Inductions: How fast is fast?

[John Cerbone - The Trance-Master]

Inductions: How fast is fast?
Richard Nongard and I have produced the now internationally selling / in use DVD Hypnosis training set, "Speed-Trance." I think we are up to 6 continents now.
A question someone asked me in terms of inductions recently was: how fast is fast?
I am not discussing re-inductions here, just a cold start, walk up and out-- dropped more or less shoulders to knees, the fastest you've been timed.
Altho I wish we had Olympic style timers, my fastest timed from a cold start to a shoulders to knees was .6 seconds (6/10ths of a second) in a prep-school in MA. This is also taking into account the time it took the kid with the chronograph watch to see me work and click the start and stop buttons on the watch, watch movements and shifting, so I'm truthfully asking, how fast is fast?
And how much faster can we as a profession get?
Hypnotic Best,
The Trance-Master
aka
John

[James Hazlerig]

I view terms like "World's Fastest Hypnotist" as being marketing slogans just like "Best Burgers in Town"--since neither is objectively measurable, all the superlative means is "you can't prove anyone is faster." But hey, it's a great slogan!

See, I consider that any induction began the day I first heard of hypnosis, so I've already started inducing everyone I'm going to induce in the future. :-) It's like the time that Stephen Heller met the fiance of a friend of his. She was very excited that she would be meeting a "real hypnotist." As soon as their eyes met for the first time, she dropped into a deep trance without any special effort on his part. So I think I'd have to say that Heller was the World's Fastest Hypnotist--or perhaps the fiance was the World's Fastest Trancer. :-)

Great discussion,

James

[Alexander Duvall - HypnotizedTV.com]

look how the eyes roll,interesting discussion

[Rick (Obi Wan) Andrews]

I have more skits than i can manage and a show could go on for hours but as you should know the audiences attention strays and they tire keep it compact lively and your there, no comic worth his salt or magician for that fact would bang gag after gag or trick after trick its part of the trade padding
it out, as for giving up never i enjoy it too much

[Brian Sanders, MS, CH]

I think she's on Ecstasy.

[Michael Ellner]

Good call --Ice --

I thought that she seemed more wasted than hypnotized too - But, now I'm thinking it's a distortion in the freeze frame icon - Because after watching the induction several times I'm thinking that she slipped in to trance quite naturally -- Bravo Alexander --

[Justin James]

lol Sorry guys that clip is too short...Any of us can do that she was already hypnotized in a formal induction and he was passing back through
the glazed look was because she was already done.. Stick a fork in her..

Lets see the rest of the clip Alexander.

Justin

[Alexander Duvall - HypnotizedTV.com]

Another example of how fast people go into hypnosis,I think you must also include a reaction from the people to qualify,in this clip you can see that they respond to my hypnotic suggestion to play the piano.

[Justin James]

Again Alexander you have a great clip however it covers the last seconds of your induction it does not show a complete picture.
However it is very possible to go from a handclasp direct to skits if done right so I am not discounting you here just saying that the picture is incomplete.

On a side note those have got to be absolutely horrible chairs to use in a show.

Justin

[Sean Michael Andrews C.H. C.I. - WorldsFastestHypnotist.com]

Since we're talking about very quick inductions here, I just want to inject a few words about safety. Most instant inductions involve a shock to the nervous system followed by the command, "Sleep!" The shock is usually a sudden movement or noise. If a physical movement like an arm pull, hand drop or bop on the forehead is to be used, it is essential that the hypnotist first determine that the subject does not have any neck or arm problems that could be aggravated by the shock. A good subject's head will sometimes drop forward very quickly and this could cause a neck injury. I sometimes use a gentle head roll to deepen a subject, but I always ask about any neck problems before doing this.

Now, let's talk about instant vs. super rapid inductions. It only takes me a fraction of a second to hypnotize someone, but as an ethical hypnotist, I always get permission first. This is the difference between instant and rapid hypnosis - consent. If you drop someone without warning, this means you have not taken the time to determine if the induction will harm the subject.

There has been a lot of discussion about when the clock starts ticking to time your instant induction and many believe it starts as soon as someone knows you are a hypnotist, so by that definition, most "instant" inductions take a few minutes.

But let's say that we have permission, we know that our subject is fit and in good health and we want to time how long it takes to put her into trance. With a guy, I wll often use an arm pull because it is very quick and will drop him into deep trance in a fraction of a second. I use a sharp pull to provide the shock. Let's say for the sake of argument that the induction takes half a second. If I pull his arm twice as fast, I might shorten the induction. I might also dislocate his shoulder!

Bottom line, get some good training and always operate safely.

Sean Michael Andrews
www.WorldsFastestHypnotist.com

P.S. This is pretty fast.

[Alexander Duvall - HypnotizedTV.com]

Hi justin its a stage not a furniture shop LOL you have got to use whats available

[Alexander Duvall - HypnotizedTV.com]

Ok I like your style but you have to back it up with action after the rapid induction,also make it aware to people that people will pop out of hypnosis,the quicker you go into hypnosis the quicker you will come out of it.

You are doing a great job at promoting street hypnosis,did you know that in the early 19th century stage hypnotist use to promote shows by performing street hypnosis

I would also suggest you show footage of the process not working,subject does not go into hypnosis I am sure you have some footage.

Alex

[Sean Michael Andrews C.H. C.I. - WorldsFastestHypnotist.com]

Thanks Alex! Please give my regards to Bob the Monkey. We love him. Yes, street hypnosis is actually very old, and so are instant inductions. I read an account of the instant inductions the Abbe Faria did around 1810. This comes from Alan Gauld's book:
"He placed the person who wished to be influenced in an armchair, and urged him to close his eyes and meditate; then suddenly, he uttered in a strong and commanding voice the word "Sleep." which usually made a keen enough impression on the patient to produce in him a slight jolt of the whole body, warmth, perspirationm and sometimes somnambulism."

Pretty cool, huh? As to your suggestion that I post videos of my instant inductions NOT working hmmmm.... Really Alex! Are you suggesting that there might have been times when my instant inductions were not 100% effective? Tsk, tsk. :-) Okay, once in a while someone will pop out or not go in, but that is pretty rare. Why is that? Confidence is a big factor and also knowing how to choose a good subject. We can talk about that later, but after a while you just know, right?

Okay, so you want to see a failure? What is the easiest thing to do? How about a reinduction of someone who is already deep in trance. This is impossible to screw up, wouldn't you say? Watch this!

Sean Michael Andrews
www.WorldsFastestHypnotist.com