Several years ago while doing research on hypnosis, a professor of psychology induced a somnambulistic trance in a subject. The subject was capable of the most profound hypnotic phenomenon, including post-hypnotic amnesia. The thrust of this research was to test the theory that upon carrying out post hypnotic suggestion, the subject would re-enter the hypnotic state.
While in this somnambulistic state, the subject was told that when a clock chimed 10:00 p.m. at that evening's faculty party, she would remove one of her shoes; place it on the dining room table and put roses into the shoe. Further, it was suggested that she would have no memory of the suggestion; it would appear to be her own idea, and she would fee compelled to finish her task.
A very interesting thing happened on the way to the forum. While she was carrying out the hypnotic suggestion, the professor asked her what she was doing. She replied that her husband had given her a beautiful crystal vase that looked just like her shoe and she had never known what to do with it. She went on to state that it had suddenly dawned on her how to arrange flowers in the vase and she had to try it in her shoe before she forgot.
While her explanation appears absurd, she acted as if she believed she was telling the truth. As the professor tried to explain to her how ridiculous her story was, she became anxious, agitated and very defensive. The experiment was terminated due to her extreme discomfort.
From the book "Monsters and Magical Sticks"
Monsters and Magical Sticks:There is no such thing as hypnosis?
by Steven Heller, Ph.D. and Terry Steele
Steve Heller, together with the help of his friend and colleague Terry Steele, has provided readers with a dynamic and brilliant entrance into a magical world within each of us - a world where it is believed our true abilities, inner learnings, and healing resources reside. Through the use of humor, metaphor, and enlightening case examples, Heller takes us far beyond the conscious world of what we "think" and "perceive" reality to be and stretches our minds into the dimension known as the unconscious.