現在，我將依據我們的「光之萃取」約定，為圖書館中的《How to hypnotize : The science of controlling the minds of others》這份文本，帶來一份深入的洞察報告。這是一份來自過去的光芒，讓我們一同來萃取它的智慧與時代印記。
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**光之萃取報告：解讀《How to hypnotize：控制他人心智的科學》**
這份報告將以「光之萃取」的約定為指引，深入探討《How to hypnotize : The science of controlling the minds of others》這本由匿名作者撰寫、於 1896 年出版的小冊子。我們將超越文本本身，解讀作者的意圖、提煉核心觀點，並將其置於歷史與當代的視角下進行反思，尋找它在今日「光之居所」中的共鳴與啟發。
首先，讓這份來自過去的光芒顯現其形：
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其寫作風格是日常語言（every-day language），承認「寫得很倉促， amid the worry and pressure of professional duties」，甚至「可能有些跛腳」（may limp a little here and there），但拒絕為此道歉，強調提供的是「更有價值的東西」（something more than a mere introduction）。這種坦率甚至帶點「淘氣」的口吻，很符合薇芝的風格，也反映了那個時代通俗出版物爭取讀者注意力的某種特質。
作者的思想淵源可以從文本中提及的人物略見端倪。他提到了 Reichenbach 和 Dr. Braid，認為他們早期在選擇催眠對象（sensitives）時犯了錯誤，偏向體弱或歇斯底里者。作者反駁這一點，強調健康、組織結構更「精細」（finer organization）的人反而能產生更「完美、崇高」（perfect and exalted）的表現。他也提到了 Charcot，並將 Charcot 和其他「近期催眠師」歸為重蹈覆轍者。
這本書聲稱能「控制他人心智」（Controlling the Minds of Others），這種說法在任何時代都極具爭議，可能招致倫理道德上的質疑。文本中穿插的廣告（賣相機、菸斗、奎寧丸、美容產品，以及另一本更詳細的催眠書）也顯示了其濃厚的商業性質，進一步將其定位為通俗而非嚴肅學術作品。
總結來說，這位匿名作者透過這本小冊子，以實用主義的筆觸，展現了 19 世紀末催眠術在民間推廣的一種面貌：它是一種可以學習的技術，強調操作者的意志與受試者的配合，並被賦予了療癒疾病的潛力。作者的匿名性既是時代的策略，也使得我們對其個人無法深入探究，只能從文本的微光中感受那個特定時期對心靈力量探索的一瞥。
**觀點精準提煉 (掌握心靈的藝術與技術)**
這本小冊子的核心觀點圍繞著如何進行催眠（Mesmerism）以及其應用展開。可以將其主要觀點提煉如下：
1. **催眠敏感性普遍存在：** 作者反駁了當時流行的觀點，即只有體弱、溫順或歇斯底里的人才能被催眠。他強調，健康、意志堅強的人也能成為好的受試者，甚至表現更出色。
操作過程中的「磁性傳遞」（magnetic pass）或「眼部疲勞」（fatigue the inferior muscles of the eyes）是技術手段，但操作者的精神狀態是成功的基石。
* **案例佐證：** 作者指出，在催眠時，「你必須表現出你完全知道自己在做什麼；你的態度中不能有膽怯、猶豫或半心半意」。你需要讓受試者產生「這是一個我可以信任的人；這個人會對我有益」的感覺。對於抗拒者，作者建議先「打消他們的戒心」，然後「溫和而穩定地」說服他們催眠術的潛力，最終「心理化」（psychologize）他們，為最後的催眠做準備。這顯示作者認為心理鋪墊與說服甚至比技術本身更為關鍵。
3. **催眠過程模擬自然睡眠的生理狀態：** 作者解釋，催眠誘導的目標是模仿自然睡眠時的生理變化，特別是減緩流向大腦的動脈血流量（通過磁性傳遞）以及眼球上轉內斜的狀態（通過眼部疲勞或引導視線）。
* **案例佐證：** 作者詳細描述了誘導睡眠的方法：讓受試者舒服地坐著，與操作者建立聯繫（握手或手疊手），操作者注視受試者兩眉之間鼻根處的「個性」區域（organ of “Individuality”，這帶有當時顱相學的色彩），同時堅定地運用意志。接著進行向下通過頭部和臉部的「傳遞」（passes），輕柔地按壓太陽穴以減緩血流。甚至可以物理性地闔上眼瞼並向下傳遞以加速過程。這套流程結合了心理引導、生理干預（按壓）和「磁性傳遞」的概念。
4. **催眠可用於療癒疾病：** 催眠術不僅僅是製造睡眠或受控狀態，它具有實際的療癒潛力。這種療癒能力來源於操作者的健康活力、同情心和堅定意志。
* **案例佐證：** 書中用了相當篇幅討論「療癒性催眠」（Curative Mesmerism）。作者認為早期基督徒的「療癒之禮」與此類似，強調信心（faith）和同情心（sympathy）是關鍵。他聲稱通過穩定的、堅持不懈的、明智地使用催眠程序，「幾乎任何形式的疾病」都可以至少得到緩解，即使不能治癒。
* **關鍵詞：** Hypnotists, Mesmerists, finer organization, perfect and exalted manifestations, relative conditions, non-resistant attitude, natural sleep, heart beats slower, pulses calmer, less blood in the brain, mesmeric processes, magnetic pass, retarding the flow of arterial blood, eyes turned upward and inward, muscles of the eye, superior, oblique muscles, involuntary, inferior, straight muscles, voluntary, intense joy, devotion, pain, sorrow, exhaustion, bodily weakness, faiming, approaching
* **關鍵詞：** Induce Sleep, patient, feel at home, disabuse fear, doubt, anxiety, scepticism, third party, parents, relatives, guardians, medical adviser, sensitive, passive, receptive, action and speech, know fully what you are about, no timidity, hesitancy, half-heartedness, instinctive feeling, trust, do me good, processes already recorded, comfortably placed or seated, sit or stand, pay no attention, resign himself, close his eyes, look to yours, strange feelings, sinking sensation, darkness of
vision, nervous tremulousness, drowsiness, inclination to sleep, not to resist, give way, take hold of his hands, easy, comfortable manner, hands upon his knees, lay yours, physical pressure, no apparent difference in temperature, direct your eyes, organ of “Individuality”, between the two eyebrows, at the root of the nose, Exercise your will, calmly and steadfastly, desired end—sleep, Gradually remove your hands, place them on his head, covering his forehead, temple, hollow of your hand, fingers
resting on head, thumbs converging toward “Individuality”, Slight pressure, temporal arteries, charge the brain, passes, downward, over the head and face, forehead, tophead, sidehead, backhead, direct intent, ease and comfort, pointing the tips of your fingers, eyes and temples, neither vulgar staring, nor thumb pressure, continue making these movements, eyelids tremble, become heavy, or close, advisable to close the eyelids, fasten them by downward passes, hasten the result, mesmeric sleep, operated
on, never be in a hurry, local and by general passes at distance, abstract your influence, not to awaken, now-sensitive, moving your hands, fingers extended, slowly from his head to his fingers, inside and outside the arms, from the forehead down in front of the body, to the pit of stomach, toward the knees, termination of each pass, raise the hands, practicing the passes, commence again, Continue these passes, apparently fallen asleep, succeed at first, subsequent sittings, no previous failure,
putting a person asleep, power will be enhanced, future percentages will increase, satisfactory evidence of sleep, try no experiments, first two or three sittings, sleep on for some time, quietly wake him up, Don’t do it suddenly, spoil for ever, good subject, Stand behind or before, make slowly and then briskly upward passes, palms of the hands up, front of the face, blow steadily on the forehead, awake much surprised and benefitted, little more experience, arrange with your patient when he will
awake, of his own accord, sensitive will always awake at the time arranged, arrangement or experiment, capable of considerable extension or modification
* **關鍵詞：** Curative Mesmerism, powers of the early Christians, gifts of healing, intensified, simplicity, purity, living, reality of their faith, doubted not, where they doubted, no miracles, no heart to relieve disease, sympathy, no will, without the power to do good, doubting his power, unable to use it, suffering is removed, powerful healers, strong, healthy vital organizations, large-hearted, kindly-disposed persons, weak, tender, delicate, heart and head work together, accomplish much, tired
mother, nursing, not lose her charm to sooth, Gentle and tender, ever more thoughtful of others than herself, diligent hands, peace and blessing, delicate and sensitive females, sympathetic, patient natures, successful, treatment of disease, considerable loss to themselves, undertake to treat disease of a severe character, abundance of health, vitality, determination, patience, sympathy requisite, good healers, Ladies make excellent healers, best nurses, gift can be readily cultivated, practice,
good use, professional healer, male and female, trusted and esteemed, honorable in their work and position, physician, minister, Wide and general experience, undoubted conviction, scarcely any form of disease, not be at least relieved, where not cured, steady, persevering, judicious use, mesmeric processes, Massage, shampooing, muscular and kinetic movements, different modes, local mesmeric treatment, fashionable, little consequence, if good is done
* **關鍵詞：** Curative Processes, mesmeric processes, cure of disease, sleep, application of remedies, suggested by the sensitive in sleep, clairvoyant, another patient, medicines may be ordered, baths prescribed, rules of diet pointed out, certain processes of treatment ordered, bona fides, sensitive’s powers of diagnosis, general lucidity, faithfully carry them out, purely local or general, intention to alleviate and cure disease, without producing sleep, not being necessary, how to bring it about
, Nothing is worth doing that is not worth doing well, cure disease, set about it, whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might, put your soul into it, Avoid all experiments, direct your attention, energies, powers, most needed work, cure of your patient, Remember, Mesmerism is not a cure-all, diseases of such a character, arising from hereditary taint, constitutional defects, organic causes, never be cured, mesmerist, not say so, Give help, when and where you can, according to your
advised, necessary, mesmerize by the long pass from head to feet, patient being in bed, lying upon the sofa, materially facilitate your operations, Soon begin to see the effects, attendance, improvement, patient “looks for you”, impatient for your visit, wearies for the next, not a bad sign, indicates your influence and presence, refreshing, restorative in character, Good doctors and nurses, same characteristics, presence or influence is in any way disagreeable, third or fourth visit, satisfied of
this, give up the treatment, cannot do good, although another may, do not give up a case, favorable results are tardy, appearance, influence is not disagreeable, duty to persevere, hope for the best, cannot do harm, may do great good, nervousness and great debility, operate from the head, back head, downward, long passes at first, then short passes locally, action of the heart is weak, palpitation is characteristic, breathe in upon it, termination of each treatment, surprised at the warmth, generous
feeling transferred, throughout your patient’s organism, subdue the most violent coughing fit, steady and gently breathing upon the spine, just between the shoulder blades, child or adult, clothing, under or upper, not made of silk, breathing will be effectual, lungs should be fully expanded, mouth placed close to the part, near as the clothing will admit, strong, steady stream of breath thrown in, moment the mouth is removed, open hand should be placed over the place, while filling the lungs, repeat
the operation, done several times, rheumatic and neuralgic derangements, ailments of that class, cuttings, bruises, burns, treatment is often purely local, passes following the course of the nerves of sensation, mesmeric treatment, remember there is no need to remove the clothing, under any circumstances, unless it is composed of silk, other non-conducting material, economical reasons, old clothing is better than new, Toothache, common affliction, many opportunities, immediately relieving it, not
effectually and ultimately curing it, very good and practical method, lay your hand upon the affected side of the face, hold it there for a few minutes, prepares the face, next movement, place a piece of flannel over the ear, same side of the head, toothache, keep your hand still on the face, over the flannel, with the other hand over the head, holding the upper portion of the flannel, four-fold ordinary pocket handkerchief, over the ear, breathe strongly and steadily into the ear, through the covering
, made, two or three times, strongly willing the removal of the pain, warm, soothing influence will reach the offending tooth, peace will ensue, last breath, remove the handkerchief quickly, pain will be gone, little success, enable you to try your hand, more serious business, Violent headaches, even arising from bilious attacks, relieved in a remarkable way, passes, Stand behind the patient, who should be seated, Place your hands on the forehead, Keep them there a little, make short passes in contact
, gently and firmly, slight pressure on the temples, backward over the side and top head to the crown, draw out, shake your fingers, throwing water off them, proceed again to make passes, five to fifteen minutes, relief will be given, if the pain is not removed altogether, rheumatism and such diseases, pain is a marked characteristic, Mesmerism “works like a charm”, patient is always pleased, relieved of pain, pain subsides, mental and physical conditions, more favorably receptive, treating a rheumatic
patient, pain is moved, shoulder to the middle of the arm above the elbow, continue your treatment, instead of drawing passes to the fingers, endeavor to draw the pain down to, and out of, the elbow joints, able to move the pain, if only an inch, original position, have control over it, able, in due course, to remove it altogether
health must be good, Mesmerists’ Compound, personal magnetism, To Ladies, make the face and form beautiful, elegantly illustrated book, whitening the skin, developing the bust, removing superfluous hair, reducing corpulency, How to Hypnotize a Bird, ease, child, dumb creature, hypnotic state, bird, convenient subject, Hold the bird securely, gently, hand, back downward, Look straight into its eyes, struggle to escape, becomes quiet, first attempts, difficult to fix the bird’s gaze, fascination of
the human eye, tiny subject, not try to take its gaze off the hypnotizer, reached this stage, begin very slowly, loosen the grasp, pressure grows lighter, bird becomes more under the influence, charm exerted by the firm gaze, beating of its heart, felt in the fingers, more rapid, legs contract slightly, lids draw over the edges of the eyes, almost no pressure, not sleep deeply, a few minutes, sometimes two, sometimes five or ten, eyelids will have entirely closed, Still hold the bird carefully,
