You are feeling very sleepy
At one time the shtick of cheap performances, hypnosis is now common therapy. The key to being able to put someone in a hypnotic trance is to find a willing and motivated participant. Contrary to images in popular culture, it is nearly impossible to hypnotize someone unknowingly. Soap operas and movie dramas would lead you to believe that hypnosis carries the risk of amnesia or of being manipulated for years. In actuality, someone under a hypnotic spell will eventually wake up of their own accord and feel quite rested.
Instructions
The Hypnotic Trance
1. Put away that watch. The classic gimmick for hypnosis is not typically used these days. Instead, turn off the lights and use a calm, even-toned voice to encourage your subject to relax. Your subject must believe she can be hypnotized and must feel comfortable with the idea of being hypnotized. Consider yourself a guide, leading your subjects to a meditative state.
2. Tell your subject to take deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, becoming more deeply relaxed upon exhalation. Talk to your subject's subconscious. Once she is in a relaxed frame of mind, your subject will be more open to suggestion. Rather than speak in negatives, speak in possibilities. You can say "Take your time and, when you feel ready, you can shut your eyes if you want" rather than "Don't watch me!" If your subject is open to it, you can also ask questions of her subconscious.
3. Prompt your subject to descend into a deeper trance. Give her a visual, such as diving into a deep ocean and swimming toward the bottom. Or tell her that she's at the top of a pathway, and she must slowly wind her way down, relaxing further as she does so. As she is doing this, you should see physical signs of her relaxation, such as drooping limbs or slower breathing. It may take a few cycles of guided visualization until your subject is hypnotized.
4. Instruct your subject to open her eyes and focus on a small object in the room. She should keep her attention on the object while you deepen her relaxation. Tell her that her arms are becoming heavier and she should feel waves of relaxation within her. You can then instruct her to close her eyes, and she should be in a deep state of hypnosis. While she is hypnotized, she may be slow to respond to questions and suggestions, but she should respond.
5. Give your subject instructions on wake up. Using a reassuring but firm tone of voice, tell her she will break from her trance on the count of three. You can specify that she will feel alert and awake and will remember everything. You can also suggest that she won't remember what happened while under hypnosis. Upon waking up, your subject may be confused. She may deny she was under hypnosis.
