Hi all

This may sound like a silly question, and I apologise if it is read that way, but during an induction or script, the comment " in a moment you will feel yourself drifting into a blissful state of hypnosis" pauses a question for me?

I saw someone do this a few weeks back, I perform what people on here call street hypnosis, and this raised a question in my mind, if the subject doesn't know what a blissful state of hypnosis is, how can they drift Into this state?

They don't know what this is? If you tell them there hand will stick to thier head, they know what to expect, but to tell them they will drift into this state they never been in before opens a question in my mind.

Like I said, may be a silly question, but I'm interested in what people think.

Best

R

You're getting hung up on words and semantics. This is the problem when using a script, especially someone else's script. A properly trained hypnotist would understand that you shoud either use a very general and universal language or create your own based on your language patterns and that of the subject(s).

You could simply replace that sentence you offered, with " in a moment you will feel yourself drifting into a blissful state of relaxation..." or "a level of comfort and relaxation" or "to a level of deep relaxation... (more relaxed than you have ever been, etc.). My point is part of a successful script is what is most easily accepted by the subject.

If you were a properly trained hypnotist this is a very elementary question with basic training answers.

Well, if they think you're hypnotising them, what else are they expecting they're going to drift into? A state of undress?
Of course, virtually everybody has their own on-board model/idea of what hypnosis is (even my nine year old daughter's friends when they mockingly pretend to be hypnotised every time they see me!) and if that's what you're trying to achieve, what's wrong with telling them to go there?

Well, nobody knows exactly what the state of hypnosis is... but it doesn't matter. First of all, I think you should explain them what hypnosis is and how it works in your understanding. It will definitely help you in your hypnotic work People can not be afraid of hypnosis and they must follow your instructions. If these conditions are met it should work even if they do not understand instructions fully. You should believe in people's creativity

Most street performers don't ever getto this levelof explanation to the subjects.

Hypnosis works best when a subject doesn't know what you are talking about and the language is ambiguous because if they aren't sure they can't resist. And they have to search for meaning inside then create it.

I have no idea what you're talking about.
You must hypnotise us on this forum most of the time you post MP.

We all experience a kind of hypnosis on here all the time because we need to go inside and create the information that's missing. The voice facial expressions, the meanings of words the tone etc. Sometimes you continue the conversation "relationship" in your head even when you are not online only to come back later and express it on here. Because the information we get on here about whats being said much of it is missing there is a lot of ambiguity going. When the mind is considering all the meanings and searching for the right one it has no resistance so the chances of suggestions being accepted are much higher.
Ambiguity used skillfully is a powerful way to seed suggestions that may normally be rejected.

How can someone know what you are talking about if you are deliberately vague? They can't know they have to guess. And when there is more than one possibility they have to consider them. While they are considering them they are having an effect because there is no resistance. When you have no idea then you will accept the most logical one to you to get out of the confusion. But you have probably accepted the others too.

Some of the most successful Ad campaigns used to do this.

You know what I mean don't you Reg? Those times in the past when something really grabbed you and you had no idea why....or could even be sure what it meant...but you just found yourself trying to work it out....and even then you can never be really sure.......


I guess that's the problem with the current trend in selling basic hypnosis to a new audience in a wrapper that pretends to be cutting edge. It produces a lot of guru's with no Idea. And an army who have even less.

From what I have read, that pretty much seems to sum up how Erickson used to work.

You know that how exactly? Keep your small mind to yourself.

HK

Change the record. You sound like a moany old man who has no customers.

HK

I don't sell anything here why would I have customers from here?

Rus, it's not a "silly" question, it's an amateur's question. That's NOT meant to be an insult. The word amateur is based on the concept of someone loving something, even if he or she isn't an expert. So by calling it an amateur's question I'm saying that you're reaching a stage beyond just a casual interest and moving to a much deeper level of interest. IMO that's a good thing. I hope I've made sense so far, and if so, move on to read my response.

As Ant wrote in his books, to be a good hypnotist you have to assume the mantle of being THE HYPNOTIST. You have to know and project the attitude of knowledge, skill, and excellence. One of the things I like to say is that it's important to "assume excellence." You assume excellence of yourself. That means you need to develop your knowledge and skills to a level that you will literally intuit exactly the words you need to say in an induction for any particular person or group. You don't have to depend upon scripts. You also assume the excellence of knowing exactly what skits/stunts and hypnotized person will excel at. That way each person become a star to the best of their abilities. You just help them manifest their excellence.

If you can go that far, then go one step further. Assume excellence on the part of the UNconscious mind of the person you're hypnotizing. Perhaps they don't *consciously* know the meaning of "blissful state of hypnosis." But unconsciously, they know exactly what it means and what they need to do to achieve it.

In a very real way you're taking a leap of faith in this. But with training and experience, it becomes second nature. When I've not been trying to hypnotize someone but observe an excellent hypnotist working, they'll often do or say something that, in this situation, surprises me. After they show, when I ask why they did that, the answer is almost always the same: it felt right.

Trans derivational search.... What was I looking for again?

I see a different red from you and hear D minor 7th differently from you. Or in other words I see what I believe is red and hear what I believe is D minor 7th
Now if I can't explain to you what either red or D minor 7th is I probably would not be able to explain what: 'a blissful state of hypnosis' is.
So, I'll just say it and you'll go there. And everything will be tickety boo.

Rus,

Your question is not silly.

Many people who do not get hypnotised, do not get hypnotised because they have no idea what 'sleep', 'deeper and deeper', 'let go' and 'just go there' mean. Either there on board model is not satisfactory or if it is not matching up to their experience. For some such words simply do not translate into instructions regarding what to do or expect and do not elicit automatic behaviour. Such words are a legacy of the rather dated state based model of hypnosis

Your subjects will become better subjects if you educate them regarding the meaning and expectation associated with such words and if they have an opportunity to hear the subjective experience of someone who does just get it. Traditional stage hypnosis rarely affords the time or the possibility of doing this.

Anthony

*their

I think context and other factors also play a large part.

Why is it that individual hypnotists have succeeded where others have failed and failed where others have succeeded?

Demonstrate and SHOW a subject automatic behaviour and from there you can segue into virtually anything.

When it comes to phenomena, I prefer to believe that not everybody is "good at" everything.

In those early stages, it's about finding and encouraging what they're good at and avoiding what they're not. The skill lies in doing that quickly, organically and (for me) in an engaging and entertaining manner.

While I agree it's not always so linear and binary, I have no intention of joining a crusade to make the world "better" subjects. Aside from the myriad of problems I have with that concept, there's simply no need.

I don't think a decent hypnotist gets 'there' and 'their' mixed up and therefore should be bummed for.... not knowing stuff?