History of Hypnosis
Hypnotism incorporates components of early pioneer work, psychoanalysis, as well as the understanding of the psychic aspects of man and his energy field, the ability to effect change through manipulation of that energy, either by re-programming of negative thoughts or habits thus assisting in the healing of illnesses and dis-ease, or tapping into the energy field when utilising Power hypnosis. It is widely accepted now that thoughts are energy and can have enormous impact, either positively or negatively, on our lives and overall health and wellbeing.
The combination of the work and studies of the early pioneers eg. Paracelsus (1493-1541), best remembered of the Renaissance magnetists, Anton Mesmar (1733-1815) founder of Mesmerism, JJ Gassner - Magnetic Stroking, James Braid father of medical hypnosis and hypnosis as we understand it, James Easdaille who performed major surgical operations on patients whilst in trance, Emile Coue ,Valentine Greatlakes , early magnetist of the pre-hypnosis era, La Fontaine, an early magnetist to name few, has assisted in our overall understanding of the mind and body combination and the affect of the thought upon our physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. The work that these early pioneers made references to man being influenced by the heavenly bodies (Mesmer), man’s ability to manipulate the subtle fluids around the body (Paracelsus),
neuro-hypnotism, magnetic healing saw their work cut across and incorporate (although maybe not deliberately) aspects of myth, science and religion, that has led to so many views of hypnotism and our fear and fascination of this phenomena . Some see it as the work of the devil, whilst others see it as mind control.
- Jan Baptista van Helmont (1577-1644):Flemish physician, chemist and natural philosopher (natural philosophy being later termed as physics) check web
- JJ Gasner: Influential magnetist who wrote “material nature draws her forms through constant magnetism from above, and implores for them in favour of heaven; there is established a free and mutual intercourse, and the whole is contained in an individual.
- Paraclesus: (1493-15410 Swiss born physician. Paracelsus was a researcher of energetics and sympathetic systems , and made the observation, that that the imagination of man may produce healthy or morbid effects. That it could poison the essence of life and cause dis-ease or purify it after it had been made impure and restore our health. That our thoughts are simply magnetic emanations. He also thought that magnetism was either composed of a “subtle fluid” (aura) or that the subtle fluid was that through which magnetism was effected. He felt that man could manipulate this fluid through suggestion and imagination , rather like spiritual healing linking into the aura to effect change.
- Emile Coue: Emile coined the phrase “ Every day in every way I’m feeling better and better” and cured more than 1000 cases of asthma in France betweem 1850 and 1870.
- Valentine Greatlakes: Irish early magnetist from the pre-hypnosis era who was known to cure physical and mental ailments by magnetic stroking.
- Anton Mesmer (1733-1815): Anton claimed that he had discovered and perfected the control of the energy field around humans which he termed animal magnetism. Mesmer believed that the energy was aligned to the planets through ethereal magnetic substance. He also believed that he could hold and transmit that energy to others – early Power Hypnosis? Mesmer developed a version of magnetic plates which he used to develop ways of healings and cures. He later disposed of the plates when witnessing JJ Gasner treating and healing patients using Stroking, without the use of plates. Following this Mesmer conceptualized correctly that the body possessed a magnetic field.
- James Braid: (1795-1860), an English surgeon. He termed the phenomena as “ Neuro hypnotism – a phenomenon that occasionally aroused involuntary sexualizing energies. He rejected animal magnetism and Mesmerism, but recognised that trance did have a therapeutic value. He originally thought that hypnosis was a form of nervous sleep and named his method “neuro-hypnotism” being later shortened to hypnotism, around 1842. He emphasised that it was more the patient’s willing response than the hypnotist’s power that made hypnosis so remarkable.
Even Spiritualism has provided some of the building blocks and the many views of hypnotism and probably also helped create some of that fear and sceptism. Spiritualism has provided evidence of a force that exists outside of the body and which has an influence on the body, through its documented cases of movement of objects without control, perception of auras, energy fields to name but a few. This also crosses into the field of psychic phenomena . The London Dialectical Society, formed in 1869 to examine and report of communication with spirits intended to dismiss the claims of Spiritualism, instead corroborated their claims, especially on physical phenomena. A top scientist William Crookes (1832-1919) also later affirmed conclusive existence of a psychic force, when investigating the phenomena of Spiritualism.
Hypnosis on its own cannot effect a cure to illness or dis-ease. Like many healing modalities and techniques, it’s the application of the healing method and the skill and attitude of the healer. The same holds true for hypnosis, whilst a good hypnotist can put a person into deep trance, if they don’t have that person’s greatest interest at heart or they are not focused on assisting that person gain the greatest benefit that he/she is able to, then overall, I believe, that the hypnosis will not be successful in achieving the desired outcome. I also personally believe, that by just taking or sticking to a purely clinical approach the best outcome will not be achieved either.
Hypnotism can be used to facilitate healing of the emotional, mental and physical bodies. All of these aspects of us are inter-related and when one of those aspects is out of alignment (sick), then it affects our overall state of being.
Modern Hypnotists
Sigmund Freud: Freud defined hypnosis as “the influencing of a person by means of the transference phenomena” although later in his Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis (1916-1917), he seems to acknowledge that hypnosis is more than a transference reaction. “There is an obvious kinship between the hypnotic state and the state of sleep….The physical situations in the two cases are really analogous. In natural sleep we withdraw our interest from the whole external world; and in hypnotic sleep we also withdraw it from the whole world, but with the single exception of the person who has hypnotised us and with whom we remain in rapport (p104).
Freud acknowledged that there is a great deal to hypnosis, which must be recognised as unexplained and mysterious. For a number of years Freud used hypnosis in his psychoanalytical work with patients and employed very authoritarian inductions, he would grasp a patients head and command “ sleep!” . By 1921 Freud discontinued its use possibly because of the non-reception of his patients. Freud first defined the landscape of psychoanalytical enquiry into hypnosis.
Milton Eriksson: Eriksson is widely accepted as the father of modern day hypnotism. Eriksson believed that each treatment was unique for each client. Erikson understood that if hypnotism was to be widely accepted among the medical profession of physicians and dentists, he would have to find a way to circumvent those aspects of semi traditional and traditional hypnotism that were unacceptable to these men and women.
Milton Erikson’s work from the past has become to be known as “Eriksonian hypnotim” or the “Eriksonian approach to therapy” with the introduction of the forms of indirect suggestion and informal trance inductions. The NLP movement who adopted much of Erikson’s work, did much to establish the Eriksonian approach. The Eriksonian Foundation in Phoenix around 1980 further helped to promote and spread his work around the world and gradually it became the accepted practice and process for hypnotism.
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Some Present Day Hypnotists
The stage hypnotist has very probably helped to create the illusion of hypnosis being a form of mind control where the hypnotist can make the client do anything he/she dictates. The idea of some Svengali like figure, taking total command over the clients mind and actions is still held true in some people’s view of the hypnotist. However, the stage hypnotist has also helped foster an acceptance of hypnotism.