Modern Hypnotism begins with Friedrich Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). It was he who expounded the principles of Animal Magnetism, more commonly known as Mesmerism, a system of healing based on the belief that a disturbance of equilibrium in a "universal fluid" causes disease in human beings, and that a magnetic readjustment of the "all pervading, invisible fluid" serves to cure diseases. Although Mesmer produced the hypnotic state innumerable times, he was quite unaware of the fact; it remained for one of his pupils to call the state artificial somnambulism, comparing it to spontaneous somnambulism as occurs in natural sleep.

In 1841 Dr. James Braid, a Manchester (England) physician, coined the word "Hypnosis" from the Greek word hypnos meaning sleep, and the scientific era began. He put no stock in magnetism, believing rather in having the subject look at a fixed point and using verbal suggestion. He also used hypnosis as anesthesia for both minor and major operations.

With suggestion firmly established, it but remained for Myers to introduce the hypothesis of the subliminal self (now known as the subconscious), a sort of dual personality dwelling beneath the threshold of consciousness.

What actually is hypnosis? What causes the hypnotic trance? What are its characteristics? When we are asleep we are largely unconscious-the conscious mind is subdued or inactive. Any movements or actions that we perform while asleep are caused by the subconscious mind; dreams also are stirred up by subconscious activity. During natural sleep the subconscious mind as well as the conscious is mostly inaccessible from the outside.

Under hypnosis, however, the conscious mind is rendered inactive and the subconscious awakened to a proportional extent. The more "unconscious" the subject is, the deeper the hypnotic state. In this state the subconscious mind controls the entire organism, not the voluntary system alone, but also the involuntary nervous system. The subconscious tends to take suggestions very literally, because of this hypnosis can be used to control parts of the body not normally under conscious control. The senses can be rendered very acute or subdued to such an extent that the subject seems to become unaware of certain stimuli, such as pain, thus achieving a condition of anesthesia.

Who can be hypnotized? Roughly twenty percent of people will go into a moderate trance on the first attempt. Nearly ninety percent can be hypnotized after several tries. People who are creative and imaginative tend to be excellent subjects. Probably the most important factor is the subject's faith in the operator. If one is convinced that the operator can hypnotize him, it most likely will happen, for the secret of hypnosis is that one actually hypnotizes oneself, but puts the operator in control. Could a person hypnotize herself? Of course! Not as deep a state can be achieved in self-hypnosis, but it can still be used to accomplish much.

The hypnotic state can achieve many different levels of effectiveness. The most commonly used levels are described:

1. Hypnoidal or Lethargic Stage
Lethargy, relaxation, eye catalepsy

Light Sleep
Catalepsy of isolated muscle groups
Heavy or floating feelings

2. Sleep
Smell and taste changes, number block
Partial amnesia

3. Deep Sleep
Amnesia, post-hypnotic suggestion
Analgesia (no pain)
Can open eyes without awakening

4. Somnambulism
Positive hallucinations (visual and auditory)
Bizarre post-hypnotic suggestions

5. Profound somnambulism
Negative hallucinations
Comatose-like state
Trance via suggestion

Besides entertainment, hypnosis has a variety of practical uses. It can be an aid in changing attitudes and has some amazing effects on what seem to be automatic processes outside of voluntary control. People have both a sympathetic and para- sympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic system involves the "flight or fight" response. Adrenaline is released, the heart rate increases, blood pressure rises, blood vessels dilate, pupils widen, and blood is shunted from non-essential areas to the muscles. Para-sympathetic response is just the opposite. Under hypnosis blood pressure can be controlled (both raised or lowered), vessels can be constricted to control bleeding in surgery or dental extractions. Vessels can also be dilated; this writer used self-hypnosis to dilate blood vessels in a pulled muscle in his back. The muscle was heated from within and recovered much more quickly.

Anesthesia is another often used benefit. With deep enough hypnosis, major surgery can be performed without many of the usual side effects of other types of anesthesia. A member of the Society for Professional Hypnotists reported that he needed eye surgery and was not able to use general anesthesia because of heart problems. The procedure was too lengthy for local injections for pain. He told his doctor that he could use self-hypnosis for pain prevention and time distortion, making the operation seem to go quickly. The doctor was quite skeptical, but finally agreed. The eye surgery went smoothly with hypnosis as the only pain reliever. Hypnotic anesthesia has often been used for childbirth, normally as well as by C-section.

Hypnosis has also been frequently used for hypermnesia or the ability to better remember events. A witness of a hit and run may have gotten a quick look at the license of a speeding car, but not consciously recall the plate number. Sometimes the trance state may improve memory enough to bring forth the information. Along the same lines, age regression may be used to uncover a forgotten childhood traumatic event. Several years back there was a fad of "rebirthing" or reliving the experience of one's birth through hypnosis. This writer heard a tape recording of a newborn's cry made by a woman in her thirties regressed to her birth. The regression was performed by the very famous Dr. Laboyer, author of Birth Without Violence.

For some reason warts respond well to suggestion. This writer had several plantar warts on one foot for nearly ten years. They had been treated for almost two years with applications of acid and paring with a scalpel with little success. Self-hypnosis was used and in two weeks all the warts were gone with no pain, scars, or use of any other treatment. This writer removed a wart from his son's foot by the same method.

Hypnosis is thousands of years old, still not very well understood, but used every day. The commercials one watches on television are a form of suggestion. A patient who feels better after taking a placebo is responding to suggestion. A trance state is not necessary to achieve an effect. "Psyching up" before a game is suggestion. So if you think you are not able to be affected by hypnosis or the art of suggestion, think again!

Condensed and adapted from
Arons, Harry. The New Master Course in Hypnotism. South Orange, NJ: Power Publishers, 1981.
Additional comments by Carroll A. Peterson.

This is but one of many induction techniques, but will give you a start. By talking to the subconscious mind, one can guide someone into hypnosis. Note that I said guide, one can never hypnotize someone unless they believe in your ability to hypnotize. The subject should be lying or sitting in a comfortable position, relaxed, and at a time when things aren’t going to be interrupted. Tell them the following or something close to it, in a peaceful, monotonous tone (not a commanding tone of Voice) note: light a candle and place it somewhere where it can be easily seen or have a light or certain spot in the room they can focus on. Take a deep breath through your nose and hold it in for a count of 8. Now, through your mouth, exhale completely and slowly. Continue taking long, deep, breaths through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Tense up all your muscles very tight, counting from ten to one. As you release them slowly, you will find them very relaxed. Now, look at the candle, as you look at it, with every breath and passing movement, you are feeling increasingly more and more peaceful and relaxed. The candle's flame is peaceful and bright (or the spot in the room). As you look at it I will count from 100 down, as I count, your eyes will become more and more relaxed, getting more and more tired with each passing moment. Now, count down from 100, about every 10 numbers say "when I reach xx your Eyes (or you will find your eyes) are becoming more and More tired." Tell them they may close their eyes whenever they feel like it. If the subject's eyes are still open when you get to 50 then instead of saying "your eyes will.." Say "your eyes are...". When their eyes are shut say the following. As you lie (or sit) here with your eyes comfortably close you find yourself relaxing more and more with each moment and breath. The relaxation feels pleasant and blissful so, you happily give way to this wonderful feeling. Imagine yourself on a cloud, resting peacefully, with a slight breeze caressing your body. A tingling sensation begins to work its way, within and without your toes, it slowly moves up your feet, making them warm, heavy and relaxed. The cloud is soft and supports your body with its soft texture, the scene is peaceful and absorbing. The peacefulness absorbs you completely… the tingling gently and slowly moves up your legs, relaxing them, making them warm and heavy. The relaxation feels very good, it feels so good to relax and let go. As the tingling continues its journey up into your solar plexus, you feel your stomach become very relaxed. Now, it moves slowly into your chest, making your breathing relaxed as well. The feeling begins to move up your arms to your shoulders, making your arms heavy and relaxed as well. You are aware of the total relaxation you are now experiencing, and you give way to it. It is good and peaceful, the tingling now moves into your face and head, relaxing your jaws, neck, and facial muscles, making your cares and worries float away into the blue sky as you rest blissfully on the cloud.... If they are not responsive or you think they (he or she..) Is going to sleep, then add in a "...always concentrating upon my voice, ignoring all other sounds. Even though other sounds exist, they aid you in your relaxation..." They should soon let out a sigh as if they were letting go, and their face should have a "wood-like face" to it, becoming featureless... Now, say the following ".... You now find yourself in a hallway, the hallway is peaceful and nice. As I count from 10 to 1 you will imagine yourself walking further and further down the hall. When I reach one you will find yourself where you want to be, in another, higher state of conscious and mind. (count from ten to one)....." Do this about three or four times. Then, to test if the subject is under hypnosis or not, say.... "...you feel a strange sensation in your (arm they write with) arm, the feeling begins at your fingers and slowly moves up your arm, as it moves through your arm your arm becomes lighter and lighter, it will soonb be so light it will ..... Becoming lighter and lighter which each breath and moment..." Their fingers should begin to twitch and then move up, the arm following, now my friend, you have him/her in hypnosis. The first time you do this, while he/she is under say good things, like: "your going to feel great tomorrow" or "every day in every way you will find yourself becoming better and better".. or something like that... The more they go under, the deeper in hypnosis they will get each time you do it.

Waking up is very easy, just say, "As I count from 1 to 5 you will find yourself becoming more and more awake, more and more lively. When you wake up you will find yourself completely alive, awake, and refreshed, mentally and physically, remembering the pleasant sensation that hypnosis brings. Waking up feeling like a new born baby, reborn with life and vigor, feeling excellent. Remembering that next time you enter hypnosis it will become an ever increasing deeper and deeper state than before.


1- You feel energy flow throughout your limbs.

2- You begin to breathe deeply, stirring.

3- Beginning to move more and more your eyes open, bringing you up to full consciousness.

4- You are up, and awakening more and more.

5- You are awake and feeling great."

And that’s it! You now know how to hypnotize yourself and someone else. You will learn more and more as you experiment.