WarpMyMind

Okay,I know part of my problem is that, as a retired software engineer, I’m an analytical thinker. But I can’t help it- that’s who I am.

I’ve been struggling for four weeks trying to learn to trance, with extremely little success. But virtually every induction has some variant on the trance imagery of “Going down, deeper and deeper - twice as deep, 10 times as deep, 30 times as deep, totally deep. Now go deeper.” And this is trying to get you INTO trance, so it’s still talking to your conscious mind. I don’t understand how any mind with a shred of logic doesn’t just blow up at this.

First of all “Going down” - what is that instructing me to do? I’m lying on a bed. There is no place “down” to go.
Second “deeper and deeper” - okay, I understand that we want to go into a deep trance, but how do you compare the depth of trances, and, if you can, what do you do to make yourself “go deeper”?
Third, no one has suggested a numeric measure for the depth of trances, so how can we say “Go twice as deep”, etc. It’s not like we’re measuring depth in the ocean, and going from 100 ft deep to 200 ft deep.
And finally, how can you be “totally deep”, and then go deeper.

Now, I realize that, in some sense, there is an attempt to use some vivid imagery here, but as far as giving us any guidance on what exactly we’re supposed to be doing, that is making it devoid of content, and just leaves me very frustrated.

Is there anyone who can reframe these instructions into something that is meaningful and helpful? If so, I would be extremely grateful.

.
The questions you're asking @geekdh . . .
. . . they're good ones

I'm one of the kink hypnotists who stop by WMM now and then. So, being the first one to reply to your posting is a win!

Giving guidance on what exactly we’re supposed to be doing

Take a moment to feel happy . . . Happy about your career and your career successes

The pre-retirement work habit of analytical thinking served you well
But I'm inviting you to set that old habit aside and cultivate a new habit; the habit of thinking with the emotional part of your mind. There are lots of ways to do that. Here's one:

Take a few minutes to remember people you worked with
- ones you disliked
- as well as ones you liked

Then, do it again with your eyes closed . . .
- remembering faces, hair and clothing
- remember the workplace and how it was set up

As your mind meditates and remembers details,
wayward thoughts will begin coming to mind

Wayward thoughts are effortless evidence of a mind that's going deeper. You know it's true because each night after laying down to fall asleep, random thoughts begin emerging and spinning themselves into dreams, don't they?

geekdh, I don't know How you're going to do it
- And I don't know When the emotional part of your mind will eventually feel happy from hearing the words "deeper and deeper"

But I know you're going celebrate

you're a software engineer so this makes sense

deeper()
{
}

right now it doesn't mean anything it's just an empty function.
its declaring somethign it wants us to do but there are no variables to measure it by

that's something that us analytical types will get told is a problem. trying to measure it; trying to determine *IF*.
but logical and software is full of IF statements.

what want to do is; have a nice daydream. relax a bit an pretend we're in an episode of the "im hypnotised" tv show.
maybe Drama is something you enjoy; perhaps you don't like to be the center of attention; perhaps its silly to pretend to be something else.
i know that for me i don't like being laughed at; and my parents encouraged me to stop pretending at a younger age because it wasn't real.

but thats a beautiful thing about hypnosis; if we can remember and pretend it's real; then it's more than real enough.

so I'm going to suggest some things to *do* when you hear the word deeper.
you don't need to measure them.

when you hear the word; let yourself be calm. if you notice your breathing let it be slow and steady. calm can also mean let go of any other thoughts. you've set this time aside to do soemething so; let's do that by listening; let what the hypnotist is saying be as important as it can be to focus on right now.
then; do what the hypnotist says. depending on why you're listening you might want to let yourself 'obey' and 'submit' and imagine yourself doing that.

so now its

deeper()
{
calm
listen
obey
}

if they say go twice as deep; do that twice
if they say go ten times as deep; do that until they say something else that you need to do
you're an engineer let that cycle run in the background until you don't notice it anymore; let your subconcious do that work for you.
you don't think about walking anymore. you probably don't think that much about the actual driving; just the destination and maybe the next turn or two.

so let "deeper" be a word that's part of the journey

Stan and FriendlyGuy,

Thanks so much for giving me something to think about, and helping me reframe it. I’ll try to apply that.