Tense-relax

Disciplines > Hypnotism > Techniques > Tense-relax

Method | Example | Discussion | See also

Method

Get them to tense muscles, then relax them.

One way of doing this is to get them to tense specific muscle groups tightly, then release them. This can be done in a progressive way.

Another method is to get them to do some form of exercise that requires them to tense the muscles. One way is to get them to pick things up. Another is to get them to hold their arms or legs out straight in front of them. Remember not to wear them out -- you do not want them to go do sleep during the session.

Example

Can you hold your arms out straight in front of you ... that's right ... Now I want you to hold them there whilst I count down from ten ... Now let them flop down and onto your lap, and notice the difference. Note how they felt tense and now they are relaxing. Now look around your body -- are there any feelings of tension elsewhere? Can you let those parts flop too. Just drop them down and let any remaining tension fade away.

Discussion

Physical tension is easy to create and experience. When it is released, a very noticeable contrast is created. The person cannot miss the difference. This makes it easy for you to explain about relaxation, particularly to a person who is not 'getting' other methods.