Before you experience hypnosis, I want you to experience what it feels like to be hypnotised before you actually go into trance. How is that?

“Okay.”

That’s good. I’m sure you’ve had that experience when you’re driving a Car and it’s a familiar route that you know well. And after a while, you can find your conscious mind drifting off. You go into a daydream like state. You’ve had that, haven’t you, when you get home, or you reach a certain landmark along the way and you think, “how did I get here?” And it’s interesting, because what happens there is your subconscious mind takes over – but it’s still you driving here.

In hypnosis, you’re in a similar “day-dream” place. You know that feeling when you’re mind is beginning to wake you up for work or school, but your body is still enjoying being fast asleep. And you sometimes here people speaking in your dream, when it’s actually the radio, or someone calling you to wake up. Once when I was younger – and lots of people have this experience – it was getting close to the time when I would be getting ready to go off to school and learn something new and in my dream out of the blue my Mum began calling me. And in the dream I was confused but I could here my Mum’s voice, even though I wasn’t consciously aware of her being there. Of course, she was in the room trying to wake me up, whilst I was enjoying my deep relaxing sleep, but could still here her voice.

That’s interesting, isn’t it?

— “Yeah. It’s like when…” [Client went on to give a brief account of a similar experience]

I’m going to make some suggestions to you as we go through this. The suggestions will be pleasant and peaceful and probably focus on helping you to simply relax and enjoy this experience. Sounds good?

— “Yep.”

A friend on a course I’m on told me about a friend of hers who does hypnosis. They were at McDonalds when the waitress – who was a friend of their son – began talking to her about hypnosis. They hadn’t learn what you’ve learned about the nature of hypnosis and wanted to know what it felt like. They said, “Close your eyes, for a second” and they did. And then she openned them and they said, “That’s what hypnosis feels like.”

[Client laughs]

So, you’re not going to turn into a zombie, or have some kind of mystical experience. You will always be in control. You will always be able to hear my voice even when you can’t hear anything else. It really is the most natural thing in the world and we all go into trance and come out again and go into trance again, countless times throughout the day. So let’s start, now.

Close your eyes. Close your eyes and keep them closed for 3 or 4 seconds.

1, 2, 3, 4. Open your eyes.

That’s exactly what hypnosis feels like. Did that feel strange to you?

— “No.”

No. It feels totally normal. It feel like you are sitting on a chair with your eyes closed, doesn’t it?

“Yeah.” [laughs]

Exactly. That’s pretty much what hypnosis is going to feel like for you. Now I’m going to add some things to it here. I want you to close your eyes again and with your eyes closed, I want you to take a deep breath. So, go ahead and close your eyes… and take a deep breath.

Breathe in. Breathe out. And another deep breath… Breathe in. And breathe out. The amazing thing about taking a deep breath is that you are relaxing more and quickly increasing the flow of oxygen to the brain.

[Client nods.]

You can feel that already, can’t you?

— “Yes.”

It brings you to a state of physical relaxation. [Pause]

Now, open your eyes. How was that?

“It was good. Relaxing.”

Yes. Relaxing. Good. Now. I want you to close your eyes again. We’re going to add a third part to it.

With your eyes closed… breathe in. Breathe out. And again… breathe in. And out. You can probably feel your heart rate slowing down, and your breath becoming more shallow.

“Yes”

Yes. And as you relax, with each breath simply let your mind create a mental picture of somewhere you’ve been that was peaceful and relaxing to you.

Create a mental picture of… somewhere you’ve been and look at all the colours… and maybe the people if there are any others in your mental picture.

[pause]

Look at the scenery and the… world that surrounds you in that mental picture.

[pause]

If you are outside, you might be able to feel the cool wind or the warm air. Do you have a mental picture?

— “Yes.”

Good. Open your eyes again. Tell me a little bit about the picture you created. What was the picture of?

— “A Beach, where we’ve been on holiday.”

A relaxing beach. What did you become aware of in your picture as you pictured the beach?

— “It’s quiet. Warm. Just the sound of a few children playing. Apart from that, it’s completely peaceful.”

It sounds safe and comfortable, as well.

“Yes.”

It’s relaxing just thinking about it, isn’t it?

“Yes.”

I bet that just… [wait for next time they blink] closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths almost takes you straight back there, doesn’t it?

“Yeah, it’s relaxing just thinking about it.”

It’s relaxing just thinking about it. It wouldn’t be at all surprising to find that when you… [wait for next time they blink] close your eyes and take a deep breath you actually already being to float deep down into hypnosis. Would you?

“No.”

Creating a mental picture of somewhere we’ve been that is relaxing and quiet and warm and peaceful, can help us to clear the mind of all of the stress and tension that we are carrying around with us. … [wait for next time they blink] That’s good.

Another great way to relax is to let all of the muscles in our body go. In hypnotherapy we call this progressive muscle relaxation and people find that as they let go it really help them go into trance.

So you might want to just uncross your legs. Let your arms go. And just… [wait for next time they blink] relax.

Take another deep breath. Breathe in. Breathe out.

[Therapist has been blinking in time with the subject and now slows that down. As the client blinks slowly as well, say…]

That’s it.

And as your eyes close… That’s it… That means you are ready to relax even deeper.

Take a deep breath. Breathe in… and breathe out. Breathe in… and breathe out.

And as you do, your mind can open more and more to that peaceful and relaxing place you’ve been before.

[Client’s head drops forward]

And as you go into that deeper and deeper process of [said slowly] re-lax-ation you might find your head tilting forward… and that’s fine. That’s just your body agreeing to your mind’s decision to let go and relax.

As you create a mental picture in your mind of somewhere relaxing and quiet… somewhere warm and peaceful…I want you to allow your body to experience a tremendous amount of relaxation.

[pause. Wait for out-breath] That’s it.

Feel your heart rate slowing. Feel the oxygen being pumped throughout your body. Simply let every muscle in your body go limp and loose.

[pause]

You can start with the muscles in your face, your temples… around your eyes…

Relax the muscles in the neck and back. Any where you feel tension, simply let that tension disappear… as you relax.

[pause]

Envision the sensation of relaxation in your body doubling with each breath you take.

Not only can the body… [wait for out-breath] relax, but the mind can relax, as well. And as the mind relaxes, the wonderful thing… is that it’s impossible not to let go of stress and tension. You cannot be as relaxed as you are now and not let go of that. Breathing in relaxation. Breathing out any tension. Your relaxation doubling with each breath you take.

In your mind, let your thoughts become absorbed in the scenery of that warm, relaxing place that you have created.

[pause]

You will always be able to hear the words that I use, but as your mind becomes absorbed in the imagery you’ve created… perhaps you won’t focus on the words that I use, but only those words that your subconscious needs to hear.

[pause]

As you relax, perhaps there are outside noises or distractions…if you hear anything… that keeps your mind from being able to focus on what is important and relaxing in that image you’ve created…simply use that noise as a reminder to bring your attention and your awareness back to the place of peace and tranquillity that you have created.

[pause]

This is hypnosis that you are enjoying, right now.

You could think to yourself, “If I wanted to open my eyes, I could.” 

But you don’t do that because it feels so good to simply relax… and feel your mind and body…become one, as you experience… total peace…

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