This volume is the first in a series of studies of the patterns of hypnotic techniques employed by Milton H. Erickson. In this first volume, we have focused primarily on the verbal patterns which Erickson uses in his work. Furthermore, our emphasis here has been on the portions of his work dealing with the induction of trance and the use of suggestion for assisting the client in accomplishing the objectives of trance work. We intend to shift the emphasis of the furture volumes to other patterns. The Table of Contents which we include for Volume II of Patterns will give the reader some notion of this future emphasis. By R. Bandler