Procedure for Self Hypnosis for Residents                                 

Hoyle Leigh, M.D.

First, discuss hypnosis and experiences and prepare the subject

Second, determine a favorite relaxing spot

Sit comfortably in an open position, Relax

Look all the way up, take a deep breath, close your eyelids slowly….exhale and relax your eyes

Concentrate on a feeling of floating, floating, floating……Imagine yourself floating

Floating among soft, white clouds, floating, floating, floating….

While you concentrate on this sensation of floating, now also concentrate on your left hand, and imagine that it is becoming lighter and lighter and lighter, like a huge buoyant balloon…. Getting lighter and lighter and lighter…. Imagine that the middle finger of the left hand is attached by a string to a huge, helium-filled balloon, and it is pulling the finger up, and let the finger, and the hand go up… feeling very, very light… in a smooth motion, let your elbow bend, and let the hand go up until your forearm is in an upright position… let your hand go up feeling very, very light…sometimes this is an amusing sensation as your hand becomes so light that it floats up like a huge buoyant balloon

If your hand is not up yet, imagine it being pulled up by a huge buoyant balloon, and put it up in a smooth motion, until your forearm is in an upright position

Now, when your hand is up in this position feeling very, very light, this is the signal that you are in a state of concentrated attention and relaxation, a state of self-hypnosis, when you can concentrate your attention and by concentrated attention, what you imagine feels real.  In the state of concentration, concentrate on the sensation of floating, floating, floating, and imagine yourself floating among soft, white, clouds, floating, floating, floating and

Concentrate on the feeling of relaxation all over your body, your legs, thighs, hips, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, arms, neck,  head, all over your body, and as you float among the soft white clouds, you look down and see, under the clouds, peaceful scenery… trees, fields, towns, mountains, the sea coast…

Now you see your favorite relaxing spot, and gently land on the spot, and look around, soak in the peaceful surroundings, the fresh air, feel the breeze, and enjoy the scenery and the sounds….and you feel yourself relaxing, your legs, thighs, hips, abdomen, back, chest, shoulders, arms, neck, face, head, all over your body… and you can stay here, relaxing, enjoying the scenery…if you want, you can sit up, walk around, whatever that relaxes you, and when you are ready to come out of this relaxed state, all you have to do is count backwards, from 3 to 1, don’t do this yet, and at the count of three, look all the way up with your eyes still closed, at the count of 2, relax your eyes, and at the count of 1, make a fist with your left hand and open your eyes, and all the normal sensations of the hand and arm will return, and you will be out of the state of self-hypnosis, feeling refreshed, clear-headed, and energetic.  From now on, whenever you want to come to this state of concentrated attention and relaxation, all you need to do is just what you did just now:  Sit or lie down in a comfortable position, look all the way up, take a deep breath, close your eyelids slowly, exhale, and relax your eyes, then concentrate on a feeling of floating, floating, floating, and imagine that your left hand is getting lighter and lighter, and let it go up in an upright position, and let yourself float among soft, white clouds, relax all muscles of your body, then locate your relaxing spot, gently land, and enjoy…. When you are ready to come back, count backwards from 3 to 1, at the count of 3, look all the way up, at the count of 2, relax your eyes and at the count of 1, make a fist with your left hand and open your eyes and all the normal sensations and control will return to the hand, and you will be out of the state of self hypnosis, feeling refreshed and relaxed.