2.0 How to Select Your First Subject
2.1 Exercise 1: Making a List and checking it twice
2.2 How to guarantee success with your first subject
2.3 Pre-hypnosis Your Guarantee for Success!
2.4 Hypnosis Experiments in the Waking State
2.5 Exercises for Further Learning
2.6 Summary
2.0 How to Select Your First Hypnotic Subject
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Questions: How do I select my very first subject? Why are
you asking me before I have learned how to hypnotize?
Answers: You need to begin thinking of who you would like to
hypnotize. In the next lesson you will learn how to hypnotize and that lesson
is coming quick.
Who makes a good first subject?
Everyone wants to be
hypnotized!
Yes, even your biggest skeptics want to be hypnotized.
However, it's best to find a willing subject first. Even though the temptation
is to ask a close friend or relative if they want to be hypnotized, I would
wait until you have had many successes under your belt.
Hypnosis is a very subjective state of mind. Belief in your
abilities as a hypnotist is the key.
Your close friends may know that you are just starting out and may fail
only because they are trying too hard to please you. Or they may fail because
deep down inside, they don't believe in your abilities to hypnotize.
On the other hand, complete strangers make the best hypnotic
subjects when starting out. If they have never been hypnotized before, even if
you have a little knowledge, you are way ahead of them.
You begin by finding strangers in social clubs you may
belong to, or people that overhear you talking about hypnosis. Maybe you join a
night class at a community college and when someone asks you what you do, you
tell them, I am a hypnotist.
Usually the inquiring person will say, "I have never
been hypnotized before, will you hypnotize me?"
Then they will ask, "How much do you charge?"
Since you are new and don't really know how to hypnotize
much less fix something that is wrong with them, you respond with. "I will work with you for free. I have a new technique I am trying out and I
need volunteers to work with until I feel more comfortable with it. When would you like to be hypnotized?"
Then off you go. You have your first willing subject. Since
you are not going to charge the person for your service, you will have someone
who will work with you.
If you ever decide to become a professional hypnotist and
charge money for your services, you have someone that will praise your
services, because of the successful experience he had with you.
Keys to Success
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Hypnosis involves credibility. Subjects have to believe you
have the skill to hypnotize.
Hypnosis involves belief. The person has to believe that
something will go on as a result of your personal intervention.
Hypnosis requires rapport with your subjects. They have to
trust you and like you. Even if they respond as a great hypnotic subject for
someone else, they may not respond to you because they don't like you. Because all of this is happening at a
subconscious level, they may not demonstrate the fact that they like or don't
like you.
2.1 Exercise 1: Making a List and checking it Twice
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Make a list of places you go to on a regular basis where you
may engage in conversation with a stranger.
Remember that strangers will make some of the best hypnotic subjects
because they have no reason to doubt your abilities. Hypnotizing personal friends will work much
better once you establish a reputation as a hypnotist.
Along side the list of places you may find your first
hypnotic subject, include names of people you meet that will be interested in
becoming your first hypnotic subjects.
Make a list of places you will find your first hypnotic subject and add
to the list as you proceed through the stage hypnotism course.
1. Work
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
2. Social organizations
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
3. Church
____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
4. Other
____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
2.2 How to Guarantee Success with Your First Subject
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Once you have completed the exercises in this lesson on
hypnotizing you will be coming back to this page to remind yourself how to
guarantee success for your first subject.
After completing the exercise in part 2.1 of this lesson, I
want you to ask one of the above individuals to engage in a hypnosis experiment
with you. Remember to say that you are trying out a new technique and you would
appreciate the help in conducting the experiment. The subject will usually be excited about
helping out and may share some previous hypnosis experiences with you.
Make sure you listen to the person very carefully for he/she
will give you some very good feedback on what worked and what didn't work
during the previous session.
If the person has had no previous experience being
hypnotized, then your chances of success improve, as you will not be compared
with somebody else.
2.3 Pre-hypnosis: Your Guarantee for Success!
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What is pre-hypnosis?
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Pre-hypnosis involves everything you say to a subject prior
to the actual hypnotism ceremony. What
you are trying to accomplish with pre-hypnosis is setting up favorable
conditions for you and your subject to operate.
People that are getting ready to become hypnotized for the
first time have several issues you want to address before the session. This
will help guarantee your success as a hypnotist.
Here are the issues or questions the subject will be
thinking about.
1. Will I remember everything that happened during the
hypnotic session?
2. Can I get stuck in hypnosis?
3. Will I tell you something I don't want to tell you about
my past?
4. How long will I be under?
5. Can I hear other things going on in the room while I am
hypnotized?
6. Can you make me do something I don't want to do?
Your Pre-hypnosis Briefing
--------------------------
For your first subject as well as when you will be
presenting stage hypnosis shows, you will want to use a pre-hypnosis briefing
for all of your subjects and clients.
I will give you a briefing that will include all six
elements. Feel free to use this briefing word for word or re-design it any way
you seem necessary.
Make sure you include all six elements. This will be good
practice for all of you future sessions with hypnotizing individuals and well
as hypnotizing groups.
Briefing
--------
This is going to be fun!
Many people have concerns about hypnosis. At any time feel
free to ask any questions but let me go over a few things most people are
curious about.
Many people wonder, if they will remember everything that
happens during the hypnosis session. You
will remember anything you wish to remember and forget anything you wish to forget. When subjects volunteer to do stage shows,
many times they will forget most of the things going on because the things they
do may be embarrassing to discuss with their friends attending the show. However, if they wish to remember everything
that happens, they will remember everything that happens while under hypnosis.
Another concern many people have is if they can get stuck in
hypnosis.
Hypnosis is a state of awareness and a state of total
concentration. It takes a great deal of effort to concentrate intently. It is
physically impossible to keep that concentration up for a very long time.
Another concern many people have is if they will tell me
something that they would never tell another person. For example, this may be a
secret you don't want to reveal to anyone.
Make sure you tell your subject the following. "I can
assure you that you will not reveal anything to me that you don't wish to
reveal." "In hypnosis you always retain the freedom of choice."
"You may also wonder, how long will you be under
hypnosis?"
"You will be under hypnosis for just a couple of
minutes."
Another question everyone has is, "will I hear
everything that is going on in the room?"
"Many hypnotic subjects will hear every sound that is
going on since hypnosis is a heightened state of consciousness."
"Other people will only hear my voice." "They will tune out the
normal sounds going on around them."
"The last concern people have is if I will make them do
something they don't want to do."
"The answer is no." "You always do what you
wish to do." "I may ask you to do 10 things and you only do 8."
"You may do all 10 things." "You determine how deeply and to
what degree you will be hypnotized."
"Do you have any other questions?"
"If not, let us proceed."
2.4 Hypnosis Experiments In the Waking State
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Now that you have answered all of the questions your subject
may ask you are ready to proceed in experiments in the waking state.
The waking state of hypnosis is actually a very light state
of hypnosis.
Many times this state is good enough for a stage show;
however it is your goal to learn stage hypnosis in a very short period of time.
Success at waking hypnosis helps you achieve success very quickly.
It is also fun for the subject!
We will work with three experiments in the state of waking
hypnosis.
We will not work with a specific hypnosis induction during
this lesson. However, as you learn how
to effectively deliver suggestions in the waking state, you can use this state to
develop very rapid inductions where the subject will be deeply hypnotized in
just a few seconds.
So let's get started.
Waking Hypnosis Experiment 1. Hands Raising and Lowering
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Purpose
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The purpose of this exercise is to get your subject
cooperating with you and the hypnotizing process. You are going to create
subconscious activity and have a visual guide as to how effective you are
giving suggestions.
Hands Raising and Lowering
For this exercise have the subject stand facing you. Tell
the subject that you are going to test his/her imagination.
Have the subject stand in front of you with arms
outstretched, palms facing toward the ground.
His legs will be spread apart about to shoulder width. Ask the subject
to look at his arms as they push out towards you to make sure they are
perfectly level and perfectly straight. The
subject's arms should be stretched out toward you and be parallel with the
floor. This will make the subject appear
as if he/she is sleepwalking.
As the subject is standing, facing you with his/her arms
outstretched toward you, say the following:
"Look at your arms and make sure they are perfectly
level, perfectly straight."
"Now that you are assured that they are perfectly
level, perfectly straight close your eyes down tight, shutting out the
light."
"Keep your hands and arms level outstretched and listen
to the following suggestions."
"Imagine that a heavy weight is tied to your right hand
pulling it down toward the floor."
"It is a very heavy weight and is pulling your hand
down toward the floor."
"At the same time, pretend that a helium filled balloon
is tied to your left hand pulling it high up into the air."
"Left hand going high up in the air, right hand going
down, down down toward the floor."
"Left hand going up, up, up in the air, right hand
moving down, down, down toward the floor.
“Your left hand is moving up, up, up in the air, right hand
is moving down, down, toward the floor."
"Now at the count of three open your eyes keeping your
hands and arms exactly as they are right now."
"All right, one, two, three eyes open."
"Look at your arms."
End of exercise
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Hypnosis involves imagination. If your subject is very
imaginative and is listening and following your directions you will find
his/her arms separated by your suggestions of heavy weight and light balloon.
If the arms are separated by about a foot or more in
distance of travel either up or down, (Or Both) you can be assured that your
subject is following your directions correctly and is using concentration that
will lead into a deeper hypnotic state later on.
Congratulate your subject for his/her concentration and ask
if volunteering for another exercise would be acceptable.
Let us proceed now to the second exercise in waking hypnosis
title, eyes locking.
Waking Hypnosis Experiment 2. Eyes Locking
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Purpose
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The purpose of this experiment is to activate the subject's
imagination that will take him/her into the realm of doing something that is a
little frightening.
Many hypnotists do this experiment first, but I find I get a
better response in stage shows if I can have the subject achieve something that
is a little less frightening first. I
don't want to send many stage volunteers back to their seats during a
performance. Many subjects are afraid to
give you this kind of control over them. You need to gain their confidence
before challenging them in a situation that may have a high probability of
failure.
You be the judge as you experiment with your subjects.
Eyes Locking
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Have your subject sitting up in a chair with his feet flat
on the floor, hands resting on his lap. Fingers separated so they don't touch
each other.
Tell the subject that you are going to give some powerful
suggestions that will lock his eyes shut temporarily. Tell him after he has
tested his eyelids to make sure they are stuck you will give suggestions that
will release his eyes and he will be able to open them easily.
Here is what you will say.
"Sit up in your chair with your feet flat on the floor
and your hands resting in your lap. Separate your fingers so they do not
touch."
"Inhale deeply and as you exhale, push any tension out
of your lungs."
"Now in a moment I am going to count to three."
"When I count three you will find that your eyelids
will be stuck together so tightly that you will not be able to open them no
matter how hard you try."
"You will try as hard as you can to open your eyes at
that time and as hard as you try, you will discover that your eyes will be
locked tightly in place."
"I will then snap my finger directly by your ear. When you hear me snap my finger by your ear your
eyes will open immediately."
"To begin close your eyes down tight and fasten your
eyelids down tightly."
"One, your eye lids are locking down tight, tight,
tight.
"Two, your eyelids are locking down and sticking,
tighter, tighter, tighter."
"Three, your eyelids are closed and stuck that way, try
as hard as you can to open them, try as hard as you can. It is impossible to
open your eyelids, they are firmly stuck together."
"I am now snapping my finger by your ear." (Snap your fingers loudly behind the subject's
left or right ear. When you were challenging your subject to open his eyes let
your voice rise in pitch and excitement. You want to allow the subject to
experience of failing to open his eyes because of your suggestions)
Once you have achieved the eye fastening technique that can
be a very scary thing for your subject to go through, you can assume that your
subject is ready to go deeper into hypnosis.
Your subject will be a very willing subject.
Now ask the subject how he/she feels and explain that you
have one more experiment that will be fun.
End of Exercise
Waking Hypnosis Experiment 3. Altering the Sense of Balance
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Purpose:
-----------------
The purpose of this experiment is to alter the sense of balance
in such a way as to prove that there is a kind of invisible force that you are
able to create in the mind of the subject.
Once you are comfortable with performing this exercise, you
will find it very interesting for audiences of your stage shows. Demonstrating
movement is always a hit with audience.
This is a convincer to the subject that something strange
and different is happening and it is a convincer to the audience that the
individual is under your "control."
Altering the Sense of
Balance
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For this experiment you are going to affect your subject's
sense of balance to literally knock your subject off of his feet.
By now you have achieved a level of trust and rapport on the
part of the subject.
Before you begin take note that even though you will be
asking the subject to fall back in your arms, every once in a while the subject
will fall forward in exactly the opposite direction you are asking him/her to
fall. Be on the alert. It may happen one out of a hundred times, but if it
happens with your very first subject you may think that you are doing something
wrong.
You are not doing anything wrong. When the subject does
exactly the opposite of what you are asking, he/she is concentrating in
hypnosis but is resisting you personally for some reason.
In a stage show you would just send the performer back to
the audience, but since you are only working with one person in a personal
experiment, you don't want to mention to your subject that he/she is resisting
you. You will just congratulate your
subject on the accomplishment of altering the sense of balance through the
magic of suggestion and the magic of hypnosis.
For this experiment you are going to have the subject stand
about 4 feet from a wall and facing the wall.
You are going to be standing directly behind the subject and you will be
giving suggestions that imply that the subject's sense of balance will change
and he/she will fall directly back into your arms.
Direct the subject to stare at a spot on the wall or ceiling
that is about 2 or 3 feet above his head so he has to raise his chin and look
up to see the spot on the wall or ceiling. Then direct the subject to place his
feet together and stand up as straight as he/she can and continue staring at
the spot on the wall or ceiling.
You are behind the subject at the time and position yourself
to brace against the weight of your subject's body as your subject loses
balance and falls back.
Direct your subject like this:
"With your feet together stand up straight and put your
head back so you can view an imaginary spot on the wall or ceiling."
"I am going to be directly behind you and will catch
you as you lose your balance and fall directly back into my arms."
"You will be perfectly safe as you fall back directly into my arms."
"As you stare at the imaginary spot, you will feel an
invisible force drawing you back into my arms." "You are falling
back, back back into my arms."
(By this time you will see a rocking back and forth motion
by your subject as he/she is losing balance. If there is no movement yet,
continue to repeat the above statement until the rocking motion starts. If
there is a visible rocking and swaying movement by your subject then continue with
the following)
"This invisible force is pulling you back, back, back
into my arms." "You are falling back, back, back into my arms."
"Safely falling back into my arms." "Over, over, over, back into
my arms."
Continue with the above statement until your subject has
fallen into your arms.
Never doubt in your mind that the subject will fall. He/she
will fall as long as you give the suggestions positively and you see in your
mind that the subject is falling back into your arms.
Once the subject has fallen back into your arms, ask how
he/she feels?
You may notice a glazed look on the face of your subject. If
you achieve that glazed look, you know you are on the right track. This subject will work very well for you in a
stage hypnotism environment. If the
subject does not have a glazed over look, that is okay as well.
As long as you achieve the falling back into your arms
effect you have accomplished what some people call Waking Hypnosis and Waking
Suggestion. Even though you have not
learned a single "hypnotic induction" yet, many hypnotic effects can
be achieved with only the Waking Hypnosis condition present. This is very exciting. You have accomplished
a great deal today on your road to success as a professional stage hypnotist.
2.5 Exercises for Further Learning
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In this lesson you learned how to find your first hypnotic
subject. You also learned how to induce
Waking Hypnosis using 3 exercises.
During this week focus on getting at least 3 individuals to
agree to your hypnosis experiments.
Remember to "feel" you are the expert.
Remember to practice your pre-hypnosis routine to cover the
6 questions that every subject wants answered.
Then proceed with each of your subjects, one at a time and
write down your notes about what happened during each session, either in the
space below or on a separate page and include it in Lesson 2, in your three
ring binder.
------------==>Notes from Your 3
Subjects<==------------------
Subject #1. Name:
What happened during the session?
Subject #2. Name:
What happened during the session?
Subject #3. Name:
What happened during the session?
2.6 Summary "The Power of 3"
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You have taken the big step. You have told people that you
are a hypnotist and you have completed your first hypnotic experiment.
Don't go any further until you have successfully completed
the 3 Waking Hypnosis Exercises on 3 individuals, during 3 separate
appointments. The confidence you will
pick up during these experiments will go a long way in helping you achieve
success as a professional stage hypnotist in just a few weeks.
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