Keep the Starting Place Grounded
One important note on the setting: Dolores Cannon famously has clients begin on a cloud, but a cloud can drift them off the planet or straight into another life before you've even established a stable trance. That's why I always start clients somewhere grounded — a beach, a meadow, a forest, somewhere here on earth. You can always move them to a cloud later. The full beach and garden scripts are provided at the back of this book.
Confirming the Depth
Once they're in the garden or on the beach, I confirm they're in a deep state by asking them to describe what they see. My favorite line is, "What are you experiencing now?" I'll ask them to smell the sea air or the fragrance of the flowers, feel the soft sand or the light breeze — anything that gets them used to being in a trance state and still talking through it. The moment they see butterflies in the garden or clouds in the sky, I know they're ready for the next step.
Practice
Build your own garden before you guide anyone into theirs. 1. Sketch or write your garden in detail — the path in, what is underfoot, the flowers, the scent, the bench, the gate. 2. Read your description out loud, slowly, in the pace you would use in session. 3. Now guide yourself in with your eyes closed, using only your voice and memory. 4. Add whatever was missing. The clarity of your garden becomes the clarity your client feels.