At a Glance:

Website: http://theyogitree.com
Address: 4475 Vineland Ave, Ste 31, Los Angeles, CA 91602
Length: 60 minutes
Price: first class $10, 1 class/ $16, 10 classes/ $125, month unlimited/$99 w 6 month contract
Sweat scale: low
Energy level: low

Every Sunday when I’m looking for a class that’s going to rejuvenate me for the week to come, I stumble upon this hypnosis class. I don’t know about you, but the only experience I have with hypnosis is when the prom court got hypnotized for one of the spirit days. I remember some having to sit down because it wasn’t working and others dancing around per the instruction of the hypnotist. It kind of freaked me out but I’m all about trying everything once (that’s a lie…I’ve never tried mayonnaise).

Pre Sweat

The studio is located in a doctor’s office type building right where the 134 meets the 101. It was really easy to get to from Hollywood and, since it’s 7:00 PM on a Sunday, there was plenty of free parking. Although I parked across the street in front of the gas station, the big white building labeled “The Howard Colonial” also has a lot to the side. Once you walk in, look for the stairs and just keep heading up—when the stairs end you’ll magically be in the studio’s lobby. No wonder they call it the yogi tree, it reminds me of a tree house. I signed the paper and headed in the studio. Since I left my mat in the car, I grabbed one of theirs and gathered some props, as the instructions were to get comfy. Two blankets, one bolster, and one pillow later, I was lounging on the floor ready to be hypnotized.

Sweat

Laura, the instructor, began by explaining a lot about hypnosis. She told us that 80% of our brain is full of subconscious thoughts that were put in our brain when we were children. A lot of ideas we have about what is right and what is wrong come from these hidden snippets in our subconscious and the only time we can access them is when we are under hypnosis. While many ideas in there are negative, Laura aims to replace them with only positive thoughts. She also mentioned that while under hypnosis, you still have complete control over your actions.

Before we started the process, Laura passed out angel tarot cards. Each one had a word on it that we were supposed to keep in mind throughout the class and carry into the week. My word was expansiveness.

I got settled on my mat, covering myself in the blanket and resting my head on a pillow, as Laura began the ten minutes of relaxation. She spoke calmly and quietly encouraging us to relax every part of our body. By the end, I was half asleep and my limbs felt like they do after a long savasanah in yoga. Then she counted down from five and then snapped and said “deep sleep”. At this time, we were supposed to be under hypnosis. She did mention that it takes some time for people to fall into it especially if it’s their first try.

For the next 25ish minutes, Laura led us through a scene that we were supposed to visualize in our mind. As she led us into a house, down the stairs, trough a garden, and back, telling us to look in mirrors and visualize the perfect version of ourselves. The theme was “what are you waiting for” and Laura included that in the visualization often, even playing a song with that title. At the end, she counted us out of the hypnosis and we took our time coming back to reality.

Post Sweat

The studio is nearby a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Rita’s Custard is about four blocks north. I’m quite unfamiliar with this area, so if you have any other North Hollywood suggestions, comment below!

Tricks of the Trade

• The lobby is super small so don’t both getting to class too early—you’ll have no place to wait!
• Be aware that you literally don’t move during this class. If you’re looking for a cool experience and a really sweet instructor, check it out, but if you get restless easily, this class is not for you.
• Although the class was interesting, I got super antsy and wanted to move around after about 20 minutes. I also didn’t realize how uncomfortable it is to stay in one position for that long.
• Each week has a different theme and Laura encourages people to message her on Facebook to suggest themes or ideas that pertain to their lives or something they want help with.