You're at a party or an event and word gets out that you're a hypnotist.
Suddenly everybody's curious and before you can say, "You're getting sleepy," there's a crowd gathering.
But you soon find out that it's not just idle curiosity. Far from it. Because most people have no idea what hypnosis is or how it works.
So they do what seems logical in this type of situation: They ask lots of questions.
Questions like...
What's hypnosis like?
Can anyone be hypnotized?
What does it feel like to be hypnotized?
Exactly what happens during a hypnosis session?
Now, you can't just fob them off. As tedious as it might be to answer these kinds of questions over and over again, it's something you should be willing to do.
After all, you can't be a hypnotist without having subjects to hypnotize. So rather than thinking of it as a chore, think of it as a quick and painless recruitment tool.
Also, remember that for many people...
Their first hypnosis session will be a journey into the unknown.
They'll have no idea what to expect.
Whatever you tell them could be crucial in planting the seeds that will help them decide whether or not to give hypnosis a shot.
So what kinds of things should you say?
Obviously, it makes sense to have some kind of response prepared and memorized that you can reel off so you're not caught off guard.
This might also save you the hassle of having to answer any "hypnosis and chicken" related questions… we hope.
But as mentioned above, this is all part and parcel of being a good hypnotist.
It's your role to help people bypass the limitations surrounding their conscious mind's wall so they can access infinite possibilities.
What Hypnosis Is Not - And What Can Stop It From Working
Hypnosis has a long history of being poorly understood. Whether that's down to a certain amount of quackery or to its portrayal in cinema and the media, it doesn't really matter.
As the hypnotist, your role is to make sure that your potential subjects/clients are not confused by the misinformation.
You can do that by quickly clearing up a few of the more common myths surrounding hypnosis. Read More »
And when it comes to influence in hypnosis, two of the most important rapport building tools are conversational hypnosis and hypnotic language patterns.
They allow you, as the hypnotist, to quickly gain your subject’s trust so you’re able to help them overcome any issues and lead more positive lives.
Therefore, given the power of conversational hypnosis and influence, it’s understandable why this month’s master hypnotist - Dr. Ed Tori – was curious to see how these hypnosis tools could be used in a medical setting.
This curiosity, in addition to his strong belief in hypnosis, are the reasons he founded the Influence Center, a facility within his healthcare institution designed to help medical professionals harness the power of conversational hypnosis, influence and persuasion so they can help patients and colleagues.
In this month’s engaging interview with Igor Ledochowski, Dr. Tori shares this journey and reveals the 6 essential rules for anyone who wants to be more influential, in addition to why rapport is a secret tool for increasing healthy behaviors.
He also explains how to make your time more constructive with mind mapping and the secret to keeping your energy levels up so you can pick up new skills no matter how busy you are.
"You do something to me
Something that simply mystifies me
Tell me, why should it be
You have the power to hypnotize me?"
When Cole Porter wrote those lyrics, he probably wasn’t thinking about hypnosis in the therapeutic sense of the word.
And yet it throws up an interesting question:
How many people can – or how many people can’t – be hypnotized?
David Spiegel MD, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University has been quoted as estimating that about 25% of people cannot be hypnotized.
So while the exact number can’t truly be known, various percentages are frequently bandied about.
To test this hypothesis out, Spiegel and his team used MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans to try and figure out why some people were more susceptible than others.
They discovered that people who were more likely to be hypnotized show more activity in areas of the brain concerned with executive control and attention.
People who are easily hypnotized tend to lose track of time and get lost in a book or movie.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Dr. Spiegel said that highly hypnotizable people:
"Can readily immerse themselves in thinking about things without having their attention interrupted by pesky reminders of reality."
It’s thought that roughly between 5-10% of people are highly susceptible to hypnotic suggestion, while up to 79% of the population are considered moderately susceptible.
Okay, so what do those numbers tell you?
They tell you that you’ve got a good chance of hypnotizing most of the people you meet.
That’s fantastic news, right?
But what they don’t tell you, though, is who those people are and how to spot them.
That’s where street hypnotists may have the upper hand. To weave their magic, they have to act fast.
They might only have seconds to make an impression. They need to be able to spot who’ll make a good subject and who won’t before the person walks on by or loses interest.
So you might be wondering, how do they do this... Keep Reading
In this short video demonstration, which was filmed at one of our hypnosis training seminars, a young martial arts instructor shares how he’s constantly running into the same communication problem because he’s too opinionated.
While it comes from a good place (his desire to be a supportive and strong role model) he’s starting to wonder whether there’s a better way to empower others.
After Igor uses the Contradiction Blowout (an advanced Mind Bending Language technique) the subject quickly discovers that there is.
In Part 2 of this interview series on turning your hypnosis passion into a career, we hear from the same hypnotists as Part 1, as they share how they first got hypnosis clients and what they did to overcome any challenges they experienced when first starting out.
They’ll also share their top advice for aspiring hypnotists as well as what they think their lives would look like now life if they hadn’t become professional hypnotists. (Note: The answer to this last question left some feeling very afraid!).
If you’re considering a career in hypnosis, you won’t want to miss Part 2 as it’s full of advice and valuable insights on how to turn your passion into a rewarding career.
PART 1: What Inspired You To Turn Your Passion Into A Career and Become Professional Hypnotist?
For this article, we wanted to do something different.
It’s not going to be a 10-step guide on a certain hypnosis technique.
Or a cool hypnosis demonstration with Igor.
Nope, none of that.
Instead, we wanted to talk about another important topic. One that previously, we have spoken enough about.
Which is: we wanted hear the impact hypnosis has had on the lives of professional hypnotists.
We were curious to learn what their lives were like before they became hypnotists.
To discover how being a hypnotist makes them feel when they get out of bed each day.
To uncover what their most rewarding success stories have been - both as hypnotists and subjects of hypnosis.
And what their lives would look like now if they hadn’t become hypnotists.
In a nutshell, we wanted to understand how helping and connecting with others through hypnosis has unequivocally changed their lives, and the journey they took to get to where they are today.
To do this, we set about interviewing 4 professional hypnotists. Their interviews, which have been broken into two parts, cover:
Part 1 - why they became hypnotists and their journeys as they turned their passion into a rewarding career
Part 2 - their insights and advice on becoming a professional hypnotist, getting clients and overcoming challenges.
But first, we want to share some interesting research on the science behind happiness and how it connects with having a career in hypnosis...
Keep reading to understand what is the Formula For Happiness and Our Biological Need for Connection. Also, find some interesting case studies by Hypnosis Training Academy and video interviews of hypnotists sharing their hypnosis journey.
Is it a powerful force that puts you under a freaky spell where you have no control over your actions?
Is it a mysterious energy that elevates your brain to a higher plane of existence?
While the concept of hypnotic trance certainly conjures up a lot of intrigue and curiosity, the truth is a lot simpler.
In fact, significantly so.
"Trance" really is just a metaphor.
Yep, really.
We hope that this discovery didn’t just blow the air out of your tires in the same way that Dorothy’s first meeting with the Wizard of Oz did.
So let us explain...
Hypnotic "trance" is just a word that we use to identify the conditions under which someone responds to hypnotic suggestions.
We understand that this might read as a bit of a surprise to you. But the proof really is in the pudding. Academics have been studying trance for over a century now, trying to pinpoint exactly what it is.
Is it a state? Is it a trait? Is it a genetic predisposition?
But no matter how hard they look, they can’t find an answer.
They’ve even used fMRI scans that measure brain activity. But they found there was no detectable pattern in the brain when someone was in a trance.
However, thankfully there’s a very good reason they came to this simple, yet obvious conclusion:
We’re in the trance state so often that it doesn’t show up in the brain as anything unusual. It’s an experience that occurs in everyone on a regular basis.
And to further compound this discovery, here is another little known fact:
You don’t need to be in a trance for hypnosis to occur. Hypnosis and trance are not synonymous.
Or otherwise put: being in a trance is not proof that any hypnotic experience is taking place.
However, what does go together like two peas in a pod is hypnosis and suggestion.
If you give someone a suggestion and they act on it, then it’s your gold litmus test that hypnosis is indeed working, meaning that hypnosis and suggestion are completely synonymous with one another.
After reading the above, understandably, you might be wondering, what’s the point of trance then?
So, let us explain...
Trance serves as a type of shorthand to let you know that the conditions in which someone responds to hypnotic suggestions are right.
Therefore, being able to identify a trance or the signs of trance can help you know when a hypnotic relationship has been established.
It gives you a green light to proceed with whatever hypnosis work you intend on doing.
That it’s an optimal time to cue up your suggestions.
Meaning that trance plays an incredibly important role in the whole hypnosis process.
In this article, we’re going to explain what this role is, in addition to explaining the following essential concepts so you’re able to confidently put your subjects into a trance...
In theory, self-hypnosis sounds like a pretty easy task: Simply sit with your eyes closed, relax, connect with your breath and guide your thoughts towards a specific intention.
However, in reality, it can be much more challenging than this very basic instruction. This is because the conscious mind often has another agenda. One that involves distracting you with a million thoughts so you’re unable to truly connect with that all-important unconscious mind.
So when this inevitably happens (especially when you're starting out), it’s important to find a way to bypass the critical factor (aka, the conscious mind) so you can get to "work."
And one of the most effective (and easiest) ways to do this is to use a pendulum.
The History Of The Pendulum
People first started using the pendulum for water dowsing in Europe back at the turn of the 19th century.
But it wasn’t until a Frenchman by the name of Michel Eugene Chevreul started experimenting with it that he realized there was more to it than meets the eye.
What he found was that the pendulum had no magical properties on its own. Although, rather interestingly, it did give an ideodynamic response when interacting with the unconscious mind, causing it to move when it receives a signal.
In other words, when the unconscious mind expects something to happen, it gives little micro-muscular twitches that cause the pendulum to move one way or another.
While these signals are very subtle, they can easily be read using a pendulum, helping you to communicate with your unconscious mind.
How To Make A Pendulum
If you have a pendant and a necklace, you can easily use these as your pendulum. But if you don’t, you can make one by simply tying a bolt or nut onto a piece of thread.
Regardless of whether you buy a pendulum or make one, it’s a good idea to carry it around for a few days so it attunes with your energy.
Using The Pendulum
Step 1: Familiarize Yourself With Your Pendulum
Hold the pendulum loosely between your thumb and index finger. Make sure your elbow is free floating, and not resting on a table or locked in place.
Stay relaxed and loose, and start familiarizing yourself with the feel of your pendulum.
Start by swinging your pendulum, making large swings and then smaller swings. Notice how it feels in your wrist, arm and fingertips when it swings.
Once you become familiar with the weight and the feel, you can then begin practicing using it as a tool to communicate with the unconscious mind.
Step 2: Clear Your Mind
Start by connecting with your breath by doing some simple breathing exercises (like you normally would do during self-hypnosis or meditation).
Keep reading to learn more about how to use a pendulum during self-hypnosis to bypass your critical factor and connect with your unconscious mind, from Hypnosis Training Academy
As the art of hypnosis is a subtle, skillful practice that involves specific language, body language and unconscious sub-communication, the skilled hypnotist has many hypnosis techniques up their proverbial sleeves.
And as this type of hypnotic induction can be used in any situation, it's incredibly useful (not to mention, kinda cool) – meaning becoming well-versed in its finer intricacies is well worth your while.
Ever asked yourself, how does hypnosis work? Discover the secrets behind it and the power of trance through this infographic. Also, learn everything about hypnotic experts and join Hypnosis Training Academy for hypnosis diploma.
Lucid dreaming is another fun and relaxing way to connect with your unconscious mind, especially when coupled with self-hypnosis. So why not play around with the steps above, and learn how to become the director of your dreams!
Ironically, it’ll take you much longer to read this article than to perform a full hypnotic procedure. Yes, it’ll take practice, and yes, there are a lot of separate steps involved. But once you get the hang of it you’ll be able to go through the whole process in a flash.
So what exactly does the 60 second hypnotist process involve?
There are 10 different parts to work through, although some of those parts are actually very short sentences. The whole thing starts with your intention. If you’re a regular reader you’ll recognize that as H+.
Here is a list of the 10 steps with an explanation of what they mean so you know exactly how to hypnotize someone in 60 seconds!
Ready?
1. H+ - Contact - Permission
H+ refers to your intention to do your best for the person you’re going to hypnotize. It means getting switched on so you’re as positive and energetic as possible. With only 60 seconds to work in, you haven’t got time to waste. So you need to jump right in with your mindset already on fire.
To make the process successful in the given time, you need help. Some of that help comes in the form of encouraging your subject to go deeper into a trance as quickly as possible. One way of doing that is by touching them on the arm or shoulder. And that brings us directly to the third element in this stage.
Before you start touching the other person on the arm or shoulder, you need to get their permission. It doesn’t have to be in writing, but you have to get it nevertheless. As well as providing you with a simple but effective tool to deepen the trance, it’s also the first step in breaking down any barriers they might have. If they give you permission to do that, they’ll be willing to give you permission for other things as the induction progresses.
Wow! We’re only at step 1, and there are already 3 things to remember. But don’t worry. The point is that you’ll be doing these 3 things simultaneously. And once you become familiar with the technique you’ll do it almost instantly. Here’s an example of how this first step might work in practice:
"From time-to-time I may want to touch you on the arm or shoulder as part of the work, is it OK with you if I do that?"
That’s it. You’ve asked for permission to make contact. Just make sure you bring your H+ attitude to the ballgame and everything else should flow smoothly.
2. Induce Trance
The second step is where you quickly induce the trance. You don’t need to make a song and dance about it – just go for it. It’s really the simplest step of the bunch, so let’s look at an example before we get to the explanation.
You’ll notice that this is in the form of an instruction. You’re not asking them to go into hypnosis, you’re telling them. We can assume that if they’ve given you permission to touch them that they’re going to continue doing what you say. As luck would have it, that’s human nature, which in this case is working in your favor.
At first glance it looks like a pretty innocuous statement. But there’s something else going on. Notice the use of the word "and" in the sentence. If you haven’t spotted it, this is one of those power words.
It’s also a bridging word, linking two things together that might not necessarily belong together. In other words, there’s no reason why closing your eyes should make you go into hypnosis. The one thing doesn’t automatically follow the other. When you state it like this, however, the unconscious mind gets the message and is coaxed into following along. Read More »
Get more articles and experts’ tips on instant induction, putting a subject in trance, and hypnotherapy Hypnosis Training Academy.
Getting quizzed by people who are either simply curious or downright skeptical is one thing, but hypnotists have another issue to contend with. Especially when they’re starting out.
It’s natural in any profession to have doubts and reservations about your skills. As a hypnotist, you might worry about things such as:
What happens when someone keeps coming out of trance?
Am I skilled enough to actually help others?
If any of these questions or fears rings a bell with you, read through the hypnosis comics below for a light-hearted look at some of the main issues. And some suggestions on how to deal with them.
Yikes! What if you can’t hypnotize your first client? What if your mouth dries up, or you can’t get the words out? What if you get nervous and forget everything you’re supposed to know?
There’s always a first time. The trick is not to be too hard on yourself. You can’t expect to be a master at hypnosis without lots of experience behind you.
Like any other skill, the secret is really quite simple. Practice, practice, and then practice some more. If you try and you fail, then you just keep on trying. Failure is only another word for learning.
Sooner or later everything will fall into place and you’ll do it. And then you’ll feel amazing.
2. The "Skeptics" Favorite Question: Isn’t Hypnosis Just A Form Of Mind Control?
Look into my eyes...
Wouldn’t it be great if you could just say those words and put people under your spell? But you can’t, because in real life people have their own minds and their own freedom of choice.
Hypnosis has nothing to do with mind control.
That’s an image portrayed by Hollywood B-movies, just like the story of Dracula. But surely there aren’t many people who believe there are vampires walking amongst us.
To deal with doubters and skeptics, be prepared. Tell them exactly what hypnosis is and what it does. It’s just a form of focused relaxation that lets you turn your attention toward a single thought or idea. A way to shut out the outside world so you can deal with an issue quickly and effectively.
When people go for a massage, they don’t expect the masseur to rub their skin off as part of the process. They know the trained technician will help relax their muscles, reduce their stress and improve their circulation. Not because they have magic power in their fingers, but because they know what they’re doing. Read More »
To learn more about how to overcome the common hypnosis obstacles that a hypnotist faces, please visit Hypnosis Training Academy
They’re one of the ways you measure success. That might be your own success or it could just as easily be another person’s.
For instance, it could refer to whether or not you were able to help your client resolve a particular issue or break a bad habit...
Or whether or not your client was able to maintain their momentum at specific points following your initial work with them. Say when you followed up 1 month later, 6 months later, or even a year later...
Or if you’re a teacher, whether you were able to effectively get your point across to your students… while inspiring them along the way.
It is, after all, a result-oriented society we live in. From the early years in school to the time when you settle into a career - your progress is often determined by the kinds of outcomes you achieve.
And whether you’re talking about a hypnosis technique or about life in general, there’s one sure-fire method you can employ to guarantee you get the best results possible.
That method is H+
Whatever you do, do it from a place of good intention. That involves everything you probably know about H+ already, such as:
Building rapport from the get-go
Empathizing with the other person
Bristling over with compassion
Oozing positivity and enthusiasm
Emitting powerfully calming, relaxing energy
You need to connect with people, but not on a superficial level
To make H+ work in your favor, that connection has to be so strong, so powerful, and so full of positive intensity that it infects the other person and makes them feel the same.
That’s what H+ is all about. It’s hypnosis plus. It’s hypnosis with bells on. It’s being able to put aside your own thoughts and your own opinions, knowing that these things will influence the way you speak, the way you behave, and the way you perform.
You need to get in sync with the other person, which can be difficult to do if you’re wrapped up in your own little world.
Like when you’ve got your own issues niggling away in the back of your mind. At times like that, making a genuine connection with another person can be something of a challenge.
So what can you do? You can get into a state of harmony and flow.
It’s an idea echoed by the HeartMath Institute, which is explained further in the above video.
Get Your Heart & Mind Working Together
There are times when people give up or stop doing something. Like a job, or a hobby, or a school or college course. It’s just not setting them on fire any longer. And what reason do they give? They tell you that their heart isn’t in it.
Likewise, you may have seen one of those house-hunting programs where people go to visit a property 2 or 3 times.
During the first visit, they look at the building with their heart. They’re trying to get a feel for it.
Does it excite them? Will they be proud to live in it?
Can they see themselves spending a considerable number of years living in it? Does it live up to their expectations for the present?
Will it continue to do that into the future? Is it the kind of place they’ll want to show off to their friends and family?
Then, on their second visit, they take a totally different approach. They look at it with their head. Is it value for money? Is it the right size? Does it have all the features they need? Are there any problems that need to be addressed? Will they be faced with long-term repairs or costly refurbishments?
The difference is obvious. On the first viewing, it’s all about emotion. On the second, it’s all about the practicalities.
Being human, we’re able to separate these two facets of our personalities – the heart and the head – when we need to. But the real power comes not from keeping them separate, but from combining them.
When what you’re thinking and what you’re feeling are in sync with each other, it creates a unique kind of synergy. Your heart and mind are not actually exclusive entities, after all, because energy flows back and forth between the two of them all the time. The trick is to somehow regulate this flow of energy so that you can enjoy the best of both worlds.
So that instead of simply relying on one or the other, you can tap into their combined power. When you’re able to do that, research indicates that you’ll experience less stress, more creativity, and greater mental clarity.
You’ll deal with situations on a much more intuitive level.
You’ll feel like you’re in the flow, or in the zone, more often.
And you’ll find it easier to communicate, to manage projects, and to deal with challenges.
About The HeartMath Institute
Helping people find this heart-mind balance is what the HeartMath Institute strives to do. It was established in 1991 with the aim of empowering people to live healthier, more fulfilling lives.
According to their website, since that time they’ve:
"Researched and developed reliable, scientifically based tools to help people bridge the connection between their hearts and minds, and deepen their connection with the hearts of others." – HeartMath
Notice the last 8 words of that sentence:
"Deepen their connection with the hearts of others."
That’s really just another way of describing H+, isn’t it?
Being able to rely more on your heart and less on your head makes absolutely perfect sense. Especially if you’ve got any experience with hypnosis or hypnotherapy.
Think about it for a minute. Whenever you put someone into a hypnotic trance, you’re trying to get them out of their head, so to speak. You’re trying to bypass that thinking, critical, analytical, conscious mind and get at the unconscious. Why? Because that’s where imagination, creativity, intuition and all those really cool things can be found.
When you hear someone say they went with their gut, or they followed their instincts, what are they really saying?
They’re telling you they followed their heart. They went with what felt right, instead of spending hours, days or weeks mulling the situation over in their head.
It’s not by accident that you look at a potential home with your heart first. To fall in love with it, there has to be an emotional connection. So, for instance, if you’re looking for somewhere new to live, it has to be somewhere that stirs your emotions. Otherwise, it’s just a building.
According to research done by the folks at HeartMath, whenever you feel genuine compassion or appreciation it increases what they call your heart coherence.
Everything you do is driven by your thoughts and emotions, which in turn influence your choices, your behaviors, and your results.
That little voice in your head is your heart telling you to follow your intuition, and the trick is to pay attention to it more often instead of letting your ego lead the way.
What has that got to do with hypnosis [therapy] or H+?
Research shows that when you act on behalf of other people it makes you feel better. You experience less stress. In other words, it’s good for you. And since hypnosis [therapy] is intrinsically designed to benefit other people, here’s a way to increase your effectiveness and create a win-win scenario at the same time. Better for you, and better for them.
As the HeartMath Institute would put it, once you can slow down your mind and pay more attention to what your heart is telling you, you’ll enjoy a more natural and intuitive connection with other people – and with the world around you.
Further research shows that getting into this state of heart coherence benefits you, other people, your pets and even the environment.
When groups of two or more people are in coherence they’re able to communicate at an intuitive level. They’re in sync with each other to such an extent that it makes them more effective and leads to greater outcomes. And that can be applied to your family, your friends, your co-workers, your clients, or anyone else you spend time with.
The thing is that this heart coherence is not static. Every beat of your heart sends energy flowing around your body and out into the external environment.
HeartMath’s research tells us that information about your emotional state is actually encoded within your heart’s magnetic field. That means that whatever you’re feeling is transmitted, not just to the various parts of your body, but to anyone or anything you happen to be near.
In other words, your emotions are carried along by this energy source, actively reaching out to other people, where it has the potential to influence and support them.
Put More Heart Into H+
Here’s an interesting fact:
Did you know that the magnetic field produced by your heartbeat can be detected several feet away?
You need specialist equipment like magnetometers to identify it, but it’s there nevertheless.
That means energy is pouring out of your body and, if you’re close enough to them, into someone else’s body.
Whatever you happen to be feeling at the time, they’re going to pick it up. With that kind of irrefutable proof, it makes more sense than ever to practice hypnosis [therapy] with H+ in mind.
To borrow a phrase from a well-known song, you want to be sending out good vibrations. Giving your client the most effective and productive hypnosis [therapy] session means getting your H+ on:
In addition to the above, it means getting in sync with them so you can really make a difference in their lives.
It means going with your instincts and channeling all your energy into resolving their issues.
It’s H+ taken to a whole new level, giving you the ability to encourage others in a subtle and intuitive fashion – which can only lead to better results for everyone concerned.
And it’s bound to make you a more successful hypnotist along the way.
![Hypnosis: What To Expect? The 8-Step Guide On How To Advise First-Time Subjects [Includes Infographic]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOIvNMbWwPhNlLPRQjqxIRQxYcbwFtfDtkGxrU65ynCPmKE9dZeiLQ4a3vJI6SaUTGSRPaHjB2dk9wWeWWGYqS1a5Wq_xcnBWAV1uQDRR9Vj5HAAJOpCb0e5tMfsD7J6IiGwrv22AAx-A/s1600/hypnosis-what-to-expect.jpg "Hypnosis: What To Expect? The 8-Step Guide On How To Advise First-Time Subjects [Includes Infographic]")
