2. Deepening Procedures

Once you have completed the relaxation phase of your
self-hypnosis induction procedure, you can begin to
deepen the relaxed state. At some time between the deep
relaxation and the deepening procedures you will move
into a hypnotic state. You probably won't know it,
especially as a beginner, but it will happen sooner or later.
One of the first hurdles a beginner must get over is
the compulsion to "watch for it." That is, you will keep
waiting for hypnosis to happen, for some change in your
awareness or the way you feel that will say to you, "You're
hypnotized."
Watching for hypnosis will definitely get in your way if
you don't get it out of your mind. Going into a hypnotic
state is, in this respect, similar to going to sleep. If you try
to catch yourself going to sleep – if you try to be aware of
the precise instant in which you actually go to sleep – you
are much less likely to go to sleep. "Watching" keeps you
awake.
In this same way you will not know when you go into a
hypnotic state (but that won't be because you lost
consciousness – you won't). Later, after you have been
practicing regularly for a few weeks or a month or two,
you'll be much more familiar with yourself and how it feels
to be hypnotized.
Does it take everyone weeks or even months to get
into a good hypnotic state? Definitely not. Some people
have an amazing experience the very first time they try it.
Others might practice for several days, noticing nothing,
then out of the blue they have one of those great induction
sessions in which they know something stupendously good
happened. But if you happen not to be one of these
people, don't worry about it. Just keep practicing and you
will eventually get there.
One of the most popular deepening procedures is the
count-down technique. Hollywood also likes this one. That
is why you see it in so many movies. That and the
swinging watch.
To use the count-down technique you simply start
counting downward from, say, 20 (or 100, or whatever).
Adjust the countdown number to whatever feels right to
you after you have practiced a few times. Imagine that you
are drifting deeper with each count. Other images and
thoughts will probably intrude themselves as you count.
That is natural. Just gently brush them aside, continuing
with your counting.
The speed with which you count down should be
natural; not too fast, not too slow. For most people this
means counting at a rate of about one count for each two
or three seconds. Do it at a rate that feels comfortable and
relaxed to you. Some people like to tie the count with their
breathing. As they drift deeper their breathing slows down,
so their counting also slows down.
Don't count out loud, just think your way down the
count. You want to avoid as much physical involvement
and movement as possible.