In nearly all cases a slight shock, such as the snapping of the fingers or the clapping of the hands, repeated a few times, together with the assurance, "You are all right. Wake up!" will be found sufficient.

If, however, the subject does not arouse immediately upon your suggestion, remember there is no danger in hypnotic sleep. Let me repeat once more, "Do not lose control of yourself. Do not let the subject see you are losing control of him." The subject will awaken of his own accord if left alone, or rather, he will pass from a hypnotic into a natural sleep, and will awaken at the proper time.

It is wise before attempting to arouse the subject, to suggest to him, "Now I am going to awaken you, and you will feel all right. Your head will be clear, and you will feel just as though you have had a refreshing sleep." A suggestion of this kind frequently saves a slight headache which some subjects are liable to, especially when hypnosis has been induced by means of staring.

Sometimes we find a subject who will not awaken at the simple command and the snapping of the fingers. Fanning is sometimes of assistance in such a case, and blowing on the eyes will frequently arouse the subject when a simple command will not. In rare cases the subject refuses to awaken even after the fanning and the blowing on the eyes. The difficulty seems to be that he realizes he is so deeply asleep that it appears impossible for him to awaken so quickly. In this case it is wise to talk to him in this fashion, "Now, I want you to wake up, and I am going to count five. Will you promise to wake when I reach that number?" After getting his promise, count slowly, and as you say "Five," clap your hands together suddenly and say sharply, "Now you are all right, wake up." Repeat this two or three times and the subject will probably awaken.

If the subject still refuses to arouse, tell him that he must wake up, that you won't permit him to sleep any longer, that he is simply making a fool of himself, and he must wake up. Tell him that you will give him five minutes more and then he must awaken. Go away from him, return at the end of five minutes and say, "Now you are all right, and this time you are going to awaken. You understand?" Make him answer you, if possible, and then tell him, "Now when I count five you will be wide awake and feel all right." Count five. Strike the hands together as before.

Don't hurry the subject too much. He feels very sleepy and it seems to him impossible to arouse so quickly. Sometimes you will find that he will awaken and then go to sleep again. In cases of this kind, it is wise to give the suggestion before you arouse him, that when he wakes up he will be all right and will not be sleepy, but will stay awake. Impress this on him and then arouse him.

In rare cases it has been necessary to walk the subject about the room, to beat the soles of the shoe with a book, to even strike the face with wet towels. But remember this, there is no danger to the subject if he does not awaken immediately. He will simply go into an ordinary sleep. Remember this also, in ninety-nine out of one hundred subjects there is not the slightest difficulty in awakening them.