Hypnotic Trance

This morning I heard someone say something I never heard before! She said this phrase, "hypnotic stupor." After doing hypnosis for over 10 years, I cannot remember seeing anyone in a "hypnotic stupor." All of my clients report feeling more alert, creative and resourceful while in a hypnotic trance. Almost all of them do appear quite relaxed on the outside, as I do encourage relaxation for all of my stressed clients. But Stupor? Hypnosis is far from it. I would have to say that this phrase is an oxymoron.

I would even say that many people go thru life in an automatic, dissociated, unemotional way. That I might call stupor, but that is not hypnosis. That is the opposite of hypnosis. It reminds me of something Milton Erickson said:
"Hypnosis is the temporary interruption of habitual behavior in order to find creative solutions."

For more interesting trivia about the word "stupor," see my other blog, Philologsblog.blogspot.com.