The Language of Confusion in Hypnosis
By Covert Hypnotist | April 24, 2011
Now normally we don’t like to try to confuse people. When done purposefully it can seem in a way cruel. However, confusion related to Conversational Hypnosis can be a fascinating and powerful tool as the master hypnotist Milton Erickson has shown us throughout history.
Milton Erickson was a great hypnotist and one of the pieces of his profession he was most admired for was his ability to get the most stubborn and resistant people into a state of hypnosis. His secret weapon in this was simply to confuse them. Confuse them to the point that the critical factor within them is too busy trying to get unconfused and make sense of it all. This allowed him to simply slip past the critical factor and induce a hypnotic trance in those who were very resistant.
So let’s take a closer look at Mr. Erickson’s secret weapon of confusion. How can confusion be used to create a positive outcome, after all that is the point of hypnosis in the first place.
Confusion in Conversational Hypnosis is very powerful. The language of confusion with in the context of hypnosis will allow you to do things that would normally not be allowed due to the strict surveillance of the critical factor.
Your ability to confuse people will assist you in sneaking by the critical factor to insert your suggestions into the unconscious itself. When you master the technique of confusion you will be able to bypass the critical factor easily and efficiently.
So how exactly do you get past the critical factor with the language of confusion? Confusion will simply keep the critical factor busy trying to sort out all the different messages that it has received; it gets all tied up, giving you the opportunity to send in the suggestion with little to no detection by the critical factor. The unconscious at this point is like an open door just waiting for you to walk into.
The goal here is to get enough confusion going that the critical factor is completely overwhelmed and preoccupied. The first way to really concentrate the language of confusion is to layer it in, much like you learned to do with ambiguous messages. When you use this layering effect is sure to include double meanings as this is what really gets the confusion going.
Layering the double meanings on top of one another, each time using a different context for the word and doing it repeatedly will be a difficult task for the critical factor to sort out.
Let’s give an example in which you use the words ‘left’ and ‘right’ in your conversation. Just these two words, left and right, with all their different meanings and in all different contexts, one right after the other. As the conversation proceeds the meanings will start to get confused. Your listener’s critical factor will want you to slow down so it can analyze it all, however the information from you will just keep coming.
The quick smooth relay of all the different meanings of the same words used in different contexts will be very overwhelming to the critical factor. The confusion becomes so much that the critical factor will just give up at some point and let down its guard.
This language of confusion can be used anytime you come across a word with multiple meanings. Keep in mind that the word and its meanings will need to fit into the context of what you are trying to get across to your listener. It seems that the need for adequate context would limit your abilities here, it does to a point but you will be surprised at how often this layering can still be done.
Another confusion pattern in called the double negation. It is otherwise known as double negatives. The way the double negation confusion pattern works is to use two negatives in the same statement, you can use more but you should start with two and work up from there.
In this technique the mind has difficulty because it does not like to deal with negatives. Negatives are confusing because if you really stop to think about it, a negative does not exist. Dealing with something that is non existent is more difficult than dealing with things you can see, hear, and touch.
When your mind hears a statement about something you don’t have there is a process to go through in order to understand that statement. First your mind recognizes the subject, (the thing you don’t have) then it has to take it away realize what you are left with.
It is important to understand how hard the mind is working here, mainly because most people never think about it. Speaking with one negative comes so easily that unless you read this you may never know how hard your mind is working when it hears more than one negative in a statement.
So how double negations work is you make a statement with two or more negatives in it. For example, “I don’t have a piece of gum that you can’t chew.” After you have made a statement to a person with two or more negatives in it you will simply attach the suggestion to the end of it. “I don’t have a piece of gum that you can’t chew anymore than you can relax right now.” Notice how you focused on figuring out whether or not I actually have a piece of gum for you?
Statements with two or three negatives are generally confusing enough to the mind that the critical factor will too be busy dealing what you do an don’t have that the suggestion you attach to it will slip in unnoticed.
***
Found this article useful? You too can learn how to become a master conversational hypnotist!
Topics: Bypassing Critical Factor, Confusion in Hypnosis, Conversational Hypnosis, Hypnotic Language | Leave a comment »
Ambiguity in Hypnosis
By Covert Hypnotist | March 24, 2011
Ambiguous messages are a hypnotists dream when they are learned and practiced correctly. First let’s define these words and messages. There are a vast amount of words in the English language that will have several different meanings or definitions to them. And as you become aware of them you will be able to create a bank of words that can be used in this manner.
Ambiguous messages are simply these words put into a context that will deliver a suggestion or message to the person you are speaking to.
Ambiguous words, which have different meanings, will be used in your practice as a hypnotist. Before you can do this you must find the words, know the different meanings and be able to use them in the correct contexts. Different words will mean different things to people depending on where you are and the nature of the language.
A good and common example of an ambiguous word is the word right. Right can refer to a position of an object or person. It can also mean you were correct in answering a question. It is a casual word we use everyday whether we are putting on our right shoe or whether she was right to wait longer for the bus.
The ways in which words similar to the word ‘right’ work within our minds is important here. When you hear a statement with an ambiguous word in it the unconscious mind will extract that word in turn and analyze all the different connotations and meaning it can have for that particular person. It then narrows down the field and choose the definition that makes the most sense dependant on the context and circumstance of the statement.
This simple trick of using words with different meanings will give you a wide range of levels you can work with a person on. As you will learn later you will be able to communicate on multiple planes with words that are ambiguous. You will learn to embed them into suggestions so that what your conversation is based on may not be the actual message their unconscious is receiving.
Ambiguous messages will do two very interesting and complicated things for you as a hypnotist. It will first require the conscious and unconscious minds a choice. The conscious mind will hear one message and the unconscious mind will be very busy deciphering and filing away the other possibilities.
This alone will cause the second thing to happen which will be that you will begin to communicate on different levels and the listener will unconsciously be keeping up with multiple messages embedded into their meanings.
When learning to use ambiguous messages it is important that you pay attention to setting up the scene or context in which you are going to be using these words. If you do not and the meanings are interpreted differently that you are expecting a completely messy situation can occur. You will think you are sending a specific hidden message and really they will get what may seem like nonsense to them.
Ways you can prepare or set up the context for using ambiguous messages and words is to do some seeding of ideas to build up to the correct interpretations. Another way for preparing is to embed the information in the person before you start in with your multiple meaning words.
Using ambiguous words and messages are usually done in a story. You will tell a story that can be completely off subject as long as the pre-seeded ambiguous word is involved you will be able to plant your suggestions.
Let’s say you are in sessions with someone for a fear of being in tight spaces; or otherwise known as claustrophobia. If you tell a story about space and being in outer space, you can drop in lines that talk about how comfortable space was, maybe even serene, quiet and dark yet peaceful, not confining or alarming.
These are comfortable words and ideas that the unconscious will begin to relate to the other meaning of space for them; the idea of claustrophobia and a fear of tight spaces.
The unconscious will pick up on the idea that space is okay, comfortable, not alarming, and peaceful.
Now don’t be alarmed it this all sounds very complicated and confusing to you, especially having not practiced it. The truth is this is a very sophisticated concept and understanding it can take time. It is however just the beginning of multiple layered effects, their meanings and how they can all occur simultaneously. It is a common occurrence and just becoming aware of it will be a good step.
If you really want to study this further, and you should, you can see this concept happening in many of the various plays by Shakespeare, who was very skilled at layering meanings of different levels into his plays. They are not too hard to pick up on and will give you some further examples of how this is done and the effect it can have on people.
***
Found this article useful? You too can learn how to become a master conversational hypnotist!
Topics: Advanced Rapport Techniques, Ambiguity, Bypassing Critical Factor, Conversational Hypnosis, Hypnotic Language | Leave a comment »
Use Language with Precision in Hypnosis
By Covert Hypnotist | February 24, 2011
Using language with precision is going to be a key factor in your abilities as a hypnotist. When you learn and study language in a way that teaches you to manipulate it to get across exactly what you want when you want to you will be a far better hypnotist than if you were to neglect this skill.
Precision language is going to work with the other elements of language you have been studying. It is most often easily used in the 4 Stage Protocol and can be used with almost any concept here as you are learning Conversational Hypnosis.
Language is the number one tool you will be working with. It is the vehicles that will take your thoughts, ideas and suggestions to the person you are working with. Now you must learn new ways to manipulate and form those thoughts, ideas and suggestions so they serve the purpose you are looking for.
Action accelerating words are one of the new tools that will help you to create a new twist on how to add impact to your language. As humans it is in our nature to want things as quickly and efficiently as possible. Action accelerators are words that will create that need with in the unconscious mind.
Action accelerators are unconsciously connected within us to feel societal pressure to give a quick and complete answer to whatever the request or question may be. They give off the feeling that response is needed immediately in the moment. Some good examples of how actions accelerators work and sound are the words; now, fully, quickly and immediately. Any time you insert one of these words in a statement or question you will evoke the emotion of quick action.
These words create a pressure for the listener to respond immediately and unconsciously. If you are feeling hurried in your response you will often bypass the critical factor out of the feeling of urgent need to meet the request. After the statement is made or the question is asked you are left with no time to second guess your decisions or statements.
In this alone action accelerators are very unconsciously powerful. Because they are so powerful it is also important to consider that there are times when they are appropriate and times when they are not. There is not hard core rule to tell you when it is ok to put this kind of pressure on a person. This is determined by the context of the situation, the person themselves and the environment they are in mentally and physically.
Another way to improve precision in your language is to use Anticipation builders. These are a great component to combine with action accelerators once you learn how to use them together.
Anticipation builders are exactly as they sound they assist you in building anticipation within your listener. This is basically done by frustrating the response. Consider how much more you are likely to want something after someone tells you that you cannot have it. Think of a two year old and the way they often go on and on, “Can I have it, can I have it, how about now can I pleeeeeeease have it!” The more you say no the more determined they are to pester you until they get it.
When you frustrate a response you are basically adding intensity to it. Think of something that is right in front of you but you cannot have it. There is anticipation that naturally and unconsciously starts to build within you simply because you cannot have it right now. You know you will get it later but you want it NOW.
As soon as this happens and you have frustrated the response, even just a little, the desire to have it will grow stronger and stronger the longer you must wait. So what words do you use to build anticipation with in other people?
Words that give a perception of time, eventually we will get to them. In a moment we will go over some examples of these words, and eventually you will have a good start on this vocabulary. Until then, keep anticipation acceleration in mind and sooner or later you will be able to recognize them in others conversations. Finally, a little later we will gradually work them into some statements.
Now you have some samples, you have them in action and a little anticipation should have been created for you, maybe some frustration too.
You will notice these words have the ability of slowing you down, or holding you back from actually getting to the point. This is the effect they are designed to have and there are many more words around that will do the same thing.
As you use these words you will be building the anticipation up and adding power to that with your other language skills. Once you have created all this mental frustration and momentum you will then use action accelerators to release the potential of your idea and there is so much activity going on unconsciously at this point that there will be very little critical factor available to analyze what you have said.
The opposite of the first two language skills here would most likely be Language Softeners. These are another way of using precise language. They are words that are used to soften up commands or instruction and are usually placed at the beginning or middle of statements. They are also most likely found somewhere within the instruction. “Close the window to keep the heat in.” Versus, “You might close the window to keep the heat in.”
Other words that you can use to soften your language are perhaps, maybe and could. The reason you will want to know and build a good vocabulary of these words is you can avoid antagonizing people. Some people, especially those of high status, do not like to hear commands and instruction from others. With language softeners you can make your commands sound much more like polite requests which they are much more apt to put action to.
Finally there is a way to make the failure to respond to a suggestion seem irrelevant precision in language. This includes and is related to softening language in that the impact will make your words and actions softer, less expectant.
There is always the likelihood that a subject will not respond to a suggestion that you have given them. When you ask people to do a thing internally like imagine or feel they may not respond and this can result in a loss of the rapport you worked so hard to build.
The way to avoid this is to give your listener choices that are in all reality instructions. These are statements that are soft, they are also going to be true which is where the opportunity for resistance and loss of rapport are immediately defeated. This is ultimately done by building a yes set of choices that are really instructions.
You could say something to the effect of, “You could imagine yourself in a boat on the water”. There is no argument here because it is true that they could do it. Whether or not they actually do is really irrelevant, the important thing is the flow of conversation has not been interrupted by resistance and loss of rapport. This is a great and powerful way to introduce new ideas or suggestions to a person while avoiding resistance.
Always remember there are times when each language style is appropriate. This applies here as there are times to be soft in direction and times to be much more direct. Even Milton Erickson knew this and practiced it. You will have to rely on your interpretation of the person, circumstance and context to know when the different languages are needed and will be most helpful.
***
Found this article useful? You too can learn how to become a master conversational hypnotist!
Topics: Anticipation builders, Conversational Hypnosis, Deep Rapport, Using language with precision | Leave a comment »
How to Use Hypnotic Themes and Personal Trance Words in Your Hypnotic Sessions
By Covert Hypnotist | January 24, 2011
When really getting at the heart of Conversational Hypnosis we not only need to talk about the words we use in language but how we actually put those words together. Hypnotic words are great tool for you to build on. They will help you very much in your ability to induce states and trances for the end effect of life change for the better.
But now that we have a list of words, hypnotic words, which are specifically designed to induce the beginnings of trance we need to, broaden your horizon. You will do this next by learning about hypnotic themes.
Hypnotic themes are by nature the big brothers of hypnotic words; they are stronger, bigger and more powerful. A hypnotic theme takes the hypnotic words we have been working with and puts them together into a new context. The idea or activity in the themes is loaded with hypnotic characters and as I give you some examples you will see what I mean.
There are many, many hypnotic themes. You see and are confronted by them everyday probably without even noticing it. A hypnotic theme that is very common is when you sit down to watch a movie, whether at the movie theatre or on your television at home. As you are engulfed in the movie’s action you are eventually so absorbed that the very activities around you go unnoticed.
You are too busy experiencing within yourself the lives of the characters you are watching. You are feeling the emotions they are feeling and closely following their story as if it were your own life being played out for the world to see.
This is an example of a hypnotic theme; another example would be if you are a person who enjoys reading. As you sit down with your book you usually end up so wrapped up in the story line that you don’t even notice that you are actually reading words. Instead there is only a picture playing out in your mind, and nothing happens around you except what the characters in your book are doing and saying. Often you will lose track of time and continue reading because the story line is too captivating to put down.
Now the two examples I just gave you are common everyday samples of how a hypnotic theme happens, feels and looks like. These are activities that are loaded with the hypnotic concepts found in the 4 Stage Protocol. Your attention is completely absorbed and the critical factor is bypassed mainly because you believe it is a story, therefore needs no or little analysis.
The activity is also getting an unconscious response from you in that it is evoking emotions, sometimes strong emotion if you can identify with the characters and sometimes just the sharing of the experience. You are also putting the uncommon response into action, you are taking in the experience you are watching or reading about and making it your own, adding it to your file of the way things feel, look, sound and the way they affect you.
Reading books and watching movies are both experiences that will be categorized in the hypnotic themes section of life. We usually don’t view them this way and no one expects them to change your life for the better, but that is because they are simply themes and not the whole process of hypnosis.
As you begin to use hypnotic themes in your practice you will be giving rich and deep descriptions of things, ideas and activities. The more you focus in on these things in your stories the more focused and interested your listener will become in your words. The more you speak in hypnotic themes the more your listener will become engaged in what you are saying. Their neurology and the related matters within them will begin to activate and start buzzing them with excitement about what will be happening next. They will be lost to your conversation much like they are pulled into a book or movie.
This in itself is the activation of a trance. It usually isn’t going to be the type of trance where a person falls on there face because they are so hypnotized but it is defiantly an altered state of mind. They will seem awake with their eyes open and they will respond to your words with slight nods of the head, an occasional word of agreement or facial expressions.
However, you may notice the eyes slightly more dilated and glazed over, and a difference in their breathing. This is because the signal recognitions systems you have learned about will be present even in this sort of trance.
Hypnotic themes are a very powerful way of conveying a story and engaging people in only what you are saying. They will be very helpful in creating a positive environment for other Conversational Hypnosis skills. They are very powerful and can have a dramatic impact on the lives of those around you.
Look for these signals the next time you are in a deep conversation or telling a good story to a friend and you will see that you are probably inducing these everyday without even being aware of it.
Another skill that we need to discuss is that of personal trance words. These are again related to hypnotic words but they are different in that they are words important to the person. Hypnotic words have a universal meaning to them, one that most people understand in a broad sense within the culture.
Personal trance words on the other hand are words that people will lean on unconsciously because they are words that are defining to them. People will find their personal trance words without even knowing it and they will use them over and over again. Each time they use the words they will lean on them in the same ways, using the same tone, emphasis, body language and even the same facial expressions. These words become natural triggers for the people that they belong to.
The bottom line is personal trance words are unique to the individual my personal trance words will likely be different than yours and they will have a special meaning or significance to each person as well. Now there are both positive and negative personal trance words and as you work with people you will begin to pick up on these.
For your purposes in hypnosis you will want to use only the positive personal trance words as you interact with your subjects, you want a positive experience. When you are in a session with a subject and you are using personal trance words you will not have the same trigger effect if you simply state the word.
You must pay attention to the mannerisms, tonality, rhythm and general way they express the word to be effective. Then when you use the word or repeat it back to them you need to do it as closely to how they say the word as possible. This will give you the greatest effect and will allow you to use these words in your language to your advantage.
***
Found this article useful? You too can learn how to become a master conversational hypnotist!
Topics: 4 Stage Hypnosis Protocol, Conversational Hypnosis, Hypnotic Themes, Personal Trance Words | Leave a comment »
