Better it is than gems or gold.
And O! It cannot die.
Thought will live when the stars grow cold
And mix with Deity.
-- Ralph Waldo Emerson
If stage hypnotists can tell volunteers that they are turning into a chicken, why can't experiential hypnotists tell their clients that they are experiencing the fulfillment of their existence and chage the content of their entire life narrative? They can!
Clients have been saying things like, "i can't thank you enough," and, "I feel like I am at a position now where I feel like I can accomplish almost anything!"
Progressive Relaxation Induction
For those who prefer to work from a script, I am including a progressive relaxation hypnotic induction as a preface. Of course, any other induction may be substituted if you prefer, or a preliminary induction may be entirely dispensed with, provided the participant is sufficiently imaginative.
Just imagine that it’s a nice spring day, and that you’re lying on a soft woolen blanket, on a sandy beach, by the side of the ocean. If you accept each detail of the situation as I describe it, without trying to think critically, your imagination will be free to allow you to experience the situation just as if you were really there.
I’m going to count from one to ten, and by the time I get to the count of ten, you’ll be resting comfortably in a deep, sound, peaceful state of hypnosis. So just relax and listen to my voice, as I begin the count from one to ten.
One . You can feel the warm sand beneath the blanket on which you're lying, and you can feel the gentle breeze blowing across your body, cooling you to just the right temperature, so that all you want to do is just keep drifting, and dreaming . . . and floating . . . on . . and on . . . and on into a deep, sound, beautiful state of hypnosis.
Two . You can hear the sound of the waves gently crashing upon the ocean shore. You can hear the sound of the gulls in the distance, and you can savor the freshness of the pure salt air, as you feel a heavy, relaxed feeling coming over you. You can feel your arms relaxing, you can feel your legs relaxing, and you can feel your entire body relaxing completely.
As I continue to count and continue to talk, every word that I utter will carry you faster and deeper, faster and deeper, down and down, into a deep, sound, peaceful state of hypnosis.
Three . You can feel your entire body relaxing now . . . relaxing deeper and faster, and deeper and faster, all of the time.
Four . Sinking down, and shutting down . . . sinking down, and shutting down . . . sinking down, and shutting down . . shutting down completely. And the deeper you go, the deeper you're able to go. And the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go, and the more peaceful, and the more relaxing, and the more beautiful the experience becomes.
Five. Sinking and relaxing, and sinking and relaxing, deeper and faster, deeper and faster, all of the time. Relaxing so very deeply now that you can just let yourself go completely, as you continue drifting down and down, into a deep, sound, beautiful, blissful state of hypnosis.
Every word that I utter is carrying you faster and deeper, faster and deeper, down, and down, and down. And the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go; and the deeper you go, the deeper you're able to go, and the more peaceful, and the more beautiful, and the more enjoyable the experience becomes.
Six . Relaxing so very deeply now, as you continue drifting on and on, into a deep, sound sleep, a deep, sound sleep.
Seven. Sinking down and shutting down. Sinking down and shutting down. Sinking down and shutting down, shutting down completely.
Eight . And the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go. And the deeper you go, the deeper you're able to go. And the deeper you go, the more peaceful the more relaxing, the more beautiful, and the more enjoyable the experience becomes.
Nine. Sinking down, and shutting down. Sinking down, and shutting down. Sinking down, and shutting down. Shutting down completely.
Ten. Very deeply drifting, in a deep, sound state of hypnosis. And the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go. And the deeper you go, the deeper you are able to go. And the deeper you go, the stronger the effects of my words become.
Deepening
Now, as you continue sinking deeper with every word that I speak, and with every second that passes, you can imagine, or picture in your mind, a clock dial, with no second hand and no minute hand on the clock, just an hour hand. And the hour hand is set at twelve.
I’m going to move that hour hand back, one hour at a time, until it’s all the way back to one. And with each hour that I move the hand back, you’ll go twice as deep as you are right now, and you’ll feel twice as good as you do right now.
There is no end to the depth of experience you can have in deep hypnosis.There is no limit to how good you can feel, and to the benefits you can obtain from it. And the deeper you go, the deeper you're able to go . And the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go, and the more peaceful and the more beautiful, and the more wonderful, and the more enjoyable the experience becomes. So just let yourself go completely now, as I move the hour hand back, one hour at a time. ,
And now I’ve moved the hour hand back from 12 to 11, and you’re sinking down twice as deep as you were before. And the deeper you go, the more easily you are able to become aware of your Best Me -- of the person you are becoming.
And now I’ve moved it down to 10, and you feel twice as deep and you feel twice as good. But there’s never any sense of strain or overload, for the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go, and the deeper you go, the deeper you’re able to go. And the deeper you go, the more beautiful, and the more enjoyable the experience becomes.
And now I’ve moved it down to 9. Twice as deep, and feeling twice as good
.As I lead you deeper and deeper into hypnosis, your Best Me, -- your Future Self, -- the person that you are becoming -- will provide you with all the guidance and support that you need, in order to free yourself from the problems and limitations that have been holding you back. This guidance will enable these problems to be solved in just the right way, and at just the right time, for you to keep whatever is of value to the person that you will become and to release and eliminate whatever needs to be released.
8. Twice as deep, sinking down and down, and feeling twice as good, as you allow your Best Me to handle all of your problems in the outside world in the healing, caring light of your future.
7. Twice as deep yet again, and feeling twice as good yet again.
6. Deeper yet. Notice what that does, and notice how good you feel. And imagine how good you're going to feel, when we get all the way down to one
5. Twice as deep, yet again, and feeling twice as good yet again . . . . deeper . . . and deeper . . .And the deeper you go, the deeper you want to go . . . and the deeper you go, the deeper you're able to go . . . and the more beautiful, and the more wonderful, and the more enjoyable the experience becomes.
4. Deeper . . . deeper . . . deeper . . .
3. Twice as deep, and feeling twice as good . . .
2. Deeper . . . deeper . . . deeper . . .
1. Infinitely, and unbelievably deep, and continuing to go deeper with every word that I speak. Deeper and deeper, down, and down, and down.
Now the scene is changing, and we are standing on the top of a large mountain which is covered with clouds after a sudden spring shower. If you accept each detail of the situation as I describe it, without trying to think critically, your imagination will be free to allow you to experience the situation just as if you were really there.
One end of a large rainbow is touching the ground right in front of us. We walk up to this rainbow and prepare to enter the first band. As we go through each band one by one, each band will present you with a priceless gift, which you will be able to take back with you And the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow is the treasure that your life is becoming as we explore the joys and wonders of the Multiverse itself.
First, we are entering the red band of the rainbow. Red is the color of strength. Feel this strength flowing through you now, overcoming negative emotions, overcoming physical discomfort, paving over the effect of every bad thing that has ever happened to you in your entire life, and filling and flooding every muscle, every nerve, and every cell of your being with wave after wave of infinite, boundless strength, and confidence, and power. [Brief Pause]
Orange is the color of happiness.Each time that we practice this multiversal meditation, you go higher; each time, you go faster, and each time you experience this happiness more beautifully and more intensely than you did the time before.
Feel the happiness flooding through you now, filling and flooding every muscle, and every nerve, and every cell of your body with wave after wave of infinite happiness and boundless joy. Infinite happiness, and boundless, boundless Joy. [Brief Pause]
Yellow is the color of healing. Each time that you repeat this multiversal meditation, all of the healing processes throughout your body are considerably strengthened. As we travel through this band of yellow light now, you can feel its healing warmth flooding into every muscle, and every fiber, and every nerve of your body, penetrating to the very core of your being.-- body, heart, mind, and spirit. Body, heart, mind, and spirit. [Brief Pause]
Now, we are entering the green band of light. Green is the color of renewal. The farther we go into the rainbow, the more your sense of the passing of time is slowing down. Regardless of the time we may actually have been away, it will seem as if we had been gone for an eternity. And the benefits of our journey will be increased in direct proportion to the time that it feels like we have been away together.
Now, we are traveling through the band of blue, which is the color of Heaven, and the color of Eternity. This is the true reality, and the universe from which we came is merely an illusion. This is your eternal home beyond the stars, and the spark of Divinity which is within you is nothing less than the energy of the Multiverse itself
You will always look back upon these journeys with fondness, even as you look forward to the next opportunity to return to them with ever-increasing anticipation; for each time that you practice this hypnosis for self actualization, you will be able to obtain even more benefit and more growth from the experience as it continues to change your life forever into a thing of wondrous beauty.
Next, we move into the purple band, which contains the heightened mental and spiritual powers that are becoming yours in ever-increasing amounts, as your consciousness drifts higher.
Now, we are entering the band of violet, which is the color of love. It’s only the separation from this infinite ocean of perfect peace, and calm, and tranquility, that is the source of all unhappiness, all depression, all anxiety, all loneliness and all despair. And now that this separation has been removed, it has brought you an inner peace which is greater than anything that you have ever dreamed of, longed for, hoped for, or imagined, and far, far beyond the power of.the human imagination by itself to even begin to comprehend.
Finally, we have come to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, which holds the priceless treasure that your life is becoming as you continue to practice this multiversal meditation. Scoop it up and take it with you; for It contains everything you wanted from this experience, regardless of whether or not it was specifically included in the suggestions that you were given, and regardless of whether or not you were even fully aware of them yourself at the time
You are a child of the Multiverse, more highly evolved than the rest. And this is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to you.
It's a wonderful feeling of release and liberation which you are experiencing now, as we step out of the final band of the rainbow and into the Multiverse itself, and all of your vast, untapped potentials are becoming freed for their fullest possible functioning. This feeling of exhilaration is going to continue growing and growing, like a snowball rolling downhill, until we return to the universe from which we left.
Self-Actualization
Now, as we step out of the final band if the rainbow and into the Multiverse itself, all of the bands of the rainbow which brought us here have blended into one boundless ocean of perfect, infinite love which contains them all: strength, happiness, healing, renewal, peace, power, and serenity, more beautiful than anything you have ever dreamed of, hoped for, longed for, or imagined, and far, far beyond the power of human imagination to even begin to comprehend.Transcendence
In the center of this infinite ocean of unbounded love, you are completely dissolving into the infinite love of the Multiverse itself (or the Creator Himself). And all of the happiness, all of the love, all of the joy, and all of the rapture that have ever been felt by all of the people who ever walked the face of the Earth, put together, are becoming a part of you, now, in these golden moments of delight -- infinite, beyond infinity, and eternal beyond all measure of eternity: infinite, boundless, eternal, and everlasting, yours to enjoy and yours to be, now, in these golden moments, torn from the pages of time and space.
This is the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to you, greater than anything you have ever dreamed of, hoped for, longed for, or imagined, and far, far beyond the limits of anything that you ever thought was even possible. It is the complete and total fulfillment of your existence: everything you ever were, everything you are right now, and everything you will be in the future, put together and multiplied endlessly, over and over again -- infinite beyond infinity, and eternal beyond all measure of eternity. Revel in it, glory in it, and enjoy the experience to the.fullet. (Pause.)
Here in the Multiverse, where you will spend Eternity, the total fulfillment of your existence has already become an accomplished fact. And as we continue to return here to this, your home beyond the stars, it will change your life forever and turn each new day into a thing of wondrous beauty. -- in many different ways, and on many different levels, some of which you may already know, and some of which you may not yet realize until they actually begin to occur.
You will not be able to bring the full intensity of this experience back with you, because it would be more than you could possibly bear in the universe from which we came. But its healing effects will remain with you, turning each new day into a thing of joy and, with continued practice, paving over the effect of every bad thing that has ever happened to you in your entire life.
Because time does not exist in the Multiverse, it will seem like we have been gone for an entire lifetime; and the benefits of each journey will be increased in direct proportion to the time that it feels like we have been away together.
Return
Now, we are ready to return to the everyday state of consciousness by riding through the rainbow of delight that brought us here, in reverse order, from the inside out. You will remain in deep hypnosis until we emerge together from the final band.
Just as before, each band of color will present you with a priceless gift which you will be able to take back with you, to make it easier for you to withstand stress, pain, and cravings of every kind, and to counteract the effects of every bad thing that has ever happened to you in your entire life. These changes will provide you with a source of deep Inner strength which will enable you to cope much more effectively with all of life's stresses, and all of life's problems.
First, we are beginning to retrace our steps through the band of violet, the color of love. It's only the separation from this infinite ocean of boundless rapture, wonder, ecstasy and delight -- it’s only the separation from this ocean of perfect peace, and calm, and tranquility -- that is the source of all unhappiness, all depression, all anxiety, all loneliness, and all despair. And now that this separation has been removed, it has brought you an inner peace which is greater than anything you have ever dreamed of, longed for, hoped for, or imagined, and far, far beyond the power of human words to describe -- infinite, boundless, eternal, and everlasting. Yours to enjoy and yours to be, now, in these golden moments of delight, torn from the pages of time and space.
Next, we move into the purple band, which contains the heightened mental and spiritual powers that
are becoming yours in ever-increasing amounts, each time this exercise is repeated
And as you continue to regularly practice this mindful hypnotic meditation, it will continue to change your entire existence into a thing of wondrous beauty.
Now, we are traveling back through the band of blue, which is the color of Heaven, and the color of eternity. This is the true reality, and the.world from which we came is merely an illusion.
Regardless of how much or how little you actually remember of these experiences, you will always look back upon these journeys with fondness, even as you look forward to the next opportunity to return to them with ever-increasing anticipation.
You will treasure the effects of these experiences as they add meaning and purpose to your life; and each time that we return, you will be able to derive new benefits from them which will meet your needs even more effectively.
Now we are entering the green band of light. Green is the color of renewal; and each time that you repeat this multiversal meditation, you will obtain even more happiness and more fulfillment from the journey than you did the time before.
Next, we are traveling through the band of yellow light. Yellow is the color of healing. You can feel the healing warmth of this yellow light, flooding once more into every muscle, and every fiber, and nerve and cell of your body, penetrating to the very core of your being -- body, heart, mind, and soul. . . body, heart, mind, and soul.
Now, we are entering the orange band of the rainbow. Orange is the color of happiness. Feel this happiness flooding through you once more, filling and flooding every muscle, and every nerve, and every cell of your body with after wave of infinite happiness and boundless joy. -- Infinite happiness and boundless, boundless joy.
Each time that we repeat this multiversal meditation, you go higher, each time you go faster; and each time, you experience this happiness more beautifully and more intensely than you did the time before.
Finally, we are entering the red band of the rainbow. Red is the color of strength. Feel this strength flowing through you now, overcoming stress, overcoming worry, overcoming depression and care, and filling and flooding every muscle, and every nerve, and every cell of your being with wave after wave of infinite, boundless strength, and confidence, and power.
You will obtain everything you wanted from this experience, regardless of whether or not it was specifically included in the suggestions you were given, and regardless of whether or not you were even fully aware of them yourself at the time; for your Best Me is always with you, guiding your path in the way that it should go.
Now, as we prepare to return to the everyday life from which we came, all of the dimensions of the world from which we originally left will reassert themselves. Your mind will be clear and alert, and you will easily be able to concentrate on anything you have to do. But the benefits and the good feelings of these experiences, will remain with you, adding meaning and purpose to your life, making it so much easier to resist stresses of every kind, and filling your life with zest and joy.
You will obtain everything you needed from today's session, regardless of whether or not it was included in the suggestions you were given and regardless of whether or not you were even aware of them yourself at the time. And whenever you want these feelings if strength and empowerment to return during a moment of special stress, all you need to do is make the okay sign with your thumb and forefinger, and they will come back as strong as ever. Then if you need to, you can pump your thumb and forefinger together to make them even stronger
By the time I get to the count of five, you will open your eyes, wide awake and feeling wonderful. Getting ready to open your eyes now. One. . . Two. . .Three. . . Four. . . Five! You can open your eyes now, wide awake and feeling wonderful!
References
Gibbons, D. E., & Lynn, S. J. (2008). Hypnotic inductions: A primer. In Ruhe, J. W., Lynn, S. J., & Kirsch, I. (Eds.) Handbook of clinical hypnosis, 2nd ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Assn.
Gibbons, D. E., & Woods, K. T. (2016) Virtual reality hypnosis: Exploring alternate and parallel universes. Amazon Books, 2016. (Both print and Kindle editions are available.)
