Hypnotic Thoughts.

Book Review: Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors

Edited by D. Corydon Hammond, Ph.D., the Handbook of Hypnotic Suggestions and Metaphors is, "designed as a practical desktop reference."  It contains the methods and approaches used by hundreds of hypnotists who contributed to the book, and it covers just about everything a hypnotist could be working with a client for.  Here's the table of contents:

1. Introduction
2. Formulating Hypnotic and Posthypnotic Suggestions
3. Hypnosis in Pain Management
4. Hypnoanesthesia and Preparation for Surgery
5. Ego-Strengthening: Enhancing Esteem, Self-Efficacy, and Confidence
6. Anxiety, Phobias, and Dental Disorders
7. Hypnosis with Cancer Patients
8. Hypnosis with Medical Disorders
9. Hypnosis in Obstetrics and Gynecology
10. Hypnosis with Emotional and Psychiatric Disorders
11. Hypnosis with Sexual Dysfunction and Relationship Problems
12. Hypnosis with Obesity and Eating Disorders
13. Smoking, Addictions, and Habit Disorders
14. Concentration, Academic Performance, and Athletic Performance
15. Hypnotic Suggestions with Children
16. Time Reorientation: Age Regression, Age Progression, and Time Distortion

558 pages, people!  It's the real deal.  I couldn't help but think of the movie "Julie and Julia" in which a young woman resolves to cook every recipe from Julia Child's cookbook (over 500 recipes) in a 365 day period.  If you tried to cover every issue this book covers it would take you years and years.  That's what makes it such a great resource.

If you are serious about hypnotism, if you're dedicated to developing and growing and learning over the long-term course of your career, this is the kind of book you want on a shelf somewhere.  This is the kind of book you can keep going to over and over again and getting something new from every time.

How do you get "lost" in a good book?

When I explain hypnosis to people, I often use real world examples that many people can relate to when trying to explain what trance is like.  One that I use regularly is the feeling of being "lost" in a good book.  You know that feeling?  When you get so wrapped up in imagining the story that you are reading that you actually check out from the real world that you are in?  You may lose track of time, or someone might talk to you and you don't even hear them.  It's in intense focus on your reading experience, that's for sure.

Now some researchers think they understand a little better how the brain makes meaning while reading, and it seems that it does so by using some of the same parts of the brain used in processing real world experiences.  One example given in the piece is that when subjects read about a character doing something physical, the part of their brain that controls physical movement became more active.  You can read the whole article here.

There's so much, still, to understand about the mind and how it works.  Things we take for granted every day, like reading a book, have inner workings that we still don't completely comprehend. 

Book Review: "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill

"Be prepared... when you expose yourself to the influence of this philosophy, to experience a CHANGED LIFE which may help you not only to negotiate your way through life with harmony and understanding, but also to prepare you for the accumulation of material riches in abundance."

Those words from the preface of "Think and Grow Rich" pretty much sum it all up perfectly.  It is amazing to me that a book written in 1937 can be so contemporary in its approach to waking suggestion and personal achievement.  It's as if the book was written last year.  Hill's points about the power of suggestion and how we can think our way to success are just as important today as when he made them over 70 years ago.

Hill presents 13 steps to riches.  Along the way, he uses analogies of great men that he interviewed over more than 20 years who used these same steps and habits to build great fortunes.  Andrew Carnegie, Thomas Edison, Charles Schwab, and Alexander Graham Bell are just a few of the names from which Hill collects his wisdom.  Even though the names are very old, they still have a place in our culture today, so it still works to read about their stories.

The stories Hill shares are inspiring, the advice that Hill gives is motivational.  This is a book worth re-reading many times.  At its core, it's a hypnotic book, full of suggestions and tactics for using the power of the mind to achieve great success. 

Book Review: "Hypnotherapy" by Dave Elman

Considered by many hypnotists to be part of the canon of hypnotism, "Hypnotherapy" is pretty much required reading for anyone getting into hypnotism.  Here's why.

Dave Elman wrote "Hypnotherapy" for folks in the medical community.  He was a lay hypnotist himself, but would only teach what he knew to doctors, dentists, and nurses.  Like Erickson, Elman was of the opinion that hypnosis was too powerful to be trusted to everyday laypeople.  This is ironic because he himself was a lay hypnotist, and he first saw hypnotism being done by a stage hypnotist who was a friend of his father.  Elman tells the story in his book of how his father, suffering from cancer, was in so much pain that he could not visit with him, but when the friend came who knew hypnosis, he reduced Elman's father's pain to the point that Elman could go in and have a nice visit with him, and that left a powerful impression on him.

"Hypnotherapy" breaks down hypnosis into a simple process, and that's why it's become such a widely read text.  The Elman induction is the most simple and quick induction out there without going into theatrical, stage-type rapid inductions.  Elman knew that if he was going to get more doctors to adopt hypnotism in their practices, they would need an induction method that was quick and easy, given how many patients they had to see in a day.  Elman figured out that if you hypnotized a person, then took them out, the next time they went into hypnosis with you they usually went deeper.  Why wait until the next time?  Why not build a process in which you take them in and out, in and out, quickly and efficiently all in the same session?  This is known as fractionation, and is most commonly credited to Vogt, but Elman's process is a little different.

One of the great features of this book is that it contains quite a few transcribed sessions that Elman had with people for a variety of issues.  You get the benefit of reading through the exact process that he used, how the client responded, etc.  It's really, really nice for someone first getting into hypnotism to be able to read these.  Elman believed in the use of regression, and there are some great examples of how to do it and what to look out for in his book.  Regression is an area of practice that must be treated carefully, so I wouldn't recommend practicing it just based on what you read in this book, but it is certainly a helpful resource.

"Hypnotherapy" is one of those texts that I find myself going back to over and over again.  There's so much going on in it, so much to offer, that every time I read it I get something new out of it.  If you are serious about hypnotism Elman's book must be part of your library.

What if you Became a "Yes Man"?

I went to see "Yes Man" starring Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel the other night and I just keep thinking about it.  It was really just a fun movie, not anything deep, but there was a kind of profundity in its simple main theme.  Saying yes brings possibility. 

We're only 8 days into the new year, and I'll bet you that the majority of people may as well be six months into the new year in terms of their outlook.  Most people have probably already abandoned one of the resolutions they made.  Most folks have probably already stopped thinking about new possibilities and reverted to the same old routine.

If you want things to change, if you want to grow, if you want to increase your happiness, you must remind yourself regularly of that vision you created when you were thinking about how you wish the new year would be different.  You have to be consistent in the process of re-programming your brain for different results.  As unrealistic as much of "Yes Man" was in terms of all the things that Carrey's character did, the thing they got right was that he was consistent.  He transformed his character by consistently carrying out a different set of behavior.  He realized that he had become a person that he didn't want to be anymore, and he had a vision of the person he wanted to become when he attended the seminar.  Then he kept pursuing that vision by consistently saying "yes" instead of "no."

What if you did that?  It's kind of fun to think about.  What if you started saying "yes" more often?  What if you brought more possibility into your life?  How would it transform the way you relate to people?  The way you learn?  The way you think?

We're biologically designed to say "no."  The fight-or-flight instinct that's hardwired in our brains is a protective measure.  Anytime we get asked a question that we perceive puts our resources in jeopardy (time, money) or puts us in a risky situation (being around strangers, or people we don't feel super comfortable with) that "no" response fires off so fast!  You don't even think of it; it just happens.  As you do this more and more and more, the conditioning gets stronger, though, so you start saying no to things that really aren't a threat.  That's when it gets out of hand.

The film is based on a book by comic writer Danny Wallace. You can check out his site and his other work by clicking on his name.  Read the book or catch the movie and have some fun imagining what life would be like if you became a "yes man."

Book Review: The New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism

Ormond McGill was still performing stage hypnotism at the age of 92.  His book is considered by many hypnotists to be the "bible" of stage hypnotism.

In 2005 I was sitting in an easy chair in the hallway of the convention center in Marlborough, Massachusetts, when an elderly gentleman approached me and said, "You look so comfortable.  I should get me one of those."  It was Ormond McGill, and I squandered a golden opportunity to speak with one of hypnotism's great figures.  A bit surprised, I simply smiled, and said, "Yes."  And off he went.

"The New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism" is an essential text for all stage hypnotists.  It is actually divided into two parts:  Part One: Mastering Hypnotism, and Part Two: Entertaining with Hypnotism.  The book represents the sum knowledge and experience of a man who spent a lifetime learning and exploring what the mind can do.  Ormond McGill was known as "the Dean of American Hypnotists," and he absolutely deserved that title.

Part One explores basic hypnotism theory, then goes deeper into subject testing, waking hypnosis, and various experiments that can be done with volunteers.  McGill provides a host of induction methods, enough to keep any beginner busy for weeks if he/she wishes to truly master varied methods.  Various deepening methods are also explored, McGill covers all the basic Q&A that come up when people are learning hypnotism, and he even goes into a whole section on extraordinary phenomena.  The first half of the book, alone, should be read, and re-read by every person who wants to be a good hypnotist, even if he/she has no desire to ever do stage hypnotism.

Part Two gets into the real meat and potatoes of how to be entertaining using hypnotism.  How to work the stage, how to speak, how to construct a show, and how to make what you do impressive.  Then, McGill gives the reader a treasure chest full of material from actual stage shows.  It's classic stuff.  He covers the topics of safety on stage, how to get publicity, and how to be successful when interviewed. 

It's really two books put together.  600 pages of information and material that you can't afford to miss if you're serious about being a stage hypnotist.  I go back to it again and again, finding something new each time I read it, and I don't expect that to change.

Ormond McGill passed away just two months after I met him in that hallway in Marlborough.  He was 92.  This book is just one part of his great legacy as a hypnotist.  I believe it will impact hypnotists for many years to come.

Book Review: "The Secrets of Self-Hypnosis" by Adam Eason

When I travel for stage shows I get the same questions from folks over and over again.  One of those questions is, "Can you learn to hypnotize yourself?"  When I tell folks they can, they usually ask how, and that's where it gets a little trickier.  Since I'm usually at a venue when this conversation pops up, I don't have time to teach the process, but now I've got a simple, helpful answer:  read Adam Eason's book.

"The Secrets of Self-Hypnosis:  Harnessing the Power of Your Unconscious Mind" is written in a refreshingly accessible way.  Eason provides an overview of hypnosis and how the mind works, then moves into laying out the structure of self-hypnosis.  I was particularly impressed with Chapter 4, which covered the use of words.  Many people don't understand how important language is to good hypnotism, and it's an easy area for the lay person to not assign proper importance to, thereby setting themselves up for poor results.  Eason covers the topic nicely, and probably saves a lot of folks from disappointment in doing so.

Another endearing quality of the book is that Eason often provides several different ways to do the same thing, and encourages readers to try different methods so that they may determine what feels best for them.  People respond differently to different styles of hypnotism, and as I've already mentioned, language is an important component because words do have different meanings from person to person.  As a result, one person may like a hypnotic induction quite a bit while another person thinks that same induction is rubbish.  There is no absolute answer, and Eason does a great job of not trying to provide one, but instead giving plenty of different options.

The fourth section of the book is where the rubber meets the road.  Eason covers real applications of the principles and tactics described in the earlier chapters.  Really nice stuff.  He covers ten of the most common areas that everyday folks would probably think about using hypnotism.  Not everyone smokes or is overweight, but with topics like relaxation, pain management, and creating wealth being covered, the average person will benefit from three or four of the areas that are covered, and that's worth the price of the book on its own.

With a little practice, any average person could use the techniques Eason shares and get positive results. I think the real strength of this book is its accessibility.  One might have to re-read a section here or there to get an entire process through one's head, but the writing is comprehensive without being clinical.

"The Secrets of Self-Hypnosis" will definitely be the text I recommend to people who are serious about improving their happiness and wellness through self-hypnosis.

Book Review: Covert Persuasion: Psychological Tactics and Tricks to Win the Game

"When we make decisions we like to think we weigh the options carefully, look at all the possibilities, and make the best choice based on a rational examination of the facts.  But in truth, much of our decision making happens on a subconscious level based on feelings we might not even be aware of."

-From "Cover Persuasion" by Kevin Hogan and James Speakman

That, in a nutshell, is why this book is worth reading.  At your job, in your personal relationships, or when trying to understand yourself better, the application of what Hogan and Speakman detail in this text will make you more successful. 

There's no magic bullet, no single way to do things.  Instead, the authors provide you with a foundational understanding of how decision making occurs, then they give you 55 covert persuasion tactics that you can use in different scenarios to influence others to your way of thinking.  Some of the tactics are hypnotic in nature, while others are culled directly from the practical experiences of corporations like Wal-Mart and McDonalds.

But why "covert" you ask?  Isn't that a bit shady?  Hogan and Speakman address this issue openly.  They work from the premise that you're going to use these tactics in a genuinely ethical fashion.  There's nothing wrong with selling a good, honest product that someone can use.  It can be helpful to covertly persuade someone toward a decision that increases their health or wellness.  When you read the book, you learn that sometimes persuasion must happen covertly because of the natural reaction people have to say "no" when they sense they are being sold something, even if it's just an idea.

This isn't always a happy book.  Some of the lessons that must be learned about human behavior can be a bit depressing.  Chapter 10 covers "27 Observations About People," which include, "People are lazy." and "People Overpromise and Underdeliver."  Not exactly a revelation, but it has a greater gravity when you read it as an observation applying to most folks, but that's the reality, and once you accept it you are in a better position to do something about it.

You get your money's worth with this book.  I've read the book three times, and I'm still integrating pieces of it into my life.  I have a feeling that I'll read it at least three more before I really start to use the knowledge in it really effectively.  What's great, though, is that you don't have to read it cover to cover to get use from it.  Once you've read it the first time and have that foundational understanding of decision making, you can just keep going back and re-visiting the tactics and strategies, applying them to situations you've got going on in your life.  It's kind of like a cookbook in that respect.  Grab a recipe here, grab another one next week for something else.

Hogan and Speakman deliver on this one.  Get yourself a copy, and start having some real persuasive power.