If you want to learn how to hypnotize someone, it is probably best to learn from a working hypnotist, if possible. Some hypnotists are reluctant to reveal their techniques, both because they may be earning a good living from a few simple secrets, and because they would prefer that their ‘club’ of hypnotists remain small and exclusive.

If you want to learn how to hypnotize someone in particular, you should be aware that it is thought that some very literal minded or skeptical people cannot be hypnotized, and many hypnotists also believe that no-one can be hypnotized against their will. However, this is still a matter of debate. Also, people vary in their levels of 'suggestibility' – this is their natural tendency to go along with suggestions or instructions. A very assertive person with a big ego may make a difficult subject, while a timid or enthusiastic person will be an easy one. But it is not thought the intelligence, sex or age of the subject make any difference in their susceptibilty to hypnosis.

Lately, the techniques of hypnosis have become much better known, and if you want to learn how to hypnotize someone you should pay attention to the following.

First, actually test how 'suggestible' they are. To test suggestibility, you can ask a person to roll his or her eyes upwards as far as they can. The less the colored part of the eye is visible, the more easily they will be hypnotized. Or you can ask them to stare at a small light in a darkened room. You pretend to move it, and ask them if it is moving now. Those who quickly say ‘yes’ will be easy to hypnotize.

You need a calm, safe, non-threatening environment, with no noise or distractions like music or TV.

You ask the subject to close his or her eyes. Allow a short silent period for the subject to become placid and relaxed.

You begin to talk gently, in a reassuring way.

You ask them to do something simple, like raise on finger slowly, and lower it again.

Bear in mind that your goal as the hypnotist is to have a very relaxed subject who becomes oblivious to their surroundings (sometimes this state is compared to being in a state of extreme concentration) and whose focus is on you, and what you are saying or telling them to do. This has been likened to the subject being in a movie theater, enjoying the movie, and being completely oblivious to the others in the audience around them.

Having achieved a suggestible state by using gentle, easy instructions, you can try to 'take command' of the subject's actions. While it may be easy to get your subject to change their posture, blink, imagine a mosquito is buzzing around, or raise or lower their arms, it is much more difficult to make your subject feel you have immobilized their whole body, or are aged 9 again and want a cookie, or can fly like Superman, or have forgotten their own name! But it is possible!

The secret of how to really hypnotize someone like this is to proceed very slowly at first, with requests for easy, gently movements, then requests for simple responses, before moving on to more extreme behaviors or actions. Don’t believe you are ever 'controlling their mind' – your subject is only responding to your suggestions.