Who was the first to know about hypnosis? History of hypnosis hypnosis since ancient times. Good old hypnosis, bad new times

Introduction

Hypnosis is a microscope of the soul.
O. Focht

Perhaps hypnosis is the most mysterious method of treatment. No other method is so entangled in myths and legends, or so strongly associated in the minds of people with witchcraft and otherworldly forces.
Hypnosis is something that many people fear and misunderstand. Hypnosis is something that ancient priests and healers began to use many thousands of years ago.

However, despite all the prejudices, hypnosis is recognized as a method of treatment by official medicine and has been practiced in medical institutions for one and a half hundred years.

Under hypnosis, those defenses that a person builds in order not to come face to face with unpleasant experiences and fears are removed. But often you can solve a difficult situation only if you meet it halfway. And it is hypnosis that can make this meeting as painless as possible for a person. With the help of hypnosis, or rather with the help of suggestion in a state of hypnosis, an experienced specialist can, in one session, not only discover the cause of a problem that has tormented you for years, but also solve it!

Why is hypnosis so powerful? The fact is that in a hypnotic state you disconnect from almost all influences of the outside world, relax as much as possible and can focus exclusively on your problem in order to ultimately find the only correct solution.

Familiarity with the phenomena of hypnosis since time immemorial predetermined the fact that historically, of all methods of psychological treatment, hypnotherapy was the first to emerge.

It was believed that the cause of mental disorders were demons, the spirits of the dead, embodied in animals, insects, etc., so the treatment of mental disorders consisted of expelling the demon from the patient’s body. For this purpose, the patients were rotated around an axis and beaten with rods. In those distant times, man was looking for ways to “appease” secret forces, an intermediary between gods and demons.

In one ancient papyrus, which Egyptologists consider a copy made from an even earlier, lost text, there is the following entry: “Bring a neat and polished lamp, fill it with the best fragrant oil and hang it on a wedge of a piece of laurel wood on the wall located on the morning side . Then put the boy in front of her. Put him to sleep with your hand and light the lamp. Say the words of spells over him up to seven times. Wake him up and ask him: “What did you see?” He will answer: “Yes! I saw the gods around the lamp." Then the gods will tell him everything they ask.”

It is believed that the words “put him to sleep with your hand” and the fact that in this artificially induced sleep the boy gained the ability to “see the gods” and “talk” with them leaves no doubt that the boy was under hypnosis.

At that time, medicine was likened to theology, cult, and magic. The person did not so much fight the disease as try to “beg” it, to buy off it with the help of vows, sacrifices, and rituals. There was only one mediator between the suffering patient and the gods - the priest as the guardian of soul and body, therefore, for centuries, hypnotic phenomena were the prerogative of mysticism and religion. At the same time, interest in hypnosis arose in the so-called temple medicine - that form of healing that in ancient times was closely associated with religious ideas and was carried out by the priests of Asclepius (Asclepius - the god of healing in Ancient Greece) - the Asclepiads. They treated the sick with the help of prayers and spells, not so much for their recovery, but in order to demonstrate the merciful power of the deity whom believers were called to worship.

In the temple of the healing god Asclepius there was a special round room in which the priests put the sick to sleep. During this dream, they inspired the patients that the god Asclepius came to them, asked about suffering and freed them from it. The Temple of Asclepius was both a cult and a medical institution. In the middle of the hall there was a source of healing mineral water, which was offered to drink before falling asleep and after waking up, while offering prayers of gratitude and spells to the deity.

This is how the practice of so-called “miraculous healings,” which was widespread in those days and reflected in the religious literature of all times and peoples, arose. In essence, it all boiled down to the fact that in a state of religious ecstasy, with the help of suggestion and self-hypnosis, such functional disorders as hysterical deafness, blindness, loss of speech, and the ability to stand were eliminated in people predisposed to hysterical reactions, who were also immersed in a deep hypnotic state , walking, various kinds of paralysis and other painful symptoms.

At that time, the idea that all kinds of psychological, verbal influences are capable of enhancing the healing properties of medicinal herbs, infusions and other means of healing (mediated psychotherapy), and vice versa - drugs contribute to the greater effectiveness of verbal influences, was already quite firmly rooted. In Ebers' medical papyrus it is written: “Help! Go and drive out what is in my heart and my members! Spells are beneficial when accompanied by medicines, and medicines are beneficial when accompanied by spells..."

Already in the Ancient world, they knew well the techniques that led to the fastest and most successful immersion in a hypnotic state, and skillfully used them. For hypnosis, monotonous, monotonous sound stimuli and fixation of the gaze on an object were used (“magic mirrors” - shiny metal planes, crystals, vessels). Druids, for example, to induce a trance, brought worshipers to sacred groves, where they talked with them to the soporific sound of foliage and the babbling of streams. Great importance was attached to stroking (passes) and laying on of hands - for example, passes were already used in Egypt in the 2nd century.

In other cultures, drugs were also widely used to enter a trance state. Ancient oracles, priests, diviners of the will of a mythical deity, inhaling narcotic gases of plant origin, Siberian sorcerers, shamans, using the fly agaric mushroom, dervishes, through rapid whirling in one place, came into ecstasy when they could injure themselves without feeling pain: they could prick themselves , licking hot iron, lying naked on sharp objects...

In fact, psychotherapy begins at this stage. The paths of medicine and theology, which at first formed one whole, later diverge. Science rejects the theory of the mystical origin of diseases, and with it the need for sacrifices and prayers. From this period, the doctor acts independently, and soon against the priest.

In the Middle Ages, everything returned to normal: many prominent doctors of that time believed that mental illnesses were caused by the devil. The mentally ill were called witches, servants of the evil spirit, possessed by the devil; they were brutally persecuted and burned at the stake by the Inquisition.

The meager knowledge of hypnotic phenomena did not expand during the Middle Ages. But already at the end of this period, the magnetic-fluid theory arose - from the astrological teaching, according to which all earthly events, and with them human destiny, depend on the influence of the planets; from information about magnetism.

That period was dominated by the ideas of Paracelsus (1493–1541), a brilliant physician who was once accused of heresy. Believing that the world is full of magnetic force, which, due to transfer from the planets as a kind of stellar essence, is also in the human body, he first used the word “magnetism” in his writings. From his theory it followed that a person feeds not only on visible food, but also on the magnetic force scattered in nature. There is mutual attraction between the planets and the human body. Paracelsus allowed the mutual influence of people on each other; in his opinion, the will of one person by force of tension can influence the spiritual essence of another, fight with it and subordinate it to his power.

The ideas of Paracelsus were especially popular in France and Germany. Jan Baptista van Helmont (1580–1644) defined magnetism as the influences that bodies produce on each other by attracting or repelling from a distance. The mediator or conductor of this influence must be an "ethereal spirit" which permeates all bodies and sets in motion the masses of the world.

These ideas were subsequently used by the famous Viennese physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734–1815), with whose name the history of the development of the doctrine of hypnosis is directly connected. He had three diplomas: doctor of medicine, philosophy and law. Mesmer was a comprehensively developed personality; he played music with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and was friends with his father. Occasionally, in his free time from music and science, Mesmer practiced as a doctor.

At first, Mesmer used a magnet, introduced into use in the 16th century by Paracelsus, as a remedy. In the course of his work, Mesmer unexpectedly discovered that a therapeutic effect in a certain category of patients also occurs in cases where instead of a magnet he touches them with his hand. From this he concluded that the healing power lies not in the magnet, but in the hands of the healer.

His own discovery puzzled him, and, as a conscientious scientist, he began to look for a theoretical justification for this phenomenon. As a result, he created a theory, the essence of which is as follows: the Universe is permeated with a special kind of invisible substance - magnetic fluids, and individual, especially gifted people (Mesmer included himself among them) have the ability to accumulate them in themselves, and then directly or through special devices pass on to others.

For treatment, F. Mesmer designed special devices - bake (vats filled with iron filings). The patients were positioned around the vat, holding onto special rods and each other, resulting in long chains. F. Mesmer himself came out in purple clothes and “magnetized” the vat by touching it with a crystal rod. During the session, gentle music played. The patients brought themselves to a state of “crisis”, during which they cried, screamed, and writhed in convulsions. Then they were transferred to a special room, where, exhausted by convulsions, they fell asleep, and when they woke up from sleep, they felt freed from suffering.

F. Mesmer was deeply confident in the correctness of his theory, which he considered “physiological and rationalistic.” He claimed that the “animal magnetism” he discovered differed significantly from the action of a magnet, and vaguely guessed that, in addition to fluids, some other forces influenced the patient - hence all these rituals with a purple robe, music, and a staff.

On July 28, 1774, the first official demonstration of hypnosis (although the word itself was not yet used at that time) for therapeutic purposes took place in Paris. The patient was a foreigner, a certain lady-in-waiting Oesterlin, who suffered from a whole bunch of hysterical symptoms, and the healer was Franz Mesmer. There were rumors about Mesmer that he was a magician and wizard: he could cause an anesthetic effect, suggest that a person was on the seashore or in the ice, and he suddenly began to hear the sound of the surf or experience unbearable cold.

Also in 1774, Mesmer’s theory of “magnetic fluids” was considered at a joint meeting of the French Academy and the English Royal Society of Medicine, headed by Benjamin Franklin. The verdict of the expert commission was quite harsh and categorical. The commission stated that “imagination without magnetism causes convulsions, and magnetism without imagination causes nothing.” She found that patients were cured of hysterical symptoms by the power of suggestion, and accused Mesmer of quackery. Not only the theory was condemned, but also the treatment method itself, which, according to academics, “negatively affects the moral foundations of society.” As a result, the theory of “animal magnetism” was supplanted by other hypotheses.

Abbot Faria (the same one whom Alexandre Dumas the Father described in his novel “The Count of Monte Cristo”) also dealt with the problems of hypnosis. The merit of this prominent researcher is the discovery of the fact that hypnosis is impossible without suggestion. In addition, it was he who developed the now well-known technique that allows the hypnotist to put the patient to sleep and carry out suggestion in his sleep. For participation in a political conspiracy, Faria was arrested and spent 17 years in the Chateau d'If (as described by Dumas); During this entire period, he continued to train and improve in self-hypnosis. After his release, he continued the work of Mesmer, conducted magnetism sessions in Paris, but after a ban from the Church, he stopped his activities and “repented of all his sins.” However, already at the end of his life, Faria wrote the book “On the Causes of Clear Sleep, or an Investigation of Human Nature,” in which he outlined in detail his discoveries and views.

In 1818, Chaustenier de Punsegur, a follower of Mesmer, practicing “magnetic passes”, discovered the deepest stage of hypnosis - somnambulism. By magnetizing the patient, he makes sure that the patient is immersed in a state of “magnetism” not only as a result of touch, but also under the influence of a word, an order. It turns out that fluids have nothing to do with it, and the main active factor is suggestion.

The very concept of “hypnosis” was introduced later by the English surgeon James Braid (1795–1860). While attending the sessions of the famous French magnetizer, he noticed that the experimental subject, who had fallen into a state of “magnetism,” could not open his eyes, move his hand, and generally resembled a sleeping person.

J. Braid decides to continue experiments on “magnetization”, but uses his original method. He invites the patient to fix his gaze on any object (for example, the neck of a bottle) and not think about anything other than sleep. The results of the experiments exceeded expectations. All patients, after several minutes of general relaxation and fixation of gaze, fell into a state that J. Braid called hypnosis (from the Greek. hypnos- "dream").

J. Braid published the results of his experiments in the book “Neurohypnology”. He viewed hypnosis as a special type of sleep that occurs as a result of fatigue of concentrated gaze and attention, relaxation of muscles and slowing of breathing. To explain the mechanism of hypnosis, J. Braid used the hypothesis of monoideism, or the state of being overwhelmed by a single thought.

J. Braid was one of the first to note the fact that people's susceptibility to hypnotization - hypnotizability - is not the same and depends not so much on the personality of the hypnotist, but on the state of the patient's nervous system.

After the death of the scientist, the center of the study of hypnosis moved to France.

In 1866, a rural doctor from Nancy, Ambrose August Liebeau (1823–1904), published the book “Sleep and Similar Conditions Considered Primarily from the Point of View of the Influence of the Mind on the Body,” in which he summarizes the results of his five-year practice of hypnosis for therapeutic purposes in various neurotic diseases. states. In it, he expresses complete agreement with J. Braid in his denial of magnetism and considers hypnosis to be a type of sleep. Moreover, he goes further and calls this state inspired sleep, which lays the foundations for a system of views that later became known as the Nancy School of Hypnosis.

Since the late 70s of the 19th century, the famous neuropathologist Jean Martin Charcot (1825–1893) began to study the phenomena of hypnosis in patients with hysteria. The hypnotic state in them is caused by monotonous, monotonous or sudden and sharp stimuli acting on the organs of hearing and vision. In complete darkness, bright flashes of light are thrown into the eyes of the subjects or their hearing is affected by the monotonous sound of a gong. Patients fall into various stages of hypnosis. Charcot gives them names: the stage of catalepsy, lethargy and somnambulism. The third, deepest stage of hypnosis - somnambulistic - sometimes arose in patients immediately at the first strong sound of a tuning fork or a flash of extremely bright light, sometimes the hypnotized person was transferred to it from the stage of lethargy and catalepsy.

Thus, two centers for the study of hypnosis were formed in France:

the first - in Salpêtrière (near Paris) led by the world famous neurologist and psychiatrist Jean Martin Charcot. This school adhered to the physiological concept of hypnosis;

the second - in Nancy, led by Hippolyte Bernheim (1840–1919), a professor at the university's therapeutic clinic, who adhered to the psychological concept of hypnosis.

As a result, it was these four named researchers of hypnosis (J. Braid, A. Liebeau, J. Charcot and I. Bernheim), due to the existing disagreements regarding the nature of hypnosis, that are rightfully considered the founders of the doctrine of hypnosis.

The French researcher Burke made the observation around 1850 that if a patient in a state of somnambulism touches a copper door handle, he falls into catalepsy. This did not happen if a rubber glove was previously placed on the door handle. In 1876, Burk, having accumulated a large amount of factual material, turned to the president of the French Biological Society, and he appointed a commission to study these facts. While working on the commission, J. Charcot became interested in hypnosis as a method of influencing patients: at that time he was interested in the mechanism of the occurrence of neuroses, especially hysteria. The fact that many of the symptoms of hysteria in a patient in a state of hypnosis literally disappeared before our eyes or, on the contrary, appeared, led Charcot to the idea that hypnosis is nothing more than an artificially induced hysterical neurosis.

Subsequently, Charcot developed his “shock” method of hypnotization: the patient was introduced into a semi-darkened room, a deafening sound of a gong was suddenly heard, a bright light flashed before his eyes - and the patient fell into a state of hypnosis.

Representatives of the Nancy school (Bernheim, Dumont, Boni) believed that hypnosis is a psychological phenomenon associated with suggestion. They viewed hypnosis as the result of the subject being hypnotized being influenced by the hypnotist, without being sufficiently critical of the suggestion received. The Nancians claimed: “There is no hypnosis, there is only suggestion.” At the same time, unlike Charcot, they categorically denied the painful, hysterical nature of hypnosis.

A long and rather heated scientific debate ensued between the Paris and Nancy schools of hypnosis, which at the First International Congress of Physiological Psychology in Paris (1889) ended in a convincing victory for the Nancy school.

It should be said that neither school avoided mistakes. If Charcot, by identifying hypnosis with hysteria, limited the scope of its therapeutic use, then Bernheim and his supporters, identifying the concepts of “hypnosis” and “suggestion,” denied the independence of hypnosis, its existence outside the sphere of verbal influence.

From a modern point of view, it should be recognized that although hypnosis and suggestion are interrelated, they are distinct phenomena from each other: hypnosis is a state, suggestion is a process.

A significant contribution to the development of the theory of hypnosis was made by V. Ya. Danilevsky, professor of physiology at Kharkov University (1852–1939). In numerous experiments, he showed the possibility of hypnotic effects on animals: frogs, lizards, snakes, turtles, crocodiles, crayfish, lobsters, various fish and birds. In 1891, he made a presentation at the IV Congress of the Society of Russian Doctors in Moscow, where, based on extensive material and subtle experiments, he convincingly proved the unity of the nature of hypnosis in humans and animals, thereby dealing a significant blow to the views of the Nancy School.

At the beginning of his medical career, Sigmund Freud was interested in hypnosis, went to study its technique with Charcot and Bernheim, but then, taking the position of psychoanalysis, he anathematized hypnosis. The rapid spread of the ideas of psychoanalysis and the authority of S. Freud contributed to the fact that there was a lull in the development of the theory and practice of hypnotherapy.

V. M. Bekhterev (1857–1927) played a major role in the development of Russian and world psychotherapy. While on a business trip abroad in Leipzig, in December 1884 he received an official invitation to take the chair of psychiatry at Kazan University. Before giving his consent, he sets three conditions: to organize a clinic for mental illness in Kazan, to establish an additional position as an assistant to the department, and to extend the terms of his business trip for the purpose of an internship at the Charcot clinic. Until the spring of 1885, he trained at the Salpetriere and became interested in hypnology. From the first days of his stay in Kazan, V. M. Bekhterev became an active advocate of treatment with hypnosis and suggestion.

In 1893, V. M. Bekhterev gave a speech at the anniversary of the Military Medical Academy on the role of suggestion in public life (in 1903 it was published as a separate book - “Suggestion and its role in public life”). Some provisions expressed by V. M. Bekhterev are still relevant today: first of all, the distinction between concepts such as persuasion, suggestion, hypnosis.

Belief, according to V.M. Bekhterev, enters the sphere of mental activity through personal consciousness, is assimilated through reflection and meaningful processing, becoming a lasting achievement of the Self (function of consciousness).

Suggestion comes down to the direct instillation of certain mental states from one person to another; grafting, which occurs without the participation of the will of the perceiver and often even without clear awareness on his part (the function of the unconscious - from a modern point of view).

Hypnosis, according to V.M. Bekhterev, is nothing more than an artificially induced modified normal sleep, in which, however, contact with the hypnotist is maintained. The hypnotized person enters a special state of passivity, due to which the suggestion has a suppressive effect on him.

One of the important provisions of V. M. Bekhterev’s teaching on hypnosis is that a hypnotic state can be induced in a person not only by verbal, but also by non-verbal means. Actually, the above provisions allow us to believe that V. M. Bekhterev (and not only Z. Freud) came to the conclusion that there are conscious and unconscious “parts” in the personality structure.

Although psychology and psychoanalysis in general were condemned under the guise of the principles of the teachings of I. P. Pavlov, he himself never publicly expressed anything hostile towards Freud. And although I. P. Pavlov reproached Z. Freud for attaching too much importance to the sexual instinct, he nevertheless recognized certain merits for him, in particular, Z. Freud’s skill in bringing repressed (hidden) emotions to a person’s consciousness.

After Pavlov's death, what could be called a radicalization of Pavlovian teaching occurred in the Soviet Union. In 1950, at a joint session of the Academy of Sciences and the USSR Academy of Medical Sciences, dedicated to the physiological teachings of Pavlov, it was decided to henceforth express psychological concepts in physiological terms. Psychology as an independent science disappeared. The importance of hypnosis as a depth psychotherapy based on physiology (therapeutic inhibition of the cerebral cortex) was confirmed, but the question of catharsis, of course, was no longer raised.

In the perspective thus outlined, Pavlov's theory of the three phases of hypnosis had to be supported by electroencephalographic data, and there was no lack of “evidence” provided.

On the territory of the USSR, psychology was officially rehabilitated only in 1962, when psychotherapists at the Leningrad Institute. Bekhterev used pathogenetic psychotherapy, which took into account the patient’s current and past conflicts with the people around him. Awareness of these conflicts was one of the factors in recovery.

So, we can safely say that we know a lot about hypnosis and suggestion, and there are many areas of its practical application. However, up to this day there are insurmountable barriers to any scientific theory that tries to explain the whole complex of phenomena of hypnosis and suggestibility, since these phenomena invariably lead us into the realms of the paranormal, something that academic science does not yet recognize as a fact.

How Hypnosis Works: Characteristics of Hypnosis

Each of us actually enters a state identical to hypnosis many times throughout the day.

Every time we go to sleep, when it seems to us that we are still awake, but dreams are already creeping into our thoughts, we are in a state of hypnosis.

Whenever we wake up, when the sounds of the surrounding world are already reaching our consciousness, seeping through the web of dreams and fragmenting, we are in a state identical to hypnosis.

Whenever we travel in public transport, experiencing a feeling of detachment, we also plunge into a state close to hypnosis.

Whenever we sit through an uninteresting lecture or a boring meeting and then cannot remember what happened at that time, of course, we also plunge into a state similar to hypnosis.

Remember how sometimes, deeply immersed in your thoughts, you lost your sense of reality, how, captivated by the content of a book or, for example, thinking over an interesting plan, you did not hear the words addressed to you and did not notice the time passing.

Yes Yes! In fact, there is nothing unusual, mysterious or unnatural in the state of hypnosis. And indeed, even the state of half-asleep, so common for each of us, can be conditionally called hypnosis.

The whole point is that both in half-asleep and in a state of hypnosis, our mental mechanisms work somewhat differently than when completely awake. In a waking state, we, as a rule, think about one thing; we, as usual, are completely focused on solving any one problem. But in a state of drowsiness and hypnosis, our thoughts fly freely, like dreams, easily penetrating that part of our brain that is responsible for the unconscious, bringing to life bright images filled with emotions and colors.

While under the influence of hypnosis, a person involuntarily suppresses the critical work of his consciousness, and, in psychoanalytic language, a regression of the superego occurs. Attention in this case is focused in a very narrow direction, and the level of perception in the focus is much higher than outside the hypnotic influence. It is this heightened level of perception of a person under hypnosis that allows suggestions to be sent directly into the patient’s subconscious. Due to the fact that in a state of hypnosis the connection between the patient and the hypnotist is preserved, he can direct the process. The most hidden corners of the patient’s unconscious may be available to him for exploration. However, no hypnosis can completely eliminate the control of the situation by the patient's consciousness, called resistance; hypnosis can only weaken it for the duration of the hypnotic trance. Actually, this very weakening of resistance, which allows one to penetrate into the depths of the unconscious, is the principle of hypnosis.

It’s just that resistance to hypnosis itself is not available. Hypnosis does not eliminate, it only, in the apt expression of Sigmund Freud, “masks resistance and makes a certain mental area accessible, but it accumulates resistance at the boundaries of this area in the form of a shaft that makes everything further inaccessible.” By discovering resistance and subjecting it to psychoanalysis, it is possible to eliminate the cause of repression, if, of course, we are talking about therapeutic hypnosis and this repression is associated with some fears, unpleasant or unwanted memories, negative emotions, or symptoms of illness. But the resistance of the patient’s consciousness, not noticed during the hypnotic influence, can revive disappeared symptoms and even give rise to new ones when experiencing new life events. Hypnotic treatment can eliminate old symptoms for a long time, even permanently, but such treatment cannot teach anyone how to respond correctly to new life traumas that are inevitable.

Therefore, the main thing in hypnosis is the correct motivation and desire to succeed. The main secret of hypnosis is the use of arguments that are convincing to the patient. Hypnosis, even if people don’t believe in it, still gives results. Each session, despite its apparent similarity to others, is a completely unique experience. The stronger the motivation, the more open the patient’s subconscious is to suggestions.

Hypnosis as a phenomenon: what is hypnosis?

What is hypnosis? To answer this question, we should consider three basic concepts, such as trance, suggestion and hypnosis itself.

Central to the problem of hypnosis is the concept of trance.

Trance is an altered state of consciousness (ASC), as well as a functional state of the psyche, when the degree of conscious participation in information processing changes. Trance is characterized by a weakening of reactions to surrounding stimuli, despite the complete preservation of consciousness. The main difference between trance and the usual state of consciousness is a change in the focus of attention - with it, a person develops an internal focus of attention (that is, attention is directed to images, memories, sensations, dreams, fantasies, etc.), and not external, as in the normal state consciousness.

In order to fully understand the nature of trance, it should be considered as alternative states of consciousness.

Alternative states of consciousness are a consequence of a decrease in the frequency characteristics of brain waves. Psychophysiologists have identified four ranges of wave vibrations that our brain is capable of exhibiting: alpha, beta, theta and delta states.

Each of the listed brain wave frequencies corresponds to different human states.

Alpha waves – EEG rhythm in the frequency band from 8 to 14 Hz. This state is most often sleep, meditation, hypnosis.

Beta waves. The range of brain activity is from 14 to 30 Hz. In this state we perform almost all our actions when we are awake. In general, the normal rhythm is considered to be about 20 Hz, and when their number exceeds 50, a person falls into deep hysterics.

Theta waves. Brain activity ranges from 4 to 8 Hz. This frequency range promotes deep relaxation of the brain, memory, deeper and faster assimilation of information, awakening individual creativity and talents. It is believed that almost all of our experience of emotions is deposited in the theta wave zone. This is precisely the state that opens the gates of conscious perception beyond hypnosis, in the world of mental phenomena.

Delta waves. The rhythm consists of high-amplitude waves with a frequency of 1–4 Hz. It occurs both during deep natural sleep and during narcotic sleep, as well as during coma.

For trance, the most significant brain wave range is the alpha wave range, although all four wave ranges are very important.

Most of us are able to easily enter a light trance state of medium depth, corresponding to the average level of the alpha range.

You have probably noticed that during a seminar or lecture your attention “pulsates”, that is, you perceive information from the teacher’s lips clearly and clearly only for a while, and then you begin to yawn, struggle with drowsiness, and the sharpness of your attention decreases. At this moment, it is more difficult for a person to distinguish figures from the background and concentrate.

Now try to remember situations in which you, as if in a daydream, disconnected from reality for a while. It could be during a long bus ride, when you, immersed in yourself, did not even notice how quickly time flew by; or while watching TV, when, having come to your senses, you realized that you did not understand the essence of the TV show.

Scientists have discovered a basic 90-minute biorhythm of activity in humans, which is characterized by a significant change in the electrical activity of the brain. During the day, in this one-and-a-half-hour cycle, 70–80 minutes are in the normal state of wakefulness, and 10–20 minutes are in natural trance.

We are in a natural trance while performing easy, but lengthy and monotonous work, when our attention “folds” inward, moving away from the surrounding bustle, and the perception of time is distorted.

At night, this one and a half hour cycle continues, although there is no stage of wakefulness as such (if we are sleeping, of course). However, you may notice that at some hours we wake up from any rustle or, for example, feel a full bladder, although at other times we sleep like the dead and may not even hear the alarm clock.

Another example: if you decide to go to bed while you are awake, you will probably toss and turn in bed for about half an hour until you reach your individual trance stage. In the morning, if your alarm clock is set for an hour that falls into the trance stage, it will be difficult for you to wake up, you will literally be drawn to the pillow, and the feeling of weakness can haunt you all day.

This inattention to one's own biorhythms can cause insomnia. Sometimes it's worth setting your alarm half an hour earlier to wake up at the wakefulness stage, and then waking up will be easier.

This 90-minute biorhythm is called the cycle of communication between the conscious and subconscious, and it is natural for all healthy people.

Each hemisphere of our brain perceives the world in its own unique way. The left hemisphere specializes in words, numbers, analytical thinking and linear-numerical reasoning. The right hemisphere specializes in imagery, imagination, premonition, fantasies, dreams, and creativity.

In this 90-minute cycle, a change in the electrical activity of the brain is noted: the left hemisphere reaches its peak of activity, and the activity of the right is minimal, then vice versa - the activity of the right hemisphere reaches a peak, and the activity of the left decreases to a minimum.

At a certain stage of this cycle, the activity of both hemispheres is equalized, interhemispheric asymmetry disappears, and an intrapsychic “reboot” of the system occurs. Thus, in the unity and struggle of the hemispheres, His Majesty Trans arises. Trance is not just a state, but a natural process that develops according to its own laws, which are useful to understand and use.

According to M. Erickson (1901–1980), an American psychiatrist who specialized in medical hypnosis, trance itself is therapeutic (that is, simply being in it), because during its course mental restructuring is possible, which is difficult to achieve in the normal state of consciousness.

Erickson points out three types of trance :

everyday trance(usual daydreaming, transition to sleep and back to wakefulness, automatic performance of habitual actions, etc.);

deep trance(usually called hypnosis) - deliberate strengthening and prolongation of a natural phenomenon - trance, usually carried out with the help of another person;

somnambulistic trance- a deep trance state in which a person looks and behaves as if not in a trance.

There is an opinion that deliberately entering a trance is a form of self-hypnosis. A person can also enter a trance under the influence of fatigue, information overload, etc. This is how the human body protects itself from stress when its quantity and strength become excessive, after which the person usually tries to fall asleep and thereby further eliminate the effects of stress in your nervous system. Whether we are standing in a long line or sitting on the river bank, contemplating the float of a fishing rod swinging on the waves, trance “comes to visit” our consciousness like our closest friend.

When a person enters a trance intentionally, in many Eastern spiritual schools this is called meditation.

In meditative practice, characteristic of Indian spiritual teachings, the following trance states are distinguished.

Euphoria(from another - Greek literally “well-bearing”) - a type of trance, a positively colored affect or emotion. It feels like a sudden, all-filling feeling of happiness and delight.

In psychiatry, euphoria is understood as a form of painfully elevated mood, characterized by complacency, serene bliss, and a state of quiet joy. Euphoria is not characterized by an increase in motor and intellectual activity; on the contrary, a slowdown in mental activity may be observed.

In narcology, euphoria is an altered state of mind and various somatic sensations of a person under the influence of drugs.

Euphoria varies between intoxicated states caused by different drugs. The euphoria of each type of drug intoxication is a dynamic phenomenon, including several successively replacing each other phases. Euphoria itself is most clearly felt in dynamics, during the transition from a normal or bad mood to an extremely elevated one. The nature and duration of each phase when taking the same drug can vary depending on the person’s subjective attitude, the route of administration of the drug and, especially, the stage of the disease (drug addiction) - in the dynamics of each type of drug addiction, euphoria undergoes a significant transformation.

Nirvana(from Sanskrit “fading, cessation”) - a state of liberation from suffering, peace, “highest happiness.” At its core, nirvana is a transcendental state of eternal peace and contentment. In Buddhism, nirvana cannot be defined. There continues to be debate about how exactly it should be understood. In Brahmanism and Hinduism, nirvana is merging with Brahma. It is now generally accepted to distinguish three types of nirvana :

instant nirvana– a short-term state of peace and enlightenment, familiar to every person;

life nirvana– the state of a person who has achieved nirvana in this body during life;

eternal nirvana- the state of a person who has achieved nirvana after the destruction of the physical body.

Satori in the meditative practice of Zen - the internal experience of comprehending the true nature (of a person) through achieving the “state of one thought” (Sanskrit dhyana or Japanese Zen).

In Zen meditative practice, it is believed that one can achieve the state of satori, in addition to meditative practice, through ordinary events and objects.

Catharsis(from the Greek “exaltation, purification, healing”) is a concept in ancient philosophy denoting the process and result of the facilitating, purifying and ennobling influence of various factors on a person. In modern psychology (in particular, in psychoanalysis, psychodrama, body-oriented therapy), catharsis is understood as an individual or group process of releasing mental energy, emotional release, helping to reduce or relieve anxiety, conflict through their verbalization or bodily expression, leading to a therapeutic effect and better understanding of yourself.

The next important concept that we will consider is “suggestion”.

Suggestion– this is a purposeful, unreasoned influence of one person on another or on a group of people, in which uncritically perceived information is transmitted.

The main means of suggestion is the word, the speech of the person making the suggestion (suggestor), with the help of which the suggestor builds verbal attitudes for suggestion (affirmation). Non-verbal influences (gestures, facial expressions, actions) usually have an additional impact. Non-speech influences also include a specially designed system of touches, which underlie the so-called tactile hypnosis.

There are various classifications of suggestion. It can be direct or open, contact and distant (for example, by telephone), individual and group. Suggestion can also be directed at the suggestor himself - self-hypnosis.

Hypnosis– this is a temporary state of consciousness, characterized by a narrowing of its volume and a sharp focus on the content of suggestion, which is associated with a change in the function of individual control and self-awareness.

A distinctive feature of hypnosis is strict selectivity in the assimilation and processing of information, which is not characteristic of sleep and wakefulness.

Hypnosis has its own dynamics. This is a continuously changing state, moving from simple relaxation to somnambulism, which usually includes complete post-hypnotic amnesia. Unlike trance, hypnosis is not formed in natural conditions, but with the help of specially developed techniques.

From the above it follows that hypnosis is an artificially induced trance for the purpose of instilling any information. In other words, hypnosis can be expressed through the following formula:

Hypnosis = Trance + Suggestion.

Just like trance and suggestion, hypnosis can be classified according to various properties and characteristics. In subsequent chapters we will more fully reveal the essence of all these phenomena and describe their varieties.

Conditions Conducive to Hypnosis

Term suggestibility often used to describe the ability to become hypnotized. Our normally critical mind's defense mechanisms are greatly weakened by distraction, allowing us to blindly accept suggestions or ideas that are offered.

Another factor that enhances the effect of suggestibility is rapport(from French. report- relationship, connection, intercourse), or mutual understanding between the hypnotist and the subject. The stronger the rapport, the easier it is for the subject to enter a state of hypnosis. Any hypnosis is self-hypnosis. But the hypnotist has a great influence on establishing rapport.

Motivation– the most important factor influencing the ability to enter a hypnotic trance. Excessive skepticism combined with a lack of desire to achieve a goal will almost certainly lead to failure, regardless of the perfection of the hypnosis technique used.

Imagination used for relaxation and conditional stages of hypnosis. People who have a rich imagination are better at reproducing images in visualization exercises and are generally more suggestible.

Expectations are also part of the hypnotic formula. Strong desires superimpose expectations, while fears interfere with the ability to enter hypnosis. One way to overcome this problem is to learn more about hypnosis to eliminate anxiety and prejudice before experimenting with hypnosis techniques.

Two more factors to consider are: age And concentration. Children under five years of age are almost impossible to hypnotize. Experience suggests that children between eight and sixteen years of age are ideally suited to being put into a hypnotic state, but hypnosis can be successfully used at any age. People who demonstrate a greater degree of concentration relax much more easily and achieve greater success in self-hypnosis.

An equally important factor is hypnotist personality, its psychological characteristics: the nature of the influence emanating from the hypnotist, the purposefulness of the suggestive influence, the sincerity and expressiveness of intonation during suggestion, the harmony and consistency of its semantic content.

The technique of hypnosis can be radically different. Some hypnotists scare patients (or clients) with terrible damage and incurable diseases, others impress with their solidity and noble manners, others simply babble, and there are also those who perform tricks. One way or another, the hypnotist needs to make a bright, indelible impression, to somehow surprise the patient. It is not uncommon for a hypnotist to use self-deprecation techniques; it helps him to unlock the patient’s will and overcome his wariness and mistrust. Sometimes the mask of a good-natured simpleton is used. This technique can be especially effective when working with patients who have high self-esteem. Hypnotists with beauty, talent and charm often use their natural charm and charisma as the strongest form of hypnosis.

A good hypnotist, like no other, must be honest, diligent and purposeful. If you belong to those - alas! – the few people who possess these qualities can only study and remember some methods, techniques and techniques of hypnosis. Then, repeating the exercises over and over again, continue to learn by practicing over and over again. When, with enough effort, you gain the necessary experience, you can call yourself a real hypnotist.

It will be easier to master the techniques and methods of introducing hypnosis if you first try to understand what kind of state it is, similar to sleep, in which a person’s consciousness becomes passive.

By the way, protecting yourself from the danger of being involved in a very interesting, exciting, though sometimes dangerous game called hypnosis is quite simple. Against any type of hypnosis and damage, reliable protection will be... your smile! It is the smile that is that natural mechanism of profanation, a reflection of healthy skepticism, which will allow you to reflect someone else’s vibration, and not accept it as your own. Believe me, any hypnotist, having tried all existing methods of persuasion, but having met an incredulous skeptic in your face, completely exhausted, will lose interest in you and, completely exhausted and devastated, will be forced to retreat bashfully.

Laws of hypnosis

Emile Cui, a pharmacist and healer who lived in France in the first half of the 20th century, was known as a master of self-hypnosis. He became famous for the statement: “Day by day, in every way, I am becoming better and better in every way.”

Cui formulated three most important laws of hypnosis.

Law of Focused Attention: an idea or image tends to be fulfilled or realized in reality when we focus our attention on it. Feeling hungry after watching a snack commercial or being sexually aroused after watching an erotic scene in a movie are just two examples of this law.

Law of reverse effect: The harder and harder you try to achieve something, the more difficult it becomes. For example, the more concentrated efforts a smoker makes in trying to quit smoking, the stronger his desire to smoke a cigarette becomes. Any battle between willpower and imagination will be won by the latter. Try not to think about the pink elephant! However, when willpower and imagination come together, the result will be much better than the sum of two terms - it will be the result of multiplication, increasing exponentially.

Law of Dominant Effect: when suggestion is accompanied by strong emotions, the power of suggestion increases. Then any previous suggestion is replaced by the combination “suggestion - emotion”. Let's say you have a favorite restaurant where you enjoy a sumptuous dinner every Friday. Pleasure and enjoyment from delicious dishes, as well as the pleasant atmosphere of the restaurant, become the dominant suggestion. But suppose on Friday evening a new group of regulars starts visiting the same restaurant regularly. At the same time, they didn’t like you at all and they begin to mock your manners and appearance. Then fear and anxiety will replace your previous set of feelings and will most likely lead you to quit your habit.

Myths about hypnosis and hypnotherapy

People are often afraid that under hypnosis they may lose control, become controlled, but the hypnotic state has nothing to do with this. Many assumptions about hypnosis are based on stage performances, but it is worth taking into account that often stage hypnotists use and show on the screen their assistants, pre-selected people. As a result, stage performances give rise to myths about hypnosis that prevent people from truly assessing the effectiveness and benefits of hypnotherapy.

Another myth about hypnosis is that people black out and don't remember anything. Most people remember everything that happens to them in a state of hypnosis. This is so because most of what we want to achieve in hypnosis can be done in a shallow trance where people remember everything. In hypnosis, the patient is not under the control of the hypnotherapist. The hypnotherapist simply serves as an assistant.

Here are the main myths about hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

Myth #1: Hypnotherapists have special powers.. Friedrich Anton Mesmer believed that he and others controlled the power with which they put people into a trance state. However, at the beginning of the 19th century it became obvious that the source of this power was man himself. The hypnotherapist uses various techniques to induce specific trance states, but it is the person being hypnotized who creates the hypnotic state. Thanks to numerous studies, it has been established that the possibility of immersion and the depth of trance states does not depend on the hypnotherapist. This is why hypnosis and hypnotherapy are easy to learn. Of course, some hypnotherapists are better at using professional techniques to help people achieve a hypnotic state, just as some people are better cooks or salespeople.

Myth #2: A hypnotherapist controls a person who is hypnotized.. The idea of a hypnotherapist “controlling” a hypnotized person is created as good publicity for individual hypnotist shows or Hollywood films. An unethical hypnotherapist could trick someone into doing something he didn't understand (which might be inconsistent with or against his beliefs), just as anyone completely unfamiliar with hypnosis could do. But clearly presented and understood instructions for any such task will lead to one of two results: the hypnotized person will become very attentive or will simply ignore the task.

Myth #3: Hypnosis is a strange and unusual state. In fact, there is nothing unusual about hypnosis and we enter states like these every day, we just don't understand or use them. Watching TV, daydreaming about something, moving in a car, train, or even on the subway, you are in a state between sleep and wakefulness (both not active and not in a sleeping state) - in a state similar to hypnosis. Some people think that they were not hypnotized if they did not feel anything new that they had not experienced before. But this is not necessarily the case...

Myth #4: I won't remember anything afterwards. Most people remember what happened while they were hypnotized. Some people do forget, but even in such cases the memory can be restored later and they will remember everything that happened to them and around them. The memory simply resides in the unconscious of the hypnotized person. However, the experience is usually that you remember everything that happened to you and around you.

Myth #5: Hypnosis can give me superpowers. This is not a myth in the full sense of the word. One of the purposes of hypnosis is to enable you to do things that you would otherwise be unable to do. Although in each case these are things that you could do normally, just not as efficiently or easily. Because hypnosis activates the attention of parts of your brain that are usually underused, ineffectively, or not used at all, greater attention can be brought to one thing, and this can be very similar to superpowers. These very superpowers may be classified by you as perception uncognizable by the senses, but in essence they are ordinary sensory perception that works at high levels of concentration.

Myth #6: Hypnosis is something dark and should be avoided by any religious person. This misconception is usually explained by two reasons: firstly, the hypnotherapist gains control over a person who has free will given to him by God, and secondly, the use of special power, secret or occult knowledge.

As already stated, there is no evidence that the hypnotic state is not natural. This is an innate ability of any person, which does not involve the use of any mysterious knowledge or secret powers. And at the same time, such a state does not suppress a person’s free will and does not place the hypnotized person under anyone’s control. The Church does not see a problem in using a hypnotic state if ethical standards are not violated. This, for example, has been the official position of the Roman Catholic Church since 1847.

There is also another argument: trances are used by shamans and other folk healers - thus, the use of trance refers to pagan rituals. But given the fact that various well-known healing methods and religious movements also involve trance states (and induce them in exactly the same way), this argument can be used against any form of healing or, in fact, human behavior in general. Hypnotherapy is a natural technique with no religious content.

Myth #7: There is no evidence that hypnosis (hypnotherapy) works or is a therapeutic method. Some skeptics classify hypnosis as an alternative treatment method without any evidence. In studies where the brain was scanned, hypnotherapy has been shown to improve brain activity.

Myth #8: I can stay in a hypnotic state. You will not be able to stay in it longer than while asleep or awake. This is a natural state that is replaced by others after a while. For practical reasons, most hypnotherapists end their clients' trances, but if the trances were continued, the person would naturally return to full activity or fall asleep.

Myth #9: Many people cannot be hypnotized. In fact, since hypnosis is a natural state and an innate human ability, anyone who can understand simple instructions and concentrate can be hypnotized, provided they trust the hypnotherapist and the hypnotherapist uses the appropriate technique. The fact on which this myth is based is that not all hypnotherapists can hypnotize, and some people are more likely to be hypnotized than others. Additionally, as mentioned above, hypnotizability is an inherent human trait—some people are extremely hypnotizable and can utilize the trance state better than others. But this may be important in laboratory research rather than in therapy, since for the most part the therapeutic use of hypnosis does not depend on the depth of the hypnotic trance. The exception is pain control, which requires a deeper trance to achieve results. This largely explains why anesthesiologists who work with any patient use chemical agents in surgery: not everyone can put a person into a hypnotic state.

Myth #10: People with weak wills are easier to hypnotize. This myth may have originated in the days of authoritarian, or directive, hypnosis, which works primarily by uttering clear commands. Many people have not gotten the results they expected with modern non-directive, or Ericksonian, hypnosis, where the strength of your desire has nothing to do with how easily or effectively you can be hypnotized. So, if you are smart, imaginative, and have good concentration, you may be able to enter a hypnotic state more easily. Being open-minded to hypnosis and hypnotherapy is not the same as having a weak will.

Myth #11: Hypnosis is caused by a hypnotist. Professional hypnotists often recall the saying “All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.” The whole point is that the patient himself hypnotizes himself. If something happens to the hypnotist, then anyone can come out of the trance. No one will get stuck in a state of hypnosis. And, by the way, the person being hypnotized does not become dependent on the hypnotherapist.

Myth #12: Hypnosis can make people do things they don't want to do. This myth is extremely common. This is a half-truth. For example, it is possible to force a person to perform actions that are not typical for him, but only up to a certain limit. For example, you can force a person to eat an onion by instilling in him that it is an apple - and not only the mind, but also the body will accept the onion as an apple. Interestingly, even the eyes of a hypnotized person will not water if he eats onions.

However, making a person go out of a window on the 56th floor by convincing him that this is a door will not work. In the same way, it will not be possible to force a person to kill someone in a state of hypnosis (unless, of course, this contradicts the moral beliefs of this person). If you hypnotize a murderer, then most likely it will not be a problem for him to kill anyone the hypnotist points at. As we can see, there is a certain amount of truth in this myth.

Myth #13: Hypnosis is a dream. In fact, this is not a dream, it’s just quite difficult to describe in other words the state of a hypnotized person. There is another word that fits well with the term “hypnosis” - trance. An example of trance is the phenomenon in which drivers, when tired, can disconnect from their surroundings, remaining active regarding everything related to driving a car.

Myth #14: Hypnosis is a therapeutic technique. Hypnosis can only be used as an adjuvant and cannot be the primary method of treatment. The term "hypnotherapist" is usually used to refer to a hypnotist. Hypnosis should only be practiced by professionals.

Myth #15: Through hypnosis, the hypnotist can make the hypnotized person remember everything that happened in the past. This is a particularly harmful myth that appeared relatively recently. The thing is that in a state of hypnosis a person can fantasize, considering everything he sees to be true. In addition, under hypnosis a person can say what he thinks the hypnotist wants to hear.

Myth #16: Hypnosis is dangerous and an invention of the devil. Some believers believe that hypnosis is the so-called invention of the devil. Absolutely everything can be used both for good and for harm. It all depends on the person conducting the session, on his professionalism and integrity. Many doctors use hypnosis, and it cannot be said that they are all in league with the devil. Moreover, hypnosis is a beneficial and natural state.

Hypnosis began to be used in practice even before it began to be studied in science. If we turn to the first attempts to scientifically substantiate this method, we can note that from a modern point of view it is quite difficult to call them scientific. Franz Anton Mesmer was the first to justify and apply the method of hypnosis for the treatment of nervous diseases in the 18th century. He believed that the essence of the hypnotherapy method was closely related to animal magnetism. According to the scientist, a special energy emanated from the magnetizer’s body, which had a healing effect on the patient’s body. One of Mesmer's healing methods was rhythmic touching of the patient's body with his palms. Many patients wanted to be cured thanks to magnetic effects, and Mesmer came up with the following method of mass healing. He “saturated” special tanks with magnetism, and in order to get a healing effect, patients put their hands to them. Oddly enough, this method had positive results and many patients got rid of their diseases. And only years later it became clear that it was not special magnetism that helped, but people’s self-hypnosis. This happened for the reason that the patients deeply believed in the method of magnetism and in Mesmer himself.

History of the development of hypnosis

The concept of “hypnosis”, in the modern sense, was first used in 1842 by James Braid. He noted the similarity of the hypnotic state with the state of a sleeping person and called hypnosis “artificial sleep.” The scientific justification for this method was formed only during the time of Jean-Martin Charcot. The scientist belonged to the Nancy school of hypnosis, the founder and leader of which was Hippolyte Bernheim. Charcot is the first scientist to study and explain what happens to a patient during hypnosis. He described three stages of hypnosis: hypotaxia, catalepsy and lethargy. Charcot believed that hypnotic phenomena are directly related to hysteria and are close to painful conditions. That is, the scientist considered hypnosis as hysteria caused artificially. Bernheim later objected to Charcot that hypnotic phenomena are identical to suggestions. In addition, he believed that the stages of hypnosis described by Charcot were the result of suggestions and not pathological changes. Followers of the Nancy school were of the opinion that hypnosis does not exist, but only the phenomena of suggestion take place. After Charcot's death in 1883, the method of hypnosis ceased to interest science for a long time.

Hypnosis was also a subject of scientific interest to Sigmund Freud. In his practice, Freud used the method of hypnosis for 5 years. However, later, he preferred the psychoanalytic direction and completely abandoned hypnosis. He believed that hypnosis interferes with the manifestation of personality defense mechanisms, such as repression and suppression, the analysis of which, in turn, is very important and is one of the main parts of the psychoanalytic procedure. Freud also noted that there are conditions when the method of hypnosis is still necessary to treat patients.

In the 1970s, the outstanding American psychiatrist Milton Erickson introduced a new method of hypnosis - non-directive, which was called Ericksonian hypnosis. With this type of hypnosis, the therapist provides a gentle hypnotic effect. Its essence lies in the fact that suggestion is made indirectly, in symbolic form, for example, in the form of metaphors and parables. Erickson introduced a certain thought into a person’s consciousness that the patient could not refute, and it had a healing effect on him.

Hypnosis today

Hypnotherapy is a set of techniques that puts the patient into an altered state of consciousness. In this state, the subject's consciousness narrows and focuses on only one specific element of suggestion. For treatment, the hypnotherapist uses various techniques of suggestion and special analytical approaches.

Hypnotherapy includes a combination of various techniques of suggestion and specific analytical methods.

Currently, the method of hypnosis is used to achieve both mental and physical health of a person.

Hypnosis methods

Verbal suggestion. It is used for the patient to achieve a certain state or fixate consciousness on a certain object. This method is used by the hypnotist using special phrases that are pronounced in a quiet, monotonous voice.
Hypnotizing with a glance. This method involves fixing the patient's gaze on the therapist's eyes.
Levitation method. Using this method, the therapist involves the patient in the process of entering a hypnotic state. The patient's attention is directed to his hands, their lightness and weightlessness.
Directive hypnosis. The suggestions that the psychotherapist gives are of a commanding nature.
Eriksonian gynosis. Its essence lies in the fact that the clients’ subconscious begins to communicate information through images and metaphors.
Transbegleitung. During the process of immersion in a hypnotic state, the psychotherapist is a guide on the client's trance journey. The therapist exercises constant control over the condition and consciousness of his patient.

Ways to go into hypnosis

1) Methods that are characterized by monotonous influence on various channels of human perception. When influencing the visual channel, clock hands, pendulums, flashes of light and other objects are used to fix the gaze. The quiet monotonous voice of a psychotherapist, sounding when a person is immersed in an altered state of consciousness, has an impact on the auditory analyzer. The sound of a ticking clock, various sounds of nature, and others can also be used. As a tactile stimulus when immersing in a hypnotic state, a method is used when the therapist runs his hand along the patient’s body, at a distance of several centimeters from the body.

2) Methods characterized by a shock effect on the patient. A person is immersed in a hypnotic state due to sharp, strong stimuli, such as a loud sound, current, or commanding tone.

Stages of hypnosis

Stage 1. Easy hypnosis. At this stage, the patient's consciousness is in an active state. The patient understands speech addressed to him, can perform certain actions, do what he is asked to do at the moment.

Stage 2. Hypnotic state of medium depth. Consciousness becomes less active and slows down. In this state, only those suggestions that are sufficiently understandable and logical for the patient are perceived.

Stage 3. Complete immersion in hypnosis. The patient completely relaxes and loses control over his consciousness. In this state, the patient can accept almost all suggestions, with the exception of those that completely contradict his personal beliefs.

So, the use of hypnosis in psychotherapy has been an important and necessary part of the human treatment process for many years. At present, the method of hypnosis has practically lost its relevance. However, this method, with its rich history and all its advantages, still deserves the attention of researchers.

Bibliography:

1. Karvasarsky B.D. Psychotherapy. Textbook for medical students. - M. - 2002.
2. Shertok L., Saussure R. The birth of a psychoanalyst. From Mesmer to Freud. - M.: Progress. - 1991.

Editor: Bibikova Anna Aleksandrovna

Hypnosis is a state in which the subconscious, trance, comes to the fore. There is no exact definition of the concept. According to Wikipedia, hypnosis is a temporary state that is caused by self-hypnosis of the hypnotist. It has nothing in common with sleep.

Hypnosis is a state in which a person is convinced of something, ideas are imposed on him. A session can be open or hidden. During the first, a person realizes that he is plunging into a trance. The second type concerns advertising and business, when information is imposed on a person. It has not been fully studied. What is hypnosis? We will learn everything about hypnosis from the article.

The story of how my son asked what hypnosis was

I have a son, he is 10 years old. Nikita is interested in psychology. One day he came up to me and asked: “Hypnosis - what is it?” I explained to him that this is a state in which a person’s consciousness is controlled by another person. Being in this state, he seems to be sleeping. But the brain cells are working and are susceptible to the influence of the hypnotist.

Nikita was interested in this, he decided to learn the basics of hypnosis for beginners. My son read specialized literature and enrolled in courses. Trainings were conducted at the hypnotic school. Over time, Nikita mastered the basic information and trained with us. You know, he did it. Therefore, I can say with confidence that the basic aspects of trance are within everyone’s control.

History of development, interesting facts

Let us briefly consider what hypnosis is. The phenomenon began to be practiced long before it was studied in science. The first attempts at treatment using hypnosis were in the 18th century. The definition of hypnosis was given by D. Braid. He found similarities between this state and sleep. The history of hypnosis is interesting - the phenomenon has been studied by many scientists. It correlates with witchcraft, magic. This is an ancient method of psychotherapy.

Interesting facts about hypnosis:

It is generally accepted that hypnotists have mysterious powers. This is wrong. He is a mediator with knowledge of psychology - between consciousness and trance. It helps a person achieve this state by relaxing him;
if a person succumbs to trance without any problems, it is easy to convince him that he is a talented person;
hypnotherapy is used to combat bad habits;
it is almost impossible to hypnotize a person if he himself does not want to;
trance is used as a sedative, treatment of depression, for coding against alcohol and drug addiction;
The first mentions of trance technique come in the 19th century. An English surgeon used the phenomenon as an anesthetic during surgery;
Every person is prone to self-hypnosis. A person experiences mild trans every day - this is how the body protects itself from information overload;
this phenomenon alleviates physical pain - from burns, insect bites. A striking example is childbirth. Hypnosis relieves the fear of giving birth;
while in a trance, a person’s allergic manifestation disappears, that is, consciousness affects allergies;
statistics show that men quit smoking from hypnosis more often than women - they do it better;
during the session the patient controls his own phrases;
in the process of hypnotherapy, hidden talents and abilities are revealed in a person;
There is an opinion that only people with weak willpower can be hypnotized. It is not true;
after the session the patient does not remember anything. This is a true myth, because the hypnotist makes minor changes to memory. But usually the patient remembers everything that happened to him while he was in a trance;
if during a trance you ask a person to do something after it ends, he will begin to look for excuses for his actions;
you cannot hypnotize forcibly - the patient must want it himself;
During trance, brain activity improves.

Interesting facts about hypnosis can be continued endlessly.

The state under hypnosis is trance. The patient becomes detached and loses self-control.

Basics of hypnosis: definition, areas of application, who is contraindicated

Anyone can learn the basics of hypnosis. The main thing is to have a confident, calm voice and an unblinking gaze. The hypnotist must think about the successful outcome of the process. The basics of hypnosis for beginners include learning the techniques and method of putting people into a trance. The basics of hypnosis are taught in special schools and courses. Trainings and practical exercises are conducted for beginners.

In the modern world, hypnotists are viewed in two ways. Some consider them magicians and sorcerers, others consider them psychotherapists. But this does not mean that the person who asked for help can be considered crazy. Trance is used in psychiatry, but is of great benefit to people who do not suffer from nervous system disorders. In practice, hypnosis is used in the following cases:

to get rid of psychosomatic diseases;
for the treatment of nervous disorders;
to get rid of addiction;
to improve superpowers.

With the help of trance, diseases of the nervous system, insomnia, asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, impotence and infertility, and phobias are cured. The list goes on and on; the applications of this phenomenon are endless. It is an independent and auxiliary method of treating diseases. Main areas of application:

anxiety therapy;
getting rid of addiction - alcohol, drugs;
treatment of sleep disorders;
treatment of stomach diseases;
therapy of skin lesions;
pain suppression;
getting rid of obesity;
preparation for surgery.

A person sees, feels and perceives reality as the hypnotist inspires him. Submitting to him, he becomes deaf, blind, loses his sense of smell, does not remember anything - a person under hypnosis does what he is told and inspired.

There are currently many controversial situations arising regarding the benefits and harms of the process. It can be used by specialists with diplomas - medical workers and psychologists.

How does hypnosis happen? The session is similar to an appointment with a psychotherapist. First, the patient is listened to and the problem is found out. There is a discussion and search for a way out of the situation. The person is placed on a couch and put into a trance. The goal is to establish the real cause of the disease. The patient is asked questions that will help solve the problem. It will take more than one session to recover.

Contraindications to hypnosis:

mental disorders - schizophrenia, psychosis, brain diseases. Associative thinking in such patients is impaired;
epilepsy, seizures, asthma, heart failure - to prevent relapse;
intellectual impairment – mental retardation. In this case, it will not be possible to establish a trusting relationship with the patient;
if a person uses psychotropic drugs, the mental state is altered;
under drug or alcohol intoxication;
if there is an unhealed fracture, dislocation, or the person has recently undergone surgery;
pregnancy. There are several opinions on this matter - an interesting position is not a categorical contraindication, but during a session a woman can throw out negative emotions, which will have a bad effect on the fetus. Sometimes this causes miscarriage, especially in the first trimester. Hypnotherapy is not recommended during pregnancy;
they decide to carry out such therapy with caution in order to work through the allergy during an exacerbation. After the first session it will get worse.

If you feel afraid of the procedure, do not perform it - the effect will be small. If you have chronic or current illnesses, malaise, or fever, consult your doctor before making a decision about hypnotherapy. He must approve of your introduction into a hypnotic trance. Human hypnosis will be successful if you come to the session well-rested, calm and in a positive mood.

Hypnosis and suggestion, their relationship

Are hypnosis and suggestion related? Preparation for the process is lengthy - you need to know the psychology of a person, learn how to suggest and verbally influence. Without suggestion, the procedure will not produce results. Trance treatment methods are based on suggestion.

Now you know what hypnosis is. Still don't believe in its power? Experience trance for yourself. Learn what hypnosis is and how to use it. You will see that you will achieve the desired result in the treatment of diseases.

History of the development of hypnosis

Hypnosis today

Hypnotherapy includes a combination of various techniques of suggestion and specific analytical methods.

Currently, the method of hypnosis is used to achieve both mental and physical health of a person.

Hypnosis methods

Verbal suggestion. It is used for the patient to achieve a certain state or fixate consciousness on a certain object. This method is used by the hypnotist using special phrases that are pronounced in a quiet, monotonous voice.
Hypnotizing with a glance. This method involves fixing the patient's gaze on the therapist's eyes.
Levitation method. Using this method, the therapist involves the patient in the process of entering a hypnotic state. The patient's attention is directed to his hands, their lightness and weightlessness.
Directive hypnosis. The suggestions that the psychotherapist gives are of a commanding nature.
Eriksonian gynosis. Its essence lies in the fact that the clients’ subconscious begins to communicate information through images and metaphors.
Transbegleitung. During the process of immersion in a hypnotic state, the psychotherapist is a guide on the client's trance journey. The therapist exercises constant control over the condition and consciousness of his patient.

Ways to go into hypnosis

2) Methods characterized by a shock effect on the patient. A person is immersed in a hypnotic state due to sharp, strong stimuli, such as a loud sound, current, or commanding tone.

Stages of hypnosis

Bibliography:

1. Karvasarsky B.D. Psychotherapy. Textbook for medical students. - M. - 2002.
2. Shertok L., Saussure R. The birth of a psychoanalyst. From Mesmer to Freud. - M.: Progress. - 1991.

Editor: Bibikova Anna Aleksandrovna

Briefly about the article: The history of hypnosis - from ancient temples of sleep to yogi meditations and snake charms, from mesmerism to modern hypnotherapy and regressive hypnosis.

A dream in reality

Hypnosis

Pet Show Judge: And the winner is... (in a monotone voice) Hypnotoad!

(A toad with twinkling eyes hypnotizes the audience)

Audience: Glory to the Hypnotoad!

Futurama, season 3, episode 7

For thousands of years, people have dreamed of magic - the ability to change the world around them contrary to its laws. For some, the ultimate desire was to transform lead into gold, another wanted to learn to fly, a third came up with fairy tales about crystal palaces being built overnight... But the real goal of the pursuit of magic is not pampering with fireballs, but power. And, above all, the impact on other people. Invisibility, love spell, healing with words, killing with a glance, subordination of the will, reading thoughts, erasing memory - all this involves a direct impact on a person and most often contributes to the personal well-being of the magician. There's nothing you can do about it. The creed of wizards is selfishness.

There is a way to “get into the head” of another person. Moreover, this “magic” is available to almost everyone. It can be learned, but miracles will not happen. You can’t go into an oligarch’s office and with one snap of your fingers force him to write a check for a twenty-figure sum. Everything in the world has its price. This includes influencing the consciousness of another person, better known as hypnosis.

I call fire on myself

Hypnosis is the same age as witchcraft. From the point of view of history, this venerable “old man” is older than the world's largest religions. Moreover, it was he who contributed to their formation, because the sacred trance of shamans or the communication of priests with spirits was largely based on self-hypnosis. And when such miracles turn into a system, organized faith arises. It is noteworthy that the first, simplest methods of hypnosis were developed to influence not the consciousness of others, but their own.

Four thousand years ago, special buildings were built in Egypt temples of dreams. The author of the idea was Imhotep - probably the first great scientist in the history of mankind, who, thanks to the light hand of Hollywood, is now presented exclusively in the form of an evil mummy. These temples were something like hospitals, where hypnosis served as the main diagnostic tool.

The priests carefully listened to the patient’s complaints, performed certain rituals and immersed him in a trance with choral chants. After awakening, the man described his visions to the priests. Based on them, a conclusion was drawn about the nature of the disease and treatment was prescribed: meditation, diet, sacrifices to certain gods, etc.

And the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and when he fell asleep, he took one of his ribs and covered that place with flesh.

Genesis 2:21

There were similar institutions in Ancient Greece. Here they were called asclepions(in honor of the god Asclepius). The sick came here to sleep on the floor of the sanctuary and tell the priests their dreams, which were used to make a diagnosis. The best dream was considered to be one in which some god touched your wounds and healed them.

Since snakes were associated with Asclepius, the priests released non-venomous snakes onto the floors of the Asclepion at night so that they would crawl among the sleeping people and contribute to their prophetic visions. One can only guess what dreams some impressionable individuals might have had while sleeping among the reptiles.

Greek women - bacchantes and maenads - drove themselves into a semi-crazy state with the help of wine and dancing, after which they staged wild orgies on Mount Parnassus in honor of Dionysus (the range of “fun” was quite wide: from promiscuous sexual intercourse to self-torture and bloodletting).

The ancient Viking berserkers, whose battle fury became legendary, put themselves in a similar state. They allegedly rushed into battle naked, frantically biting the edges of their shields and howling like wolves. The self-induced psychosis was so strong that even the loss of a limb could not stop the berserkers.

Control of mind and body is the hallmark of yoga. All types of this art are based on meditative techniques, that is, on a type of hypnosis. Controlling emotions, thoughts and merging with the universe do not have bright spectacular manifestations, however, purely applied disciplines - changing the frequency of breathing, heartbeat, electrical resistance of the skin, metabolism, blood chemistry - are one of the most incredible and interesting properties of meditation (deep concentration on repeated action).

Today, for some reason, multi-day burial of yogis is not practiced. Everything is limited to these short shows.

In 1837, Yogi Harida was buried alive in Lahore (now Pakistan). The yogi who had fallen into a trance was sewn up in a bag and placed in a sealed wooden box, which was placed in a specially built brick crypt. He was surrounded by round-the-clock security from the Maharaja's guards.

40 days later, Harida was examined by European doctors. According to their observations, this person was no different from the deceased, with the exception of the absence of signs of decomposition and a slightly elevated temperature of the head. The yogi was washed with warm water, the wax plugs were removed from the ears and nose, the teeth were unclenched with a knife, the tongue (sticking to the larynx) was straightened, the eyelids were oiled and a hot cake was applied to the back of the head.

Harida began to convulse and developed a weak pulse. The servant put some butter in the “dead man’s” mouth. Soon he opened his eyes and spoke barely audibly - as a very sick person would do. About half an hour passed from the moment the yogi was removed from the grave until he was revived.

Similar experiments were repeated many times, but not all of them ended well. For many, the hot cake no longer helped. Other famous yogi tricks have little to do with hypnosis. Lying on nails or broken glass has a scientific explanation (the weight of the body is distributed over the points so that it is not enough to pierce the skin), and walking on hot coals is 90% ensured by the thermal conductivity of the skin.

In spite of the records

The famous magician (although he prefers to call himself a “survival artist”) David Blaine has demonstrated tricks that are “the envy of yogis” on several occasions. In 1999, he spent 7 days without food or air in a grave covered with a 3-ton aquarium (the magician remained in sight). In 2000, he sat naked in an ice cube for almost 64 hours, after which Blaine required serious medical attention. In 2002, he stood for 35 hours on a platform 30x30 centimeters at an altitude of 35 meters. In 2003, he spent 44 days in a glass box, drinking only water and losing 25% of his body weight. His performances are very dramatic and at the end of each of them, a half-dead Blaine is taken to the hospital. The actor has repeatedly stated that a hypnotherapist prepares him for each “feat”. However, in reality, all this is well-thought-out tricks combined with good health.

Attractive riddles

The first scientist to talk about hypnosis as a special type of sleep was Avicenna(Ibn Sina, 980-1037). There has not yet been talk of the conscious use of suggestion in treatment, but Avicenna widely used the mixed technique of psychology and hypnosis - for example, to heal the Prince of Persia, who considered himself a cow and was waiting for the butcher to come for him (the doctor pretended to be a butcher and convinced the prince that he too thin to be meat).

The next step in the development of the science of hypnosis was the “discovery” of the healing properties of magnets. The first to distinguish himself here Paracelsus(1493-1541), who applied pieces of magnetic ore to patients and convinced them that this would definitely cure them. The fashion for such therapy lasted for several centuries (with the help of the church). At the end of the 18th century, a Jesuit with the interesting surname Hell*, who practiced healing magnetism, took an aspiring Austrian doctor as his student Franz Anton Mesmer.

Hell (English - hell).

Franz Anton Mesmer.

By that time, Mesmer had already written a dissertation “On the influence of the Moon on the human body,” where he argued that ebbs and flows occur not only in the seas, but also within us. In 1774, he tried to create an artificial tide inside a patient by giving her iron powder to swallow and passing a magnet over her. A woman told a young and wealthy doctor about “strange fluids” passing every time he passed his hands over her.

This prompted Mesmer to create the theory of “animal magnetism.” Roughly speaking, among people there are very strong “magnets” that are capable of transmitting their fluids to surrounding objects and influencing the life-giving forces of the body. The researcher found that if you cut a person's vein and after a while hold a magnet over it, the wound quickly closed.

Mesmer considered himself a “magnet” of exceptional power, and therefore began to treat people by moving his hands over them, pressing on individual parts of their bodies and all the time looking intently into their eyes. In 1777, he undertook to restore the sight of a blind girl, Maria Paradis. According to the doctor’s recollections, the treatment went well, but the suspicious parents caused a scandal and took Maria home, “which is why she became blind again.” One way or another, the attempt to heal physiological blindness with hypnosis failed, and Mesmer fled to Paris.

In 1784, King Louis XVI convened a commission to clarify the question of whether Mesmer had really discovered a certain “magnetic fluid”. It included Antoine Lavoisier (the founder of modern chemistry), physician Joseph Guillotin (the author of the guillotine on which, ironically, Louis XVI himself would be beheaded nine years later) and American ambassador Benjamin Franklin. The commission concluded that no fluids exist, and Mesmer's influence on people is the result of the patients' imagination.

Mesmer was denounced as a charlatan, but for several centuries hypnosis was called “mesmerism.” Indo-Portuguese Abbot Faria(1746-1819) was the first to apply Mesmer's methods without nonsense about magnetic energies. This person is known to most of us from Dumas’s novel “The Count of Monte Cristo”, where Faria taught Dantes various sciences and told him about a treasure on the island of Monte Cristo. The abbot actually spent a long time in solitary confinement at the Chateau d'If, but he died in freedom, and no one managed to escape from the castle prison.

Faria argued that the whole trick is in concentration, which leads the respondent to a sleepy state (during the experiments, only about 10% of volunteers were suggestible). Everything else happens in his imagination. The abbot refuted all theories about the supernatural talents of hypnotists, which, however, did not stop the scientific community from accusing him of charlatanism.

Another associate of hypnosis - Marquis de Puysegur(1751-1825) had an excellent opportunity to practice mesmerism, since the working “material” (peasants from his estate) was always at hand. He was the first to notice that a hypnotic trance is not much different from somnambulism, and if a person does not want to be hypnotized, it is impossible to put him into “artificial sleep.”

The Marquis de Puysegur trains on peasants.

When hypnotism researchers suggested that perhaps most Christian saints were hypnotists or mentally ill people (or perhaps both), the church—including the Russian Orthodox—began to classify hypnosis as a “devilish craft.” It was not until 1956 that Pope Pius XII approved the use of hypnosis for medical purposes.

Good old hypnosis, bad new times

In 1841, the French magnetizer Charles La Fontaine organized a tour of Great Britain. A Scottish surgeon came to one of his talks James Brad. He volunteered to examine the volunteers from the audience and concluded that these people were indeed in an extraordinary stupor.

An inquisitive doctor began to study this phenomenon. All pseudoscientific fantasies about magnetism were immediately swept aside. Brad found that trance is easily induced by fixating the gaze on a bright moving object. He called this state “neurohypnosis” (translated from Greek as “nervous sleep”). Later, to avoid unwanted associations with mesmerism, Brad coined the term “hypnotism” or “hypnosis.”

Before the Edinburgh doctor James Simpson thought of using chloroform to relieve the pain of women in labor, the problem of anesthesia was very acute. Surgeons already knew how to perform quite complex operations, but the patient often needed to be tied to a table, and the doctors had to plug their ears so as not to hear his screams. In the first half of the 19th century, some English surgeons began experimenting with hypnosis.

In 1834, John Elliotson claimed to have successfully performed many painless operations using magnetism (most of the clients were lower-class women, whom the doctor considered the most suggestible). Another Englishman, James Eisdale, opened a mesmeric hospital in India, where patients were prepared for painful operations using special passes with their hands. However, a few years later, chemical anesthesia was invented, and experiments with hypnosis came to naught.

The French took up the baton. Neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot (1825-1893) treated hysteria with hypnosis, and his famous student Sigmund Freud used hypnosis in psychoanalysis for some time.

The Russian history of hypnosis is more prosaic. Our scientists first seized on the experience of their foreign colleagues and adapted it to their needs, which had nothing to do with hypnosis. In 1878, physiologist Vasily Danilevsky conducted public sessions of hypnosis of animals: rabbits, chickens, snakes, lizards, turtles, as well as crayfish and crabs. He caused “paralysis of the will” in them and explained this by the fact that the thinking of animals (for example, crayfish) was subjected to mental coercion.

In 1890, public hypnosis sessions were banned in Russia - not because psychic influence was considered pseudoscience, but, on the contrary, because doctors considered hypnosis to be too powerful and dangerous a treatment.

Inhuman music

One of the most striking examples of animal hypnosis is the snake spell. This profession was once very popular in India. It was passed down by inheritance and actually separated snake charmers into a separate “guild” of traveling magicians. However, in 1972, animal ownership was banned in India, so snake charming is now almost extinct. From the outside it seems that the snake is really enchanted by the sounds of the pipe and sways to the beat of the music. However, in reality, hypnosis has nothing to do with it. Snakes do not hear music and can only feel slight vibrations in the air. Their behavior is a natural defensive reaction. Charmers know the habits of snakes well and stay out of the attack zone. Now they have “retrained” as ordinary beggars, but many centuries ago, spell casters were considered magicians and doctors.

Academician Pavlov was, perhaps, the first scientist in the world to describe the physiological nature of hypnosis. The textbook experiments on dogs were not only aimed at studying conditioned reflexes. When a certain note was played, the animals instantly fell asleep (without reacting to screams or pin pricks), and another special sound also instantly woke them up.

Thus, hypnosis ceased to be considered one of the tools in the arsenal of magicians and received the status of an official science. At the beginning of the 20th century, it began to be used in psychotherapy, surgery, and dentistry. With the help of hypnosis, memory correction is carried out, traumatic shock, addiction to smoking, alcohol, overeating, drug addiction are relieved, and even skin diseases are treated.

Fortunately, in our country it was not considered a bourgeois science and has been developing - albeit very slowly - over the past 90 years. The practical application of hypnosis was limited mainly to psychotherapy. For the majority of the population, hypnosis remained terra incognita. It is not surprising that in the 1990s hypno-fraud flourished in full bloom - charging water on TV, tuning into goodness, healing cancer by listening to special audio cassettes.

There is also so-called “street hypnosis”. Using simple techniques (an insinuating voice, special touches, adjustment to breathing), scammers can establish emotional contact with an easily suggestible victim, put him in a state of inhibition and force him to perform certain actions (agree to fortune telling by hand, give money, etc.) .

In the West things are different. Most insurance companies do not cover the costs of hypnotherapy, so it automatically becomes an elite medical service. Hypnotherapists usually specialize in mild nervous disorders. A considerable part of their clientele consists of “stars”, so the price tag of hypnotic services alone can easily put an ordinary person into a trance.

Life before life

One of the most famous hypnotherapy techniques is regressive hypnosis. The patient gradually “descends” down the ladder of memories. Having reached birth, he “jumps” to a past life and begins to talk about it. Proponents of reincarnation believe that the experience of past incarnations is stored in the subconscious. Doctors are more reserved in assessing this phenomenon. It is believed that having reached the zero level of memories, the brain automatically switches to forgotten information (for example, children's novels about pirates or musketeers) and builds it according to current emotional experiences. Analysis of these memories allows the doctor to find the key to solving the patient's psychological problems. Other, less conscientious doctors - such as Dolores Cannon - may meet a patient who personally communicated with Jesus and publish his hypnotic "memoirs" in books like The Private Life of God.

***

There is an opinion that induction into a trance is a slow “falling asleep” to the monotonous muttering of the hypnotist. This is wrong. American psychotherapist Milton Erickson developed non-directive methods with which almost any of us can be hypnotized with a specially designed handshake in just 2 seconds.

Medicine differs from poison only in dose. In certain - fortunately, rather speculative - situations, hypnosis can serve as a weapon with which one can “program” the leaders of superpowers for world wars. An inexperienced hypnotherapist will cripple the patient’s psyche, and a street fortune teller will exchange a promise of good luck for your wallet.

The brain can be played like a piano. The only difference is that if the performer is out of tune, a fire will start in the conservatory. Hypnosis can heal the most terrible wounds - mental ones, but unlike pills, this medicine always requires an individual approach. This is where science differs from art.