A lot of people are skeptical about hypnosis and see it as something shrouded with mystery.
Movies often present hypnosis with mysticism that audiences don’t see beyond the swinging of the pocket watch.
A long list of doctors, researches and studies have pointed out its effectiveness in healing and creating positive changes. Despite opposition in the past, hypnotherapy has come a long way to become what it is today - a viable modality to treat psychological problems performed by Certified Professional Hypnotists.
Hypnosis in Ancient Times
The history of hypnosis dates back to ancient times, when Shamans, witchdoctors, and tribal doctors performed what could be called as “suggestion therapy”. Back then, they didn’t have a formal term to call the procedure.
Perhaps the best source of reference to hypnosis in early Egypt comes from the famous 3rd Century CE Demotic Magical Papyrus.
The healing utilising trance also have roots in ancient Egypt that dates back to 3,000 B.C. where there were “incubation” or “sleep temples”, healing sanctuaries where people could seek aid for a variety of physical or mental problems. In these temples, patients will be put into a trance like sleep and have their dreams interpreted. Forms of words – thought of as spells – are believed to cure the sufferers’ problems. This kind of “incubation” treatment was associated with Imhotep, the Physician Vizier of the Pharaoh Zoser (2980-2900 B.C.) and the earliest known physician in history. The temples of Imhotep, which could still be found in some areas in the Middle East and Africa, were known for “sleep therapy” and “shrine sleep”.
Ritualistic practices similar to self-hypnosis were performed by the ancient Hebrews. They used magical rites, chanting, meditation, breathing exercises and incantation. Their procedure produced what was called Kavanah or an “ecstasy state”.
Hypnosis is derived from the Greek word Ὕπνος (hypnos), meaning sleep, as trance states are likened to sleep, although they are not sleep. Ancient Greece had similar Sleep Temples dedicated to Aesklepios, the god of healing, where people were put into a trance-like sleep for healing with the priests interpreting their dreams. As the Romans adopted much of Greek culture, the concept of Sleep Temples spread throughout the empire. The Greeks and Romans believed that physical and emotional health are related to each other, indicating that a healthy mind leads to a healthy body.
In 500 B.C., during the Hellenistic Period, there were also Sleep Temples for the mentally ill where priests would also interpret dreams. It is said that these priests strongly used suggestion and would use a brush, cloth or physical touch to “cast out bad spirits”.
The Old and New Testaments in the Bible also have accounts of what could be considered as hypnosis.
Ancient Indian, Chinese, Persian and Sumerian cultures are also said to have studied and have knowledge of altered states, processes that is now known as “hypnosis”.
Ancient Indian, Chinese, Persian and Sumerian cultures are also said to have studied and have knowledge of altered states, processes that is now known as “hypnosis”.
The Pioneers: Modern History of Hypnotherapy
1. Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815)
Austrian physician Franz Mesmer is known as the Father of Hypnosis. The word “mesmerism” is derived from his name. It is said that he was strongly influenced by Father Maximillian Hell, his mentor in astrology, planets and their effect on humans. He graduated from a famous school in Vienna, Austria and became interested in the use of magnets over the body for healing. He developed the theory of “animal magnetism” which says that blockages in the flow of magnetic forces in the body causes diseases.
Mesmer is known for his belief that a kind of magnetic energy surround us, and that he could store his animal magnetism in baths of iron fillings which he said could be transferred to his patients with rods or by “mesmeric passes”. Through this procedure, he claimed that his patients were cured of their illnesses.
His method for curing was quite popular and interesting. However, some said that as his procedure could last for hours, the patients’ boredom was what actually made them go into a trance!
Mesmer was irrevocably brought into disrepute when a royal commission was appointed to investigate his findings. The commission, which included Benjamin Franklin and John Guillotine, could find no evidence to support his theories of animal magnetism. They observed that Mesmer was able to cure patients by having them touch “magnetized” trees, but that patients were cured even if they touched “non-magnetized” trees. Therefore, they concluded, Mesmer must be an ‘impostor’. Mesmer stopped his practice until his death in 1851.
2. John Elliotson (1791-1868)
A professor at London University, Elliotson is considered a forward thinker who championed the cause for mesmerism. From 1817 he used hypnosis effectively in his medical practice. His practice resulted in numerous literature on the use of hypnosis.
In 1834 he reported that he had performed numerous painless surgical operations using mesmerism. In 1842, founded a hospital for the use of hypnosis in surgical operations and in 1843 he reported use of hypnosis for painless arm amputations.
3. James Braid (1795-1860)
This Scottish eye doctor practicing in Manchester, England, developed his interest in mesmerism by chance. Braid was late for an appointment with a patient. When he walked into the waiting room, he found his patient staring into an old lamp, his eyes glazed. With much fascination, he started giving the patient some commands with which the patient complied, such as closing his eyes and going to sleep. It was then that he discovered that an important component in putting a person into a trance is to have them fixate on something, such as a swinging pocket watch. Braid published a book, proposing that the phenomenon be now called “hypnotism”.
4. James Esdaile (1808-1859)
Esdaile was a British surgeon practicing in India. He used hypnotism through eye fixation for pain relief and used hypnosis as his only anaesthetic for 345 major surgeries. At that time, chemical anaesthetics was developed and doctors then favoured the use of new chemical anaesthetics over hypnotism. Soon after chemical anesthetics became the replacement of hypnotism in this role. The deep hypnosis phenomenon, “Esdaile State” is name after him.
In modern history, Dr. Esdaile and Dr. Braid were the first doctors to be recognized for their research and use of hypnosis. Their studies were considered “scientific” and valid, proving that hypnosis can indeed help patients.
5. August Ambrose Liebeault (1823-1904)
First wrote of the necessity for cooperation between the hypnotizer and the participant, for rapport. He emphasized the importance of suggestibility. Together with Hippolyte Bernheim, they founded the Nancy school, which became the dominant force in hypnotherapeutic theory and practice in the last two decades of the 19th century.
6. Hippolyte Bernheim (1840 - 1919)
Bernheim was a French physician and neurologist, born at Mülhausen, Alsace. He is well-known for his theory of suggestibility in relation to hypnotism.
7. Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893)
A respected neurologist, Jean Martin Charcot presented to the French Academy of Sciences his findings on hypnotism in 1882. He believed that hypnosis was essentially hysteria, and gained knowledge on hypnotism through his work with twelve hysterics at the Saltpetriere.
8. Emile Coue (1857-1926)
Coue pioneered the use of autosuggestion. He is famous for the phrase “Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better” His technique focused on affirmation and believed that he did not heal people himself, instead, only facilitated their own self-healing. He was also the forerunner of modern practitioners who claim that “there is no such thing as hypnosis, only self-hypnosis”. One of his most famous ideas was that imagination is more powerful than the will.
9. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)
Known as the Father of Psycho-analysis, Freud at first was very much interested in hypnosis as he spent time with Charcot in 1885. He was a strong advocate of hypnotherapy and successfully used hypnosis in psychotherapy. However, Freud eventually abandoned hypnosis. It is believed that he didn’t have enough patience necessary for hypnosis and was not really very good at it. He favoured his own techniques of analysis and free association. His abandonment of the practice was damaging to hypnosis in many ways and created prejudices and misconceptions that lasted till the present day.
10. Milton H. Erickson, MD (1901-1980)
Erikson was an American psychiatrist and is been called the “Father of Modern Hypnotherapy” because of his contributions to the acceptance of the practice. He is said to be a gifted observer, able to easily build rapport with his clients. His therapeutic tools included metaphors and stories, memorable imagery, surprise and humour and a deceptive conversational style. His practice is known as “Ericksonian Hypnosis”. He has influenced modern schools of hypnosis and Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP).
11. Dave Elman (1900-1967)
Elman was one of the modern pioneers of the medical use of hypnosis. In fact, he contributed greatly to the acceptance of hypnosis from the medical community. He trained a lot of physicians, dentists and psychiatrists on how to use hypnotism. These medical practitioners paved the way towards the acceptance of hypnosis and hypnotherapy as a valid treatment that could work hand-in-hand with conventional medical treatments.
His definition and techniques are still been used and practiced by many professional hypnotists today.
Today, more and more people are turning to hypnotherapy to aid in creating positive changes in their lives such as eliminating bad habits, improve sleep, overcoming fear, phobias and anxiety, manage anger, control body weight, manage stress, improve focus and confidence and the like.
To achieve excellent results, MindLife Hypnotherapy draws upon leading tools, techniques and strategies from Hypnotherapy, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) and Behavioural Analysis to help their clients.
If you wish to improve your health and well-being substantially, then contact MindLife Hypnotherapy to book an appointment with their Certified Consulting Hypnotists, and start the journey towards a more positive and fulfilling life.