II. Simple Inductions

This afternoon we're going to describe, demonstrate, and have you practice very systematically a variety of specific hypnotic induction techniques, so that you will begin to have choice in how you induce trance. What you did this morning is all you will need with some people, but you will not be successful with others if that is all you have in your repertoire.

Traditional hypnotists have done research which "proves" that only a certain percentage of people are hypnotizable. The way they proved that is by using exactly the same induction with everyone, so of course they are only successful with a certain percentage. If you have only one induction, it's going to work with some people and fail with others. Most traditional hypnotists don't even bother to add some of the basic pieces you used this morning, such as matching your voice tempo to the person's breathing. The wider the range of induction possibilities you have, the more people you will be successful with.

This morning we spent some time discussing what physiological signs accompany an altered state of consciousness. You were able to detect at least some of the distinctive changes in muscle tonus, breathing patterns, skin color, lower lip size, etc., in the person you were putting into an altered state. Those particular signs of an altered state are precisely what you will be watching and listening for this afternoon as you continue learning about inductions.

The basic principle of doing a hypnotic induction is to watch for the physiological signs of developing altered states, and to do anything you can to amplify those signs. There are also specific ways of proceeding. There are generalizations—patterns that you can use which are likely to lead in the direction of altering someone's state. I remind you that all the generalizations we offer are lies: that is, they will not work for every person or at every time. They are good generalizations because they force you to go to sensory experience and notice what's going on. Always give up a generalization or a pattern in favor of what is actually being presented to you in the way of sensory feedback. We will be presenting these patterns to give you specific ways to proceed. As you proceed, if you see signs of trance developing in the other person, continue; what you are doing is working. If you don't see those signs developing, do anything else.

The first two methods I am going to demonstrate are similar to some of the methods you already used this morning. However, they are important and useful enough that I want to describe them in a slightly different way.

Verbal Pacing and Leading: 5–4–3–2–1 Exercise

This morning you did verbal pacing and leading when you made three sensory–based, verifiable statements, used a transition, and added a non–verifiable statement. You can make this method more elegant by making your beginning statements almost entirely externally–oriented, and then gradually increasing the number of non–verifiable internally–oriented statements you make. Milton Erickson often described trance as having an inward focus of attention. By gradually increasing the number of internally–oriented statements, you use pacing and leading to shift the person's attention inward.

So when you practice this method, start by making five statements: four which are sensory–based, and then one which is internally–oriented. Connect them with some transitional word like "and" or "as." "You are listening to the sound of my voice and you can notice the colors in the room as you feel your arm on the chair and you can begin to have a sense of contentment." Then you make three verifiable statements followed by two non–verifiable, then two and three, one and four, and at that point you should have a fairly nice trance state developing.

I would like you all to think for a moment: what would constitute an example of a non–sensory–based description that you could offer in conjunction with your verifiable statements? I want to make sure you understand what constitutes a non–sensory–based description of an internal experience.

Man: And you will become comfortable.

Woman: And you will experience the feeling of delight.

Woman: Satisfied.

"And you will be satisfied with the progress you are making."

Man: And you will feel some things being different.

Man: And you will remember pleasant memories.

"And you will remember a specific pleasant memory."

Man: Are you intentionally using the future tense?

Actually, I suggest that you use present progressive tense for now. "And you are becoming aware of the delightful experience, and you are beginning now to remember. …" "Now you are becoming aware of the sense of being able to learn about hypnosis."

Would you come up here, Barb? I'd like to demonstrate.

There are two things that the rest of you can attend to as I proceed. One is to keep track of the observable physiological changes that Barb goes through as she alters her consciousness. The other is to keep track of what I am doing verbally, because 1 am going to be using the pattern I've just been talking about. That way you can correlate what I am doing with her responses.

Now, Barb, with your eyes opened or closed—it's entirely a matter of your own comfort in this—I would like you to sit there and allow me to offer you some verbal descriptions. One thing you might consider doing is questioning whether or not the verbal descriptions I am offering you are accurate for your ongoing experience. For example, at this moment you are sitting there and you can hear the tone of my voice. And you can feel the warmth of your fingers being interlaced.

What just happened? I hope you can detect that, because Barb's response just now is an important beginning.

Man: She was nodding.

Yes she was, but there was something even more profound. Man: She closed her eyes and opened them.

Well, her pupils dilated. The part that I think you could have seen even from the back row is the smoothing out of her facial muscles. You all know the phenomenon called the "blank stare"? You are talking to someone, and suddenly you have the feeling that you are all alone? There's a technical term for it in Northern California called "spacing out."

I said two things to Barb, both of which she could immediately verify. As she verified that those two statements were true, and especially as she verified the second one, there was a sudden congruence between what she was hearing and what she was feeling, which allowed her to begin to change the way she was perceiving the world around her. She began to go into an altered state. Let me go on a bit so you have a chance to watch this.

As I said, Barb, you can do this with your eyes open or closed, whichever one is more comfortable. And as you sit there, you can feel the support that the chair offers you along your lower back, and you can feel the place where the rungs are supporting your feet just in front of your heels. And you can notice, as you sit there, the warmth where your hands are resting on your legs and thighs, and a sense of growing comfort. And the next time that your eyes begin to close, simply allow them to stay there and enjoy a growing sense of comfort internally. (Someone sneezes.) The sound of a sneeze washes through you, leaving you even more comfortable. And as you sit there breathing in … and out … you have a growing sense … of comfort… . Listen for those particular sounds … and enjoy a growing sense … of security . . for the purposes that we have here… .

At the moment, Barb, I'd like your unconscious mind to make a choice … about giving you a sense of refreshment … and renewal . . as you sit there listening to the sound of my voice … as well as the tinkling of the china … but with a sense of growing independence of your surroundings … and a comfort … internal … and for the purposes of what we have come here to do … as a demonstration … you have already succeeded very well… .