The Gift, The Invention

The Hypnotherapy Invention and evolution of beliefs surrounding hypnosis and hypnotherapy have been documented throughout history, from the earliest accounts to modern times. There is a rich and illustrious history behind the sacred art of hypnosis, as fascinating as the profound way in which it can transform your life. Have you ever wondered who invented Hypnotherapy? And where did Hypnotherapy originate? Keep reading, and I will impart some of my knowledge to you.

Earliest Accounts of Hypnosis in Our History

Some of the earliest hypnosis references are found in the ancient religious centres of Egypt and Greece where people sought guidance. Then, hypnosis induced dreams which, when analysed, uncovered the root cause of their problems. Early works contain several references to hypnosis and trance. Wong Tai, the pioneer of Chinese medicine, wrote about practices using incantations and hand movements around 2600 BC. Hypnotic practices are mentioned in the Hindu Vedas written approximately 1500 BC. Many yogic, shamanic, voodoo, druidic, and religious rituals include references to therapeutic trance-like experiences.

References to hypnosis therapy can even be traced back to a number of Hebrew and Christian texts. For example, Genesis 2:21 states, “Jehovah placed Adam into a deep slumber and removed a rib.” Hypnosis was also utilised in many of Christ’s miracles.

The Evolution of the Modern School of Thought

Austrian physician Franz Anton Mesmer pioneered a therapeutic system om 1755 known as mesmerism. Mesmerism proposes that the gravitational pull of the planets influenced human health by altering an unseen fluid found in our bodies and elsewhere throughout nature. Mesmer believed in his ability to store ‘animal magnetism’ in iron filings baths and transfer it to his patients’ using rods or ‘mesmeric passes.’ Mesmer would hold his patients still while sweeping his arms over their bodies, sometimes for hours.

Although it is often seen as having a single continuous history, the word ‘hypnosis’ was first coined in France in the 1880s, about twenty years after the death of Scottish surgeon and natural philosopher James Braid, who had established the term hypnotism in 1841.

Curiosity and Chance to Lead a New Way of Thinking

James Braid became interested in mesmerism by chance. When he was late for an appointment one day, he discovered his waiting patient looking into a lamp, his eyes glassy. Fascinated, Braid instructed him to close his eyes and sleep, which the patient did! He observed that an essential aspect of placing a patient into a trance was getting them to focus on something. A popular object of focus in the early days was a swinging watch, which is now widely associated with hypnosis.

Braid advocated that the phenomena be renamed hypnotism after discovering that obtaining the state of hypnosis could be achieved without the mesmeric passes.

A Global Input Towards Hypnotism as We Know It

Meanwhile, in India, a British surgeon named James Esdaile (1808 – 1859) recognised the significant advantages of hypnosis for pain alleviation and conducted hundreds of important procedures using hypnosis as his only anaesthetic.

Frenchman, Emile Coué’s (1857 – 1926) work was also highly intriguing. He deviated from traditional methods and pioneered autosuggestion and affirmation. His philosophy was that he enabled people’s self-healing rather than curing them. He recognised the significance of the patient’s participation in hypnotherapy invention.

Coué remains a predecessor of present practitioners who assert that hypnosis doesn’t result in a loss of control. Instead, it facilitates a state of enhanced wisdom and understanding, where the patient is ultimately in control and aware but now more receptive to change.

Hypnotherapy Today

There are many schools of thought throughout history regarding hypnotherapy invention. But through its evolution, it’s become a tool of undeniable healing for many, transforming countless lives for the better. Like all of the practitioners who stood before me, I chose the path of hypnotherapy out of a deep compassion for people. Like many before me, I believe in the human spirit and its adaptability, resilience, and capacity to experience life to the fullest.

Now that your desire to know who invented hypnotherapy and ‘’where did hypnotherapy originate’’, are you ready to learn more about how the ancient art of hypnosis can transform your life? Get in touch today!