How to Hypnotize Someone

Steps

Method One

1. Ask your subject to sit in a comfortable chair in a dimmed room. Make sure your subject is not lying down, otherwise it will increase the chances of your subject falling asleep, which is not the goal of hypnosis.
2. Use relaxation techniques to slow the brainwave patterns to alpha, theta or delta depending on what work your client wishes to accomplish (see example technique below).
   
   
   • BETA WAVES - 14Hz to 20Hz. Beta waves are associated with normal waking consciousness. They are present when you are focused on activities in the outside world.
   • ALPHA WAVES - 8Hz to 13Hz. Alpha waves are likened to a light meditation. They are prevalent when you daydream. They will become stronger when your eyes are closed.
   • THETA WAVES - 4Hz to 7Hz. Theta waves occur during heightened states of creativity and are found with a deep meditative state.
   • DELTA WAVES - .5Hz to 3Hz. Delta waves are found in a deep sleep state or unconsciousness. Also, Delta waves are common in very deep meditation.
3. Ask questions to the client's subconscious to discover the root and perhaps hidden cause of problem. The client can even be asked what is the best method for his or her recovery.
4. Offer suggestions specifically geared to the goal of the therapy. The suggestions can be specific or creative imagery to bypass the judgmental mind. Programming instructions should remind the client's subconscious to go to the new suggestions when problem situation arises.
5. Bring the client back to alert beta brainwave patterns.
6. Discuss highlights of the session with the client.
7. Now you should be able to control your patient.

Tips

• Sample technique: Ask your subject to take 10 deep breaths, (while counting out loud) and relax, to forget about all his/her tensions. Try and use mental props such as telling the subject there is a bucket at the bottom of his/her feet, and all his/her tensions are draining into it. Once your subject is relaxed, tell him or her that he/she is at the very top of a staircase, and is going to take a walk down. Tell the subject there is a landing at the bottom and there are ten steps to the landing, and he/she should walk down. Ask the subject if he/she would like you to walk down with him/her. Tell the subject that with each step, he/she will become more, and more relaxed. Repeat this as many times as you want (no more than 3). Tell the subject to open his/her eyes and stare at a blank wall with a small object such as a button taped, glued or nailed to it. Tell the subject to pay close attention to the button, and listen to your words. The subject should stare continuously at the button, the subject's eyes should begin to water, so tell the subject that as he or she watches the button he/she will begin to become more and more relaxed, and his/her limbs are becoming heavier and heavier, then tell the subject to close eyes when he or she is ready.
  • Hypnosis is used to help and control.
  • Hypnosis is easy since it's a state we all enter naturally without knowing it in daily life. The part which requires great skill is utilizing the hypnotic state to best aid the subject to achieve the desired results. You want to learn hypnosis? Go get some proper tutelage!!
  • Light states can be achieved easily and with practice (like learning a musical instrument) mastery is achieved.
  • The hypnotist is an educator instructing the participant in how to change his or her brainwave patterns. Giving them the information needed to get there.
  • Everyone has experienced trance states in everyday life. States of trance occur when daydreaming, watching a movie, driving home on autopilot, when falling into sleep and again upon awakening from sleep, practicing meditation or other relaxation techniques.
  • When in an altered state of trance, you are still fully aware of where you are and what you're doing.
  • If taking hypnosis classes go to an accredited school not a weekend diploma mill. Hypnotism can not be mastered quickly.
  • People who say they can't be hypnotized really just aren't letting themselves achieve the state. Anyone with the ability to focus can be hypnotized.
  • Some people may consciously want to be hypnotized but their subconscious may be resisting.
  • Remember, it is difficult to achieve hypnosis if the patient doesn't want to be or if his or her train of thought is not clear.

Method Two

1. Hold two fingers (index and middle) in a V shape. Hold your fingers about a foot above their forehead, and tell them to look up and focus on your fingers without moving their head up. This should result in their eyes having to look up. Make sure your fingers are in a position so it is not impossible for the person to see.
2. Ask the person to breathe in and out as you move your hand up and down, they should naturally breathe in as your hand moves up, and out as your hand moves down. You may say "and breathe in" and "and out" as you move your hand up and down. You should do this about 5 times before moving onto 3.
3. Tell them that they will close their eyes when you pass your hand down in front of their face, repeat the request, and continue step 2 another two or three times, although ideally they should not know how many times.
4. Suggest to them that they should relax their eyes as much as they can, relaxing every muscle around the eyes, so much that, even if they wanted to, their eyes are so tired, they will not work. Then ask them (after about 30 seconds of telling them how relaxed their eyes are, to try to open their eyes, and find that they can't. Tell them "OK and stop trying now, and just carry on relaxing" after about 5-10 seconds of trying.
5. Tell them that, when you ask them to, they are going to open and shut their eyes, and when they shut them they are going to "send a wave of relaxation right across your body, so that it is as relaxed as their eyes are already, relaxing twice as much as you are already". Then tell them to open their eyes on the count of three, say "one, two, three, open your eyes; and shut them", do this three times increasing the relaxation each time (suggest that they will relax ten times as much the second time, and twenty times as much the third time.
6. Tell them that you are going to pick up their right hand, and that "at this point, if you have followed what I have asked you to do, it should be really limp, loose and relaxed, like a rag" or something to that effect, and that when you drop it in their lap, they will feel a wave of relaxation throughout their body.
7. Do the same with the left hand
8. Repeat above two steps
9. Tell them that they should now be as relaxed as they can be physically, and that now you want them to concentrate on physical relaxation. Tell them that when you ask them to, you want them to start counting down from 100, in this way "100, deeper relaxed, 99, deeper relaxed, 98, deeper relaxed" and that after a few numbers, they will find that they forget what the next number is. They will make the numbers disappear from their mind, because it has become so relaxed.
10. Ask them to start counting down, as they count suggest that the numbers are disappearing. When they stop talking, ask them if all the numbers have gone, they may just make a little nod, that is enough.
11. Tell them that, just like you could tense up, and reach the height of tension, you can also relax the opposite. That is called the basement of relaxation, and that it is now necessary for 'us' (note 'us', this assumes you are not making them do something) to go to the basement of relaxation. Tell them that you want them to imagine that they are in an elevator (UK:lift) and that when you click your fingers, the lift is going to start going down to floor A, and that to get there they are going to relax completely twice as much as they are already. When you click your fingers a second time, they are going to completely relax twice as much, down to floor B, and when you click your fingers a third time, down to floor C. Tell them to let you know when they are at the basement by saying the letter.
12. Click your fingers and wait for them to say A, repeat with B, and with C, it is worth noting that usually at floor C the letter C sometimes does not seem to come out the mouth, if this is the case, your attempt at hypnosis is successful (that is not to say that, if they say C your attempt is unsuccessful)
13. At this point it is best to suggest re-induction, for this say "if I click my fingers and say sleep, any time today, you will find you instantly return to this lovely deep level of relaxation and concentration, in fact every time today I click my fingers and say sleep, you will go deeper into hypnosis than you were the time before".
14. To continue with hypnosis, use a deepener. A good one is to ask the person to imagine they are at the top of a staircase of 100 stairs, which they can see and feel, and that on the side of each stair is a number. Each step they take they will see and feel themselves relaxing twice as much. At the bottom is a large mattress, and when they get there they will relax completely into the mattress. Tell them to start going down. You can ask them how far they have got by asking them to tell you what the number is on the stair.
15. Keep suggesting they are "going deeper, and nearer to the mattress, more relaxed with each breath" as they are going down the stairs.
16. Repeat re-induction suggestions above
17. When they have reached the bottom of the stairs, tell them that there are balloons filled with helium attached to their wrist, and that they can feel the balloons lifting their wrist into the air. You should see their hand, and arm, visibly rise into the air.
18. Repeat re-induction suggestions
19. Tell them that they are going to wake up on the count of three, and be wide awake, count to three. Start talking about something different for a few minutes, before asking them what they remember. Then try the re-induction, if they return to hypnosis, then carry on. If they do not, unfortunately it hasn't worked.
20. At this point you can make suggestions, suggest they feel hot (perhaps imagine they are at a beach) and then cold, imagine they are watching a film, and tell them that its really really funny, and then scary... tell them they can open their eyes and remain under hypnosis. You will notice that they will be able to talk and walk, but they will actually be still in hypnosis. If they wake up when they open their eyes (they will likely inform you that "it didn't work") then try the re-induction and make suggestions that when they wake up they will ___ whenever you say the word ___ . If they do not 'wake up' they may appear to have a blank stare in their eyes, you can continue to make suggestions without needing to put them to 'sleep' just continue with one suggestion after another.
21. When you have finished, tell them that "on the count of three you will wake up, fully awake and alert, feeling great, and that all suggestions will be removed" You may also suggest that "you will remember everything you did", or "you won't remember what you did under hypnosis". Then count to three.
22. The person may feel a bit 'dazed' even after hypnosis. This does not mean they are still under hypnosis (even though they may be slightly more suggestible for a little while)

Tips

• Pace what you are saying with the person's breathing, it is best to tell them to relax as they are breathing out, rather than breathing in.
• Note the difference between a Post-hypnotic-suggestion, and hypnosis with the eyes open. A PHS is something that has an affect, like a habit, after the end of hypnosis, however only that suggestion will have an affect (for example feeling itchy, or saying or doing something on cue. Hypnosis with the eyes open means that the suggestion can be changed just by telling them, as they are still in hypnosis.
• Read the steps a few times, make notes, and practice on imaginary people to get the hang of how it all goes together.
• The person might not remember what has happened (sometimes even in the case of using PHS), you may want to record what happens, this allows you to show the person what they did (and show all their friends, with their permission of course).
• If someone does not do what you suggested, they either have a moral or defencive reason, or they did not understand you, try suggesting it again, being clear, if they still do not, forget it.

Warnings

• This is probably the most important section, as hypnosis is a bit like fire, it can be dangerous if you do not use common sense, or try doing things that you shouldn't.
• Don't suggest anything that relates to a phobia. If someone has a phobia of spiders, don't tell them to think there are loads of spiders in the room.
• Don't suggest anything that is against their morals, or beliefs, they will just wake up, if you are going to venture down this road, get them to agree before the hypnosis, otherwise they may never trust you again, tell everyone what you did, take you to court, or worse.
• Don't do therapy, don't try and cure phobias, you likely don't know how, so don't.
• Hypnosis is not New-Age or Occultic, so don't mix it with that stuff. Hypnosis is science, not any form of magic.
• Don't try regressing people to when they were young. If you want, tell them to 'act as if they were ten'. Some people have repressed memories which you really do not want to bring up (abuse, bullying etc.). They repress these memories as a natural defense, so they don't go mad. Oddly, these people are often good at being hypnotized.
• Don't ask the person to do anything you wouldn't want someone to do to you.