Hypnosis – The Five Signs

As you begin to learn to read people and the body language of others, you need to understand the impact this has on communication. This skill is crucial during the hypnosis process. The five signals emitted by the hypnotized person must be recognized at a glance by the hypnotist. These five signs cannot be imitated. Either they are present or they are not.

Many people believe that they cannot be hypnotized. There are several books written on hypnosis, which claim that a certain percentage of people will find themselves unhypnotizable. The truth is that once fear is eliminated, anyone can be hypnotized. I found that those who have difficulty concentrating require more time in the relaxation process to experience a hypnotic state. Whether a person expresses it physically or not, their greatest obstacle is fear, which may be below their level of awareness. There is no one who cannot benefit from the relaxation of hypnosis.

In today’s world of stress and anxiety in our daily lives, hypnosis can help relieve tension without negative side effects. In my next articles, I will discuss hypnosis and its many components, or as some refer to it, as its phenomenon.

Here, we start with reading people and their body language. Hypnosis emits five signals. In most cases, these signs are subtle and minute. The hypnotist must be able to spot all five signs at a glance. Since hypnosis is a state of mind, and not a condition, you can make changes in your life through hypnosis, just as your mood changes throughout the day. Through the proper use of suggestions by the hypnotist, the hypnotized person will show these five signs of a hypnotic state.

The five signs are: body heat, fluttering of the eyelids, increased lacrimation (tearing of the eyes), and the whites of the eyes turn red or pink, and the eyeballs roll toward the head. One of the many techniques used in hypnosis is the handshake method. Since the handshake is a gesture of friendship, it helps create instant rapport, which is essential. It also allows the hypnotist to observe the person closely. With this technique, the hypnotist can identify the first sign, body heat.

It is essential to determine if the person is receptive and open to suggestions. If his hand is cold, it means the person is cold in the process of being hypnotized and may need to be reassured or “warmed up” by the subject. If his hands are hot and wet, they may be nervous and resistant. The hypnotist must then tranquilize them to calm them down a bit. A warm hand indicates that the individual is receptive and that the hypnotist should be successful.

Here, you can understand why reading people’s body language is crucial. It is very difficult, if not completely impossible, to imitate or fake these five signs. Body heat is either there or it isn’t. Their presence cannot be pretended or imitated.

Eye fluttering occurs almost constantly during the induction process. During a true hypnosis process, these involuntary eye movements cannot be imitated either.

I think there are very few people who can make their eyes water, at will. If there are, I doubt they can show the other signs of hypnosis at the same time. It would also be very difficult to make the whites of the eyes (sclera) red or pink. In my thirty plus years as a clinical hypnotherapist, I have never met anyone who could turn the whites of their eyes pink at will.

It is also very difficult to get your eyes to turn toward your head and hold them comfortably for any extended period of time. Even if you manage to perform all five signs, your body will show resistance in several other ways. These five signs take place very quickly during the induction process and continue to some extent throughout the session.

There is, however, another group of signs that are often confused with the signs of hypnosis. This group consists of the signs of fear, often exhibited by the hypnotized individual.

The fear he is experiencing may be anxiety about the power of hypnosis being “used” on him. It can also be some other fear that you are not aware of. These signs of fear include: faster pulse, faster heartbeat, increased breathing. It may also show an increase in body heat and perspiration. These signs of fear can be seen in those individuals who are afraid of anything. These fears are part of the fight or flight response within all people.