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Reference to hypnosis can be found in writings and scriptures dating back as far as the ancient Egyptians. Wong Tai wrote of similar techniques involving hand passes and incantations in 2600BC. As did the Hindu Vedas in 1500BC. Many cultures, including the Shamans and Druids have used trance states for hundreds of years.
Modern hypnosis is the brain child of a fashionable Austrian physician, Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). Mesmer revolutionised the health profession with his 'animal magnetism'. He believed that illness was a result of blockages in the flow of magnetic fields within the human body. His mesmeric passes and baths of iron fillings aiding the release of the flow, aided by his dramatic showmanship that ensured grand expectations in his patients.
His success was met with extreme jealously amongst colleges of the medical profession, quickly leading to Mesmer's public humiliation.
John Elliotson (1791-1868), supported Mesmer's theories, attempting to encourage the practice of 'animal magnetism'. Although a respected professor at the London University he was forced to resign due to his involvement. Elliotson continued to demonstrate Mesmer's techniques to a private audience, leading to an increase in hypnotic literature.
A chance discovery, by the Scottish eye doctor, James Braid (1795-1860) lead to the development of the trance state that we know today. Whilst late for an appointment Braid entered his waiting room to find his patient transfixed on the pinpoint reflections of a highly polished brass lamp. Braid recognized the state of that similar to mesmerism and gave a few simple commands that were readily followed.
Braid discovered that having a patient fixate on something was one of the most powerful ways of inducing the trance state. He published his findings and proposed that the sleep like phenomena be called hypnosis after 'hypnos', the Greek word for sleep.
Today, hypnosis is enjoying a revival. Recent television broadcasts, such as 'The hypnotic world of Paul McKenna' have highlighted the power and enjoyment of hypnosis.
Hypnosis has become an acceptable form of entertainment, gone are the days of Mesmeric practice, when astounded onlookers gasped in fright at the sheer power of the hypnotic magician. Gone are the dominating posters that once commanded, 'Dare you stare into his eyes and not obey his every command?!' Hypnosis has been demystified, it is readily available to those that seek it and has, at last, earned its rightful place as a dynamic tool of human persuasion.
In recent years hypnosis has eased its way back into the medical profession. Freud practiced hypnosis in his earlier years, but, meeting with little success, he development alternative talking therapies and modern psychotherapy was born.
Hypnotic techniques have been refined, and today, hypnosis is commonly used to alleviate phobias, encourage good health and prevent bad habits. Many people associate hypnosis with weight loss and smoking, yet this is merely the tip of the iceberg. Hypnosis is a very powerful tool with a rather rocky past. It is only in recent years that hypnotic techniques have gained acceptance in Western society.
We have merely laid a foundation upon which we are finally free to build. There are no plans, no rules and no restriction, other than those imposed by our imagination. As a hypnotist I am fortunate to live at a time of such acceptance and creativity. Pioneers such as Mesmer and Elliotson believed in the power of hypnosis when the world frowned upon them. Today, characters, such as Paul McKenna, have taken that belief and made it accessible to everyone. Now it is our turn to develop the dream, taking hypnosis forward and building on those foundations. It is time to write the history of the future, and together, we are the ones to do it.
If you would like to learn more about the history of hypnosis, please take a look at the selection of books featured below. To view the title, hover the mouse pointer over the book image. For further details (including online reviews, synopsis, larger image and ordering information) click on the link below the book. Use the UK or US links depending on your location. (both sites ship worldwide)