History of Hypnosis

Learn and understand about Hypnosis. How it works, how to practice it etc.

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swetha
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History of Hypnosis

Post by swetha » Sat Feb 18, 2006 7:56 am

What is Hypnosis?
Even after research for more then 200 years, hynosis is still a mystery to human mankind.Psychiatrists understand the general nature and have been able to show how it works to a certain extent. It is a trance state characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. The person isnt sleeping but is hyperattentive, blocking out all unwanted disturbances and concentrating on a particular task in hand.
In the everyday trance of a daydream or movie, an imaginary world seems somewhat real to you, in the sense that it fully engages your emotions.

Some researchers categorize all such trances as forms of self-hypnosis. Milton Erickson, the premier hypnotism expert of the 20th century, contended that people hypnotize themselves on a daily basis. But most psychiatrists focus on the trance state brought on by intentional relaxation and focusing exercises. This deep hypnosis is often compared to the relaxed mental state between wakefulness and sleep.

Dating back from 2600 BC to the present, different methods of hypnosis have been used. Wang Tai, the father of Chinese medicine, used medical procedures that were of hypnotic nature.
There were many other people and scientists that used various forms of hypnosis, but the most influential of them all was Frank Anton Mesmer. The father of modern hypnotism is Franz Mesmer, an Austrian physician. Mesmer believed hypnosis to be a mystical force flowing from the hypnotist into the subject (he called it "animal magnetism"). Although critics quickly dismissed the magical element of his theory, Mesmer's assumption that the power behind hypnosis came from the hypnotist, and was in some way inflicted upon the subject, took hold for some time. Hypnosis was originally known as mesmerism, after Mesmer, and we still use its derivative, "mesmerize," today. He is remembered for the term "mesmerism" which is a process of inducing a trance through a series of passes he made with his hands and magnets. Working with a person's psychic and electromagnetic energies, he performed mesmerism on many people across the world, and taught his students of his works. Many of his students got greatly involved in the study of mesmerism and other types of psychological subjects. He was admired, and scientists followed his example and came up with their own ideas.

Another influential person in the field of hypnosis is James Braid. He opposed mesmerism originally, but soon he became interested in the subject and began studying it. He said cures were not due to psychic and electromagnetic energies, but to suggestion. He developed the eye fixation technique of inducing relaxation which became known as hypnosis, after the Greek God of Sleep Hypnos.

As other scientists researched the aspect of hypnosis, they discovered that not only could it be used to induce relaxation, but was also beneficial in treating other ailments, both physical and mental.

Physicians often worry that hypnosis involved significant risks to patients. Actually, the phenomenon is not dangerous and has fewer side effects than even the most benign medications.

Raja.ch
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History of hypnosis

Post by Raja.ch » Tue Jun 12, 2007 7:35 am

Hi swetha,
             Your posting is too good and useful.The way you narrarted is cool.










Regards,
Raja
Raja

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