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01. Simplified - Let us strip the mysteries from hypnotism. Let us view it as a scientific fact and just another faculty of the human mind, a natural endowment of man, a power given him by his creator, along with the power to reason, to remember, to do creative thinking, to love, to hate, to build empires, to make laws and to apply them, to invent such things as gunpowder, electric propulsion, the airplane, and lastly, the hydrogen bomb. In other words, let us sweep the black magic away and look at hypnotism as any other God-given power of man. It is true that scientists do not fully understand why and how it works, but neither do they understand fully electricity, magnetism, gravitation, the solar system, or the operations of the human body and mind.

02. Basic Rules - There are some basic rules to remember in studying and in practicing hypnotism. Some of the most important ones to follow are:

1. Learn the subject thoroughly.
2. Be confident, but not conceited.
3. Let manner, words, voice and appearance show self-confidence.
4. The operator must avoid giving the impression that he is a beginner, even though that is true.

03. First Performance - I gave my first public demonstration of my ability to hypnotize before a large gathering of my friends and family, but I was sure that I would succeed before the exhibition began. I had been studying hypnotism for many years when I got acquainted with a hypnotist who afterwards became a good friend of mine. He demonstrated for me how he placed his subject under hypnosis.

04. How to Hypnotize - Everyone who reads this book will be most interested in learning the necessary procedure for inducing hypnosis. I will not hold you in suspense any longer. I will give you the formula, but a beginner must keep in mind the above rules as well as master the procedure outlined. He must also avoid all appearances of humor while inducing hypnosis. A serious mien is best whenever induction of hypnosis is attempted.

05. Difficult Subject - Now, suppose you have started to hypnotize a subject and have used the above method, but your subject shows no signs of going to sleep at the end of five minutes; you decide that he is a difficult subject, or you wish to speed up the process, then tell him that you are going to count one-two, one-two. On the count of one, he is to close his eyes and on the count of two, he will open his eyes and look directly at the center of the disc, or the object you are using. Then you begin to count.

06. Awakening - The foregoing method shows how easy and simple it is to induce hypnosis in the average subject. Before we go further, the operator should learn how to awaken the subject. No one has ever been known to fail to awaken from hypnosis. If the operator leaves the subject without any suggestion as to when to awaken, the subject will awaken of his own free will and accord. The time of this awakening may be suggested to the subject and will usually be followed, but without any such suggestion, the hypnotic state will turn into natural sleep and the subject will awaken.

07. 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.

08. Other Methods - If a certain method of inducing hypnosis has been used on a subject, do not change. Use the same method each time, unless post-hypnotic suggestions as to the manner of induction have been given. By this, I mean where a subject has been put to sleep by any method, the hypnotist may suggest any means of putting the subject to sleep, changing his method, and shortening the process. While the subject is asleep, he may say, "Hereafter, whenever I snap my fingers you will go fast asleep.

09. Errors To Avoid - Before we proceed with more methods for induction, let us consider a few don'ts:

There are many errors which may be committed by a beginner, especially in his wording of sleep suggestions and his introductory remarks. These must be avoided. Never make rash and unreasonable statements to the subject, only those which will appear to be true and reasonable to him. In the beginning of the suggestions of sleep, the operator may say, "Just think about sleep. Just think that you wish to go to sleep.

10. More Methods - Now, let us get back to the methods of induction. The following is known as the fascination method. You may use this method while subjects stand or sit. Face him and place your hands on his shoulders or take his hands in yours or just place your hands behind your back. It really makes little difference. Tell the subject to gaze into your eyes and not look off. Gaze at the root of his nose just between his eyes. It appears to him that you are gazing into his eyes. You must have a steady gaze. Do not blink your eyes. It requires much practice to acquire this steady, unblinking stare. You must not smile, grin or change facial expression.

11. Hypnotism - Now that you have learned how to hypnotize, you should know just what it is. It would be a strange thing for an engineer to know how to start and stop a locomotive, but not know what he was operating or how to control it while operating it, or why it started or stopped, or what was required to make it run smoothly or what to do if a bearing got hot or a cylinder head blew out. Not that your subject will blow a cylinder head but if you do not know how to handle him, he may blow his top when you awaken him.

12. Reasoning - As you will see in the following illustration, reason or a logical explanation capable of being followed and understood by the subconscious mind, will aid in obtaining the results desired. I once hypnotized a girl to relieve her of the discomforts of hay fever attacks. They were frequent and annoying. I learned that she had been raised in the dust bowl of Oklahoma and that she had developed this condition while in her early teens and that she had been so afflicted for about fourteen or fifteen years.

13. New Theory - Now that I have shown you how to hypnotize and what hypnotism is, we should now study some of the operations of the mind in order that we may better understand hypnotism. You have learned that there are two minds: the conscious and subconscious minds. Some psychologists designate them objective and subjective. The terms are immaterial. You have learned some of the functions of both.

14. Natural Reaction - Hypnotism is a manner of nervous reaction under a given set of excitations and it is nothing mysterious or supernatural. Not any more so, than eating, tasting, living, seeing, thinking, reasoning, and just being a human being. Come to think of those things, they are all mysterious and supernatural. Just because we witness them every day, they appear commonplace to us. Hypnotism will not appear any more supernatural to us once we understand it, than do those other things we witness every day. It is something which comes about in obedience to laws of the mind just as those other things come about through laws which govern our bodies. We call these laws, nature's laws.

15. Natural State - Then we may lay down the rule that hypnosis is a natural state and the depth thereof is governed by the natural nervous reaction of the subject to the degree of stimuli applied. This is true just as natural sleep is a natural state. The difference is in the states and in the procedures to bring about the two states. The procedure to induce hypnosis brings about a different degree of severance of nerve centers than does the procedure to induce sleep. The somnambulist while walking about in his sleep is in a state nearest to that of the hypnotized subject. It is not a state of hypnosis, however.

16. Synopsis - You have read the several principal methods of inducing hypnosis as set out in the preceding pages. We can briefly summarize these methods in the following synopsis. When you have the different steps firmly embedded in your mind, you can depart from the memorized words and develop your own methods, adapting your procedure and wording to the subject and the circumstances.

17. Mind Rules - For you to understand why hypnotism is possible, its causes and effects and the results which can be achieved with it, you should not only know how to induce the state of hypnosis, but you should know some of the rules of the mind. These rules may govern the nervous reactions you desire to bring about. They may also explain the reactions you get which you do not desire to bring about. They may assist you in determining what course or method to pursue to induce hypnosis, or what to do to produce a certain result through hypnosis. These rules also explain why hypnotism is possible.

18. Nervous Reactions - I shall try to explain why from a physiological standpoint hypnotism is possible. Of course, we shall try to show how the rules of the mind cause such physical reactions as are involved. You must remember that we are dealing with matter which is activated by ideas.

19. Personal Benefit - Assuming that you have read the foregoing chapters and understand them sufficiently to hypnotize a person, you may consider that you have joined the force of the very few who understand and can use the great mental powers which lie dormant in the minds of most persons. You are fortunate; one among millions. You know something and can do something which very few know and still fewer persons understand or can do.

20. Your Child - If you have children who are wayward and who need guidance, see that they get it. A child's mind must be taught to react in the proper manner, else how will it function properly? Remember the rules of the mind which I have laid down, particularly the one in regard to habit of thinking, creating a mental pattern. If you study physiological psychology, you will find many more reasons for creating the correct mental reactions in your child. Never tell a child he is stupid, mean, ignorant, crazy, sick, or any other such thing. Such remarks are suggestive, and have a tendency to create such an ideation in the child's mind.

21. Mental Attitude - Many of us carry with us the very thing which makes for our defeat. We carry it without knowing it. What is it? It is a negative attitude. If you think you will not win; if you doubt your ability to succeed, you have odds against you. If you think failure, you are doomed to failure. If you think you are sick, you will get sick. If you fear some malady, it will have a tendency to afflict you. That is not exactly a correct statement but it conveys my meaning to the general public. Your mental attitude is reflected in your general conduct, in your efforts, in your speech, in your very eyes.

22. Self-Hypnosis - If you desire, you may hypnotize yourself. It is only necessary to use the same process which you use on others and apply it to yourself. One way this may be done is by using a phonograph record on which the sleep formula has been recorded by you, or by someone else. You may incorporate in it the directions you desire and the period of time you wish to remain in the state. It is not necessary for you to reach a deep state of hypnosis for the suggestions to take effect.

23. Medicinal - If you are engaged in any medical profession, such as surgery, dentistry, or otherwise, and it becomes desirable to hypnotize a patient, better results will be obtained by having the patient recline on a comfortable couch or in a comfortable chair before beginning the induction. I would not advise placing a patient in the dental chair or on the operating table for the first induction. If this is done, there is introduced one element which is sure to distract the patient's mind from the words of the hypnotist.

24. Benefits - Perhaps you have read the foregoing chapters with the idea of becoming more popular socially. You are not a doctor and you do not desire to be a professional hypnotist. You do not need to be a professional to be the center of attraction at any social gathering. Just ask your friends if they would like to see a demonstration of hypnotism. If they agree, then ask if any of them would like to experience the thrilling and restful effects of the hypnotic sleep. You will get some volunteers, or you may arrange to have one or two subjects you have previously hypnotized present for the demonstration.

25. Exceptions - Many psychologists have been confused by what are apparent exceptions to my definition of hypnotism. This confusion has resulted from the fact that some persons are susceptible to an extreme degree and go into a state of hypnosis upon a strong suggestion being made to them, which reacts upon their mind to bring about the suggested result.

Recommended Books - In order that the reader of this book may better understand the theories advanced, I recommend reading the following works. It is not a complete list of books on hypnotism, psychology, neuro-physiology, physiology and medicine, but I consider them as important in their respective fields.

Physiological Psychology, Morgan, Clifford J. and Stellar, Eliot, McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., New York, 1950.

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