Copyright
© 2013 by Laura J. Walker
ISBN 9781456620967
All rights reserved. The reproduction or utilization of this work in whole in part, in any form by any print, electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.
Any information provided in this book is through the author’s interpretation. The author has done strenuous work to reassure the accuracy of this subject. If you wish you attempt any of the practices provided in this book, you are doing so with your own responsibility. The author will not be held accountable for any misinterpretations or misrepresentations of the information provided here.
This is not a book on therapy or therapeutic technique, and anyone wishing to practice therapy formally or otherwise should seek professional training.
Contents
Introduction
What is Hypnosis?
Hypnosis Odds and Ends
The Importance of Preparation
Have Your Script Prepared
Your Presence and Rapport
Using Verbal Psychology
Suggestibility Tests and Inductions
Conclusion
Introduction
Hypnosis has long been a source of fascination for many people. Hypnosis is much more than just a stage show that draws in crowds though, it is only one part of a group of mind therapies that are used to heal, help and entertain.
Hypnosis is a versatile ability. There are those that go into hypnotherapy and those that use it for entertainment. No matter if you want to help or entertain, this book will give you the basics that you need for being able to hypnotize people.
Hypnosis tends to have a bad reputation, people erroneously think that hypnosis subjects are put into a trance and are unable to resist hypnotic suggestions.
Others think that hypnosis subjects can be requested to do things that they will not do and that once they are out of the trance they will have no memory. None of these is true.
Hypnosis does nothing except put subjects in a hypnotic trance, which is nothing more than a highly suggestible state. The subjects will be aware of what is going on and they will remember. If asked to do anything under a hypnotic trance that they will not do, they will come out of the trance.
You cannot hypnotize somebody to do anything against their will. Those are just myths that are not true.
Movies have you believe that a few waves of a watch will put somebody into a trance but it is more complicated than that.
Being able to hypnotize people is complicated; it involves what you say and how you say it. If you cannot connect to a subject, which is called rapport, then you will not be able to hypnotize them.
Your language, both verbal and non-verbal are important as well as the tone of your voice and all of this information is contained in this book.
As with anything, you have to be confident. If you are not confident that you can hypnotize people, then you will not have success. Your demeanor is very important.
Naturally, there is a learning curve and that is to be expected. Try to not let your nerves show. If you have ever seen a hypnotist put on a stage show, they are confident and sure of their words and movements and that is how you must be.
Even if you are nervous, be confident and it will work. If you doubt yourself, they will doubt you and that will be a set back towards putting them in a hypnotic trance. Self-doubt is a big roadblock towards your success and that is why it is being mentioned now.
As you practice your techniques, you will gain confidence and then no matter what you use your skills for, you will be able to do without hesitation or doubt.
When learning, you will need to practice. Naturally, this requires enlisting the help of family and friends. This will put you at ease with your techniques and their honest feedback will help you sharpen and hone your skills.
What is Hypnosis?
The word hypnosis comes from the Greek word for sleep, which is hypnos. Although the subjects often appear to be asleep, they are not but the trance certainly resembles sleep and many hypnotists use the command “sleep” as part of the induction, it is often the trigger word to put them fully into the trance. Hypnosis has a long history of being used both to help people and to entertain.
Under the hypnotic state, subjects are open to suggestions made to them. In order for that statement to make sense, you need to know more about how the human brain works.
Normally the human brain is ruled by what is called our Ego. Our Ego is the part of the brain that involves our active thinking. The Ego does not control the body, but it is ruled by emotions.
Our Ego is ourselves in a nutshell, it is the part of us that gives us our personalities and drives our actions. The I.D. is the other part of our brain; it controls the body.
When we think, smell, taste, breathe, etc. that is the I.D. Either the I.D. is in charge or the Ego is; they do not work together.
Another way to put it is that our Ego is our conscious and the I.D. is the subconscious. The subconscious is our deepest thoughts, the ones that we are not even aware of having. When we work on a problem, read or watch a movie, which is our conscious that is paying attention. Nothing gets through to the subconscious without the conscious approving it; it acts like a gateway.
When we sleep, our conscious gives control over to the subconscious; the Ego turns over the controls to the I.D.
At the cusp of falling asleep and just as we wake up, our brains are in a transition mode while the subconscious and the conscious switch places. We know we sleep, but we never remember the moment that we fall asleep. We are unaware of the transition.
That transition is always a moment of confusion for our brain because it has two types of thinking that are exchanging their roles. Hypnosis seeks to recreate that moment of confusion and then it allows the subject to switch from their conscious to the subconscious.
Without the conscious acting as a gateway, the subconscious is able to be accessed directly and it is open to suggestions. If you are using hypnosis as a stage show, then the suggestions are all short-term, designed to amuse a crowd.
If you are using hypnosis to help people, such as using hypnotherapy, then you can implant suggestions to help people get over various problems or needs. Hypnotherapy is used to help overcome phobias, fears, traumas, to break bad habits and to help cultivate new, better habits.
For example, if you have somebody who is afraid of spiders you can tell them that a spider is not dangerous but they will still
