So do I focus on the induction or not?

[misterbigbellylover]

Hi,

I've been trying some hypnosis files for quite a while now, but it seems they're not getting me in trance deep enough. Am I supposed to focus on the file with my complete attention, or can my mind wander? I can't focus for the complete duration of some inductions :(

I've had one file that worked, I think (fat farm). When the induction was almost done my mind wandered and I somehow imagined that I was walking up a stairs (no idea why or how) and I noticed my legs moving because of it. I then focussed on that so much that I was completely out of trance right when the actual file began..

[JackDrago]

Don't worry about your mind wandering. That's a classic sign of trance. Just let your mind drift and don't worry about it.

[blanketcross]

Just to confirm, having thoughts completely unrelated to the hypnosis file during the induction, then instantly paying attention to the body of the file is ok? If it is, then hypnosis will be/is so much easier for me.

[oatmeal]

If you find your mind drifting to unrelated thoughts, you can gently redirect it to the hypnotist's voice. Aside from that, just relax and you'll go under faster. Having stray thoughts for the first ~10 minutes is totally normal. Not blacking out after hearing a trigger is also completely normal, even if it's a well-trained trigger.

If you're having trouble feeling totally calm and relaxed by the end of a file, try placing a separate induction (nothing particularly long is needed) in front of it in a playlist. It'll help you go deeper before your file starts, resulting in an overall better effect by the end.

[ProfessorPig]

i am a big fan of letting my mind wander because that is what works for me. one suggestion i like to recommend is to let yourself fantasize about the changes you would like to experience. i think it's probable that the thoughts you have when you are listening to a file can alter how the file affects you. i think some people struggle with hypnosis because they are hypnotically reinforcing the idea that the files are not working.

i think some people will achieve better results focusing on the hypnotist's voice and thoughts, but you need to find what works best for you.

[oatmeal]

i think some people struggle with hypnosis because they are hypnotically reinforcing the idea that the files are not working.

This makes sense to me. I used to have trouble exiting the state of mind that allows myself to critically think. I wasn't used to hypnosis working, so my mind would be filled with doubt, and sometimes active criticism of the file. The doubt would prevent my mind from relaxing and becoming suggestible. As a result, trancing wouldn't work, or would work minimally. Once I learned how to relax my mind, the problem vanished, and not only could I reproduce it to go under more quickly, I found that I can often put myself under without a hypnotist's voice.