As a professional hypnotherapist with a strong interest in personal development it always amazes me when I suggest self-hypnosis techniques to a client and they respond with "what, you mean I could hypnotise myself?"

There is a truism in hypnosis circles... all hypnosis is self-hypnosis. By this we mean that the hypnotist simply acts as a guide, leading the client into trance by going first and assisting the client by directing the client's attention in specific ways.

Hypnosis is many things... in many ways it similar to the photon in quantum physics... what it is and how it behaves depends on how one views it and the preconceptions one brings to it.

Hypnosis is communication... all communication directs attention in one way or another. With language and non-verbal communication we shape events in another human being's mind. We cannot NOT communicate. Self-hypnosis is a process of communicating with oneself, directing one's own attention in specific ways in order to produce states that are commonly recognised as trance states.

Trance states are nothing special, we go in and out of these states all the time. There is a mystique built up around this term trance, but a trance state can be characterised by the direction of attention being inwardly focussed. This focus can be very intense, as in deep meditation, or broad and unspecified as in daydreaming states. If you have ever driven a car and realised that you have no recollection of the last three miles, or if you have ever been so absorbed in a book or a film that you've failed to hear someone calling your name, then you have been in a trance state.

In hypnosis we use those trance states to positive effect, through a combination of any or all of techniques such as suggestion, mental rehearsal, guided imagery/visualisation and more. In self-hypnosis you can do exactly the same.

I am going to share a very simply yet profoundly effective method of inducing such a trance state with you right now. Although it can help to speak out loud while learning the technique, once you are comfortable with this approach you can practice in silence, which makes it ideal for all sorts of circumstances.

This technique is a variation of that developed by Elizabeth (Betty) Erickson, wife of the late Milton Erickson. Dr Erickson is recognised by many as one of the greatest clinical hypnotherapists of the 20th century and founded an approach to therapy that bears his name, Ericksonian Hypnosis. However, his wife Betty was no mean hypnotist herself and had a deep understanding of the relationship between perception and mental state, as experience with this technique will show.

There are a number of ways in which you can use this technique... you could use it to enter into a state in which you then carry out a guided visualisation using symbols or visual metaphors or a mental rehearsal of yourself performing with excellence in some future activity. You could give yourself positive suggestions prior to the induction, saying something like "and as I enter a state of deep relaxation, I become increasingly (positive quality one wishes to acquire)..." The possibilities are limited only by your imagination, and will be explored in a future article.

Now to the technique, the Betty Erickson Self Hypnotic Induction. First, ensure you are sat somewhere comfortable. Somewhere with some external activity is useful but not too stimulating, and that has some visual variation (you will understand why in a moment). Take a few deep, slow breaths (always a good precursor to relaxation, and with practice will give you a head start in entering that trance state).

So, now you are sat comfortably, notice, and make comment about, something you see (e.g. I see the shadows formed by irregularities on the wall). Do this three times with three different observations. Do this slowly and give yourself plenty of time.

Notice, and make comment about, something you hear (e.g. I hear the sound of my own breathing). Do this three times with three different observations.

Notice, and make comment about, something you feel (e.g. I feel the temperature of the air on my skin). Do this three times with three different observations.

Repeat the cycle (I see... I hear... I feel...) twice for each sense (sight, sound and sensation) with two different observations, and then again once for each sense.

You may wish at this point to close your eyes if you haven't done so already, and repeat the whole process from within an imagined scene, or using internal images and external sounds and sensation. The trick with this technique is not to be too rigid, but to go with what works for you. After some practice I find myself in trance quite rapidly and usually close my eyes around the point at which I repeat the visual observation twice. If your mind wanders, that's OK, just relax into the state. This is a method of entering deep states of relaxation, not a competitive sport!

That really is it. As I said, a profoundly simple yet effective technique. Use it to relax, use it to install positive suggestion or use it to simply enter a calm still space within. With practice you can enter deeply relaxing trance states very quickly, in all sorts of situations, at work, travelling, at home, and use this states to boost productivity, explore your own personal/spiritual development and step up to excellence in all aspects of performance. Enjoy!

About the author:

Adam Sargant is a professional hypnotherapist with his own clinic in the UK, The Haworth Hypnotherapy and Healing Clinic. He is the author of A Small Course in Self-Hypnosis and has a free mp3 guide to the Betty Erickson Induction.