Many people may recall a scene from Star Wars when one of them looks at one of the guards and is able to make him believe that the wanted people that were there were not the ones he is seeking, that is what is known as conversational hypnosis and wouldn't you love to have it?

Ok, so maybe it is not quite that simple, but the principles of conversational hypnosis show it as a well thought out manipulations and different strategies that will hopefully bring people around to your way of thinking. When the principles of conversational hypnosis were first introduced by the great hypnotist Milton Erickson, he said that these trance like states were really not that rare and that possibly people end up in these "trances" many times during the day. It may be while waiting in traffic or even if deeply into a book they are reading. He also thought that if you were to overtly try to bring about this trance or give the subject any straight out directions and if the person was unwilling it normally leads to resistance. He preferred using his principles of rapport, indirect suggestions and confusion to produce the type of trance that he wanted in order to influence their thoughts.

The principles of conversational hypnosis begins with three stages; the first is developing a rapport with the subject. In other words by agreeing with everything they say you will be ensuring the subject is comfortable with you.

The second stage, while not exactly trickery, is to add a little confusion, nothing alarming or overly drastic, just enough to throw the subject a little off balance. When you do this it puts the person in a more vulnerable state, throwing them off guard. While in this state a person normally wants resolve from being confused and is open to solutions and suggestion to escape the feeling of confusion.

The third stage of the principles of conversational hypnosis has everything to do with timing. While the subject is still in a state of confusion they are also distracted. It is while they are in this state that your window of opportunity is waiting for you to plant your suggestion. Remember that conversational hypnosis is subtle. Conversational and covert hypnosis works, but not on everyone.

Of course as with anything else you are trying to learn and master the principles of conversational hypnosis takes patience and practice. When beginning it is a help if you are somewhat familiar with your subject so that you will know if you are reading them correctly.