NEW DELHI: Not many are aware of hypnosis’ real-life applications. However, Arjuna awardee table tennis player Anthony Amalraj has been undergoing hypnosis therapy for ten years and reaping its benefits even during lockdown.As the Commonwealth Games medallist puts it himself, “It is still treated with scepticism.”
This begs the question, why then did he choose this in the first place? “Before 2010, I was in a bad place mentally — both professionally and personally. In terms of my career, the recurrent theme was not being able to get over the line in crunch situations. Then in 2010, after taking help from mental trainers and psychiatrists, I decided to give hypnosis therapy a go. And it worked wonders. Have been doing it ever since.”
Amalraj went on to win the senior nationals in 2010 and has since gone on to impress on the international stage as well. But it is not just in terms of his career but also his own personality that has undergone changes. From a shy guy, afraid to open up and express himself, the two-time national champion has experienced sea change.
TK Vadivel Pillai is the person behind his resurgence. And he explains the process. “Most mental trainers work on the conscious level of the mind which is about 15 per cent of the brain. This therapy focusses on the subconscious level, comprising of the remaining 85 per cent. With time, it can remove elements stuck in your subconscious which is holding you back and your mind can be conditioned to the adapt to a new way,” he added. He has also helped workshops with Chennai Super Kings and has worked with other sportspersons too.
Even during lockdown, the duo have been working together through video calls and are currently working on personality development. “Anything is possible if you put your mind to it. And personally, from how I was as a child and after entering this field until today, I have improved a lot through this therapy. And there are still things to work on in the days to come,” Amalraj added. This new module and has seen the paddler working on things that bring calmness to the mind like drawing, painting and even sculpting.
And Pillai himself added that abroad the concept is much more in vogue with the general audience than it is here. “People still associate this with movies and hypnotism is shrouded in mystery. But I can assure everyone that this is not the case. And through the work we (with Amalraj) have done, hopefully, more and more people will start seeing this in a more positive light and seek help without hesitation.”