A question I ask a volunteer at a high school after prom party or community festival is whether they have ever seen hypnosis before. A prior experience helps me determine what to discuss during the pre-talk, as well as how to best structure the hypnotic induction.
Most people have had some exposure to hypnosis. They’ve seen it in a movie or on
television. Or, they have attended a
comedy hypnosis show.
Interestingly, another source of hypnosis experience is
YouTube and other Web-based video sites.
A quick search using the phrase “hypnotic induction” generates more than
50,000 videos.
I took a look at videos on the initial three pages of search
return and came away reasonably impressed with the quality and effectiveness of
the inductions. It could be a good way
for a person to give hypnosis a try.
However, like nearly everything on the Web, a viewer has to
be guarded and cautious when engaging with one of these inductions. Here are three considerations:
1. Know the source.
Take a few minutes to read about the person who posted the
induction. What is their
background? Are they a trained hypnotist? Take a look at the other videos they have
posted.
2. Read the comments.
YouTube is a social network that gives viewers the opportunity to post
comments about a video. Check them
out. Have other people who followed this
induction had a positive experience?
3. Try it with a friend.
There is comfort and security in numbers. Have a friend present when trying a hypnotic induction
posted on YouTube and ask them to turn the video off should you have any sign
of discomfort.
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