“Well, Trevor, let’s begin. Lie down on that couch."
Trevor felt slightly awkward, but he was interested in what Amanda had to say now, so he did as he was told.
“Sometimes, people think they don't dream, but in reality they experience dreams every night,” continued Amanda. “It’s just when we wake up, we forget not only the dream itself, but the very fact of it happening. The human brain is very complex and we know little about it. Let us now try to comprehend everything, and I’ll also work on your insomnia while we're at it.”
Trevor settled on the couch as Amanda instructed and tried to observe her. He did not believe that someone who considered themselves a hypnotherapist or psychologist could force another person to fall asleep, as if it was some kind of a game, and then under the hypnosis perform some actions, make some suggestions or provoke something from the distant past. He always believed it to be pure fraud, and those who did manage to suggest something to a person, using their gullibility, to be just talented charlatans.
Amanda took a small pillow and placed it under Trevor’s head. She moved her chair closer to the couch, sat down and turned on a voice recorder.
“Relax, Trevor. Close your eyes and listen carefully to what I’m saying.”
After an easy pause, Amanda continued slowly in a steady voice: “You feel the pressure of the pillow against the back of your head and your shoulders. You feel the couch under your entire back. Now, focus on your thighs and feel the couch support your entire body. You are very relaxed, as if your whole body has sunk fully into the soft couch… completely immersed in it."
Trevor listened to her pleasant, low voice and the steady beats of the metronome.
“Imagine yourself at home or in another cozy place, where you’d like to fall asleep. It could be a sea shore or a forest, or a cool, dewy meadow by a river on a hot summer day.”
Trevor suddenly remembered that night on the canal in Bangkok. He is lying on the bottom of the gondola and somewhere above him a voice grows quieter and quieter, following him to the dream world.
“You are breathing steadily and deeply. Your body is soft and relaxed… You are calm and very relaxed… Your whole body is relaxed… And now you fall asleep… Sleep, sleep peacefully, deeply, calmly and deeply… sleep… You are falling asleep deeper, and deeper, and deeper… Sleep and listen to my voice.” Amanda’s voice grew quieter and quieter, then increasingly distant until it disappeared completely…
Trevor came to upon hearing Amanda shout "Wake up!"
Trevor opened his eyes. Everything in the room was the same as it was just a few minutes ago; the metronome continued its steady rhythm.
Amanda looked concerned and confused.
“Well? Did you manage to dig something out of my head?” Trevor joked.
“What did you dream about? Did you have a dream?” she asked instead of answering.
“Amanda, I told you I don’t have dreams,” Trevor sighed and tried to say something else, but Amanda interrupted him.
“Well, you just spent a good hour trying to convince me otherwise.” Amanda looked at Trevor anxiously, prompting Trevor to feel anxious as well.
“Here, listen to this. I think you will find it very interesting.” Amanda placed the voice recorder before Trevor and turned it on.
