THE CHURCH AND HYPNOSIS
How do we answer people insisting hypnosis is the devil’s work?
On more than one occasion, funeral directors have commented how families appear to be in a trance during my Celebration of Life services, devoid of the coughing and shuffling evident during the contributions of the tribute speakers.
Do I purposely hypnotize them? Do any clergy purposely hypnotize their congregation? Ironically enough, the fire and brimstone fundamentalist ministers warning charismatically about the evils of the world (including the new age philosophy of spirituality vs. religiosity) are using mesmerism every time they step to the pulpit, even as they’re condemning the practice of altered state.
And what is altered state? Numerous scientific studies have scientifically demonstrated that the state of mind reached in deep prayer and deep meditation parallels that of the alpha and theta states to which we guide clients.
Like NLP, which has been around since the very first salesman, focussed attention is a skill all parents, teachers and public speakers use, whether consciously or unconsciously.
Now, what you do with it is the difference. If you use it to your own personal or selfish advantage, traditional religion considers it a sin. If however you’re using it to help others, it is encouraged.
THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Nearly 700 years ago, Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 1274), when addressing “the loss of reason” (an expression used before the psychology of hypnosis was as well understood as it is today) brought on by mesmerism, specifically stated that the loss of reason is not a sin in itself if done for a just cause - clearing the way for the medical practice of the art.
Despite various writings by some saying the Catholic Church “banned” hypnosis, the Church has never condemned the practice of hypnosis. Instead, reinforcing St. Thomas’ statement, a decree of the sacred Congregation of the Holy Office on July 28, 1847 stated in part that the use of animal magnetism (the earliest form of hypnosis) is merely “an act making use of physical media that are otherwise licit and hence it is not morally forbidden, provided that it does not tend toward an illicit end or toward anything depraved.”
In other words, we are encouraged by traditional religion to become wealthy, spiritually as well as financially, but if you lose your soul along the way while acquiring that wealth, you go against karma, and it has been my personal experience that karma always but always revisits.
More recently, Pope Pius XII (1876 - 1958) who is credited as giving the official nod to hypnosis from the Catholic Church, stated in comments before an audience of obstetricians and gynaecologists on January 8th, 1956 that he believed the judgment of the morality of hypnosis would ultimately be based on sound medical opinion, again ok’ing its use for healing.
IN ISLAM
Unfortunately, hypnosis is haram (forbidden) according to the Sharai of Islam, so it isn’t acceptable in a holistic manner by people in countries predominantly Moslem.
Similarly, the Sharai declares that Muslims with mental illness may interpret those symptoms as a curse or punishment from God, and regard seeking psychiatric services as showing spiritual weakness.
However, Islam does puts great emphasis on the preservation of intellect, and clearly demarcates between competency and incompetency.
REINCARNATION BELIEFS
Belief in reincarnation is found in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
WHAT IS CURRENT MEDICAL OPINION?
A fair number of hypnosis practitioners make the mistake on their websites indicating that hypnosis was approved by the American Medical Association as a legitimate therapy for medical or psychological purposes in 1958. It was, but only for use by their own Members.
Subsequently though, in a 1987 review, for political reasons, the AMA rescinded almost all the policies it had endorsed from 1891 to 1958, including its 1958 report on hypnosis.
However, that 1958 AMA report had long been considered a landmark contribution with many of its observations remaining relevant and persuasive today.
For example, the 1958 report stated that "the use of hypnosis had a recognized place in the medical armamentarium and is a useful technique in the treatment of certain illnesses when employed by qualified medical and dental personnel."
Further, it said that health care professionals "might find hypnosis valuable as a therapeutic adjunct within the specific field of their professional competence" and urged providers to utilise hypnosis for purposes related to their particular specialties and within the range of their competence.
That key phrase is also contained within NGH’s professional standards - to only practice within the boundaries of your training.
Currently, the American Psychological Association (APA) and American Medical Association (AMA) have recognised hypnotherapy as a valid procedure since 1958, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recommended it as a treatment for chronic pain since 1995.
- IN COMPARISON -
COMPONENTS OF A CHURCH SERVICE
What are the components of hypnosis? Induction (invocation). Deepening (imagination). Suggestion (prayerful expectation). Returning to full awareness feeling absolutely wonderful in every way.
During a service, we speak with a certain lilt intended to calm and reassure. We repeat some phrases (compounding) and express them from different viewpoints (reframing). We talk of finding peace within by opening our awareness (prayer), ask for intercessions (positive expectations), confess our weaknesses (self-forgiveness) and give thanks.
Here’s an example of a closing affirmation I compound in almost every hypnotic session (shamelessly plagiarized from NGH VP Don Mottin) ...
“There is no person, thought, idea, memory, image, feeling or sensation out of the past, in the present, or ever to arrive in the future that could change you from feeling inwardly happy, peaceful and fulfilled.”
Similarly, here’s a religiously neutral prayer we offer that can be customised to any particular faith group ...
“Loving and gracious Creator, we give thanks for the gift of this day and its promise and potential. We ask that we walk in Love and see the wonder and beauty of the world around us. We ask that your holy angels surround us to protect us, guide us and inspire us as we move through the day. We call on angels of healing to assist those in need. We call on angels of love to go forth and bring assurance to those who are searching, nourishment for those who are hungry, peace for those who are anxious and afraid, and a transformation of heart and mind for those who are angry, greedy, profit-driven, or misusing power in any way. Let Love be the force that motivates all action and understanding this day. Thank you that you hear the intentions of our hearts. In the name of Love we look forward to a day of blessing and joy. Amen.”
Now I wonder, where is the devil’s work in this?
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Article Researched/Written by Rev. Timothy Jones, OB,
and Published in NGH’s JOURNAL OF HYPNOTISM
in CSIG’s “DEEPENINGS” column
(Updated 2024)
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