You've heard about it for years and have probably seen it done in movies or maybe even in a live show. Perhaps you've even dreamed that you had those powers, that ability to talk to someone and get him/her to do whatever you want. What is this mysterious power and does it actually work?

The power we're talking about is of course hypnosis, and although there is a lot of mystery surrounding this field, chances are you have experienced a hypnotic state yourself. To make sure that we are on the same page let's come up with a more formal idea of what hypnosis really is. There are a few different definitions of hypnosis but most of them have something to do with bypassing or temporarily suspending the critical thinking faculties of the conscious mind and accessing the subconscious mind. It is in this highly focused state of attention that you are able to block everything out and have more of a direct route to the subconscious mind. It is also a place where you are open to suggestion and changes can be made without the conscious mind judging these ideas.

Star athletes use hypnosis as a secret weapon in order to bring their mind to a relaxed place that is at the same time super focused, but you don't have to be a star athlete to benefit from hypnosis. This state of mind is a place that regular people go into and out of all of the time during their day. Whether you are totally engrossed in an interesting book (the latest Harry Potter book comes to mind) or been absorbed in a scary movie, chances are that you've blocked everything else out and are totally focused on whatever is in front of you. That is a hypnotic state of mind. Milton Erickson, a famous psychiatrist and generally acknowledged to be the world's leading practitioner of psychological hypnosis, was famous for pioneering a method of hypnosis using therapeutic metaphors and stories rather than direct suggestions to help people take action and change behaviors. Many other doctors and practitioners have taken Erickson's work and pushed the limits of hypnosis beyond 'laying down on the couch and staring at the swinging watch' to the point where they can actually hypnotize people through their conversation alone!

What would your life be like if you could go into work tomorrow and have regular everyday conversations with people while at the same time hypnotizing them to follow your suggestions? Impossible? Teachers tell hypnotic stories all of the time - on any given day you can walk into an elementary school and watch as a class is mesmerized by the teacher reading a story. The children are all sitting on the floor, no one is making a sound, and they are completely focused on what is going on in the story and what's going to happen next. As a side note, the children also learn lessons really well this way.

It happens in the business world too. Mr. Smith goes into his local bank to take care of some business and sees the loan officer, Mr. Larry, working at his desk. "Hi Mr. Larry, I'm actually on my way out right now but the next time I'm in remind me to ask you about a loan for my new business."

"Sure thing", Mr. Larry replies.

A week goes by and Mr. Smith finds himself in the bank again and once again sees Mr. Larry. "I have to go out of town on business today but remind when I see you next about that loan", says Mr. Smith.

Another week goes by and Mr. Smith is in the bank with his eight year old son. "We're on our way to my son's ball game but I do want to sit down with you one of these days", says Mr. Smith as he leaves the bank.

Mr. Smith returns to the bank the following week and says nothing to Mr. Larry. Upon seeing Mr. Smith in the bank Mr. Larry blurts out "Hey, Mr. Smith, when can we sit down and talk about your loan?"

At this point, who is chasing who to talk about the loan? Did Mr. Smith simply condition Mr. Larry to ask about the loan, or did Mr. Smith's requests work more like a sneaky hypnotic suggestion? The truth of the matter is that these types of conversations happen all of the time, so the question that you have to ask yourself is "Do you want to be on the receiving end of a hypnotic story or suggestion, or do you want to be the one telling the hypnotic story and giving the suggestion?'

Look for my next article where I will explore the power of your subconscious mind and how it is influenced in ways that you may not even be aware of!

About the Author

Arthur King helps people take their ability to hypnotize and persuade others to the next level. If you're interested in learning how to take your words and turn them into powerful hypnotic suggestions then check out http://www.hypnotize-anyone.com