CHAPTER V.

THE FACULTY OF IMAGINATION CONSIDERED AND EXPLAINEDILLUSTRATIONS OF VARIOUS HYPNOTIC PHENOMENA-THE SOUL FACULTY OF ELIMINATION-THE PHYSICAL SENSES OPERATE ONLY THROUGH THE SOUL-HYPNOTIC CONTROL IDENTICAL WITH SPIRIT Control.

NEARLY every person has seen something of hyp

notism, and all have observed that when persons are fully hypnotized they can be made to see, or perceive, almost anything the operator chooses to suggest. They can also be made to hear, smell, taste or feel things which apparently do not exist, or are not present.

It has been generally assumed that all such socalled "imaginary" experiences of persons under hypnotic influence are the effect of suggestion on the part of the operator. It has also sometimes been said that the hypnotized person cannot be made to perceive anything real which has not been previously seen or otherwise perceived by the operator. But this assumption is proved to be unfounded by many specific and perfectly demonstrated facts in hypnotic phenomena, and there are reasons for assuming that in deep hypnotic sleep the soul of the hypnotized person actually sees (perceives) all that is expressed through the physical senses or organs, and frequently much That such is the fact in many cases is demonstrated beyond question.

more.

The following report of experiments covering various phases of hypnotism has been furnished me by the gentleman who conducted them :

My first interest in the subject was induced by reading directions how to hypnotize in a newspaper. That evening at home it occurred to me to follow the directions and see if I could affect a member of my family. In a very, few moments I was surprised to find that I had my little boy under complete control. I made him see an orange tree grow up from the carpet and an orange ripen, and he was much pleased when I handed him a cracker telling him it was a luscious orange, and very much enjoyed eating it. Shortly afterward I followed the directions for bringing a person in hypnosis back to the normal consciousness, and succeeded perfectly. Afterward a party of eight was formed for the purpose of meeting at least twice a week to investigate hypnotism. In the course of our meetings we had many interesting and surprising experiences, some of which are as follows:

A person being hypnotized was told that upon coming out of the hypnotic state he would be unable to see one member of the company. The result proved that he could not see that person, and could clearly see anything held behind the person's back. We then had something held up behind the person which the subject could not see, the nature of which none of us knew, and in that instance the subject could not see the object. Apparently the subject saw with the eyes of the hypnotist.

Again the subject was told that upon coming out of the hypnotic state he would see a perfect likeness of himself on the wall, and upon his being brought to the normal condition the whole company were surprised to see how happy and pleased he looked while admiring his beautiful picture. This lasted but a moment, however, for when the hypnotist threw off the effect entirely he was very much disgusted, and could not believe that some one had not played a joke and secreted the picture.

In the course of our experiments we demonstrated that under ordinary conditions the subject would not remember anything that occurred while in hypnosis, unless the suggestion was made to that effect. It was suggested to a subject that an ordinary toilet soap box was a silver casket of precious jewels, and ¡hat it would appear to be such during an entire year. It did continue to co appear, and it became necessary to suggest to the subject that some one would steal the box if he did not refrain from showing it, and that he must not again show it to any one outside of our circle before the

end of the year.

The effect of the suggestion being for that length of time, it had been forgotten, and the hypnotist was very much amused just after the year had expired to learn that the subject, upon going to look at the beautiful casket, had found in its place an ordinary soap box, and was so very much incensed that he kicked it into a corner of the room. However, the hypnotist immediately controlled the subject again, and told him that the box would be just as it had always been the next time he looked at it, and would continue to be to him a beautiful casket for another year. The next time he looked at the box he found it to be just as valuable as it had ever been.

It was suggested to another subject that the hypnotist had completed a machine whereby they could go to the moon, and that they would make the trip. After it had been suggested that they were at the moon, and were hovering over a lake, the subject was told that the machine was out of order and they were rapidly falling into the lake, and in another moment that they were in the water. This threw the subject into just such a condition as a genuine fall into water would produce. A suggestion a moment later that they were on the shore induced the subject to take off his coat and wring out the water. He was then told that on account of the great heat of the moon the bath was really a source of great pleasure, and immediately became perfectly happy.

It was suggested at this time that there was a peculiar little man coming towards us, the operator having in his mind the picture of a brownie, and that he had a golden casket of precious stones, being minerals picked up on the moon, which he desired to give to the subject as a memento. This was received with great delight, and the suggestion was made that this belief would continue for the period of three months. This box was fully as genuine to the subject as the other had been, and as anything can be to any human being. The box was in fact one that had held a single cake of soap. The subject held it up to the glass and admired the beautiful stones as they were reflected. Later on we obtained possession of it without his knowledge and took a picture of it, which, of course, to the rest of the company, was a plain paste-board box. It was later placed where the subject could see it, and occasioned great surprise to him. He immediately recognized it as a picture of his golden casket of precious stones.

It being suggested to a subject that he could not hit an object, but that he must try, he would make desperate efforts to do so, but could not. Or, suggesting that water was wine, and that the subject had taken too much, he would immediately stagger and

act as though drunk. Suggesting again that the same was vinegar, that it would taste very strong and disagreeable to him but would make him sober, the result would be exactly as suggested.

Some of our circle were taking lessons in elocution and found it necessary to learn some poetic selections. This was a difficult matter to one of our hypnotic subjects, and we determined to try repeating over the selection to him and suggesting that he would remember it. This plan worked so well that the subject has never been able to forget that selection. The operator recited the piece to the subject, line by line, using appropriate tones and gestures. These were followed with great fidelity by the subject, and became part of his rendering of the piece thereafter.

We also demonstrated that while the hypnotist could induce a subject to do very ridiculous things, he could not make him do anything bad or wicked. Our experience was that when a suggestion was made to a subject that was entirely contrary to his ideas of right when in his normal state, it would have the effect of immediately bringing him out of the hypnotic condition.

By these experiments several facts of importance in the study of hypnotic and psychic phenomena are demonstrated.

First, that the soul consciousness of a person in hypnosis induced by a second person, can bring to its own perception whatever may be suggested by the will power to which the physical consciousness has surrendered. Thus, the boy saw the orange tree grow and the orange ripen, and accepted the cracker as an orange.

Second, that in obedience to a suggestion, the perception of persons or objects actually present can be eliminated from the consciousness of the hypnotized person, who is able to see objects hidden from the physical sight by the body or other object so removed from his consciousness.

Third, it is shown that a subject in hypnosis, receiving a suggestion to regard an object as some

thing it is not, or to see something that has no ma'terial existence within the range of physical perception, will or may do so after physical consciousness is restored.

Fourth, it is shown that unless a suggestion to remember is made, the subject will ordinarily have no knowledge of what happens while in hypnosis, after restoration of the physical consciousness. Also that a suggestion given to continue for a specified time will be obeyed; and that for an entire year, a subject, while in physical consciousness, considered an object something different from what it really was; and further, that at the end of the time specified the subject ceased to so regard the object.

Fifth, that a subject can be taken on an imaginary trip to another place, and while there in his own. consciousness, he will see and experience anything suggested by the operator.

Sixth, that suggestion while in hypnosis can be used as an aid to memory, and that a selection so learned will be perfectly remembered in the physical consciousness, if a suggestion to that effect is made.

Seventh, that a subject of honest and virtuous character can not be made to do anything bad or wicked while in hypnosis, suggestions to that effect resulting in bringing him back to physical consciousness.

The most important attribute of the soul after that of the independent perception of physical facts, is its ability to realize to its own consciousness whatever it desires, or whatever may be suggested by another individuality to the will of which it has tem