Now we get to hypnosis as it is traditionally understood and practiced. The previous lesson explained how to do a simple eye-closure and meditation technique based on classical hypnosis. Having mastered those basic skills you can now proceed to construct a complete, classical self-hypnosis session.
Emerging from Trance
Let's begin at the end: how to bring yourself out of hypnosis. In fact, there is no danger whatsoever of being "stuck in hypnosis." Self-hypnosis is a voluntary state of altered awareness, just like daydreaming or meditating. You can usually bring yourself out of hypnosis just by opening your eyes and telling yourself it's over. However, you may still feel a little "post-hypnotic" (spaced out) for a few minutes so it is best to use a traditional "hypnotic termination" or emerging technique. This is easy, just count energetically from one to five in your mind and imagine that as you do so you are feeling more focused and alert. Open your eyes, take a breath, and stretch your arms. That's really all there is to it.
Classical Eye-Fixation Induction
This is the original hypnotic induction technique introduced by James Braid in 1843. Braid, who coined the term "hypnotism" and wrote the first book to distinguish between hypnosis and mesmerism, writes,
At an early period of my investigations, I caused the patients to look at a cork bound on their forehead. This was a very efficient plan with those who had the power of converging the eyes so as to keep them both steadily directed on the object. (Braid, Neurypnology, 1843: 109 n.)
However, Braid correctly observes that this technique is not for everyone, so he adapted it, developing the classic "eye-fixation induction" which became almost synonymous with classical hypnosis,
I very soon found, however, that there were many who could not keep both eyes steadily fixed on so near an object, and that the result was, that such patients did not become hypnotised. To obviate this, I caused them to look at a more distant point, which, although scarcely so rapid and intense in its effects, succeeds more generally than the other, and is therefore what I now adopt and recommend. (Ibid.)
There are many ways of inducing self-hypnosis but the original method has endured in popularity for over 150 years because it seems to be so relatively quick, simple, and reliable.
Exercise: Rapid Eye-Fixation Induction
HypnoSynthesis® have developed an important variation, however, which seems to be preferred by the majority of our students. We call this the "aphasia eye-fixation induction", as it involves fading the voice into silence and imagining that it is temporarily gone. The routine is as follows,
1. Remove your spectacles, if you wear them. Sit with your feet flat on the floor and your hands separated and resting on your lap. Close your eyes and take a few moments to relax.
2. Turn your gaze upwards and look at your forehead. Keep your eyes continually rolling up and back as far as is comfortable. Very slowly raise your eyelids and open your eyes, keep looking up at your forehead. (If this is too uncomfortable, as Braid suggests, look at a point on the ceiling instead.)
3. Count slowly backwards from ten. Count aloud, and as you do so imagine both that your voice is gradually fading into silence and that your eyelids are growing heavier and want to close. Allow your voice to disappear before you reach zero, and let your eyes close slowly.
4. Command your unconscious with the hypnotic trigger words "SLEEP NOW." Say the words to yourself in your mind, and imagine a big wave of relaxation spreading deep inside.
5. Relax your eyes, face, body, and mind completely and rest for a moment.
6. Now count back from five to zero in your mind. Imagine that with every number you count, you are relaxing much more deeply. Use the count to help yourself focus on relaxing as deeply as you possibly can. We call this a "classical counting deepener."
Practice the induction technique above as many times as you can, using the emerging technique described in the previous section to bring yourself out of trance. Doing it several times in a row is a good way to get the knack. You only need to do this a few times to get the idea. However, if you are really serious about acquiring skill in self-hypnosis, then put your heart into this training exercise and do it seven times in a row. Do that every day for seven days and review your progress at the end.
Autosuggestion in Self-Hypnosis
Now, we don't normally just put ourselves in and out of hypnosis for the sake of it. (Though, people did do it that way in the past!) Hypnosis can be used as the basis for a simple form of meditation or relaxation. However, we normally use autosuggestion or mental imagery to make specific changes. You did something similar in the previous lesson when you practised "symbol suggestion" and other techniques of self-suggestion.
By now you should understand how to word your own autosuggestions using the rules of suggestion (see lesson I). Choose a suitable affirmation, not more than a single sentence for now, which you can use in the following exercises. If you prefer, use the following standardised autosuggestion for training purposes: "I am now becoming more calm, relaxed, and confident."
You can simply put yourself into self-hypnosis now and repeat your autosuggestion for as long as is comfortable before emerging from trance. However, we recommend you experiment with the following exercises while in self-hypnosis to improve your autosuggestion skills.
Arm-Lowering
See lesson one. Simply raise your arm above your lap when you are in self-hypnosis. As you repeat your suggestions, imagine that your arm is growing heavy and let it sink down into your lap.
Dialogical Self-Hypnosis
Can you imagine looking your boss dead in the eye and telling them you're the best at your job? Yes? No? In "dialogical" self-hypnosis you mentally rehearse this kind of situation. Pick someone relevant to the problem you're addressing if possible. For example, if you are nervous about passing an exam, imagine that you are looking in the examiners eye as you repeat a suggestion like, "I am now absolutely confident about answering the exam questions." Alternatively, imagine looking into the eyes of an "ideal spectator", a wise sage, a god, a guru, or someone you look up to. Show them that you believe in your suggestion, maintaining eye contact with them, in your imagination, while you affirm it aloud to yourself. Another method is to imagine that you are looking at yourself as though in a mirror, looking into your own eyes while repeating your suggestion.
Simple mental imagery like this can help to focus your attention, and remind you not to mumble the words but to keep saying your affirmation with passion and sincerity. As always, it doesn't matter how good you are at visualising. It's the belief that counts, not the pictorial quality of the image. Just focus on the idea of speaking directly to someone and that will help you focus on what you're suggestion means.
Premeditation
Imagine that you are in a situation where you would benefit from accepting your autosuggestion. For example, if you have writer's block, it might benefit you to believe in the idea that "I am now brimming with powerful new ideas", whenever you sit down at your computer to begin work. Picture yourself being in precisely the situation which you want to feel different about, as if it's happening now, and as you do so repeat the words of your autosuggestion. Again, it doesn't matter how vivid the image is, just so long as you know what situation you're focusing upon.
Again, experiment with these ways of using self-hypnosis until you feel confident, then proceed to the next stage. Using the accompanying MP3 will help you to get the knack of things.
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