Messmer, also referred to as Franz Anton Mesmer, was an 18th-century doctor who is taken into account one of many founders of recent hypnosis. He developed a concept of “animal magnetism,” which he believed was a fluid that flowed by means of the physique and could possibly be manipulated to heal sickness. His strategies concerned placing sufferers right into a trance-like state, throughout which he would make passes over their our bodies with magnets or his arms.
At the moment, Messmer’s theories have been largely discredited, however his work has had a major affect on the event of hypnosis and different mind-body therapies. He’s additionally credited with popularizing using the time period “mesmerism,” which remains to be used at this time to check with the apply of hypnosis.
