Franz Anton Mesmer

ABOUT HYPNOSIS

The initial scientific beginnings in the study of hypnosis began with Anton Mesmer in 1775, from whose name originates the term mesmerism  which is still in current usage. Mesmer's utilization of hypnosis began with his discovery that specific types of medical patients responded to arm stroking and sleep suggestions.

Hypnosis is older than medicine itself and has been with us since mankind had its beginnings.Virtually every culture and race of people has used it. Cave drawings suggest that man was experimenting with hypnosis 100's of years ago.

In Biblical times, people went to "sleep temples" to be cured of their illnesses by the Egyptian priests. The ancient Chinese employed hypnotic techniques in the form of prayer and meditation. There is evidence that the Romans used "magic sleep" for various purposes. The Greeks unknowingly used hypnosis, thinking that cures came from the Gods.

Therefore hypnosis is nothing new, but the majority of the public still grossly misunderstands it. This phenomenon has existed, as shown above, since the beginning of mankind, and is a part of everyday life. It is simply a state of complete physical and mental relaxation. Most people go in and out of hypnosis several times a day. Hypnosis is not a "cure all" but when used properly, it can improve every aspect of a person's life.

The areas most commonly using hypnosis, are stress management and behavior modification. Hypnosis (deep relaxation) is a proven tool for weight control.

In the minds of some people the word "hypnosis" has connotations of magic or hocus pocus, movies and fiction books as well as old wives tales have contributed to the misconceptions about hypnosis. Not so, hypnosis is not sleep, nor a magical cure, but "deep relaxation" which can be described as a particular mental and physical state a person enters, when he/she accepts suggestions uncritically and acts upon them..

Normal sleep is an unconscious state or a state of unawareness, hypnosis is a conscious state, or a state of awareness, therefore you are not asleep.

Hypnosis is a process involving a hypnotist and a subject who agrees to be hypnotized. Being hypnotized is usually characterized by (a) intense concentration, (b) extreme relaxation, and (c) high suggestibility.

You have in fact entered hypnosis on your own many times. For instance, when you are daydreaming, this is a form of hypnosis, or while watching television, reading a book or driving.                                                                                                                                                  

All hypnosis in actual fact is really self-hypnosis, and therefore the majority of the subjects who believe that their responses are through the hypnotist alone are not correct. It is the subject who involuntarily initiates the acts in response to previous negative programming. 

The mind, stimulated by suggestion, is capable of great things through it's imagination, and as a result of various emotional reactions, remarkable physical and mental changes can occur; The same changes can be obtained through hypnosis.

• Weight reduction and Weight Management
• Exam Nerves
• Allergies
• Exercise and Motivation
• Smoking
• Self-Esteem and Self-Confidence
• Sleep deprivation
• Memory and retention
• Pain Management
• Chronic spending
• Fears
• Concentration
• Anger Management

These are just some of the problems hypnosis can help with, but there are so many more.