There I was, sitting in the back of a room full of people with their eyes closed. The conference room was filled with people who had gathered from all over to hear the author of their favorite self-help book speak. I had my eyes open because I have this thing about closing my eyes in public. You know, people can totally come up and rob you or stab you in the neck with a knife.
Anywho, I stood in the back of the room and watched the group of people sit in a trance-like state as my boss at the time spoke softly and gave positive reaffirming commands for people to follow when they exited their trance. Deep breathes and soft music played in the background, and I continued to stand there awkwardly in a room full of hypnotized people.
At the end of the group hypnosis session, my boss spoke with the people in the room and then made her way to the back where I was standing.
“Did you feel it?”
“Oh yeah,” I said in the most flat out lie I’ve ever given to anyone. But to give her the benefit of the doubt, I really enjoyed reading her book, and one thing to remember is that one has to be willing to be hypnotized in order to go under hypnosis, let alone have their eyes shut.
“Well I’m glad you benefitted from it,” she said.
We spent the rest of the day tabling at the convention, but she eventually let me wander off for a bit to check out the other booths when the crowd of people had thinned out around her table.
I ran into mystics, new-age thinkers and even a booth with information on Wicca. Colorful stones, charms and non-traditional health materials lined tables where individuals spoke about philosophy, spirituality and new-age religions. It was sort of awe-inspiring to be in an environment like that where you were able to explore and speak freely about all sorts of things. And even though I was never comfortable enough to let someone hypnotize me, I enjoyed my book marketing internship with the hypnotist, and wouldn’t trade that interesting experience for anything in the world.
Jazzed About Stuff 
I have only one experience with hypnosis and later felt concerned about the after effects. I think it would be good to see a session like you describe, but like you I’d refrain from being a participant. I like the line, “Oh yeah,” I said in the most flat out lie I’ve ever given to anyone. Thanks for posting. TR
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Right? Because how do you tell the truth to your boss about something like that. And I don’t blame you one bit. Who wants to be so vulnerable in a crowd of strangers. It’s bad enough being in a crowd of strangers. 🙂
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Jasmine, I loved the part about not closing your eyes because someone could rob or stab you. LOL.
In the olden days, we used to have school assemblies with guests. Once a hypnotist came. During the group hypnotising demonstration, I decided to “act” like I was going along but fight it with the power of my own thoughts. Apparently, I was OUT! When the hypnotist told us to sit down, my feet came up and my shins clunked on the seat in the row in front of me. I didn’t feel anything then, but the next day, I wondered why the heck my legs hurt so bad.
Thanks for this post that took me back to 1977! Wow. xoA
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I am curious…where was this event, Jasmine? I’ve always thought it would be fun to be hypnotized, but I guess I never really believed that it was really possible.
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