The term “hypnosis” originated with the work of a Scottish surgeon, James Braid, working in the 1840s,and it comes from the Greek root word hypnos (meaning sleep). It refers to a state of consciousness that in many ways is like sleep, but allows a variety of mental and be­havioral responses to stimulation. In response to sugges­tions to the unconscious, even memory patterns and the awareness of self may be changed.

 

When hypnotized by someone else, the subject may appear to relinquish his or her own will—seeing, feeling, smelling, and tasting in accordance with the suggestions given. Depending upon the depth of the hypnotic state and the strength of the suggestions, the subject may even accept as being real certain distortions of memory and perception offered by the hypnotist.

 

Hypnotic techniques have been used for thousands of years. Certain healing therapies conducted by priests in ancient Egypt, Greece, and China greatly resemble cur­rent hypnosis practices. The modern rediscovery of hyp­nosis is generally attributed to Dr. Franz Mesmer (1734-1815). An Austrian physician working in Vienna and Paris in the late 1700s, he discovered that some ailing people obtained relief when magnets were brought near their bodies. Patients were instructed to sit as a group around an open container of water in which magnetized metal bars were visible. Occasionally, a patient would seem to fall into a sleeplike state and, soon after regain­ing consciousness, be much improved or even fully cured. Later, Mesmer discovered that the magnets were un­necessary. He found that results could also be obtained in some cases simply by touching the patient or by touching the water before the patient drank it. To his mind, the touching of the water “magnetized it.” Mesmer theorized that he and other people had “animal magne­tism”—that they had access to a kind of mysterious “fluid” which was stored within and could be transferred to others and thus effect a healing. Soon there were over 100 groups of people in France performing similar heal­ings; they were called the Society of Harmony.

 

viii

A protégé of Mesmer, named Chastenet de Puységur, felt that he, too, had this power of “animal magnetism” and magnetized a tree on his property. Peasants living nearby who came in contact with this tree reported ob­taining relief from a variety of ailments. However, Puységur soon found that it was unnecessary for people seeking a cure to fall into the convulsive-like fits which often characterized Mesmer’s work (and can still be seen in the present at some charismatic healing services). Using a technique in many ways similar to modern hyp­nosis, he demonstrated that beneficial results could be obtained simply by talking to the patient.

 

These developments caused such a stir in Europe that a special investigative committee was appointed in Paris to study the new phenomenon. Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Joseph Guillotin were among those serving on this committee. Their conclusion was that no mysterious magnetic “fluid” exists, and, whereas some of the re­markable cures effected by Mesmer and his followers could not be denied, the committee attributed the heal­ings to “mere imagination.” Largely because of the find­ings of this committee, hypnosis fell into disrepute and further scientific investigation was neglected.

 

In the early decades of the 19th century, mesmeric techniques continued to be practiced by some. It was Dr. James Braid who not only gave us the modern term hyp­nosis but from his hospital work also reached a critical insight about the nature of hypnotic technique. While agreeing that no magnetic fluid was involved in the pro­cess, he reaffirmed that something significantly thera­peutic was involved. In an effort to separate this phenom­enon from theories of animal magnetism, he asserted that the concentration of attention in a single focus was the major factor in stimulating the hypnotic effect.

 

The late 19th century saw a reawakening of great in­terest in hypnosis. The Austrian physician, Sigmund Freud, learned of the techniques during visits to France and was impressed by the possibilities of hypnosis for treating neurotic disorders. In his own practice he began

 

ix

to use hypnosis to help some of his patients remember disturbing events from the past. As his system of psycho­analysis began to take shape, however, he rejected deep-state hypnosis in favor of the technique of relaxed-level free association. This may have been at least partly due to difficulties he encountered in hypnotizing certain patients.

 

In the 20th century there has been an impressive amount of experimental research with this hypnotic phe­nomenon; however, there is no one theory that is univer­sally accepted by practitioners. Broadly speaking, there are two camps among professionals who work with hypnosis.

 

 

On the one hand are those who feel that hypnosis is a distinct altered state of consciousness, in many ways re­sembling sleep. In this altered state of awareness the sub­ject responds to suggestion in a rather automatic and noncritical fashion. The focus with this theory is the pro­posed reality of altered states of consciousness.

 

 

On the other hand are those who feel that it is un­necessary to theorize about other states of consciousness in order to explain the workings of hypnosis. People oper­ating from this perspective stress that behavior during hypnotic episodes can usually be explained in terms of social or interpersonal dynamics and learned behavior. As examples, they point to the placebo effect, which is demonstrated when a patient obtains relief from a neu­tral or inert pill given by a doctor simply because the pa­tient has expectations that the physician’s remedy will work. Another example from this point of view would be the ease with which a child or impressionable student will change his or her way of thinking about an issue to match that of an admired parent or teacher. According to this second theory, hypnotic responses are therefore seen as the mere result of interpersonal influences and subtle kinds of learning which don’t require the concept of al­tered consciousness.

 

x

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The perspective of hypnosis which we find in the Edgar Cayce readings seems to favor the first theory. Although there is research which supports the second point of view, there is clear, clinical evidence that physiological changes in the nervous system occur dur­ing hypnosis. The demonstrated reality of post-hypnotic suggestions (i.e., behaviors conducted even when the hypnotist may neither know nor be interested in the sub­ject’s later behavior) also indicates that something be­yond merely interpersonal relationship influences are at work in hypnosis. Certainly if we are to consider the pos­sibility of self-hypnosis techniques such as this book fo­cuses upon, we must accept the first theory. The Edgar Cayce readings would seem to agree that hypnosis in­volves a distinct altered state of consciousness, which can admittedly be induced in an interpersonal relation­ship by a trained clinician, or it can be self-awakened.

 

What does research psychology tell us about the in­duction of the hypnotic state? One helpful ingredient is belief or acceptance on the part of the subject. Respon­siveness is increased to the extent that the individual who is being hypnotized believes that it is possible. The depth of hypnotic effect is also enhanced to the extent that the patient feels that what will transpire during the hypnotic session is congruent with his or her “wishes.” Another way of saying this, using language more famil­iar to the Edgar Cayce readings, is congruence with “ideals.”

 

Research also shows that if appropriate preparations are taken, tape-recorded induction procedures may be just as effective as the “live” voice of an experienced hyp­notist. This finding is especially significant in light of the procedures recommended in this book. The author will encourage you to make your own self-hypnosis tape recordings and to use the sound of your own voice as an induction.

 

As a further reassurance about self-control during hypnosis, research indicates that the hypnotic state can­not be induced against the individual’s own desires or

 

xi

will. As previously stated, this places the control within the person himself who is experiencing the hypnotic state.

 

What does clinical research show about the nature of hypnotic suggestion itself? There are certain qualities of speech that seem to be especially beneficial to the proc­ess. Qualities of directness and simplicity—as well as in­sistent intensity—are often ascribed to effective word­ings of suggestion. The use of vivid visual imagery— word pictures, which suggest specific images and invite the participation of the imaginative forces—is especially good. Direct commands are not as effective as a more gentle, implicit, or indicative form of speech. In other words, it’s probably not the best hypnotic suggestion to give an order, such as “raise your arm.” Instead, the hyp­notic induction might more indirectly include wording in which it is suggested that the arm is feeling light, or that the arm feels as if it has helium-filled balloons attached to it, etc.

 

What kinds of results might we expect from hypnosis, either that conducted by a trained professional or that which is conducted by oneself? Research suggests that post-hypnotic suggestions are especially effective in the corrective treatment of strong habit patterns. You will find that many of the suggested hypnotic programs or “cycles” in this book are ones which deal with these kinds of self-limiting habit patterns that many of us en­counter in daily life. In fact, research indicates that post­hypnotic suggestion is more effective in influencing this kind of habitual behavior than it is in influencing more straightforward, trivial tasks. However, for most of us, the need and desire to change ourselves relates not so much to simplistic behaviors in life, but, instead, to more ingrained subconscious habit patterns—habits of behav-ior, attitude or emotion—from which we hope to free our­selves. It is with these habit patterns that we endeavor to get assistance through hypnotic techniques.

 

In summary, then, scientific study has found that hypnotic induction requires little specific training and

xii

that often tape recordings are sufficient to induce the hypnotic state. Despite the simplicity there are, however, profoundly important issues related to the process of hypnosis. First is the personality of the person, including his or her ideals and motivations as well as expectations and hopes. And then, in those cases involving both a hypnotist and a client, there is the crucial factor of the in­teraction or interpersonal relationship between the two people.

 

In many ways, hypnosis is seen to be a powerful and yet neutral tool in its own right. Although little skill or training is needed to learn the induction of hypnosis, either in someone else or in one’s self, serious self-study and practice are needed in order to use this powerful tech­nique effectively. As a rule of thumb, many professional clinicians feel that hypnosis should never be employed by individuals who lack the skill and competence to deal with the same problems without using hypnosis. Assum­ing this is an advisable principle, what relevance does it have to the self-hypnotic approach described in this book? Most fundamentally, it probably says that we should not see self-hypnosis as some kind of magic in­cantation which will change us irrespective of ideals and personal desire. Hypnosis is not a way to avoid or short-circuit personal responsibility and application of will. Instead, the self-hypnotic techniques of this book are meant to assist you in making those changes in your own life toward which you are already prepared to work. In other words, we might say that certain hypnotic “cycles” from this book are likely to be more important and help­ful to you than others. Most helpful will be the ones re­lated to areas of your life where you are already prepared to use ideals, prayer, and will to create change.

 

The Edgar Cayce Readings on Hypnosis

 

With merely a quick reading of excerpts from the Cayce readings on hypnosis, we might at first feel that all that is offered is a collection of contradictory state­ments. On the one hand, there are instances where the

 

xiii

readings strongly suggest that individuals use hypnosis in a therapeutic fashion. In other cases, individuals are warned against its use.

 

In one reading we find a statement reminiscent of the summary conclusion, stated above, from clinical re­search on hypnosis. Answering the question of a 46-year-old man who some 20 years earlier had experimented with his abilities as a hypnotist, the reading seems to suggest that hypnosis is a powerful technique which is neutral in and of itself but can be harnessed toward psy­chic and soul development if used with the ideals of serv­ice and healing others.

 

Q-7. What is the significance, in my present state of development, of my power to administer hypnosis when I was a young man, 27 years ago?

 

A-7. As has been indicated, this is a part of the de­velopment—through the experiences. As to apply same, as such things are a part of the psychic or soul development—this study; not as for self but for help and aid; so that directing in psychological suggestions will enable for self to apply same in the present—not to self advantageously so much, but as the good brings the good for all, it brings to others the help, to self the confidence, and the greater faith in the Divine within.

1497-1

 

Along a similar line of reasoning, the readings warn another individual, a 33-year-old man, not to get in­volved in hypnosis, largely because of the way his ego would become overly involved and distort the results. Haven’t we all seen or heard of individuals who skillfully master techniques as hypnotists, and yet experience a kind of ego inflation related to the notoriety it generates or the control it gives over others?

 

Q-3. Could good be derived for others and myself by my interest in and practice of self-hypnosis, or the gen­eral subject of hypnotism?

 

A-3. This is far afield for this entity. There may be the interest, but we would not advise it for the entity it­self. It may aid others. It is the desire to aid others, but

xiv

there is too much ego, too much I AM—if the I Am is stressed in the correct emphasis—for hypnosis to be applicable in the experience of the individual entity.

3348-1

 

Despite these cautions, there are many instances in which the Cayce readings are very supportive of the use of hypnosis. Let’s look first at some of the examples from the readings in which hypnosis was specifically recom­mended. Each excerpt will be introduced by a brief refer­ence to the problem experienced by the person receiving the reading.

 

Frequent headaches in a 45-year-old man (Edgar Cayce himself). In this excerpt hypnosis itself is not specifically recommended but suggestive therapeutics in general is.

 

Q-1. Mr. Cayce, what will relieve this body’s head­aches and what causes it?

 

A-1.  Suggestion to remove those conditions that produce the headaches will relieve the condition in the body, “that the circulation be so equalized as to remove any strain on any portion of the body or not to overtax the nervous system in any manner or form.” The con­gestion produces the headaches to this body by being overtaxed through suggestion in the normal state, not in the spiritual or soul state. The over taxation comes to the body in the normal and affects the action of the forces that have to do with the psychical, spiritual or soul forces of this body, see?                   294-4

 

 

Addiction to alcohol in a 55-year-old man. Note the reference in this passage to the purpose for hypnosis:

to help arouse the will of the individual to gain control of the condition for himself.

 

In meeting the needs of the conditions in the pres­ent, as we find, it will require not only a desire for the awakening of forces within self that may combat evil influences in the inner life, but the maintaining of those conditions in the body for the period that will al­low physically the spiritual forces to exert themselves.

 

xv

Either, then, through applications of subjugating the conscious mind through hypnosis or through those treatments that may be accorded in those places where both drink and sedatives may be taken from the body in such a manner that will allow the physical to exert itself. For, unless there is the arousing, under such con­ditions, for the will of the body to maintain, to gain con­trol, little may be accomplished.             486-1

 

Incoordination of the nervous system in a 40-year-old woman. Note here that hypnosis is also rec­ommended for a second problem: It is proposed as part of a broader treatment regimen related to the overcoming of certain allergies.

 

Now, as we find, the allergies in this body have reached such states and conditions as to form the path­ological and psychological reactions. And, to be of any great material aid in correcting these conditions, there will need to be those preparations of the body, with the chemical changes prepared for the body, and then the use of the psychological reactions to create those coor­dinations between the sympathetic and the cerebro­spinal nervous systems...

 

Q-1. What causes the tingling in the sole of my left foot all the time?

 

A-1. Because of the connections along the nerve cen­ters, and these will be parts of the suggestions made under the hypnosis; that there will be the perfect coor­dination through the centers of the body—between sympathetic and cerebrospinal system. This is particu­larly indicated in the sacral and lumbar area nerves.

 

Q-2. What causes the neuritis in my left side when­ever I put on a pair of shoes, or brassiere, or glasses with plastic frames? How can I get over it?

 

A-2. These, as indicated, are allergies through the sympathetic system, and are to be overcome through the suggestive treatments, following the light treat­ments as indicated, and through the same period the taking of the properties to change the chemical reac-­

         tions in the body.                                                                3125-1

 

xvi

Arthritis in a 26-year-old woman. In this case hypnosis is recommended as an aid to self-study, i.e., the mental portion of a holistic treatment program that also includes particular physical procedures.

 

Q-1.       If treatments are carefully followed, is it indi­cated how long it will be before a condition of normalcy is reached?

 

A-1. This will depend upon the attitude of the indi­vidual entity. As indicated, the psychological condi­tion must be approached through the mental self. Be­gin with the study of self, which may be best done by suggestive forces to the body through hypnosis.

3483-1

 

Behavioral and motivational problems in a teenager. In this case we probably should not interpret some of the details of Cayce’s answer to be generally ap­plicable (i.e., the number of treatments, the length of time for each treatment, etc.). However, in this passage the source of the Cayce readings clearly endorses the thera­peutic possibilities of hypnosis. Take special note, in the discourse section preceding the questions, of the strong emphasis placed on the awakening of the personal will and the way in which hypnosis is seen only in the light of helping that awakening.

 

Then, it is of the mental-emotional body that these conditions are being met, as it were, under a karmic in­fluence in the present.

 

Since much has been accomplished in the physical coordination in the body, we find that these conditions may be the more materially aided in the present by in­hibiting the mental forces through psychopathic or hypnotic impressions—to arouse the mental forces to the natural resistances in the body.

 

For, as we find, while these conditions are under such a period that these may make for the greater ac­tivity in these directions, this—as we would find— would bring the better reactions now, or under the pres­ent conditions.

 

xvii

This should be done by those, then, who may enable the body to give the greater expression of its own will influence upon the activities of the coordinating forces between the sympathetic and cerebrospinal impulse reflection in the vocal activities of the body.

 

As we find, it would only require some eight to ten such treatments to induce the body—so long as it is in the physical health as in the present—to overcome the condition.

 

Ready for questions.

 

Q-1. Can the hypnotic suggestions be given by those in charge now?

 

A-1.                This, as we find, may be superimposed by the spiritual reactions, but there is needed as much of the mental and physical reaction as the spiritual import upon the body.

 

If such suggestions were made continuously as the body loses itself in sleep, it would require somewhat a longer manner or way; but may be done by those in charge.

 

Q-2. What hypnotist would you suggest as being the correct one to give the treatments to this body?

 

A-2.                As we find, such an one as Taylor—Chas. Tay­lor, New York—54th St.—57th—54 St., as we find, is the address; or Daniel or such as that.

 

Q-3. If the decision is for those in charge to give the suggestions, just what suggestion should be given?

 

A-3.                That there would be, through the very vital forces of self, the raising of that vibration necessary for making coordinations in the activities of the responses in speech; through the powers of the spiritual activity in the body, in HIS name!

 

Q-4. If the hypnotist is decided on, how often should the treatments be given, and how long?

 

A-4.                About every day for the first three or four days; then it may be every other day for the rest of the time. Ten to twelve such treatments should eliminate the greater cause of the conditions.

 

xviii

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Q-5. How long should the body be kept in the hypno­tic state for treatment?

 

A-5.        From an hour to two hours.

 

Q-6. Would the hypnotist be able to arouse the will to speak?

 

A-6. To overcome that inhibition that is caused by the motivative activity in the impulsive forces of the body itself; yes.

 

Q-7. What should be the suggestion to be given by the hypnotist?

 

A-7.        This is to be very powerful and strong. Various ones use different formulas.

 

Q-8. Any other suggestions for the body at this time?

 

A-8.       We would keep the spiritual imports in the ac­tivities of the body, to make for a balancing in the men­tal and the physical activities.         146-10

 

 

Behavior problem in a child. In this case the be­havior difficulty is hand-wringing, but we find similar treatment procedures recommended in other readings for problem children. Take note that the time period for the hypnosis session is “to the body as it sleep s”—although, to be consistent with the way this procedure is presented in other readings for children, it most likely means in that state as the body is falling asleep. The recommended helper—or hypnotist, in this instance—is to be someone highly sympathetic to the child’s needs, such as a parent.

 

 

Q-3. Is there anything we can do to get her to stop wringing her hands?

 

A-3.        Only applying those things that will alter the present nervous reactions in the system will change same. This body, would be well for the suggestions to be made under the influence of hypnosis, or autosug­gestion to the body as it sleeps. This must be made by someone in sympathy with the activities of the body, and this would relieve such stress on the general

        system.                                                                                   2253-3

 

xix

Epilepsy in a 34-year-old woman and a 31-year­-old man. In the first example below, autosuggestion or autohypnosis (i.e., self-hypnosis) is clearly recommended as a procedure for changing certain habitual mental atti­tudes which might otherwise block a healing. In the sec­ond instance, hypnosis was encouraged as a tool where­by post-hypnotic suggestion could help to stabilize the beneficial changes previously effected by osteopathic manipulations.

 

We find that a great deal better condition may be brought for this body if there is the ability of the mental attitudes to be so changed as to allow same. And as we find, autosuggestion would be the manner through which this might be the better accomplished; combined with the applications for the physical disturbances,

         which we will give.                                                              1699-1

 

Then, after the tenth treatment or tenth week have the correction by suggestion in subjugating the con­scious mind, so that the reactions will be sustained by the post suggestions in such a state to the body that the response may be the greater to the manipulations osteopathically given from then on. 3133-1

 

A troublesome past-life memory in a 28-year-old man. In this case the reading describes past-life in­fluences which have led to a psychological tendency to “get even” with others as well as an impulse to show off power. Hypnosis is suggested as a procedure for healing this condition. We might well expect that other attitudi­nal and emotional patterns which have an origin in the recent or distant past might be transformed in a similar fashion through hypnosis.

 

And there should be applied, in a psychological manner, that which would aid the inner self in putting aside this determination to “get even” with others; as well as that feeling of the needs for the expression to show the power of the personality.

 

This as we find would be best accomplished by sub­jugating the physical consciousness and using the in­ner or soul consciousness to describe conditions that

 

xx

are to be eliminated from the consciousness; by hypno­sis.       1978-1

 

The above excerpts demonstrate an impressive varie­ty of ailments and difficulties for which the Cayce read­ings at least at some time recommended hypnosis. There are other case histories, however, in which hypnosis was discouraged. Any honest and systematic study of this topic should look at these instances with equal care.

 

Loss of voice in a 31-year-old woman. Ironically, as a young man, Edgar Cayce himself received help through hypnosis for this same difficulty. However, for the individual receiving this reading, hypnosis is men­tioned only as a last resort. Other physical procedures are described and the recipient of the reading is encour­aged to work with these other treatment modalities first.

 

One is the subjugation of the body’s consciousness by one that may overpower the mental body by sugges­tions to the psychic forces. But this we would not sug­gest, save as a last resort. 2696-1

 

Behavior problems in a teenager. This case is mentioned not so much because hypnosis is directly dis­couraged, but because it includes a particular kind of cau­tion. This same type of caution is found in a number of cases. The concern here is that the hypnotist be very care­fully selected. Implicit in the response to the question is the recommendation that hypnosis be employed only if a trusted and high-idealed individual can be located to ad­minister the hypnotic induction. The second excerpt from another case makes the same point in an even more direct fashion. Of course, the need to choose an outside hypno­tist is automatically eliminated when people make their own self-hypnosis tapes.

Q-13.  Could hypnotism be used in his case?

 

A-13.              It might be used, but be mindful of who would use same!           146-3

It is also dangerous to submit to submerging of self through hypnosis, unless the body-mind of such an op­erator is in accord with constructive forces in a body!

                                                                                                        458-1

 

xxi

Epilepsy in a 21-year-old woman. Whereas we saw previous instances in which hypnotherapy was rec­ommended for epilepsy, in another case it is discouraged. This apparent contradiction stresses an important point about the way in which we attempt to draw conclusions from our study of the Cayce readings given for a variety of people. Particularly in the case of the health readings, recommendations are often quite specialized. The overall condition for which Cayce attempts to diagnose and pre­scribe treatment procedures is not just a set of physical symptoms; it also includes the psychological and spiritu­al state as well. Even for two people with the same physi­cal, symptomatic difficulties, quite different conditions might exist in the mind or soul. To the extent that Cayce was successful in reading the individual holistically, it makes sense that differences in treatment procedures may emerge for the same disease in different people. For whatever reason, this individual was told that hypno­therapy would not be appropriate at this time in her life for this particular ailment.

 

Q-2.                Would hypnotic influence be applied to body through materia medica or through hypnotherapy?

 

A-2. Through materia medica, for that as may come through the imaginative system—or hypnotherapy, or hypnotic influence—is too dangerous in conditions of

       this nature.                                                         543-3

 

Despite these cases in which individuals were cau­tioned against the use of hypnosis or in which they were warned to be very careful, there are enough cases in which hypnosis is strongly recommended to indicate that we can conclude that this therapeutic procedure is worthy of our study. Since this book by Henry Bolduc fo­cuses principally on self-hypnosis, the caution we find in the Edgar Cayce readings about carefully selecting a hypnotist is not as significant (except the care we must take in doing the best possible job for ourselves in using autosuggestion). Overall, there seems to be in the Cayce readings general support for the use of suggestive thera­peutics in changing troublesome habit patterns. So we

 

xxii

might conclude that the suggestion cycles in this book which deal with habits would be quite consistent with the philosophy of the readings.

 

Since the readings also frequently mention hypnosis as an adjunct to other physical and medicinal treatment procedures, we might conclude that self-hypnosis can of­ten be a useful addition to treatment procedures which one is already employing under the direction of a physi­cian. In the case of a very severe physical or psychologi­cal problem, however, prayer, meditation, and dreams might be used in a decision-making procedure for guid­ance in reaching a personal choice about the appropri­ateness of self-hypnosis for one of these more severe prob­lems. (That step-by-step inner guidance procedure is de­scribed in a number of A.R.E. Press publications, such as Understand and Develop Your ESP.)

 

The very way in which the Cayce readings describe what happens in hypnosis provides us with helpful in­sights about its proper use. The readings speak of the hypnotic state as a genuine altered state of conscious­ness in which we experience the quieting or subjugation of the “normal mind” of the body, sometimes referred to as the personality. The purpose of these subjugations of the personality mind is to allow a deeper and stronger mind to become more influential. In some cases the read­ings refer to this stronger mind as the “soul-mind,” “in­ner self” or “individuality.” The problem that we so often face is that the normal mind or personality mind fights against the very conditions that might otherwise effect a change or a healing. Through hypnosis it is possible to make that mental state temporarily more passive (i.e., less controlling) and allow a deeper level of mind to assert its influence.

 

As we see in the first excerpt below (given for a 50-year-old woman with “sleeping sickness” or narcolepsy), hypnosis can be seen as a process whereby the strong, purposeful conscious mind of the hypnotist temporarily plays the role of the patient’s own soul-mind in giving

 

xxiii

suggestions for change. We can well see why it is crucial to choose a hypnotist in whom one feels an affinity of ideal and life direction. As the hypnotist’s work prog­resses, it should not make the patient increasingly depen­dent upon his or her exterior influence, but rather serve to awaken the inner will and wisdom of the patient’s own soul-mind. Look carefully at these two excerpts in which the inner workings of hypnosis are described.

 

Now the repression or action over these can only be removed by an active mind taking of the soul-mind over this body, through the suppression of the normal mind of this body by that of a stronger mind—or an equal mind—to remove from this condition, so that the thought or the action given to the nerve force, to make the proper vibration in the body at this time, will re­ceive its active principle from that of another mind than this one.

 

In other words, put the body under what is common­ly called hypnotic influence to bring about the normal condition of the action of the body itself. This can be done. Then we will find that the body will be brought to a normal state. It will go through some three to four months of treatment, if followed as we have given here, yet it can return to itself if the body is allowed to think

         on these things.                                                                    4506-1

 

Hence the subjugation through those of a sublim­inal nature, to reach that inner self through the sug­gestion, see? As suggestion is to the mind, the builder, then we will find, by the subjugation of the own person­nel personal, or personality, in the present condition, we would bring that, through proper suggestion, which would build in a normal manner. . . Some 6 to 10 such subjugations [hypnosis—suggestive therapy] should be sufficient, were these properly given. . .for, as we find at present, when suggestions are given for the physical benefit, these the body fights against. This must be broken down through subjugation of the sub­liminal, or the inner self. Suggestion lending that con­trol, the personality, while in suggestion, acts to that of building from within—the mental building, see?

186-2

 

xxiv

2 THE INNER MIND

 

 

niques, the driver was able after 20 minutes to recall val­uable information that led police to the kidnapers.

 

Ray recalled how the kidnapers had seized and buried the bus, trapping him and the 26 children six feet under­ground in a gravel quarry. “We were scared out of our minds,” he admitted. Using their bare hands and combs, pencils and spoons, the driver and children eventually tunneled their way through the six feet of earth. Under hypnosis, Ray clearly recalled details of the episode. He described the kidnapers’ white van and gave all but one of the numbers on the license plates. With this informa­tion, the police were able to apprehend the kidnapers and the case was closed.

 

Hypnosis, a valuable tool in police work, can help peo­ple remember details clearly. In the first seven years of using hypnosis as an investigative tool, the Los Angeles Police Department has had significant results in over 600 interviews. Police departments in other cities are training their own staffs in the use of hypnosis, while some have hypnotists on call. Across the country more than 1,000 detectives have been taught to use this tech­nique for gaining important information. Some witnes­ses, however, have given incorrect information while under hypnosis and others have even lied—demonstrat­ing that under hypnosis people always have free will and can make mistakes. The human mind is not perfected yet, and using hypnosis to help solve crimes is fairly new and highly experimental. However, there are other time-tested areas for applying hypnosis that have proven suc­cessful. These applications have been developing for years and are becoming more and more widespread.

 

Giant steps have been taken in the health field since 1958 when the Council on Mental Health of the American Medical Association approved the use of hypnosis by trained physicians. Hypnosis is now commonly used as an anesthetic in childbirth and dentistry. Medical sci­ence knows that hypnotic subjects can be taught to con­trol such involuntary functions as pulse rate and blood pressure. Hypnosis is being used experimentally for elim­-

THE INNER MIND 3

 

 

inating warts and in controlling cancer. As more of the mind’s potential is explored, hypnosis emerges as a valu­able new tool for mankind.

 

Sports is another innovative field for hypnosis. Sports teams use a “mood room” equipped with hypnotherapeu­tic tapes to increase players’ self-confidence and enthu­siasm. Both professional and Olympic class athletes use hypnosis techniques to attain better concentration and stamina. Many creative people, such as writers, artists, musicians, dancers, and movie stars, credit hypnosis with having helped their careers.

 

One of the most common uses for hypnosis today is in controlling habits. Weight reduction and cigarette elim­ination are common goals, but any habit can be changed and a positive life style developed. Other important areas are improving health, strengthening memory, manag­ing stress, conquering fears, developing a sense of hu­mor, attracting abundance, instilling motivation, and preparing for personal changes. These and other impor­tant topics are covered later in this book.

 

Hypnosis has been used in uncommon ways also. Edgar Cayce, the famous psychic of Virginia Beach, would enter a self-hypnotic state in which he was able to diagnose illnesses and give physical, mental and spiritu­al guidance that helped many people, most of whom he never met. He needed to be given only the name and ad­dress of a patient and would tune in telepathically to the individual’s mind and body as easily as if he were in the same room with the person. He needed no other informa­tion regarding the patient.

 

When Edgar Cayce died in 1945, he left documented stenographic records of the telepathic-clairvoyant state­ments he had given for more than 6,000 different people over a period of 43 years. The Association for Research and Enlightenment, Inc., a psychical research society, was formed in 1931 to preserve and research this data. Its library in Virginia Beach is open to the public and con­tains copies of 14,256 of Edgar Cayce’s psychic readings.

4 THE INNER MIND

 

 

Thomas Sugrue, Cayce’s biographer, writes in There Is a River that the story of Edgar Cayce properly belongs in the history of hypnosis. In numerous readings the “sleeping” Cayce (he looked asleep while in the trance state) recommended hypnosis or suggestive therapeutics as a method of help and benefit for people. In some read­ings he said not to use hypnosis or suggestion. Perhaps it was because in Cayce’s time there probably were very few (if any) established hypnosis centers or clinics, no self-help cassette tapes, and many hypnotists of that time were merely stage entertainers.

 

So what exactly is this technique called hypnosis? How is it used to help solve crimes, improve sports per­formance, help someone become slimmer, and aid psy­chic ability, among other things?

 

The word “hypnosis” stems from hypnos, the Greek word for sleep. However, people experiencing hypnosis are not actually sleeping—far from it! They may appear to others to be asleep, but they can think, talk, open their eyes, respond to suggestion, and move in any way. Peo­ple experiencing hypnosis are usually aware of their sur­roundings and can hear other sounds besides the voice of the hypnotist.

 

Hypnosis, like love, is difficult to define because every person experiences it a little differently. The hardest part most people have with it is simply getting past the word “hypnosis.”

 

Hypnosis is a tool for modern minds; it is 100% natur­al. Sometimes it is called a waking dream, at other times a working dream. It means different things to different people (even the experts can’t agree on how to define it!). Although many have been helped and inspired by hyp­nosis, some think of it as only a stage show; the reality, however, is somewhere in between. Far more profound than a mere show, there is nothing really amazing about hypnosis except the use of the unlimited potential of the human mind.

THE INNER MIND 5

 

 

It is also a method of relaxing the physical body and utilizing another level of awareness through suggestion and visualization. This level of awareness, called “alpha,” refers to a state of electrical activity in the brain. We all experience this activity as we go into regu­lar nighttime sleep and again later as we awaken in the morning.

 

The levels of hypnosis are measured by brain-wave frequency. Technically, sleep researchers, biofeedback* technicians, and medical practitioners look upon the human brain as consisting of four levels of activity, each having a particular cycle-per-second rate.

 

Although there is still ambiguity in this new field, re­searchers have called the normal, everyday waking state beta. Alpha is that transitional time people experience when they are half awake and half asleep. Theta occurs in deep hypnosis, intense meditation, and during the early stages of nighttime sleep. Delta, perhaps the least understood level of the human mind, is the deepest sleep or unconsciousness.

 

Most people experience the hypnotic state when they are in alpha, where attention is focused on their objective but where they may be aware of noises or of other people in the room. They usually have recollection of most of the session unless a specific suggestion is otherwise given and accepted. Because it is such a familiar feeling (people experience it at least twice a day and oftentimes also when watching television or even daydreaming), some people, after their first session, question whether they were truly hypnotized. This altered state of conscious­ness is called “trance” by some people and “controlled relaxation” by others.

 

 

*Biofeedback uses instrumentation to monitor the nonconscious changes in biological information, such as blood pressure, muscle ten­sion, and brain-wave activity which may lead to the control of involun­tary functions. It then makes information about these physical proc­esses available to the practitioner, allowing him or her to attain volun­tary control of internal states.

6 THE INNER MIND

 

The state of hypnosis is intriguing, often ambiguous. The old-fashioned, silent-movie devotee may probably insist that it is magic, yet others may imagine it to be the scary stereotype as demonstrated in some old movies. Some think it an impossibility or a fraud, convinced there must be a trick to it. To a night-club audience it is enter­taining and amusing. A growing number of people rea­lize that hypnosis is a key that can unlock dormant parts of the human mind and produce results far more endur­ing than night-club stunts.

 

Despite the misconceptions, hypnosis is not really mysterious. Once learned, it is a tool which allows a per­son to use more of his or her mind and to use it more dy­namically and effectively. Hypnosis is relaxed receptiv­ity with increased perception, a state of deep relaxation which quiets the body and opens the mind. With its de­fenses down, the mind is especially open to suggestion, the type of which is determined by a person’s goals and ideals—the reasons for wanting to use hypnosis.

 

 

Like a gardener, you choose the specific thought-seeds you want to plant. Hypnosis helps you to care for and nourish those thought-seeds to grow and bear fruit. Your subconscious mind is your secret garden where the thoughts you plant grow to become your reality. This garden is far more fertile than you may realize, so plan carefully! As the Edgar Cayce readings often assert, “Thoughts are things.”

 

 

This book will suggest to you how to plant thoughts by making your own self-hypnosis cassette tape, and how to take more control of your own mind and gear it to the accomplishment of your objectives. Self-help tapes are tools to build your mind and remodel your life the way you want it to be. They are an idea whose time has come. They will help you develop mental strength and put the “self’ back into self-help. You alone use your free will and choose what you are going to plant—and reap—in your mind.

THE INNER MIND 7

 

 

Here is an example of how this process works. Sup­pose Joe has been biting his fingernails for as long as he can remember. Over the years, Joe’s subconscious mind received a little signal click whenever his teeth bit down on a nail. Click after click, for years on end, Joe’s habit signaled his subconscious that this was what he wanted to do. But then one day he decides to stop nail-biting. Joe grits his teeth, musters up all his reserves of willpower, and buries his hands in his pockets. But somehow Joe’s fingers find their way into his mouth again.

 

What’s the problem? Until they are reprogrammed, Joe’s mind and body will continue to react to all those lit­tle clicks his subconscious mind has programmed into his conscious mind over the years. So it is still sending im­pulses out to his hands as though he had nothing to say or do about it. Now Joe wants to change course, but his inner mind continues along the same rut because it is conforming to the old programming. In time, its own sweet time, his mind may get the message. But does he want to wait that long?

 

To change a habit that has taken root in the subcon­scious, Joe first needs to reach and communicate with his subconscious—his inner mind—and plant new informa­tion. Working solely at the conscious level to get rid of a habit is like trying to weed a lawn of dandelions by skim­ming off the tops. The roots remain intact, locked in the earth, and before one knows it, the weed is sprouting again. Hypnosis cultivates the inner mind where all the roots are intertwined and now Joe painlessly extracts them session by session, planting something better in their place. Soon the torn fingernails heal, and Joe is proud of his success and accomplishment.

 

You can hack at the dandelions in your life, or you can use your mind to get to the root of the matter. Using the principles and procedures in this book, you can also achieve success, but it is important to realize that your success—or lack of it—is yours. It is you, the person mak­ing the self-help tape, who chooses to accomplish a goal and does what’s necessary to achieve it. Meaningful com­-

8 THE INNER MIND

 

 

munication with your subconscious requires your full consent and cooperation. Hypnosis can’t make you do anything that you do not choose to do—but it can help you get more out of living.

 

A hypnotist is the individual who guides another into the alpha state by using a variety of techniques to help the subject bypass his or her conscious, analytical outer mind in order to reach the subconscious, intuitive inner mind. This is similar to a person taking a bypass on a freeway, thus avoiding a crowded city, in order to reach a destination more quickly. The human mind works on two levels: the outer conscious level and the inner subcon­scious level. You can understand this by visualizing the planet Earth. The conscious mind can be likened to the solid land masses, while the subconscious to the fathom­less oceans. These two parts of the mind can function separately or in harmony. Hypnosis is a refined form of communication that harmonizes your conscious and subconscious minds.

 

The Edgar Cayce readings define mind as “That which is the active force in an animate object; that is the spark, or image of the Maker…Mind is that that reasons the impressions from the senses, as they manifest before the individual. The active principle that governs man.”

(3744-1)

 

The readings speak of the subconscious mind as “That lying between the soul and spirit forces within the entity, and is reached more thoroughly when the con­scious mind is under subjugation of the soul forces of the individual or physical body. We may see manifestation in those of the so-called spiritual-minded people. The manifestation of the subconscious in their action. That portion of the body, better known as the one that propa­gates or takes care of the body—physical, mental, moral or whatnot, when it is not able to take care of itself. Sub­conscious is the unconscious force.” (3744-1)

 

On an unconscious level, your brain regulates heart­beat, body temperature, and breathing in response to any

THE INNER MIND 9

 

 

physical activity you undertake. Your subconscious mind, being aware of this, always protects you. It never goes to sleep and at night it takes full control. When you begin to drift off to sleep, your conscious mind ceases functioning. For many people this twilight time between wakefulness and sleep is the birthplace of creative ideas, some of which might have been forming in their minds for weeks and then suddenly surface when they least expect it.

 

There are no boundaries that your subconscious can­not cross. It is like a dutiful soldier—it does what it’s told; it only reacts. Yet it is the conscious mind that acts and makes decisions. The Cayce readings explain it this way: “The conscious means that that is able to be manifested in the physical plane through one of the senses.” (3744-1) You need to desire something consciously before you can instruct your subconscious to achieve it. Problems arise only when these two selves are not in harmony—when what you think you want is not what you really want. Meditating on your goals and ideals is one way to recon­cile the difference.

 

 

Recent brain and mind research reveals differences between the right and left halves of the brain. The left side is logical and rational; the right side is intuitive and visual. The self-hypnosis programs or “cycles” in this book are a full-brain experience, using both practical suggestions and creative visualizations.

 

The human mind has a creative factor and a critical factor, both of which are necessary for a healthy, produc­tive life. The creative factor can take you anywhere; it is the child of your subconscious mind. It is as unquestion­ing as a computer which complies with whatever infor­mation is programmed into it. Tell a computer that the world is flat, and it will “believe” it because it does not know any better. Yet this very naïveté can be a dynamic tool, because the creative factor of your mind truly be­lieves you can do anything.

14        DYNAMIC CHANGE

 

 

If you are ready for change, you may find a lever to pry yourself out of an old rut. According to the laws of phys­ics, a lever needs a fulcrum or pivotal point in order in to work. The fulcrum is the point of change. Following the “laws of life,” change can be triggered by choice or by a crisis. A crisis is defined as a decisive point or condition—a turning point. Your self-hypnosis cassette tape will be your fulcrum or point of change where you will gain more leverage in your life. In other words, you choose how you want to change.

 

Here is an example of how a crisis becomes a method for drastic change. A few years ago a woman went to her minister for counseling. She was concerned and upset about her younger brother who was having marital prob­lems. In his desperate confusion he had turned to alcohol and drugs, and even lost his job. The sister hoped the minister would help “straighten him out.” In his wisdom, the minister said that the brother himself would first have to ask for help. He realized that all too often people want to change others. He predicted that her brother would most likely experience a crisis point which would demand major changes in his life—and that it was im­portant that the changes be of his own choice. Years of practical experience had taught the minister that some­times individuals have to go to the very bottom before they ask for help and start again on their way back up.

 

As difficult as it was for this woman to accept her min­ister’s advice, the years proved his logic and intuition to be correct. The younger brother’s life surely did hit rock bottom. One day his wife simply walked out. But now, with the perspective of time, he feels her leaving was the turning-point in his self-destructive plunge. Eventually both the wife and the husband began to re-evaluate their lives and to decide on a practical plan of action. Time, patience, family counseling, and therapy allowed them to understand and accept themselves better and to make needed and positive changes.

 

Times of change seem to be crisis periods because of people’s fear of them, and they are often resisted “tooth

                                                                  DYNAMIC CHANGE             15

 

 

and nail.” You may tenaciously clutch and hold to the status quo—that which you are used to—and think you want the comfort and security of old habits even though you have outgrown your need for them. But eventually these outgrown habits may start to pinch.

 

This pinched feeling lets you know that there is a turn­ing-point taking place in your life, and then—all of a sud­den—you may feel the pain of a full-blown crisis. Con­trary to what it may seem, this is a positive and very im­portant time, for you can turn during this period to your inner self—that small voice within—for guidance. You can re-evaluate your life with prayer and meditation, then begin changing it with self-hypnotic positive programming. Now is the time that things can get done. This is your turning-point for change, growth, accomplish­ment, and self-transformation—the birth of a new you.

 

To the human fetus, safe in the mother’s womb, the day of birth is a day of crisis. This is “rut-busting” at its earliest! Yet, if that special and important day were not chosen—or forced—who would ever be born? It seems that one needs change almost as much as one needs oxy­gen. Change is growth; and growing is a lifetime en­deavor, as learning does not end with high school or col­lege. You learn to create your tomorrow by changing first your thoughts and then your actions.

 

If what you are now doing isn’t working the way you desire, then choose to do things differently. If the way you are going isn’t giving you positive results, then go a different way. You can begin dynamic change by doing something you haven’t done before. When you come to the crossroads, you can choose new directions. You can set different goals, make different decisions, get a differ­ent job, or find different friends. You can change the way you do things; you can specifically form new patterns in a thoughtful, realistic way.

 

Since each person is unique, no set formula for mak­ing changes is suggested. However, a few examples are given below to hint at the possibilities.

16        DYNAMIC CHANGE

 

 

Charles, who recently graduated from high school, lacked any real direction in his life. Hopelessly unsure about the future, he decided to camp out alone for a week by a sheltered lake in the cool, green woods of New Eng­land. Seeking insight into his soul’s purpose, he was de­termined to find real direction. Charles examined his ideals, established a practical, realistic goal, and subse­quently fulfilled it. The dynamic change in his life was that week of seclusion, introspection, and intimacy with his own mind.

 

Deborah had a major weight problem. Not knowing anything about self-hypnosis, she had tried all sorts of diets—to no avail. An opportunity came to house-sit at a remote mansion filled with valuable antiques. “What a great job,” she said. “I will earn money, be alone to read and study, and I’ll bring no food along except fruit and vegetables.” It seemed a drastic step but “cold turkey” (not cold turkey sandwiches!), applied to a dynamic change situation, worked well for Deborah. Through this unusual approach she gained better health and financial reward.

 

Carmen was reared in a negative and repressive en­vironment that caused her to be shy, withdrawn, and in­troverted. When she grew up, she made a careful choice to live in a small informal group home. Through the daily give-and-take, social interaction with more positive peo­ple, and the caring family atmosphere, Carmen quickly overcame her shyness. Putting herself in a better envir­onment was a dynamic step in human relations, in un­derstanding and in acceptance. Today Carmen is more confident, assured, and is considered a “style-setter.”

 

Patrick always had a yen for travel, but with a deadened job he never had enough money. One day, after read­ing a book by Henry David Thoreau, he packed his clothes and a sleeping bag and started his quest for per­sonal discovery and new horizons. Today Pat is an exper­ienced world traveler, speaks several languages, and has become the author of a travel and guide book.

                                                                  DYNAMIC CHANGE             17

 

 

These examples illustrate what creating a change did for others. Now you can “create” opportunities for your­self. “Knock, and it shall be opened. . .“ (Matthew 7:7) Sometimes an opportunity enters quietly, all on its own, or it may come barging in unannounced and uninvited. When you study any crisis objectively, you may obtain insight into how it can be a springboard to new life and opportunity.

 

For some people, dynamic change—breaking free—is truly a major accomplishment. It is a full remodeling, a complete process, a new life. For others, it might be noth­ing more complicated than erasing an old habit and creating a positive one instead. For some, success is achieved through a series of small, quiet acts; for others, a single courageous, heroic stand. If you want to accom­plish just a little, then do just a little. If you want to achieve a lot, then do a lot.

 

Edgar Cayce once explained it this way: “Be reasonable with self; be reasonable with that which is being at­tempted to be done! Consider this: Compare self, as it were (and it is in very much the same condition), to an automobile that has been stuck in the mud! There would be the rocking back and forth, and the realization that it was going down deeper and deeper and deeper—but, if you stopped, or if you went altogether dead, would there be any pulling out? Put more force, more vim, more power within self—and you’ll move out!” (911-4)

 

 

When you are ready to start moving out—and pulling out—of some of your ruts, here are several questions you can ask yourself:

 

“Where am I stuck?”

 

“Which parts of my life feel ‘pinched’?”

 

“Am I in an intellectual, emotional, spiritual, finan­cial, or career rut?”

“What do I want to change and how?”

18        DYNAMIC CHANGE

 

 

And the most important question, “How much of my spare time am I willing to invest in a personal recycling, self-help program?”

 

Whether it’s a groove, a rut, or a full-fledged muddy trench you are in, your daily self-hypnosis program can create dynamic change. Twenty-five or thirty minutes of daily programming can significantly improve your life. The real secret, though, involves doing it every day. A modern philosopher said, “Tell me what you do in your spare time and I’ll tell you what you’ll be a year from now.” How true! Your spare time is truly your most valua­ble time; it is your time for you. Apply it well.

 

All that you achieve will be the direct result of the level of your desire, your time, your thoughts, your pur­pose, your needs, and your ideals. Only you know what you need or don’t need. Like a sculptor, you decide which sharp edges you wish to chisel away and which graceful features you wish to leave intact. Set your own pace and be kind to your mind. You may chisel slowly and method­ically, or hammer out big chunks with thundering blows. Work at your best pace and be lovingly definite with yourself.

 

By making your personal self-hypnosis cassette tape, you help bring about dynamic change. This positive programming enables you to reach your objective by focusing on how you can achieve a goal, not why you can’t. If you are like most people, you probably have some minor and some major projects on which you would like to start working. The first step is to think about what you want (your goal) and why you want it (your ideal). (In the Cayce readings the ideal is considered as the standard or criterion by which you measure your life.) The hardest part may be deciding what you truly want—and why.

 

Writing out all your goals (what you want), in the or­der of importance, will help you to clarify them. Then look within and see why you want them. At first, you may think you want something, only to realize afterward that it may not be in your best interests. You may think, for ex­-

                                                                  DYNAMIC CHANGE             19

 

 

ample, “I want lots of money,” yet not have enough dis­cipline or personal responsibility for properly handling “lots” of money. After careful consideration, set out to ac­complish your purpose by wisely using your spare time to program for your highest ideals.

 

With self-hypnosis you can learn to program for al­most anything—career, a home, financial security, or a loving relationship. You can also plan for pleasure, enter­tainment, travel, creative ability, or spiritual develop­ment. Goals need not always be business-world oriented or just for people living in the fast lane. (If you are uncer­tain about which goal or project to start working with, consider the “Preparing for Change” cycle in Chapter Eight.)

 

It is wise to have specific goals, as your subconscious mind will then actively work toward the accomplishment of them. This process is happening, though, even when your conscious mind is not actively thinking about it. By programming for a goal, however, you have an added edge of ingenuity and determination when opportunities arise.

 

Setting a goal requires a positive attitude about its eventual completion. Again from the earlier example, people state this very common goal: “I want lots of money.” But then they may spend countless hours com­plaining about their lack of money, their lousy job, their bills, and inflation. All that negative thinking and speak­ing isn’t going to get anybody anything—except maybe more into debt. They are spinning their wheels and get­ting stuck deeper and deeper in the mud.

 

A better way to maneuver out of this money rut is to create a positive money consciousness—a financial heal­ing. Think money, but think of it in a pleasant way. Use the “Attracting Abundance Cycle” in Chapter Eight to create a state of mind that attracts money in a construc­tive way. Money is an energy; it is a means to an end. In­vest in yourself; remember, money is just metal or paper.

20        DYNAMIC CHANGE

 

 

It is what money can do for you—how it can help you be­come a better person—that is important.

 

One frequently mistaken notion is that having money is the only way to accomplish things. (It’s a good way, but not the only way.) Often there are quicker, more di­rect approaches to achieving goals than through the pos­session of money. Once you have decided what you truly want and why you want it, then you can program your­self for the actual goal.

 

Suzanna dreamed of an exciting vacation to an exotic place. She wanted it because she had worked for several years without having a real vacation and needed to get away for a while. She tried to save money for such a trip, but somehow extra cash never seemed to accumulate. After writing down her goal, she tried a new approach. She made this goal known to certain friends who had a positive outlook. Soon she had an offer to go with a fam­ily to Hawaii, and helped baby-sit for their children in ex­change for the all-expenses-paid trip.

 

Once you can steer out of the rut, shift your life into passing gear, and start accomplishing your objectives, there are two things to remember. First, be thankful for your continuing success. This is important psychologi­cally. Your mind appreciates the value of a few strokes or a few kind words. Second, avoid returning to an un­wanted past. This admonition seems obvious, but it is most important not to backslide. During my years as Di­rector of the Providence (R.L) Hypnosis Center, I cau­tioned cigarette-smoking clients not to readdict them­selves by playing “I-dare-you-to-try-just-one” games with themselves. Though there was no compulsion or need to smoke after therapy, they were cautioned not to try a cigarette just to see how it tastes. Such games are not only foolish, they are self-defeating and immature.

 

It is said that change is the one sure thing in life. When we grow as individuals, we are changed in two ways—by circumstance and by choice. We, in turn, change our environment. Change is that which allows

                                                                  DYNAMIC CHANGE             21

 

 

our life to move and grow. Life is not static; it ebbs and flows like the tides. Change occurs on individual, local, state, national, and world levels. All life is a constant cycle of birth, death, and rebirth into new forms. The old passes away. The new is born.

 

World and national changes take many forms. Dy­namic changes are happening in such areas as family structures, education, rehabilitation, religion, govern­ment, communications, housing, energy sources, food, transportation, and space programs.

 

The space program, for instance, has captured our in­terest the past few decades. Untold millions of dollars were spent shooting rockets into outer space with spec­tacular and important results. Because of economics and a change of consciousness, the search into inner space is now being launched. Mankind is beginning an exciting exploration of the internal self. Inner reality has piqued our interest, with mind becoming the focus of today and the builder of tomorrow, our greatest natural resource.

 

The year 2000 quickly approaches with its grand ex­pectations. Mind, once the storehouse of secrets, is now revealing its gifts. Best of all, mind exploration and per­sonal development are virtually free. With the small in­vestment of a cassette recorder, you can begin your own mind-building and reprogramming exercises. Truly it has been said that the best things in life are free. You only have to seize the opportunity and create your own destiny.

 

Before you begin designing your personal self-hypno­sis program, let’s look at the ways that hypnosis already has affected your life. “Hidden” hypnosis influences your daily life far more than you may realize.

                                 HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE                 23

 

 

brain after a hard day. Some people just turn their set on for company when they’re alone. Others watch when they are at a loss for anything else to do. Somehow, it al­ways seems to be turned on—and it seems to be every­where. Therefore, TV is a perfect outlet for advertisers who can reach millions in just a few seconds. There is nothing haphazard about it. The typical advertising agency spends many thousands of dollars mobilizing a small array of specialists and enlisting everyone from psychologists to artists to produce just one television commercial.

 

A lot of time and money is spent to discover what mo­tivates you, the consumer, to buy a product. One type of specialist goes to work on slogans and jingles, another designs an alluring product package (possibly with sub­liminal sexual appeal), while still another recruits and rehearses the actors who spearhead the pitch to you.

 

Great care is given to the image an advertiser wants to convey. When a distinguished, graying executive in a navy pin-stripe suit wants you to subscribe to his favorite financial journal for the sake of your career, a subtle mes­sage is being flashed to your subconscious. In pursuit of a different image, another advertiser presents a primly practical young woman (who could be somebody’s gui­dance counselor), explaining the advantages of her down-to-earth panty hose.

 

The finished commercial gets a few test runs in se­lected areas, just as a theatrical drama tours Boston and Philadelphia before its Broadway opening. If the com­mercial passes muster, it is promoted to big-time network television, where it quickly becomes a fixture in your liv­ing room and your subconscious.

 

Commercials are shown more than once. In fact, they are shown unendingly—over and over again; same scene, same actors, same stubborn grease stain, until a kind of mental Novocain TM sets in. During the first few airings, you might actually watch the commercial, but soon you tire of it. You may even try to escape to the bath-

24        HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE

 

 

room or retreat into your newspaper when it comes on. You think you are paying it no heed.

 

To your outer mind that commercial is annoying background static. However, the antenna of your inner mind is picking up every word; without your knowledge it is learning things and committing them to memory. Tele­vision commercials, like hypnosis, use both visual and verbal suggestions that entice cooperation by dangling a reward in front of you. Consciously, you may not swallow the notion that a new mouthwash will add zip to your love life, but your inner mind sees and hears that programming again and again, even while you think you are not paying attention to it. Once your inner mind accepts an assertion as truth, you react as though it were true.

 

So the subconscious mind absorbs messages, and, no matter how preposterous or absurd you think the mes­sage is, some of it will stick in your mind. Even the an­cient Romans realized that no matter how false the mes­sage, “something always sticks.”

 

A commercial may suggest that you buy a product for certain reasons. Now logically you may reject the notion. You may even be annoyed by the repetition and the ac­tors. Yet when you are at that section of the grocery store, you may reach unconsciously for that product before any other. Your subconscious mind has received the message and you have responded. The Cayce readings ask, “What would you have your mind-body to become? For that upon which it feeds it becomes, that either by thought, by assimilation, by activity. . .” (262-78)

 

It is also interesting to hear professional advertisers speak of “hard sell” and “soft sell.” Hard sell calls a prod­uct by name and is often direct, definite, and somewhat demanding. In hypnotic suggestion this approach is called direct suggestion; it works well with one group of people. Other people respond best to indirect suggestion, which can be likened to soft sell. The soft sell is a subtle and gentle approach; sometimes it uses humor to soothe your defenses. You are never directly told to buy a prod-

                                 HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE                 25

 

 

uct; instead, you are shown smiling, happy people using, eating, or drinking the product. This is less direct but of­ten far more potent. Many commercials incorporate both approaches.

 

Shoppers usually do not buy a product on the basis of information on the label or even the price. They often buy a product because the name is familiar. Or they may identify with its image, having been conditioned by com­mercials they think they haven’t even heard. Advertis­ing agencies, like the hypnotist, have discovered the ef­fectiveness of suggestions delivered at the edge of con­sciousness. It could be called “purchase by post-hypnotic suggestion.” Some viewers believe that the regular daily TV programs have even more hidden messages than the commercials.

 

There are ways to deal with this constant bombard­ment of programs and commercials that molds your thoughts with electronic hypnosis. The Cayce readings warn, “For thoughts are things; just as the mind is as concrete as a post or tree or that which has been molded into things of any form.” (1581-1) First, get in touch with your inner self and your ideals. Then, increase your awareness of your surroundings and build a more posi­tive personality. Obviously the best solution would be to limit your daily intake of television and other advertis­ing media. Also it would be especially important not to fall asleep with the television on, for then you have al­most no defense against commercial input.

 

The best way to learn about these subtle forms of hyp­nosis is to study and observe carefully, so that you can recognize and use them to your advantage, as advertisers use them to their advantage. Besides this book’s applica­tion of self-hypnosis, you can experience other endeavors which utilize intense concentration and a high degree of mental awareness that is reminiscent of the alpha state. Similar experiences, but having separate purposes, in­clude the martial arts, music, dancing, yoga, meditation, and even prayer.

26        HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE

 

 

Prayer can be called a form of autosuggestion. Through positive expectation and attitude prayer makes a powerful tool for programming. It is a proven concept that is compelling to the millions who do pray, and the sheer numbers it attracts suggests it works very well.

 

Prayer is a way of talking with God and can help you attune to your spiritual heritage. There are prayers of thanksgiving and prayers of atonement, but the prayers usually said most fervently are ones of petition. People pray for the things they want, whether peace of mind, a better job, a new car or happiness. Some prayers are idealistic, others materialistic, but all give voice to deeply felt needs. They are as varied as the people who pray.

 

Though prayers are generally directed heavenward, this approach doesn’t stop the inner mind from tuning in. Our conscious and subconscious minds are wedded in the power of belief. Most people, while praying, will separate themselves from their surroundings and become totally absorbed in the words they are speaking to God. Their prayer gives voice to a hope or a need, with the conviction that the hope will be fulfilled or the need met if only the prayer is repeated often and with faith.

 

Prayer is similar to self-hypnosis in that the person praying turns desires into reality and develops new faith in himself or herself. While self-hypnosis strengthens the subconscious mind, prayer attunes the conscious mind. This is simply stated in the Cayce readings: “. . .prayer is the making of one’s conscious self more in attune with the spiritual forces that may manifest in a material world...“ (281-13) When you pray, you believe that with God’s help all things are possible. You know that God helps those who help themselves, so you work twice as hard to see that your wishes are granted. If seeing is be­lieving, then believing is achieving.

 

Whether it is conscious as prayer or unconscious as television commercials, there are other forms of hidden hypnosis all around you. Of all the “hidden hypnotists” in your life, your friends, relatives, and neighbors carry

                                 HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE                 27

 

 

the most clout. Their words can cut a path right down to your mental quick—not because they are master mesmer­ists, but because your defenses are down in their pres­ence. You are usually relaxed around your friends and open to their suggestions, whether good or bad. Because we are all vulnerable in this sense, it is best to choose to be around positive people. You trust your friends, knowing they would never intentionally harm you, but a well-meaning friend who deflates your hopes “for your own good” is abusing your trust.

 

I encountered a sad example of this sugar-coated sab­otage while working with a tremendously obese woman who was in a clinic to lose weight. She had been told again and again by a doting family that they liked her just the way she was. They not only tempted her to over­eat (“Come on, Ma, have another one. You know you like to eat!”), but they reinforced her low self-image by telling her that “at her age” it didn’t matter how fat she was. The hypnosis center worked with her for one hour a week; but the family had her the rest of the time.

 

Conditioning by the people around you can often take the form of an unthinking remark or an unconscious ges­ture. For instance, you might have felt fine until the gro­cer asked if you had been sick. On the other hand, if some­one remarks that you look terrific, how do you feel then? Even a raised eyebrow or the movement of an arm can send signals to your inner mind.

 

Everywhere people are in constant nonverbal com­munication with one another through movements called body language, sending and receiving signals without being consciously aware. If you are alert to the innuendo of a posture or gesture, you can find out what the other person really means (which may be very different from the words).

 

The driver stalled in traffic has reached the boiling point when he rubs the back of his neck. The hand raised to his neck might be an unconscious striking gesture showing that he wants to lash out at the other motorists

28        HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE

 

 

even though his rational outer mind won’t let him do it. Feelings of confidence may be exhibited by the person who steeples his fingers during a conference. Or perhaps he has studied body language and is using it to convince the others that he is in command of the situation.

 

On an intuitive level, lovers and poker players are par­ticularly adept at reading subliminal signals. Perform­ers, politicians, and salesmen are also skilled body lin­guists, projecting nonverbal messages that create a sub­conscious acceptance of what they say. Sometimes what is said is less important than how it is said. You can leave a speech feeling warm toward the speaker, even though you do not remember what was said.

 

Perhaps, at some point, you feel that you must face too many negative influences. It seems that no matter what you do, where you go or whom you see, someone is wait­ing to ambush your psyche. But that doesn’t mean you must stay home and barricade yourself in a closet. After all, a snare is dangerous only when you don’t know it’s there. Your knowledge and awareness of the condition­ing around you is the best antidote—when you use it. The Cayce readings say, “For it is not altogether true that knowledge is power, but the application of knowledge within the self s experience is power.” (1908-1)

 

Use what you are learning and shift your thoughts in­to positive gear—carefully censor the kind of programming your mind receives. Nurture the seeds and pull the weeds! You can consciously program for the things you want, and learn to intercept the signals your mind gets from the environment and the people around you. Some people make an art of replacing words like “problem” with its positive counterpart “challenge” or “project” or “oppor­tunity” to help budge outmoded attitudes out of their ruts. Edgar Cayce oftentimes advised turning stumbling blocks into stepping-stones.

 

Positive programming is the surest way to overcome hidden negativity. There is nothing complicated about programming your mind in a constructive way. People do it

                                 HIDDEN HYPNOTIST IN YOUR LIFE                 29

 

 

all the time though they may attach another label to it, like “mind over matter” or as the athlete who “psychs” himself up for a game. Bobby Orr, the former hockey su­perstar, used to go off by himself before a contest and re­hearse the game in his mind. Likewise, your mental imagery and your positive thoughts literally build your future and with self-hypnosis tapes can put drive and di­rection into your programming, as you will soon discover.

 

 

MIND IS THE BUILDER 31

 

 

and applying it in a personal, positive way. Self-hypnosis is a learning and growing experience; it is like planting your garden, nurturing it, and later enjoying the fruits of your work.

 

The first step in self-hypnosis is to discover what it feels like. The feelings of self-hypnosis can be compared to an experience you may have when doing yoga or medi­tating. Although meditation and self-hypnosis utilize the same basic levels of mind—and the feeling is similar— the purpose of each is different. Meditation is relaxed receptivity within the inner self, “it is the attuning of the mental body and the physical body to its spiritual source,” according to the readings. (281-41) Self-hypnosis entails actively working toward your set purpose; it is your springboard for constructive change.

 

 

Other people remember this state from times when they were deeply engrossed in a television program, in a reverie, or in a book. Similarly, musicians, dancers, art­ists, and other creative people often become so absorbed in their work that they experience this detachment. So, start with the right attitude. Simply let the experience happen. Relax, but you need not work at relaxing.

 

Some people like to begin self-hypnosis accompanied by quiet, soothing background music. Background sounds—like ocean waves, gentle rain or sounds of spring in the country—are available on tapes and rec­ords. Other people enjoy a clock’s ticking in the back­ground or a musician’s metronome to add beat and meas­ure to the experience.

 

You can start by settling into a comfortable chair, re­cliner, or sofa. You may wish to cover yourself with a quilt or light blanket to prevent chilling, because your body’s metabolism may slow down. Take a few minutes to settle down and adjust your breathing to a slow, re­laxed rhythm. As you exhale, imagine that you are re­leasing all the accumulated tensions of the day. As you inhale, breathe in the stillness around you. Silence your

32        MIND IS THE BUILDER

 

 

mind and allow your body to relax. If discordant thoughts intrude, just release them.

 

The process takes time, but this is a special and impor­tant time for you. As you relax your body, you may notice your awareness increasing. You may find your senses growing sharper or more acute. Sounds that you would not ordinarily notice may become distractions.

 

Play soothing background music to mask over un­wanted noise—sounds of traffic or voices in another room. Finding a quiet time of day for self-hypnosis—bed­time for instance—will reduce the chance of distractions.

 

Before learning to run, you had to learn to walk. And before learning to walk, you had to take small, unsure steps. So resign yourself to going slowly at first and don’t expect your first sessions to produce instant miracles. Using self-hypnosis is a lot like exercising a muscle. The more you work it, the stronger it gets, and the more you will be able to accomplish over time.

 

Self-hypnosis begins by relaxing your body, adjust­ing your breathing to a steady rhythm, and allowing yourself to simply slow down. Once you have settled down, you can begin guiding yourself into a deeply re­laxed and highly receptive state.

 

In this quiet, still time, take a moment and become aware of your body. Do your fingers show signs of curl­ing? Are your hands tight? Are they clenched? If so, let your fingers uncurl and relax your hands. Are your legs crossed? Uncrossing them allows for better circulation. Are there any parts of your clothing or shoes that feel tight? Loosen them for your own comfort. Allow yourself to slow down a little more.

 

At this point you will want to relax your eyelids. A good method for doing this is counting slowly downward from ten to one and just blinking your eyelids slowly with every number. You may count silently or aloud; it doesn’t matter which method you choose. At the count of one, you may close your eyes and keep them closed.

 

 

 

 

MIND IS THE BUILDER 33

 

 

Allow this feeling of relaxation that is now in your eyes—this tired, heavy feeling—to spread outward, as in ripples or waves, to your entire facial area. Then continue to imagine this relaxed feeling going down to the rest of your body. Think of it as going first to the head...then the neck...to the shoulders...the arms...and slowly on down your entire body, step by step. This process is called pro­gressive relaxation because after you completely relax one area, you go on to relax the next area.

 

Now, imagine some beautiful scenes or pictures in your mind. Visualize yourself at your ideal place of relax­ation or any place that you would like to go to get away from it all. If you like the ocean, picture yourself at the seashore, walking barefoot on the warm sand, the rolling surf murmuring in the background. If mountains are more to your liking, imagine yourself high on a moun­taintop. Hear the wind, feel how cool and refreshing it is. See the white clouds breezing by. Remove yourself from your everyday cares.

 

At this point, you might find your body starting to feel heavy or light, warm or cold. Different people feel differ­ent sensations, while others experience no unusual feel­ings at all. Some people notice a small flickering in their eyelids. This rapid eye movement (REM) can also occur when dreaming or daydreaming. Others may experience a gentle rocking or swaying motion. Like REM, this is a normal and natural experience. Still other people may ex­perience time distortion. In hypnosis time can appear to shrink or expand. Thirty minutes can seem like five, or vice versa. And, occasionally people have an itch which they can either ignore or scratch.

 

With your eyes closed, you may count downward once again from ten to one, this time telling yourself that with every descending number you will become more deeply relaxed—more in perfect harmony. With practice you will discover your own timing, pace, and cadence.

 

Tell yourself that your subconscious mind will accept and act upon the suggestions you give it. Experience,

34 MIND IS THE BUILDER

 

 

along with the information presented in the next chapter, will teach you which suggestions are best for you. Then proceed to give yourself positive mental suggestions that affirm your ideals and purpose. With time and practice, you will achieve your optimum depth level and improve the technique of giving yourself autosuggestions. Keep these positive and to the point. Then use creative visuali­zation exercises to see your goals and ideals already ac­complished. This is how you plant the thoughts which you want to grow in the garden of your mind. This is how you reprogram old obstacles into new opportunities.

 

To complete the session, suggest that you will slowly open your eyes and awaken. Or count up, this time going from one to ten. Tell yourself that you will feel wide awake, clear headed, refreshed and happy.

 

If you found it difficult to remember these steps and to do them at the same time you will now realize the value of a cassette recorder. Soon you will see how much easier re­calling these steps will be by making your own self-help tape beforehand.

 

Twenty-five to thirty minutes is the average time most people give to their self-hypnosis sessions, but only you can decide how much is best for you. It is not important how much time you spend on each session, but how many sessions you experience. Repetition is the key. The more you do it, the easier reinforcing your success becomes.

 

Sometimes people wonder what is the best time of the day to do self-hypnosis. There is no definite answer to this question. Are you aware of your own biological clock? People reach peak energy levels—and low energy levels—at different times of the day or night. There are day people and night people, morning people and after­noon people. Be attentive to your own personal daily rhythm. The ideal time for self-hypnosis is that peak en­ergy period when all your systems are functioning at full capacity. But you can also use self-hypnosis at your low energy time when you want to relax and center your scat­tered energy.

MIND IS THE BUILDER 35

 

 

Enjoying your daily self-hypnosis sessions is one way of building your willpower. The Cayce readings say, “For, when the will to do is ever present and not faltered by doubts and fears that may arise in the experiences of all, then does it build, then does it attract that which builds and builds and is the constructive force in the ex­perience of all.” (416-2)

 

Though we are constantly discovering new pathways and inroads into the mind, some of the self-hypnosis pre­sented in this book is called “traditional.” It is the most common approach of hypnosis, well tested, and with an easy-to-follow formula.

 

Another form of hypnosis being developed recently is called “naturalistic.” The medical and mental health fields are beginning to use this new approach because it is easily adapted to individual counseling and therapy.

 

Learning more about these two approaches will help you later when you design and write your own cycles. The traditional method uses standard procedures and sug­gestions that have been tested and work well. The na­turalistic approach, sometimes called “clinical hypno­sis,” uses personalized, informal, nonspecific procedures and suggestions.

 

The new naturalistic method adapts the hypnosis ses­sion to the patient’s needs, thereby creating better rap­port between the hypnotist and the subject. This ap­proach is gaining popularity with doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists because it helps them to see the patient more clearly, to listen more acutely, and to act more precisely.

 

Naturalistic hypnosis claims that a more harmonious relationship is developed by accepting the patient where he or she is and accepting his or her belief systems. Rap­port is increased as the therapist listens and observes carefully. For example, if the subject says that he likes working in his garden, during the therapy session the hypnotist can use garden imagery—its sounds, smells, and activities. If another patient enjoys the ocean, the

36 MIND IS THE BUILDER

 

 

hypnotist can utilize the imagery of the sea, sounds of the surf, and feelings of the warm sand to induce a trance and as part of the visual and verbal suggestions. Natur­alistic hypnosis often uses anecdotes, parables, and storytelling in the therapy.

 

The father of indirect and naturalistic hypnosis was Dr. Milton H. Erickson. In the book, My Voice Will Go with You—The Teaching Tales of Milton H. Erickson, author Sidney Rosen, M.D., writes, “In ‘telling stories’ Erickson was, of course, following an ancient tradition. Since time immemorial, stories have been used as a way of transmitting cultural values, ethics, and morality. A bitter pill can be swallowed more easily when it is embed­ded in a sweet matrix. A straight moral preachment might be dismissed, but guidance and direction become acceptable when embedded in a story that is intriguing, amusing, and interestingly told.” (W.W. Norton & Com­pany, 1982, p. 26)

 

It is important to note, as Dr. Sidney Rosen writes later in the same book, that “Trance, according to Erick­son, is the state in which learning and openness to change are more likely to occur. It does not refer to an in­duced somnolent state. Patients are not ‘put under’ by the therapist, nor are they out of control and directed by the will of another person. Trance, in fact, is a natural state experienced by everyone. Our most familiar experience takes place when we daydream, but other trance states occur when we meditate, pray, or perform exercises— such as jogging, which has sometimes been called ‘medi­tation in motion.’” (pp. 26-27)

 

The naturalistic therapist helps a person out of an old pattern and into a new mode by using every possible as­pect of the client’s reality. The hypnotist asks about the subject’s hobbies, interests and pastimes, and observes the patient’s words, the way he or she speaks and the body language.

 

In order to break obsolete patterns, the therapist at­tentively communicates with the client. He listens,

MIND IS THE BUILDER 37

 

 

watches, and then uses what he learns, and also observes how the subject operates. He listens to the language—not the story—and, more important, to the verbs used. The hypnotherapist then talks to the client on a level to which he or she can relate. Successful salesmen, politicians, and preachers instinctively use the techniques of natur­alistic hypnosis.

 

People are predominantly visual or auditory or kines­thetic in their approach to life. We all have a favorite sys­tem of dealing with the world. Some of us respond best through sight, some through hearing, and others through movement. We all have a predominant system, a less predominant, and a least-used system.

 

Through observation, the naturalistic hypnotist de­termines the subject’s favorite system and begins the ses­sion with suggestions geared to it. For example, if the per­son is visual and enjoys vacations at the ocean, the hyp­notist may begin, “See yourself at the ocean, watch the waves as they curl and sparkle colors on the shore.”

 

After a series of visual suggestions, the therapist uses the second favorite system as a bridge. To continue with this same example, let’s assume that the subject’s secon­dary system is kinesthetic. The hypnotist now uses a few kinesthetic suggestions. “Feel yourself running free on the shore and, as you run, you breathe deeper and in more perfect rhythm.”

 

Now the therapist gently guides the subject into the least-used system, which automatically causes the pa­tient to become more internal and thus to achieve hypno­sis more quickly. By maintaining the person’s least-used mode, the hypnotist guides the client to remain at his or her deepest level. This happens naturally because the mind has to translate information input as the subcon­scious goes into less familiar terrain and has to work harder.

 

In the example, the hypnotherapist began with the subject’s favorite system, the visual; then bridged into the second system, the kinesthetic; and lastly into the

38 MIND IS THE BUILDER

 

 

least-used system, the auditory. An example of an audi­tory suggestion might be, “Can you hear the rhythm of the waves telling you that you can quiet down and listen now?” Much of the session will continue in the auditory.

 

At times the hypnotist may bridge back into the other systems, but this is the basic formula: Start with the fa­vorite system, bridge into the secondary system, and work mostly from the subject’s least-used mode.

 

To discover a person’s favorite system, the hypnotist listens to speech patterns and watches body movements. For example, the therapist watches the verbs of the visu­al person. Here are some instances of how a visual person might speak: I “see” what you’re “showing” me. That “looks” good. “Draw” me a “picture” of it. The visual per­son may also wave his or her hands like paint brushes. Approximately 70 percent of all people are visual.

 

On the other hand, the verbs of the auditory person will be different. I “hear” what you’re “saying.” It “sounds” good. “Tell” me more. Auditory people often keep their hands near their faces or touch their faces. Compulsive talkers are often auditory people, and the best way to get their attention is to use a loud noise to break into their sound barrier.

 

The hypnotherapist gets a feeling for the verbs of the kinesthetic person, who reveals himself or herself in dif­ferent ways: I’m “in touch” with that. Let’s “put it all to­gether” and “work with it.” The kinesthetic person is in motion; one who feels, thinks, experiences and responds to movement. Such a person operates from a feeling level, bringing the hands inward when he or she speaks, as op­posed to the visual person who uses the hands in outward motions.

 

Naturalistic hypnosis is still new and innovative; there are no set rules. You may use some of these insights and techniques later on when you write out and design your personal sessions. As you observe and listen to your­self more closely, you will gain insight into your differ-

 

 

 

 

 

 

MIND IS THE BUILDER 39

 

 

ent systems and how to apply this into your personal cy­cles to enhance your mind-building tapes.

 

The next step, before you begin designing your per­sonal program, is to learn and then choose the specific suggestions for accomplishing your desires. Entering hypnosis is a first step, but hypnosis alone would offer very little—other than deep relaxation and a feeling of peace and well-being—if it were not for a cycle of positive sug­gestion and constructive imagery geared to the accom­plishment of your project. In the next chapter you will learn how to design and to word your precise suggestions for maximum success in creating your destiny.

                                                         POSITIVE SUGGESTION               41

 

than the spoken word, then to such [a] one it would! When it is necessary to reach the subconscious of an in­dividual through the senses of the physical body, be­fore it may be visualized by such [a] one, then the spoken word would be more effective—and you may see why. Hence, that which is spoken… to a growing, de­veloping body in oral manner to the sleeping or semi­conscious mind will act the better still! 262-10

 

The effectiveness of suggestion depends on the skill with which it is used. Positive suggestions should induce rather than demand, persuade rather than command. And, above all, they should demonstrate the benefits to be enjoyed by following them. Even in deep hypnosis your conscience is always your guide, and you can reject any suggestion you wish. You always have the free will to accept or reject it.

 

Some people mistakenly think that hypnotic sugges­tion can make you do things you wouldn’t ordinarily do. Stage hypnosis demonstrations add to this confusion, since the audience thinks that the hypnotist has forced or tricked the volunteers into doing strange and unusual things. Hypnosis can’t make anybody do anything. The people who volunteer for stage hypnosis are the type who are very willing to do the things that are asked of them.

 

Although there is nothing inherently wrong or uneth­ical about using hypnosis for entertainment, it does help perpetuate some of the old misconceptions surrounding it. The stage hypnotist-entertainer asks for volunteers, knowing that the “show-offs” in the crowd will flock to the spotlight. Volunteers for stage hypnosis are usually extroverted and uninhibited people, those most likely to respond to suggestions calling for unusual stunts.

 

The stage entertainer is adept at testing volunteers to see how quickly they respond to conscious suggestion. The entertainer relies on instinct, experience, and the law of averages to find a few excellent subjects for each performance.

42 POSITIVE SUGGESTION

 

 

The best subjects join the hypnotist onstage, while the others are sent back to their seats. Confusion may occur when the stage hypnotist dismisses some of the volun­teers, since it appears that only a few of them could actu­ally be hypnotized. But nothing could be further from the truth, for everyone experiences hypnosis at some level in its varied forms. The stage hypnotist, working against time, chooses only the best subjects, but all can and do achieve trance countless times in their lives though they may not often recognize it. For example, some recognize the alpha/hypnosis state; others don’t. Though we all dream at night, some remember their dreams; others don’t.

 

Concluding the demonstration, the stage hypnotist carefully suggests that the volunteers will not remember what they have done. Confusion again arises in the minds of some when they return to their seats and friends ask, “Do you remember all those crazy things you did?” The volunteers answer, “No, I really can’t remember what happened.” The friends are left with the impression that hypnosis automatically causes forgetfulness or amnesia. This is not so. The volunteers were given and accepted the suggestion that they would not remember what they did on stage. To save them from embarrass­ment, the stage entertainer helps volunteers to forget.

 

Other misconceptions date back to the early days of vaudeville. Imagine yourself for a moment in that era. A turbaned hypnotist tells an entranced smoker that his cigarettes will taste like horse manure. After waking, the smoker is given a cigarette which he promptly lights. He immediately coughs, makes a face, and quickly stomps out the cigarette on the stage floor. The audience is de­lighted; they think the man is permanently cured of smoking, but this is not so. He still has the need or com­pulsion to smoke. The only thing that has changed is that now all his cigarettes taste horrible. Later, you will be shown the modern approach for suggestions designed to end cigarette addiction.

POSITIVE SUGGESTION 43

 

 

The early days also produced uninspired results for weight control. The old-fashioned approach was to read a list of fattening foods to a hypnotized person with the strict command not to eat those foods. This technique was somewhat successful insofar as the subject did not eat the foods listed. But, in time, the person developed cravings for other foods that were not on the list and had to return for more sessions. Modern hypnosis, in newer and more effective ways, now removes the craving, the compulsion, and the addiction to overeat.

 

What do you think is the most important part of a hyp­nosis session: the depth of the hypnosis or the specific suggestions? Of course, both are important, but many people think the depth is more important. Some people will even say, “Bring me down to a real deep state,” hop­ing they will have more success at a deeper level. Actual­ly, effective suggestion is far more important than the depth of hypnosis. Depth has little to do with how well you can succeed in your project.

 

Certain people, though only able to reach lighter lev­els, can quit smoking completely in just a session or two. Your attitude, your ideals, and your desire to achieve re­sults—combined with proper suggestion and visualiza­tion—are more important than your depth level. Depth can vary from person to person or even from session to session. In fact, you may even achieve a deeper level in one session and a lighter level in the next.

 

A few years ago, a weight-control client went home from her first session convinced she had not been hypno­tized because she remembered everything about the ses­sion. She had been told (incorrectly) by a friend that, in hypnosis, she wouldn’t remember anything. She might not have returned, but she noticed that she was eating less, discarding pounds, and feeling better. Yet, after her second and third sessions, she still insisted that she had not been hypnotized, even though she reported the disap­pearance of pounds with each visit. Trust, sincerity, open-mindedness, and the ingenuity of the suggestions,

44 POSITIVE SUGGESTION

 

 

more than the depth of the trance, are the important keys to a successful session.

 

The first rule for formulating a hypnotic suggestion is to make it appealing. Offer an incentive; the more be­guiling the better.

 

If your objective is weight control, you could be left cold by the negative statement: “You will not overeat.” To your mind, this statement may be boring. It’s a bald-faced injunction. On the other hand, a suggestion like, “The less you eat, the better you look and feel,” offers a reward: the promise of better health and a more attrac­tive appearance.

 

Words like “don’t” and “won’t” should be used spar­ingly, but they may be occasionally useful when the en­tire tone of the suggestion is positive. “You will eat less” is far more effective than “You won’t eat as much.” The offer of a positive response is more likely to bring positive results—doing as opposed to not doing. The Cayce read­ings agree wholeheartedly and often emphasize this im­portant point: “Always constructive, never negative sug­gestions!” (1163-2)

 

The challenge of designing suitable suggestions lies in the fact that there are many undesirable words that we would refrain from using. For instance, people talk about “losing” weight or “dropping” pounds. But what hap­pens when you lose something or drop something? A rubber-band effect is created: You want to go out and find what you lost; you want to pickup what you dropped. The idea is to build a healthy, attractive body with positive words describing what you want to accomplish.

 

So, instead of a diet, you may start a reducing plan. In­stead of denying yourself a favorite food, you can eat what you want, but in sensible amounts. Instead of “fighting the battle of the bulge,” you can “fashion a slim life style.” Instead of passively counting calories, you can increase your exercise activity to fifteen minutes a day. (If you are already exercising, add fifteen minutes to whatever you are already doing.) Balance your intake

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                          POSITIVE SUGGESTION               45

 

 

with your activity. The so-called starvation diets can be dangerous, but a safe and healthful way to become slim is to consume fewer calories and exercise more. Avoid junk foods. Eat healthful food in sensible amounts and drink lots of juices.

 

Here is a suggestion that you can use to help regulate your ideal metabolism:

As you exercise and eat sensible amounts of health­ful foods, your body will become regulated to the ideal rate for you to become as slim as you wish to be.

 

People want to change their old, worn-out habits; yet, there is at least an initial resistance to overcome in al­most everyone. In the business world this kind of resis­tance is called “sales resistance.” Sales resistance can oc­cur when a person goes into a store intent on buying a product. The shopper wants to buy it, yet somehow, at the same time, the customer wants to be sold on it. Hypnotic suggestion is not a psychological selling game, but an ef­fective method for bypassing mental sales resistance and unfreezing people’s defenses.

 

Even though people truly want to change, a sense of loss is felt by some when an old and familiar habit is erased from their lives. This resistance can be rerouted by suggesting something positive to take the habit’s place. For example:

 

When you think of something to eat, and it isn’t time for a meal, then your mind immediately reminds you of something better, more enjoyable, that you can easily do. And it will be whatever you wish—something that really satisfies you.

 

The suggestion avoids naming a substitute, leaving it to you to invent your own.

 

Many styles of suggestions have been developed. Some are direct and others are indirect. There are double-blind suggestions, deepening suggestions, contradictory suggestions, joined suggestions, aversion suggestions, and more. These suggestions may sound complicated at

46         POSITIVE SUGGESTION

 

 

first, but actually they are simply different ways for you to communicate meaningfully with your inner mind. As you read, study, and experience these different styles, you can decide which are best for you.

 

If you are at all doubtful, analytical, or are used to giv­ing orders, a subtle indirect suggestion will probably work best. Some professional hypnotists assert that a subject’s occupation will disclose the proper approach. If, for example, a person is employed by the police or mili­tary, or is in any trade where he or she customarily fol­lows orders, the direct command suggestion might be more effective.

 

The different approaches can be shown with a pair of illustrations. The first is a direct suggestion to promote relaxation:

 

Take a deep breath and let all the muscles in your body relax. Slow down your breathing. . . breathe slow­ly and evenly... relax your mind.

 

With an indirect suggestion, the same thought is ex­pressed as a possible consequence of something you are encouraged, not directed, to do:

 

If you take a deep breath, you can feel your body re­lax. And, as you slow your breathing, you can let your mind relax.

 

In some instances, an indirect suggestion can use neg­ative statements to get the desired result (negative state­ments are not negative suggestions). Telling you what you do not have to do nudges you in the right direction to go. For example, if you were restless in your chair, you could be told:

 

You can do anything you want. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. You don’t have to make any kind of effort. You don’t even have to bother trying to move around in your chair.

 

Here the indirect suggestion uses an implication to impress an idea just below the threshold of conscious­ness awareness. Unconsciously, you are persuaded to ac­-

                                                         POSITIVE SUGGESTION               47

 

 

cept the notion that moving around in your chair is far more trouble than it’s worth. It’s an effort you must “bother trying” to make. Words like “try” are coded mes­sages that imply failure or difficulty to the inner mind. Your inner mind interprets the signal as “It is too hard to move,” and so you don’t.

 

The next example shows how the same type of code can be inserted in a weight-control suggestion, but the principle can be used in other areas as well.

 You don’t have to bother trying to pick up that extra food or even trying to chew it.

 

Your outer mind can agree easily; you don’t “have to” do those things. Meanwhile, your inner mind decodes the message and programs you to regard overeating as a chore. With these and other kinds of suggestions, you can help stabilize your eating habits.

 

The cycles in this book are designed with both direct and indirect suggestions. As you read and use these cy­cles, the types of suggestions will become clearer to you.

 

The double-bind suggestion is another useful tool in the workshop of the mind. It offers alternative choices in order to counter a negative response. It is easy to say “no” to a person who asks you to sit down, but how do you answer the person who offers you a choice between the blue chair and the red one? No matter which one you pick, you’ll be sitting down—whether you want to or not. In hypnosis the double-bind grants you free choice but of­fers you all types of possible responses:

 

Your body can feel heavy or it can feel light. Or it may feel asleep so that it doesn’t feel anything at all. It can float up, or it can sink down. Or it can just very pleasantly drift. It can do whatever you wish.

 

Offering a variety of options, this suggestion subtly and indirectly narrows the range of reactions.

 

Telling you how to respond to a suggestion is another important part of the psychological process. Your mind needs a rationale, any rationale, before it can assent. So,

48        POSITIVE SUGGESTION

 

using a deepening suggestion as an example, it is not enough to tell you that you will go deeper. You must be told how:

 

You can go deeper on a count from ten to one by picturing a flight of stairs… . or an escalator… . or an elevator.

 

The right image will come to you.

 

The objective is to involve you in choosing your own fantasy while distracting your conscious mind. With your outer mind bypassed, your inner mind, the unques­tioning mind, can readily accept the premise.

 

Often two seemingly contradictory suggestions are given at the same time:

 

Your body may feel asleep even though your mind seems to be awake.

 

Another technique is the joining of one suggestion with another whose response is assured. One example is:

 

If you take a deep breath, you can feel your body relax.

 

Deep breathing tends to promote relaxation anyway, and suggesting something that is bound to happen on its own lends weight to whatever else is suggested. Even though a suggestion simply spells out the inevitable, your inner mind assumes that the suggestion coupled with the result is just as compelling.

 

A suggestion designed to take effect after the session is called a post-hypnotic suggestion. The Cayce readings eloquently define this as a “suggestion that will be retro­active in the waking, or in the physical normal body.” (5747-1) The next illustration shows how linking a com­mand to an inevitable activity, like opening your eyes, can enforce a post-hypnotic suggestion.

 

In a short time, your eyes will open. When your eyes open, your inner mind will realize that you are finished using cigarettes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                         POSITIVE SUGGESTION               49

 

 

Or a suggestion may be coupled to something that takes place when you are back in everyday beta consciousness.

 

In a few minutes, your eyes will open and you will be wide awake and comfortable. When you get up from the chair, you will know the joy and vitality of being a non­smoker, and enjoy the feeling of feeling better.

 

Here a promise of reward, “the joy and vitality of be­ing a nonsmoker,” is used to enhance the suggestion’s appeal. A climate of agreement is created with state­ments you can easily accept. While your conscious mind is nodding “yes,” you are told, indirectly, that you don’t have to smoke any longer and that you’ll be feeling bet­ter. Years and years of advertising have made smoking seem the appealing or the sophisticated thing to do. Those years of conditioning can be neutralized, allowing you to realize that smoking is anything but glamorous.

 

Standing in bleak contrast to all the above positive suggestions are the old aversion suggestions. Aversion is a negative approach to suggestion, which aims to turn a cherished vice into an object of loathing. Many people, thinking that only the strongest medicine works, ask their therapist to “make” them hate a favorite habit by inducing revulsion whenever they feel like yielding to temptation. But if aversion suggestions were really the answer, more people would be helped by them. They are about as effective as taking two aspirin to cure a broken leg.

 

For some people, however, aversion suggestions may produce dramatic short-term results, yet the benefits are more often theatrical than therapeutic—like climbing a stepladder that is balanced on a rocking chair. It’s really a question of credibility, as your inner mind finds it easier to believe that you feel better when you eat less.

 

While aversion may have its place in suggestion, it should be induced subtly and in ways to which you can easily relate. Feelings of vague distaste can be insinu­-

50        POSITIVE SUGGESTION

 

 

ated indirectly; for example, you are asked to picture yourself at your desired weight. Paint the fantasy vividly and embellish it to make it as appealing as possible. Next, visualize all the food with which you’ve been in­dulging yourself. Then you are asked:

 

Which do you want more: the new slender image of yourself or hundreds of fattening calories that your body doesn’t need or want?

 

Excess food is thus made to seem distasteful. If you are correcting a weight problem, “hundreds of fattening calories” would sound rather repugnant.

 

You have now learned something about suggestion and autosuggestion. This information will help you when you design and write your own cycles. But sugges­tion is only one part of your self-help program. Visuali­zation is the next step to creating your own destiny.

52         CREATIVE VISUALIZATION

 

 

alization abilities and, like a muscle, these become stronger with use. Yet not everyone can immediately “see.”

 

Visualization covers a broad spectrum, ranging from vague fantasy images to vivid, colorful mental movies. Visual impressions can come in colored pictures, in black and white pictures, and in pictures not quite tangible. For some, it may be like a mental movie with the person as the star of the show: the person directs the scenes, ac­tions, and dialogues. For others, impressions may come as feelings or vibrations. In their comprehensive book, Seeing with the Mind’s Eye: The History, Techniques and Uses of Visualization, Mike Samuels, M.D., and Nancy Samuels note: “We’ve said that visualization is creating a mental image, creating a picture in the mind, seeing with the mind’s eye. Especially when people first begin consciously to visualize, the images in their mind’s eye are different from the images that they see with the aid of their retinas. Indeed, these mental images more re­semble thoughts and ideas than sight. Many people feel as if they are ‘making up’ the images rather than seeing them. This is natural. The feeling of making it up is the way beginning visualization feels. Early mental pictures appear less vivid than external images. In fact, some people feel that they sense their inner images rather than see them.” (Random House, Inc./The Bookworks, 1975, p. 121)

 

Some people may have difficulty visualizing because they were told in childhood not to daydream. The Edgar Cayce readings suggest, however, that daydreaming is a good pastime: “…the entity may lapse into what is some­times called ‘daydreaming,’ and it is then given to formu­late in the mind of self ideals, and even [be] able to visulaize or to word same somewhat in a poetic nature.”

(1664-2)

 

    The Cayce readings also recommended visualization for healing and developing ideals:

 

 

 

 

 

 

CREATIVE VISUALIZATION 53

 

But there is not to be left out that mental attitude in the meditations of seeing, feeling the body being cor­rected in such measures as to fill and fulfill a greater service for creative forces and influences. 2946-1

 

Then, spiritualize and visualize purposes, in the manner in which the entity desires things to be done, and you’ll have them done! 3577-1

 

Your thoughts and images do change your reality. The readings concur, repeating many times and in many ways, “For thoughts are things, and the mind is the builder.” (281-39) As you change the thought, you change the image; as you change the image you change the reali­ty. Creative imagination is a pathway from the possible to the tangible; it is yet another building block.

 

Seeing with the Mind’s Eye states that “Hypnosis is one of the oldest techniques in psychology to use visuali­zation.” (p. 191) Visualization exercises are usually used for entering hypnosis, such as is shown in this suggestion:

 

Picture yourself mentally at your ideal, most joyful place of relaxation...any place that you would like to be...

 

Guided imagery can also be used indirectly; one exam­ple is:

 

Thoughts.. .coming and going back and forth…like ocean waves.  Then all of your thoughts came to rest in the back of your mind, like waves settling into the sand.

 

Using imagery indirectly to suggest relaxation sig­nals your inner mind that it’s time to settle down. Use of the past tense assumes that the response has been given. Since you receive the suggestion in the context of its hav­ing already been accomplished, you assume that it has, and therefore it is.

 

Visualization is equally important for reinforcing ver­bal suggestion. The following direct suggestion is com­monly used to help erase cigarette addition:

54         CREATIVE VISUALIZATION

 

 

In your creative imagination visualize a huge black­board. On this chalkboard see the word “cigarette. “Go to this blackboard and as you erase that word, you erase, cancel and completely wipe away the cigarette habit from your life. You have eliminated the need or desire to smoke. (Pause) You now have a clean slate. Return to the blackboard, pick up the chalk and, in place of the word “cigarette, “write in capital letters the word “SUCCESS.”

 

Your mind creates its own reality, and the mother of your reality is imagination. It is no secret that imagina­tion works best when it is inspired. What better way to ex­cite it than with a vision of a dieter’s fondest dream: a slim image?