Hypnosis is most likely the oldest form of
medical and mental treatment known to mankind.
It might have started as early as the start
of mankind as stated in the Bible (Genesis:
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall
over Adam.).
There is also recorded history of the Egyptians
and the Greeks having dream incubation centers
where people came to pray, fast and dream.
The medical community learned and studied
the advantages of hypnosis as recorded that
Paracelsus (1500's) believed in the aspect
of the stars influencing the mind This invisible
ether produced changes in the conscious state
of men.
In the sixteenth century Van Helmont (1500's-
1600's) developed the theory of animal magnetism.
This was advanced by Father Maximilian Hell
a Jesuit Priest in the 1700's and he was
known to have used the animal magnetism to
produce state and conscious changes.
Maybe the most famous physician using magnetic
passes was Franz Anton Mesmer after graduating
from medical school in 1776 magnetism, Doctor
Mesmer than realized that it was not a magnet
that caused the change. He than theorized
that it was his own personal magnetism that
produced this magical effect on the patients
mind and consciousness, curing all typed
of hysteria. Many of Doctor Mesmer's inductions
were closely related to sexually oriented
situations as he would be very close to the
patients, usually female, bodies so close
that they touched.
Marquee de Puysegur expanded on Mesmer's
personal magnetism and named it animal magnetism
One of the most recorded events in hypnosis
was by two English surgeons, one operating
in England and the other in India in the
1800's. Ellitson and Eisdale both produced
anesthesia and surgery was painless using
hypnotic techniques.
The actual word, hypnosis, was coined by
Braid in the middle 1800's. His induction
was through fixation , now called Braidism.
He would have the patient look at a eyes
or a pocket watch. Next came the school of
Nancy by Doctors Liebeault (late 1800's)
and Bernheim in Nancy France. Another famous
French physician who used hypnosis was Charcot
in the late 1800's in Paris.
More modern day and 1900's physician who
used hypnotic techniques were Doctors Janet
and Freud. Freud stopped using hypnosis and
developed the psychoanalytic theory. Leaving
us with such famous modern people as Doctor
Brian Weiss who has been known for his past
life regressions.
Something interesting to note is that the
majority of theses physicians were ostracized
by their peers and many died penniless. It
appears that today there is a more benevolent
opinion about hypnosis.
