"Hypnosis" is a powerful word. For many people, it conjures up memories of old Hollywood films, where mindless-zombies follow the orders of a wicked hypnotist. Of course, the reality is actually much less sinister.

These days, hypnotism is a mainstream psychological tool. It was approved by the American Health Association way back in 1958 for clinical use, and currently enjoys a wide variety of applications throughout the globe - from stopping smoking, to losing weight, to getting rid of phobias. But does hypnosis really work? I decided to try it out for myself -- with a little help from a website that calls itself a "HypnosisLive MP3 superstore."

Changing Your Life with an MP3

I was introduced to HypnosisLive a month ago, on recommendation from a friend. Forget spending time and money visiting a hypnotherapist (not to mention the potential embarrassment) -- HypnosisLive promises to deliver the exact same results, all from the comfort of your own home. The site boasts over 200 instantly downloadable hypnosis MP3 sessions, covering everything from rocketing your brainpower to boosting your confidence, and it's easy to see why they call it a 'superstore.' There's something for everyone here.

One of the first things you notice from the site is that it's incredibly well presented and easy to navigate.

The hypnosis sessions are divided into categories - Adult (ie, 'Libido Boost'), Emotions (ie, 'Dissolve Anger'), Fear/Worry/Anxiety (ie, 'Fear of Spiders'), Health (ie, 'Stop Smoking'), Body Improvement (ie, 'Improve Your Posture'), Mental Skills (ie, 'Sharper Thinking'), Mindset (ie, 'Self-Esteem Booster'), Self Growth (ie, 'Positive Thinking'), and Personal Improvement (ie, 'Overcome Stage Fright'). So, I sat down and thought -- what did I really want to improve in my life?

Goodbye Body Fat, Hello Awesome Memory

I eventually decided to try out just three of the HypnosisLive MP3 downloads -- "Think Yourself Slim" for weight loss, "Photographic Memory Power" to help stop me forgetting, and "Instant Self-Confidence" to rocket my social skills.

With prices starting at $12.95 and going down to just $4.95 when buying multiples, it wasn't a difficult decision. Every download comes with a 14-day guarantee too, so I thought I'd try it out, and see how it goes. It'd either make for a damning review -- or a great one. On the first day, I downloaded the "Think Yourself Slim" MP3, and transferred it to my iPhone. I began to listen. After the introduction, a soothing British female voice provided a thorough introduction for around five minutes.

Knowing something about this industry, I was instantly impressed by her talents. Even during the introduction, she was already slipping in subtle NLP cues to help reprogram my thinking patterns. Then, the main induction kicked in. This guided me down into a state of deep relaxation. Very gentle music in the background aided my relaxation. T

his is where the "real" hypnosis starts. Now, "real" hypnosis is actually quite different to what many people presume. It doesn't involve just repeating positive affirmations over and over. Rather, the most effective hypnosis involves telling gently hypnotic stories, in a relaxed but conversational manner. This engages the imagination, and helps to subtlely rewrite your thinking patterns. You might not even realize you're under hypnosis.

Well, that's exactly what happened here. I was told flowing stories, and guided through powerful NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) visualization exercises. It felt very natural indeed. Then, before I even knew it, I was being guided back up again. Relaxing sounds were replaced with inspirational music, and I came out of the session feeling bright, alert and refreshed. Huh? Was that really 30 or 40 minutes just then? Time flies when you're enjoying a relaxing dose of hypnosis.

Powerful Hypnotic Results

Over the next three weeks, I decided to listen to the each of the hypnosis sessions, once per week. Then at the end of the month, I'd review my weekly journal and consider the results.

The easiest session to gauge was the "Think Yourself Slim" hypnosis session. I have never been a "large" person, but I do have a few stubborn areas of body fat that I just can't seem to get rid of at the gym.

Looking at my body now as opposed to one month ago, I can clearly see weight loss in those stubborn areas. I've lost 5lbs (2.5kg) in total, yet I've never looked more toned.

I've found myself naturally feeling more motivated to hit the gym, go for a walk, or take the stairs. It's not something I'm "trying" to do, it just happens. Add to that a craving for healthy food, drinking more water, and a general improvement in my lifestyle, and the reason for the improvement becomes clear.

But what about the memory and confidence sessions?

It's fair to say that "Photographic Memory Power" actually seems to have left me with a stronger mind. I found myself on multiple occasions this month remembering names, dates, facts and even telephone numbers that I could've never remembered before. It's lubricated my brain: I seem more able to recall details from years ago. I can't even remember learning the year the black plague hit London, or the name of the French scientist that help create processed milk -- but it's all suddenly on-hand.

And "Instant Self-Confidence" has also helped recently. I had to give a speech at a friend's wedding just a couple of weeks ago. As guided in the hypnosis session, I did a special "programmed trick" with my thumb and forefinger, and felt a sudden surge of confidence. I ended up with a massive round of applause, after a 10-minute speech sprinkled with huge bouts of laughter. It's fair to say it was the best speech of my life.

My Conclusion

I always thought hypnosis was either a little kooky, or at the most, limited to a few specific applications - such as those that wanting to stop smoking, or get rid of a fear of spiders.

Yet over the past month, I've learned that it can be so very much more.

Just by investing a very relaxing 30-40 minutes, passively listening to a simple MP3, I've lost an incredible 5lbs, sharpened my memory more than ever before, and rocketed my confidence levels.

UPDATE: Not only that, but the results have continued to last. I haven't listened to any of the sessions since writing this review around a month ago. And I've continued to tone up and stay just as sharp as before.

I'm not the type of person that would typically rave on about something such as hypnosis.

But I have to say that I've been incredibly impressed at the results, and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for self-change in their life -- especially using the downloadable MP3 sessions from the Hypnosis Live superstore.

Conclusion: Hypnosis Live MP3 downloads rock. Check them out!

Pros: Budget prices and 14-day guarantee. Plus it actually works!

Cons: No telephone support.