A Very Brief History of Hypnosis

Hypnosis is a completely natural state which you experience every day. You experience it when you are 100% focused on one thing, for example when you are focused on your work or exercise , or when you are reading a book.

During those times you would experience a state of so called trance, or a mild form of it, to be exact.

Very Early History

Hypnosis was used in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece as either a therapeutic measure or by practitioners of magic.
In Ancient Egypt Imhotep had a sleeping chamber in which he was “cured by the goods” during his sleep.

On the other hand, the oracles in Delphi in Ancient Greece used a form of hypnosis to “tell” what the future holds.

Franz Mesmer

Mesmer was the first man to realize that hypnosis can be viewed as a science. He lived in 18th century and believed hypnosis to be a kind of animal magnetism trough which the healer was able to transfer energy to the patient trough previously unknown channels in human bodies.

He is also responsible for the image hypnotist carry even to this day – a man in a cloak chanting some ineligible words while the scary music plays in the background.

Dr. James Braid

Dr. Braid was the father of modern hypnosis. He risked his reputation to study it as a science and as a result, before his death in the 19th century hypnosis was no longer seen as an occult ritual.

Nancy and Salpetriere Schools

The Nancy and Salpetriere schools were two competing schools of thoughts on hypnosis during the 19th century.

The Nancy school, led by Ambroise Liebeault and Hippolyte Brenheim is the one that eventually “won”, even though people of much less regard in top social circles of the time led it.

The leaders of Nancy school believed that hypnosis has different levels of depth during trance, and that people under hypnotic trance are susceptible to suggestion.

On the other hand, proponents of the Salpetriere school theory included Dr. Sigmund Freud and Mr. Jean Charcot.

They believed that hypnosis is a form of hysteria, and they intended to use it as a way to counter hysteric patients. They believed they could fight fire with fire, in a sense.

Hypnosis in modern times

Milton Erickson used hypnosis as a means of healing himself from pain and stiffness he felt throughout his life as a result of a disease. He is likely still the most famous hypnotist, who founded the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis back in 1957.

Today hypnosis is used to help people deal with their problems, such as addictions, phobias or just general wellbeing, such as lack of motivation or lack of confidence.

Hypnosis is also a part of Yoga , which Swami Vivekananda brought to the Western World during the end of the 19th century.

Yoga that the Swami introduced utilized hypnotic concepts such as heavy breathing to bring people in trance state, as well as physical and mental focus indented to relax both the mind and the body.