Complete Hypnotism, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism: How to Hypnotize: Being an Exhaustive and Practical System of Method, Application, and Use — John Shaqi
Complete Hypnotism, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism: How to Hypnotize: Being an Exhaustive and Practical System of Method, Application, and UseAlpheus, A.
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Complete Hypnotism, Mesmerism, Mind-Reading and Spiritualism: How to Hypnotize: Being an Exhaustive and Practical System of Method, Application, and Use
Alpheus, A.
Hypnotism; Mesmerism; Spiritualism; Telepathy
In the cataleptic subject there is a close relation between the
attitude the subject assumes and the intellectual manifestation. In the
somnambulistic stage patients are manipulated by speaking to them; in
the cataleptic stage they are equally under the will of the operator;
but now he controls them by gesture. Says Dr. Courmelles, from his own
observation: “The emotions in this stage are made at command, in the
true acceptation of the word, for they are produced, not by orders
verbally expressed, but by expressive movements. If the hands are
opened and drawn close to the mouth, as when a kiss is wafted, the
mouth smiles. If the arms are extended and half bent at the elbows, the
countenance assumes an expression of astonishment. The slightest
variation of movement is reflected in the emotions. If the fists are
closed, the brow contracts and the face expresses anger. If a lively or
sad tune is played, if amusing or depressing pictures are shown, the
subject, like a faithful mirror, at once reflects these impressions. If
a smile is produced it can be seen to diminish and disappear at the
same time as the hand is moved away, and again to reappear and increase
when it is once more brought near. Better still, a double expression
can be imparted to the physiognomy, by approaching the left hand to the
left side of the mouth, the left side of the physiognomy will smile,
while at the same time, by closing the right hand, the right eyebrow
will frown. The subject can be made to send kisses, or to turn his
hands round each other indefinitely. If the hand is brought near the
nose it will blow; if the arms are stretched out they will remain
extended, while the head will be bowed with a marked expression of
pain.”
Heidenhain was able to take possession of the subject’s gaze and
control him by sight, through producing mimicry. He looks fixedly at
the patient till the patient is unable to take his eyes away. Then the
patient will copy every movement he makes. If he rises and goes
backward the patient will follow, and with his right hand he will
imitate the movements of the operator’s left, as if he were a mirror.
The attitudes of prayer, melancholy, pain, disdain, anger or fear, may
be produced in this manner.
The experiments of Donato, a stage hypnotizer, are thus described:
“After throwing the subjects into catalepsy he causes soft music to be
played, which produces a rapturous expression. If the sound is
heightened or increased, the subjects seem to receive a shock and a
feeling of disappointment. The artistic sense developed by hypnotism is
disturbed; the faces express astonishment, stupefaction and pain. If
the same soft melody be again resumed, the same expression of rapturous
bliss reappears in the countenance. The faces become seraphic and
celestial when the subjects are by nature handsome, and when the
subjects are ordinary looking, even ugly, they are idealized as by a
special kind of beauty.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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