Last Sunday, I attended an introductory hypnosis lesson in VR and later got to experience my first dual hypnosis as "the subject," which involves an induction performed by two hypnotists on one sub at the same time. This was, if my flaky memory serves, my third, or at most fourth ever solo experience being put into trance, so it very much felt like wading in the kiddie pool to being thrown straight into the deep end.

And well, uh,,, wow???

I spent two whole days preparing this post. I mainly wanted to commit this to my art for posterity because I never want to fucking forget it, but the space within which this happens usually consists of hypnotists exchanging notes and ideas, and I felt like it's worth sharing the sub's experience too. This can help by letting others take notes and for uh, "the subject" (fucking weird to keep referring to myself that way but it feels good so screw it, I'm rolling with it) to give feedback and praise wherever it's due.

And I think praise is more than due for both Arwyn and her friend TipTap, especially given how much good this did for me. This is just as much a sub's honest account of a very memorable experience as it is effectively a gift for the hypnotists who made it happen. I can't thank either of them enough.

I'm sorry that this is long as fuck, but I'm a long-winded kind of person so let's get into it.

This first part of this account is all about context, framing, and the personal perspective I came with into this whole situation. I think this is important to better understand later parts of the story, but if you're wanting to jump straight into the action, skip ahead to the next section.

I share all of this, despite it being rather personal, because I think it's important to establish from where I was coming into this experience. As I was discussing with some of my friends last night while reflecting back on it all, the context and setting within which a scene happens is extremely key. Oftentimes, it can reach far beyond the immediate situation the sub and 'tist run the scene within, can be just about entirely incidental to it, and is rarely something that either party can control. That said, this context is important to acknowledge and consider, so as to avoid people feeling like there's something wrong with them or what they did - like I did after one of my first and rather negative hypnosis experiences - when really, there were many factors as to why things didn't quite work out the way I'd hoped they would, and they weren't any one person's fault.

Conversely, those same factors can heighten and magnify a hypnotic experience (just like they can any other experience, really), so I don't want anybody to feel like they're missing something themselves like I did myself a while back. This was a confluence of a lot of extremely major things that have been on my mind and affecting my mental health for a while, which is why this experience was genuinely therapeutic for me by the time all was said and done.

I've been wanting to learn how to be a hypnotist - or at the very least get into hypnosis - for most of my time and career as a furry artist that's been going for over 18 years now. Hypno has comprised a majority of my work, however subtly, for about just as long, and with hardly more than a few hours of hands-on experience to speak of, it's left me feeling like somewhat of a poser within the scene. I didn't know if it was for me, even though I wanted it to be.

My girlfriend Arwyn really brought hypnosis to the forefront of my mind over the years, when for the longest time I was resigned to never really getting to experience it properly. With her guidance and encouragement (and literal dogged perseverance to learn it herself, haha) I've been slowly dipping my toes and easing into it despite all my fears.

This event was the first I'd attended in the group in many weeks. This was intentional, as I'd taken a step away from it a while back. I'd been struggling to feel involved and included with folks, and after a few negative experiences, I decided I needed some time away. I want to be emphatic about this and cannot overstate that this was nobody's fault, and many personal factors played into making it all a lot harder for me to keep trying. I was hurting cause of my own issues, and had to take a break and focus my effort elsewhere for a while.

Add to that several life things that have put tremendous amounts of pressure on my relationship with Arwyn, and made it harder for us to spend quality time together (love you, puppy) as of late, and you can see why I was… N e r v o u s, to say the least, about going into this.

The lesson at the start of the event was interesting and informative as it always has been, but knowing that I might have to try putting some of this into practice a few moments later, for the very first time, had me feeling increasingly anxious. I'm deathly afraid of fucking up, especially with something so important to me, within a space filled with folks who do this kind of thing so skilfully and effortlessly.

Arwyn joined about halfway into the session and took a seat beside me, which was comforting. I resolved to ask her to group up together, since I know she'd be a lot more forgiving if I did slip up.

When I did, it seemed to light a bulb in her head, and she asked me if I'd be okay with involving other folks cause she'd wanted to do something called "dual hypnosis"? I was just excited to get to try things out with her so I happily agreed - if she wanted to push her skills and hypnotise two people at the same time, then all the more fun, right?

I was so fucking clueless.

I eagerly follow her all the way back to find TipTap, and she asks them if they'd like to try out an idea she had a while back. She starts explaining things to them, and the abject danger I was in started to dawn on me.

It wasn't going to be two subjects, it was gonna be two hypnotists.

The anticipation rapidly began to build.

We went up into the attic for some space, and I got put in my place.

Arwyn started the pre-talk, standing right in front of me and filling my entire view. Others were present, but she was all I saw. She had this smirk on her face that's just so perfect for her typically bratty, mischievous self - but right this moment, it was suddenly hitting me very, very differently. I was getting tingles.

I just got done being taught about yes-sets and establishing boundaries and consent and even as she was easing me in with all of these things I could feel myself opening up in a way I don't think I'd ever felt before. I was being primed and could feel it happening.

She asked me if I could imagine sounds, particularly binaurally. I said yes.

She asked if I could sense phantom touch, I said not especially.

She leaned right in to give me an example, and caressed my cheek, with that goddamned smirk on her face.

I felt it only slightly, but nevertheless, I shivered.

She then explained what was going to happen.

She said that she and TipTap would start circling me, and that she'd continue giving me instructions, but that she didn't want me to pay too much attention to her.

She said that each time TipTap would pass in front of me, I would pay close attention to their face. Both of them were a touch taller than me, so I was having to look up to see either of their faces.

They start circling, and Arwyn's voice fills my ears alternatingly.

Each time TipTap passed in front of me, I studied their features and their expression, the latter of which changed each time they did.

Their shiny, metallic parts; zippered lips, and speaker ears.

The digital pulse display on their chest.

The red highlights in their hair and around their face.

Their bright white fur, contrasting with every one of them.

Their friendly and exaggerated expressions, each nevertheless kind, friendly and comforting.

Their concentric, red and black eyes grabbing and pulling at my attention each time, not letting go.

Arwyn soon chimed in again, and instructed me further.

She told me to start imagining a low bass tone coming from TipTap's ears. I begin doing just that; but it doesn't last long.

The spinning, comforting voice of my partner in one ear, while I'm trying to imagine a deep, resonant tone coming from her friend in the other; holding my head up to study TipTap's features each time they cross my vision; feeling quite literally encircled and kept safe - The rest of the world melted away from me despite still having (some of) my faculties about me, and I was already overwhelmed and quite far gone. Yet at the same time, I could feel myself shivering with the thrill and excitement of what was happening to me.

It starts to take me every effort to follow along and I'm certain that at any moment past this point, had either of them given the command, I would've dropped like a sack of concrete.

Arwyn's gentle reminders metaphorically tugged at my rapidly slackening leash, as I kept losing track of the tasks I was meaning, and meant to do. Each time I switched on the imagined tone coming from TipTap again, and strained my weakened neck to lift my leaden head to try to look at their face, it chipped away at whatever meager resolve which, at this point, felt like I was gently cradling in my open palms for them both to take freely from.

An intense feeling of relief came from deep inside my mind along with the sudden change of pace when Arwyn let me know that TipTap was going to stop in front of me.

I was to pay close attention to, and follow the tip of their claw.

They come into view, and I try to lift my head.

I try to lift my head.

Just as the shiny clawtip comes into my view, centering somewhat while I'm shaking from the effort…

TipTap's claw drops,

And so do I.

I'm beyond gone. Everything is dark but comfortable.

Arwyn showers me with praise and comfort, and even uses a few quick deepeners, but I honestly couldn't tell you if there was anywhere deeper for me to go.

My senses blurred, and I still felt completely surrounded and safe, despite being lost in an ocean of nothing. I can distinctly sense both of them still very much there with me, but almost as if I'm vaguely aware of others who were watching, too. I notice myself enjoying this feeling of being seen while so vulnerable.

After what feels like a full minute, Arwyn gently brings me back up. My sight returns, and I'm soon overwhelmed again by all my other senses as they quickly flood back to me.

The cocktail of relief, excitement, and euphoria has me shaking. I can hardly find the words, trying my best to thank both of them for how they made me feel. What they helped me to experience.

I notice myself starting to cry.

I don't remember anything that I said past this point, just that it was coming from somewhere that couldn't be contained.

After a few moments, I told Arwyn I would need some aftercare. We all got comfortable and talked about it for a while longer. That was just the start of my evening, but that's where this story ends.

Thank you so much, TipTap and Arwyn.

10 years worth of anticipation, turned to relief and satisfaction all in one night.

This section is only really relevant if you're interested in the practical aspects of hypnosis, so feel free to skip over it if not.