HYPNOSIS AND THE PSYCHIC POWERS!
by
E.C. Krieger
That which follows is intended as an outline of two systems of training whereby, through hypnosis, practical everyday use may be made of psychical abilities. As with hypnosis, psychic phenomena have been much described and subjected to much experimentation. In my opinion, this experimentation has been meant to clarify the workings of the psychic abilities. Too little of it was planned to clarify use. The study of psychic phenomena reveals potentials. The study of hypnotic phenomena reveals methods, neither of them, alone, reveal understanding.
By psychic abilities I mean the application to ordinary affairs of a transcendent power that inheres in universal knowledge. The reality of universal knowledge may be inferred from mediumistic lore and the records of "spontaneous" paranormal phenomena: immunity to fire, psychic fasting, levitation, apports, teleportation, ectoplasm, "miraculous" healings, and the demonstration of para-normal knowledge (clairvoyance, etc.).
The data of hypnotic experiments reveals that there is operative a certain knowledge that knows how to do things that are, consciously, only rarely accomplished, This "know-how" is the penumbra of universal knowledge. Although disputed, as are accounts of psychic phenomena, it is demonstrable that such control as this is possible: the accentuation of the senses through suggestion, the control of physiological processes, the control of mental processes.
The phenomena of hypnosis, as well as the varying technique, are described so voluminously in literature that a resume would be redundant. The ordinary "talk sleep" routine is well known and widely practical, Reliable methods for self hypnosis are less well known. For this latter, the only literature I have been able to find are the books by Salter, preferably, and Hullander. Hull's work describes what the trance state as such is not. The anthology of contemporary Psychopathology includes some useful articles on the creation of artificial personalities, and tailor-made dreams, as well as others of general interest. These books are picked at random from personal preference. The Mesmer system is largely ignored by present-day workers, and is not put to use here. It does, however, seem to elicit responses only difficultly obtainable through hypnosis.
Two predominate methods for using hypnosis as a control for the psychic abilities are Mimicry and the Puritanical.
Of the two, Mimicry offers quicker returns and is especially adapted to amateur investigations. In Mimicry, use is made of the ability of a subject, led by appropriate suggestion, to literally identify himself as any other personality living or dead, and to exhibit the capabilities associated with that personality. Typically, the subject is identified as a well known actor. He is thoroughly indoctrinated with the actor's talents and characteristics through positive suggestion. That identification is linked to a key word which, through post-hypnotic control, becomes an automatic reflex in the waking state so that mere vocal or mental repetition will initiate the appearance of the artificial personality. With practice and careful instruction the talents are divorced from the acquired personality so that the talent alone may be exhibited.
Talents so acquired are not "stolen", all systems of education implant talents through tedious practice of words, scales and the like until the talent is an automatic reflex. Hypnosis implants a talent full grown. Mimicry is excellent for the acquisition of "mechanical" skills -- acting, playing instruments, etc. The creative skills -- composition in story, music, architecture - these are difficult to instill artificially. For that reason I prefer the Puritanical method which is far more prolonged and exacting but knows no limitations.
Another prime reason for favoring so exacting a procedure as the Puritanical is the unreliability of verbal descriptions of subjective phenomena. This is not meant to imply that all information psychically revealed is false, nor that a given phenomenon was not subjectively experienced, nor that physical happenings at a seance do not take place. Specifically, the psychic manipulation of the world as we normally know it does not seem to be compatible with ordinary laws of behavior as we normally know them. And the descriptive terminology applied to normal events seems particularly inept when applied to the subjective.
As an example: a clairvoyant has knowledge of an event not occurring in his immediate locale. In reporting this, he may state that he "saw" the occurrence. Two possibilities are: (a) the actual process of "seeing" may have no close parallel in physical terms so the words used are only symbolical, an approximation, (b) the vision centers of his brain may have been veridically hallucinated (hallucinations are readily suggestible in hypnosis) so that he did, literally, "see" the occurrence.
As a pre-requisite to the training, I consider it essential that operator and subject ,both accept without doubt the reality of universal knowledge as attested by psychic and hypnotic phenomena. Another, that an exceptionally close watch be kept of all words and phrases used as directives, so that nothing be used that is suggestive of or reflects a prior concept of the manner in which an asked-for result be obtained.
Referring to the example of the clairvoyant, psychically revealed knowledge and experience are personal and subjective. In the course of translation from "inner" experiences to "outer" symbols (words) the subsequent description becomes impregnated with the peculiar character traits of a personal identity that is the summation of the objective and subjective experiences of a lifetime. The basic facts are true, but the reportorial work has been "slanted", often to such a degree that the "truth" revealed is false.
Stipulating the character of the words and phrases not to be used will be helpful in achieving mutual agreement upon those to be used. This entails a literal pre-programming, the construction of a working script to which the training sessions should adhere. By doing so, the operator-subject partnership has the opportunity and should not fail to discuss practically every word suspected to be ambiguous in meaning or embodying a pre-formed concept. Included in this, of course, is the study of psychic and hypnotic phenomena, and the sifting of the descriptive terminology.
Obviously, positive susceptibility to suggestion is a prerequisite. This presupposes training and practice in the ordinary methods of eliciting the trance and the evoking of trance phenomena. Further, automatic, unquestioning response to post-hypnotic commands is highly desirable. For it is this unique trait which is the prime means for initiating in the waking state an ability acquired in trance.
After the response to post-hypnotic suggestion is inhibited, especially when the subject knows or suspects such an influence is operative. This inhibition may [11] appear as forthright refusal, an "I won't do it - you can't make me!" attitude which frequently degenerates into indecisive, "beat-around-the-bush" actions. Appropriate, self-evident corrective suggestions will largely negate this tendency.
A complication that may arise from the practice of passivity, the unquestioning response to post-hypnotic suggestion, is a tendency to extend that practice to become unusually sensitive to the ordinarily ineffective suggestions of everyday living. Careful instruction, in trance, designed to limit the primary commands, and to insure maintenance of personal identity should minimize this. Also it may be optimum for certain work to give self instructions in trance but desirable to present a normal aspect, this too may be accomplished by suggestions formulated to mark the trance characteristics with the wakeful.
Since indications point to the sympathetic, reciprocal influence of the physical and mental, an optimum start may be the establishment of permanent physical health. The following semi-specific instructions illustrate the manner in which this fundamental procedure is used.
As a resume, operator and subject, both practiced in hypnotic technique, have attained mutual unequivocal agreement on that which is desired. The objective is stated explicitly, the sense of each word and phrase understood. Both believe implicitly in the power granted by Universal Knowledge; they believe hypnosis to be a means of directing that power. They have prepared a working script.
First, the "build-up", the establishment, in trance, of the premise upon which all subsequent instructions are built. This to awaken a sense of the reality and possibility of that evidence of the data you and I accept as genuine (a recapitulation would be appropriate here). "You know that the pulse can be varied, the breathing rate changed. You know that the course of the blood may be directed, and the secretions of the glands altered. You know that profound changes may be caused to take place in tissues, bones, and organs of the body. From these accounts you know there is a power to which the change we desire (state it) is possible."
The build-up should be expended and repeated, both in trance and out. From the establishment of the reality of a capacity for bodily change, progress to the desirability of that change: give before and after pictures, "sell" him on it - what it means to him in everyday living, the greater vitality in ordinary work and play, the more solid foundation for pending mental accomplishments. Then make a transition to: "I am going to give instructions which will be accomplished by the power you and I know to be real. You know the desirability of the change, you know the benefits you will gain. Every part of your personality desires this change. You will yield to it willingly, gladly, you have full confidence in the results. You know that they will be accomplished". This, too, may be repeated varyingly.
The demand for the intervention of the Universal Knowledge may be best if held to impartiality of time, place, and manner of healing. The instruction should be given feelingly, with confident, authoritative voice. Perhaps "I direct the power I know to be real to establish and maintain in this man a body perfect in form and function. Guide him in his daily living, his eating, his sleeping, his work, his play. He wants always to be healthy, strong, invigorous. He will cooperate in every way."
Follow the healing command with constructive suggestions made directly to the subject. Stress in detail on the improvement in appearance. And, "when you are awake you will give no thought to the workings of your body. You know that all times you will be guided. Through this guidance you will know instinctively what is best to eat and drink. Past habits will not conflict. You will obey these instructive promptings without question."
Instructions for initiating clairvoyance and clair-audience are more difficult to formulate; those for limitation, the production of ectoplasm, apports, and teleportation are still more so - and in order of increasing danger of physical repercussions. The path of mimicry (identifying the subject as Eusapia Palladino, perhaps) may be an easier one to follow at first.
To consider the psychic abilities, clairvoyance for example; any of the senses may be hallucinated, individually or collectively. It is difficult to prove the non-existence of a hallucinated dog to a subject who sees one. Whatever the basic nature of an event, knowledge of it may be disseminated by the veridical hallucination of one or more senses.
In trance, establish the reality of clairvoyance, through a recounting of actual recorded experiences. Point out and emphasize the unimportance of time and space as we know them. Tell the subject that when he desires to have conscious knowledge of some other place, person or event he needs but state that desire to himself and the manner in which he is to know - "seeing", "hearing", etc. Give him a keyword, which would when repeated be true hallucination (the post-hypnotic factor). He should be instructed and trained to be an impartial observer at such times in order to avoid personal coloration of that which is presented.
These systems I believe sufficiently flexible to all freedom of personal adaptation. In either, for the unskilful, the un-careful, the un-thinking, the danger potential for mental and physical destruction is high. For the skilled, the careful, the thinking - - a different existence.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
"Contemporary Psychopathology",
Harvard Univ. Press, 1945
<http://amzn.to/1BLyndu>"Hypnosis and Suggestibility" - Clark L. Hull
D. Appleton & Century Co., 1933
<http://amzn.to/19Dji73>"Psychical & Supernormal Phenomenon" - Dr. Paul Joire
Frederick A. Stokes Co.
<https://archive.org/details/psychicalsuperno00joirrich>"What is Hypnosis" - Andrew Salter
Richard R. Smith Co. 1944
<http://amzn.to/1Dsr3sI>"Hypnotism" - George H. Esterbrooks
E.P. Dutton & Co. 1945
<http://amzn.to/19Dl1JL>"Methods and Uses of Hypnosis and Self-hypnosis"
by Bernard Hollander - MacMillan Co. 1928
<http://amzn.to/1yz3YP8>
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