What's the difference between induction and suggestion?

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Permalink Reply by Susan French on June 30, 2008 at 2:44pm

I thought that induction, technically, was the entrance or beginning of hypnosis and a suggestion is some idea that suggests a change from the status quo. A suggestion to deepen the hypnosis changes the status quo...the client goes deeper. A suggestion to see yourself as a non-smoker is a suggestion meant to change the status quo.

Anyhow, that's what I thought the difference was.

Susan

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Chase on July 6, 2008 at 9:33am

Hi Susan,

That is the accepted belief yes but if you suggest hypnosis to me and I go there, then was the suggestion the induction? If so then the induction MUST be a suggestion so the two must be one and the thing.

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Permalink Reply by Ronen Beckerman on June 30, 2008 at 7:20pm

If Hypnosis is defined as a state change or trance, than it could be brought about by almost any stimuli (i.e. sound such as white noise, swirling visual pattern or flame, massage, and I'm sure even taste/smell to a lesser degree). Than once initiated can be capitalized on and deepend by suggestion. This is just one view. Chocolate cake could be suggesting "eat me!" or it could just be chocolate cake. I find people naturally going into trance while discussing hypnosis, without a formal induction. I believe hypnosis, trance, and suggestion deserve there own definition, althought hypnosis could be an umbrella term. Appollogies for going on abit long....

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Permalink Reply by Justin James on June 30, 2008 at 8:16pm

Good thoughts Ronen.
Correct, Hypnosis is a state and a state that has defined levels
I.E. Light, Medium, Deep, and of course the Eisdale state or ultra depth

Trance is another term used to describe Hypnosis. They were tranced out or they were Hypnotized.

A state of Hypnosis or trance can be caused by many things. Those that you have described as well as fear and shock. No hypnotist is necessary for that to occur.

Suggestions even as simple as "honey where are the car keys?" can create a simple amnesia for a short period if the person asked was tranced out. Of course stress can deepen that state and so can confusion.

Justin James

www.TheHypnosisCompany.com

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Permalink Reply by Synapse on June 30, 2008 at 8:25pm

I've always believed trance and hypnosis to be two separate things. Trance is a naturally occuring state (hypnagogic and hypnopompic states being examples). It is not hypnosis. Hypnosis is "assisted trance" if you will, by external suggestion.

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Permalink Reply by Justin James on June 30, 2008 at 8:45pm

Actually that is where the challenge lies. Hypnosis or the state of can occur naturally and it can be assisted. Trance is just the same..

Here is some wording.
The siren entranced the man.
the music put people into a trance.

The reality is the vast majority of the world is scared of Hypnosis.. However trance and guided visualization are softer words versus Hypnosis and Progressive relaxation induction..


Now I know this is a side tack however look at the word induction, in some people especially those in the 60 plus age bracket it can cause fear..

It was common to get inducted into the army at one time in history not so long ago.

Now perhaps some of the argument can be put to the British Vs American Dictionary however if you study your terminology closely you will see the other side of the argument.

Here are some exceprts from Wikipedia supporting this position.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trance

Working definitions

* Enchantment: a psychological state induced by (or as if induced by) a magical incantation
* a state of mind in which consciousness is fragile and voluntary action is poor or missing
* a state resembling deep sleep
* Capture: attract; cause to be enamored; "She captured all the men's hearts"; in the sense of entranced
* a condition of apparent sleep or unconsciousness, with marked physiological characteristics, in which the body of the subject is liable to possession
* an out-of-body experience in which one feels they have passed out of the body into another state of being, a rapture, an ecstasy. In a general way, the entranced conditions thus defined are divided into varying degrees of a negative, unconscious state, and into progressive gradations of a positive, conscious, illumining condition.
* a state of hyper or enhanced suggestibility.
* an induced or spontaneous sleep-like condition of an altered state of consciousness, which permits the subject's physical body to be utilized by the discarnate as a means of expression
* an altered state of awareness induced via hypnotism in which unconscious or dissociated responses to suggestion are enhanced in quality and increased in degree
* a state induced by the use of hypnosis; the person accepts the suggestions of the hypnotist
* a state of consciousness characterized by extreme dissociation often to the point of appearing unconscious.

Trance conditions include all the different states of mind, emotions, moods and daydreams that human beings experience. All activities which engage a human involve the filtering of information coming into sense modalities and hence, brain functioning and consciousness. Therefore, trance may be understood as a matter of functionality and efficiency ~ to economize consciousness resource usage.

Trance states may also be accessed or induced by various modalities and is a way of accessing the unconscious mind for the purposes of relaxation, healing, intuition and inspiration. There is an extensive documented history of trance as evidenced by the case-studies of anthropologists and ethnologists and associated and derivative disciplines. Hence trance, may be perceived as endemic to the human condition and a Human Universal. Principles of trance are being explored and documented as are methods of trance induction. Benefits of trance states are being explored by medical and scientific inquiry. Many traditions and rituals employ trance. Trance also has a function in religion and mystical experience.

Castillo (1995) states that: "Trance phenomena result from the behavior of intense focusing of attention, which is the key psychological mechanism of trance induction. Adaptive responses, including institutionalized forms of trance, are 'tuned' into neural networks in the brain and depend to a large extent on the characteristics of culture. Culture-specific organizations exist in the structure of individual neurons and in the organizational formation of neural networks."

Hoffman (1998: p.9) states that: "Trance is still conventi

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Permalink Reply by Synapse on July 1, 2008 at 5:05am

I think we'll just have to "agree to disagree" on this one Justin!
:o)
As for dictionary definitions - even they can't agree!

I find it useful to use the terms interchangeably when explaining hypnosis to non-hypnotists, otherwise I believe them to be very separate.

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Permalink Reply by Jonathan Chase on July 6, 2008 at 9:30am

I think that's a useful outlook Synapse.

The fact is that apart from syntax and definition there is in a real world situation no difference between the two.

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Permalink Reply by Synapse on July 6, 2008 at 9:43am

At the end of the day, you work with what is most productive for you. In your world they are one and the same, in my world they are different. Your belief is valid for and works for you and my belief is valid for and works for me. At the end of the day the only thing of importance is results!

:o)

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