5 Fun & Simple ways of inducing hypnotic trance

The swinging pendulum, a dizzying spiral, looking at a point…

That’s how we imagine hypnosis.

But there are gentler ways.

These are 5 cool induction techniques (ways of going into a trance):

1. Breathing awareness

Becoming aware of our breathing - the air moving in and out of our nostrils, stomach rising and falling and the feeling of expansion and contraction.

This is not deep breathing or hyperventilation.

Just observing our natural breathing, going on all by itself. With no attempts to change it.

2. Body awareness

Guiding our awareness within, feeling the body.

The places where we are in contact with the support, the posture, how different parts of the body relate to each other…

3. Progressive muscle relaxation

Letting every bit of the body relax completely, starting from tip of the toes or top of head. Progressively moving to adjacent parts.

4. Utilising a symptom like pain

This is a sweet one.

If you’re in acute pain and that’s making it hard to relax, we can use the pain.

This is a kind of body awareness where we accept the pain and place our awareness on it without judgement.

5. Using imagination

This works well for inducing or deepening the trance.

It can be:

Free imagination - where the client imagines something pleasant

or

• Guided imagination - the therapist chooses the scene and guides the client along