Practical Guide to Self-Hypnosis by Melvin Powers

Author:Melvin Powers [Powers, Melvin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: manybooks.net

Chapter 9

Techniques for Reaching the Somnambulistic State

As indicated in the last chapter, the attainment of the somnambulistic stage of hypnosis can represent an extremely intricate procedure. Because of certain inherent characteristics of this stage, it is easier to attain by hetero-hypnosis. However, this does not preclude the fact that it can be reached without the aid of a hypnotist. More important than the testing and deepening procedures that I shall outline for you in this chapter are an understanding and an awareness of some of the complexities involved, first in achieving the hypnotic state, then deepening, and, finally, reaching somnambulism. There are no absolute or final answers to many of the problems that can arise. You can become entangled with rationalization so easily when you want the facts to fit a particular theory. I point this out to the reader because, as the subject goes deeper, the procedure can become more complicated.

There are many interesting phenomena which can be elicited in the somnambulistic state. They are of interest for the most part, to students of abnormal behavior and are pertinent from an academic viewpoint. They do not fall within the province of this book or of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes and might lead the reader astray. Should readers be interested in further hypnotic phenomena, I refer them to Modern Hypnosis by Leslie Kuhn and Salvadore Russo, Ph.D., Experimental Hypnosis by Leslie LeCron, Time Distortion in Hypnosis by Milton Erickson, M.D. and Lynn F. Cooper, M.D., and Hypnotism--An Objective Study in Suggestibility by André M. Weitzenhoffer, Ph.D.

As discussed previously, some individuals experience difficulty in attaining the deeper hypnotic states. My advice is to be patient and to continue working with yourself. It is not imperative or vital to reach the somnambulistic stage for therapeutic results. It is a misconception on the part of many students that they must go into the deepest state possible to obtain results. Dramatic changes can come about at all levels of hypnosis. The somnambulistic state is necessary in hypnotherapy when there is a need for the patient to relive some traumatic episode. It is also useful when the patient is reluctant to consciously discuss certain aspects of his problem. Many hypnotherapeutic techniques such as amnesia, hypermnesia, progression, paramnesia, automatic writing, dream induction, regression, production of experimental conflicts and crystal or mirror gazing require a somnambulistic state. For those of you interested in hypnotherapy, I can recommend no finer book than Hypnotherapy of War Neuroses by John G. Watkins, Ph.D. In this book, the theory of hypnotherapy has been diagramatically presented for easy comprehension and shown to be an amalgamation of concepts and practices from various schools of thought.

Most students of hypnosis equate the phenomenon of amnesia with the somnambulistic state. The mistake they make is in trying to achieve amnesia. It's similar to the dog trying to catch his tail. It is impossible for the subject to effectively suggest amnesia to himself. If he remembers what he was supposed to forget, he has failed.

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