Tony Gaschler - MODERN HYPNOSIS TECHNIQUES. Advanced Hypnosis and Self Hypnosis

8.Never attempt to carry out an exercise or experiment that you have not previously mastered. Imagination exercises with imaginary TPs will help you to master an exercise.

9.Do not simply carry out the exercises mechanically, instead you should always try to understand the theory, this will give you confidence both in yourself and in the exercise or experiment.

Ill. 3

Ill. 4

Start as described for the first suggestion exercise in Lesson 3. Use a good TP for this exercise. When the pendulum starts to swing back and forth very strongly, say:

“Now the pendulum is swinging completely on its own! You can no longer stop it! The more you try to stop the pendulum, the more it swings, stronger and stronger!” At the same time, make movements with your hands back and forth in front of the TP to the rhythm of the pendulum’s swings, as shown in ill. 4. Continue saying: “The pendulum’s swinging is becoming stronger – and stronger – and stronger and stronger. The more you want to stop the pendulum, the more strongly it swings --- more and more strongly!”

The pendulum will probably now swing more strongly than you ever expected. The TP will try to stop it, but by doing so will make exactly those movements that allow the pendulum to swing even more strongly. When you want to end the exercise, say: “Now the pendulum is becoming slower --- Now you can stop it again. Stop it!” When you notice that the TP has control of the pendulum once again, say: “That’s good! You feel fine. You are wide-awake! Put the pendulum down, the exercise is over!”

During this exercise you can practice making your gestures, in this case your hand movements, as lively and dynamic as possible. Try this exercise as an imaginary exercise first of all. Choose a time when you are alone and unlikely to be disturbed, and practice the hand movements – which must be adapted to the rhythm of the pendulum movements - and try to make them as lively and dynamic as possible.

When awake, the human SELF is alert and, from a functional point of view, finds itself between the sense organs and the ideomotor system. When a videe enters a person through the sense organs, it is controlled, inhibited and weakened by the SELF. This is why people who are awake are less susceptible to suggestions.

During suggestion exercises, the SELF is forced out of the center of consciousness for a time by intense videes (created by dynamic words and gestures) and videes are better able to enter the ideomotor system where they trigger actions.

During actual hypnosis, the SELF is as good as deactivated by physiological processes, so that it no longer prevents the videes from penetrating, and these then penetrate the ideomotor system directly. For this reason, suggestions can become reality more easily under hypnosis.

During suggestion exercises, two things happen:

1.Through especially strong and effective videes, which are created using dynamic words and gestures, the inhibiting SELF is forced out of the center of consciousness for a time.

2.The videes that penetrate during this state reach the ideomotor system where they trigger corresponding actions and effects. The essential difference between suggestion exercises and hypnosis experiments is that during suggestion exercises the SELF is only deactivated or forced out for a short time, whereas during hypnosis experiments the state of mind where the SELF is forced out or ineffective lasts for a longer period of time. During a deep enough hypnosis state, the corresponding inactive state of the SELF can even be maintained for several days.

Through hypnosis, and even through suggestion exercises, a person's personal liberty can be taken away from them. Therefore I must point out to you that you should observe the following very strictly during your exercises and experiments:

1.Only use those TPs for your experiments that have volunteered freely to take part. Never try to persuade someone to take part in an experiment. Inform each TP that he/she is placing him/herself voluntarily under your influence and, in case of doubt, have this confirmed in writing in front of witnesses.

2.Never carry out experiments with people whose mental state is uncertain or who may not be fully competent. In particular, never carry out experiments with those who are of unsound mind or are mentally impaired.

3.If you carry out experiments with young people or children, always make sure that you have the full permission of their parents or legal guardian.

4.If you carry out experiments with female TPs, ensure that witnesses are always present.

This exercise, which appears very impressive, is actually very simple to carry out. It is excellent for performing in front of an audience, who can themselves then take part as TPs. Take a TP from category I or II and look the TP straight in the eyes. Then say: “Place your feet completely side by side, so that your heels and toes are touching ( ill. 6). I am now going to carry out an exercise with you, in which you fall backwards. Do not be afraid, I will catch you safely. During this exercise you will feel everything exactly as I tell you.”

Now move behind the TP and hold your hands in front of his/her face ( ill. 5) so that your middle fingers are touching each other and are about four inches in front of the TP’s eyes ( ill. 7). Then say: “Look now at the two fingertips that are touching each other! --- Listen to my words. --- Now relax your whole body – and now relax your arms – relax even more. --- Now feel how your arms become heavy – very, very heavy! --- Focus on your arms – they are becoming heavier and heavier and heavier -- heavier and heavier. --- You feel it very clearly now. --- Now watch my fingertips closely. --- When I now move my fingertips away from each other, -- you will feel a very distinct force --- that draws you backwards! --- It draws you further and further backwards!” (Now move your two middle fingers about one to two inches apart). “--- Now a force is drawing you backwards. --- It draws you further and further backwards, it draws you more and more – draws you more and more --- and when I now move my hands back away, it draws you totally backwards and you fall backwards – I’ll catch you! --- It draws you --------“ (now move your hands slowly back away from the TP’s face). “ Draws you! You fall! You’re falling --- falling --- falling … you FALL!“

When the TP falls backwards, catch him/her safely so that nothing happens to the TP. TPs that are very easily influenced fall much earlier than others. Therefore always be ready to catch a TP! Particular care must be taken with female TPs who are wearing high heels. When falling backwards their shoes might tip to one side and the TPs may hurt their feet. Therefore always make sure anyone wearing high heels removes their shoes before starting the exercise.

When the TP has fallen backwards and, after catching him/her, stand in front of the TP again, say: “ The exercise is now over! You feel fine, refreshed and wideawake! Even your arms feel completely normal again and you no longer have an impulse to fall backwards! You are wide-awake and feel extremely well and refreshed!”