
Unconscious Acceptance: people internalize cultural narratives (e.g., consumerism, political ideologies, or social hierarchies) as "normal" without questioning their validity.
Reinforcement Mechanisms: media, education, religion, and social interactions reinforce these norms, creating a feedback loop that sustains the trance.
Loss of Individual Agency: in this state, individuals may prioritize collective norms over personal intuition or critical thinking, limiting their ability to challenge the status quo.
Examples: buying into trends without reflection, adhering to societal expectations about success, or uncritically accepting political or corporate messaging.
The concept is often discussed in psychology, sociology, and philosophy, particularly by thinkers like Charles Tart, who used it to describe how societal conditioning can mimic a hypnotic state. Breaking out of a cultural trance requires self-awareness, critical thinking, and exposure to alternative perspectives.
Very interesting, if I must say... Breaking out of the cultural trance requires self-awareness, which I will add, is one huge ongoing hypnotic state! Think about it. Really think about it. Then think about it again. Why do you believe what you believe? Why does your neighbor believe what they believe? If there is ultimate truth then why do so many people disagree with one another to the point that they will kill others to support their cultural trance? Because truth as we portend it, is highly subjective based on how we were programmed. Period.
Time keeps on slippin' into the future..... I wanna fly like an eagle, till I'm free, oh-oh, there's a solution ….
That solution is a revolution in our thinking.... We must be prepared to challenge what we think we know and what we believe, in order to create more peace in our lives. And this, my friends, comes through serving others. When you find purpose in helping others including yourself then all of us are lifted up and that is a good cultural trance to add to your personal program.
Changing your program is as simple as not accepting your status quo, but challenging everything you think that does not serve a useful purpose. As a hypnotherapist, it is my joy to be able to help others navigate this aspect, as well as something I personally do consistently, so I don't become a stagnant artifact taking up space on Planet Earth.
With that stated, I hope you have found something useful in today's article and as always, feel free to drop me a line, and I'll send you a free program you can use to make positive changes in your life!
Until next time, keep on trancin'.
Don Spencer
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