I've been listening to several iPhone apps that create a light hypnotic state at the start of meditation. They tend to follow a pattern that sounds almost cliche: "Take a deep breath. You're eyelids are feeling heavy. It feels good to close them. Your whole body feels heavier and heavier. A wave of relaxation is coming over you starting at your scalp, then your face, neck, shoulders . . . Now as I count down from 10 to 1, allow your self to get 10% more relaxed with every number. Ready? 10. 9. . . ."
At the end of this pattern, I indeed feel heavy, relaxed, almost tingly, and my mind is calm and quiet. The speaker will then make positive suggestions regarding some area of life (success, stress reduction, deep relaxation, giving up a bad habit, or whatever). Eventually, the speaker guides you to end the meditation with a reverse count. "1 . . . 2 . . .3. . .wiggle your fingers and toes . . . 4 . . .".
I'm starting to find a light hypnotic trance like this is a great way to start almost any meditation, whether I plan to follow this light, relaxing trance by listening to music, thinking about things I'm grateful for, focusing on my breathing, or whatever. I'm finding that the trance makes it easier for me to concentrate. Without the trance, my mind will often jump around to problems at home or work or things I've got to do.
I think I'll eventually learn to hypnotize myself because it doesn't seem that hard. But for now I'll sometimes listen to one of the iPhone apps long enough to get deeply relaxed, then pull off the headphones and do my own thing for the next 15 or 20 minutes.
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