TAKE IT OUTSIDE: THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO STREET HYPNOSIS

DAVID THE HARMONICA BUSKER

 Just as I am in the process of transforming from guitar busker to didge busker (see my previous posts -- it’s a winter weather thing), I am also fomenting the idea of extending my clinical hypnotherapy practice to the street.  I am thinking people who love HYPNOSIS will especially enjoy STREET HYPNOSIS.

Hypnotherapy, from my own experiences, can be an academically sophisticated process (training and practicing and whatnot); however, hypnotizing strangers on a noisy street corner need not be as complicated and … one reason for doing such would be to promote my indoor HYPNOTHERAPY PRACTICE.

STREET HYPNOSIS, as with other hypnoses (plural) in general, can be a doorway between the conscious and the unconscious.  STREET HYPNOSIS is the fastest way to mine the conscious mind and while tapping the unconscious mind, all of which while taking place on a sidewalk, taking only a maximum of four minutes time from start to finish with each volunteer subject.

STREET HYPNOSIS is similar in style to CONVERSATIONAL HYPNOSIS (except more overt rather than covert).  For STREET HYPNOSIS no pocket watch is necessary.  However, just as a clinical hypnotherapist will follow a particular CODE OF ETHICS, so must a street hypnotist be encouraged to follow a code of ethics.  

Here are some ideas and examples of my soon-to-be estival STREET HYPNOSIS practice, including a quick guideline for the aspects of INTRODUCTION, INDUCTION, DEEPENING, SUGGESTION, and AWAKENING.

• INTRODUCTION

First, introduce yourself.

Hi … I’m Neil … What’s your name?

Second, tell what you do.

I’m a hypnotherapist … today I’m a Street Hypnotist.

Third, give a compliment.

You seem to be someone who is with it … someone who is rather together at least in the psychological sense.

Fourth, get consent by asking permission.

Have you ever been hypnotized?  And no matter the answer yes or no, your answer will be Great … then you know the routine or Great … then you should find this interesting.

REMEMBER THAT CONSENT IS NECESSARY.  

Hey, want to experience something really cool … something really recreational … something RELAXING … something positively safe and legal?

AND ALSO REMEMBER … NO SUBJECTS UNDER THE AGE OF CONSENT.  I live in Saskatchewan, Canada and the age of consent is 16 but … for any street hypnoses I insist that the subjects be at least 18 years of age.

• INDUCTION

In STREET HYPNOSIS … SUBJECTS HAVE LITTLE TIME TO RESIST.

-THE FALLING HAND:  

I’d like you to sit right here okay … now raise one palm up … I press my palm down and against the subject’s rising palm … then suddenly withdraw my palm and command the subject to Sleep!

-THE STICKY HANDS: 

I’d like you to extend both hands about 1 to 2 feet apart, palms facing one another.  Now imagine there is a magnetic attraction between your palms and they are slowly closing in one another … slowly drawing together … and as soon as your palms do touch together you will go into a deep trance so to speak okay … slowly, slowly bring your palms together … that’s right … and just before they touch I, with my own hands, gently clap the subject’s hands together and command the subject to Sleep!

-THE HANDSHAKE (OR FISTBUMP):  During the introduction (as somewhat expressed above) … Hey, want to experience something really cool … something recreational and positively safe and legal and really RELAXING … and during the handshake I will suddenly command the subject to Sleep!

Immediately following the INDUCTION … I go to DEEPENING.

• DEEPENING

-THE 10 – 1 COUNTDOWN:  I’m now going to count down from 10 to 1 … and by the time I get to the number 1 you’ll be deep in trance … and when you’re in a RELAXED trance you’ll be receptive and responsive to my suggestions … okay?

-THE SHOULDER TAP:  Every time I tap you on the shoulder like this [demonstrate] you’ll be more RELAXED and fall deeper and deeper into a very RELAXED trance … and when you’re in this RELAXED trance you will be open and receptive to respond to my suggestions … okay?

Immediately following the DEEPENING … I go to SUGGESTION.

• SUGGESTION

Street Hypnosis can make anyone do pretty much anything, can make any subject feel happy, or sad or angry, can make anyone laugh or sing or cry or dance.  Street Hypnosis can even make people forget their own names.

-THE HANDSTICK:

Standing by a nearby wall or seated at an outdoor table or even squatting down on the sidewalk … I would like for you to have your hand stick to this wall/table/sidewalk … but before I do … do you prefer gravity or glue or magnets for such to occur … then I go with whatever the subject picks… Imagine now there is ….

-NOW THAT'S FUNNY: 

I’m going to tell you now that though most people, except for people like you and I, though most people find most things to be rather unremarkable … and most things certainly not funny.  But we, you and I, find deeper meaning in things, therefore deeper humor in most things … take for instance the word [insert any word, gourmand (one who is heartily interested in food and drink) or haberdasher (one who specializes in men’s clothing] … or my hat that I have on hand in my guitar case and that I don for just this occasion … this word [gourmand/haberdasher] or my hat  is incredibly funny … in fact, this word [gourmand/haberdasher] or my hat is the funniest word you’ve heard or the funniest hat you’ve seen in a long, long while and you certainly will express that in your laughter … which you certainly deserve as well.  Now I’ll say the word or put on the hat.

OTHER SUGGESTIONS (having loads of enjoyment potential): STEEPLE FINGERS, THE LOCK … (EYE LOCK), YOU’VE GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN YOUR HANDS … (STIFF OUTSTRETCHED ARMS), SILENT MOVIE (SUBJECT UNABLE TO SPEAK), and similar to the HANDSTICK, the LEGSTICK.

Immediately following the SUGGESTION … I go to AWAKENING.

• AWAKENING

THE 1 – 10 COUNT-UP:  Now thank you very much for joining me … and now I’m going to count up from 1 to 10 … and when I get to the number 10 … when I get to the number 10 … I will snap my fingers and then we will shake hands and wish each other well and thank-you.

  

Some things about STREET HYPNOSIS, that I’d like you to consider:

• FRAME THE GAME to suit you and your street circumstance. 

• BE ALWAYS THE CHARISMATIC PROFESSIONAL … BUT DON’T BE OVER PROFESSIONAL … IT’S NOT WHAT YOU SAY BUT HOW YOU SAY IT THAT COUNTS. BEING STREET SMART IS AS IMPORTANT AS BEING LEARNED.

• RATHER THAN PUSH YOUR SUBJECTS – PULL THEM IN.

• A HAPPY FACE.

A simple smile is the confirmation test, whether or not you have a willing participant.

Hypnosis is all about imagination and concentration.  I’d like you to imagine and I’d love for you to concentrate on the things I am about to say … okay.

REMEMBER THAT TALKING AT SOMEONE IS INEFFECTIVE. 

The more precisely you explain to your subject the requirement of the procedure, the better will be the hypnotic response.

A person is hypnotized AS SOON AS the suggestion has been carried out.

Your hand is heavy, heavy, heavy and the more you try to lift it (from the table) the heavier it becomes.  As soon as that hand is demonstrably heavy, that person is hypnotized.

Remember also, finish each hypnotic action by offering each subject QUID PRO QUO a personally perceived bad habit the subject wants to kick … then suggest such through HYPNOSIS, for example if the subject has expressed a desire to stop smoking, a smoking dialogue: Where do you go to smoke?  How would you be if you weren’t smoking?  … Just shut your eyes for a moment and imagine your experience as a non-smoker.  You know about change … you’ve had to change your life before … you are quitting smoking now … you are again changing your life.

UNDERSTAND that the POWER OF SUGGESTION is ALWAYS WORKING.

UNDERSTAND, TOO, MOST OF YOUR VOLUNTEER SUBJECTS WILL BE VERY COMPLIANT …  

AND WHAT THEY EXPERIENCE WILL DEPEND ENTIRELY ON WHAT THEY EXPECT TO EXPERIENCE. 

 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

(You can see for yourself that taking selfies is not my expertise.)