What Is Hypnosis - 1

Hypnosis has roots going as far back as ancient Egyptians, Aborigines, Native Americans and the Hindu culture.
Hypnosis has been used in one form or another in almost all cultures, for example shamans would prepare before healing others, their preparation would involve chanting,meditation and isolation.   All to focus in readiness to heal their patients.

Current day hypnosis has evolved from these early roots and the “grandfather” of hypnosis Franz Anton Mesmer can be credited with recognising these ancient healing rituals and incorporating them into his theory of animal magnestism.

In the 1700's Mesmer believed there could be comsic fluids stored in objects such as magnets and that this could be used to heal patients illnesses. By using these magnets on patients the theory was that the cosmic fluid would be directed through the patients body allowing the patients energy flow to be restored, thus leading to regained health.



Mesmer had great success with this method of healing, although there was no evidence to support his theory.

The word Mesmerise comes from the work that Mesmer was doing at this time, with patients believing they would be healed.   This is the beginning of hypnotic suggestion.

The marquis de Puysegar who had been one of Mesmers disciples discovered the hypnotic trance.   He believed that trees had healing powers and that the force of these powers would travel from the body of the tree out to its branches.   By tying cords to these branches and having patients sits beneath the tree in a circle with the cords wrapped around them they were connected to each other which enabled the force of healing to travel through each patient, healing their ailments.

By the mid 1800's the hypnotic trance was being used to relieve pain. Patients would be induced to a hypnotic state weeks before surgery,conditioning them to believing that parts of their bodies to be operated on where numb. A London physician John Elliotson performed over 1800...