Covert Hypnosis

by Geoffrey Knight

Geoffrey Knight

Without being aware of it, we slip in and out of hypnosis all day long. When we drive that car to work each day on auto-pilot without remembering the details of the journey, we do so in a light hypnotic state. We automatically stop at the traffic lights, and obey highway driving rules without having to think. When we day dream, or get absorbed in watching a movie, or reading an interesting book or in the act of sexual intercourse, we are in light hypnosis. It is similar to the light hypnotic state we experience every time we drift into or come out of sleep, or have one of those rare lucid dreams.

Not surprisingly, this fact of life is exploited by others in our daily lives. I doubt that the average American realizes just how much covert hypnosis he is subjected to daily, particularly through the medium of advertising--on Television, the newspapers, radio, and on the bill boards. Hypnotic language is used with great skill to induce us to buy all sorts of products and services at every twist and turn.

The advertiser plays on those magic Mom’s words, like the word NOW. "You have got to bed Johnny…NOW". As a six year old child, you recall the power of Mom’s command, and the physical consequences if you disobeyed.

Then translate it into the words of the car salesman; "You might want to buy this car NOW, because it won’t be in the showroom for more than a day." The average salesman might say "Buy this car: it’s a good deal;" but the salesman trained in hypnotic language will turn it into, "I can’t tell you to buy this car, that’s your decision." See how much more powerful the second phrase is.

How about the pitchman on TV: "Call NOW in the next three minutes, and we will give you two additional widgets, absolutely free. DON’T delay, call right away!" "Don’t" is another of Mom’s words.

"You DON’T have to invest in several Fidelity Mutual Funds, (just one or two I have suggested will be fine)." "You DON’T have to decide NOW,( but can you imagine what will happen if you lose this special deal)." These are called embedded commands. They were invented by the psychiatrist and genius, Dr. Milton Erickson MD, who employed hypnosis extensively in his practice in order to persuade people to make therapeutic changes. Therapy is all about change. His techniques have since been exploited to assist the salesman to sell more. Car salesmen go to school to learn hypnotic language patterns, and they prowl the car sale lots waiting to pounce on that little person who only intended to buy a second hand car, but finds himself driving away in that new, all-singing all-dancing, BMW.

I bet you were not aware that the word BECAUSE is a power word. It’s another Mom’s word, and we have to obey Mom. It is a magic word, because it lends credibility to whatever goes before it, and it carries attention away from the embedded command before you consciously recognize it. "You can feel good seated in this car, because it is the only car in this price range with leather seats."

Did you know that every good advertising business works the "Sixteen Basic Desires?" What do you think the first basic desire is? Yes, you guessed correctly--it is SEX of course. Just look at those incessant adverts on the TV urging you to buy the latest SUV. Then notice the macho man or curvaceous blond in just about every car promotion.
Here are the next six basic desires in order of priority: to acquire and save; to bond and connect; to learn; to protect; to eat; to nest or shelter. When you reflect on what you see daily on the TV, how many of these basics desires are emphasized? The product might have nothing to do with "bonding", yet the whole advert supports this desire.

It might be reasonable to suppose that these desires simply reflect our innate ancient urges from pre-historic days, when we needed to go around in groups in order to eat and survive. There are some 250 power words that are commonly used to change minds and influence people. You will be familiar with all of them, as you hear them on the TV and radio every day. They include, for example, such innocent words as: money-saving, discover, breakthrough, last chance, discount, satisfaction, superior, etc. If you visit a web site with the URL, www.mrfire.com, you can get Mr. Jo Vitale of "Hypnotic Marketing Inc." to write your company’s brochure in hypnotic language for a mere $15,000. It’s obviously good business!

The car salesman is taught, by using hypnotic language patterns, how to extract information from the unsuspecting purchaser, even though he does not want to tell the salesman his real intentions.

When a salesman "helpfully" asks, "What is important to you in buying a new car?" he learns exactly how the purchaser will make his decision. The purchaser gives him explicit instructions on how to sell to him! It’s all so simple and the unsuspecting buyer finds himself trapped in the salesman’s web.

The good news is that these techniques can be put to powerful use in therapy. Parents as well as those in the medical profession may well find it beneficial to learn how to use hypnotic language patterns on their children and patients. They will do what is desired, and without tears!

Geoffrey Knight is a clinical hypnotherapist in private practice and a Member of the Oregon Hypnotherapy Association. Geoffrey is the Director of the Knightsbridge Institute for Hypnotherapy and NLP, and can be reached at (503) 246-7300; e-mail Geoffrey@Knight.net; website: Geoffrey.Knight.net