In reference to my recent announcement about my upcoming hypnocast audioblog podcast, a member of the Hypnosis Technique Exchange asks:

Pardon my ignorance. What’s a podcast?

No reason to ask pardon, it’s a very reasonable question as a lot of folks don’t know what a podcast is. A "podcast" is basically "broadcasting" directly to the "ipod" or other mp3 player or multimedia device. While podcasting isn’t actually just for ipods, the brand has co-opted a lot of the phenomenon . . . any ol’ mp3 player, computer, or device that will play audio or even video files, videocasting) will work fine. If you’re not familiar with this or other terms, you can learn a lot about podcasts here.

Basically, it is a blog entry with an MP3 or other media file attached that can either be downloaded manually from the blog or can be set to download automatically to one’s computer and/or player device by using programs like itunes or ipoddler and the like to subscribe to a feed (podcast) so that anytime a new entry is made the mp3 goes directly into your directory or player for immediate use (or storage).

I will begin podcasting on Sept. 4 (typhoon willing and there’s no power outages or the like – just came home after a run to Costco to stock up and all three of our computers were off as there’d already been a power outage that lasted longer than my backup power storage thingie lasts for) . . . for the most part, my podcasts will come in two flavors 1. trance sessions (mostly waking dreams, guided imageries, and experiential hypnosis or NLP sessions of a wide variety) . . . and 2. lecture, discussion, and demonstration of focused trance techniques.

The first few episodes are on the block and will be recorded and mixed in the next few days . . . they are predominately waking dreams type guided imagery sessions similar to the scripts I have already posted to my blog or some of the guided imageries I have posted to the archives here and at the exchange as those are the sort of pieces folks tend to download from my free MP3 archive and the ones I get the most requests for from my product line (see here for more of both the free and commercially available products) . . . to get us started. After the kinks are worked out, I will begin doing some explanation and demonstration pieces. I have already received requests for some straightfoward explanations of variations of Swish, Six Step Reframe, and Anchoring which are all straightfoward and would lead themselves to a freely available and simple podcast form like this so they will be on the block within the next coupld months as well (some basic skills bits before I start doing my more esoteric and advanced applications stuff that is normally only available in the closed-room workshops and seminars I teach – although, I am obviously not going to be teaching all of my arcane secrets in this medium). After that, when I’ve got the kinks out of the system, we’ll start doing the wild stuff . . . some of which is very wild indeed.

My intention is to have both informative podcasts for those interested in "how to do stuff" as well as actual trance sessions for those interested in "actually doing it" with a cross-over appeal to those who are firmly within both groups.

You can get the details on how to subscribe and more on my regular blog in the podcasting stuff category here.

My first podcast goes live Sept. 4, so those interested in subscribing from the get-go can do so now so they get the first sessions right off (although, episodes will be archived for manual downloading as well).

This is all as has been previously announced in the Life of Brian podcast coming soon post as well as others. The date to mark on your calendare . . . when I will officially begin pocasting . . . is Sept. 4.

You can keep updated either here in the podcasting stuff category or go straight to my podcast blog for listings of podcasts as they are released into the aether. Or, if you are using a podcather program (aggregator software) like itunes, iPodder, or iPodderX or another program that downloads podcast streams directly to your ipod, mp3 player, computer, or multimedia device, then you can copy this subscription link and paste it directly into the appropriate software for automatic downloads when new podcasts are available.

Current plans are for three to four podcasts a month.

I may occassionally throw in a Life of Brian style discussion, ubertopic, or rant or the like. I will not be including my academic or university teaching materials in this podcast. For those, I will be creating a different stream entirely. We’ll be making this up as we go along . . . so be patient until a voice and style settles in.

As the podcast is a useful way for me to update some of my older free material that has been in need of some rewriting, rerecording, and other face lifts, the free MP3 section at Brian David Phillips Waking Dreams (http://www.briandavidphillips.com) will slowly be replaced and eventually removed entirely as I changeover to a podcast deliver system – the archives of older podcasts will always be available so I’m not removing the concept of free materials from my sites, just changing the delivery system and archival locations as well as removing some material from distribution completely).

While the Brian David Phillips Hypnocast is the first and only hypnocast (hypnosis related podcast) that I am aware of, I am certain others will be drawn to the new delivery mechanism very shortly. Some will use it because . . . like me . . . they are interested in building community and sharing information . . . while others will just post short sample clips rather than full sessions and use it as a way to whore and push their hype and market. There will be some trash passing for the real thing and some pure diamonds that sparkle forth.

Folks will notice that I have added a new links category in the rightside bar here at Life of Brian . . . hypnocasts which is directly above hypnoblogs. If you discover other podcasts related to hypnosis, neurolinguistic programming, influence, focused trance, meditation, changework, and the like . . . then let me know the address of the webpages that support the feed and I’ll check ’em out and add it to the hypnocasts list (of course, I appreciate linkbacks as well). No, I do NOT mean commercial sites with payfor mp3 downloads or even free mp3 downloads, this list is for podcasts or sites that distribute information interactively or on a semi-regular basis.

In any case, the first official podcast goes up on Sept. 4 . . . so those who are interested, can subscribe now.

I hope this has been helpful.

All the best,
Brian
http://www.briandavidphillips.com