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

Relax-repeat

Disciplines > Hypnotism > Techniques > Relax-repeat

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Method

Get the person comfortable and then just repeat the word 'relax' or 'sleep', with pauses in between to let the person relax further.

Make the word progressively more relaxed-sounding, for example by stretching it out and saying it in a lower-pitched and quieter voice.

Example

Relax......relaax.....relaaaxxxx.....

Discussion

It is very important how you say 'relax'. When you say 'relax', then pause, in the tense gap of silence, the person has to think about the word, which offers a way out of that tension. Repeating the word hammers it home slowly, like a dripping tap. When the person is unable to argue (and just saying 'relax' gives little to oppose), then they are likely to give up tensing and go with the flow.

A variant of this is to talk to a separate part of the body at a time in a progressive style. Thus for example start with the hand, then move to the arm and so on.

See also

Using repetition