There is no doubt that the topic of hypnosis has always aroused mystery, suspicion and even a view of being some form of magic or witch-craft. Indeed, the very word to be ‘mesmerised’ (meaning captivated and spellbound) came from the early conception of modern hypnosis in the 1700’s, when a Mr. Franz Anton Mesmer first started to use hypnotic phenomena in his medical physician practice in Vienna, Austria. He later moved to Paris where his methods were seen and studied by other doctors and scientists, carrying ‘Mesmerism’ into the 1800’s, viewed simultaneously with both amazement and caution.
In the mid 1800’s, amazing and successful results began to be witnessed in the use of hypnosis in both medical practices and street shows of Mesmerism. Unfortunately, due to the negative mystical stigma still attached from the times of Mesmer, many doctors and surgeons kept their successes of hypnosis use unspoken or reported.
This was until a Scottish medical doctor, James Braid, projected his experiences of hypnosis into his work in Manchester, England and developed the practices and study of hypnosis under its new English term ‘Hypnotism’ performed by ‘Hypnotists’. Later, the focus moved back to France, with yet more doctors studying the subject, further developing more psychological uses for the application, from which the first concepts of ‘Psycho-analysis’ began (although later brushed aside by Sigmund Freud). In 1892 however, the practical application of hypnosis and hypnotherapy was recognised by the British Medical Association. Around this same time, as information travelled, similar ‘trance concepts’ were found to exist in various different cultures, including native America, India and Asia.
For those that are interested, the absolute earliest records of hypnosis date back to the Egyptian temples over five thousand years ago. Later these ‘sleep-healing methods’ made their way to Greece, where the temples had special ‘sleep chambers’ in which the healing took place. However, the application of emotional control and suggestion was not only used for healing purposes. It is said that leaders used the trance state to gain insight for answers to problems and some of the greatest warriors also used hypnosis methods to boost their confidence and reduce fear, before embarking into battles.
Indeed the word hypnosis originates from the Latin word ‘Hypnos’ meaning sleep, given to the phenomenon as viewed by onlookers, the subjects resemble that to one being asleep. This is a very common misconception which has been escalated from stage hypnosis:
Stage Hypnosis:
Obviously, the perception of hypnosis has been further clouded by the addition of stage hypnosis, whereby the showman portrays to be able to fully engage a range of ‘victims’ into a trance to carry out commands, both at his will and beyond their own control – displaying strange behaviours at the click of his fingers, often beyond belief of the audience. Although responsible for the caution given to the concept of hypnosis, stage shows were also the catalyst for further investigation and adoption by those in professions of medicine and psychology. Hypnosis was used extensively in the hospitals during the Second World War and in the late 1900’s the subject boomed due to the rapidly growing fields of personal development and personal growth.
Hypnosis – Facts and Benefits: (please click to read more)