Hypnotism - Panacea or Delusion
This is the headline advertising one of BritainÆs most popular stage hypnotistÆs latest range of self help tapes. The advert is endorsed by a few well-known but less successful sporting personalities whose tempting words are designed to lure us into purchasing one of the eighteen hypnotherapy tapes purporting to "give us his power" in order to improve our lives.
We all at one time or another seek to change our habits or lifestyles and whatever the motivation may be our natural impulse drives us toward change and is a natural aspect of human evolution.
When we seek behavioral changes, hypnotism is an area which purports to help us with these changes. The current proliferation of hypnotists and alternative therapists such as hypnotherapists are a reflection of this open attitude toward natural health and healing.
All hypnotists claim that they are helping people and state that it is perfectly harmless therapy and whilst science has been studying this field for over two hundred years it both agrees and disagrees with this claim. For example, Robert Temple, who has been extensively researching hypnosis since the 1980s and who has designed hypnosis tests for many London hospitals, states in his book Open to Suggestion, "The first and most crucial misconception to be discarded is the widespread myth that under hypnosis one cannot be made to do anything against oneÆs principles. This is simply not true. There are countless cases which disprove this myth."
One famous example of this is Milton KlineÆs 1972 account in the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis detailing the exploitations of a psychiatrist who over a considerable period of time, raped several of his female patients under hypnosis (one unsuspecting unpaid worker was raped everyday without her conscious knowledge).
This lack of real understanding and knowledge of the internal working of the mind appears to keep hypnosis out of mainstream medicine and thus any serious and legislative regulation, allowing society to make up its own mind.
Hypnosis appears to be very attractive, a true panacea, mankind overcoming the limitations of the mind à But maybe we should take another look.
Human consciousness can most easily be understood by comparison to the animal kingdom. Humans have the ability of free choice and self-awareness and this ability enables us to be aware of our thoughts and feelings and is independent of our mental activity. Our natural desire for establishing harmony and right relationship combines with our other qualities and this is what we call our conscience, which enables us to discriminate between responsible and irresponsible behaviour. Animals on the other hand, lack self-awareness because their behaviour is largely instinctive.
The hypnotic state is often compared to sleeping and in fact is temporarily experienced each time a person reawakens. In the hypnotic state the person has awareness of the environment but lacks self-awareness and will and thus a conscience and connection to the logical and analytical faculties of the mind. This condition is similar to the consciousness of the animal kingdom and of the human fetus prior to birth.
It is our natural instinct to expand from one level of consciousness to another and this is in fact why we wake up in the morning. And this is why a hypnotic trance is not a permanent state.
The many different self-improvement techniques often include methods such as auto-suggestion, or repetitive positive statements or other various blanking techniques used for eliminating negative thoughts or emotions. However, all these techniques actually lower the personÆs consciousness to a point where they are unable to question their own thoughts and feelings and therefore avoid facing any inner mental or emotional conflicts. Without the ability to question our inner selves we are automating ourselves and hiding from reality, and accept suggestions that would normally be disbelieved. These positive suggestions can often appear to benefit the person and this is why hypnotism from one standpoint appears so attractive.
The consistent use of repetitive suggestions expresses alternative realities and seeks to over-ride the individualÆs natural pull toward higher states of consciousness directing the individual to follow the giver of the instructions view of reality. The individual if he follows these instructions becomes little more than a self-hypnotised tool whose natural growth is being distorted by alternative suggestions. This denies what is truly going on. It is through expanding our consciousness that we become more compassionate, creative human beings.
Hypnosis is subtly used in many other areas of our society including music, religious and so-called spiritual groups and in other forms of entertainment such as stage hypnotism. The overall effect of hypnosis in these areas induces a false sense of happiness and purpose into the individuals following these paths. This dissuades the individual from reflecting and searching within themselves and from exploring and experiencing their own natural opportunity for growth, resolution, movement and change.
This is ideally demonstrated in the stage hypnotist show where the subject is told to eat an onion and yet believe it is an apple. The entertainment in this lies in the individualÆs inability to discern what is really happening. It is this lack of discernment which abides whilst in an hypnotic trance which demonstrates that the consciousness of the subject under hypnosis has been lowered and that truth has been denied. So a stage hypnotist demonstrates only his ability to deceive. It should be noted that our own lack of discernment supports the action of the hypnotist as we also participate in the illusion.
So before you become the latest victim of a hypnosis tape or video, look deep into my eyes and think again.
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