It’s been made clear that hypnosis is a real phenomenon, and hopefully already the subject is in a light hypnotic trance, and is now ready to enter the next deep state of hypnosis! The hypnotist wants the subject in the deepest state possible. One way to do this effectively is telling a subject that the hypnotist will count to five, and at “5,” the subject will be in a deeper trance. Repeat.
At this point, the light arm test is a good way to ensure that they are deep enough to continue. If they wake up at this stage, they are not in a deep enough trance to do much else. If they pass this, then they are certainly ready to go to the next step. This is a good place to say that when the test is done, they will fall even deeper asleep. Some try massage in tweed heads to come out of stress while some don’t try this valuable trick.
Signs of Deep Hypnosis
With light hypnosis, the fluttering and eventual closing of the eyelids is one of the most common signs, but in heavy hypnotic trances it may be more difficult to decipher. Mastering Hypnosis: A Stage Performer’s Guide gives the following examples, from the easiest to most difficult to achieve:
- While the subject is hypnotized, the hypnotist can make muscles react by command
- While hypnotized, the subject can be told false information about the outside world and will consider it true (e.g., Told, “It is very cold here,” the subject will shake and shiver)
- While hypnotized, the subject will pretend he or she is someone else
- While hypnotized, the subject can be given an object and be made to believe it is something or someone else (e.g., a broom is actually his or her lover)
- While hypnotized, the subject can see something or someone that is not there without physical stimuli (e.g, like the previous example, but with no physical object in use)
- After fully awakened from hypnosis, a subject can experience stimuli suggested during hypnosis (e.g., after shaking hands with another person, they feel strong attraction towards the person)
These can be seen through various tests, such as the light arm experiment. The amount of hypnosis needed for these can vary by subject, and if a subject isn’t in a deep enough trance when told to do this, they will often wake up.
Waking A Hypnotic Subject
It is important for hypnotists to wake subjects in a gentle way, or they may experience some grogginess. Especially if they have made a fool out of themselves, asserting that when they wake up they will feel wonderful is the least a kind hypnotist can do. This will make people more willing to be hypnotized the next time, as well as make the hypnotist look like a very skilled magician.
Deep hypnosis can be difficult to get to, but its effects can be breathtaking to an audience (as well as to the hypnotist the first time they are achieved). Not everyone can reach the deeper levels of hypnosis, however. Some, called somnambulists, are capable of acting wide awake while still under trance. These are suggestible to the extreme. A somnambulist can even be convinced that the hypnotist is invisible!
Practice Hypnosis
There are plenty of ways to practice hypnosis. The most obvious is a partner willing to be hypnotized at home (and hopefully hypnotizing the hypnotist in kind!). No two hypnotists are exactly alike. Watching hypnotists of all types to see how they handle it is important. All hypnotists must learn how to spot signs of light and deep hypnosis to know who will be the best person to hypnotize.
Legal Issues
All hypnotists should know the local laws concerning public hypnosis. Some places require licenses to perform a hypnotic show in public, so they must be sure to follow local statues, or risk a heavy fine. Happy hypnotizing!