Getting Started with Erotic Hypnosis
[I don’t really use Tumblr anymore, but I’m crossposting this from Fet to have somewhere public to link to it! These days, I’m most active on Twitter @sexobsessedlesb, my smut lives on ReadOnlyMind, and my files live on YouTube.]
So you’ve heard some folks evangelizing at play parties, you’ve read some hot smut, and you’ve decided you’re excited about Erotic Hypnosis™. Well, I don’t blame you, cuz it’s objectively the hottest kink (she said, objectively). But how do you start practicing it for yourself? I mean, you can do what I did and just sort of flail until you somehow found yourself firmly embedded in the community, but if you want a slightly less chaotic approach, here’s where I might start:
Read(/Listen)
The “Bible of hypnokink” is Mind Play by Mark Wiseman. This is probably the best place to start for anyone interested in this kink!
9 Persisting Misconceptions About Hypnosis, a zine by sleepingirl and GleefulAbandon
Two Hyp Chicks is a delightful, educational, and often v hot podcast about hypnokink by sleepingirl and cckitten.
Hypnotic Amnesia by Lee Allure and DJ Pynchon is a bit more niche, but still a super neat window into how this kink works and one of the specific, rad things you can do with it.
Wank
Go read/watch some porn. Seriously. There are some links in the preamble above, I’ll wait. Take the porn with a grain of salt, because it’s not necessarily realistic, but it can definitely give you a sense of what parts of this play turn you on, which will help you figure out what in the hypno-sphere you actually want to get up to. A handful of specific suggestions:
ReadOnlyMind is the shiny new hub for hypno-smut and smut for its related kinks!
In particular, the #real-play tag (and probably handful of analogous tags) contains smut about erotic hypnosis as it’s practiced in real life, rather than fantasy mind control stuff
The Erotic Mind-Control Story Archive is probably the biggest repository of written material, though also very inconsistent in quality, and can be Problematic™. Still, it has been responsible for many orgasms in its time
Mesmerotic: real hypnokinksters doing real hypnokink and being extremely fuckin’ hot about it!
Entrancement: this is the real deal. Erotic hypnosis done by an actual erotic hypnotist, it actually gives you a pretty good idea of how this sort of play might work
Jukebox is a rad and particularly prolific writer. I mention him in particular because he has so much stuff out there that if you browse his archive, you’re sure to find a story or two that catches your eye
Other authors that I particularly like:
My smut lives here
h-sleepingirl
EllaEnchanting
Ari (see also: Tumblr)
And dream-operator
Go to Classes
Honestly, the best way to learn about this stuff is to go to classes! Look for your local hypnokink group—if you live in/near a reasonably-sized city, I bet you have one—or go to one of the many rad hypno cons out there. Here’s a list of groups and conventions.
You can learn from people who have been doing this for a while, and maybe even more importantly, just meet some people!
Meet Humans and Chat
You can find experienced hypno-players with whom to shoot the shit either in person (at classes/cons/events) or on the interwebs. There are a lot of us on Twitter (e.g. I’m over there as @sexobsessedlesb, look at the folks I follow) and a few stragglers remaining on Tumblr.
It’s also pretty probable that your local hypnokink group has an online chat (e.g. a Discord server). Ask!
Practice
Honestly, this is the hardest and most useful part. If you wanna get into this kink, practice is key! It’s the only real way to develop these skills—and this is true on either side of the pocketwatch, as it were. How to do it, though?
With a play partner
As either a ‘tist or a subject, it’s easiest to learn the ropes with an experienced partner to guide you through. You can find play partners at events or on the interwebs, as mentioned above. (Note too that hypno is particularly well suited to long-distance play—you don’t need to be in the same place with these folks to practice with them!) I’d add: at kink events, mention hypno in your cruising post! There are hypnokinksters everywhere, I bet you’ll get some responses.
You can definitely practice this stuff with someone else who’s new to the game, though, as long as you both communicate lots! Talk about what does and doesn’t feel good, and experiment until you find stuff that works for you. And don’t hesitate to reach out to your hypno-scene contacts for help and advice!
For ‘tists: if you feel uncomfortable making up your own inductions, you can start reading from scripts, to get a feel of how hypno works! But I’d encourage you to start making stuff up as soon as possible, because it helps you gain fluency, and ultimately makes you a better hypnotist.
By yourself
Self-hypnosis is a great way to practice hypnokinky stuff! There are a lot of greatttt hypnosis files out there. Some folks I’d particularly recommend:
My stuff :-)
Lee Allure
Chew Toy
The Secret Subject
Ella Enchanting
DeepDiscourse
Impish
Tennfan
Imaginatrix
Sinister Denial
For hypnotists: if you’re comfortable with it, I definitely recommend trancing a little yourself, just so you can get a feel for what it’s like, and better understand your subjects’ experience. Regardless of whether you personally want to practice trancing, I’d still recommend listening to some files and getting a feel for how other hypnotists do things—it’ll help you develop your own style!
With a pro
Paying a professional for a session—whether it’s play or a lesson—is a great way to dip your toe in hypnokinky waters while knowing that you’re in good hands. Check out:
Dahlia Lark
Imaginatrix
Sinister Denial
Lee Allure
Anyone in the Twitter-spheres of these fine folks
