patter . And while many things can induce trance ( driving , anxiety , television , etc .), none of these accidental inductions have the power to heal the way poetry does .
As I get to know my clients and what metaphors and images they resonate with , I may read poetry to them as an induction . From this framework I can then weave the metaphors from the poem through the hypnosis as a way of delivering the hypnotic suggestions . It is a bit Eriksonian , and works equally well for literal and inferential learners .
Poetry as Suggestion
Even before I became a hypnotherapist , people would come to me in search of help or wisdom . While I often didn ’ t know what to say , I knew I could always turn to poets — who have been making sense of the world for a lot longer than I have . I would open a well-read book of poetry or poetic prose and find just the right quote to read to them . So , on becoming a hypnotherapist , it was natural for me to look for hypnotic suggestions in poetry . Once you open yourself to the world of poetry , you will find that poems reflect the majority of issues we deal with in therapy – fears , relationships , communication , connection , hobbies , habits . Not only will you find suggestions in poetry , but powerful imagery and metaphors . For example , a lovely poem called “ Ballplayer ” by Evie Shockley can make an outdoor basketball game seem vividly alive and interesting to anyone that has ever watched a pick-up game . To an athlete who may be struggling with performance , it can add just the right magic into the hypnotic part of the session .
Some poems are so powerful they become personal mantras , especially during difficult or unreal times . For example , “ Wait ,” by Galway Kinnell , might be the mantra for someone who feels they have nothing to live for — who fears they might take their own life . Below are the first few lines from that lovely poem .
“ Wait , for now .
Distrust everything , if you have to But trust the hours . Haven ’ t they
carried you everywhere , up to now ?
Personal events will become interesting again .”
Another poem , by Dylan Thomas , whose famous ending couplet has become the personal mantra for thousands , is :