The handclasp/locking induction is a classic. It is basically a suggestibility test that has been converted into an induction. It can be done straight or with another set as a rider.

Recently, someone on one of the many lists I belong to, someone wrote of having trouble finding the induction described online or of finding any good resources on stage hypnosis online. Hmmm. You mean other than the stage hypnosis section at http://www.briandavidphillips.comindex.html or the archives of scripts at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HypnosisTechniqueExchange which does have the hand clasp as done by stage hypnotists and a lot more? 🙂 Do an archive search for “stage hypnosis” or “street hypnosis” for plenty of stuff . . . or, post a query there to get a response from the folks there.

Here’s one stage hypnosis take on the handclasp:

Look at me now … do not look away In a moment Im going to continue relaxing you further (show subjects) In a moment Im going to tell you to extend you hands straight out in front of you The moment that you do you’ll place your palms approximately 12 inches apart. After that I will tell you to close your eyes. The moment you close your eyes you’ll feel as if there are magnets in your palms Your hands will begin pulling and tugging together The moment those fingers touch you will allow them to interlock and you’ll clasp your hands down tightly Extend your hands in front of you now, palms 12 inches apart, fingers spread Your doing fine, your doing perfectly In a moment I’m going to tell you to close your eyes, the moment you close your eyes it will feel as if there are magnets in your palms As I count backwards from 3 to 1 the pull get stronger Close your eyes … close your eyelids down tightly … your hands become tugging and pulling [t & p] … close your eyelids down tightly (t&p) (p&t) as if there were magnets in your palms your hands are being drawn together … Just as a magnet gets stronger the closer it gets, the closer your hands get the stronger the pull (t&p) (p&t) locking down, sealed shut, fingers tightly together the moment they touch (t&p) (p&t) As I count backwards from 3 to 1 the pull gets stronger … number 3 (t&p) (p&t), 3, 2 (t&p) (p&t), the next number, number 1 has lock down, sealed shut, clasp down tighter and tighter together. 3, 2, 1, locking down, sealing shut, clasping tighter and tighter together Thats fine, your doing perfectly In a moment I’m going to count backwards from 3 to 1 again. The moment I say the number 1 you will try to unclasp your hands. The moment you try to unclasp your hands you will find that there is nothing you can do, say or think that will allow your hands to separate. The moment I say the number 1 you’ll try to unclasp your hands. The more you try to unclasp your hands the more securely locked down they become. On number 3 your hands are locking down, sealing shut, clasping tighter and tighter together. On number 2 it feels as if your hands are carved from a single block of wood. On the next number, number 1 you’ll try to unclasp your hands, the more you try the more secure they become, number 1. Try to unclasp your hands, the more you try, the more secure they become, tighter and tighter. Thats fine, your doing perfectly. Stop trying to unclasp your hands, allow your hands to remain straight out in front of you. In a moment I’m going to touch your hands, the moment I touch your hands they will easily and readily unlock. In fact, the moment I touch your hands you will relax every muscle in your body and become limp and loose as if you were made from a handfull of loose rubberbands. The moment I touch your hands you will relax every muscle in your body and become limp and loose as if you were made from a handfull of loose rubberbands. When I touch your hands relax and let go. [The hypnotist goes from subject to subject pushing their clasped hands down into their laps and commanding “sleep”) (Move to staircase relaxation)

This particular handclasp variation is used by Marshal Sylver and others. Johnathan Royle (yes, he of the annoying spam emails) has a pretty good take on the handclasp in his old Secrets of Stage Hypnosis video, not sure about his newer videos, and teaches it pretty much the same way that Paul McKenna runs it (complete with the addition of the stiff-and-rigid-body and swaying-falling-back suggestibility test for an incredibly powerful visual induction). Tom Silver has a pretty good variation of the hand-clasp in his “instant and shock inductions” video as well although I believe that DVD has some even better pieces you might want to take a look at (not intended as a stage reference but as Silver does do stage work and has used the handclasp on occassion, it’s worth seeing). You might mine the rapid and instant inductions tape by Gerry Kein as well.

A simple google search will get you started, albeit, there are a lot more sites trying to sell you stuff than provide any information . . . however, I would certainly not fault folks for that as it is a business . . . albeit, I would fault them if their information is so basic that an idiot-child-chimp could perform it or if it’s so over-priced to be ridiculous.

Of course, the handclasp is a pretty basic induction so any good course on hypnosis, hypnotherapy, or stage hypnosis should have it or a variation of it. Basically, it is a conversion of the standard suggestibility test into an induction. Some folks use the falling-back test as with it to make it flashier (it looks great on stage and really amazes audiences when done correctly – don’t fuck it up or your subject is going to slam into the floor and you’re going to look like the world’s biggest incompetent nit). Any competent hypnotist can do any rapid or instant induction and any competent stage performer can convert anything into a stage induction . . . just takes balls, ability, skill, and more balls.

The hypnostage site has some good articles and Szeles has a lot of worthwhile stuff. Mark Cunningham has a stage hypnosis course which I’ve heard good things about but I’ve not attended and do not own the tapes. Jerry Valley has a course as well which has some pretty standard business in it – more of the classical approach to the subject.

Of course, if you’re looking for stage hypnosis ideas and information, you really want to own a copy of Ormond McGill’s The New Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnotism which you can get at Amazon as well as plenty of other bookstores. It has a very complete rundown of over one hundred inductions along with info on putting a show together and the rest. There are shorter and cheaper books out there . . . but very few that are as comprehensive.

I hope this has been somewhat helpful.

All the best,
Brian