Hypnosis...?

[phil_ur_friend]

So, I just spoke to my little brother who is currently in El Salvador...the subject of hypnosis came up...

The questions are: "What are the pros and cons of hypnosis?"
"Do you have an opinion as to whether or not it is a
spiritual matter?"
"Do you have any idea what I am talking about at all? :D "

hyp·no·sis

hyp·no·sis [hip nṓssiss]
(plural hyp·no·ses [hip nṓ sz])
n
1. artificially induced condition: a condition that can be artificially induced in people, in which they can respond to questions and are very susceptible to suggestions from the hypnotist
2. induction of hypnosis: the technique or practice of inducing a state of hypnosis in people


Phil, your friend

[kiwisongbird]

Used to think it was evil, now not sure, but anything that allows one person to have control over another person against their will... um... well that must not be quite right...

[Les_Is_More]

This is what I learned about Hypnosis from my college Psychology class. Hypnosis is considered, in the medical field, as an altered state. In this state, a person can release information, directed by a hypnotist, that is otherwise "locked" in the brain. Some thoughts or memories aren't able to be retrieved when concious and can sometimes be retrieved when Hypnotised. However, the information spoken by the person is almost always inaccurate. Also, memories can be altered. While hypnotised, the subject will be told something happened by the Hypnotist, then upon "awaking" from that altertered state, the subject firmly believes that even happened even if it didn't.

In the medical field it may have some uses, but I think the inaccuracy of the method limits its uses. I have seen videos of a subject becoming hypnotised and I'm skeptical of how it actually is applied. It seems to me that it working all depends on the passiveness of the subject. The process still seems a little strange to me.

[Jesuslove]

I think there is a lot of mis-information about Hypnosis. Professionally, it's not used to control someone. In the mid-90's, I was going through a stressful time. I went to a counselor for support and he suggested hypnosis. He did it with me the first time, and I immediately felt a difference in my stress level and my body. I felt amazing afterward. I had an inner peace. He also showed me how to hypnotize myself, and it works. I know a lot of people think it's goofy, but it does have some practical benefits if used appropriately.

[Jesuslove]

In the medical field it may have some uses, but I think the inaccuracy of the method limits its uses. I have seen videos of a subject becoming hypnotised and I'm skeptical of how it actually is applied. It seems to me that it working all depends on the passiveness of the subject. The process still seems a little strange to me.

I wouldn't say the subject has to be passive. I would say the subject has to be open to the belief that it can work.

[phil_ur_friend]

Used to think it was evil, now not sure, but anything that allows one person to have control over another person against their will... um... well that must not be quite right...

I am not an expert, however, I strongly believe that anything I do (hypnotized or not) is an action based first in thought.

IMO-I do not know of a state-of-mind achieveable than can bypass my subconscience...

If it is an action that does not fit within the moral parameters of what my subconscience knows to be right, I will not perform that action.

(I.E.) "You're getting very sleepy...now go kill this person while in a trance." :eek:

Not going to happen.

Phil, your friend

[WeaselInYerFoot]

This guy here...
http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/9062/officespace01lxt1.jpg

he loves it.

[phil_ur_friend]

... inaccuracy of the method ...
Is this the opinion of your professor only, or is this standard curriculum?

...Some thoughts or memories aren't able to be retrieved when concious and can sometimes be retrieved when Hypnotised. However, the information spoken by the person is almost always inaccurate.

It is a curious idea to me that a persons brain would come up with imformation that is inaccurate...

I believe that the human brain is the most perfect and complete computer/recorder ever made (by God).

When tapping into a superiorly made module such as the human brain, with an inferior (manmade) method such as hypnosis- the subconscience is not cancelled out (IMPO). :D

Something would have to be very wrong if facts or an event were recorded once, then, later came out less than identical to the original copy.

Phil, your friend

[phil_ur_friend]

This guy here...
http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/9062/officespace01lxt1.jpg

he loves it.

"Peter Hi Yeah, I'm gonna need you to come in ...SSSundaaay too, MMMkay? Yeah."
:D

Phil, your friend

[Pouye]

One must not forget the different types of hypnosis. There are several ways that the mind can be altered (not counting drugs, sleep deprivation, trauma, and such things like that). One is through the power of suggestion, which usually through an individual who is very "charismatic" or mentally self-assured. Certain people have the ability to strongly persuade others, usually starting out by building a reputation of having some special gift or powers. For instance, if you meet someone who you have heard has the power to simply touch a person and make them fall unconscious, or has the power to hypnotize, etc. your will actually lowers its guard out of curiosity. There are strong-willed and weaker-willed individuals. Those who know this can often manipulate a weak-willed individual through various "waking hypnosis" techniques (Google "waking hypnosis"). This is not a slam on women, but just a fact: usually men are able to manipulate women in this way easier than vice-versa (see Biblical support for this in 2 Timothy 3:6-).

In both waking hypnosis and relaxed-state hypnosis, there is a willingness by the subject to concede their will (to varying degree) and to allow the process to occur. My personal opinion is that if done correctly by a good-willed person who understands what the purpose of what the hypnotic state is for, it is probably safe. Self-hypnosis is also probably safe if done correctly. However, there is also a danger of entering trance-like states for spiritual reasons. Demonic beings also work on the principal of dominating the will. That is why the Bible says to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength.

People actually have a bent to submit their wills to others. This is part of what makes us social beings. To concede our will to another (to varying degrees) is something we must all do at times for harmony to occur. People who tend to "idolize" other people have weaker wills (meaning they are more easily controlled by others) than people who do not. People in positions of authority can have great influence on the wills of people, even to the point of convincing them to do the most heinous acts. I remember hearing an interview with one of Hitler's right-hand men. He said that it was amazing how convincing he was and how much passion he had. The way he described it was he was irresistible.

The "great" Anton Mesmer used the power of waking hypnosis to do (supposed) healing and believed that people who understood the power of "animal magnetism" (as he called it) could do miracles through this power that supposedly flowed from the mind of the person and out of the fingers, etc.

So much like many other things, I don't believe one should draw black and white conclusions about this subject. Is fire good or bad? How about water? How about forms of expression (music, art, images, sculptures, etc.)?

Some people enter hypnotic trances for the purpose of uniting with an ancient spirit. Some people use self-hypnosis sometimes to relax and gain stress relief so they can sleep. I would personally be extremely cautious about allowing another to control or manipulate me (my mind) willingly, or conceding my will (to any great degree) to another.

I've also heard that people who do not panic easily and who are not sucked into riot behavior (can keep their head in a riot situation when everyone is going crazy) are stronger willed than those who easily panic and find themselves out of control in a situation where others are out of control (such as at a concert, etc.). Those who actually practice "losing control" are more easily manipulated by those who never find themselves out of control.

Rock

[phil_ur_friend]

While dreaming, (we) often encounter situations that (we) encounter in real life...

Point being, if I am disinclined to do something in a dream (not knowing I'm dreaming); I by the same process as being dissuaded in the dream, will be directed by my sub conscience (Moral Compass) to not engage in anything I have already decided against in my heart.

I think that in all things, the bottom line is Decision.Only Pre-approved action takes place.

Someone will not do something unless they decide to, (Save spontaneous reaction) i.e.- Grab a Navy Seal by the neck from behind and see what happens. :D

Phil, your friend

[kiwisongbird]

It could be one of those things that can be used for good or bad... without too much, well without any detail I'll give you an example of for bad...when I was little an adult used to hypnotise me and then do bad things to me - guess that's an example of it being used for bad and also perhaps a reason I don't like hypnotism...

[Les_Is_More]

Is this the opinion of your professor only, or is this standard curriculum?

It is a curious idea to me that a persons brain would come up with imformation that is inaccurate...

From what I understand, it has some medical applications(stress as JL pointed out), but it has been used in the past to retrieve information in crime cases for example. The circumstances or facts of the case have a placebo type effect on the witness, and the information is often skewed. Retrieving such information has now been considered by many scientists as inaccurate. As I said before, under hypnosis, it has been shown that memories can be implanted or altered.

There are several processes that have inaccurate/meaningless information, but are important in other functions. For example, there are several stages of sleep(REM and NonREM, which can be broken down further). NonREM sleep, or "deep sleep," functions in cellular repair. REM sleep is when you are dreaming. How often have you had a dream that made absolutely no sense what so ever? Often dreams are concerning something that either happened to you that day or that's on your mind. However, they appear to be jumbled and don't make a whole-lot of sense. This jumbled mess functions in memory formation. Therefore, while things may not make sense to us, there may still be a deeper function/purpose. Sorry for sidetracking...

[VerbumReale]

This guy here...
http://img353.imageshack.us/img353/9062/officespace01lxt1.jpg

he loves it.

"I would guess on any given day I do a grand total of about 15 minutes worth of work."

[Aussie3rddayfan]

I am certainly no expert but it is my understanding that hypnosis can be used by psychiatrists to help mental health patients with surpressed memories. If that's true then it certainly has some very beneficial applications. Of course, like anything, hypnosis is something that could easily be abused.

[phil_ur_friend]

I know people that won't even talk about it, thinking that they are entertaining "The Dark Side".

I know these people to be Christians...

Are they correct, or, ignorant/afraid?

Phil, your friend

[Pouye]

I know people that won't even talk about it, thinking that they are entertaining "The Dark Side".

I know these people to be Christians...

Are they correct, or, ignorant/afraid?

Phil, your friend

That's because of goobers like this:

http://www.briandavidphillips.co m/

(not trying to give this guy traffic to his site, but this is just an example).

Rock

[Aussie3rddayfan]

I know people that won't even talk about it, thinking that they are entertaining "The Dark Side".

I know these people to be Christians...

Are they correct, or, ignorant/afraid?

Phil, your friend

Lots of things can be turned to evil purposes. That's because mankind is sinful. Hypnosis, in itself, is, as I have already said, a legitimate technique used by psychiatrists to help people.

That's because of goobers like this:

http://www.briandavidphillips.co m/

(not trying to give this guy traffic to his site, but this is just an example).

Rock

That bloke looks like Peter Jackson. Maybe he's trying to make a bit of extra cash in his spare time. :rolleyes: