It is been said that hypnosis can be described as:-
“the loss of the multiplicity of the foci of attention
In other words, in hypnosis we focus on one particular thing, for example the hypnotists voice to the exclusion of all other distractions, the swinging of a watch, the flames of a fire, or counting sheep.
When in a trance, say looking or watching a film on the television, our focus of attention is locked into the TV screen. Have you ever been watching and being totally absorbed in a film, then someone has spoken to you, and you never heard them? They had to speak to you twice or more to get your attention.
Have you ever been or seen someone daydreaming? Your mind is somewhere else, perhaps thinking about a forthcoming holiday, or fanaticising about something, making castles in the air. In that state you have missed something happening around you.
Have you ever been watching television, and the program has been boring, you had no interest in the subject, and your mind wondered off, and you missed a section of the program.
Then you have been in a trance.
Trance is a naturally occurring state of mind that we all go into many times a day. And yet, you are in control at all times. Should anything happen, you can deal with it.
Give it another name, meditation, mesmerism, daydreaming, yoga. They are all the same, perhaps at differening levels of relaxation.