How to do Inductions is fast becomming the premier online resource for hypnotic inductions.
Learn what works for resistant subjects, unleash the power of relaxation and discover how to confuse someone into trance.
The best thing about the inductions here is simple: they work! [Read more...]
Many leisure activities involve, create or even require the practicioner to enter a state of receptivity. Many also produce states resembling relaxation, but that feel like a deep day-dream. "Spaced-out" would be an accurate description. Whether that is a reader getting lost in the plot of a story, or an Angler who's whole person is drifting in tranquility, the result is the same: trance.
This induction works by leading people to recall their leisure "trances", showing them the gradual steps that they take towards trance. By feeding-back the information they gave you, they verify it internally and thereby relive aspects of their experience. This step-by-step revivification produces the frustration and fractionation that increase the desire to return to the previous state of trance.
There are two skills it is necessary to develop if you want to truly master this induction: Observation and utilisation.
You will need to learn to observe how the hypnotee responds as they say and recall certain aspects of their previous experience. You will also need to learn to observe the minimal cues of trance, the common signs that people display as they enter more fully into their internal world. These include:
Eye fixation, Pupil dilation, Change in blink reflex, Rapid Eye Movement, Eyelid Flutter, Smoothing of facial muscles, Slowing of respiration, Reduction of the swallow reflex, Body Immobility and Inner absorption.
As you observe these things, feed them back to the client and allow them to wonder what it means. At the same time, ask questions to enable them to 'paint' a fuller and clearer picture of the leisure activity. This causes them to switch between an internal and external state. In the same way as My Friend John, they do not initially realise that they are entering trance, but as soon as they feel it developing, they usually let go and enter into it. After all, they've just spent 5 minutes telling you how much they enjoy it!
Along with Observation and Utilisation, you will also want to become competent at Pacing and Leading. This includes your use of temporal language. Notice that at the very beginning I planted the idea that this could be a present experience, as well as past recall. Then, I progressively moved from past tense to present experience until the client was fully reliving their earlier trances.
Stephen Brooks teaches this induction on his Diploma course. I will never forget the day I saw him sit down with a stranger and simply talk them into trance. I now use it regularly and it has never failed me!
This is a great example of overt conversational hypnosis, that can incorporate a number of different elements from other inductions on this site. It relies heavily on revivification and the recognition that people experience trance (or at least something like it) numerous times in their daily lives. Utilising those experiences is non-threatening and enjoyable for the hypnotee.
Tell me about a time when you found yourself doing something you were totally engrossed in. Something you enjoyed, something you did where you are relaxed and yet totally absorbed. You know, where you maybe lose track of time for a while & your level of awareness seems to change?
"Yeah, sure. I get that whenever I paint."
Ah, you paint. And what is it that you enjoy about painting?
"I don't know. The colours. The creativity. It feels a bit ike everything slows down while I kinda get in this creative zone."
Everything slows down. It's funny that you said you don't know what you enjoy about it, because clearly on one level you do.
"Yeah."
You enjoy slowing down in that zone.
"Yeah. Definitely."
Is this something you do on your own or with others?
On my own. I've always gotta be on my own?
Because...
It's just part of the whole peace and quiet thing. I can focus then and just get, like, lost in the moment.
Hmmm... Lost in the moment. What a great phrase.
Yeah.
So, what is that like, that 'lost in the moment?'?
It's like...
Wait, hold that thought. Before you go there, are you painting inside or outside?
Ah, inside. But by a window. So, I'm painting outside scenes, but I'm in the comfort of the inside. {Laughs}
Well, comfort's important. {Both laugh}
So, you're comfortable, slowing down, getting in that zone... And what more is there to getting lost in the moment? What does that feel like?
"It's just peaceful. A time to escape."
And you value that peaceful, that 'time to escape'... [Begin to match their breathing, speaking on the exhale] What else is there that feels good about that slowing down... getting in that zone... just peaceful... time to escape?
{Client pauses, looking off to the left corner of the ceiling}
[Nod slowly, as if to affirm their 'lost in thought' experience]
You look like you're escaping now.
"Yeah." {Laughs} "I'm just thinking about slowing down and how that feels."
And have you noticed the changes in your breathing yet... slowing down?
"I hadn't, but, yeah. {Laughs} That's weird."
How did you know... that slowing down... changing your breathing... is the first part of going into trance?
"I don't know."
That's right. You really don't know, do you? You're only just beginning to learn the things that you know, that you didn't know that you know. And I wonder, do you find it easier to increase that 'peaceful, slowing down', as you recall painting and all of the feelings associated with it, or if you simply escape right into that zone that painting takes you to now?
{Client does not answer, but stares off into space}
That's right. Muscles relaxing. Body slowing down. And as your body slows down, your mind can escape... into that zone... Peaceful.
{Client's breathing has slowed dramatically, with a couple of very deep exhalations. Their gaze had frozen off in the distance, but now their eyelids appear to blink rapidly.}
[Said with a slight shift of the head, as if speaking towards the corner of the room that the client got 'lost in thought'] That's it.
And as your eyes begin to blink more, you can find yourself going deeper into that. But I don't want you to close your eyes... until you are ready to fully return to that place... See what you see. Hear what you hear. Feel what you feel. Enjoying that, slowing down... getting in that zone... just peaceful...
{Clients eyes close}
That's it... Time to escape.