I'm new at hypnosis, and I have read and watched "Reality is Plastic" and "The Manchurian Approach", but I still have some questions:

There are some people that have never seen hypnosis before even in movies. So, how the subject is going to know how to react when I say the word "sleep!"?

When I do stiff arm, heavy card, is it recommend or should I do the magnetic fingers and magnetic hands before? Or can I go to this set piece directly?

JCheng

Hi JCheng,

look at what you want to achieve with the Set Piece exercise. You will then see that heavy card/stiff arm, magnetic fingers, hands are all interchangeable. So no you do not have to do mag fingers and hands before. You can drop them and do something else.

That said, as you know if working with a new group this is how I normally get things going, then I can work things like a heavy card or stiff arm into an early routine.

There are no rules and all techniques are non essential. That said at first having a structure will give you and your subject confidence.

Anthony

If they have never seen hypnosis before take them through what your going to do. Describe each step...before you start.

"What you will find is that in a few moments Im going to ask you to put your hands out like this (demonstrate). Then as I give suggestions some of you will experience your hands coming together like this (demonstrate). I don't know if this will happen quickly or slowly and you don't know either....and you don't have to just allow it to happen..."

Do the "set piece" or "test". Ive always known them to be called tests.

After you have had some success move on to the induction and once again describing it in detail to them before doing it. This will install a mental rehearsal and let them know what to expect.

Try it with and without describing. Gil Boyne always described his rapid inductions before doing them ...by telling them what he was going to do before.

"I will then get you to focus on your hand (if you using the induction favoured by Ant) As I bring it closer your eyes may become defocused as your hands touch your face you will find your eyes close and you go into
a deep sleep"

Also try and get a group of people together if possible its easier than doing it with one. Choose the most responsive to the tests to start with.

Now I don't know perhaps you don't need to describe it but if in your part of the world no one knows anything about it then this will help. Then again perhaps they don't need to know I've never been in that position.

Most stage hypnotists always describe what they are going to do. Its a suggestion in itself.

Good stuff. I know I may repeat my instructions over and over too much just to seal it in their minds.

I've had a lot of success from easing them in with the finger thing first...

Then I recommend the Rehearsal Induction by Ant...

And here's me thinking the finger thing was illegal in your country, no?

The finger....no. The Shocker however is subjective to cane thrashings in 8 countries. 12 countries if you don't ask permission first.-Shane

Pretend like you're scratching your face, you get away with it Bob...

I didn't know that before. Thanks...

Hi everyone, thanks for the answer.

I just hypnotized somebody(my friend)for the first time! I just approached him and did a instant induction from RIP, without doing the set pieces! he slept, but I was freaking out that he really slept that I almost forgot what to say next. I had him go deeper and deeper, then I did the hand levitation to test him, and he did follow my suggestion! after that I woke him up! I didn't do anything else because I was very nervous.

Here I have a question:
Tonight I tried to hypnotized my sister, I did the magnetic hands, worked perfectly. Then I did the instant induction, she slept, I had her go deeper and deeper. After that, I did the hand levitation, she did it half way up then suddenly she opened her eyes and yelled "stop I am getting very sleepy, really! I was drooling!"

Was she hypnotized?

I forgot to say that she told me that she lost her concentration once she heard my brother playing guitar in the next room, so she woke up.

She could have been in the very first stages of relaxation and on her way. One tip I will give you regarding the arm leviation method:

I use the helium balloons tied to the wrist trick myself, but, I suggest you also tell them as their arm rises, they will not leave their seat. Some people will start to imagine the balloons are pulling them out of their chair and they are afraid they will float away and it often times brings them out of this state.

As far as the noise, use it to your advantage: As you fall into this relaxed state, you will notice you hear more things around you. It is assurance that you are doing fine ,but, you can ignore the noises if you choose.-Shane