Lesson 4
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    Lift-Off

    A Word of Advice
    Ideomotor activity is a subject on which many half-truths have been
    disseminated and too widely accepted. It is often designated as one of
    the earliest signs of hypnotic trance. And many people do, in fact,
    achieve ideomotor activity in a very light trance state. Others,
    however, can achieve it only in deeper trance state. To some, it comes
    effortlessly at first try; others require long, concentrated practice.
    If you are among the latter group, don't give up, but keep trying,
    without anxiety. Sooner or later you will acquire the knack, and
    eventually you will reach the point of lift-off within a very few
    minutes.

    Preparations.
    Lie in bed or on a sofa with your arms extended at your sides, or sit
    in a comfortable chair with your forearms and hands resting on the arms
    of the chair. Be sure all ten fingers touch the bed or chair. Fix your
    eyes on some focal point -- a lamp, a picture, or even a crack in the
    wall -- and continue to look at it as long as it is comfortable to do
    so. Then let your focus blur and let your eyes close and your body
    relax. Visualize the areas of your body as you coax successive muscle
    groups into letting go.

    When your body is fully relaxed, tell yourself that you will now count
    slowly from ten to zero and that, on reaching zero, you will be very
    relaxed, very deeply and pleasantly relaxed, more relaxed than ever
    before.

    The Exercise
    When you have counted down from ten to zero and have reached this deep
    state of relaxation, tell yourself that within a few moments you will
    feel a tingling sensation in one of your fingers. Wait calmly until the
    tingling begins. Maintain the relaxed state of equilibrium, so that you
    don't hinder the sensation from emerging by either excessive
    concentration or diffuse inattention. As soon as you become aware of
    the tingling, tell yourself that within a few seconds it will spread to
    all of the fingers of that hand; then along the fingers to the
    knuckles, over the back and palm of the hand, all the way up to the
    wrist. Give your mind time to accept these suggestions, while you
    maintain an even trance level -- like the idling motor of a car.

    As soon as your mind has complied, and you feel the tingling all over
    the hand, tell yourself that you will soon feel slight spasms in the
    tingling hand and that the hand itself will begin to lift off the
    surface on which it is resting. When you feel it beginning to lift,
    allow your hand and arm to lift at its own speed and of its own
    volition, neither helping nor hindering it. Let it rise as far as it
    wants to go: Observe the movement inside you (for your eyes are still
    closed) as your arm rises to its apex then remains there for some
    moments or even minutes, comfortably suspended in a position you could
    not maintain without strain in your ordinary state of awareness. And
    right here is your goal: proof positive of your altered state of
    consciousness.

    While your arm is still in that position, tell yourself that from now
    on your entry into this particular state of mind will be expressed by
    the ideomotor activity of your raised hand. In subsequent exercises, it
    will indicate that your unconscious mind has reached a state of
    receptiveness and is prepared to accept and carry out the suggestions
    you give it.

    Now wait for your hand to fall back on its own accord; or, if you wish,
    tell yourself that within a few seconds your hand will gently drop back
    into its original position. This can be done without disturbing the
    receptive state of your mind.

    Remember also to implant a safeguard suggestion: Tell yourself that
    you will always awaken from this or any other altered state of
    consciousness by counting from one to three and then opening your eyes;
    and that, in case of emergency, you will awaken instantly and
    completely by simply opening your eyes. You will always awaken
    refreshed, relaxed and fully alert.

    End of file.