I visited the hypnotist two weeks ago. I tried to follow her recommendations. Twice a day, I attempt to “zone out” for a
minute. During this time, in accordance
with her instructions, I observe all visual stimuli, all noises, and all
sensations while focusing on none. I listened
to the CD for “Anxiety Release” given to me by the hypnotist. The CD is a form of guided hypnosis and is
very similar in content to the hypnosis session I described in last week’s
blog. As a result of these exercises, I
do have periods of increased relaxation and contemplation. Hypnotized?
I am not sure. During my hypnosis
session, the hypnotist suggested I would assume a state of deep relaxation
triggered by closing my book each night. This trigger has been quite effective. In fact, I am wary of reading my book during
the day for fear I will be overcome with a desire to sleep when I close the
book. Fortunately, the majority of my
reading during daylight hours is on the computer, from magazines, and from
newspapers. I imagine myself reading a
chapter from my book at lunch time and then waking up several hours later to
find it is evening and I have skipped an afternoon of seeing patients. I doubt my boss or my patients would be
appreciative.
The whole concept of hypnosis has piqued my
interest. The idea of tapping into one’s
subconscious to affect change in one’s daily life is fascinating. I need to know more. I seek more information from my father-in
law, Dr. T.S. Kim, a retired psychiatrist.
T.S. is one of the kindest, gentlest, and wisest men I have
encountered. I don’t tell my wife, but
the real reason I married her was to have T.S. be my father-in-law. The one catch to seeking T.S.’s counsel is
that at 87 years old, he is very hard of hearing. Rather than struggle to comprehend
conversation, T.S. now favors recounting his prior experiences, particularly
his Korean War experiences - fascinating, but not my current topic of interest.
During our most recent visit to Hickory,
I pull up a chair next to T.S. and ask him to tell me about his use of hypnosis
when he practiced psychiatry. After a
few misunderstandings - first, thinking I had asked about the Carolina
Panthers, and then launching into a discussion of the conflict in the Ukraine -
I get him to address his views on hypnotism.
He says, “Yes, hypnotism can be very effective. I incorporated hypnotism into my practice in
certain circumstances with good results. I have a few books I can give you on the
subject.” Then, he began talking about
his youth in North Korea during the times of Japanese occupation. It appears this is all T.S. will be telling
me today about hypnotism. At the end of
our visit, T.S. gives me a couple of circa 1950 books on hypnotism.
On arriving home, I take a look at the books T.S. gave me. Hypnotism,
by G.H. Estabrooks, “one of American’s leading psychologists” according to the
book jacket, must have created quite a stir when it was published. Dr. Estabrooks contends people can be
hypnotized against their own will. His
book reviews hypnotic techniques and discusses the use of hypnosis, not only for
medical conditions, but also for its possible use to perpetuate crime and in
warfare. Imagine hypnotizing a legion of
soldiers to do your bidding without concern for their own wellbeing. Surely Vladamir Putin is using this trick on
his military. The second book, The Nature
of Hypnosis, takes a more Freudian approach. Its author, Dr. Paul Schilder, observes
“hypnosis is also rooted in sexuality.”
My favorite quote from Dr. Schilder’s work is, “hypnosis represents the
pleasure of surrender.” Here, I think
Dr. Schilder may have hit upon the truth.
One needs to surrender and put their skepticism aside to experience the
benefits of hypnosis. This has become my
goal. I strive to fully open my mind and
delve into my own subconscious. I want
to be hypnotized. I have made progress
in the past two weeks, but I have much further to go. I have experienced moments of serene calm
that I have rarely experienced before.
Unfortunately, these moments have been fleeting. In the coming weeks, I will attempt to lower
the barriers I have erected around my subconscious in an effort to realize the
full benefits of hypnotherapy.
Next week . . . my
return visit to the hypnotist.
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