NLP Hypnosis - Embedded Commands NLP Hypnosis using Embedded Commands is a profoundly dynamic skill. For me NLP Hypnosis has two distinct aspects to it. One, for which it is best known, is to put someone into a 'sleepy time' trance and direct their unconscious mind in the direction that the trance is intended for. This could be for a specific health reason or confidence or any such thing. Of course the inspiration and modelling for NLP Hypnosis comes from the great Milton Erickson. A lot of his best work, though, wasn't in getting people to close their eyes and go to 'that place'. It was, in fact, open eyed and quite conversational. To the point, that if you were there, the untrained mind wouldn't notice anything going on. This invites elegance with your NLP Hypnosis . As such, I regard it as a far higher form of skill to be able to use these NLP language patterns in seemingly ordinary everyday language. The direction of this NLP Hypnosis article is along these lines therefore. You wont find a formal induction here. We will cover that elsewhere. So. How to use Embedded Commands in this way. This involves marking out qualities or details you want your y our listener(s) to notice. This is usually outside awareness, but it is very effective when you y ou want to over emphasize a point also. The ways these details are marked out with NLP Hypnosis are through
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gestures voice
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head nods etc.
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In this way it is actually possible to have more than one conversation with a person at the same time. This entails using a different set of gestures, tonal shifts and metaphors for each theme you are using. As you read this you may find that you can relax now . Once we had a student in our training so eager to learn , sitting there reading as you are now .....
The conscious mind is usually happy that the surface level of the conversation seems to make coherent sense. With practice, even this aspect is unnecessary. Embedded Commands become more effective when used in conjunction with the Linkages and the Softeners. In fact if you want a first set to begin to develop for yourself I highly recommend these three. They are incredibly powerful in combination.
Remember, with this component of NLP Hypnosis you are wanting to mark out 'difference' . Ordinarily you only have two ways of doing this: something visual or something auditory. There are circumstances where you could be more flexible with other sensory channels, touch for example, but for the most part: visual and / or auditory. This means you want to find a way to mark out key points, words, directions with an emphasized voice tone, a staccato - freeze frame - gesture …….whatever works….. It is good to practice both. Visual gestures are useless if the person just doesn't happen to be looking at you at that direct moment. I have seen many a trainer have ineffective anchors as their students were actually eyes down taking notes. For this conversational style of NLP Hypnosis start simple with this one. Just think in terms of the clear points you want to make and mark them out. Later on you can be more artful. With this pattern it is possible to set directions of thinking even when you are off topic. You could be talking about the weather and somehow your listener starts to think in terms of chan ge, natural change in their life: It looks like a change is on the way. Isn't it interesting how you can be standing here then all of a sudden everything changes. But that is natural isn't it……
A way I like to think about this one is it is like stringing pearls. You notice the gems that are periodically marked out but not the thread in between. Of course the best part about a sudden storm is it is so quickly over , and isn't amazing how refreshed you feel ……..
Perhaps a moot point at this time, but you may notice how NLP Hypnosis also lends itself to the printed word. I was once called into a major retail firm to look at their stores, retail practices and the like. The first thing I noticed in their stores was that they are based on detail sameness. That is every section looked similar and every category was labeled in a similar manner. Absolutely nothing stood out because everything stood out in the same way. This made it very difficult for the new customer to discern the product range and in fact was quite intimidating for some - standing lost in the center of the store.
Without periodic points of difference we fatigue and trance out - cease to notice. Embedded commands are an exceptionally useful way of providing this needed difference. You want to use your NLP Hypnosis to trance them on your terms. Apart from just highlighting major points they can provide a means for varying the rhythm in your presentation or conversation - a way to keep your listeners riveted and on the edge of their seats. In fact, if you really want to master NLP Hypnosis or trance, train yourself to use this vocal rhythm as your default way of speaking. You want 2 to 3 tonal shifts just about every sentence. If this seems like a lot, truly listen to the newsreader or a great actor next time you are watching TV or a movie. The best gestures to use for this marking out process are the gestures from your listeners. This is a very powerful way of Embedding Commands . It is as though you have a short cut into their neurology. When I am using this approach I usually find a way to repeat the gesture 4 or 5 times as I first use it. This tends to make it more effective, especially for the other people listening/watching apart from the person whose gestures you are borrowing. A nice side effect with this approach is that it also keeps you on your toes, and something of this vitality comes across for you. When using other people's gestures it is usually a better idea to intimate or approximate the gesture rather than exactly replicate. Exact replication, or mimicking, can too easily intrude into conscious awareness and then be a detracting element for you. There are times when you want to be exact but these are usually with precision interventions for that specific individual. The use of your physiology and other aspects of non verbal communication will be dealt with in more detail in other documents. True to the spirit of street smart and practical this is enough to go on with here.
A useful way to practice these NLP Hypnosis patterns is to write out a paragraph on any topic of interest. Go over this paragraph and include impactful words. These may be sensory based words that engage the mind or they may be qualitative words that direct attitude etc. Highlight these key words in a different color or underline. Then read the paragraph out loud as you emphasize each highlighted word with a tonal shift and a specific gesture. Option One I really like sailing. I particularly like the idea of living on a catamaran and sailing around the Pacific Ocean. I think it would be interesting to visit deserted Pacific Atolls and experience the different island cultures.
Now include impactful words and phrases:
Option Two The intense exhilaration of sailing, surging through the pounding waves, gliding over silky smooth moonlit waters, the soft whisper of the wind carrying the scents and smells of far off places. These aspects and more draw me deeply into the desire to sail the mighty South Pacific. I imagine the brilliant hues of the setting sun over the calming influence of a purely natural tropical lagoon. The sparkling waters glistening before a sun drenched port teeming with business and the fragrant hustle and bustle of island life.
Melodramatic I know. But good enough for practice purposes. Now highlight the words you want to emphasize: Option Three The intense exhilaration of sailing, surging through the pounding waves, gliding over silky smooth moonlit waters , the soft whisper of the wind carrying the scents and smells of far off places. These aspects and more draw me deeply into the desire to sail the mighty South Pacific . I imagine the brilliant hues of the setting sun over the calming influence of a purely natural tropical lagoon. The sparkling waters glistening before a sun drenched port teeming with business and the fragrant hustle and bustle of island life.
Now practice saying this paragraph out loud as you use different tonal shifts and gestures with each of the highlighted words and phrases. When you are happy with this, change to a different combination of tonal shifts and gestures. This is how you develop extraordinary flexibility with these language patterns. Your delivery is every bit, if not more, important than the actual words used. Don't be concerned if it sounds lumpy and contrived to start with, you will smooth this out in time. Listen to news readers and DJ's on the radio - everything depends on rhythm and vocal variability. While they aren't doing NLP Hypnosis as such their delivery is pretty good. It wont take you long to become very proficient at this. Actually, a very good model for us here is Hollywood. Pay particular attention to the tonal shifts with the 'A' list actors. They are quite brilliant with their skill levels in this area. A five word sentence will probably have six or seven tonal shifts , sometimes two or three with a particular word. A useful training aid is to loop one sentence, or scene, over and over while you take in these details. This is one of the reasons why they are worth the big $$. Who knows, perhaps a new career for you. As you become proficient with your delivery you can now start to go more down the lines of hidden messages and multiple conversations.
I was watching the football on the weekend. It was fascinating to see a truly successful team perform. There was a moment when the key forward launched himself into action to rise above the others to take the ball. It was as if he was, John totally committed to grasp success , and not wallow in medicority. Now, you know how it is, the satisfaction you can feel seeing your teams destiny unfold perfectly . I have to tell you, watching him score goals in the last quarter the game came to life. To be pedantic ... Note the connection of marked out words .... fascinating .... truly successful .... launched himself into action .... rise above the others .... John, totally committed to grasp success .... Now .... the satisfaction you can feel seeing your .... destiny unfold perfectly .... you .... score goals in .... life ....
Allow me some artistic license here and lets say my listener's name is John. You can see the theme unfolding. To anyone listening, including John at the conscious level, the topic is football. As mentioned earlier, varying your rhythm and tone will make you much more interesting and stimulating for your audience. It keeps you alert and focused as well. Make sure, though, you put your attention on using this skill with meaningful, useful words and bridge over into the realms of a highly skilled 'NLPer'. Just by practising these Embedded Commands you can be very effective with conversational NLP Hypnosis .
Milton Model Embedded Commands Embedded commands involve making suggestions indirectly within a larger statement. By making your voice lower, slower and louder for instance most statements can include an embedded command
Analog Marking NLP calls this analog marking. Analog communication is delivering a message, without words (digital). This is how animals communicate – with sounds and behavior. By marking out non-verbally some portion of a communication, the unconscious mind identifies and understands this part differently. It signals, “Pay attention to this bit”. This marking can be behavioral – a body language gesture or movement or using voice tone, volume, speed etc. For instance,
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“My friend knows how to feel good about herself”- the “feel good” can be emphasized by speaking it slightly louder, slower or faster. “There is no need to relax and go into a trance just yet”. “Relax and go into a trance” could be marked with a hand gesture. “You can talk to me when you are ready”. “Talk to me” could be marked with body movement. “ John, sit down and relax” . “Sit down and relax” is marked out as a command.
Difference between a question and a command Make sure you deliver the command part of the sentence as a command. In language, we understand a rising tone at the end of a sentence as a question. There is a difference between “You are going now?” and “you are going now”. Have you ever noticed how some people seem as though they are questioning when they don’t mean to? “I’ll get this report done by tonight?” A rising inflection can make someone seem hesitant, as if he is asking permission.
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A question has a rising tone or inflection at the end A statement has no inflection at the end
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A command has a falling inflection at the end
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The Double Bind The double bind is a conversational hypnosis technique unwittingly used by sales people and parents. From your point of view, you are giving the person two choices, where either gives you your outcome. Setting communication up with an illusion of choice increases cooperation. They focus on which alternative is least bad rather than finding other appealing solutions. Would you prefer to have your bath before or after dinner? Would you like to pay by cash or credit card? These are very simple examples we have probably all used. Can you find the presuppositions in those examples? That the child is having a bath and the customer is buying the product. The other party needs to accept this presupposition unconsciously – may or may not be easy with hypnosis. “Well actually I am not going to have a bath; I like smelling like pond scum.” “I’m not buying your product, so don’t bother with your thinly disguised manipulation”
Catch 22 You might have heard of a Catch 22, which is another term for double bind, or maybe a “no win”. Someone gives you two choices either of which is unpleasant and for some reason you can’t just refuse to choose. When kids are small, the power difference usually means they are not in a position to refuse the choice. Sometimes as a customer you really need the product – it’s 3am and this is the only place selling printer ink.
Life No Wins Many people set up their lives like this. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. I hate working for this slime but starving is worse. I don’t want to stay married, but I don’t want to be alone.
Therapeutic Use Milton Erickson used binds to induce trance and offer suggestions particularly with resistant or polarity responding patients. You know the type, you say it’s white and they are compelled to argue that it is black. “I don’t know whether you will make this change immediately, or within the next week” Many problems are from not wanting to change behavior. Changing can be unpleasant “I don’t want to do my tax return, but leaving it to the last minute is way worse”. By framing the choice, the person gets to choose one and feels good because they have chosen and are in control.
I've been embedding NLP into text messages lately just so see what results I get. What I'll do is randomly insert an extra space or two in non meaningful ways into my texting with a certain girl. This is to get her used to it. for example, I might start a convo like this: Code: omg, you won't believe what happened today!
You see, it's mostly an extra space right after a punctuation or near a long word, like I did right before "happened." Then later after she's used to seeing stray spaces in the convo, I'll insert some slick NLP embeds like this:
Code: ya, can you believe after that she went to sleep. with me, i need the right mood to relax first.
Code: did they go out? with me, it's easier to just say yes to that type of thing. you know?
Code: lol i just realized what time it is. ive got an early meeting tomorrow and you do too. we both should go to bed. good night! :)
Now, I've tried these in real life. In fact they are (as close as I remember) excerpts from actual text convos I have had. The context is not important, but how i typed it is important. I can't really say whether they were successful or not since I can't go back in a time machine and try without text-NLP to see if there's a difference in the girl's response, but it certainly hasn't hurt me. Let me know what you guys think.
Using NLP Embedded Commands in Your Salesletters and Websites by Lou Why would you want to use Embedded Commands and other forms of covert influence?
When creating marketing materials you want to get your prospect’s mind moving in “certain direction” without making them feel you are manipulating them. Because once they feel you’re doing that, you’ll encounter a lot of resistance, resentment, and the tossing of your ad. Yes, most people want to be led, have decisions made for them, but they never want to feel like they are being manipulated. They can be manipulated, they just want to feel like they’re in control. This ties in with the common saying in sales that says that people like to buy, indeed want to buy, they just don’t want to be sold to. Once you start using embedded commands and other forms of covert influence, you’ll get your prospects’ minds moving in the right direction soon will be transforming in to physical actions (such as pulling out their credit cards!). What direction do you want your prospects to go?
In creating your marketing materials the first thing you have to decide is what you want your prospects to feel and what do you want them to do. So before you can start embedding commands you have to get clear on what emotions you want to invoke in your prospects. If you’ve been doing any kind of marketing up to know, you’ve probably heard (or experienced) the fact that people buy on emotion and then they justify their purchase with logic. This is important. If you try to use logic, features, rationalities (left-brain stuff) either without evoking emotions at all or before a prospect is emotionally jump started you’ll lose the sale. Think of your own experience, especially for larger, more expensive purchases. Didn’t you get all emotionally worked up before you bought? And then either right before or just after you bought, you justified your purchase perhaps only to yourself, but probably to people you know? Most advice on sales will tell you to evoke emotions, but they rarely tell you how. The best advice you’ll get is to list all the benefits of your offer. This is a fine way to go about doing it. But what do you do if you don’t really have that many benefits to offer? Most marketing experts suggest at least 6 benefits (inlcuding your main, most important benefit) to get the strongest effect. That’s where embedded commands and other forms of covert influence come in…. Embedded Commands
Embedded commands are language patterns that bypass the conscious mind and directly influence people at the unconscious level, allowing you to make people feel a certain way or to take specific actions. They are imperatives (commands) within (embedded) a larger sentence causing them to be responded to below a person’s level of awareness. We’ll be discussing 2 ways of using embedded commands: the first one is to get the person’s mind going in a certain direction – to get their emotions and feelings involved. The second is for them to start taking action. First make all a list of all the feelings you want readers to feel about your product. Some common ones are
hope anticipation greed curiosity excitement interest
There are plenty more. Which ones would work in your particular situation?
Since no one gets thrilled about buying a product, you have to include the benefits a prospect will get when they buy your product. Now you can embed these feelings and benefits into longer sentences: What would it be like to get really excited about making a living on eBay? When you start to feel curious , do you act on it? I wonder how quickly you’ll feel the anticipation of meeting beautiful women where ever and whenever you want. How surprised would you be to feel good about all the possibilities? As you read this brochure notice how you become really interested in all the ways you can make more money.
Once you’ve gotten your prospects in a good, anticipatory mood, you can start adding embedded commands for action: You can try these commands out for starts:
trust me decide now believe me call me do what I say agree with me buy today desire more read each word change your life
When you want to use embedded commmands in spoken language, you’ll want to keep the commands to about 2 or 3 words (like the above ones). When used in writing the commands can be longer. It’s not necessary to decide now. What would happen if you decide now? Now you have the opportunity to buy today. As you read each word of this brochure notice the excitement you feel. So you see, you can put embedded commands into practically any sentence or question. Make sure when using embedded commands that you mark out the command in some way. In written communication this can be bold, underlined, italics, colored, different fonts , or highlighted.
When using embedded commands in conversations or in monologues mark out the embedded command by STRESSING THE COMMAND, pausing…. just before the command, or pausing just after the command. When you use embedded commands in your marketing make sure not to use too many – just a light sprinkling here and there, especially at the beginning and then again towards the end. I came across one website where the guy just put embedded commands everywhere. That ruined the message he was trying to convey. The most important thing to keep in mind when you are creating your marketing materials is how you can help your prospect…how you can solve their problems…how you can help them reach their goals. Everything after that is just icing on the cake and an addtional push in the right direction.
