HYPNOSIS MADE SIMPLE
At some stage or other most of us have probably wondered just how difficult is it to hypnotize someone?
Do you need to have some kind of innate skill? Do you have to study hypnosis for years first? Maybe hypnosis is just a con and doesn't really exist at all?
Well, the fact is hypnosis does exist, and you don't need to be particularly skilled, in touch with your "inner-self", or inclined to things ethereal to make it happen!
However, you do need to have some basic knowledge and do quite a lot of practice to get hypnosis to take place on a reasonably consistent basis.
Many people have tried doing hypnosis, either on themselves or on others, usually with, at best, mixed results or, at worst, no result whatsoever. Why is this? - usually because of a combination of things, but primarily because of a lack of understanding of the trance state.
The first thing to be aware of is that degree of suggestibility varies from person to person and your success level will initially depend on this. The level of cooperation you get from your subject is another variable. If he or she decides they don't want to be hypnotized, or sees the process as a test of their will-power, then hypnosis is just not going to happen .
However, given everything in your favour, ie a willing and highly suggestible subject, then the next thing you need is an effective induction technique and deepening method.
As far as the induction technique is concerned, there are many different methods to choose from, the key factor common to all them being a bypass of the critical faculty, coupled with selective thinking or suggestion.
Traditionally, the induction method involves intensifying comforting emotions. For example the subject could be told to imagine he is relaxing on a beautiful, sunny beach, listening to the gentle waves etc.
However, regardless of what technique you choose, once some degree of hypnosis is present, then a compounding or deepening process is required if there is to be any point to the session.
The first thing to note is that if a subject finds the hypnotic state comfortable and pleasant, the longer he stays in it, the deeper he tends to go. To aid this deepening, the hypnotist can say things like, "You are going deeper and deeper, more relaxed with every breath..." etc but this will only be effective if some degree of hypnotic relaxation is already present! You cannot deepen a trance if there is no trance there to begin with!
Unfortunately, this is the point which many a budding hypnotist fails to comprehend, such is their desire to get a subject hypnotized as quickly as possible.
Relaxation on its own does not constitute being in a trance. The net result is nothing happens and disappointment to both the hypnotist and the subject is the only likely outcome!
So, there must be some discernible degree of hypnotic relaxation present before it can be deepened.
Fortunately, this state of hypnotic relaxation can be gained very rapidly and simply via what is known as the "eye closure" technique. This only involves 4 parts. Instruct the subject to:
1. Close their eyes
2. Relax their eyelids to the point where they just won't work.
3. Test them to make sure they won't work.
4. Let the relaxation sweep all the way down their body to the tips of their toes.
The whole point here is to get them to hold onto the relaxation in the eyelids. As long as that relaxation is held onto, the eyelids will not open! This type of relaxation is not just lack of tension, it is hypnotic relaxation and it can then be deepened.
An example of how such a session could be structured...
A taste of hypnosis...
"Get comfortable in a seated position, close your eyes and take several deep breaths, breathing all the way in and all the way out. Now focus on your eyelids. Imagine they are totally relaxed, so relaxed in fact that you couldn't open them even if you wanted to. Now test them to see if they will open, but at the same time hold onto that total relaxation you have in your eyelids. Make sure they won't work by raising your eyebrows as high as possible to test yourself that you really have relaxed your eyelids to the point where they just won't open. You know of course that you could open them if you really wanted to but to do so you would have to give up that total relaxation you feel. Now, still holding onto that feeling, let the relaxation slowly sweep right down through your body, right down to the tips of your toes.
Notice how good it feels, to be totally relaxed and yet still in control and aware of your surroundings. Now with each breath you take, let that relaxation become deeper and deeper, deeper and deeper. You are now feeling completely relaxed...etc"
At this stage, if the above has been followed carefully, you can confidently begin to program their subconscious mind by giving suitable suggestions.
It's really that easy!
About the Author
Alan Hucker has had an avid interest and practice in hypnosis for the past 15 years. He is very much an advocate of the benefits hypnosis can bestow on all who have an open mind and are willing to try something new. For further information visit his website at hypnozoom.com
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