Hypnotism Essays (980 words) - Hypnosis, James Braid, Hypnotherapy

Hypnotism The Encarta Encyclopedia defines hypnosis as,altered state of consciousness and heightened responsiveness to suggestion; it may be induced by normal persons by a variety of methods and has been used occasionally in medical and psychiatric treatment. Most frequently brought about through actions of an operator, or hypnotist, who engages the attention of a subject and assigns certain tasks to him or her while uttering monotonous, repetitive verbal commands; such tasks may include muscle relaxation, eye fixation, and arm leviation. Hypnosis also may be self-induced, by trained relaxation, concentration on one's own breathing, or by a variety of monotonous practices and rituals that are found in many mystical, philosophical, and religious systems. Another generally reliable source Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary defines it as,a sleep like condition psychically induced, usually by another person, in which the subject loses consciousness but responds, with certain limitations, to the suggestions of the hypnotist. As I stated earlier, these two sources are very reputed and the general population believes that they are correct. Yet, however often they may be correct, in this case they are not, or at least not completely. Not according to the scientific community at least. My sources for this statement are The World Book Encyclopedia, The Wizard from Vienna: Franz Anton Mesmer, Applied Hypnosis: An Overview, American Medical Journal, and Hypnosis: Is It For You? Although they state it in different ways they all basically agree that nobody can give a very accurate definition or description of hypnosis, or hypnosis. Although some may get the definition partly correct, the chances of doing so completely are very, very low. So although I will probably not be able to give a totally accurate account of hypnosis and its workings, I will try. Although evidence suggests that hypnosis has been practiced in some form or another for several thousand years, such as in coal walking, the earliest recorded history of hypnosis begins in 1734. It begins with a man named Franz Anton Mesmer. Although he was eventually disavowed by the scientific community because of his unorthodox methods that made him seem more of a mysticist that a scientist, he is generally known as the father of hypnotism. Mesmer called his methods Mesmerism, thus the word mesmerize, but the name didn't stick, it later changed to hypnosis, its name being derived from Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep. He believed that hypnosis was reached by using a person's animal magnetism. He used mesmerism to cure illness. In 1795 an English physician named James Braid, who was originally opposed to Mesmer's methods became interested. He believed that cures were not due to animal magnetism however, but the power of suggestion. This was the generally accepted opinion of the scientific community. Then in 1825 Jean Marie Charcot, a French neurologist, disagreed with The Nancy School of Hypnotism, which followed the guidelines of James Braid's ideas. Charcot believed that hypnosis was simply a manifestation of hysteria. He revived Mesmer's theory of animal magnetism and identified the three stages of the trance; lethargy, catalepsy, and somnambulism. Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936) was not a scientist who worked with hypnosis. Although he had nothing to do with the hypnotic development itself, his Stimulus Response Theory is a cornerstone linking and anchoring behaviors, particularly NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming). Emily Coue (1857-1926) a physician, formulated the Laws of Suggestion which are greatly used in the hypnotic community. Her first law is The Law of Concentrated Attention: Whenever attention is concentrated on an idea over and over again, it spontaneously tends to realize itself. The second law is- The Law of Reverse Action: The harder one tries to do something, the less chance one has of success. Finally, the last law is The Law of Dominant Effect: A stronger emotion tends to replace a weaker one. Milton Erickson (1932-1974), a psychologist and psychiatrist pioneered the art of indirect suggestion in hypnosis. He is considered the father of modern hypnosis. His methods bypassed the conscious mind through the use of both verbal and nonverbal pacing techniques including metaphor, confusion, and many others. He was definitely a major influence in contemporary hypnotherapy's acceptance by the American Medical Association. There are many misconceptions about hypnosis that are totally without basis. Such as, Hypnotized persons will tell secrets or will always tell the truth. The truth is, hypnosis will not cause a person to tell information the do not want to tell and a person under hypnosis can purposefully lie or

20 Definition Essay Topics Meet the Most Interesting Issues about Muslim Culture

20 Definition Essay Topics Meet the Most Interesting Issues about Muslim Culture If you need help finding a topic for your next definition essay on Muslim culture, consider the list of 20 definition essay topics below: Defining Harth for Modern Culture The Definition of Cultural Relativism Means Today Defining Faith as a Fundamental Term The Power of a Word to Impact Change How Islam is a Word Which Creates Stereotypes A Word Which Changes History Defining Muslim as an Individual A Word Which is Stigmatized How Veil Harbors Negative Connotations The Negative and Positive Power of One Word The Linguistic Value of Symbols The Power of the Word Prophet Defining the Qu’ran in Modern Culture The Impact of the Five Pillars The Definition of Jilbab Defining Muslim as a Nation Defining Religion among Modern Culture Defining Subservience among Secular Cultures Defining Symbols and Power within Muslim Culture Defining Freedom among Modern Culture Sample Definition Essay Defining Symbols and Power within Muslim Culture One of the largest controversies within Islam and the west is the idea of gender equality. Many western schools of thought focus on the lack of gender equality associated with Muslim women in particular. This is often epitomized through the veil. The veil acts as the precipice upon which many negative connotations related to Islam have been built. There are other symbols for the oppression of women in Islam, but many Muslim scholars and those who associate with Islam in the Middle East, have argued that the Qur’an does not in fact support females as property meant only for the pleasure and service of men. The studies related to â€Å"devout women’s affiliation with conservative religious communities† have been brought under scrutiny in light of â€Å"contemporary social and religious life† (Bartkowski, 2003, p. 72). The most important symbol to many groups either in support of Islam or against Islam, is the veil. The veil is a proponent meant to signify the overall oppression of women in Islam, indicative of their being owned by men or treated as property. Shirazi (p. 32) argues that the veil is a multi-faceted symbol with meanings related to the context. The author states that there is â€Å"semantic versatility of the veil in western popular culture, Saudi advertising, Iranian and Indian poetry and films, and for Iranian, Iraqi, and UAE women soldiers (Shirazi, 2001, p. 32). This same argument is supported by the main authors. Issues of symbols as a means of conveying thoughts toward Islam and Muslim women surround the veil. Objects or people become symbols and with those symbols particular associations which spawn from politically minded propaganda, in the case of cartoons or other graphic depictions of the veil or the prophet. There is an assumption from the West and from the Muslim community that the veil is meant to cover the female body because of female sexuality. Female sexuality was also primarily associated with sin and impurity. The veil is thought by many Muslims as a means of being controlled by men, making them subservient, meant to keep their enticing sexuality covered so that men would not be tempted. However, none of the verses which pertain to the wearing of the veil link female sexuality with sin or impurity, but rather, leaves the female sexuality as something separate from impurity, though it can be used for sin. Castelli (p. 439) raises issues about which this author use as examples for those who hold contemporary ideas about the veil and Islam as oppressive. Castelli supports the idea of â€Å"Islam as a lesser religion and less developed† (p. 439). There have been misinterpretations of verses from the Qu’ran, mistakes made by Muslims who have interpreted them as requiring women to remain covered. It is posited that, â€Å"if the Qur’an asks women to cover their bosoms but leaves other allusions imprecise, it may be because what it means to generalize is a concept of modesty, not Arab dress† (Barlas, 2009, p. 5). Attention is also drawn to the emphasis on women being oppressed by the veil because it symbolizes their possession, being subservient to men. â€Å"A great deal is also made of the Qur’anic reference to women as harth, a word many people interpret as land and, hence, as property. However the Qur’an does not designate a wife her husband’s property†¦ â€Å"The jilbab as having been space and time bound, hence as a specific mode of veiling in that it only acquired meaning in a particular social context† (Barlas, 2009, p. 4). The Barlas viewed it as outdated given the context of the legal implications; if it was originally meant as a means of protection against other men, a way to state that a woman was taken, current laws against sexual abuse now take on that role. In terms of the prophet as symbol for the West to use against Islam, the prophet remains part of collective memory for western cultures, as Europeans associate Islam â€Å"as the harbinger of the West’s destruction in the form of the Antichrist† (Barlas, 2009, p. 7). Barlas raises issues of the graphic cartoons of the Prophet as a terrorist which caused much debate, and how the freedom of speech is really a legal means of domination, allowing westerns to say whatever they want to cast negative shadows on Islam and Muslims. The misuse of symbols such as the veil and the prophet for the purpose of drawing attention to gender inequality presumed to be associated with Islam is protected through freedom of speech: â€Å"Europeans have always felt free to say rather execrable things about Islam†¦That they now rely on free speech to impugn Islam or Muslims should tell us that speech permits not only satire and critique but also assertions of power and dominance† (Barlas, 2009, p. 8). There are many schools of thought pertaining to the veil as a symbol of oppression, all of whom have used freedom of speech to emphasize their interpretations of Islamic symbols. â€Å"The veil is seen as quintessentially traditional† (Bullock, 2002, p. 19) More attention is drawn to the fact that many presume the veil meant as a means of keeping men from thinking impure thoughts about women, thereby associating women and their bodies with sexuality and sin. Overall, preconceptions about gender inequality have been supported through symbols of oppression by the west and ignorant Muslims which have thereby managed to sustain incorrect assumptions about Islam through symbols, particularly the veil and the Prophet. References: Barlas, A. (2009). Islam and Body Politics: Inscribing (Im)morality. In Conference on Religion and Politics of the Body Nordic Society for Philosophy of Religion (pp. 1-12). Reykjavik: University of Iceland. Bartkowski, J., Reed, G. G. (2003). Veiled Submission: Gender, Power, and Identity Among Evangelical and Muslim Women in the United States. Qualitative Sociology, 26(1), 71-92. Bhutto, B. (2008). Reconciliation: Islam, democracy, and the West. New York, NY: Harper. Bullock, K. (2002). Rethinking Muslim women and the veil: challenging historical modern stereotypes. Herndon, VA: International Institute of Islamic Thought. Castelli, E. A., Rodman, R. C. (2001). Women, gender, religion: a reader. New York, NY: Palgrave. Hoodfar, H. (n.d.). The veil in their minds and on our heads: Veiling practices and Muslim women. Retrieved from umass.edu/wost/syllabi/spring06/hoodfar.pd Shirazi, F. (2001). The veil unveiled the hijab in modern culture. Gainesville, FL: Univ. Press od Florida.

Martin Luther King Jr I have a dream Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Martin Luther King Jr I have a dream - Essay Example While his oratory skills are legendary, how did King establish credibility with this particular audience? By invoking Abraham Lincoln and the Emancipation Proclamation, he reminds the audience of its history and the promises still to be realized. He also discusses how the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence address the rights of every American, not just certain segments of the population. By doing so, he unites his audience with a common cause that reflects on every citizen. From the standpoint of establishing character, it is clear that he is passionate about the subject and pulls the audience in with both the poetry and practical approach of his words. He gains their respect by addressing the reasonable points of his argument and reminding them that change must be found on â€Å"the high plane of dignity and discipline.† The speech is very charismatic, evident by the way in which the audience responds to King’s words. Eye to eye with the audience, his command is powerful; it is indeed like a minister speaking to his congregation. As the speech progresses with greater energy and rhythm, the audience is engaged in an almost shared religious experience. King appeals to the audience both emotionally and intellectually. He tells them that the struggle for equality involves everyone. By reminding his audience that we are all bound together and referencing various parts of the country, he strengthens his argument. When he says â€Å"We cannot walk alone,† King is reinforcing a sense of community and faith in the goodness of Man. Therefore, he makes those that disagree seem divisive and beholden to the past. I believe his main point involves taking the lessons--and promises--of the past and using them to build a future that has no regard for the color of one’s skin. Speaking of hardships, unity and hope, he makes clear the urgency of his