Hypnotism is a fascinating subject to many people. We see astonishing things being done when it is performed on other people. It is an art and is scientific which any one can develop by this skill and by constant practice. This is a very old phenomenon which in the earlier days where mastered by psychologists and where used for many purposes. We read about hypnotism being used by doctors to help patients. I have also heard of clergy people who have pracised this for faith healing and so on. Scientific evidence suggests that hypnotism is useful when qualified professionals practice it. What is more realistic is that it has never put any body on any risks and we who learn this art should use it for good reasons and not to torture any one. After all, we are instrumental in giving some hope and remedy to the people who needs our service. People have used hypnotic techniques since ancient times. But the practice of hypnotism has been condemned at times because of its misuse or because of ignorance, mistaken beliefs, and overstated claims.
Scientists have shown that hypnotism is a natural part of human behavior that affects psychological, social and physical experience. There is no magic connected with hypnotism, and the hypnotist has no special power. The effects of hypnotism depend on the willingness and motivation of the person being hypnotized. In hypnosis, a change in the quality and focus of a person’s attention alters his or her internal and external experience.
Hypnosis has been compared to dreaming and sleepwalking. The term hypnosis comes from the Greek word- Hypnos meaning ‘sleep’. However, hypnosis is not actually related to sleep. It involves a more active and intense mental concentration. Hypnotized people can talk, write, and walk about. They are usually fully aware of what is said and done. A hypnotist uses certain methods to induce (Guide) hypnosis in another person. As the person responds to the methods, the person’s state of attention changes. This altered state often leads to various other changes or phenomena. E.g. the person may experience different levels of awareness, consciousness, imagination, memory, and reasoning or become more responsive to suggestions. Additional phenomena may be produced or eliminated. Such phenomena may include sensations, blushing, sweating, paralysis, tensing of muscles, and anesthesia. (Loss of pain sensation). Scientists have shown that changes in almost every body function and system may occur with hypnosis.
None of the experiences of hypnosis are unique. Some or all of the phenomena can occur without the use of hypnotic techniques. e.g people who are very responsive to hypnosis show an increased responsiveness to suggestions before they are hypnotized. This responsiveness increases during hypnotism.
People once believed that hypnotist could force their subjects to perform criminal acts or other actions against the subject’s will. There is no clear evidence to show that hypnosis causes such behavior. Hypnotized people can and do resist suggestions. They do not lose control of their actions and can distinguish between the right and the wrong.
Public performances of hypnotism are responsible for many
popular misconceptions about hypnosis.
Many people are first exposed to hypnotism through a magic show or a
film. Such presentations often
make hypnotism appear very simple.
This may tempt untrained people to try to perform hypnotism on themselves
or other people.
Hypnotism can be defined as a process by which a person’s mind can be controlled by the hypnotist and released when the later wishes through a course of monologs that are known as the ‘Key words’. The person on whom the hypnotism is tried is known as the ‘subject’. The article, which the hypnotist uses for the subject’s attraction and concentration, is known as ‘Object’. The object can be any thing that could be well fixed on a wall or can be held in the hand, e.g. a small crystal ball (as a symbol of some magical power) or even a burning candle will do. When a person is hypnotized, it does not mean that he is not aware of anything. He is aware, but on another level. This is called “unconscious” or “subconscious” awareness.
In order for a person to become hypnotized, he must be a willing, co-operative, and relaxed subject. The hypnotist can persuade him by repeatedly suggesting that he will become tired and sleepy, that his eyes will close, that he will begin to lose his interest in the outside world, and that he is going to be in a state of sleep where he will have that unconscious awareness.
One of the amazing things that happen when a person is hypnotized is the way he accepts suggestions. By suggestions from the hypnotist, a person can become deaf, dumb, blind, or perform strange acts. But it is important to remember that these suggestions are acceptable to the person hypnotized. If not, he/she rejects them.
A hypnotised person may experience changes in awareness, creative imaginations, reasoning and wakefulness. Physical changes with in the body may be produced by suggestions. These phenomena include changes in blood flow, blood pressure, heart rate, and sensations of cold and heat.
Another hypnotic phenomenon is called age-regression. The doctor or therapists suggests that the hypnotized patient is a certain age. The patient may then recall or “ relive” incidents his or her life. If the hypnotist suggest that the patient is 7 years old, the patient may appear to talk, act, even think much as a 7 year old. In this way, patients may remember events and feelings that may have had some bearing on their present illness. The patient can then re-interpret the situation with additional information, new insights, and increasing coping skills.
Sometimes, at the hypnotist’s command, subjects may believe they are living in some past or future time. They may feel that they have traveled back to the middle ages or on to the next century.
The Process:
1.0 STEP: 1. Let the subject be briefed about what you are going to do on him/her and the purpose. It could be for his own well being, his imaginary mental pictures etc. (I normally tell my subject that I am practicing this art to cure people their mental tensions and problems by which they feel good. In 1979, while I was working for a firm where there where many young boys who had left their country and where living on count – down on days that when they would reach home next, get married, get a chance to see their girl friends etc., I would help them by a small 15 minutes hypnotism and they would be so happy that they would wake up with joy and with great pleasure. It was then I realized that how relieving it could be when the subject really needs a picturesque view of their loved ones through their own mental imaginary world.)
2.0 STEP: 2 Put the subject to a relaxing posture; on an easy chair is the best. Let him/her feel that he is sitting in a very pleasant atmosphere and that he has to only listen to your voice. Help him to relax his left leg by saying to him, (normally by calling his name, “John, let me help you to relax your left leg. Keep your legs on the floor as firmly as possible… let it feel light and relax all your muscles of the legs..let it fall loose.. and yeh..here you are..good… Now try your right leg.. same way…)
3.0 STEP: 3 Relax the subjects back and let him/her feel that he/she is just as comfortable as he had just come back after a tired routine work and found his bed for a stretch. Let his body take a natural shape and let the body be as loose as possible.
4.0 STEP: 4 Relax his hands by saying your hands needs to be loose and relaxed and thing of a tired day when you want a nice rest. Let him/her that now you will help to relax his hands one by one. Try the left hand and then the right. Let the subject place the hand freely on his armrests or just simply along his body.
5.0 STEP: 5 One important point is to relax his neck muscles as this is normally done by a good pillow which he can be comfortable with. The idea is to make his head as free and relaxed as possible. Repeat that you are now relaxing his neck muscles and helping him to get a good sleep.
6.0 STEP: 6 Ask the subject to inhale and exhale three times slowly.
7.0 STEP:7 Tell the subject that now you are going to concentrate on the object you are showing and that he/she has to keep looking at the object steadily and not to close his eyes until the eyes are forced to close of its own. Tell that as soon as eyes closes he will be fully relaxed and that there will be symptoms to make out that he/she is under the hypnotic command. (I always tell the subject that your eye lids will remain stuck to each other as soon as the eyes closes at the first instance and then it will not be able to open until I allow and command) You can also feel that the subject is trying to open the eyes but he fails to open (if hypnotic spell is already effective) In most cases subject already enters the hypnotic sleep but if no, and if you feel he is very alert; do not tell to try opening eyes but instead tell him you will be now entering into hypnotic sleep very soon and that you will hearing only my voice.. Concentrate on my voice and then in a very slow and steady soothing way repeat the key words as such:
KEY WORDS:
(Speak softly to the subject) Imagine a very beautiful evening when a cool breeze was blowing as if you were in a garden. Think how nice you feel now. Your body is relaxed. You will be hearing my voice only and nothing else. You will feel good as you listen to my voice.. (2 times repeat) Your eyes are tired. (Repeat 3 times softly) Your legs are tired (repeat 2 times) your hands are tired (repeat 3 times) your entire body is tired (3 times) you will wake up only when I clap three times. (Repeat 3 times)
(After reducing your voice a little more) whisper that you cannot do anything of your own (2 times) You are just obeying my commands (3 times) You will do things what I tell you (3 times) You are under my control now (3 times) You will now sleep very well and feel very nice. (Repeat 3 times) You will have nice feeling when you wake up (repeat 3 times)
(Sometimes you will notice that the subject is trying to open his eyes but cannot do so and a few muscle movements of the leg or hands as he is trying to do some thing to prove that he is fully conscious. If this is the case, repeat the key words again till this point.)
NB: Give him a positive feeling that he is under the influence of hypnotic spell by telling him that I can see your eyes are getting heavier and your entire body as heavy and that you are now getting under my command. (Repeat 3 times) It will be easy to hypnotize then.
Lift the subject’s left hand and keep it upright and say, “ Your hand will stay up like this (repeat 3 times) It will not fall down (repeat 3 times) I am now controlling your mind (repeat 3 times) You will obey me and do what I say (repeat 3 times) You cannot drop your hand (repeat 3 times) You will hold as this until I change you (repeat 3 times)
(You will see that the subject is under your control fully and that his hands are upright. If he is dropping his hands, either he is fast a sleep of he is not fully hypnotized. You may repeat the key words again and repeat that this time it is working all right and he is entering into a deep sleep.
A very proof that the subject is under your command is that his hand does stand up right. You are convinced and so too you must repeat to him, “ yes. You are now fully under my control. Your hand cannot be brought down; how much you try. (Repeat 3 times) I am controlling your mind (you can do only what I say) (repeat 3 times)
NB: It is important that he is convinced that what you are saying is right as he is already experiencing that he cannot so anything of his own. Your voice must be at times little more raised so that he must feel that you are near by and able to bring him back to normal too.
Next, try to lock his fingers and hold it firmly and tell, “ I am now going to keep this fingers locked and you cannot separate them how much you try.” (Repeat 3 times)
NB: You will see that the subject is trying to release the fingers but in vain. You assure that you cannot separate the fingers again and again. You will keep his mind pumped with what you think he is able to do and not able to do in instant repeats.
These experiments will put the subject that he is fully in hypnotic spell. He is now ready for you to do anything you wish him to do. Experiments that mostly done are to do things which he may not otherwise do in his normal way. Some subjects are often very quick in replying to your questions, which you ask in slowly by repeating. (It may take a few seconds to give an opening sentence, but you can just start a hint if you wish to hear from him something in particular and he will reply) Some subjects will recite a childhood poem if you give a start and to you r surprise will sing full or partially. Mostly subject needs a hint. You may ask him to do physically some things like getting up and walking to the other room etc by holding his hands especially after giving the key words as, “ You will now walk with me slowly to the bed room; for better sleep..(Repeat 3 times) You will keep your eyes closed only..(Repeat 3 times) I will take you there. Safely..(Repeat 3 times)
You may allow the subject to relax a little more and then say in a bit louder voice, “ When I clap three times, you will open your eyes”. (Repeat 3 times)
Do claps after a few seconds of gap and you will notice the subject opens his eyes and that he tries to recollect how he came to the other room and hence naturally believes that he was under the influence of hypnotic spell?
NB: Avoid a long gap without much talk as the subject may loose the contact with the voice and hence may enter into deep sleep. This is not harmful but good to have a nice pleasant sleep. You may however tell him, “ You may sleep well and I will allow you to go for a deeper sleep as you always do. I will not disturb you now…enjoy your sleep”. (Repeat 3 times)
In most of the subjects I tried, they are very happy after the experiments and they confess with me that that everything was quite pleasant and particularly where I had taken them to their homeland and back, after a refreshed memory; it was I who would be proud this art.
My experiments where on children first who all even went in mass hypnotic spell, then elderly people, then colleagues. I have solved people with psychological problems by merely talking to them and making them relax and relieve the mental tensions in the past.
I can induce a hypnotic spell on the phone in case of persons who may want to get a bit of relaxations and enjoy a free mind and peaceful and sound sleep. (Do call me)
However, remember that hypnotism can be dangerous if it is abused. Only qualified professional should practice. Some people learn self-hypnosis, also called autohypnosis. It should be used only after an expert has determined that it is the appropriate treatment for him/her.