How we change what others think, feel, believe and do

Physical thought

Techniques > Hypnotism > Principles > Physical thought

Principle | Practice | Discussion | See also

Principle

Thinking about something makes the body move or otherwise change in sympathy. This movement is quite likely to be involuntary and the person may not even notice it.

Thinking about running, your legs may move a little. Think about eating and you may salivate and swallow. Think about hitting someone and you may involuntarily form fists with your hands.

When you think about saying things, your lips often move along without the words (and without you noticing). You may even say things out loud.

And thinking about emotional times will lead to you showing the physical symptoms of past emotions.

Practice

In hypnosis, this can be used to convince the person that they are 'in your power' and hence become more suggestible. For example the hypnotist may talk about being relaxed without any instruction, and, in thinking about it, the person relaxes.

Physical movement and change is also very useful as visible signals that the subject is responding to suggestions.

Discussion

This happens in your dreams, too. Have you ever watched somebody dream as their muscles and limbs twitch along with what is happening? This is so significant we have a counter-mechanism by which the brain paralyzes the body when we sleep to stop us falling on the floor!

Body Language is driven by physical thought. As we think something, our thoughts are betrayed in how our body moves and changes.

See also

Sensory thought, Body Language