Suggestions Orienting towards the Future

Ericksonian Language Patterns
Milton Erickson once likened traditional psychotherapy to “psychological archeology.” He didn't see much point in spending too much time analysing a patient's past and trying to find out the reasons "why" they were displaying certain behaviors. He saw these behaviors as habits. I like to call them patterns. He told stories to illustrate his point, sometimes evoking his early life on the farm and lessons learned thereon. As an example, he might describe how, on the farm, he learned that when you shovel the waste from the animal stalls you put it out behind the barn and cover it over with straw. And you quickly learn not to go poking around back there. You let the hay lay.
Thus, in Ericksonian hypnosis we spend more effort orienting clients toward the future and towards solutions.
You can indirectly get your client to visualize or otherwise imagine the future via most of these collected patterns, and the following openings are useful:

“You may not know if… “
“What happens when you…”
“How would it feel if you…”
“Can you imagine… “
“You probably already know… ”

Here are some complete examples (remember the words in bold are said with your tonal shift):

“You may not know if you will go into a deep trance when I count to ten.”
“What happens when you learn new ways of responding?”
“How would it feel to close your eyes and drift into a very comfortable
trance…now?”

You could even join a few together, as in the following:

“You may not know if you’ll really enjoy the feeling of control that comes when
you quit smoking, but can you imagine what you would do at the office tomorrow
as a non-smoker?”

So, now, write your own examples. The best way to learn is by doing. Write
them out. Practice. Say them aloud to a human being with the proper tonal shift.
(See July 19th's post if you need more clarity on that) Write at least ten. Twenty is
better. You probably already know that you can utilize the few sentence
openings offered on this page and then go from there.

Use them on teachers: "How nice will it feel when you give me a high grade?"
Use them on newsboys: "Can you imagine how grateful I’ll be when you place
the paper safely on the front porch tomorrow morning?”
Use them on your spouse, your teammates, your party members, your clients.
Use them playfully and respectfully.
Isn't it nice to know you can do both at the same time?

Embedded Questions

Ericksonian Language Patterns —
Embedded Questions are the same thing as embedded commands only different. They are often really statements but are responded to consciously as a question. This is because their grammatical structure is that of a question, but your tonality in delivering them is that of a command. (In most examples below I'll omit the question mark.)

"I wonder if you can tell the difference."
"I'm curious as to how you will be able to use embedded questions in your life."

Notice the implied question in the sentence openings, "I'm wondering if... I'm curious as to..." etc.

(Remember that without shifts in tonality, etc., there is no command at all. You must shift your tonality in a way that is noticeable and analogous to a command. You are telling them to DO something.)

A. Adding their Name
Just as in embedded commands, embedded questions can be made more powerful if you insert their name into the sentence structure just before (or after ) the embedded command.

"I wonder if one can, Elizabeth, feel comfortable in new situations."
"Do you think it's possible that a person could, Phillip, notice a growing sense of distance from one's problems."
"Can you, listen intently, Bob, to everything that I say?"

B. "Now"
Again, "now" is not a magic word. And, in the same way we talked about them for embedded commands, you can use them for embedded questions.

"Is it possible you might want to enjoy that meaningful pause . . . now."

So, now, write your own examples. The best way to learn is by doing. Write them. Practice saying them out loud with the proper tonal shift. Practice delivering them to a human being. Write at least ten. Twenty is better. I wonder if you'll find that you utilize the few sentence openings offered on this page and then go from there.

Do you think you could use them on waitresses? "I wonder if you could bring me a cup of coffee."
Could you use them on bus drivers? "I was curious if you would be able to... let me out at the corner."
Wouldn't it be fun to use them on your kids, your friends, your clients, your customers?
What level of facility would you develop if you were to use them, courteously, and enjoy the process?

Embedded Commands

Ericksonian Language Patterns —
Embedded Commands are commands that are placed within the framework of a larger sentence structure, thereby sneaking by the conscious mind. e.g., "Very often, people find that they discover many useful inner resources while in trance." Some suggested sentence openings: "Maybe you'll... I don't know if... A person may not know if... Maybe you haven't...,yet." (More about that yet soon, but not yet.)

Notice that the command part itself starts with a verb. You are telling the person to DO something. Here and now. So that verb tense is the present tense. "Do something." Not "doing something" or "did something."

If you were to tell someone directly to go to the store, you'd say

"Go to the store."

To embed that command within a longer sentence and thus hide it a bit it might be more like,

"If anyone here wanted to be a dear, they could go to the store for me now."

Here are some more examples:

"Maybe you'll discover new resources you didn't even know you had."

"I don't know if you'll feel wonderful about it."

"A person may not know if you're drifting into trance." (includes a pattern called switching the referential index.)

"Maybe you haven't begun to enjoy that delightful feeling of trance, yet."

A. Adding their Name
These commands can be made more powerful if you insert their name into the sentence structure just before the embedded command.

"One can, Elizabeth, feel comfortable in new situations."

"A person could, Phillip, notice a growing sense of distance from that problem."

"People don't have to, Bob, listen intently to everything that I say."

B. "Now"
"Now" is not a magic word. Sometimes beginning NLP students over use 'now.' Used effectively, it can enhance an embedded command, but it alone does not an embedded command make. Often the most effective way to use it is to... pause... before you use it and then use your best trance tonality when you say it. (If you run it into the sentence without this pause it can make the sentence sound too imperative and the person feel rushed.)

"You might want to learn to enjoy that meaningful pause . . . now."

(Remember that without shifts in tonality, etc., there is no command at all. You must shift your tonality in a way that is noticeable and analogous to a command, right at the verb of the sentence. You are telling them to DO something.
Additionally, it is most useful to pause just a beat before the command. This further sets it apart in a very subtle, yet effective, way)

So, now, here's an idea: Write your own examples. The best way to learn is by doing. Write them down and then practice saying them out loud with the proper tonal shift. Practice delivering them to a human being. Write at least ten. Twenty is better. Perhaps you'll find that you utilize the eight sentence openings offered on this page and then go from there.

Use them on waitresses: "You might find you want to bring me a cup of coffee."
on bus drivers: "People can... let me out at the corner."

Be Respectful AND Have Fun.

Ericksonian Language Patterns

Patterns of Indirect Suggestion – A.K.A.: Ericksonian Language Patterns

In a therapeutic setting we strive to achieve the client's goals with elegance. Sometimes, however, change is difficult and resistance, conscious or otherwise, is a natural response. By using the following language patterns we are able to bypass the conscious resistance and to communicate with the subconscious mind.

Milton Erickson was famous for his therapeutic metaphors. He would elicit hypnotic responses in his clients or direct their thinking by telling them a story. He wasn't alone. Like Aesop's fables, the parables of Jesus, and Greek myths, stories can teach us and direct us with their implicit, indirect suggestions.

Milton's stories, however, were told in a manner that utilized a sophisticated understanding of how the listener's subconscious would hear them. His use of these language patterns and vocal tonality to slip suggestions past the listener's conscious critical mind is sometimes referred to as "covert hypnosis." We take issue with this representation. This artful use of language cannot rightly be called covert when used in a clinical setting. The client has come to you for treatment and is paying for all of your expertise. Using Hypnosis covertly, like in a bar to seduce someone, is something Dr. Erickson would neither do nor advocate.

A direct suggestion is really a command. It tends to be evaluated by the conscious mind and may be rejected at the outset. Indirect suggestions are like a Trojan horse that slips past the gates and guard towers of the conscious mind and carries good suggestions embedded within. Hence the term, "embedded command." [ As an example, "You will feel confident," is a direct suggestion. As opposed to the Indirect Suggestion: "I'm wondering how it is when you feel confident ."]

Note: Words in bold are to be said utilizing a shift in your tonality and/or physiology. This is referred to as "Analogue Marking" because the shift in tonality and body gestures are analogous to that of a command. An Embedded Command can be marked out in a variety of ways. A louder voice, a softer voice, a change of vocal timbre, pausing just before the particular phrase, a hand gesture, a shift of eye focus onto the subject, etc. But, whatever way the phrase is marked out must be analogous to a command. You are telling them to do something and it must be clear to their other-than-conscious what they are to do.

I should like to point out that without these shifts in tonality, etc., there is no command at all. You must shift your tonality in a way that is noticeable. Regardless of whether or not the listener pays attention to it consciously, it has to exist. Sometimes people think they are shifting their tonality and are not really doing so. Generally speaking, you can err on the side of exaggeration quite safely. Richard Bandler is sometimes almost comical in his broad way of delivering the commands, yet they unfailingly work.

Speaking of tonality that is analogous to a command, in natural English language a change of inflection can change the meaning of a sentence entirely. As in the sentence, "You are going to the proms." If you were to use a lifting of your tonality at the end of the sentence it becomes a question. “You are going to the proms?" (Say it aloud and listen to it.)

With flat tonality it is a simple statement. “You are going to the proms." (Say it and listen...)

When you shift your tonality downwards at the end of the sentence it becomes a command. “You are going to the proms."
(Go ahead, say it. Say it with the downward inflected tonality and listen to how it sounds.)

Thus: In communication in general and in Hypnosis in particular, tonality is primary.

Mowing the Lawn

I have an acre of lawn to cut.
That's a lot of grass
Last weekend, when I spent several hours on the endeavor, I discovered that mindless, repetitious activities are made even better when done at high decibel levels. Nothing like a Toro Lawn Horse if you want to wake the neighbors.
I was reminded of the story of Milton Erickson in the Boiler Factory - how he realized that he had somehow, overnight, learned to communicate in that din without shouting - just like the long-time workers in the factory. I guess we can get used to anything.
But then I remembered a story by Gangaji, a spiritual teacher, who said that when she was in India learning from her guru, one of the other students complained that meditation was hard for him because he lived above a 24 hour auto-body shop.
The Guru asked other students what they thought about the complaint. They went around the room and all did their best to offer sage advice. Gangaji herself offered the opinion that he should find the eternal silence that is always there within us. The Guru said, yes, those were all good ideas and asked if they now wanted to hear his advice?
They said yes, of course.
The Guru looked at the young man and said, "Move! Find another apartment in a quieter part of town."
I'd have gone one step further and suggested, while he's at it, find a place with a lot of lawn.

Trance Voice Down-Under

Just returned from my first ever visit to Australia.
What a fantastic visit!
My friend Jonathan and I went down to teach a class called "Your Irresistible Voice in Trance." It is a class that combines Jonathan's expertise in Voice Production with my understanding of Ericksonian Language patterns and how to use the voice when doing trance work.
We had a delightful time working with truly wonderful people.
We spent all our time in Melbourne, where the class was held. To say I've been to Australia is like a flea landing on the tip of a dog's tail and saying it has visitied Dog. Next time I do hope to see and experience more.
Met a guy who came over to check it out and has been there nine years so far.
I couldn't afford that.
But I really liked it there.
First, it's just like here only different.
Second, there are really nice people there.
Third, there are different stars (weird)
Forth, there are different animals (kangaroos are only the beginning)
Fifth, they speak a variation on English called "Australian"
Sixth, the drive on the wrong side of the road, which seems to make sense since they are on the underside of the planet. Not like England.
;)
Anyway - this is my longest blog post yet.
I'm not sure I've found my Irresistible Voice in Blog yet, but like the Skippys - this is only the beginning.

Winged-Face guy

It's pretty groovy what these kids can do these days.
See the neat looking winged-face guy?
Who knew? That's Hypnos. The Greek God of sleep.
I hire this young friend of mine to make my new blog look pretty and he comes up with guy they named Hypnosis after. I didn't even know there was such a guy. I'd been taught that hypnosis was the Greek word for sleep. I like it better that we have our own God.
He's cute.
Love the symbolic nature of the winged face.
Very cool.
Well done, Phillip.
    Kids.