Comments on: Hitting the Mental Bong http://www.slolane.org/2006/08/31/hitting-the-mental-bong/ Blog of central CA coast twin mom Wed, 15 Oct 2008 20:56:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Angela http://www.slolane.org/2006/08/31/hitting-the-mental-bong/#comment-650 Angela Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:43:55 +0000 http://builtbymom.com/slolane/?p=233#comment-650 First of all, so far as I understand it, you can only be hypnotized if you are WILLING. Yes, we've all heard about brainwashing and various accounts of mind-control, but those use drastically different methods (usually fear, threats, violence, or all three). Even those cases where a guy comes to a high school and makes kids in the gym think they're chickens, those kids were willing. (They usually warn people that if they don't like the slight possibility they might stand up and start clucking, they should leave the gym or whatever before he starts the process). Secondly, hypnosis is simply a trance. It's no different than what Native Americans have been doing--voluntarily I might add--for thousands of years. And you know what else? It's kind of fun. Another point to consider: if it were really possible for hynpotists to completely cross moral boundaries, then they would be the most sought-after people in the country, because they could hypnotize all the murderers and rapists in jail into becoming Ward Cleavers. Obviously, it doesn't work that way. It can't make a bad person good any more than it can make a good person bad. And finally, I look at hiring a hypnotist somewhat like hiring a locksmith. Everyone knows locksmiths COULD make a copy of your car or house keys, or break into pretty much any place they wanted to. But they don't. You need to be smart and select someone who is certified, but when it comes right down to it...at some point you just have to trust. First of all, so far as I understand it, you can only be hypnotized if you are WILLING. Yes, we’ve all heard about brainwashing and various accounts of mind-control, but those use drastically different methods (usually fear, threats, violence, or all three). Even those cases where a guy comes to a high school and makes kids in the gym think they’re chickens, those kids were willing. (They usually warn people that if they don’t like the slight possibility they might stand up and start clucking, they should leave the gym or whatever before he starts the process). Secondly, hypnosis is simply a trance. It’s no different than what Native Americans have been doing–voluntarily I might add–for thousands of years. And you know what else? It’s kind of fun.

Another point to consider: if it were really possible for hynpotists to completely cross moral boundaries, then they would be the most sought-after people in the country, because they could hypnotize all the murderers and rapists in jail into becoming Ward Cleavers. Obviously, it doesn’t work that way. It can’t make a bad person good any more than it can make a good person bad.

And finally, I look at hiring a hypnotist somewhat like hiring a locksmith. Everyone knows locksmiths COULD make a copy of your car or house keys, or break into pretty much any place they wanted to. But they don’t.

You need to be smart and select someone who is certified, but when it comes right down to it…at some point you just have to trust.

]]> By: Roy Belmont http://www.slolane.org/2006/08/31/hitting-the-mental-bong/#comment-649 Roy Belmont Mon, 11 Sep 2006 01:37:41 +0000 http://builtbymom.com/slolane/?p=233#comment-649 Just a tangent, and I'm glad hypnosis works for you, but there's some preconceptions-within-preconceptions there that I'm not too sure about. Hypnosis is "... not the kind of thing where you can be turned into a zombie or a murderer. It can't make you cross moral boundaries..." But it clearly can make you think you're a chicken, or that your back has a steel rod in it, or that you're alone in your garage when you're acually onstage in front of 300 people. So the possibility exists that you can be hypnotized into thinking where you are or what you're doing are not violating your moral codes, even though they are. And here's the real problem: The only way to prove that isn't true is to try it on enough subjects, in a controlled scientific process of experiment. So where was that done? Otherwise, if it wasn't done by controlled scientific experiment, how do they know? Is it because everytime some freelancer's tried to hypnotize someone into doing something against their personal moral code, it hasn't worked? And someone somewhere's keeping track of all those attempts? I think hypnosis is great as therapy in the hands of skilled responsible people, but I think there's a smokescreen around the unethical use of hypnosis that masks a lot of darkness. Thanks for listening. I stumbled in here from a flickr/SanLuis search. I live there. Here. In San Luis. cheers Just a tangent, and I’m glad hypnosis works for you, but there’s some preconceptions-within-preconceptions there that I’m not too sure about.
Hypnosis is “… not the kind of thing where you can be turned into a zombie or a murderer. It can’t make you cross moral boundaries…”
But it clearly can make you think you’re a chicken, or that your back has a steel rod in it, or that you’re alone in your garage when you’re acually onstage in front of 300 people.
So the possibility exists that you can be hypnotized into thinking where you are or what you’re doing are not violating your moral codes, even though they are.
And here’s the real problem:
The only way to prove that isn’t true is to try it on enough subjects, in a controlled scientific process of experiment.
So where was that done?
Otherwise, if it wasn’t done by controlled scientific experiment, how do they know?
Is it because everytime some freelancer’s tried to hypnotize someone into doing something against their personal moral code, it hasn’t worked?
And someone somewhere’s keeping track of all those attempts?
I think hypnosis is great as therapy in the hands of skilled responsible people, but I think there’s a smokescreen around the unethical use of hypnosis that masks a lot of darkness.
Thanks for listening.
I stumbled in here from a flickr/SanLuis search.
I live there. Here. In San Luis.

cheers

]]> By: Angela http://www.slolane.org/2006/08/31/hitting-the-mental-bong/#comment-648 Angela Sat, 02 Sep 2006 15:47:46 +0000 http://builtbymom.com/slolane/?p=233#comment-648 Lyndon: I think all of your techniques are right on. I have mostly eliminated caffiene (per the IC diet), but some is slowly starting to creep back in to my rituals, which may not be a good thing. As for the computer time, you are completely right. I know if I just turned it off after the girls went to bed, and read books instead, I'd probably cut my problems in half. Unfortunately it's really my only guaranteed window for computer time. I'm installing a wireless router in hopes that I can shift some of the nighttime work into the morning or afternoon via my laptop, if possible. Moe: look for an email! Lyndon: I think all of your techniques are right on. I have mostly eliminated caffiene (per the IC diet), but some is slowly starting to creep back in to my rituals, which may not be a good thing. As for the computer time, you are completely right. I know if I just turned it off after the girls went to bed, and read books instead, I’d probably cut my problems in half. Unfortunately it’s really my only guaranteed window for computer time. I’m installing a wireless router in hopes that I can shift some of the nighttime work into the morning or afternoon via my laptop, if possible.

Moe: look for an email!

]]> By: moe http://www.slolane.org/2006/08/31/hitting-the-mental-bong/#comment-647 moe Sat, 02 Sep 2006 10:47:18 +0000 http://builtbymom.com/slolane/?p=233#comment-647 Won't you email me the name of the dude you're seeing? I saw one for a long time years ago. Did good things for me and philosophy and treatment plan sounds the same. Dying of curiosity. Won’t you email me the name of the dude you’re seeing?

I saw one for a long time years ago. Did good things for me and philosophy and treatment plan sounds the same.

Dying of curiosity.

]]> By: Lyndon Antcliff http://www.slolane.org/2006/08/31/hitting-the-mental-bong/#comment-646 Lyndon Antcliff Fri, 01 Sep 2006 06:32:57 +0000 http://builtbymom.com/slolane/?p=233#comment-646 I find what you have said has resonated with my own life, although not as acute. I would find it impossible to sleep at the proper time, I would get bad heartburn. What I found was missing from my life was the perfect moments, micro meditations. I just wrote about it on my blog, rubbersole.info. Check it out you may get something from it, I hope you do. I have also made a rule where the computer is banned two hours before going to bed and instead read one of those old fashioned things people used in the olden days, what were they called? Oh yes, books> I changed my diet also, caffeine and refined sugar werre out. I also excercised, even if it just ment pushing the buggy twice as fast, hehe. Valerian tea can be very relaxing, I drank it after experiencing months of anxiety over my younger brother dying. It has a real kick to it, a natural valium. I am thinking of visiting a hypnotist for ADD, but am a bit wary. Thanks for sharing. I hope things have improved. I find what you have said has resonated with my own life, although not as acute. I would find it impossible to sleep at the proper time, I would get bad heartburn.

What I found was missing from my life was the perfect moments, micro meditations. I just wrote about it on my blog, rubbersole.info. Check it out you may get something from it, I hope you do.

I have also made a rule where the computer is banned two hours before going to bed and instead read one of those old fashioned things people used in the olden days, what were they called? Oh yes, books>

I changed my diet also, caffeine and refined sugar werre out. I also excercised, even if it just ment pushing the buggy twice as fast, hehe.

Valerian tea can be very relaxing, I drank it after experiencing months of anxiety over my younger brother dying. It has a real kick to it, a natural valium.

I am thinking of visiting a hypnotist for ADD, but am a bit wary.

Thanks for sharing. I hope things have improved.

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