Understanding the Essence of Ericksonian Hypnosis

Ericksonian hypnosis differs from classical hypnosis in that there is no need to put the subject to sleep, lay them on a couch, and only then proceed with suggestion. One of Milton Erickson’s brilliant achievements was his realization that every person occasionally enters an involuntary trance state, and that people need trance just as much as they need sleep.

Trance is a special state of consciousness in which a person sorts through thoughts and impressions, reflecting deeply. Our task is to use this natural ability to enter trance while remaining seemingly awake. Here are some common examples of trance states you may recognize from your own experience:

• Recollections of the past: When someone is deeply immersed in memories, they may seem absent from the present, even with their eyes open. This is a trance state.
• Routine, repetitive activities: For example, if you start signing thirty payment orders in a row, you may soon find your mind wandering elsewhere. That’s trance.
• Long rides on public transport: Notice the faces of people traveling alone, silently lost in thought. Similar states occur in lines, unless you’re engaged in idle conversation.

There are countless such examples, but it’s more important to recognize the external signs of trance, which allow us to identify it accurately. Key signs of trance include:

• Dilated pupils
• Fixed gaze
• Slowed blinking
• Slowed swallowing
• Still posture
• Relaxed muscles
• Slowed breathing
• Reduced response to external noise
• Delayed motor reactions
• Spontaneous movements (twitching hands, eyelid tremors, startles)

Now, let’s explore how to induce trance. Before using any verbal trance induction strategies, it’s important to establish rapport with your conversation partner on a physiological level—through posture, breathing, or micro-movements. For greater effectiveness, use psychological rapport by matching your language to the person’s primary sensory modality.

Verbal Strategies for Inducing Trance

“Say Yes” Strategy

This strategy is often mentioned in books by Dale Carnegie and others, but their version is usually ineffective. Milton Erickson considered his version one of the most reliable trance induction methods. First, state several facts the person will agree with, then present your suggestion. For example:

“Right now, you’re reading these lines and thinking about how you might use this in practice, and you feel a bit confused about it, and it seems not everything is clear, and maybe you’ll want to reread this part again…”

Unlike the Carnegie version, you should talk about what is happening in the present moment. Your initial statements draw the person into trance, and your final suggestion catches them off guard, making them more likely to comply. While not foolproof, this strategy is a powerful tool among others.

“Polar Reaction” Technique

Some people always do the opposite of what they’re told. They are especially susceptible to suggestion if you phrase things correctly. For example, if you want such a person to stay silent, say to someone else, “Now he’s going to say something.” After that, the person will likely remain silent, especially if you repeat the same gesture you made when you first said it.

“Pattern Interruption” Technique

This technique isn’t purely verbal and can be used without words. A pattern is an automatic sequence of actions, like a handshake. When someone raises their hand for a handshake, you instinctively respond. Try stopping your hand midway and notice how strong these patterns are. Interrupting a pattern causes confusion, which can be used to induce trance. For example, during negotiations, ask your assistant to bring you coffee but don’t offer it to your guests. Even if there are ten of them, they’ll all be confused.

The key is that confusion itself isn’t the goal—it’s a means to induce trance. If you interrupt a pattern and insert a suggestion during the confusion, the person is likely to comply just to escape the discomfort. The element of surprise is crucial. If someone tries this on you, do the opposite of what’s expected to throw them off instead.

Example: After a meeting, you say goodbye and extend your right hand. As your counterpart reaches out, you grab their wrist with your left hand and say, “I see you’re fully in agreement and ready for the next stage of cooperation,” then complete the handshake.

“Overtalking” Technique

This technique is often used, sometimes unconsciously, by street vendors and sales agents. You talk a lot, jump from topic to topic, and keep the person’s mind busy with questions like “You understand, right?” or “Isn’t that true?” When your listener’s head is spinning, you finish with your main suggestion. People often comply just to avoid repeating the experience.

For example: “While studying psychology, I realized I don’t understand a lot about people, but I can’t figure out what exactly I don’t understand, and maybe I’ll never know the difference between what I’ve already understood and what I haven’t.” Or: “This sentence contains several inaccuracies, the correct use of which creates a new inaccuracy, and to understand the correct use of incorrect speech, you have to speak very correctly.”

Both sentences have meaning, and while your conscious mind searches for it, the speaker can connect with your subconscious and begin suggestion. This is called a “Confucian trance,” often used by experienced politicians. The goal is to direct conscious attention away from the content and toward the form of speech, which can be achieved by speaking in the first person or by overloading the story with details.

“Double Trance Induction – Overload”

This is a variation of the overtalking technique. Two people, standing on either side of the subject, talk simultaneously, gesture, and touch the person. This overloads all sensory modalities: auditory (two voices), visual (gestures), and kinesthetic (touch). Within minutes, the person enters a deep trance and is ready to accept suggestions, as their conscious mind retreats from the overload.

Some may find this and other techniques harsh, but life—especially in business—can be truly adversarial. You always have the choice to use these techniques or not, but knowing them helps you protect yourself from others who might use them on you. Since this is public knowledge, not secret wisdom, it’s likely to affect you personally at some point.

The Milton Erickson Triple Spiral

The most powerful trance induction technique is the Milton Erickson Triple Spiral. It combines the best elements of other verbal techniques, amplifying their effects. The spiral consists of three unrelated short stories. Here’s how it works:

1. Start telling the first story and, at the most interesting point, switch to the second story without any transition.
2. Tell the second story up to its climax, then switch to the third story, which should contain your suggestion, ideally crafted using advanced manipulation techniques.
3. After the third story, return to the second and finish it, then go back and finish the first story from where you left off.

Details matter: if you jump randomly between stories, it’s just overtalking, not a triple spiral. If you pause too long between stories, it loses its effect. Even so, the confusion you create can be used to your advantage.

Example:

“When I first learned about Erickson’s hypnosis, about eight years ago, I thought, ‘Great, now I can consciously use what I’ve always intuited.’ I started reading more, practicing what I learned from books and other specialists. I kept wondering: can you turn someone into a zombie with this hypnosis? Not long ago, I was invited to give a course for future top-level security guards. They need to know how to influence people without force.

Before the class, the organizer asked, ‘Will it bother you if two law enforcement officers attend? You know, they’re interested too…’ I don’t know if you’ve met truly lucky people. They have something that draws others in—charisma. One such person once told me, ‘The secret to luck is how you interpret what happens to you.’

The training with the officers went smoothly, as did many others. I hope everyone there got the information they needed and, more importantly, learned to use it. As for turning someone into a zombie with Ericksonian hypnosis, I think it’s extremely difficult. As long as a person’s value system is intact, they’re grounded. Values can be destroyed in other ways, like with hard drugs. An addict without a fix is already a zombie. What does hypnosis have to do with it?”

Now, please pause and recall which stories you just read. Continue reading only after you’ve answered this question. How many stories did you remember? What was the third story about? Read the text again and pay attention to the suggestion in the third story. Next, we’ll explain the mechanism and secret of Erickson’s spiral.

The secret of the triple spiral is that the conscious mind follows the stories, which must be interesting to the listener. When you switch between stories, the conscious mind gets confused and keeps searching for meaning. At that moment, your suggestion slips directly into the subconscious, which is exactly what we want.