Hypnosis And The Swinging Watch
If you believe that hypnosis is a farce, then this is the post for you. In this article, we explore what hypnosis is and isn't. We also take look at one of the most famous hypnotic experiments in history to see if it holds up to scrutiny. Plus, we'll give a step-by-step script for how to perform hypnosis on someone and debunk a few myths about what it entails.
What Is Hypnosis?
The first thing to define is what hypnosis is not. It is not being under the control of someone else, no matter how much it may feel like it. When you're hypnotized, you are not being 'guided' by anyone but yourself. The one exception is when a hypnotist has the power to stop your own thoughts and ideas. If a hypnotist can tell you how to act without having to go through again all the steps, then it may be that he's performing some type of post-hypnotic suggestion or programming of the mind (not an official term). However, this is rare and you're more than likely experiencing your own free will even if you feel like you're not.
The other commonly misunderstood aspect of hypnosis is that it somehow causes the person to do things they wouldn't normally do or say yes to something that they know they shouldn't. Let's take the example of a hypnotist convincing a person to cut off all ties to his family and run off with him, believing that he would be able to find him a job as an airline pilot. The truth is that you are still in control and, if you really wanted to, you could refuse to listen to the hypnotist and leave. This is because the only way hypnosis can work is if you allow it to. The power really comes from your own belief system and desire for change. David Minkoff puts it best;
"Hypnosis does not break down your will power…it bypasses it and works on the level of desire."
To illustrate this point, let's take a look at an experiment that was done in 1959 by Milton Erickson (widely considered one of the greatest hypnotists of all time). Erickson asked participants to sit against a swinging pendulum while they talked with him. He then went behind them and asked the people they were talking to if they would prefer the person their talking to to sit against a swinging pendulum or a still one. Overwhelmingly, the participants preferred it when the person in question was seated against the pendulum swing. This is because, for those participants who disliked the person in front of them, swinging the pendulum made them feel better about themselves (it may have also been that Erickson was shaking his hand or something).
If you want to see a fantastic video example of how hypnosis can be used to have someone swing on a swing seat just go ahead and click below.
In spite of what many believe hypnosis isn't always 'the answer'. If you've ever been hypnotized and had someone take advantage of you (e.g. being asked to open a safe where there were no valuables inside), then you have experienced the power of hypnosis being taken away from you by a more powerful mind. This can be seen by those who experience 'negative' hypnosis, where they are put under to help them deal with issues that may be plaguing their mind (e.g. phobias). It is true that we have an innate ability to accept what we need and don't need, but sometimes these things get in the way without us realizing it or recognizing it as part of our development. Some may argue that it's our brain trying to protect us, but I won't go into that here.
The One And Only Zener Card Experiment
In psychology, there's an experiment known as the Zener card experiment designed to test ESP (extra sensory perception). If you don't know what that means, it's basically the idea of having a 'sixth sense' about things. In this case, the Zener cards are five cards with different symbols on them: a square, a cross, 3 wavy lines (called waves), 3 unbroken lines (called circles), and a star. An individual is asked to focus on the symbols and answer 'yes' or 'no' regarding whether it is an odd or even number. The experimenter then removes the cards one at a time and shows them how many times someone got it right. In this case, the person was all alone in a room (other than the experimenter) so they have no one or nothing to base their guesses on.
The results of this experiment show that the subject usually gets it wrong and struggles with getting it right. Weirdly enough, they still seem to get correct answers 2% of the time even though they are guessing each time based only on what they can see. There are many different ways to interpret these results, including that perhaps the individuals are just having some sort of conscious or subconscious reaction. However, the experiment is a strong arm for the idea that we do process information in different ways than we may think we do.
How To Perform Hypnosis On Someone
So now that you know what hypnosis isn't, it's time to learn how to actually do it. It helps if you're able to connect with someone on a deep level and get them in a very relaxed state of mind. Once you have them relaxed you can then ask then if they would be open to trying something rather odd and see what happens. Once you are sure that they want to go through with it and keep an open mind, then you begin.
Note: This is intended for those who are interested in learning hypnosis for self-enlightenment or for entertainment purposes. Do not try this on anyone if you intend to manipulate or harm them in any way. It is illegal and could get you arrested.
The first thing to do is to make them comfortable and relaxed, at which point they can then close their eyes. You can then start by asking them questions, such as 'what would you like your life to be like?' however don't make it too specific as this may lead the person down a path that they're not ready for yet.
After they've responded to each question, you can check in on their body language. If they are relaxed and calm, then the relaxation must be working and continue until you don't feel them tensing up anymore.
Next is to begin talking about things like past experiences, fantasy, desires, and goals that the person has in mind. The more you bring up these topics the more likely they will become excited and open to what you're saying. By this point, you should have some type of rapport with them so it's much easier for them to think like a hypnotist and allow themselves to be manipulated into a trance state.
Conclusion
I hope that you enjoyed reading this article, and that it will give you a better understanding of hypnosis in general. If you have any questions then please leave them in the comments below and I will get back to you ASAP.
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