Well, it is time for the HYPNOTIC VIDEO CHALLENGE to get underway and the very first challenge theme is for folks to go out and video themselves running a variation of the HANDSHAKE INDUCTION.

We were inspired to make this our first challenge them because of discussion of the HYPNO-SCULPTURE videos in which a hypnotist employs a variation of the handshake as an instant induction after which he poses folks like statues.  See the videos and discussion here.

Those unfamiliar with this family of inductions but who wish to participate might benefit from a discussion held at the Hypnosis Technique Exchange in which I answer some questions from Lion of Camelot regarding the series and the induction:

It appears in the video that the guy, just as soon as he takes their hand, grabs their wrist with his other hand and just moves their hand up to their forehead and then begins deepening. Is he saying anything during the hand raising movement? Like "sleep" or something?

Most likely he is saying something like "sleep" or more likely "relax" and deepening. Notice that he chats with folks first and then makes the handshake part of a natural part of the conversation.

The variation he is using seems to be what I tend to think of as the more aggressive version of the handshake induction. It works pretty much the same as the gentler variation with that change of hand placement. The "trick" to it is NOT at the beginning of the handshake which should seem or feel like any normal handshake but at the end of the shake. It’s not just grabbing the person’s hand. Rather, at the end of a normal-ish handshake, at the moment when one would normally let go, you use an ambiguous movement or do something to extend the handshake which causes a moment of confusion. At that moment of confusion, you then fire in your suggestion, framed either with the pull of the hand to the face, or hold the hand up, point at it, and say "look here" step back and continue with "as your hand begins to move towards your face you find you are relaxing more and more" or such patter. I use a weird movement when finishing a handshake and beginning my handshake induction where I interlock my thumb to the other person’s to maintain contact and do a sort of wobble movement (I suppose I’ll just have to video it some day) which induces confusion.

I use a gentle variation not quite as aggressive as the way Win does it in the hypno-sculpture videos but he’s using a variation I’ve seen a number of trainers use. 1. Engage the person, strike up a communication set and gain rapport. 2. Gain explicit or implied consent (I never do anything without this step but a whole bunch of folks skip it). 3. shake hands. 4. at the moment of release, use an ambiguous movement to create confusion. 5. move the hand up and point "look here" OR move than hand to the face. 6. deepening patter to maintain state (without deepening, you’ll lose ‘em.

I guess you can tell right away if they drop, but it looks like a time intensive, stay on your toes kind of technique.

Yes.

You MUST exploit that moment of confusion immediately and you MUST deepen. The "move" and ‘money shot’ moment take some practice but they are not particularly difficult, albeit it does take confidence to actually use it.

Here’s another video of that style of handshake induction which appears less aggressive to show you that it doesn’t have to seem like a sudden attack so to speak . . .

. . . notice he’s very gentle with his body language and his touch appears quite gentle as well.

Here’s Richard Bandler demonstrating and explaining the variation he uses (similar to what I tend to use) . . .

. . . very gentle.

Daniel Jones demonstrates a likewise gentle approach . . .

Here is a video of the handshake within a context of an ambiguous touch within a hypnosis session with a person who has been prepped with pre-talk . . .

I really like the way Derren Brown uses object placement in his variation . . . as we have previously discussed here . . . with analysis here . . . albeit, he’s only after the momentary trance and compliance. See his move in the train thoughts clip as well . . . here . . . Ormond McGill used to do that on busses to practice waking suggestion (see his excellent The New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism for details).

Of course, you can make up all sorts of variations.

. . . and more.

Tom Silver demonstrates the three hand shake induction for his seminar students here . . . similar to Dave Elman’s variation on the handshake.

For those who are less familiar with handshake variations, here are some posts from the archives of the Hypnosis Technique Exchange worth taking a peek at:

• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypnosisTechniqueExchange/message/96
• http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypnosisTechniqueExchange/message/423
  http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypnosisTechniqueExchange/message/425

And there we have it . . . those interested in participating in the first video challenge thing can go ahead and start . . . the first video challenge will be of the HANDSHAKE INDUCTION (any variant, original or following an established pattern). For those of you interested in participating, see the webpages for the HYPNOTIC VIDEO CHALLENGE on the webpages of the Society of Experiential Trance at http://www.trancesociety.org/index.html (see "challenge").

All the best,
Brian

Brian David Phillips, PhD, CH [phillips@nccu.edu.tw]
Certified Hypnotherapist
President, Society of Experiential Trance
Associate Professor, NCCU, Taipei, Taiwan
http://www.BrianDavidPhillips.com

This entry was posted on May 3, 2007 at 12:16 am and is filed under Hypnoduel, Hypnosis Videos, Hypnotic Video Challenge, Walkabout Trance Street Hypnosis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.