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Pneumatology--the study of the spirit (human and divine), and the history of hypnosis
THE PERSONAL STORY OF WHY I DECIDED TO STUDY THE ART OF HYPNOSIS
Even as a high school student, long before I became a serious student of philosophy and psychology at university, beginning in 1947 (I was 17), I was fascinated by adds which I saw in comic books and even IN serious magazines about the amazing power of HYPNOTISM.
In comic books and magazines which I read--I remember one add was about MENTALPHYSICS-- advertisers offered to send anyone, willing to pay the price, a course which they promised would reveal to students the secret mental powers we are all supposed all have within us.
Back then, very few people took hypnotism seriously. Many considered it simply as a gimmick for use in plays and the movies. It was often used by stage magicians to attract people to the show. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stage_hypnosis#History
This reminds me that often the imagination of our artists precedes that of the knowledge uncovered by science and technology. Many serious inventions--for example, the airplane--started as toys. No wonder Einstein said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge."
By the way, my postgraduate studies, at Boston University, on THE HISTORY OF IDEAS (1954-1955) stimulated my imagination. In addition to theology, this led me to study the history of philosophy, psychology, of Mesmer, Braid, Coue, James, Freud, Jung, their contemporaries, hypnosis and the like.
This also led me to study the application of hypnosis to physical, mental and spiritual issues, including life-style issues, social issues, diet and all the addictions. I sought to understand the causes of pain and suffering, including my own, and--with the help of all involved in the healing arts--the best loving treatment to apply.
DETAILS OF THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY ARE PUBLISHED.
Written by me, they are in the anthology, "Extraordinary Experiences in Canada" (1989)--edited by John Robert Colombo.
Later, when my seven year old daughter developed a serious and life-threatening lung condition, it was with the help of a kindly and wise mentor, I learned how to apply what I now call pneumatherapy--hypnosis without the hocus pocus. He inspired me to use my imagination and to apply hypnotherapy to her condition. There was almost immediate success.
All this was with the approval of our family doctor and specialists he consulted. He admitted "medicine has no answer" to your daughter's condition. He also admitted that he knew nothing about hypnosis ... Well!!! What can I say? This prompted me to take action. It worked. She is now a healthy 54 year old and a brilliant artist who lives with her artist husband on their floating home and gardens. Do a search on Freedom Cove, floating homes, Tofino, BC, Canada. Catherine King and Wayne Adams.
[PLEASE: Feel free to remove any of the above which is contrary to the rules of this forum. I am retired and I charge no fees for any help that I give.]
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Graham Old on -
Henxy,
It's typically used in religious or philosophical circles. For example, Christian Theology uses the term Pneumatology to refer to the study of the Holy Spirit.
It appears that Lindsay is using it to refer to the human spirit, as well as the "divine".
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Permalink Reply by Henxy on -
Ahh. I'm surprised I've not heard it before. I was deeply indoctrinated as RC in my youth.
Every day's a school day!
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Permalink Reply by RevLindsay G. King on -
Henxy, you ask:
Where does the word come from? Air therapy?====================================Yes, there is a physical science called pneumatology. It has to do with the nature and function of air.But keep in mind that the Greeks were fond of speaking metaphorically. So are we.The following is offered in the spirit of teaching, not of preaching: Read what Jesus said to Nicodemus in John 3: 1-13, and to the Samaritan woman, in John 4:1-24. In Greek he actually says that GOD is pneuma, like air--the Greek for which is πνευμα (pneuma). The Latin translation is spiritus--from which we get our word, spirit. The Hebrew is RUACH, the Arabic is RUH--both refer to air, wind, breath.Interestingly, the ancients had no idea of the practical function of the lungs. They assumed that breath was a gift from the gods and that it went directly into the kardia, the heart--the seat of the soul, or spirit. Thus we get words like sweetheart, hard-hearted, brave-hearted, and the like. The ancient Egyptians mummified the heart, not the brains, which they threw away. Aristotle thought it was there simply as a lubricant.I think I was the first to introduce the words pneuma and pneumatology to Wikipedia.So, first of all check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneuma Now go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PneumatologyIn the 1960's, without knowing that the word was already in the Oxford Dictionary, World Book Dictionary and other major dictionaries, I coined the word as being complementary to psychology (one of my major studies)--as an add on, not contra to. I coined it to mean the "study of the human spirit"-- that part of the mind (psyche), which is truly human, self-aware, and enables us to think introspectively--our self aware of ourselves and our thoughts.Much of the psyche--a very useful and computer-like part of the brain--is unconscious. Here is where we get our word psychology. Some historians believe that it was the Reformer, Phillip Melanchton--who helped Martin Luther translate the Bible, from Greek and Hebrew, into German--was one of the first to use the words pneumatology and psychology.BTW, in my humble opinion: The hypnotic trance state is what happens--for better or for worse--when we, as pneuma or human beings, are willing to use our imaginations to communicate, effectively, to the very powerful psyche-part of our human nature.The Greek for trance (used in the King James Bible) is ecstasia (See Acts 10:10; 11:05 and 22:17). From it we get our English word ecstasy--the ability to stand beside, or outside, our physical bodies.Some modern translations of the book of Acts avoid the word trance--too hocus pocus. They translate ecstasia as: seeing a "vision". I like trance, which we get from the Latin. From it we also get entrance--going from here to there.
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Permalink Reply by RevLindsay G. King on
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Henxy said:
Ahh. I'm surprised I've not heard it before. I was deeply indoctrinated as RC in my youth.
Every day's a school day!
Henxy, I am sure you realize that religious leaders, like parents--whether they realize it or not--make use of the power of suggestion (hypnosis) all the time. It is important that all public speakers realize how responsible we are to do so wisely.
Fortunately, I majored in psychology and philosophy before I was ordained. Also, I have been a life-long student of it. When I began to preach and teach I told people who came to church and to the special programs: Of course, listen to everything that you hear with loving and an open-mind, but with a critical and questioning one. I am not here to tell you what to think, to indoctrinate you and your children, but to help you think for yourselves. Please do not leave your brains at home when you come to church.
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Permalink Reply by Kelley Woods on -
Delightful and insightful! And, I enjoyed watching your daughter's "house launch". We have an ecclectic collection of floating homes here in Seattle; it's a beautiful lifestyle.
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Permalink Reply by Graham Old on
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Lindsay,
Are you claiming to have coined the term 'pneumatology'?
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Permalink Reply by RevLindsay G. King on
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Graham Old said:
Lindsay,
Are you claiming to have coined the term 'pneumatology'?
No. What I said, above, was this:
"I think I was the first to introduce the words pneuma and pneumatology to Wikipedia."
So, first of all check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pneuma Now, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PneumatologyIn the 1960's, without knowing that the word was already in the Oxford Dictionary, World Book Dictionary and other major dictionaries, I coined the word as being complementary to psychology (one of my major
studies)--as an add on, not contra to.Then, I "coined' PNEUMATOLOGY to mean the "study of the human spirit"-- that part of the mind (psyche), which is truly human. Pneuma beings are self-aware and enabled us to think introspectively--that is, being self-aware of ourselves and of our thoughts. In my opinion, the dictionary-meaning of the word, at this point, is too narrow. It is too supernatural. my goal is to pay attention to that which is natural.Back to hypnosis--a word invented by James Braid in 1843: In the 1960's most people, especially the church-going ones, associated hypnosis with the dark side of human behaviour. The kind of hypnosis that came to their minds was the kind depicted in the movies. In the movies of the day, hypnotists were depicted as strong-willed masters who put weak-willed subjects under their power. Then they manipulated them to serve their will. The story of Svengali and Trilby comes to mind.Wikipedia tells us that, "Svengali is the name of a fictional character in George du Maurier's 1894 novel Trilby. A sensation in its day, the novel created a stereotype of the evil hypnotist that persists to this day. The character was portrayed in many silent film versions of the story, and in talking pictures by John Barrymore in a 1931 film of the same name."Names like Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff also come to mind. As do the names of stage hypnotists like Houdini and the modern stage-hypnotist, Peter Reveen (1935--), an Australian.In Toronto, in the early 1980's, I saw PR give an excellent display of the art of stage hypnosis. Amusingly, he had people from Mars speak to one another, in Martian. It was funny.Later, I also spoke to him through his wife, who managed the show. When I told them about my interest in the spiritual application of hypnotic technique as a force for the healing of body, mind and spirit--in a holistic and integrated way--they both responded, favourably. Here is the information about Reveen:Immediately, both saw what I had in mind.By the way, it was around that time that, to one of my colleagues--a rather shallow, dull-witted type--nevertheless, I loved the guy--who could have used some help with overcoming a severe addiction to cigarettes he had--I expressed my interest in the use of hypnosis as a healing force.I even saw it as an adjunct to total health.My friend never bothered to ask me to help him overcome his addiction. All he said was: "So you think of yourself the new Rasputin?"Sad to say: Not too long after that--and not long before he was old enough to enjoy a retirement--my colleague dropped dead. He had a severe stroke and a heart attack.Meanwhile, I wondered why!BTW, I find the following very interesting:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnosis#Precursors
In concluding this post: To avoid the hocus pocus connected with hypnosis--then banned by a law (Bill # 27) in Ontario--I started using 'pneumatolgy' as the name for what I was doing. It worked: Bill #27 was canceled. The field is now open.My one claim to fame--not that I crave it ... of course I do ... is this: I coined the word, pneumatherapy. That is, beginning with the self (the human spirit), let us, in the now, do what we can, to see to what extent we can help heal the mind and the body.
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Permalink Reply by Graham Old on
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Sorry, Lindsay, I missed the part below!
It wasn't an accusation, by the way. I was genuinely confused that I hadn't heard of you at Theology College.
RevLindsay G. King said:In the 1960's, without knowing that the word was already in the Oxford Dictionary, World Book Dictionary and other major dictionaries, I coined the word as being complementary to psychology (one of my major
studies)--as an add on, not contra to.
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Permalink Reply by RevLindsay G. King on
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Graham
Did you study theology? If so, where?
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Permalink Reply by Graham Old on
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Yes, I did - in a "former life" I was a Baptist Pastor.
I studied at Spurgeon's College, in London, England.
It's been particularly useful in my new role when I meet people nervous about the "dangers" of hypnosis.
RevLindsay G. King said:Graham
Did you study theology? If so, where?
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Permalink Reply by RevLindsay G. King on
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Graham Old said:
Yes, I did - in a "former life" I was a Baptist Pastor.
I studied at Spurgeon's College, in London, England.
It's been particularly useful in my new role when I meet people nervous about the "dangers" of hypnosis.
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Useful in your new role? Tell us more, I am curious.
BTW, Graham, I am the curious type. I think I was born (Jan. 14, 1930--a frosty Tuesday) asking questions. My first words were: What am I doing here? :)
Later, I found that I was on Bell Island-- www.bellisland.net --Newfoundland. Until 1966, BI then had several iron-ore mines. About 10,000 people lived there. Interestingly, because of the island's strategic industry, in 1942 (I was 12) I witnessed two attacks by enemy subs. Sixty-nine merchant seamen lost their lives. Not a pretty sight!
BTW, as one who respects the privacy of others, If I am being too curious, please just let me know.
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