Eric Williams Normand:
My question is whether there is a place for something like talking yourself into concentration. Could it be of benefit to speed up attainment? Could it help you find the state you are looking for so you can find your way back?
Years ago I studied to be a master hypnotist. It was about 200 hours of training. At the time I was doing quite a bit of qigong and energy work and in my practice sessions with other students I experimented with ways to point out the 'vibrations/energy' we speak of here on DhO. I found that this was pretty easy to do. So at least with that aspect of the practice the answer seems to be yes - and this is often a difficult point to get to. However, I never followed this up so I have no idea if they were ever able to call it up on their own - I suspect with a few sessions that that would be possible.
Guided meditations often use quite a bit of hypnotic induction language. For this reason I think they should only be used for training wheels at the beginning if at all. The ability for awareness to stabilise without having to cling to one phenomena or another (like the voice of the teacher) is really important and takes lots of practice. Lots of getting lost and coming back. Any time you develop concentration around a fixed object - that is a prop. It can lead to interesting experiences (and be very pleasant) - but not insight into release.
So here is how you might use hypnosis: As I mention above, use it to gain a sense of the energy in the body. Once you can do that then make that energy (as a field in the entire body) your 'object'. Once that is stable then incline the mind to identify with the space in which the energy arises. This allows the mind to slowly let go of supports while remaining clear and alert.
If you want to make your own tape here is one induction method I used with success (expand and morph as seems helpful): "Imagine a stairway that leads down to a very comfortable, safe place. This quiet, safe, place is surrounded by a soothing, cool mist that calmly and deeply penetrates, soothes and sinks into every part of your body - relaxing more and more. With each step you take down, you notice the soothing energy rising up from the tips of your toes, your feet, your ankles, your calves [etc, etc] sinking in and calming as it rises as you take each step down this gentle stairway. ...[as the energy comes up around the head] ... "with each breath now the soothing mist comes in and fills your lungs, spreading out through your entire body. Sinking, soothing, relaxing - you can now rest in this comfortable, safe space of your choice and enjoy this energy as it relaxes throughout your body while you remain clear and alert to its calming, joyful presence."
-something like that.
-Chuck