I recall a great episode of South Park when the town all got SARS and Stan discovered that the cure (told to him by a wise-old trailer trash guy) was Chicken noodle soup, dayquil (US version of Vicks) and sprite.

We all are sure to have come across our own best ways of dealing with the common cold, I used to have Heinz tomato soup, a copy of the Beano to read in bed and a couple of spoonfuls of butterscotch syrup – which is simply delicious. On occasions, I’d get one of the old style bottles of lucozade wrapped in yellow noisy foil/paper too.

It would seem though that chicken soup does indeed have mystical powers 😉

Many people revert to chicken soup when they have a cold or flu and there have even been some studies to investigate the reasons for it and it does indeed contain a bunch of ingredients that help us through those miserable times.

As we are in the height of Summer here in the UK, I thought I’d get in quick and be prepared with a lovely notion combining the benefits of chicken soup and amplifying them with self-hypnosis and if and when you get a cold in the Winter months ahead, then you have a process to do in bed while feeling sorry for yourself. A number of hypnotherapists have used hypnosis for chicken soup, tablets, ointments and consumable potions in this way and this is just adapted – there are lots of techniques and strategies of this nature that you can find out there.

Of course, as much as I’d love to, I cannot offer up a cure for the common cold – which as of today, still eludes all and sundry in medical fields, but this process can certainly help alleviate some of the symptoms as you overcome the cold with your body’s defences.

Seven Steps To Use Hypnosis For Cold and Flu Relief:

Step One: Induce Hypnosis.

You can do so by any means you desire or know of. You can use the process in my Science of self-hypnosis book, use the free audio we give away on this website to practice or have a look at the following articles as and when you need them; they are basic processes to help you simply open the door of your mind:

Heavy Arm Self-Hypnosis Induction Method
Using Eye Fixation for Self-Hypnosis
The Chiasson Self-Hypnosis Method
Hand to Face Self-Hypnosis Induction
Using Magnetic Hands for Self-Hypnosis
The Coin Drop Self-Hypnosis Induction

Once you have induced hypnosis, move on to step two.

Step Two: Engage your imagination. In your mind, put yourself in a kitchen of your design – a kitchen that is a dream kitchen to you or a place that you love the look of. See the sights of it, hear the sounds, and be aware of how it makes you feel to be in this wonderful kitchen.

Notice the cooker and the kind of stove that there is. Again, notice the details, become aware of the size of it and the colours and also notice that upon it is a covered pan. Perhaps you notice some slight steam coming from the pan as you move closer to it. Again, really imagine the smallest of drtails about the pan – the size, colour, dimensions, type.

Imagine taking  the lid off to uncover the pan. Watch the steam rise up and let the smell fill your nostrils. become aware of the depth of the semll and how simply the smell seems to fill your senses with well-being and harmony.

As you look into the pan, you notice the colour of the soup inside, you see the texture of it and ehar the sound of it gently simmering there – you notice that it is the most perfect looking chicken soup that you have seen. Create it in your mind in great detail, allow the smell to continue to emanate and start to imagine how good it is going to taste. When you really get a sense that this is the best soup you can imagine, then move on to the next step.

Step Three: Start to imagine that the soup has some kind of additional, healthful, energising properties too – something that you can notice and observe. Perhaps you start to get a craving for the soup and so you can take the kitchen utensils you need from the drawer as the aroma continues to fill your senses.

using whatever utensils you chose, pour or spoon the soup into a bowl and then take a comfortable seat at the kitchen table.

When you are sat down, you might choose to look out of the window and enjoy whatever is a most comforting view to look out at while seated. Let it be something that encourages and comforts you, a view that uplifts you and inspires you. Let it energise you and give you a clarity of thought as you look again at the soup in your bowl reaching the perfect temperature for eating, the aroma rising to your nose again and you get a sense of its properties. When you have spent the right amount of time on getting this set up accordingly, move on to the next step.

Step Four: Now you hold your spoon, imagine how it feels in your hand, let it meet the soup and you start to eat it. notice the sensation of it in your mouth and get the flavour on your tongue.

Notice how it soothes as it moves down your throat, sending goodness and well-being as it moves. Notice the comforting warmth of the soup as it reaches your tummy. Then imagine it sending it’s goodness throughout the rest of your body. Imagine it healing you, imagine it uplifting you and overpowering anything unwanted. Imagine it’s properties are doing whatever you feel you need the most right now.

Engage in the idea that it is affecting and influencing your throat, your nasal cavities and ears and is soothing, easing and comforting. Really take all the time necessary here to notice some changes.

Step Five: As you take more spoonfuls, taking your time over each, imagine the goodness and well-being effects start to spread to other areas of your body – notice it warming and healing your chest and the properties of the soup are effecting those areas in and around your chest and soothing. Imagine and notice that any infection or virus is being weakened and lessened too.

You might like to imagine the effects of the soup as a colour, or a sensation or a sound that starts to dominate the areas that it goes to. Notice a healthy warmth, a healthy glow emanating from deep within you that starts to dominate more with each spoonful you consume. Let all the effects happen just as you imagine a perfect remedy to do. Spend enough time letting each spoonful positively effect each area that you require to gain from this process.

Step Six: When you are sure that the feelings are going to stay with you and you have taken enough of the soup to really give you a depth of good feeling and well-being, then it is time to end this session. Tell yourself that the effects of this session stay with you for a good period of time and continue to help you through this time.

Then you exit hypnosis by counting yourself up, wiggling your fingers and toes and starting to let yourself get better!

You may find some additional benefits from having some actual chicken soup following a session like this and imagining the effects enhance as you eat it in reality. Let yourself expect it to have a great effect and you’ll combine the vast placebo effect with this mental imagery process, magnified with hypnosis – what more can anyone do to help with cold and flu symptoms?

So there you have it, a lovely way to combine a typical so-called remedy and the power of self-hypnosis to help with cold and flu relief.

If you’d like to learn more or if this has resonated with you in some way, then visit these pages:

1. Is life stress making you more prone to flu bugs, common coughs and colds?
Coaching with Adam Eason Or Hypnotherapy with Adam Eason
2. Would you like a satisfying and meaningful career as a hypnotherapist helping others become more healthy?
Adam Eason’s Anglo European training college.

Likewise, if you’d like to learn more about self-hypnosis, understand the evidence based principles of it from a scientific perspective and learn how to apply it to many areas of your life while having fun and in a safe environment and have the opportunity to test everything you learn, then come and join me for my one day seminar which does all that and more, have a read here: The Science of Self-Hypnosis Seminar.