Throughout the ages there has been a dependence upon, and an adherence to, formalized, ritualized, traditional methods of trance induction, as if hypnosis were a phenomenon dependent upon the utterance of certain words in a certain order while the subject sits in a certain position and physically performs certain designated acts. Too often it is completely overlooked that [tag-tec]hypnosis[/tag-tec], like physiological sleep, is a process of behavior that can occur under a great variety of circumstances. Physiological sleep is likely to occur most easily when lying in bed, but it can occur in a lecture room, while driving a car, or when helplessly angry with another person. It is what actually occurs during physiological sleep that is important, not the externalities, even though externalities of all kinds can be significant.

So, the question remains, “What is it that does occur when hypnosis develops?” The induction procedure provides a setting, and only a setting, in which [tag-ice]hypnosis[/tag-ice] may develop; it offers a period of time during which it develops; it offers various distractions to absorb the attention of the subject while hypnosis occurs; but the question is, “What is it that actually takes place within the subject while the operator busies himself with a ritualistic recitation of a learned formula of procedure?”

This is an area of research that is of tremendous importance in determining the scientific nature and character of hypnosis itself. However, all attempts to study hypnosis in relation to eye fixation or body relaxation are simply confusing; they are like attempting to study physiological sleep in terms of (1) a hospital bed, (2) a studio chair, etc.

Hypnosis itself, what processes occur within the subject, in what manner the body alters its usual functioning, and out of what experiential learnings of the past the body so
learned to function, all constitute a part of the exceedingly rich field for research in hypnosis.