Here's wishing you, dear reader, that your summer break is as gloriously sunny and cheerful as mine. No prizes for guessing where I am.
Saturday 27 June 2009
Holiday time
Even hypno-bloggers need to take a break; to go and climb a mountain or sun themselves on a tropical island. Time away from the demands of everyday life.
Here's wishing you, dear reader, that your summer break is as gloriously sunny and cheerful as mine. No prizes for guessing where I am.
Here's wishing you, dear reader, that your summer break is as gloriously sunny and cheerful as mine. No prizes for guessing where I am.
Tuesday 16 June 2009
How to be hypnotised
Or, if you think hypnosis isn't working for you, think again!
Many people reading the title of this article will wonder what on earth I can mean by this; after all surely isn't it the hypnotist, using their hypnotising skills, who does all the work?
Well, yes and no.
Over the last nine months I have devoted a lot of time and energy into learning how to be a hypnotist. That, however, has been extremely easy when compared with the effort I have had to put in whilst learning how to be a subject.
It seems to me that an extremely large number of people who want to be hypnotised have tried and been disappointed with the results. For a significant proportion of the population going into hypnosis is not something that comes to them quickly or naturally, and I count myself in that number. The term "analytical" is frequently used to describe this personality trait, those who have trouble dropping their critical faculty and experiencing hypnosis, and whilst it's a term I don't particularly like it does seem to be the best word for it.
There is good news though and that is that, as far as I can tell, hypnosis is a skill which anybody can learn given time. If you, dear reader, want to be hypnotised, and yet seem not to be able to, there is no reason why you can't learn how.
I intend this article as a sort of FAQ guide on how to go about doing just that, based on my experiences so far. It is by no means comprehensive, and I'm sure it won't be without the occasional controversial point, but at the very least I hope it's helpful for others who find themselves in the position I was once in.
So, on to my FAQ:
Q1. "Can I be hypnotised?"
Yes. Absolutely.
In my opinion, and my experience, everybody has the capacity to be hypnotised.
Of course, it's not quite as simple as that; there are obviously people who do not respond to hypnosis. There are various reasons for this, and generally speaking I believe these are:
They do not want to be hypnotised. If someone ultimately doesn't want to cooperate with the hypnotist then they will not respond to the suggestions they are being given. Their loss if you ask me.
They believe they can't be hypnotised. Hypnosis, in the context of being overtly hypnotised by a hypnotist generally works because the subject believes that it will. If somebody firmly believes that they cannot be hypnotised they will find this to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Arguably one of the best examples of self-hypnosis that there is.
They don't know how to be hypnotised. This something on which I feel I am able to shed a lot of light, but bear in mind that my insight is based upon my own opinion and experiences. To put it simply, everybody thinks differently and consequently some people are better able to take up a particular skill than others. Going into a deep hypnotic trance is a skill which comes to some people (ie somnambulists) quite naturally, but to others, especially those who are particularly analytical in their thought processes, it doesn't and these people have to learn how to do it.
The lesson here is that if you are willing to be hypnotised, believe that you can, and keep working at it, you can theoretically experience any hypnotic phenomena you want given time.
Q2. "Why don't inductions work on me?"
This seems to be quite a common complaint amongst people who find hypnosis difficult. The so called, analytical types. I have seen such subjects wanting to try every kind of induction under the sun, with every hypnotist they can find, and with all sorts of fancy language patterns, in the hope that they can find the one special combination that will "work". Of course once I was doing so myself.
The good news, and the bad news, is that usually the induction is in fact working but you just don't realise it. This is provided of course that you are a willing subject.
Quite often this is a question of expectations. I have often asked people who haven't "gone under" how will they know when an induction has worked. The usual response is that they don't know, but they expect to feel something.
Most people have seen stage hypnosis shows where volunteers from the audience have gone up and been hypnotised. These people seem to drop easily into an unconscious and comatose state, completely out of it, at the click of the hypnotist's fingers. The implication being, firstly that hypnosis renders you unconscious, and secondly that anybody who dares try will be affected in that way. This builds up expectations.
The truth is that hypnosis doesn't knock the subject unconscious, and indeed the sensation of being in a light trance is so indistinguishable from sitting there with ones eyes closed that anybody looking for some kind of affirmation that they are hypnotised often won't find one and thus believe that nothing is happening. One such individual once saw me in a trance and commented "Wow, you were completely out of it!", but of course they were completely unaware that in contrast to my outwardly lifeless appearance I was still completely aware of my surroundings, which is quite normal with trance.
The other thing that most people don't realise is that only a small proportion of the population naturally respond to hypnosis to the degree that would make them worth watching in a stage performance; say, 10%-20%. Stage hypnotists are adept at fishing these people out as their volunteers; it's fair to say that if the same audience went to another hypnosis stage show the odds that the same faces would be appearing on stage a second time would be quite good.
Against this backdrop it is easy to understand why some people believe that inductions haven't worked. The truth is though that inductions aren't magic; they only work because the hypnotist says so, and the subject believes they will.
The best thing you can do as a subject is drop all preconceptions about what hypnosis is and should feel like, go along with what you're being told by the hypnotist, and above all have faith that it is working.
Q3. "Why don't phenomena work on me?"
There are many different kinds of hypnotic phenomena, but generally for the analytical subject I think there are two reasons why a given phenomenon isn't working.
It is working but they don't realise it. Hypnotic phenomena rarely manifest themselves in quite the way one would expect. Often it is a case of simply giving it a bit more time and allowing something to happen, other times it is merely learning to recognise and accept the way in which it is happening.
For example, the first time I actually got my hand to "stick" to something, back in February, it wasn't as though anything that I was feeling actually changed, it was more the case that I suddenly recognised how it was supposed to work. Naturally I had been expecting something like a kind of force to hold my hand where it was, and no matter how much strength I applied I would be unable to move it. Hypnosis isn't an outside force though, it's all in the mind, and the revelation came when I realised that although I was disappointed that I couldn't feel any force, I was still willing to humour the hypnotist by leaving my hand exactly where it was, and didn't really consider moving it. That is how being "stuck" manifests itself to me; there is nothing physically holding my hand where it is, but as long as I am comfortable and having fun there is absolutely line of thought I can pursue that leads to my being able to move my hand.
Pretending to pull against an invisible force is just part of the fun.
They don't yet know how to do it. I have described the background to my learning to achieve the effect of my hand becoming stuck; it has been much the same for other phenomena. Ultimately being hypnotised and going into trance is a skill, and for most people that skill has to be learned and exercised before it can be used to full effect. Don't expect to play Grieg's piano concerto the first time you sit down at a piano. Great things will come with practice.
Hypnosis is never like what one would expect it to be, but as every subject gains experience they acquire new abilities and expand the range of phenomena they are able to achieve. The best thing you can do as a subject is have an open mind and to give yourself the time you need to learn.
Q4. "Am I just pretending?"
A lot of people who are slow to pick up hypnosis, especially analytical people who are looking for an affirmation that it's working, often become frustrated when they are given a suggestion and nothing happens. So they wait, and they wait, and the influence of hypnosis that they are expecting and waiting for never happens.
"Do I sit and wait for something to happen in which case nothing does, or do I consciously follow the suggestions, in which case it's not hypnosis doing it, just me, and surely I'm just acting?"
I had this problem before hypnosis started to work for me, and this is where we enter the territory of what I and a few others refer to as the "acting dilemma". Resolving this point was, for me, the big breakthrough I needed to make and I'm significantly indebted to the person who helped me past it. They know who they are.
The dilemma:
"Am I doing this because I'm hypnotised, or am I just pretending that I'm hypnotised?"
I think it's important to get used to acting dilemma, because it's something that doesn't go away. Consider, though, the possibility that it's also a bit of a false question. Hypnosis isn't some magical effect from outside the body; it's something which exists within the subject's mind. The hypnotist doesn't produce the phenomena, nor does some disembodied force called hypnosis, it's the subject who does it. Anybody who expects a hypnotist to issue instructions to them and to find their body immediately flailing around on its own like a puppet will probably be disappointed to hear that anybody under the influence of hypnosis is in fact, in some sense, acting.
So perhaps being hypnotised, and pretending to be hypnotised are in essence the same thing. The result is, after all, the same.
The advice I was given, and the advice I will pass on, is to accept the dilemma exists but don't worry about it. Endeavour to follow the suggestions, even if it feels as though you are doing so consciously. Soon enough you will find that responding to suggestions willingly becomes second nature and is actually happening before you have time to think what you're doing, or even without you being aware of it happening at all. Now that is hypnosis!
Q5. "I can hear/analyse the suggestions. Is that bad?"
This comes back to the common misconception that hypnosis by definition renders the subject unconscious, which is of course false.
It stands to reason that if a subject cannot physically hear the suggestions they are being given there is no chance of that suggestion working. So the question is more about how much attention the subject's conscious mind is giving to the hypnotist's words, and how much of that they subsequently remember.
It is actually quite rare for new subjects to have amnesia for their trances, and so it is quite the norm for the subject to be able to hear what is being said, and to be able to think about or analyse it.
I have found that this is only a problem or a hindrance to the suggestions if you, as the subject, believe that it is. Conversely, believing that the suggestions you are being given will work, and being willing to humour them and act as though they are working, is the best way to overcome this hangup, in my opinion.
Q6. "How do I 'let go'?"
In my opinion telling a subject that they need to "let go" is just about the most useless thing that any hypnotist can ever say.
For my part I found the worst part of being told to "let go" was the implication to the subject that it is them preventing the hypnosis from working by holding something back. To the subject who is genuinely giving it everything they've got, but who is unsure exactly what they should be doing, this advice is of no use whatsoever and ultimately only serves to cause the subject to blame themself and question their own abilities and potential.
In my opinion a hypnotist who tells a subject that they need to "let go" is neglecting to make the effort to properly understand the nature of their subject's hangups or to reassure them that they can be a good subject if they persist.
I do not endorse acts of violence against such hypnotists, however burning effigies, letting the air out of their car tyres or signing them up for adult spam email are all perfectly acceptable.
Q7. "Am I just not good enough?"
It is an incredibly unpleasant feeling to think that you just aren't good enough to experience all of the amazing things hypnosis has to offer; that perhaps there's something wrong with you.
Let me assure you, as someone who once couldn't be hypnotised, and who once felt as though the above applied to him, that it simply isn't true.
If you want to be, you can be a really good subject.
Q8. "How do I become a really good subject?"
Three words:
Practice. Practice. Practice.
Many people reading the title of this article will wonder what on earth I can mean by this; after all surely isn't it the hypnotist, using their hypnotising skills, who does all the work?
Well, yes and no.
Over the last nine months I have devoted a lot of time and energy into learning how to be a hypnotist. That, however, has been extremely easy when compared with the effort I have had to put in whilst learning how to be a subject.
It seems to me that an extremely large number of people who want to be hypnotised have tried and been disappointed with the results. For a significant proportion of the population going into hypnosis is not something that comes to them quickly or naturally, and I count myself in that number. The term "analytical" is frequently used to describe this personality trait, those who have trouble dropping their critical faculty and experiencing hypnosis, and whilst it's a term I don't particularly like it does seem to be the best word for it.
There is good news though and that is that, as far as I can tell, hypnosis is a skill which anybody can learn given time. If you, dear reader, want to be hypnotised, and yet seem not to be able to, there is no reason why you can't learn how.
I intend this article as a sort of FAQ guide on how to go about doing just that, based on my experiences so far. It is by no means comprehensive, and I'm sure it won't be without the occasional controversial point, but at the very least I hope it's helpful for others who find themselves in the position I was once in.
So, on to my FAQ:
Q1. "Can I be hypnotised?"
Yes. Absolutely.
In my opinion, and my experience, everybody has the capacity to be hypnotised.
Of course, it's not quite as simple as that; there are obviously people who do not respond to hypnosis. There are various reasons for this, and generally speaking I believe these are:
They do not want to be hypnotised. If someone ultimately doesn't want to cooperate with the hypnotist then they will not respond to the suggestions they are being given. Their loss if you ask me.
They believe they can't be hypnotised. Hypnosis, in the context of being overtly hypnotised by a hypnotist generally works because the subject believes that it will. If somebody firmly believes that they cannot be hypnotised they will find this to be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Arguably one of the best examples of self-hypnosis that there is.
They don't know how to be hypnotised. This something on which I feel I am able to shed a lot of light, but bear in mind that my insight is based upon my own opinion and experiences. To put it simply, everybody thinks differently and consequently some people are better able to take up a particular skill than others. Going into a deep hypnotic trance is a skill which comes to some people (ie somnambulists) quite naturally, but to others, especially those who are particularly analytical in their thought processes, it doesn't and these people have to learn how to do it.
The lesson here is that if you are willing to be hypnotised, believe that you can, and keep working at it, you can theoretically experience any hypnotic phenomena you want given time.
Q2. "Why don't inductions work on me?"
This seems to be quite a common complaint amongst people who find hypnosis difficult. The so called, analytical types. I have seen such subjects wanting to try every kind of induction under the sun, with every hypnotist they can find, and with all sorts of fancy language patterns, in the hope that they can find the one special combination that will "work". Of course once I was doing so myself.
The good news, and the bad news, is that usually the induction is in fact working but you just don't realise it. This is provided of course that you are a willing subject.
Quite often this is a question of expectations. I have often asked people who haven't "gone under" how will they know when an induction has worked. The usual response is that they don't know, but they expect to feel something.
Most people have seen stage hypnosis shows where volunteers from the audience have gone up and been hypnotised. These people seem to drop easily into an unconscious and comatose state, completely out of it, at the click of the hypnotist's fingers. The implication being, firstly that hypnosis renders you unconscious, and secondly that anybody who dares try will be affected in that way. This builds up expectations.
The truth is that hypnosis doesn't knock the subject unconscious, and indeed the sensation of being in a light trance is so indistinguishable from sitting there with ones eyes closed that anybody looking for some kind of affirmation that they are hypnotised often won't find one and thus believe that nothing is happening. One such individual once saw me in a trance and commented "Wow, you were completely out of it!", but of course they were completely unaware that in contrast to my outwardly lifeless appearance I was still completely aware of my surroundings, which is quite normal with trance.
The other thing that most people don't realise is that only a small proportion of the population naturally respond to hypnosis to the degree that would make them worth watching in a stage performance; say, 10%-20%. Stage hypnotists are adept at fishing these people out as their volunteers; it's fair to say that if the same audience went to another hypnosis stage show the odds that the same faces would be appearing on stage a second time would be quite good.
Against this backdrop it is easy to understand why some people believe that inductions haven't worked. The truth is though that inductions aren't magic; they only work because the hypnotist says so, and the subject believes they will.
The best thing you can do as a subject is drop all preconceptions about what hypnosis is and should feel like, go along with what you're being told by the hypnotist, and above all have faith that it is working.
Q3. "Why don't phenomena work on me?"
There are many different kinds of hypnotic phenomena, but generally for the analytical subject I think there are two reasons why a given phenomenon isn't working.
It is working but they don't realise it. Hypnotic phenomena rarely manifest themselves in quite the way one would expect. Often it is a case of simply giving it a bit more time and allowing something to happen, other times it is merely learning to recognise and accept the way in which it is happening.
For example, the first time I actually got my hand to "stick" to something, back in February, it wasn't as though anything that I was feeling actually changed, it was more the case that I suddenly recognised how it was supposed to work. Naturally I had been expecting something like a kind of force to hold my hand where it was, and no matter how much strength I applied I would be unable to move it. Hypnosis isn't an outside force though, it's all in the mind, and the revelation came when I realised that although I was disappointed that I couldn't feel any force, I was still willing to humour the hypnotist by leaving my hand exactly where it was, and didn't really consider moving it. That is how being "stuck" manifests itself to me; there is nothing physically holding my hand where it is, but as long as I am comfortable and having fun there is absolutely line of thought I can pursue that leads to my being able to move my hand.
Pretending to pull against an invisible force is just part of the fun.
They don't yet know how to do it. I have described the background to my learning to achieve the effect of my hand becoming stuck; it has been much the same for other phenomena. Ultimately being hypnotised and going into trance is a skill, and for most people that skill has to be learned and exercised before it can be used to full effect. Don't expect to play Grieg's piano concerto the first time you sit down at a piano. Great things will come with practice.
Hypnosis is never like what one would expect it to be, but as every subject gains experience they acquire new abilities and expand the range of phenomena they are able to achieve. The best thing you can do as a subject is have an open mind and to give yourself the time you need to learn.
Q4. "Am I just pretending?"
A lot of people who are slow to pick up hypnosis, especially analytical people who are looking for an affirmation that it's working, often become frustrated when they are given a suggestion and nothing happens. So they wait, and they wait, and the influence of hypnosis that they are expecting and waiting for never happens.
"Do I sit and wait for something to happen in which case nothing does, or do I consciously follow the suggestions, in which case it's not hypnosis doing it, just me, and surely I'm just acting?"
I had this problem before hypnosis started to work for me, and this is where we enter the territory of what I and a few others refer to as the "acting dilemma". Resolving this point was, for me, the big breakthrough I needed to make and I'm significantly indebted to the person who helped me past it. They know who they are.
The dilemma:
"Am I doing this because I'm hypnotised, or am I just pretending that I'm hypnotised?"
I think it's important to get used to acting dilemma, because it's something that doesn't go away. Consider, though, the possibility that it's also a bit of a false question. Hypnosis isn't some magical effect from outside the body; it's something which exists within the subject's mind. The hypnotist doesn't produce the phenomena, nor does some disembodied force called hypnosis, it's the subject who does it. Anybody who expects a hypnotist to issue instructions to them and to find their body immediately flailing around on its own like a puppet will probably be disappointed to hear that anybody under the influence of hypnosis is in fact, in some sense, acting.
So perhaps being hypnotised, and pretending to be hypnotised are in essence the same thing. The result is, after all, the same.
The advice I was given, and the advice I will pass on, is to accept the dilemma exists but don't worry about it. Endeavour to follow the suggestions, even if it feels as though you are doing so consciously. Soon enough you will find that responding to suggestions willingly becomes second nature and is actually happening before you have time to think what you're doing, or even without you being aware of it happening at all. Now that is hypnosis!
Q5. "I can hear/analyse the suggestions. Is that bad?"
This comes back to the common misconception that hypnosis by definition renders the subject unconscious, which is of course false.
It stands to reason that if a subject cannot physically hear the suggestions they are being given there is no chance of that suggestion working. So the question is more about how much attention the subject's conscious mind is giving to the hypnotist's words, and how much of that they subsequently remember.
It is actually quite rare for new subjects to have amnesia for their trances, and so it is quite the norm for the subject to be able to hear what is being said, and to be able to think about or analyse it.
I have found that this is only a problem or a hindrance to the suggestions if you, as the subject, believe that it is. Conversely, believing that the suggestions you are being given will work, and being willing to humour them and act as though they are working, is the best way to overcome this hangup, in my opinion.
Q6. "How do I 'let go'?"
In my opinion telling a subject that they need to "let go" is just about the most useless thing that any hypnotist can ever say.
For my part I found the worst part of being told to "let go" was the implication to the subject that it is them preventing the hypnosis from working by holding something back. To the subject who is genuinely giving it everything they've got, but who is unsure exactly what they should be doing, this advice is of no use whatsoever and ultimately only serves to cause the subject to blame themself and question their own abilities and potential.
In my opinion a hypnotist who tells a subject that they need to "let go" is neglecting to make the effort to properly understand the nature of their subject's hangups or to reassure them that they can be a good subject if they persist.
I do not endorse acts of violence against such hypnotists, however burning effigies, letting the air out of their car tyres or signing them up for adult spam email are all perfectly acceptable.
Q7. "Am I just not good enough?"
It is an incredibly unpleasant feeling to think that you just aren't good enough to experience all of the amazing things hypnosis has to offer; that perhaps there's something wrong with you.
Let me assure you, as someone who once couldn't be hypnotised, and who once felt as though the above applied to him, that it simply isn't true.
If you want to be, you can be a really good subject.
Q8. "How do I become a really good subject?"
Three words:
Practice. Practice. Practice.
Thursday 11 June 2009
Trust and Responsibility
Recently I was reading another hypnosis blog, written by fella in the US, and there is a statement in one of his posts that I would be quite willing to carve in stone as the first law of being a hypnotist. Link here.
"(Hypnosis) is always about the other person. Satisfying their needs and curiousity whilst keeping them feeling safe should be your first, if not your only priority."
I have already talked a little about my feelings on the subject of taking on the responsibility associated with being the hypnotist, and I think the above statement describes the concept well.
Perhaps I would argue that "keeping them safe", and not just "feeling safe" would be more appropriate, but that is a fairly trivial point. I get the impression that the writer performs most of their hypnosis online, well away from the hazards of the more physical environment of, say, a pub, the street, or on stage.
What I am getting to here is trust and responsibility. Indeed, many hypnotists will talk of a metaphorical contract, a hypnotic contract, that both parties enter into. The subject agrees to follow the hypnotist's direction, and in return the hypnotist agrees to take responsibility for the subject.
Hypnosis is not mind control; the hypnotist has no more power over the subject than the subject is willing to hand over. That said, some individuals do not realise that they always retain ultimate control of themselves, and of course hypnosis isn't even needed for someone to place their trust in a person who really doesn't deserve to have it. In my opinion this is where there is potential for harm to be done.
In general I have found that for the most part hypnotists are likeable, ethical and trustworthy bunch. At least those who are willing to go out, meet people, and perform hypnosis face to face are. They have to be if they are to be able to get into rapport with their subjects, and to gain enough trust in a short time. A hypnotist who does not come across as being trustworthy, or who gains a reputation for not respecting their subjects, will soon find that potential subjects will turn them down.
Now, anyone who knows me will be able to confirm that I am a self-confessed trance junkie. I definitely enjoy the sensation of being in trance, and jump at the opportunity to experience more.
I'm also constantly champing at the bit to practice going into trance and try to achieve new phenomena. As far as I am able to tell the starting point for my ability to be hypnotised was exceptionally poor, and despite my enthusiasm to follow suggestions I still see myself as below average. In particular I have not yet been able to experience anything that noticeably alters my perception such as amnesia or hallucination.
So with both of these sources of motivaton gnawing at me you might find it surprising that I'm actually quite selective as to who I am willing to allow to hypnotise me. Well, actually in some cases those people will not be surprised given the constant badgering they get from me. It is actually quite a small number of people.
I don't think my selectiveness derives primarily from trust issues, at least not at present, because no hypnotist has yet been able to achieve any effect that I've been unaware of them doing, or found disagreeable. It's more that I find myself unable to enjoy a session with a hypnotist who doesn't respect their subject.
Generally speaking if someone is to hypnotise me I will like to know them reasonably well and to have seen them in action before I make my mind up. I don't really see this as a safety issue as such; it's more about avoiding a situation that will make me feel uncomfortable, so I'm generally interested in the sorts of things a hypnotist will want to do with their subject.
That said, the exception that tests the rule has been occasions in the past when I've been quite happy to be a volunteer for a first timer to practice on.
Where am I going with these ramblings? Well, on a couple of occasions recently I have been in the awkward situation where I have been faced with an offer from a hypnotist and not felt willing to accept their offer because of the way in which I have seen them conduct themselves with other subjects. It really is an awkward position to find oneself in, and it feels as though actually saying to someone "No thanks, I don't think I'd be comfortable going into trance for you" would be such a slap across the face I don't know if I could come out and say it.
So far I have been able to dodge the issue whenever it has come up. In some ways I almost feel sorry for those girls I asked out years and years ago who, when cornered, really didn't want to take me up on my offer, but also didn't want to hurt my feelings. The result was a lot of incredibly lame and unconvincing excuses. Why, I thought at the time, did they not just tell me they weren't interested? I guess I have a better understanding now.
In the end I think it comes down to trust and comfort zones, and being able to respect that the ultimate say lies with the subject. This is an essential part of being a good hypnotist.
So put the subject first. If you see yourself as someone who has specific goals to achieve with a subject go out and find a subject who shares those goals with you, but always put the subject first.
"(Hypnosis) is always about the other person. Satisfying their needs and curiousity whilst keeping them feeling safe should be your first, if not your only priority."
I have already talked a little about my feelings on the subject of taking on the responsibility associated with being the hypnotist, and I think the above statement describes the concept well.
Perhaps I would argue that "keeping them safe", and not just "feeling safe" would be more appropriate, but that is a fairly trivial point. I get the impression that the writer performs most of their hypnosis online, well away from the hazards of the more physical environment of, say, a pub, the street, or on stage.
What I am getting to here is trust and responsibility. Indeed, many hypnotists will talk of a metaphorical contract, a hypnotic contract, that both parties enter into. The subject agrees to follow the hypnotist's direction, and in return the hypnotist agrees to take responsibility for the subject.
Hypnosis is not mind control; the hypnotist has no more power over the subject than the subject is willing to hand over. That said, some individuals do not realise that they always retain ultimate control of themselves, and of course hypnosis isn't even needed for someone to place their trust in a person who really doesn't deserve to have it. In my opinion this is where there is potential for harm to be done.
In general I have found that for the most part hypnotists are likeable, ethical and trustworthy bunch. At least those who are willing to go out, meet people, and perform hypnosis face to face are. They have to be if they are to be able to get into rapport with their subjects, and to gain enough trust in a short time. A hypnotist who does not come across as being trustworthy, or who gains a reputation for not respecting their subjects, will soon find that potential subjects will turn them down.
Now, anyone who knows me will be able to confirm that I am a self-confessed trance junkie. I definitely enjoy the sensation of being in trance, and jump at the opportunity to experience more.
I'm also constantly champing at the bit to practice going into trance and try to achieve new phenomena. As far as I am able to tell the starting point for my ability to be hypnotised was exceptionally poor, and despite my enthusiasm to follow suggestions I still see myself as below average. In particular I have not yet been able to experience anything that noticeably alters my perception such as amnesia or hallucination.
So with both of these sources of motivaton gnawing at me you might find it surprising that I'm actually quite selective as to who I am willing to allow to hypnotise me. Well, actually in some cases those people will not be surprised given the constant badgering they get from me. It is actually quite a small number of people.
I don't think my selectiveness derives primarily from trust issues, at least not at present, because no hypnotist has yet been able to achieve any effect that I've been unaware of them doing, or found disagreeable. It's more that I find myself unable to enjoy a session with a hypnotist who doesn't respect their subject.
Generally speaking if someone is to hypnotise me I will like to know them reasonably well and to have seen them in action before I make my mind up. I don't really see this as a safety issue as such; it's more about avoiding a situation that will make me feel uncomfortable, so I'm generally interested in the sorts of things a hypnotist will want to do with their subject.
That said, the exception that tests the rule has been occasions in the past when I've been quite happy to be a volunteer for a first timer to practice on.
Where am I going with these ramblings? Well, on a couple of occasions recently I have been in the awkward situation where I have been faced with an offer from a hypnotist and not felt willing to accept their offer because of the way in which I have seen them conduct themselves with other subjects. It really is an awkward position to find oneself in, and it feels as though actually saying to someone "No thanks, I don't think I'd be comfortable going into trance for you" would be such a slap across the face I don't know if I could come out and say it.
So far I have been able to dodge the issue whenever it has come up. In some ways I almost feel sorry for those girls I asked out years and years ago who, when cornered, really didn't want to take me up on my offer, but also didn't want to hurt my feelings. The result was a lot of incredibly lame and unconvincing excuses. Why, I thought at the time, did they not just tell me they weren't interested? I guess I have a better understanding now.
In the end I think it comes down to trust and comfort zones, and being able to respect that the ultimate say lies with the subject. This is an essential part of being a good hypnotist.
So put the subject first. If you see yourself as someone who has specific goals to achieve with a subject go out and find a subject who shares those goals with you, but always put the subject first.
Monday 8 June 2009
Why I do this
This is a post that I have been intending to write for some time, but I've been encouraged to get on and write it thanks to a comment left by a reader in a recent post. I feel that whilst I have covered a lot about what can be achieved using hypnosis, how it can be done and how it feels, I guess I haven't really explained what it is that motivates me to learn and practice it.
A while back I remember somebody saying to me "Being a hypnotist doesn't appeal to me; I don't like the idea of being a puppeteer."
There are indeed hypnotists out there who enjoy the idea of gaining absolute power over someone, or indeed many others, but I do not count myself among them.
I believe that there are two reasons why:
The first reason for my not wanting to impose my will on another person has its origins in certain events that occurred in my first couple of years in university; events involving members of the opposite sex. I know what saying that might imply, but believe me it's nothing so dramatic. To an outside observer those events may have seemed completely trivial and unimportant, but they did have a strong influence on me and shaped a significant proportion of what the person I am today seeks from human contact. Suffice to say that if I am to enjoy sharing something with someone else it has to be because they want to do it, not because I want them to do it.
The second reason is that the thought of having power and control over another individual is actually something that I find quite daunting. I believe that too many people who seek power forget that with power there comes responsibility.
To my mind if as a hypnotist you are entering into a relationship with somebody whereby you have the ability to completely alter their perception of the world around them, and where they are not necessarily able to judge any risks they might be subject to, it is clear that it is the duty of the hypnotist to take responsibility for the subject and ensure they do not come to any harm. The subject must put their trust in the hypnotist, and it is essential that their trust is respected.
This is something of which I am very conscious of whenever I work with a subject who responds well. Yes, I do get quite a kick out of seeing a subject drop into trance on the command to sleep, but I also find that it is actually very intimidating too and especially when shortly afterwards I meet their gaze and see such a sense of child-like innocence and trust as they are unwittingly affected by suggestions I have given.
I always feel the need to bring things "back to normal", have the subject remember or at least know everything that went on, so that it is an experience they are able to appreciate.
The idea of not doing that, and to have a subject unaware of something crucial that has happened, or even worse to change an aspect of a subject's mind merely on some whim of my own, is most definitely not something that appeals to me. I could not morally bring myself to abuse anybody's trust like that, and of course even if I could entertain the idea of playing god in that way I know I would feel incredibly lonely in doing so.
So for me at least being a hypnotist isn't about being a puppeteer. Sure I have met and have worked with subjects who have enjoyed playing the part of the puppet, and in which case I have been happy to oblige them, but my enjoyment is derived much more from sharing their enjoyment than from my own desires.
There is more though; much more. To me being a hypnotist is about taking on the role of being a kind of guide on a magical journey. I've been with subjects as I've lit candles by clicking my fingers, made things disappear in front of their eyes, blocked doorways with invisible force fields, walked through walls, and led them as they swim in secret oceans.
To some extent a hypnotist is also a teacher as well as a guide. Trance is a skill, and in many ways teaching somebody who was previously to experience any hypnotic phenomena how to let their arm float up or stick their hand to something is just as rewarding as convincing a complete natural that your train ticket is a whatever false ID you care to name (thankyou Dr Who!). It is very satisfying to be able to show somebody aspects of themself and abilities that they simply weren't aware of before. Everybody carries around with them the ability to go into trance and ultimately to experience some amazing phenomena as a result every day of their lives, but so few people realise it.
I feel that the question of motivation is a very large subject area and that I have barely scratched the surface with this article. Needless to say I will revisit it at some point in the future.
A while back I remember somebody saying to me "Being a hypnotist doesn't appeal to me; I don't like the idea of being a puppeteer."
There are indeed hypnotists out there who enjoy the idea of gaining absolute power over someone, or indeed many others, but I do not count myself among them.
I believe that there are two reasons why:
The first reason for my not wanting to impose my will on another person has its origins in certain events that occurred in my first couple of years in university; events involving members of the opposite sex. I know what saying that might imply, but believe me it's nothing so dramatic. To an outside observer those events may have seemed completely trivial and unimportant, but they did have a strong influence on me and shaped a significant proportion of what the person I am today seeks from human contact. Suffice to say that if I am to enjoy sharing something with someone else it has to be because they want to do it, not because I want them to do it.
The second reason is that the thought of having power and control over another individual is actually something that I find quite daunting. I believe that too many people who seek power forget that with power there comes responsibility.
To my mind if as a hypnotist you are entering into a relationship with somebody whereby you have the ability to completely alter their perception of the world around them, and where they are not necessarily able to judge any risks they might be subject to, it is clear that it is the duty of the hypnotist to take responsibility for the subject and ensure they do not come to any harm. The subject must put their trust in the hypnotist, and it is essential that their trust is respected.
This is something of which I am very conscious of whenever I work with a subject who responds well. Yes, I do get quite a kick out of seeing a subject drop into trance on the command to sleep, but I also find that it is actually very intimidating too and especially when shortly afterwards I meet their gaze and see such a sense of child-like innocence and trust as they are unwittingly affected by suggestions I have given.
I always feel the need to bring things "back to normal", have the subject remember or at least know everything that went on, so that it is an experience they are able to appreciate.
The idea of not doing that, and to have a subject unaware of something crucial that has happened, or even worse to change an aspect of a subject's mind merely on some whim of my own, is most definitely not something that appeals to me. I could not morally bring myself to abuse anybody's trust like that, and of course even if I could entertain the idea of playing god in that way I know I would feel incredibly lonely in doing so.
So for me at least being a hypnotist isn't about being a puppeteer. Sure I have met and have worked with subjects who have enjoyed playing the part of the puppet, and in which case I have been happy to oblige them, but my enjoyment is derived much more from sharing their enjoyment than from my own desires.
There is more though; much more. To me being a hypnotist is about taking on the role of being a kind of guide on a magical journey. I've been with subjects as I've lit candles by clicking my fingers, made things disappear in front of their eyes, blocked doorways with invisible force fields, walked through walls, and led them as they swim in secret oceans.
To some extent a hypnotist is also a teacher as well as a guide. Trance is a skill, and in many ways teaching somebody who was previously to experience any hypnotic phenomena how to let their arm float up or stick their hand to something is just as rewarding as convincing a complete natural that your train ticket is a whatever false ID you care to name (thankyou Dr Who!). It is very satisfying to be able to show somebody aspects of themself and abilities that they simply weren't aware of before. Everybody carries around with them the ability to go into trance and ultimately to experience some amazing phenomena as a result every day of their lives, but so few people realise it.
I feel that the question of motivation is a very large subject area and that I have barely scratched the surface with this article. Needless to say I will revisit it at some point in the future.
Sunday 7 June 2009
More fun in Oxford
After the success of the last meetup in Oxford it is fair to say that I have been under significant pressure from some of those present last time to organise another small gathering.
Once again the meeting place was the Head of the River, and arriving first I was able to bag the same table as we'd sat at the previous meet. I was soon joined by Andy and Ali, and then by Lex and Liz.
As Darren was unable to make it to the meet this time it fell to Andy to become absolutely fascinated by Lex's highly practical uses for his hypnosis skills.
Of course there will be prizes for guessing who had been putting the pressure on me to organise another Oxford meet up. I think it's perhaps the way that the bar staff seem to realise she's arrived and light the candle on the table that endears the place to her. This was, of course, before Lex locked her eyes on the tiny flame making her unable to look away.
With Liz distracted I was able to buy a round without the help of post-hypnotic compulsion.
After a while Rich and Javier joined us and with introductions over we set off in search of something to eat; Chinese this time. Once again we were able to get away with "a table for 7 please, we have no reservation", but of course we were quite early in the evening because we wanted to go on to the Turf Tavern.
On arriving actually found the Turf to be a heck of a lot quieter than it had been on that evening three months ago, which we put down to the poor weather earlier in the evening. We bagged ourselves a table, continued our conversation, and reached that stage of the evening where everyone was agreeing most emphatically that we should approach some students.
"Definitely."
"Absolutely."
"After you..."
I took the opportunity of this impasse to try out a Dr Who psychic paper trick with Liz, and she was amazed as I provided ID cards to prove I work for the CID, FBI, and HM Ministry of ogling, although something made her certain that they were fakes; can't think what. Lex must have taken sympathy on his girlfriend at this point, because he turned my cards into what I presume were compromising photographs of yours truly - I didn't hear the exact suggestion, but that doesn't mean I can't swear revenge.
I also managed to play my favourite double-bluff routine, whereby the hypnotist tells the subject that they'll be able to see a ball, and then actually produces a real ball. Not hypnosis as such, more a kind of cruel teasing. I actually felt quite sorry for Liz when, to compound the confusion I was subjecting her to, everyone else around the table started disputing what colour the ball was.
The most amazing thing about the Turf Tavern during these meets has been the way in which once it becomes clear that we're hypnotists we suddenly find ourselves besieged by students demanding to be hypnotised. Someone did comment to me that my demonstration of a non-verbal Ericksonian handshake on Liz had certainly turned the heads of some guys at the next table, but it wasn't until Rich kicked things off by approaching a nearby table that, as with last time, so much zapping was going on that I completely lost track.
I actually missed the moment when Rich decided to go up to one of the student tables because Ali had expressed an interest in doing some hypnosis and I was quite happy to play subject for her.
Ali used a magnetic hands induction on me, although interestingly she didn't ask me to close my eyes beforehand, which is how that induction is generally done. I found myself concentrating very hard on the space in between my hands, seeing everything blur. When my hands came together I found it completely natural to close my eyes and go completely limp. To tell the truth I was very impressed because straight away I felt that blurry sensation of trance which can often take me a while to reach.
It also made me realise how little practice at going into trance I've had recently.
Ali had some fun sticking one of my hands to the table, then my other hand to my head. Then I was able to remove one hand from my head by placing the other on my head, so that one was always stuck there. It was a nice little waking hypnosis routine similar to the one I'd done with her a month or so before.
Next she got me stuck speaking in a strong Yorkshire dialect, which were bloody marvelous.
It was at this point that I realised that Rich had gone and approached a table of three male students nearby. He had one of them eyes closed and in trance, but one of the others was looking intently in our direction. I decided to go over and have a chat.
The student in question was a skeptic, but insistent that I try hypnotising him. To be honest I really didn't feel mentally prepared for this, so I didn't feel particularly on form. To be honest to the guy he was really up for trying, but nothing seemed to be working with him very quickly, and his patience didn't hold out. After it transpired that he had drunk 7 pints that evening before calling upon my expertise I didn't feel quite so bad and I was at least able to fall back on showing off with the rubber band trick.
The rubber band trick works especially well if one can use a time-stopping freeze suggestion in order to make the rubber bands vanish and reappear in unlikely places, such as the subject's own fingers. Mind you drunk people are also impressed easily, so it wasn't too bad.
Returning to our table, which had subsequently been mobbed by prospective subjects, I soon myself with another keen subject. Once again it seems I was the recipient of the good intentions of my fellow hypnotists.
"Hey Parkey, this guy wants to be hypnotised but he's difficult so we saved him for you."
Thanks guys. I'll take that as a compliment!
As it turned out this guy was quite responsive (well, compared with Mr 7-pints he was!) so I was soon able to float his arm up. In fact I took this opportunity to use the ideomotor induction which Ben has talked about recently, which of course works very well when one has plenty of time and showmanship matters less. This subject did however find the background noise distracting so I wasn't able to achieve much else with him, but he was at least impressed with his floating arm.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to get much more practice at the impromptu side of hypnosis and develop a routine which I can follow. At present I feel too much as though I have been put on the spot when I'm faced with a new subject.
By this time it was getting quite late and in defiance of the hot weather of the last week it was getting a bit cold. We headed indoors, leaving the craziness of indiscriminate zapping behind us and returning to a more conversational setting; soon it would be time to go.
With not long remaining before most of us had to leave to catch our respective buses and trains Andy burst inside and told us that Rich was up to his old tricks again. Sure enough we found him outside hard at work with the full attention of a young lady. Just as Javier wasted no time in getting the attention of a table of 6 nice female students it was time. Reluctantly we left him and Rich to it and went our separate ways. I'm sure they were really disappointed to have all those subjects to themselves!
I must make it absolutely clear that putting attractive women into trance is under no circumstances a motivation for my interest in this hobby. My interests in hypnosis are purely academic, and if attractive women do demand that I hypnotise them, well, I most certainly don't enjoy it. Not at all...
Getting away when we did was a definitely a relief.
*cough*
One day I would like to be the last person to leave at a HypnoMeet.
Still, it was definitely a fun evening.
Once again the meeting place was the Head of the River, and arriving first I was able to bag the same table as we'd sat at the previous meet. I was soon joined by Andy and Ali, and then by Lex and Liz.
As Darren was unable to make it to the meet this time it fell to Andy to become absolutely fascinated by Lex's highly practical uses for his hypnosis skills.
Of course there will be prizes for guessing who had been putting the pressure on me to organise another Oxford meet up. I think it's perhaps the way that the bar staff seem to realise she's arrived and light the candle on the table that endears the place to her. This was, of course, before Lex locked her eyes on the tiny flame making her unable to look away.
With Liz distracted I was able to buy a round without the help of post-hypnotic compulsion.
After a while Rich and Javier joined us and with introductions over we set off in search of something to eat; Chinese this time. Once again we were able to get away with "a table for 7 please, we have no reservation", but of course we were quite early in the evening because we wanted to go on to the Turf Tavern.
On arriving actually found the Turf to be a heck of a lot quieter than it had been on that evening three months ago, which we put down to the poor weather earlier in the evening. We bagged ourselves a table, continued our conversation, and reached that stage of the evening where everyone was agreeing most emphatically that we should approach some students.
"Definitely."
"Absolutely."
"After you..."
I took the opportunity of this impasse to try out a Dr Who psychic paper trick with Liz, and she was amazed as I provided ID cards to prove I work for the CID, FBI, and HM Ministry of ogling, although something made her certain that they were fakes; can't think what. Lex must have taken sympathy on his girlfriend at this point, because he turned my cards into what I presume were compromising photographs of yours truly - I didn't hear the exact suggestion, but that doesn't mean I can't swear revenge.
I also managed to play my favourite double-bluff routine, whereby the hypnotist tells the subject that they'll be able to see a ball, and then actually produces a real ball. Not hypnosis as such, more a kind of cruel teasing. I actually felt quite sorry for Liz when, to compound the confusion I was subjecting her to, everyone else around the table started disputing what colour the ball was.
The most amazing thing about the Turf Tavern during these meets has been the way in which once it becomes clear that we're hypnotists we suddenly find ourselves besieged by students demanding to be hypnotised. Someone did comment to me that my demonstration of a non-verbal Ericksonian handshake on Liz had certainly turned the heads of some guys at the next table, but it wasn't until Rich kicked things off by approaching a nearby table that, as with last time, so much zapping was going on that I completely lost track.
I actually missed the moment when Rich decided to go up to one of the student tables because Ali had expressed an interest in doing some hypnosis and I was quite happy to play subject for her.
Ali used a magnetic hands induction on me, although interestingly she didn't ask me to close my eyes beforehand, which is how that induction is generally done. I found myself concentrating very hard on the space in between my hands, seeing everything blur. When my hands came together I found it completely natural to close my eyes and go completely limp. To tell the truth I was very impressed because straight away I felt that blurry sensation of trance which can often take me a while to reach.
It also made me realise how little practice at going into trance I've had recently.
Ali had some fun sticking one of my hands to the table, then my other hand to my head. Then I was able to remove one hand from my head by placing the other on my head, so that one was always stuck there. It was a nice little waking hypnosis routine similar to the one I'd done with her a month or so before.
Next she got me stuck speaking in a strong Yorkshire dialect, which were bloody marvelous.
It was at this point that I realised that Rich had gone and approached a table of three male students nearby. He had one of them eyes closed and in trance, but one of the others was looking intently in our direction. I decided to go over and have a chat.
The student in question was a skeptic, but insistent that I try hypnotising him. To be honest I really didn't feel mentally prepared for this, so I didn't feel particularly on form. To be honest to the guy he was really up for trying, but nothing seemed to be working with him very quickly, and his patience didn't hold out. After it transpired that he had drunk 7 pints that evening before calling upon my expertise I didn't feel quite so bad and I was at least able to fall back on showing off with the rubber band trick.
The rubber band trick works especially well if one can use a time-stopping freeze suggestion in order to make the rubber bands vanish and reappear in unlikely places, such as the subject's own fingers. Mind you drunk people are also impressed easily, so it wasn't too bad.
Returning to our table, which had subsequently been mobbed by prospective subjects, I soon myself with another keen subject. Once again it seems I was the recipient of the good intentions of my fellow hypnotists.
"Hey Parkey, this guy wants to be hypnotised but he's difficult so we saved him for you."
Thanks guys. I'll take that as a compliment!
As it turned out this guy was quite responsive (well, compared with Mr 7-pints he was!) so I was soon able to float his arm up. In fact I took this opportunity to use the ideomotor induction which Ben has talked about recently, which of course works very well when one has plenty of time and showmanship matters less. This subject did however find the background noise distracting so I wasn't able to achieve much else with him, but he was at least impressed with his floating arm.
I have come to the conclusion that I need to get much more practice at the impromptu side of hypnosis and develop a routine which I can follow. At present I feel too much as though I have been put on the spot when I'm faced with a new subject.
By this time it was getting quite late and in defiance of the hot weather of the last week it was getting a bit cold. We headed indoors, leaving the craziness of indiscriminate zapping behind us and returning to a more conversational setting; soon it would be time to go.
With not long remaining before most of us had to leave to catch our respective buses and trains Andy burst inside and told us that Rich was up to his old tricks again. Sure enough we found him outside hard at work with the full attention of a young lady. Just as Javier wasted no time in getting the attention of a table of 6 nice female students it was time. Reluctantly we left him and Rich to it and went our separate ways. I'm sure they were really disappointed to have all those subjects to themselves!
I must make it absolutely clear that putting attractive women into trance is under no circumstances a motivation for my interest in this hobby. My interests in hypnosis are purely academic, and if attractive women do demand that I hypnotise them, well, I most certainly don't enjoy it. Not at all...
Getting away when we did was a definitely a relief.
*cough*
One day I would like to be the last person to leave at a HypnoMeet.
Still, it was definitely a fun evening.
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