“…that’s it. You are doing so well, Alice. Your eyes can just continue to stare right here, noticing the way the light reflects, letting yourself enjoy every beautiful color. Your body is getting so relaxed. You feel yourself sinking into the chair. Your limbs can feel so nice and peaceful that you couldn’t move them even if you tried…”
Alice did feel very nice and relaxed. Hypnosis had seemed like such a fun idea, and she’d been excited to see if it could work. She wasn’t sure if she was in trance or not, but it did feel really good to listen to Tom’s voice, just like he said it would. If nothing else, she could see this as a way to unwind after a long day, or just to meditate a little on her own. Afterward, she though she might ask him for pointers on doing this by herself.
“And as you continue to breathe deeply, you just imagine what you must look like right now. How your posture has changed. How your face has relaxed. How calm and comfortable you must look. And you can feel yourself relaxing just like you imagine. That’s right. You are doing so well.” Tom set the crystal he had been holding in front of Alice’s eyes down. “Alright, are you ready to be hypnotized now?” he asked.
Alice’s brow furrowed. “What? But I thought – weren’t you already hypnotizing me?”
Tom smiled. “That? No no. Here let me show you.” He reached his hand out and gently took hold of her arm, pulling it up and letting it dangle between them. He slowly shook it from side to side.
“Now you can just feel how relaxed you’ve become. No tension at all in your arm. It’s so easy to just let me move it. It’s so easy to follow. You follow my words. Follow wherever I lead you.” The tugs on her limp arm grew longer, and Alice began to sway side to side as he pulled her back and forth. “That’s right. Just like that.”
Once again, Alice felt that sense of calm. She could just listen to that lovely voice without a care in the world. It seemed like she was dropping so quickly now that she was actually being hypnotized. Was it this easy for everyone to drop?
Tom was now pushing and pulling her in little circles as he continued to coax her down. He then took his other hand and held up a finger in front of Alice’s face, moving it at random and out of sync with the motion of her swaying. “And just watch right here. You are doing just fine following and watching and listening. And if it starts getting harder to focus on any of them, just know that it’s alright to relax and let go. You don’t need to think about it. Just follow and watch and listen and drift…drift…very good.”
Alice smiled dopily in response to the praise. This must be what being hypnotized felt like. She felt really good and loved hearing Tom’s praise, but it felt so confusing with her arm moving and the fingering moving and she needed to listen and –
Tom rapidly moved the finger toward her, tapping her on the forehead as he pulled her arm toward him “Drop!” he said, firmly.
Alice felt her eyes roll up trying to follow the finger and then her body lunged forward following her arm and…nothing. No thoughts, no mind. Just open and listening and deeper and
“Are you ready to be hypnotized now?” She heard Tom’s voice. Her eyes focused again and she saw him looking at her anticipating her response.
“But…I um. I thou–” She stammered.
“Wonderful. You are going to be such a good subject once you go into trance.” Just stare into my eyes for a moment. We already have such a nice connection, and I know you are going to be able to go so deep into trance. You want to drop for me don’t you? Just keep staring right here.” Tom pointed to the center of his iris. “Right into the very center…that’s right. Good girl.”
“Want…to…dr-drop?” Alice wasn’t sure if she was agreeing or asking a question. But she did want to be hypnotized. She felt so good when she was deep in trance. Tom had said so, hadn’t he? And now she needed to stare into his eyes and they are so pretty and it’s so easy to listen but she’s drifting down and focusing and doesn’t need to think and good girl.
“And the deeper you stare the more relaxed your mind and body become. You may find your eyes getting heavier, wanting to close. Wanting to rest. But you want to keep staring. You need to keep staring. You need to go deeper. I know it’s so hard, but you are doing so well. Even if you need to let go of everything else. Even if every other muscle needs to relax. Even if you need to stop thinking, you need to keep staring. That’s right…deeper for me.”
“D-deeper…” Alice’s eyes fluttered.
“And when your eyes are so heavy that you can’t possibly keep them open any longer, that can just be your body’s way of telling you that you are too deep to do anything else. You won’t be able to resist anymore and you can just drop peacefully all the way down. No more thoughts, no more mind. Just falling deeper and deeper…that’s right…just like that. All the way down.”
Alice closed her eyes. She swayed gently in place, her body unconsciously supporting her head and keeping her slack body from flopping over. Her head was empty. She was mindless. She had been deeply hyp–
“And open your eyes again. There’s a good girl. If you are ready, I can start hypnotizing you now.”
Alice opened her eyes slowly and struggled to bring Tom’s face into focus. “Wha…” was all she could manage to say or think.
“You are going to be such a good subject. I can tell you are easily hypnotized and quite suggestible. I can even just suggest to you that every snap of my fingers will start to drop you into a trance and your mind will just helplessly accept what I tell you as true. Isn’t that right? Just every snap sending you down deeper, helping you to think less, taking your thoughts away.”
“Help…less…” Alice barely registered the sight of his hand in front of her, thumb and middle finger pressed together.
The effect was immediate and Alice swooned. “That’s right.” *snap* “You are doing so well. Just getting rid of all those pesky thoughts.” *snap* “So much easier to just listen and follow and let go.” *snap* “Such a good girl.” *snap* “Letting your brain be turned off.” *snap* “All the way down now.” *snap*snap*snap*
Alice’s eyes rolled back in her head. Her mouth fell open. Her mind was gone. She was deep in trance. She would listen. She would obey.
“And now you are ready to be hypnotized. And you know you are so naturally able to go deep that all I need to do is tell you to drop into trance and you won’t be able to resist. You can’t resist anything at all. All you can do is obey. You think only what you are told. You surrender completely. Are you ready to be hypnotized?”
Alice almost didn’t respond. Her mouth still hung open. Her body was limp with her head lolling to the side. Her eyes were struggling to keep from crossing or rolling back. The last bit of conscious thought in her mind managed to force out a weak moan. She couldn’t form the word yes at the moment.
“Good girl. Then SLEEP,” he commanded. Alice collapsed into a puddle, her mind empty and open and ready to be controlled.