| Did hypnosis exist in ancient times? How did | | | | medical text. Ebers Papyrus preserves the most |
| people use hypnosis in their life? Below I will show | | | | voluminous record of ancient Egyptian medicine. |
| you how hypnosis existed in the early ages of | | | | The Ancient Egyptians had their Temples of Sleep |
| civilization. | | | | and the Greeks their Shrines of Healing. Sleep |
| In ancient times, hypnosis was used for healing | | | | temples were hospitals of sorts, healing a variety |
| purposes, especially in religious ceremonies. The | | | | of ailments. Treatment involved chanting, dancing, |
| earliest evidence of its existence was shamans. | | | | placing the patient into a hypnotic state and |
| Shaman paid special attention to the concentration | | | | analyzing their dreams in order to determine |
| before healing. He avoided the use of any | | | | treatment. |
| chemicals or alcoholic substances in the first 24 | | | | Hypnotic-like inductions were used to place the |
| hours of the process. Because he needed a | | | | individual in a sleep-like state, although it is now |
| strong concentration, so he avoided anything | | | | accepted that hypnosis is different from sleep. |
| distracting. | | | | The elements of hypnosis are also seen in Persian |
| During the process, shaman made himself as | | | | Magi, Celtic Druids, Chinese teachers of religion, |
| comfortable as possible, which allowed | | | | Hindu Fakirs and African Witch Doctors. |
| shaman’s subconscious mind to become | | | | Avicenna (980-1037), a Persian psychologist and |
| strongly focused. Then he started the journey for | | | | physician, was the earliest to make a distinction |
| healing. In this process, shaman was in a powerful | | | | between sleep and hypnosis. In “The Book of |
| process of visualization and suggestion during | | | | Healing”, which he published in 1027, he |
| which he willed the sick person to be healed. | | | | referred to hypnosis in Arabic as al-Wahm al-Amil, |
| Group Hypnosis began with ancient civilizations. | | | | stating that one could create conditions in another |
| Many group rituals, such as mass chanting and | | | | person so that he/she accepts the reality of |
| meditation to a steady drum beat were parts of | | | | hypnosis. |
| religious ceremonies. There was healing of the | | | | This is an ancient history of hypnosis and how |
| mind before any medical practice. | | | | people used it. Learning ancient hypnosis history |
| Hypnosis has been a part of ancient cultures in | | | | helps to understand the modern hypnosis better |
| places such as Egypt. The earliest written records | | | | and improve it this way. |
| can be found in Ebers Papyrus - an Egyptian | | | | |