No one is “too strong-minded” to be hypnotized

One of the great myths about hypnosis is that some people are immune to it.

A related one?

Where people brag about being “too strong-minded” to be hypnotized.

It makes me laugh every time. Imagine someone bragging about being too smart to read books. It really doesn’t make sense and, if anything, implies the opposite.

If someone fails to hypnotize you once, that doesn’t mean anything. People fail to hypnotize me all the time, though I can’t pretend that means anything.

If someone tries to hypnotize you and it doesn’t work, one of two things is true:

Or it worked and you didn’t notice, mainly because you don’t know how it’s supposed to feel.

Or this person, at that moment, under these circumstances, did not obtain the expected results.

It is unexpected to extrapolate from a single event. Having a bad date doesn’t mean all dates will be bad. However, many people do this with hypnosis: it “didn’t work” once, therefore it never works for them.

(However, it’s not always their fault. Some hypnotists tell subjects they can’t be hypnotized when it doesn’t seem to work. They’re lying to cover themselves, and if they’re willing to lie about it, they probably messed up the process and are blaming to the subject for it.)

If a hypnotist is not getting the results they want with multiple subjects, they are probably doing something wrong. Perhaps they doubt themselves… or doubt hypnosis as a discipline. Maybe they are rushing when they should be slow, or slow when they should be squirming.

But let’s say you’re a subject and you’ve seen a lot of hypnotists with no luck. If you’re not immune to hypnosis, what’s going on there?

This is not a complete list, but here are some common issues that can block trance:

Unskilled hypnotists: If you keep turning to hypnosis-themed YouTube channels, cheap amateurs, and teenagers who have read three books on the subject, then you can’t be surprised if it doesn’t work.

Unrealistic expectations: If you think hypnosis means blanking out, becoming a zombie, or having your problems magically removed, then it’s probably working, but you’re not giving it any credit. Hypnosis can do amazing things and can even do them quickly, but it’s not a process where you sit back and do none of the work.

Issues related to power and surrender: You may never have been openly hypnotized before, but we’ve all been surrounded by authority figures who crossed the line. If you struggle to let go and surrender, or if you hate anyone who has any power over you, you may be fighting the process.

Cynicism: Hypnosis doesn’t require you to believe, but it helps. Or if you are skeptical about other people, you will not allow yourself to be vulnerable around them.

Internal disconnection: some people have no imagination. I’m not talking about aphantasia (where you can’t see images in your mind), I’m talking about not having the ability to consider anything you haven’t experienced. And some people have limited emotions and even limited awareness of their own bodies. That’s not a judgment, as we all have our quirks, but these people will find hypnosis difficult…and many of the common inductions will fail for them.

The irony? These people will get more out of hypnosis than anyone else if they stick with it and find someone who can make it work.

Stubbornness: Let’s say you love to smoke. Or maybe you hate change in general. You are fine as you are and anyone who says otherwise is an idiot. To get rid of people, you agree to see a hypnotist.

If you came to see me, I’d give you a refund and show you the door. While it might hypnotize you, what’s the point? If you don’t want to change, you’ll just change back. I only work with people who want to be there with me.

Analytical Contrary: If you start every sentence with ‘well, actually’ and love a good debate, common hypnotic inductions may not work for you. You need a hypnotist who can use his keen intellect to aid the hypnotic process, not combat it.

Fear: If hypnosis scares you, it won’t work. If you feel uncomfortable around men, tall people, anyone with glasses… then it will be harder for them to hypnotize you.

The opposite of all that is true.

The spells of people who can be hypnotized more easily, and who benefit greatly from it, are free from the above problems.

They are strong enough to allow themselves to be open and vulnerable, have a rich inner life, and are eager to change. They are curious about what will happen, even though they have reasonable expectations. Also, they are wise enough to look for quality hypnotists, not random amateurs they found on a shoddy forum.

Hypnotic resistance is real. It is also a choice. If you want to get the most out of life, you need to let go and let a qualified hypnotist help you.

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