For the first four or five attempts your should not try to find out how deeply you have gone. It might be discouraging if you learned that is was only a very light trance or no trance at all. Each time you practise you should slip in a little deeper. After the fifth session some tests may be made. Of course, if you are sure you are reaching a deep state after one or two attempts, you can proceed sooner with the tests.

• After your deep relaxation exercise, take two to three minutes to feel heavy. In feeling heavy, you may imagine yourself as weighted down. Imagine your body is made of lead pushing you down in your seat.

• Next, take two or three minutes to feel light. Imagine how it would feel to be a feather floating around in the air, or imagine yourself a balloon floating with each air current.

• Next take two to three minutes to feel warm. Imagine yourself in a sauna bath or steam room or out in the sun on a very hot day. Relate to an experience you have had. Your memory and imagination will do the rest.

• Finally, take two to three minutes to feel cool. Imagine yourself in the snow or in a cold shower on a cold morning. Again relate to physical sensations that you have experienced before.

Following your four explorations of heavy, light, warm and cool, next give yourself a few suggestions regarding how you want to think, feel act, and react that day. If you are practising at night, give yourself a few suggestions on how you wish to be the next day.

These exercises are a training set to help you condition your mind and body for auto-suggestions. The more you practise the better you will become. The better you become the deeper your trance will be. The better your trance state, the more effective your suggestions will be. When you become proficient at these states, you can

eliminate them from your daily session as you will automatically go into a deep trance for your daily suggestions.

Count to yourself from one to five, and at the count of five you will open your eyes; you will be fully awake and clear headed.

‘One, slowly, calmly, easily, and gently returning to my full awareness once again.

Two, each muscle and nerve in my body is loose and limp and relaxed; I feel wonderfully good.

Three, from head to toe I am feeling perfect in every way.

Four, my eyes begin to feel sparkling clear, and just as though they were bathed in cold spring water.

On the next number my eyelids will open, fully aware; I am feeling wonderfully good and clear headed.

Five, my eyelids are open now; take a deep breath fill up my lungs and stretch.