Surprizes in Hypnosis

So do I like to be surprised? Yes. Why? It keeps me from trying to set the agenda. I could easily plan each meeting with specific checklists of things to do, in what order, and how to approach each one. Doing so would be counter productive in many ways.

· It would inhibit the hypnotist from acting in the manner in which she is most effective. She would probably try to honor my request, but what we are doing is not like grocery shopping and she needs the freedom to operate in the ways she comprehends and which resonate with her. If I am expanding her possibilities it may be that her experiences with me have led her to discover new areas that resonate, but she has to be involved if I am to be successfully involved.

· I’m fundamentally here to disengage and let go, relaxing mentally from all the planning, analysis, and responsibilities I normally do. I can’t have a plan and also disengage from the plan.

· Over planning would lead to locking out or ignoring the wisdom X brings. She has a range of experiences different than mine and the less I constrain her (or the more I allow her to surprise me) the more I can gain from these.

· My coming in with an agenda, either written or just set by my expectations, would cause me to keep my observer and planner engaged through the session and this would severely limit my trance experiences. Being human and being that I enjoy the sessions I always arrive with various “what if” scenarios in my mind. If something like those scenarios happens the scenarios set expectations and these keep my observer engaged. If I am surprised so that I don’t think I know where we are heading, I can either become mentally active trying to figure it out, or I can disengage from monitoring or trying to assist in getting there and just surrender to experiencing whatever may happen. If I am otherwise preoccupied with hanging onto her every word I have little capacity or interest in planning and am likely to disengage into hypnotic nirvana.

· No surprises and being in a rut are almost the same thing.

Surprise is the non-checklist. Letting there be surprises is a chance for X to turn off my analytical side for a while and teach me, show me, broaden me by directing me to things I did not select. It is freedom for the hypnotist, new learnings for me, and the wonderful shutting down of my overactive analytical side. Surprises or at least the possibility of surprise along with the trust that they will not be done in a way that is ill-intentioned or harmful keeps me open to simply experiencing whatever may occur.

Some of the surprise and trust theme can be shown by my reaction to the proposal to involve your group. One part of me is disturbed by the possibility and considers the risks, the weakening of privacy, and the worries that “am I really going to let strange people get into my mind and actions and deeply influence what I do, feel, and think?” The other part says “Yes, go for it, it will be new and different and will broaden you. The hypnotist will be there and will ensure that what happens respects your needs and boundaries.” If there were distrust then there would be planning and coordination to avoid surprises as I would not trust what might happen if I were taken into new areas. Trust, on the other hand, allows and even encourages surprises. I may not know what will happen, and I do not know how I will react, but I trust you to choose appropriately and to monitor my reactions and keep what we are doing safe and helpful to me. I have worries about things like groups and surprises, but my trust in you overcomes these and lets me see them as opportunities.

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