Does this sound like you?
Who the School is for
I’ve meditated for years, and I wonder what really happens when I close my eyes.
I practice yoga or meditation, and I want to understand what happens inside me when I do.
I notice I often live on autopilot, and I want to learn how to change direction.
I tried trance once, and I’d like to learn to find my way back to it on my own.
I’ve read a lot about the mind, and now I want to experience it directly.
I’m looking for a practice of my own that I can bring into everyday life.
I work with people, as a teacher or a coach, and I want to begin with my own inner work.
I feel it’s time to look more deeply at my own experience.
You don’t need any experience, just honesty and the courage to look inside yourself. This School was created to give you a space for experience, where you learn to observe yourself, explore your inner world and develop a practice of your own.
It may not be for you if you’re looking for treatment for a condition, or a professional certification in hypnosis.
Everything begins with the inner observer
Paolo starts from a saying of Padmasambhava: “Until the inner observer awakens, there is no path.”
The inner observer is the part of you that observes. It sees where you come from and where you’re going. It does this in everyday things: in your thoughts, in the way you talk to yourself, in the reactions that start on their own. In the School you’ll learn how change for the better happens, and how to take the wheel yourself.
Listen to Paolo · 3:26
How we work: first on yourself
From a conversation recorded in June 2026, with subtitles. Here Paolo describes the approach of the whole School.
“You cannot impart on others something you haven’t first experienced yourself.”
Paolo Rivosecchi, interview of June 8, 2026What it isn’t. It isn’t therapy or a clinical hypnosis training: it’s a hypnosis program for self-discovery. When you finish, you’ll receive a certificate of attendance, but not a professional or clinical certification.
What you learn in Level 1
How the mind works
- The conscious, the subconscious and the superconscious.
- How thoughts arise and how you talk to yourself.
- How change happens, both when it happens by itself and when you choose it.
Trance
- What it is: a state of consciousness that opens the way to inner listening and self-exploration.
- How to go into trance, and what makes it deep.
- The hypnotic language, with the basics of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP).
- Hypnosis on yourself and your first guided practice sessions, taking turns in the group.
Rewriting habits
- Suggestion and visualization.
- How to rewrite habits and behaviors.
- The inner child and the different parts of you, experienced in practice and not only in theory.
The difference
A practice that stays yours
When someone else takes you into trance, in a session or through a recording, it ends when their voice ends. In the School you learn to go into trance without a guide, so your practice carries on after the last meeting.
With a guide
- Every time, you need someone to lead you, in a session or on a recording.
- The pace and the words belong to the person guiding you, and you follow them: you have the experience, but only they know the way there.
On your own
- With some practice, all you need is a quiet moment and a place to sit.
- You choose when to go into trance and what to rest your attention on.
- You know what you’re doing because you’ve experienced it yourself, and in the group you begin guiding others, taking turns, in the first exercises.
If you’ve already experienced guided trance, in the School you learn to find your way back to it on your own.
Six months, every two weeks
How it works
2½ hours live with Paolo on Zoom, every other Tuesday, combining teaching and practice.
Between meetings the whole group meets to practice, and everyone takes turns guiding the others through what was covered in the last meeting. You practice in pairs, at your own pace, in a safe atmosphere: no one is put under pressure.
You practice hypnosis on yourself, in your own time, following the course exercises.
At the next meeting you share what worked, what didn’t and what surprised you.
in six months
The cycle repeats 12 times over six months, so that little by little the technique becomes your own practice.
“The art of transformation is like cooking. You can read recipe books as much as you want, but until you do it…”
Paolo RivosecchiYour own space
A personal account with the recordings of every meeting, the course materials and exercises, and access to the live sessions. There’s also a Telegram group to stay in touch between meetings.
A certificate of attendance
You’ll receive a certificate of attendance at the end of the program, and those who want to continue can go on to Level 2.
40 years of experience, starting with himself
Paolo Rivosecchi, also known as Anaconda Papaya, began his spiritual search in his teens, through Buddhism and the Vedas, Transcendental Meditation, Gurdjieff’s teachings, Theosophy, Psychosynthesis and Transpersonal Psychology. In his twenties he became a Sivananda Yoga teacher and received Brahminical initiation in the Bhakti-Vaishnava lineage. After a decade as a wandering monk across Europe, India, Canada and the United States, he founded a Yoga & Meditation Center in Milan in 1988.
In the U.S. he trained and certified in Ericksonian Hypnosis & NLP and as a Master Hypnotist. He then lived and worked for almost 30 years in the Federation of Damanhur Communities, where he taught hypnosis and, until 2022, served as Director of International Relations.
Since the 1990s he has taught the “Yoga of Communication” known as the Harmonic Circle, a practical path for awakening through presence and relationship. Today this work has grown into Harmonic Circle, where he continues to teach and to train new facilitators and coaches.
In their words
These words tell what it’s like to work with Paolo. They come from hypnosis sessions, coaching and weekly practice in the Harmonic Circle, and some are translated from Italian. Some names, like Franky or Coleottero, are the ones people use in the Harmonic Circle.
From hypnosis and coaching sessions with Paolo
“It reconnected me with a part of myself that had long been forgotten — a part that felt dormant, waiting to awaken. … It now lives within me as a sanctuary I can return to whenever I need to feel grounded, empowered, connected, or simply reminded to trust.”
“I started to recognise and let go of learned, often unconscious patterns that were never part of my authentic self, but that I kept mistaking for “me”. I am something else.”
“His coaching, deep insight and sincere attention allowed me to know myself better, understand my negative emotions, see my attachments and be honest with myself — or get over any tendency to lie to myself.”
“Rather than offering answers in a conventional sense, he holds a clear and coherent field where your own truth can surface.”
“Your guidance and encouragement have meant so much to me, and I truly appreciate all the time you invested in helping me succeed. Hypnosis is the best tool, genuinely.”
“I came to him as a young adult woman — confused, fatigued, and lacking a healthy sense of self. Through his guidance and steady, achievable work together, I've gained inner insight, compassion and love towards myself.”
From the Harmonic Circle
“Thanks to Paolo Rivosecchi I'm learning to stop, to give myself attention and time, to go down inside myself, to recognise and find myself, and to listen to what I truly want.”
“I was amazed at how a simple statement — "I am not my body, not my emotions, not my thoughts" — lets me understand things I'd read before at a different level. Practising divided attention, I notice the content of my thoughts, when I judge, when I lose patience.”
“It allowed me to switch seats, from co-driver to driver's seat: to know myself closely and observe my communications, internally and with others, with empathy and kindness.”
“It helped bring the unconscious into consciousness and provides a framework for self-study, self-observation and self-mastery. … Paolo Rivosecchi is an amazing teacher who guides while allowing independence and trust in ourselves and the process.”
“Mainly, the way I see myself, others, and life has shifted — and so I experience it with more lightness and drive. … An ability to tame my monkey brain.”
“I was able to identify negative emotions that were sneaking below the radar, making my life less enjoyable. My relationships with the people close to me improved during the course.”
“The tools provided, and the form in which they are applied, allow me to perceive the changes happening, to see how the observer is shining through. Becoming who I am is what this course is providing me.”
“One of the deepest gifts has been the mirrors I received from others, reflecting my strengths as well as my blind spots. … The Harmonic Circle did not only give me teachings; it gave me a way of living.”
“This was different from any video class I'd ever taken — I felt supported. My daily life became more aware, observant and connected.”
“Taking part in the Circle is letting me "get serious" about a series of practices I had started many times but abandoned soon after. This work is giving me a continuity unknown to me”
The rest, in full, on paolorivosecchi.com and in the community.
I’d love to take part
Maybe you already know what you’re looking for, or maybe you simply feel drawn to this path without quite knowing why. It might be curiosity, an intuition or the wish to explore something new: if you’re interested, tell us here. A few lines are enough.
We’ll reply to you personally, by email.
What happens next
- A personal replyWe read every message and email you with the next steps.
- A 20-minute callBefore enrollment opens, we’ll offer you a short call with our team, to get to know each other and work out together whether the School is right for you.
- Dates and price, to you firstOn December 7 we’ll send you the price, and the dates as soon as they’re set. You’ll have them before enrollment opens, so you’ll have time to decide.
- The private windowEnrollment will open in two stages. During a first, private window, people who have written to us, people who took the Spiritual Self-Hypnosis course and Harmonic Circle members can enroll; after that, enrollment opens to everyone. We’ll email you when your window opens.
The introduction to the School
Would you like to get to know Paolo’s method first?
In November Paolo teaches Spiritual Self-Hypnosis, a course over 3 evenings that introduces the School’s work. It’s complete in itself, and by the end you’ll have a personal 10–15 minute practice to bring into your day. You don’t need to have taken it to join the School, but those who do get priority when enrollment opens.
Read the course programPlaces, price and refunds
Before we ask you to enroll, we tell you how it works.
- 24Places per group
The English group and the Italian group have 24 places each, because you practice in pairs and Paolo follows every participant. Once the places are taken, a waiting list opens.
- 10The minimum to start
Each group starts if it has at least 10 participants when enrollment closes on Sunday, February 7, 2027. If it doesn’t, everyone who has paid can choose between a full refund and a place held for the next edition at the same price.
- Dec 7The day the price arrives
If you’ve written to us, we’ll send you the price and the payment options on December 7. You’ll be able to pay in full or in installments.
- 100%Refunds, until the third meeting
If you decide to withdraw, we’ll refund you in full until enrollment closes, and after that until the third meeting.
Questions
Do I need to have taken the Spiritual Self-Hypnosis course to take part?
No. The School starts from zero, even if you’ve never experienced hypnosis. Still, the November course is the easiest way to get to know Paolo’s approach first, and those who take it get priority.
Does writing to you commit me to anything?
No. It gives you priority when enrollment opens, and you’ll decide then, with the dates and the price in front of you.
Do I need experience?
No. Level 1 starts from the basics and is designed for people who are just beginning, too.
What if I can’t go into trance?
Going into trance is one of the things you learn in Level 1. Paolo teaches it step by step, and between meetings you practice it in the group and on your own.
What if I miss a meeting?
You can catch up: every meeting is recorded, and you’ll find it in your personal space along with the materials and exercises.
Do I have to continue after Level 1?
No. Level 1 is complete in itself and leaves you with a personal practice. If you want to go further, you can continue with the later levels.
Can I use this in my work?
The School is also open to people who work with others. Level 1 gives you the foundations, starting with the work on yourself. The certificate confirms your attendance but isn’t a professional qualification, so how you bring what you learn into your work is your own responsible choice.
And the Harmonic Circle?
The School is a program in its own right. If you want continuity in your inner work, you can join the Harmonic Circle alongside it, the weekly practice for self-mastery. Circle members get priority when enrollment opens.
I have a question that isn’t answered here. Who do I write to?
Write to info@harmoniccircleacademy.org and a person from our team will reply.
When does it start, and what does it cost?
The School starts in 2027. On December 7 we’ll send everyone who has written to us the price and the payment options, including installments, and the dates and times as soon as they’re set. Either way, you’ll have them before you enroll.
Is this therapy?
No. It’s hypnosis for self-discovery, with no therapeutic or psychological aims, and it isn’t a clinical hypnosis training. If you’re looking for treatment, please see a health professional. If you’re in treatment for a psychological condition, or you’ve been through a major trauma, talk to the professional who follows you first.
Will I be a certified hypnotist when I finish?
No. You’ll receive a certificate of attendance, which confirms you completed the program but isn’t a professional or clinical certification.
Will I learn to guide others?
In Level 1 you mainly work with trance on yourself, and you do your first guided practice sessions, taking turns in the group. Working with others is explored further in the later levels.
Do I lose control in trance?
No. You stay present and know where you are, and you’re the one who notices and chooses.