Psychedelic Experiences Associated with a Novel Hypnotic Procedure, Mutual Hypnosis

Abstract

One of the most intriguing aspects of hypnosis has been its ability to produce, ia the best Ss, very unusual subjective experiences. In the past decade these phenomena have been largely overlooked, as the emphasis in hypnosis research has been on the development of objective measures of suggestibility (Shor & Orne, 1962; Weitzenhoffer & Hilgard, 1959; 1962; 1963), the nature of hypnotic suggestibility (Hilgard & Tart , 1966), and ' psychological factors affecting responses to hypnotic suggestion (Hilgard, 1965). In comparing the reports of some of the older hypnotic phenomena, usually termed deep trance phenomena, I was struck by their resemblance to many of the experiences now being reported in conjunction with the use of psychedelic drugs. This resemblance suggested tha t the combination of hypnotic techniques and psychedelic drugs might be very fruitful. I n the past few years several articles have reported on psychedelic-like experiences occurring with hypnosis (Aaronson, 1964; 1965a; 196513; 1 9 6 5 ~ ; 1966d; Erick: son, 1966; Fogel & Hoffer, 1962b; 1963) and on the use of hypnosis to control or I guide drug-induced psychedelic experiences (Fogel & Hoffer, 1962a; Levine & Ludwig, 1965; 1966; Levine, Ludwig, & Lyle, 1963; Ludwig & Levine, 1965). Some indirect evidence further indicating that hypnosis may offer a powerful technique for guiding psychedelic experiences also is suggested by the work of Sjoberg and Hollister (1965), who found tha t suggesti-