Mystery of the Swinging Watch

When I initially tell people that I practice and share hypnosis I often get perplexed looks soon followed by some interesting questions.

That's about mind control, right?  No...not at all.  In fact, all of hypnosis is self-hypnosis.  It's when a person allows their subconscious mind to interpret how they perceive their surroundings.  The hypnotist merely serves as a guide that enables a person to accomplish this more easily.


You're not going to make me bark like a dog?  To this I ask the person if they would normally bark like a dog.  Of course not.  Which is why the answer is always "no."  In fact, while experiencing hypnosis a person would never do anything that it is uncomfortable or outside of their morale compass.

Photo source:  Plymouthhypnosis.com

Do you use a swinging watch?  This is one of my favorite questions as it captures a lot of what is misunderstood about hypnosis, much of which is attributable to how it is presented in movies, on television and in books.

Ironically, the potential of a swinging watch to induce a hypnotic state is actually quite plausible.  That's because the introductory part of any induction is typically defined by a brief period of focus (i.e. concentrate on a spot on the wall, stare at your clasped hands, close your eyes and visualize an image, etc.).

So...I guess I could use a swinging watch.  I don't though because it's too much of a cliche.