Beginners

Hypnosis, as both a concept and a practice, has fascinated humanity for centuries. While the term itself and its clinical use are relatively recent, the underlying phenomena stretch far back through human history.

Its roots lie in ancient civilizations, where trance-like states were used for healing, ritual, and spiritual exploration. Even today, remote tribal cultures continue to employ traditional healers who intuitively use techniques that mirror modern hypnotic principles, such as rhythm, suggestion, focused attention, and altered states of awareness.

However, the formal (scientific) study and use of hypnosis began to take hold in the 18th century with figures like Franz Mesmer, whose theories of “animal magnetism” laid the groundwork for modern hypnotic practices. Mesmer believed he had the power to wield an invisible natural force to heal and influence the body and mind – and is the source of the term “Mesmerised”. Incidentally, it was James Braid, a Scottish surgeon, who coined the phrased “hypnotism” in the early 19th century, after the Greek god of sleep “Hypnos”. Although years later, after realising hypnosis isn’t sleep, he tried to change the word to “monoideism” – unsuccessfully.

In literature, particularly Gothic fiction of the 19th century, hypnosis often appeared as a tool wielded by seductive figures to exert control over others. For example, in George du Maurier’s Trilby (1894), the character Svengali hypnotises Trilby, transforming her into a talented singer who performs only under his influence.

Similarly, and more famously, Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1897) features the titular vampire exerting a hypnotic influence over his victims and his thrall, Renfield, blurring the lines between supernatural power and psychological manipulation and enslavement. These narratives, while not explicitly erotic, often carried undertones of seduction and power dynamics that resonate with the BDSM themes often explored in hypnokink. I have explored this myself in The Night Neighbour 1: Bloodlust [NSFW].

The explicit exploration of hypnosis in erotic contexts became only really gained popularity in the 20th century, with the advent of mass media and the internet. These days, erotic hypnosis shows up in all kinds of ways: voice files and videos that drop the listener deep into trance; real-life kink scenes where hypnosis adds a layer of control or surrender; and even digital doms/dommes using hypnotic triggers, language patterns, and conditioning to deepen their power exchange with submissives, consensually of course!

Many communities have formed around shared interests in this kink, with conventions, workshops, and online forums dedicated to its practice and discussion. The end of this article lists a few.

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Erotic Hypnosis Conferences

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Erotic Hypnosis Online

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Exploring its history gives us vital context for how hypnokink evolved into what it is now.
Next time, we’ll explore how it feels. The mental, emotional, physical traits, and why people crave it.

So what is hypnokink, really?

Strip away the fantasy tropes for a second, the spirals, the triggers, the whispered voices… and at its core, hypnokink is the consensual erotic use of hypnotic phenomena for arousal, control, and connection.

It’s a kink that lives in the mind, but plays out in the body. On one side, it’s the thrill of dropping a play-partner into trance on command, to make them obey your every instruction. And on the other, it’s the tease of resistance, the pleasure of obedience, or the sheer submission of giving someone else the keys to your mind, for a little while.

Like many forms of BDSM, hypnokink is about negotiated power exchange. One person leads; one follows. But unlike rope, impact, or physical domination, hypnosis works primarily through imagination and suggestion. It’s may be invisible from the outside, but it’s intensely real for those taking part.

Some people use it to amplify other kinks, particularly in the BDSM space: orgasm control, roleplay, degradation, praise, even transformation. Others love the kink of hypnosis itself; the act of dropping, the feeling of being taken over, the strange bliss of becoming deeply blank or perfectly suggestible.

Think of hypnokink as an erotic guided fantasy, two (or more) people build together, one suggestion at a time. And just like any good kink, it all depends on consent, communication, and rapport.

Personally, I see hypnokink as a way for many to explore desires they already have, free from shame, guilt, or remorse. After all, it’s so easy to say, “Hypnosis made me do it.” – and if it’s safe and consensual, why the hell not!

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Next time, we’ll take a deeper look into where all this comes from… the long, strange history of erotic hypnosis, from animal magnetism to digital doms.

Have you ever felt your body respond to a voice?
Not just heard it, but felt it. That little gasp or catch of your breath. That moment where a single phrase seems to bypass your mind entirely and send tingles down your spine. Maybe it was a partner’s soft whisper, a few powerful words from someone you desired. Maybe a meditation audio that melted your mind. Or maybe… possibly… one of my hypnosis files.

That’s the edge where hypnokink begins. Because all it takes, is a voice.

Hypnokink is the erotic exploration of hypnosis – not as a stage trick or clinical therapy tool, but as kink. As play. As arousal. It’s the thrill of being controlled… or of holding the reins. It’s mental bondage, whispered obedience, deep surrender, and delicious resistance. At its heart, it’s about what happens when suggestion becomes sensation, or control – when a voice doesn’t just turn you on, but changes how you feel, and elicits a tangible, significant response.

It’s not all about dropping into trance (trance is only one of the many phenomena of hypnosis), although that, in itself is very sexy. Sometimes it’s just the idea of being programmed. The fantasy of being infiltrated and manipulated against your will. Or the slow build of trust that lets someone crawl inside your mind and rearrange the furniture, whenever they wish, with your full permission obviously.

Over the next few weeks I’ll release a series of short articles looking at the kink from all angles: what it is, where it comes from, how people play with it, and how you can dip your toes – or mind – into it’s deep deep, deeeeep depths.

Because hypnosis isn’t just in the voice.
It’s in the words.
The power.
The game.
And it all starts… right here.

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In part 2 we will actively explore what Hypnokink actually IS.