Self Mastery Through Conscious Autosuggestion
fallen like a block. Repeat the experiment using a tone of command as if you would force the subject to obey you. Go on with it until it is completely successful or very nearly so. The operator should stand a little behind the subject, the left leg forward and the right leg well behind him, so as not to be knocked over by the subject when he falls. Neglect of this precaution might result in a double fall if the person is heavy.
Third experiment.—Place the subject facing you, the body still stiff, the ankles flexible, and the feet joined and parallel. Put your two hands on his temples without any pressure, look fixedly, without moving the eyelids, at the root of his nose, and tell him to think: "I am falling forward, I am falling forward …" and repeat to him, stressing the syllables, "You are fall … ing for … ward, You are fall … ing … for … ward…" without ceasing to look fixedly at him.
Fourth experiment.—Ask the subject to clasp his hands as tight as possible, that is to say, until the fingers tremble slightly, look at him in the same way as in the preceding experiment and keep your hands on his as though to squeeze them together still more tightly. Tell him to think that he cannot unclasp his fingers, that you are going to count three, and that when you say "three" he is to try to separate his hands while thinking all the time: "I cannot do it, I cannot do it…" and he will find it impossible. Then count very slowly, "one, two, three", and add immediately, detaching the syllables: "You … can … not … do it … You can … not do … it …" If the subject is thinking properly, "I cannot do it", not only is he unable to separate his fingers, but the latter clasp themselves all the more tightly together the more efforts he makes to separate them. He obtains in fact exactly the contrary to what he wants. In a few moments say to him: Now think: "I can do it," and his fingers will separate themselves.
Be careful always to keep your eyes fixed on the root of the subject's nose, and do not allow him to turn his eyes
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