THE CANDLE METHOD
The Subject is seated in a comfortable chair, and told to relax completely. The operator holds a lighted candle in his hand and stands about three feet in front of the subject. He instructs the subject to gaze at the candle, and tells him that soon he will begin to feel drowsy and sleepy. And then, the operator says in a quiet, firm voice, "You're beginning to feel yourself getting sleepy —your arms and legs are beginning to feel numb and heavy—your eyelids are beginning to feel heavy—your eyes are closing—you feel yourself going deeper and deeper asleep—your body feels like lead—sleep—you are sound asleep." The operator can use his own words more or less. The basic idea is to suggest the thought of sleep to the subject; that his body is heavy, that his arms are heavy, that his eyelids are heavy, etc., and that he will soon be asleep. When the eyes of the subject close, there is usually a sigh, and an obvious relaxation. When the eyes are closed and the operator feels that the subject is asleep, he should gently lift the right arm of the subject, saying as he does so, "I am going to lift your right arm, but you will stay asleep." When the arm is outstretched, the operator says,"Your arm is now rigid—like a bar of steel—you cannot bend your arm— Try—You cannot bend it." If the subject does bend his arm, go back to the sleep-inducing suggestions. If he is unable to bend his arm, tell him that he may do so and stay asleep; and, as the subject bends his arm and puts it down, the operator proceeds to give the subject any instructions he may desire.These sleep suggestions are also used in conjunction with the shining object that I mentioned in the Dr. Braid method.
The Subject is seated in a comfortable chair, and told to relax completely. The operator holds a lighted candle in his hand and stands about three feet in front of the subject. He instructs the subject to gaze at the candle, and tells him that soon he will begin to feel drowsy and sleepy. And then, the operator says in a quiet, firm voice, "You're beginning to feel yourself getting sleepy —your arms and legs are beginning to feel numb and heavy—your eyelids are beginning to feel heavy—your eyes are closing—you feel yourself going deeper and deeper asleep—your body feels like lead—sleep—you are sound asleep." The operator can use his own words more or less. The basic idea is to suggest the thought of sleep to the subject; that his body is heavy, that his arms are heavy, that his eyelids are heavy, etc., and that he will soon be asleep. When the eyes of the subject close, there is usually a sigh, and an obvious relaxation. When the eyes are closed and the operator feels that the subject is asleep, he should gently lift the right arm of the subject, saying as he does so, "I am going to lift your right arm, but you will stay asleep." When the arm is outstretched, the operator says,"Your arm is now rigid—like a bar of steel—you cannot bend your arm— Try—You cannot bend it." If the subject does bend his arm, go back to the sleep-inducing suggestions. If he is unable to bend his arm, tell him that he may do so and stay asleep; and, as the subject bends his arm and puts it down, the operator proceeds to give the subject any instructions he may desire.These sleep suggestions are also used in conjunction with the shining object that I mentioned in the Dr. Braid method.
