Has anyone here ever been hypnotized? I've heard and read about people that have and that some 'cannot' be hypnotized? Why is that? I've also read somewhere that there are techniques that an average person can learn to hypnotize another person (why you would want to is beyond me)

Can hypnosis be dangerous? Can you be hypnotized without even knowing that you were?
Magestica

Well, all psychologists who use hypnosis are basically 'average people'.
Hypnosis can be dangerous, but so can most things.
Hypnosis can also be a very useful tool for changing behaviour. From as simple as quitting smoking to as major as dealing with and overcoming things like social anxiety.
Also, there are ways to hypnotize yourself for the same, behaviour altering reasons.

As to why some people can be and others not - i don't know anything about this... if anyone else does, i'm curious.

I would venture that it may have to do with expectation/skepticism, but i believe skeptics can, and have been, hypnotized... so.. i don't know.

A good friend of mine was 'hypnotized' to quit smoking and it failed..so either it was useless, or didn't work on her? I've heard a good bit of people try to be hypnotized and they just 'couldn't'?? And I haven't heard either, why it wouldn't work on them. Maybe it was the person doing it? Do you think it takes a weak mind to be hypnotized or a strong one?

*And what I meant by average, was actually people who just pick up a book and learn step by step, rather then a psychologist who obtained some form of a degree.* Not that i'm saying anyone is merely average, guess I just chose the wrong word
Mag

Originally posted by magestica
And I haven't heard either, why it wouldn't work on them. Maybe it was the person doing it? Do you think it takes a weak mind to be hypnotized or a strong one?

i would lean towards, as you suggest, the skill of the hypnotist is more important. Strong and weak mind are vague terms. I still think it may have to do with subjects expectation??
i just dont know.

*And what I meant by average, was actually people who just pick up a book and learn step by step, rather then a psychologist who obtained some form of a degree.* Not that i'm saying anyone is merely average, guess I just chose the wrong word
Mag

well, determined people can teach themselves foriegn languages on their own so i don't see hypnosis as being much different.

That's why I rephrased what I had originally wrote, I meant no disrespect for anyone..just meant those who didn't do it for a living..that's what I meant by average.

And I have heard that weaker minds are more then likely easier to hypnotize, BUT I have also heard the opposite, so it's just weird to me, which is it? Probably like you said, the state of mind doesn't really matter..
I wonder if an animal(like a dog) could be hypnotized then?
Mag

Originally posted by magestica
I wonder if an animal(like a dog) could be hypnotized then?

i would guess no, but i could be wrong. But i think there's a participant-like factor to consider. ie., following the hypnotists suggestions. Relax, close your eyes, etc..
i don't think a dog could do this. Or maybe that's not important at all and you could hypnotize a dog??

There are various forms of hypnotism...for in a way hypnotism is merely the instilling of suggestion/beliefs etc within someone else without them having any real conscious knowledge of what is happening. Hypnotism is far too commonly seen as being some side-show performance with swinging watches and counting numbers backward *sleeeeeeep* kinda stuff...when it can readily be done by the hypnotisers mere 'presence' alone.

...Empathic people often have that ability...

Alien~What do you mean by this?:
when it can readily be done by the hypnotisers mere 'presence' alone.

Sounds like you are saying that if one were to walk in the room that someone would fall to their feet or whatever else they were telling them to do(with their presence) I would think there had to be a 'mind' connection for anything like that to happen?? Could you explain better..please...
Mags

I don't think someone can be hypnotised if they are aware of the effort however, if the conscious mind is unaware of the attempt, I think it's possible.

I smoked for about 20 years plus and wanted to quit. A friend told me about someone who did hypnotism in the privacy of his own home, went to his home spent about 45 minutes walked out and it was like I never smoked to begin with....very amazing as I was very skeptical that it would work! Alas...to my demise I took up the evil habit again about 4 years later, and for some reason am skeptical once again whether or not it will work again.

20 yrs and then you just stopped for 4 yrs
thats got to be something!
maybe there is a time limit on how long it works for!

i wish i could give up...no will power me ha ha

I'm gonna have to get a self-hypnosis book and try it. My natural train of thought isn't good enough for today's society and I'm gonna have to program myself to be more acceptible.

Just kidding, glad you could make use of it amongst all the goofiness

However, noone ever answered my initial question. So maybe someone can now. Why is it that some people are so easily hypnotized and some not? Or some find it impossible to be hypnotized?? Is it the hypnotists fault or the one trying to go under? Anyone have any thoughts, answers?
Mags

BTW..Congrats on quitting smoking!! Bet you feel great!

we're all hypnotized, man. by the android meme.

I am supposedly not susceptible to hypnotic suggestion at all, in experiments conducted some time back.

But I meditate fairly easily.

What makes some people susceptible and others not in my pet view is their locus of control, whether it's internal or external.

Originally posted by billybob
we're all hypnotized, man. by the android meme.

But am willing to read why you think so...

because we live our lives inside the machine without even noticing. can you grow and hunt? fabricate? build. could you survive without the machine(the societal/industriul/technological web)? we live in the matrix. it wasn't just a movie. it was a wake up call. our collective consciousness is constantly massaged by systems of marketing and hype. you need to be busy. you need phones. you need televisions, radios, cell phones, you need to be wirede. soon you will need a chip under your skin.
there's more to it than that, but maybe you see my point?

Originally posted by billybob
because we live our lives inside the machine without even noticing. can you grow and hunt? fabricate? build. could you survive without the machine(the societal/industriul/technological web)? we live in the matrix. it wasn't just a movie. it was a wake up call. our collective consciousness is constantly massaged by systems of marketing and hype. you need to be busy. you need phones. you need televisions, radios, cell phones, you need to be wirede. soon you will need a chip under your skin.
there's more to it than that, but maybe you see my point?

How did I guess you would mention "the matrix".. Just so everyone knows I do NOT live in the matrix. I've seen the movie, both of them and remained unimpressed to the extent of relating to the lives we live to date. Perhaps I am just blind and foolish? And do you know how long they've been talking about the chip under our skin?? Long enough for me to blow it off, that's how long.

Now I mean no disrespect to you as I enjoy you comments/thoughts..but not everyone is trapped inside what some refer to as "The Matrix"..some of us have skipped that part of the evolving process and moved into a much firmer area or thought pattern of existing here on the planet Zion...ooops I mean earth

What MA said is helpful. Trance meditation places one in what amounts to a hypnotic state- I don't know how open one may be to suggestion if at all. I was fully aware when I practiced such.

One has to want to be manipulated I would think to have hypnosis be a success. My dog never did stop peeing on hydrants..........

Originally posted by magestica

Originally posted by billybob
because we live our lives inside the machine without even noticing. can you grow and hunt? fabricate? build. could you survive without the machine(the societal/industriul/technological web)? we live in the matrix. it wasn't just a movie. it was a wake up call. our collective consciousness is constantly massaged by systems of marketing and hype. you need to be busy. you need phones. you need televisions, radios, cell phones, you need to be wirede. soon you will need a chip under your skin.
there's more to it than that, but maybe you see my point?

How did I guess you would mention "the matrix".. Just so everyone knows I do NOT live in the matrix. I've seen the movie, both of them and remained unimpressed to the extent of relating to the lives we live to date. Perhaps I am just blind and foolish? And do you know how long they've been talking about the chip under our skin?? Long enough for me to blow it off, that's how long.

Now I mean no disrespect to you as I enjoy you comments/thoughts..but not everyone is trapped inside what some refer to as "The Matrix"..some of us have skipped that part of the evolving process and moved into a much firmer area or thought pattern of existing here on the planet Zion...ooops I mean earth

perhaps. perhaps there is a metaphysical side involving sentient electricity which i failed to mention. oops! mothman prophecies is a clue(can always trust hollywood to have a paradigm for us to understand one another.)
because something hasn't happened does not mean it won't. we are not in a steady state.
there is a lot of talk around here about the 200, 000th post, for example. i think it will happen(although i think it is a CONSPIRACY!!!).