Just a few things we all know, and maybe organized a bit differently….
How is it that some of us think that all and any effects we get are voluntary and that our subject can remove his response to the suggestion at will , yet others seem to feel that once a suggestion has been accepted then we can create a situation where the subject has no choice but to follow?
How is it that many times our subjects say “yeah I was playing along”, when we fully know that not the the case?
The key here is somnambulism. If you don’t have it, then your subjects might get control over their responses. They might feel that their responses are voluntary. If you do have it, unless you suggest something that is a really bad idea, your subject will go along and have no conscious control over their actions. You can create a bulletproof PHS and have it work regardless of the subjects willingness.
If you aren’t getting somnambulism you’re missing the boat.
What is somnambulism?
I understand it to be full bypass of the critical factor. So a light or medium state of hypnosis would be where the subject has reduced his critical thinking and analysis of your suggestions. Somnambulism is where there is zero critical factor and analytical interference.
How do we get it?
Some people (20%) will go there by themselves on the first go around. Those are the times we get some new dude who tries hypnosis and come back reporting that they got immediate invisibility and freeze effects. The lucky guy got one of those magic 20%.
For the other 80% we have to TRAIN them how to get to that state. It’s not a state that many of us are used to hanging out in, although it is extremely useful for learning new things. When you learn a new skill from an expert it is very helpful to put that analysis on hold completely until you have the skill down well.
How do we train them? Ah! This is the key question. The Elman induction is a great tool for this. The disappearing numbers are a state of blank non critical analysis. When we get them to the point where the #’s are gone they are by definition in somnambulism.
Remember to always go for somnambulism and you’ll find that it’s rather simple and well well worth the effort.
Is it possible to achieve somnambulism with self-hypnosis?
Thanks.
Podgurc
It is if you record yourself and then listen to the recording. I would be interested in hearing if someone had a good way to get there without using a recording. I personally don’t have a method for that yet.
hi Joe,
Jeff Stevens at keystothemind.com stated he puts himself into trance then uses a recording to do change work…ask him about it.
doug
Hey Joe,
I discovered your blog recently and I find it to be a gold mine, because you strive a lot of interesting questions
(e.g. addressing NLPs fallabilities.)
I’m interested in how to train people to get to that state of somnambulism as you mentioned in your post.
Could you possibly elaborate more on the topic how to actually do that, because I believe here is a main point where good and bad hypnotist differ and many who are learning hypnosis would be very interested in that.
(I find that idea not much discussed on many places as well.)
-all the very best.
Bernard.
Bernard,
Thanks for the kind comments.
You’re asking some good questions. I’m sure that at some point in the future I will elaborate on somnambulism.
You can find me and a group of my students on skype at joe.10000 I’ll be glad to answer any questions you have there.
Joe
Joe
What does Jerry Kein have to say about self-hypnosis entering somnambulism?