Okay, because @moonwillow473737 (sorry, your account isn't showing up to tag) asked, and nobody ever asks me anything, I'm writing this step by step guide on one of the most famous (and misused) self-hypnosis techniques out there: The Betty Erickson Method, also known as the 54321 Method. It was invented by the wife of American psychologist and psychiatrist Milton Erickson and is widely renowned as one of the best, and easiest self hypnosis techniques out there.
Once we get into the steps, you might notice the technique sounds familiar to you, as many psychologists recommend a variation of it as a grounding technique, and some shifters have attempted to include it in their methods. HOWEVER, I will point out that most people are doing it wrong, so if you think you already know how it works, I invite you to read on anyway and check your technique.
The basic technique is pretty straightforward:
It's recommended that you have a plan for what you're going to do once you're hypnotised. Come up with your affirmations/suggestions ahead of time and repeat them to yourself a few times so you know you'll remember them when you're a dopey hypnotised mess.
Get into a comfortable position somewhere you can relax without being interrupted.
Keeping your head and body still, look around your room for 5 things you can see.
Repeat with 5 things you can hear.
Repeat with 5 things you can feel.
Then repeat steps 3-5 with 4 things you can see, hear and feel. Then 3, 2, and finally 1.
These are the most common ways I've seen people get this technique wrong before:
Bringing in extra senses
Taste and Smell are very difficult senses to work with, and trying to find MULTIPLE things you can taste at any one time is insane. They're great for enhancing a visualisation session, but they're not helpful here.
Not using repetition
The most common mistake I see is people going "5 things you can see, 4 things you can hear, 3 things you can feel" and so on, rather than the above method. Focusing on each sense multiple times is important, for multiple reasons:
It makes the technique last longer, giving your mind time to settle into the rhythm.
It slowly narrows in your focus. You start out being aware of 5 things for each sense, then 4, then 3 and so on, until you've phased them all out and are focused inwards.
Repetitive tasks lull your brain into a sleepy state, which is what we want when we're working with hypnotic suggestions.
The more specific you can make the things you're noticing, the better. So here are some examples to help you.
Sight
Shadows on the wall
Beams of light coming through the window
The movement of a fan blade
Leaves moving in the breeze
Hearing
Your breath leaving your lungs
The Inner Sound - often manifests as a high pitched ringing that only appears when you relax or try to meditate. (Note: This is NOT tinnitus. Tinnitus is present at all times, often very difficult to ignore, and does not go away as soon as you stop paying attention to it.)
Your bedroom fan, if you have one
The breeze
Cars going past on the street
Birds singing
Touch
The weight of your blanket
The texture of your mattress
The sensation of your chest moving as you breathe
Air moving around your room
The feeling of your clothes on your skin
The weight of your glasses on your face (if you're wearing any)
I had a few more things I was going to say but, honestly, this is plenty. If it doesn't work the first time, try again. If you think you can't do it because you have ADHD - you're wrong, because I have clinically diagnosed, combination type ADHD and I can do it.
Now, if you'll excuse me, me and my boyfriend are going to the zoo tomorrow and it took me 90 damn minutes to write this when it was supposed to be quick and now it's nearly midnight. Good luck and good night.
Last night I actually managed to induce faint vibrations. And that was AFTER I successfully hypnotised myself on my own with no guided audio in about 30 seconds. (Look up the Betty Erickson technique if you want to try it too. A few popular shifting methods are actually misinterpretations of that hypnosis induction.)
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For some reason I just keep getting better at everything but shifting. Oh well, I'm choosing to look on the positive side - the more skills I learn, the closer I get to shifting regardless.