Origin of Hypnosis

Origin of hypnosis dates back to the time when man started interacting as a
social creature and realized the benefits that can be reaped from
influencing other people’s beliefs and actions in their favour .
History of all major cultures around the globe is dotted with
anecdotes of the use of hypnosis in one way or other, though it
was not recognized or acknowledged as such till the beginning of
the last century.

The incessant chant of “Om” and other mantras during the Vedic
period of the Hindus (still practiced all over India) produced
hypnotic trance in the devotees. The witch doctors of the middle
ages and the mass faith healing sessions of the religious sects
and the miracle healing communes of the so called ‘God men’
mistook the hypnotic trance produced in the suggestible, receptive
devotees as a sign of the ultimate spiritual attainment. It is
also no secret that many of these religious rituals utilized
herbal psychotropic drugs to enhance the psychedelic experiences
of the devout.

Charismatic political leaders of the modern era often put their
listeners into a hypnotic trance through their forcible oratory
skills. Personalities like Hitler and Saddam had skillfully
manipulated the resulting highly suggestive and receptive state of
their followers to further advance their political and genocidal
agenda.