Problems with creating generic files - Erikson, 1952

[davelowe1977]

Taken from Experimental Hypnosis

Efforts have been made to solve some of these difficulties by developing special techniques for the induction and regulation of hypnotic trances, sometimes with little regard for the nature of hypnotic behavior. One of the most absurd of these endeavors, illustrative of a frequent tendency to disregard hypnosis as a phenomenon in favor of an induction technique as a rigidly controllable process apart from the subject's behavior, was the making of phonograph records [or mp3 files]. This was done on the assumption that identical suggestions would induce identical hypnotic responses in different subjects and at 2 different times. There was a complete oversight of the individuality of subjects, their varying capacities to learn and to respond, and their differing attitudes, frames of reference, and purposes for engaging in hypnotic work. There was oversight of the importance of interpersonal relationships and of the fact that these are both contingent and dependent upon the intrapsychic or intrapersonal relationships of the subject....

Discuss.

[User517]

While this is generally true, there will always be differences between people, and this is why most of the studies involving hypnosis tend to be inconclusive, corrupted, or just conducted wrong, it does not necessarily speak of all methods of hypnosis. It's my understanding that neurolinguistics (NLP) was developed as a possible solution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuro-linguistic_programming

Certain subliminal methods have also had some success.

[MN_FriendlyGuy]

Discuss.

Great discussion topic!

Imagine hiring a crew of workers... hiring them to clean a 10-story building.

If the elevators and stairs are locked & unavailable, the crew is limited. Their ability to clean is limited to the main floor.

- They'll clean the lobby area that becomes so busy at times
- They'll clean the reception area, making it ready for the next set of visitors
- If there are shops on the main floor, they'll clean those too

But the upper floors... where work is done... those areas will remain unchanged.

[Ladon]

In the original Trance Formations, it was suggested (pardon the pun) that a significant key to hypnosis is pacing. Pacing involves matching elements of the subject's experience. Their breathing patterns, unconscious movements, and their immediate experiences.

The idea was: matching patterns that the subject is experiencing, you gain their subconscious trust to some extent. Breathing as they do, using phrases and words they use, working with their primary learning method (auditory, visual, kinesthetic), adding elements of their experience to your suggestions, you enhance rapport.

While I don't think anyone is saying that recordings will not work, I think one-on-one hypnosis is a more effective tool to achieve the subject's needs/desires. It is exceedingly unlikely that a recording is able to match the ability of a live hypnotist to adapt to the subject's changing state. No two sessions will be alike, even with the same individual.

I will say, it seems that some hypnotic patterns are more effective in recordings than others. Blink's Basic Induction is a good example, IMO, using nested realities, embedded commands, and indirect suggestion (among others I'm probably not aware of). I'd really like to know why he uses the word 'cold' so much during one particular part of the file...