Dave Elman Induction Hypnosis

I came across a description of the Dave Elman induction the other day. It reminded me of why it is often necessary to go back to the original publication. Most, if not all, of the hypnosis training schools in the US teach the The Dave Elman induction. Over time each trainer modifies it to their own style. Gradually, how they teach it drifts away from the exact instructions in the original version. This is inevitable, but has consequences.

Dave Elman Induction Fractionation

What sets the Elman induction apart from other inductions is the use of fractionation. This is the name given to the technique of  inducing trance by opening and closing the eyes. The hypnotist suggests that each time you close your eyes you will go deeper into trance.

However, in the original version, there is one crucial bit of the eye closure that has been forgotten. The original states that when doing fractionation, the hypnotist's hand should be held in front of the person's eyes. The hand is held  so close that they cannot focus their eyes. This prevents them from being distracted by anything in the room.

I don't think that I have ever seen this mentioned in any modern version. A quick tour of the online videos of the Elman induction reveals that this detail has been omitted there too.

Perhaps we all need to go back to the source?