Johann Joseph Gassner
An early record of Mesmerism was that of Johann Joseph Gassner (1727-1779) who was one of many Catholic priests who believed that disease was caused by evil spirits and could be exorcised by incantations and prayer.
Father Maximilian Hell
Around the year 1771, Magnets were documented to have been used by a Jesuit priest named [...]
Dr. Thomas Fienus (1567-1631), an early physician and Professor of Medicine at the University of Louvain from 1593 – 1631, published his De viribus imaginationis in 1608. He recognized two methods of which a person’s imagination could be triggered. The first from within a person, the other was through the influence of someone else (an [...]
In Europe, in an effort to heal sickness, healers utilized magnets and Mesmerism.
The first documented physician to have used magnets in Europe was the Swiss physician Paracelsus (1493-1541). Paracelsus believed that humans were affected by magnetism from the stars and magnets. He passed magnets (lodestones) over his patients’ bodies. It is documented that his patients [...]
There are a few instances in the Bible that seem to mention hypnosis. The Old Testament states how “the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam” (Genesis 2:21) other recorded instances include 1 Samuel 26:12, Job 4:13, 33:15 and Acts 10:10.
The earliest recorded distinction between sleep and hypnosis was made by a [...]
It can be argued that hypnosis was present in all ancient cultures and in religious ceremonies that were practiced by them. The use of drums, chanting, smoke, dance and other ceremonial techniques lead many into some form of trance. Shamans, medicine men and wise women used methods, all similar in that they induced trance.
The oldest [...]
The history of modern hypnosis is thought of to have started in the eighteenth century by Mesmer who devised a defined technique for inducing trance. For accuracy’s sake, please note that any use of the term “hypnotism” before the year 1841 is speculative since the term hypnotism (and later “hypnosis”) and their definitions did not [...]
This series of posts (The Birth of Hypnosis) will be focused on the early history of hypnosis and the possible precursors to it. I will start by discussing possible mentions of hypnosis in ancient cultures, I will then discuss pre-19th century Magnetism and Mesmerism then discuss James Braid, father of modern hypnotism, in some detail. [...]