Chapter 7 - Pointers For A Beginner

Now that we know the art of inducing hypnosis, we can discuss some of the finer points, some of the things a beginner ought to know before he proceeds further. These things mean greater success or failure. First, gain the consent of your subject. Second, gain his confidence. Third, gain his sympathetic cooperation. Fourth, create in him a feeling or belief that he will go to sleep if he follows your instructions; that is, create expectancy.

The first requirement will be met when the subject agrees to being hypnotized by you. At least, by word of mouth he will agree. The hypnotist must be such a person as will cause the subject to have confidence in him, his integrity and his ability. The least doubt in the mind of the subject of the ability of the hypnotist to induce hypnosis, or to take care of the subject while asleep or to awaken him, may prevent hypnosis.

The hypnotist should keep himself in a neat and presentable condition. His voice and manners should be pleasing. His voice should be trained to be soothing and at the same time, carry conviction and self-confidence. Therefore, cultivate your voice. His manners should not be those of a conceited despot, but more like a kindly doctor, with the confidence and sincerity of an able lawyer, who knows what he wants and how to get it done. The gleaming eyes of the old-fashioned hypnotists, who thought they must stare their subjects into hypnosis, while they made weird gestures, are passé. Wild gestures and bulged-out eyes are no longer deemed necessary. I am not in a position to say that intense concentration is not necessary or useful, because it may be possible that mental forces are an assistance in bringing on hypnosis. Many scientists think so. From my experience, I am inclined to believe that the mental reactions of the hypnotist do have some effect on the subject and the results achieved. As to whether this is through projected mental forces or from its reaction on the subject by suggestion, I am not prepared to say, and neither is anyone else. Some day this question may be answered. I am now working on this question and may have more to say about it later. But let us confine ourselves to the known facts and the practical aspects of the science. It is controversial enough without bringing in known controversial issues.

You may create expectancy in the subject by saying that much benefit may be derived from hypnosis; that he will enjoy a restful relaxation under hypnosis and that no possible harm can come to him; that he will awaken easily; that he will be able to hear everything you say and know everything that is done; that you will awaken him any time he requests you to do so; that hypnosis is just like sleep, except that he will be fully conscious of everything you do and say. Be sure to say that if he follows your directions and listens to every word you, say, he will go sound asleep. Emphasize: THAT HE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY AWAKE. Say all this with conviction and do not grin when you say it. Make it sound as matter-of-fact as possible— like reading from a history book or stating the total of figures. In other words, just be plain matter-of-fact about the whole thing. This creates expectancy. The statement, "If you listen to every word I say and do exactly as I say, you will not be able to stay awake," not only creates expectancy, but if the subject is one of those unimaginative persons who are difficult to hypnotize, these words give you an alibi and may save your subject for a later day when he will be more cooperative and go to sleep. The mental attitude of persons vary and on some other day the subject might be more receptive, and thereby you will mark up another success instead of failure. Do not let such a failure discourage you. Remember that the best operators have failures now and then.

Never try to hypnotize a person who is in a hurry to keep a date, or who wishes to be rushed through the process. Let such a person come back when there is no rush. Such a mental condition on the part of the subject will prevent complete attention and prevent hypnosis.

In the above procedure and speech, you have aroused the imagination of the subject and created expectancy. If you have let the subject witness you hypnotize another, you will have fortified your speech many times. The subject's imagination will have something tangible to feed upon and it will glutton itself, whether he desires it to or not. Imagination is one of the leading factors in inducing hypnosis.

Later I will give you some rules of the mind, which will assist you to understand why the above speech and procedure are so powerful.

With the foregoing, I will conclude Chapter VII. If it has been thoroughly studied, the student knows the fundamentals of hypnotism. This is not enough, however. To learn the foregoing is like learning how to start and stop a car without more. You must also learn how to steer it and back it; how to make it run when it balks, how to lubricate it, give it the special attention it requires. The reader must realize that such knowledge as he has acquired would not be enough to guide him through those unusual conditions which he is bound to encounter in the practice of hypnology. Some persons will not go so sleep when the above procedure is used. It will be necessary for the operator to use another method. He must know enough about the science to determine just what to do in any event where the subject fails to respond as expected. Not only must he have another method, with which he is familiar, to induce sleep, but once the subject is asleep,-he must know just what to do in order to gain the results desired and to prevent undesirable results happening. This requires a complete knowledge of the science of hypnotism. Just as a motorist must know enough about engines, brakes, tires, batteries and radiators to keep his car going, so a complete knowledge of the theories and practices of hypnotism, as now known to science, is necessary if the operator desires to be other than a mediocre operator. The use of hypnotism in a doctor's or dentist's office is highly specialized and requires special knowledge. If the operator is not a physician or dentist, he should operate under the directions of one when doing medical hypnosis. True, any person could put a good subject to sleep for the purpose of pulling a tooth or performing an operation, but the patient might not be deeply enough asleep and might not be properly anestheti-cized. There are proper methods to obtain this depth of sleep and anesthesia, and proper tests to determine when operating may begin. It is the purpose of this book to put this knowledge before the student in an easily understandable manner, without technical terms.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...