Practice Self-Contbol

If you cannot control yourself you must not expect to control others. Persons who are unable to exclude unpleasant thoughts or to keep their minds upon one thing at a time cannot become good hypnotists. Cultivate the habit of driving from your mind every thought that is not directly connected with the work you are performing. Let this be your constant habit, even in the most trivial matters. If you are upon a pleasure trip or at an entertainment of any kind, let only self-enjoyment in what is taking place be your aim. Positively exclude thoughts of business or domestic matters when you are not participating in those duties of life, and when attending to business, think of nothing else. Concentration of thought is the keynote of success in hypnotism.

One of the greatest secrets of the development of hypnotic power is the practice of instantly falling to sleep as soon as your head touches the pillow. When you retire for the night, banish every thought from your mind, except the thought of going to sleep. Force yourself to sleep by making your mind a blank to every idea except that of sleep. When you have yourself under perfect control in this particular, you will realize your hypnotic ability and be able to make others realize it. You must have the power to go to sleep whenever you will to do so, no matter what may be your surroundings.

Increasing Hypnotic Power

Beginners often suppose that in order to increase their hypnotic power they should practice upon as many subjects as possible. The reverse of this is true, for inexperienced operators are sure to meet with many failures, and that means loss of self-confidence. First secure a good subject and practice upon him until you can hypnotize him with absolutely no difficulty and then place him in the profound stages of hypnc-sis, although lethargy should not be produced. Next, secure two or three more subjects and develop them, and thus gradually add to the number.

It is poor policy for even an expert to be promiscuous in choosing subjects. Be careful in your selections and do not grant every request to "hypnotize someone." Confine yourself strictly to business and always have a reason for placing anyone in the hypnotic state, even though that reason should be simply your own development of power. Never make hypnotism a trivial matter. While great amusement can be afforded others at the expense of your subjects, you should avoid making a mountebank of yourself. Let everyone realize the importance of the power you are able to display and realize that importance yourself. In this way you preserve your dignity and increase your hypnotic ability, which would by any other course be likely to diminish.

Realizing Individual Influence

Notice among your friends which ones pay you respect, not only for the sake of politeness, but for your own sake. Notice what percentage of persons are actually interested in what you say and are willing to check their own desire to speak when you commence to talk. Cultivate the manners of acting and talking that will increase the number of persons you can influence. It is surprising how quickly you can increase the number by making a habit of looking everyone in the eye to whom you speak and by developing self-confidence. Commence by choosing subjects of conversation that will interest others and by making remarks that are of personal interest to them. This method will cause you to realize that attention is being paid to your words and will accustom you to being a speaker rather than a listener. It is then that your individual influence over others will be realized and the cultivation of it will become easy.

Overcoming Individual Habits

A bad habit is always a species of slavery, and a slave makes a good hypnotic subject, but a poor operator. A student of hypnotism cannot make a better beginning than by overcoming his own bad habits. He must be able to influence his own thoughts and actions by the exercise of will power. If he cannot do so, he will hardly be able to overcome the individual will power of others.

Cubing Personal Disorders

A good hypnotist must have a sound body. Dyspepsia, indigestion, constipation, neuralgia and all other complaints, must be cured. By curing them is not meant overcoming them by narcotics, poisons, harsh cathartics, artificial digestants, etc. Such, things are poor excuses for medicines. They may, indeed, force various organs to act or destroy the sensitive powers of the nerves, but they weaken the body. Avoid poisons and narcotics. There are hundreds of harmless agents that can be used to aid natural efforts toward restoring health; and in addition, pure air, pure water, exercise and cheerfulness will work wonders in the way of curing personal disorders. Invalids should not attempt to become hypnotists, they should rather pose as subjects.

Making Friends

Cultivate the habit of inspiring cheerfulness in others. Make your presence desirable and refrain from going where you are not wanted. Such a practice will give you an air of freedom that will aid you in developing hypnotic power. There is no restraint among friends, and the more friends you have about you the more accustomed you will become to being free from self-consciousness, which is fatal to hypnotic success.

Ovebpowebing Enemies

Anyone possessing individuality will surely have enemies, but let the hypnotist beware of falling into the hands of his enemies. Avoid defeat, for it lowers your own estimation of your individual power. Keep yourself from entanglements with others that might terminate disastrously. If you can overpower your enemies by cool judgment or refraining from disputes you have increased your self-possession and power.

Forestalling Events

It is a wise man who can foresee evil and prepare to successfully meet it. Make a habit of looking far ahead in everything you undertake, so as to be ready for any emergency that may arise. Such a habit will give you tranquility of mind and self-confidence. It will engender in you a feeling that you can overcome difficulties whenever they arise. It is that state of mind that favors hypnotic power.

Sphere Of Hypnotic Influence

The beginner's sphere of hypnotic influence is small, but the expert hypnotist can influence nearly everyone with whom he comes in contact. It is important to continually strive, in daily life, to influence others for good. Realizing that your influence has induced action will increase your desire to control others, and this will increase your power to do so. After you have successfully hypnotized several subjects, you should constantly endeavor to turn your power to good use, for the more good you can be the means of accomplish-ing, the wider will become your sphere of hypnotic influence.

The lips are sewed together without the subject being conscious of the fact.

THE AUTHOR'S DISK.