1. Go to a comfortable, private place and sit in any comfortable chair or couch. Although some people prefer to lie down, you are more susceptible to sleep than when sitting up. Whether you sit or lie, ensure you do not cross your legs or any part of your body. You may be in this position for a while and this could end up being uncomfortable.
2. Make sure you are not going to be disturbed for at least half an hour.
3. Close your eyes and work to rid your mind of any feelings of fear, stress, or anxiety. When you begin, you might find it difficult not to think. You may find that thoughts keep intruding. When this happens, don't try to force the thoughts out. Observe them impartially, and then let them slip away.
4. Recognize the tension in your body. Beginning with your toes, imagine the tension slowly falling away from your body and vanishing. Imagine it freeing each body part one at a time starting with your toes and working its way up your body. Visualize each part of your body becoming lighter and lighter as the tension is removed. relax your toes, then your feet. Continue with your calves, thighs, hips, stomach and so on, until you've relaxed each portion, including your face and head. Using imagery techniques of something you find comforting or soothing, such as water (feel the water rushing over your feet and ankles, cleansing them of tension) can be effective as well.
5. Take slow, deep breaths. When you exhale, see the tension and negativity leaving in a dark cloud. As you inhale, see the air returning as a bright force filled with life and energy.
6. Appreciate the fact that you are now extremely relaxed. Imagine you are at the top of a flight of 10 stairs. Picture every detail of this scene from the top to the bottom. Tell yourself that you are going to descend the stairs, counting each step down, starting at 10. Picture each number in your mind. Imagine that each number you count is further down and one step closer to the bottom. After each number, you will feel yourself drifting further and further into deep relaxation. As you take each step, imagine the feel of the step under your feet. Keep counting and stepping down until you reach the bottom. Once you reach the bottom imagine that you are happy and relaxed. Consider rolling your eyes gently back into your head. It can induce a trance rather well.
7. At this point, you should begin to address the issue you're concerned about. Speak in the present tense. Your subconscious mind does not understand negatives in speech - avoid using statements with negative connotation such as "I don't want to be tired and irritable." Instead, say, "I am calm and relaxed." Examples of positive statements "I am strong and slender," "I am successful and positive," and, if you have pain, "My back feels wonderful." (see warning on PAIN)
8. Repeat your statement(s) to yourself as many times as you wish.
9. When you are satisfied, say to yourself that you will now count upwards from 0 to 10, and when you reach the number 10, you will slowly rise back to normal consciousness and remain calm and relaxed. Proceed to count upwards, again picturing the numbers in detail.
10. Once you have ascended, give yourself a few moments before opening your eyes, and take your time getting up.
    

Tips

• Have an idea of how you will present your suggestions to yourself before you lie down and are relaxed, otherwise it may interrupt your hypnotic state.
• Writing out your suggestions before induction can be very effective, as a visual list of what you choose to work on can sometimes be more easily remembered than even carefully assembled thoughts.
• Try different techniques to see what works best for you.
• Another way to relax your muscles is to physically tense and hold for ten seconds before releasing; you should feel as well as imagine the tension leaving.
• Some find that imagining yourself in a peaceful natural setting will relax your mind sufficiently before counting down. For instance, you may imagine yourself wandering through a forest, smelling the trees and hearing the wind. Alternatively, you could imagine yourself walking along the ocean shore and feel the grit of the sand beneath your feet, the cool water washing against your ankles and sounds of the surf.
• If you can't sleep, after you count down from ten (or go down your staircase), allow your mind to remain in this pleasantly relaxed state and keep your eyes closed while you are lying down and you will sleep much easier.
• For those of you who like to meditate but can't sit still long enough, just use this as a form of meditation but insert a period of time in between counting down from ten and counting back up to ten.
• It is impossible to gauge your own depth of hypnosis. Hypnosis is naturally occurring and easy to achieve. Trust that you have reached a state of hypnosis; you probably have!
• If you are certain you cannot hypnotize yourself, you may wish to Use Sound for Therapy. Several sound programs that you can download can assist in altering brain state.
• It often helps to go to a professional, licensed hypnotherapist for a session first, to see what it feels like. I find that a common trait of a trance is a deeply relaxed feeling, coupled with a tingling all over my body (predominantly in my hands and feet).
• If you are struggling try visiting a hypnotherapist or buying a recording in order to experience hypnosis. When you have experienced it once or twice you will better know the state of mind you are aiming to achieve.
• "The Idiot's Guide to Hypnosis" by Dr. Roberta Thames is a great book and has a wonderful section on safe self-Hypnosis.
  

Warnings

• Self hypnosis may not be sufficient to address all issues. If you do not get the results you desire, it does not mean you weren't in hypnosis. It just might mean you need some extra help.
• Be careful when rising if you've been lying down. Getting up too quickly could cause your blood pressure to plummet, and you could easily become dizzy or pass out. (This has nothing to do with hypnosis, per se, but with the mechanics of being horizontal for a while.)
• As always, if you have a condition that requires medical attention, speak with your doctor or therapist before starting anything new. Self-hypnosis is not an alternative to your doctor's advice.
• If you find that this therapy has helped you enough where you feel you no longer need medication, do not stop taking your medication without speaking to your doctor.
• DO NOT try to uncover old memories using self-hypnosis. This is better left to a professional, as it can very easily cause further problems.
• DO NOT use commands that remove pain, or if you do, add a disclaimer at the end, such as: "My back feels wonderful and all the pain will be temporarily gone until the condition is healed or the condition worsens." If you have pain somewhere, IT'S FOR A REASON and if you take the pain away, you may end up hurting yourself further or causing permanent damage without even knowing it!
  

Things You'll Need

• A comfortable place to sit or lie down. Subdued lighting and the correct room temperature.
• A quiet environment where you will not be disturbed for at least half an hour.
• The ability to count to ten backwards and forwards.
• A willingness to follow your own instructions.
• A previous hypnotic experience either by a hypnotherapist, or a recording in order to know what state you are trying to achieve.