About a month ago promising client of mine suddenly cancelled a session for which he had prepaid well in advance. He indicated that he was unable to get there and gave an ostensibly good reason for not showing up. I accepted the reason and left it at that. Then I learned more...
It turns out that this person, a man with high motivation, definite healing goals and a well-planned path toward achieving them, suddenly locked up in fear. What was the source? Unfortunately, for him it was a fundamentalist Christian relative who was frightened of hypnosis. This family member had unfortunately convinced him that I was doing the Devil's work. Hypnosis is evil and therefore a "true" Christian must avoid such temptations - at least according to this particular person.
These days, unfortunately, we live in a world ruled by fear. Some fear what is in the near future, including the uncertainty of dark economic times. Others fear what they do not understand - be it scientific anomalies or things outside of their own religious box. The latter definitely appeared to be the case here.
I have heard similar arguments about the "evils of hypnosis" before, often from well meaning "guardians" of clients, usually friends or family menbers who want to save them from "the dark side." All too often there is a misconception that hypnosis is about control, that it involves surrendering one's will (and maybe one's soul) to the hypnotist. There is also the belief that hypnosis opens one up to possession by the devil. Then, there is the misconception that hypnosis is somehow based upon occult religion, even leading to dark negative claims regarding the very motivations of the hypnotist.
I have written about these fears, misconceptions and limiting beliefs before (See The Christian view is... thoughts on religion and hypnosis), but for the sake of the reader, I will do so again, here:
1) Hypnosis is about mind control: This is a common myth, held by the fundamentalist Christian community, and by many in the meditation community as well. It states that hypnosis gives the hypnotist control over the client and that it results in the client becoming subject to the hypnotist's will. In fact, the core of hypnosis is just the opposite. It is about the clients assertion of control over their own mind and their ability to allow themselves to go inside to do the work of healing.
For a client to do well in hypnosis, they must have their own will intact. They must be able to concentrate, and to allow themselves to suspend disbelief in their own mental abilities. Hypnosis works best when the client has a strong discernment, the ability to see truth from falsehood. Fostering this ability by allowing them to understand and forgive past wrongs is an important part of hypnotherapy.
2) Hypnosis requires surrender to the hypnotist: This, too is a common myth, a close companion to that described above. However, the contrary is true. During hypnosis, the client ALWAYS has control of their own mind and soul. For hypnosis to work the best, the client has to be able to feel that self-control and let it guide them into their own work.
In fact, all hypnosis is really self hypnosis, with the hypnotist only acting as a guide. The real person doing the work is the client. I just ask the right questions at the right time, and the client's mind then provides the insight that leads to healing.
3) Hypnosis opens one up to demonic or diabolical possession: This idea is closely related to the claim that hypnosis reduces one's own personal discernment. Hypnosis functions best when the client suspends disbelief in his/her own inner capabilities. This also involves relaxation and other techniques to bring a shift in perspective. Unfortunately, suspension of disbelief and the talent for self-guided selective focus is often mistaken for "opening up" to potential negative (a.k.a. demonic) influences. However, each human being has their own God-given gift of discernment - the ability to discern right and wrong, good and evil. This is unaltered during the hypnotic process.
I have indeed had instances during hypnotic work where people encountered influences which were not in their best interests. However, these were invariably present prior to their meeting with me. Indeed, I've noted that such influences have often been carried with them from present or former religious associations. And these influences are frequently the exact issue that must be released and forgiven.
4) Hypnosis is associated with occult religions: This idea probably stems from the resemblance of hypnotic trance work with the practices and the rituals of most religions (including Christianity). in most faiths, consciousness-altering practices help people into a state of spiritual-related thought. These includes hymns and other music with binaural tones and/or a minor key, extensive use of lighting and symbolism, and messages fostering a shift to a spiritual persepctive.
These consciousness-related shifts are neither good nor bad, except in the eyes of the beholder. And especially in this case, when the beholder views any religious practice but their own as inherently evil, any such practice becomes branded with terms such as "occult", "satanic" or worse.
Many fundamentalist Christian writers like to talk about Mesmer, one of the pioneers of hypnosis, having had "occult" leanings. Indeed, hypnotists over the ages have most likely held a variety of spiritual beliefs, as have their contemporaries. While Mesmer and other pioneers may have had spiritual views that varied from orthodox Christianity, their views were most likely little different from those of their 18th Century contemporaries. At that time, this was most likely a mix of rationalism, Christianity and spiritualism.
Rather than bringing any message of spiritual belief to a client, I instead invite the client to use their very discernment to open their metaphorical eyes to the difference between the light and the dark side. I ask people to inquire for themselves, to form their own conclusions regarding that which is good and that which is evil.
Instead, of a dark focus, as part of healing work, I often invite my clients to focus on that which their faith is truly based - the envisioning of God, Jesus, or whichever religious figure they believe in. In truth, I have found that hypnotherapy deepens Christianity, rather than corrupting it. When so strengthened, I find that it fosters a whole-soul following of God, rather than a fear-based, rule-based orthodoxy.
5) Hypnotists are inherently occult-based; thus their motivations are suspect: This is an interesting myth, indeed. How can one truly gauge the motivation of each person? Are hypnotherapists somehow motivated by the dark side? And who but God is qualified to make that judgement?
In fact, the greatest motivation of the hypnotherapist is to bring healing work to those who ask for it. As I have mentioned in earlier posts, hypnosis is a gift that God has given to humanity. It is a natural state of being - occuring at least once each 90 minute ultradian cycle of consciousness. People often describe spontaneous hypnotic phenomena such as daydreaming, highway amnesia and deeply focused concentration (being "in the groove"). As a hypnotherapist, it is my job to help people utilize this gift to bring healing to their own lives.
My own belief is that true healing comes from God. And like any person who tries to do God's work, I am but an instrument. In this case, I have been given the gifts of opportunity to study and employ this amazing aspect of the human mind to help people achieve their healing goals.
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I often wonder, is the reaction I saw that day based upon a concern for a friend or family member's another's well-being? Or is it a fear that the the other person will begin to see for themselves that rules and fear do not work. Is it the fear that someone will begin to think and grow for his or her self and thus form their own personal relationship with their Higher Power? In that sense, rather than hypnosis being about control, perhaps it is the opposition to hypnosis which is based upon that very need for control.
Truly, the job of the healer is to provide the services in their specific tradition to foster wellness, empowerment and health, to act as a tool for release and forgiveness in a world dominated by fear. The mandate is clear while the gap within the community of fear is wide. Perhaps, one place to begin might just be with those very ones who fear the healing traditions.
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8/22/09 Update - More notes on hypnosis and religion:
I recieved a note from another friend of mine, who read this article. It contained a link to the website of a very respected clergyman and hypnotist, the Reverend Paul Durbin. Rev. Durbin is a highly respected member of the National Guild of Hypnotists, a long-standing authority on hypnotism, and of the Christian clergy. He has written an excellent article on this very subject, Hypnosis and Religion.
Paul is the consumate healer, and in my mind, the image of what a clergyman should be - kind, caring and compasionate - while at the same time, knowledgeable and authoritative on Christian beliefs and traditions.
For all interested in the topic of religion and hypnosis, I highly recommend Reverengt Paul Durbin's webpage: Hypnosis and Religion for a well-thought-out treatment of this subject by an expert in the field.
