Brad Fallon is an SEO expert and great guy. I got to know him on the marketing cruise I was just on. After our presentations, we hung out together and picked each other’s brains. He asked me about my P.T. Barnum book, writing in general, and hypnosis, too. Brad wanted to know if it was true that a hypnotist could put someone into a trance just by shaking their hand.
I told him, yes, of course. Stage hypnotists do it all the time. They have to learn instant inductions in order to make the show happen fast. Milton Erickson was famous for being able to put people into a trance state with a handshake, too. I told Brad I could do it, as well, and I stretched out my hand.
He offered his hand to mine but just as we touched, he quickly realized what could happen and pulled his hand away. We both laughed but the point was made. The expectation that something as innocent as a hand shake could put you into a hypnotic trance is exactly what makes it possible.
There’s a lesson here in all human dealings, but I won’t spell it out.
I’ll let you think about it….
