This one is surprisingly easy to do for yourself. Use a calm, slow, soothing tone of voice to silently repeat the following to yourself, making sure to adjust the words to suit your current situation:

I'm sitting in a chair.

I am breathing.

My eyes are open/closed.

I am hearing these words.

I may be aware of some sounds...

(A positive suggestion of your own choosing)

The order in which you repeat 1 through 5 is unimportant. Silently saying them to yourself over and over again, will take you into, and deepen the trance. Number 6 can be varied to include suggestions about going deeper, or of accomplishing your goals for the session, or of developing a happy and joyful attitude in life. It is also a good idea before you start to give yourself a time limit. Before you start just ask your unconscious mind to bring you back in X minutes. You may be surprised at the accuracy of your internal clock.

Sample suggestions:

As I go more deeply into hypnosis.

As I am allowing my unconscious to make all the necessary changes to accomplish my goal.

As I enjoy the process and wonder how the positive changes will be making my life better.

And, begin to appreciate myself more for taking the time to do something good for myself. 

As I make all the positive changes in a way that's just right for me

As I enjoy knowing that the changes have already begun.

And, find myself enjoying my life, and having more and more fun each day.

If you find your mind wandering during this process, it's perfectly natural. When you're in a trance, you may lose track consciously, and if you do, just let it happen. Your unconscious will still be functioning perfectly well, and following your positive suggestions even while your conscious mind is experiencing different pleasant thoughts.

Of course, there are a great many different methods of self hypnosis, and I hope what you've just read stimulates your desire to learn more about how hypnosis can help you expand your capabilities and your mind.

Milton H. Erickson, MD was one of the great hypnotherapists of the twentieth century. He was much admired for his creative approach to working with clients, dramatic successes with difficult cases, and for his hypnotic skills. The school of hypnotherapy named after Erickson tends to include his style of hypnotic language, a creative use of therapeutic metaphor, and a belief that everyone has all of the internal resources and capabilities necessary to make any positive changes that they wish. Erickson was also known for his permissive style of hypnotherapy that incorporated the unique individuality of his patients into the therapy that he did with them.

Up until Erickson's time the prevailing practice in hypnotherapy was to use primarily direct and authoritarian suggestions. "Your eyes are getting heavy. You are becoming sleepier and sleepier...." An Ericksonian approach might be something like: "As you're sitting there, eyes open, understanding each of these words, you might begin to notice a sense of growing comfort, as you are becoming more focused on certainly more pleasurable thoughts, and that sense of comfort is relaxing, isn't it?" If you noticed some grammatical inconsistencies in that last sentence, you have already begun to notice one of the characteristic hallmarks of Ericksonian technique. The slight confusions that arise from such inconsistencies are useful in producing a pleasant and productive trance state.

Ericksonian Hypnotherapy continued on next page