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So I have been practicing hypnotism with my friends with fairly good results. Except I just started to feel bad about it. Why do I have the right to hypnotize them? I do not do anything embarrassing or scary with them just simple things like make them forget an object they where thinking of or sticking them in space. I also usually end with some statement like, "now you will be able to relax like this whenever you want, here is how," and I tell them about deep breathing or whatever.

Anyway do other people feel bad when they do this or is this a reaction to having control over people. Should I stop or continue? I enjoy doing it a lot but something just does not feel right about it.

I'm no voice of erudition, but in my opinion, if you're uncomfortable, you should stop, or at least rethink why you're doing what your doing.

I do the pulse stop (gimmickless) all the time. When I do, I have a siloent script going that gets me to feel and express that I get a headache when my pulse stops. I didn't quite scare her, but one girl was seriously worried about what I was apparently putting myself through to entertain. This is perfectly fine with me- it's entertainment and fun.

Hypnosis, from my somewhat shallow understanding of it*, requires the consent of the assistant. If this is the case, they're opening up to you, and as long as you do them no harm, I see no reasons for guilt. Just don't convince people that they were abducted by aliens, etc.

Important, of course, is the question "why?". Why are you uncomfortable with doing hypnosis for entertainment? If you can understand the reason why you're uncomfortable, you can decide for yourself whether you want to quit or not.

Good luck,
M

donkeylord wrote:So I have been practicing hypnotism with my friends with fairly good results. Except I just started to feel bad about it. Why do I have the right to hypnotize them? I do not do anything embarrassing or scary with them just simple things like make them forget an object they where thinking of or sticking them in space. I also usually end with some statement like, "now you will be able to relax like this whenever you want, here is how," and I tell them about deep breathing or whatever.

Anyway do other people feel bad when they do this or is this a reaction to having control over people. Should I stop or continue? I enjoy doing it a lot but something just does not feel right about it.

Continue! Enjoy it by working within a moral framework that sits well with you.

I think my problem is that I need them to enjoy whats going on, and maybe it even help them in some way, not just have them respond and do what I say. Now to create the correct effects!

Its when people wont look in to your eyes thats when you have the power my friend. A lot of people want to know what it feels like anyway so carry on doing. I bet most of them asked you to put them under so whats the worry with that?

I don't see anything wrong with it at all, you can't hypnotise someone who doesn't want to be hypnotised, they have to allow themselves to go under.

well, you can always anchor a positive feeling for them at some point couldnt you...or as you bring them back "out" allow them to feel positive and relaxed, even more so than normal as you sit there and read this, allowing that positivity to spread through your system...that's right..

sorry...got carried away there...

Lady of Mystery wrote:I don't see anything wrong with it at all, you can't hypnotise someone who doesn't want to be hypnotised, they have to allow themselves to go under.

Yes and no. But mainly yes miss Monster.

Abraxus wrote:well, you can always anchor a positive feeling for them at some point couldnt you...or as you bring them back "out" allow them to feel positive and relaxed, even more so than normal as you sit there and read this, allowing that positivity to spread through your system...that's right..

sorry...got carried away there....

Actually what that chap there says is right, most people comming out of trance feel great.

Everything said are valid points and has me practicing again. Thanks everyone for getting the energy back into my practice

kenton knepper offers some good advice on it all, he says to always thank them, and to say "it takes a special kind of person to allow hypnosis to happen, a creative intelligent mind..so thank you all for sharing so much with us...."

paraphrasing obviously, but along those lines...

Lady of Mystery wrote:I don't see anything wrong with it at all, you can't hypnotise someone who doesn't want to be hypnotised, they have to allow themselves to go under.

Yes you can, and if you can't see what's wrong with it then imagine it like this: just because you hand your car keys to a mechanic that's not to say they're competent and will take good care of your car.

A lot of people turn to hypnosis because of the feeling of control it gives them; Donkey, you are wise to be careful with what you suggest, but just as a mechanic should be properly trained and certified before tinkering with someone's car, so should you before tinkering with someone's brain. By the sound of it there's a lot you don't know about Hypnosis and perhaps it is this that feels wrong to you?

You sense the power you have but also your inexperience.

It might be best to remember this quote before you find yourself on a slippery slope: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely".

There are only two sensible options with something this important: seek proper training and learn or stop altogether.

Yea I'm still learning. Reading McGills "New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis." I was lucky enough to watch a hypnotist in action this weekend so I got to see a lot of what I'm reading in action. It was a great experience and in him I saw a lot that I would have done differently. Only because we have different styles.

Hypnotism is a fascinating art that is going to take a lot of time to master. But as I was taught by my dad, nothing worth while is easy.