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Hypnosis is a powerful tool that can be used to help or entertain people. When you hypnotize people, you make them forget about their surroundings and focus on you and your directions. Getting people to do simple yet funny things, like flap their arms like a chicken, is easy when hypnotizing them. Making people do more elaborate things, such as impersonating another, is a little harder. This wikiHow will give you the basics for hypnosis.



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    Decide on your subject then you should always make sure you are in a patient mood..... The person you pick has to be willing to be hypnotized. It's much more difficult to hypnotize someone who doesn't wish to be hypnotized than someone who's willing. Hypnosis doesn't work on everyone, so don't worry if it doesn't work on this person. It also takes a lot of practice. A great way to check if someone is a suitable subject is to tell them to close their eyes and imagine one of their hands getting lighter and lighter. Then tell them that their other hand is getting heavier and heavier. If one hand rises and the other hand lowers, then they're a good subject to use.
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    Set the mood. The room does not necessarily have to be silent. However, you need to find ways to keep the subject relaxed. Make sure the room isn't too hot or cold, and that the noises in the room aren't distracting. Playing soft, calming music can help. Make sure the subject is sitting comfortably in a chair and let them slouch as much as they need to.
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    Before you start the relaxation process, choose a comfortable environment with dim lighting in which to proceed. The person you're hypnotizing must be able to relax and be comfortable. Have them breathe in deeply through their nose, and out deeply through their mouth. Then get them to tense their muscles really tightly for 10 seconds, then have them untense them for 10, then re-tense for another 10. This should get them feeling loose all over, and the oxygen to the brain will make them relaxed.
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    Mental Contract. Follow your method of hypnotism and hypnotize the person. Don't rush this process; it only makes it more difficult. Use a calm and relaxing voice and make sure the person you're hypnotizing is ready to proceed. Tell them that they agree that they are going to be hypnotised, and that they agree to let you hypnotize them to do anything. This part opens their subconscious, allowing you to do all sorts of bizarre things to them!
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    Begin the relaxation process. Have them lie down and tell them to close their eyes. This part gets very boring for the hypnotist, but the fun stuff is coming. Tell them that you are going to count down backwards from 100 to 0. Tap your foot every second you count and tell them that with every tap they are going to get sleepier and sleepier (DO NOT say the infamous: "You are getting sleeeeeeeeeepy". It is stereotypical, stupid and never actually works. Do that and you'll get a permanent ban!) Tell them that by the time you reach zero they will be asleep. Start counting. On every number ending in 7 or 3, remind them how tired they are getting. For example: 100, 99, 98, 97 - you are getting more tired and more tired - 96, 95, 94, 93 - you are getting more tired and more tired - 92, etc. You should be counting down at the rate of one digit every two foot taps. Yes, that slow. Boring, I know. Every ten digits, tell them that by the next 10 counts they are going to be twice as tired. For example: 92, 91, 90 - now by the time I reach 80 you are going to be twice as tired, twice as relaxed, and twice as feeling good - 89 etc. Eventually that will be getting them super sleepy. By the time you reach zero they should be asleep.
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    Prepare them for manipulation. Tell them to imagine themselves in a dreamy, wonderful meadow that is warm and happy. Say that there is a cloud in the sky that is sweeping down and picking them up and up and up. It's soft and happy and starts absorbing their toes, cool, tingly, and numb. It is moving up their feet, absorbing their ankles. Eventually have the cloud move up their entire body, eventually engulfing their body and making them numb, cool and tingly. Do this slowly, going through every body part individually.
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    Begin manipulation. Once the person is completely hypnotized, have them do something. Start with a simple command like "Touch your nose with your finger." Then tell them that when the clouds move, their body moves with the clouds, and it starts by lifting their arm. Specify which arm, and say that it keeps lifting up and up and up.Once their arm is extended in the air (this usually takes a while the first time, but once you get them to move their arm once, it should all happen faster.) Tell them their arm is limp and heavy as lead. It should drop. This should have you thinking, "Oh my gosh! Yes! Now eat this steak." *gives them a shoe* And yes, you are about to have a very fun time. However, you can't just impose things on the hypnotized. If you are too pushy, they will wake up. If you mess up, they will wake, and you will have to get them back into the trance all over again. Here's what to say to get them to do specific commands (For this I am going to use the gnawing on a shoe example.) Tell them the cloud is lowering them into their favorite restaurant and that every food imaginable is on the menu. They can order whatever they want. They will then tell you their order. Tell them you are giving them their food (give them the shoe) and tell them its going to be the tastiest thing ever. They will start gnawing on it, and probably complain that its really tough. It's super fun!
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    Other ways of fun. You can also suggest more difficult and goofy tasks. Make sure that you're not asking her to do something that she could not do in a normal conscious state. You don't have superpowers or unnatural abilities when you're hypnotized. Hypnotizing them to act like a chicken or to pick their nose, for example, can be very entertaining and simple. You must make sure that they are willing to do something stupid and embarrassing. If you are hypnotizing your enemy, you can be as embarrassing as you wish and make them say something like, "You are the coolest and I am the biggest loser ever. I act like a chicken and pick my nose.")
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    Bring your subject out of the trance. Count in a positive, upbeat voice, adding energy to the subject with each number ("You are getting more and more awake..."). Just before you wake them, you can give them a positive boost - like telling them that they will rest well that night - or a final trick - like telling them that they will laugh uncontrollably whenever someone shakes their hand. These effects will eventually wear off, but it's fun to watch.
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    Collect the cash and/or applause.
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    If you want them to go back into the state of hypnosis, try asking them to follow one point on your hand with their eyes (not head) and talking soothingly, then saying "sleep" at an unexpected moment. If they were in a deep state that they have not yet fully awoken from, they should go back into it.

Add your own method


Making the effects wear off

  1. Re-induce the hypnosis using either this or any other method.
  2. Tell the person that whatever you told them about [insert subject] the last time you hypnotized them will wear off once they awaken.
  3. Check that they remember what you're talking about by saying "Can you remember when I hypnotized you to do [this] whenever someone said / whenever [this] happened?
  4. Reinforce the point that the trigger event/word (i.e, the word that makes them do something strangely) is no longer tied to the action. Tell them "You will no longer [do action] whenever [this] happens.
  5. Further reinforce that from the time they awake, nothing that's happened to them because of hypnosis will effect their future or make them do anything "weird" or differently in future (most people understand "weird").
  6. Critical point : Ask them whether they fully understand - tell them to nod gently if they do. Then ask them whether there is absolutely anything at all to do with the hypnosis or with the commands you've given them that they don't understand - it is critical that they nod. If they don't, you can just ask them to say quietly what they don't understand - "Can you just quietly say what it is that you don't fully understand?". Reinforce / re explain the points that they bring up and try this step again.
  7. Once they fully understand everything, just bring them out of the state as above.


  • Be patient. Going too quickly will give the person being hypnotized a sense of urgency, making it impossible for them to reach the hypnotized state.
  • Having a deep, soothing voice can be helpful, but if you don't have one, don't fake it. It can disturb your subject and make it impossible for them to reach a state of hypnosis. If you don't have a soothing voice a monotonous one will help. Practice getting a soothing voice by imagining you are on a beach.


  • Be careful what you tell your subject to do, as they will most likely remember it.
  • Just about everyone can be hypnotized. If the subject is not drunk or stoned, if they are of average intelligence or above, and if they are willing then they can be hypnotized.
  • Never tell them to do anything that involves "Ignoring all distractions" as they will ignore everything including your voice and attempts to cure them.

DO NOT tell them to do anything illegal or dangerous that may result in bodily harm.

Article Info

Categories: Hypnosis

Recent edits by: BeatlesMonkees, Adelaide, Jordan

In other languages:

Español: Cómo Hacer trucos usando técnicas de hipnosis, Italiano: Come Fare dei Trucchi Usando Tecniche di Ipnosi, Português: Como Fazer Truques Usando Técnicas de Hipnose, Русский: повеселиться, используя гипноз


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