Preconditioning For The Hypnotic State

By Alan B. Densky, CH

Before being hypnotized for the first time, you will learn to precondition your mind to accept suggestion. For this purpose, I have the following suggestibility tests written out for you word for word. I suggest that you read these suggestions slowly and carefully into your tape recorder. On the words, higher, up, raise the tone of your voice. On the words, down, and heavier, lower the tone of your voice. You will then play the tape recorder back and cooperate with your own suggestions.

TEST ONE

THE ARMS RISING AND FALLING TEST

Please stand comfortably upright, feet shoulder width apart, your arms comfortably relaxed at your sides, eyes closed. With your arms straight, extend them in front of you, palms facing, to shoulder level. Turn your left palm toward the ceiling and extend your right thumb toward the ceiling.

I'd like you to imagine that there is a very heavy book resting on your left palm. Picture it in your mind. Now, I'd like you to imagine that there is a helium filled balloon floating above you, and that there is a string tied from it to your right thumb. Picture it in your mind's eye.

Now, pretend, imagine that the book is beginning to feel very, very heavy and it is pressing your left palm down. Pretend; imagine that the helium balloon is pulling your right hand higher and higher into the air. Pretend the left palm is going down, down, down, being pressed down by the heavy book. Imagine the right hand is going up, up, up, being pulled higher by the gas filled balloon. Left palm going down, down, heavier and heavier; right hand going up, up, higher and higher; left palm heavier and heavier, down, down; right hand higher and higher, lighter and lighter, up, up, up. Now open your eyes and see the results.

It is important that you do not resist these instructions. If, when you have opened your eyes, your left hand was higher than your right hand, then you've been resisting these suggestions and you have over compensated with your resistance so that the left hand is higher than the right. This means that you are suggestible. If there was no movement, you may have resisted, or you may have not been using your imagination to the fullest.

TEST TWO

THE CHEVRUL PENDULUM TEST

A Frenchman by the name of Chevrul invented the next test. Take a piece of light string or thread about 18" long and tie a paperweight or ring to the end of the string. Now, take a piece of white paper and draw a circle approximately 8" in diameter on the paper. Draw an "X" in the middle of the circle with the legs of the "X" touching the circle. Now, take the microphone to your tape recorder in hand and record the following:

Take your paper with the circle and place it on your dining room table. Now, take the end of the string opposite the weight and hold it between the thumb and forefinger of your dominant hand. With your arm comfortably relaxed at your side, your forearm parallel to the floor, hold the string and dangle the weight over the cross of the "X". Tilt your head so that your eyes are in line with your fingers, and the weight.

Now, begin to concentrate on the paperweight and pretend, imagine that it is going around and around in a clockwise direction. To help yourself out, you can move your eyes around the circumference of the circle in a clockwise direction. Be careful not to move your hand. Concentrate on that pendulum going around, and around, around, and around... Be very careful not to move your hand.

Very soon the weight should begin to go around. Concentrate even harder, the more you concentrate, the faster the weight will swing and the farther out the weight will travel. See it going around, and around, and around...

Now, begin to concentrate on the weight going in a counter-clockwise direction. You can help it along with your eyes by traversing in a counter-clockwise direction around the circumference of the circle. Be careful not to move your hand. Concentrate on it going around, and around... (The weight should have reversed by now and the pendulum should be traveling around and around in a counter-clockwise direction.)

Concentrate hard, around, and around, around, and around... Now, concentrate on the pendulum swinging back and forth over the "X". Be careful not to move your hand... back and forth, front to back, front to back. Move your eyes if you like but be careful not to move your hand, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth... Now, concentrate on it going left to right, left to right, left to right. Move your eyes if you like, but not your hand...

If you have received a positive reaction to this test, you have been successful in influencing your subconscious mind. You were careful not to move your hand deliberately. However, by concentrating on the pendulum moving in specific directions your subconscious caused your hand to move in very minute imperceptible motions. This is a test, which you can continue to practice to increase your suggestibility and concentration ability.