REPORT CONCERNING CERTAIN TECHNIQUES IN HYPNOSIS

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00146144
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 17, 2024
• Document Release Date: January 15, 1983
• Publication Date: January 17, 1958

17 JazIllary 195&
?Ca: Lty Direct.:r or Security
Cereor Ynage7ent Officzcz
SUBJECT: Report Coueerninz Certain Techniques in BYpmnsis
lo Th.i5 renort is t,Jon a c.cz 13:: the DeTruty Limaetor
of Security for inforhtion cchecrnin,7 the contact Knde by this
triter vIth Dr. 410119~110ftoaduring the underslghedls recent
visit to California. L separrte section of this report includes
=ested prozran for prepariLg and traininz individuals in:the use
of this technique. ' �
2. Contact %h.'s rmde I:1th Dr.44110111 on 4 Decenbiir'1957 at his
redicai clinic inviiiiraleas, California. This gentler:an had written
zn article u.nich apneared in the text _ by Dr. -
eVOMOMMOMMMOOMW in tais articles he zst fo.'fn informLtion describ-
4..." v.;trt pa. rpri 1....-nd fnr t.%e inrINIntinn of hwmssai.:B. _ wc-n
she unaerzizncu's lmention to corsL.nct. 1J1-. 11101MM. 1.,va
him rer:crein; certLin questions uhich arose in disouellons tnis 1
_
uritcr had Itithr.r.V"MESTAISSO ET.-1014ZIAWANISCII304' �
andCIAAKAINBeigielleMP00-.. This uas durin3 the-fiza when
other hypnotic techniques rc: being revieved by the individuais.
stnd this Ir.-itsr. Lather than rcrcly covering six basic questions
vith DrMO this uriter spent, approxittoly three hours pith
trio docfor lellrnin7 the theory of the technique; its haehr,rovhd,
case histaries, an-1 pitnassInr. ecteal do7.onstration of-.ho tech-
nique. Lo that.t'nis report rzl-y be cuncise, the nix questions posed
to Dr.Iui11 be used to include pzuch of the infornation.cov-
ered in this meeting.
L. Since 19524 (tha date of the publication of the referred'
book) have you realized continued c.:accso in the vui-2 of this
rapid induction technique?
Dr.010100,stated that ho.hos used this tech-
nique for apreximstely feurteen years in his medical practice
WIth over a tho...ezInd 15.1t!cn:..s. Be ed7isr.d th:,.t he has E7 of
thol-c der=17.cd. J.11 of his efforts to date hew)
been e.-cccLe17*.a.
B. Are ttere any gr:::ne or indAviduals utilizinz this
teenzir3ue in tha cr-stern 7.-:rt of the United States?
� 0".
ANSVE.C.: Dr.14,101106hpd no khovlede of sny such eroups.or
irmlividuelo. Es exnlaint:d thnt he accuircd this technique thrcur-
his comtect 'with a.profernicns/ hypnotist,
has nst hcd rr.y contzct Ers 4410Mmisofor the past three yozrz.
Ti:olcst .0100410MIP".:25 tn:t he V7:
Chief ?ctty Officer in ti ;iay. After tnia introduction to the
'technique byaMMIEWUNIMINIMIE04eveloped his experience in tha
use of thiatechnique pcmonolly and does not know of any other
individual or croup utili:Ling this techniqce at the present tire.,
C. Ycv :r:.:ch tine ci:1 vou L%-114:';V"ii nocenscry to =Dater t111.3
technique?
.P.Ma.T.: Dry:MOW response was that the :7:echo:lies of
the technique ern be rnatL;-cd in frun fifteen to tuenty seconds.
117.-rever, as uith so rAny other ttchniqueo, experience and prac�
tice lend themselves to refinement and sophistication in using
this techniqe.
D. Is it absolutely. necessary to have. the.cooporetion.olL
the pstient for.suecossfra use of this 'technique?:
OMB: - ' -
Agst.� c yn nni n nn r' pr,
� auioo have tre cooperation or tneivztient,IanainjaII:ef. nis
experimelte, people coming to him al:.e in .need cf..assistanceand.
cre Lenerally uillinz to cooperate In order that Dr.Aiinumy
sstist them in an.wering unstever needs brought then to his of�
flee. Mora cre individ;:alo, he sdez:d, uho demomstrate involun
tory resistance to any induction technique. In these cases,
where it is found thst te tt:chmioue hz73 been unsuccessful after
one, two, or poosibly three tries, the 'individual is."preparodn
Car hypnosio by use of such drags co sodium az1;,!thol, sodium pen�
tothal, or -a new drug wh1ch.Dr.441011is presently Using uith
great success entitled "Verzval." These drugs Dm administered
intrevenouoly, and then tne earl?. technique procedure isexercisod
'pith these patients.
E. lircmad you consider troiningpopple in, this technique?
NOTE: Because of tl-:e nature of the response rede to CnICS�
tiou CI this point as net crphasized inrour diocunsions�.but
the questien vas azked Dirsatil=k�and his cor=ent reflected
his thinkini-; thct the :-ctrn1 instruction or training scsocirtcd
vith t.nis toc:inique could to confincd to seconds or rimutcs uith
an individvel :mos� Lacl:tround in pc:ye:mica or hypnosis vold
furnish him uith the other techniques necessary in in c1_ a
hypnotic state in individuhlo. pe erph25ized tha fact test
)
cccrirte in the techniqta =Id hi7h dr.ree. of proficiency
vo-..Zi.d be a c:Lievcd threur.n y.ractice and. experience.
P. Act..:1,11yr how dar,�crol:z is tl�i.r. -tr�ch.-rie,�e?
�
�It v.:1.5 the e7-inion o: Dr. 11111111MIW. tech-
niqL:e is c'..,:-:p2.otc:34 sale. The docto:r forrred his opinion nu a
re:Tuat ereleyinz, this tQcnnique in et.,er thoushnd Cases
lealCh involved Lseth saxes '�.:;d individzals iron 2;a� to 77 years
of ace. This was fl:rthcr subL-tentinted by his profes-
hr c: thet i-....,:tnitte�-.1 that if the
cnrot4d. arter;" end the nor.ve vere�dcprcssed for prolonzrA
cf tine that this ruld have devacteting, effects upon
the individual. Lc:I:ever, in his exp.:rine:its) in properly util-
izinr; this tcchnicluol the individual is in-4-,he trance Stxte.-
aftor appro:6...r.at:..ly nix Lacer:is,. durir. sthieh this tecisniqu:s -
lass boan used.. This io an or.tirely safe pro.cedure.'.:-':.-'.
:
,:����
N4-.: � 44...-5
yonwAINNO141101441kiiiiiiiiiagbialmitablaiiimeseeXr -According to no uoy p
other thon for sore slirzht cliseerfort, he realized no pain thre-ar.hont
the operation. Dr.VANWSMIer:::::csiced that the absence of pain cou.1`_ct
not b. ztribtcd sololy to hypnosis and thz-t the use of the lcreal
anesthetic was a fr..etor. That tte unesthetic -could be adr:inistered
to s-ich a sitiva r_ren vith7.:t pain points up the ir.fluerxe of k-n.-
nosisin fccilitatirz, the perfc..-.-.-.nce of tl:e Er.001#11
stnt.c.,1 tt he hr c.:1 this ti pa::chnthercpcztic
involvin; ar.d maturentior.. Ile has
also -c:3:6 t--is tecirr.;e in otions, re U r.s on trze occc.-
slur's in trn c^cr.etions. .i*.c 1,z:a eisr-rwered this technique to
ce7.1.,...t.t1:y .occr.:.i"-1. In Cf.::11.15 t:hcre
hcvc ds..r.nnatr;:tcd ccrtifl or c.notional rstctiens
"� ;
0,
Dr.0011011NOW-;I:cd that a fel7 licht alr:ps across the face you'd brine
thee-eini!ividuzle bncl: in pro:.er prospective.
L. T,1-r.r!:77":: r)7 T CF'. The technique utilized by Dr.
0411116tz, 1,7) indivieutlwth eu3:-.actions� after
ho has been plscce in a recaEtive conf.lition to e..lch strng suc;:estinh;.:.
The nrcoo6urc involves p1aoi the cut:sit:et in either a sittinn or
st=nding position. Lt this point tno individual is ercuursred to se-
lect a po-sition on the ceills5- at which to gaze, and at the sane tins
he ;s told to breathe deeply lor ca-:eral ecles. The operator's left
han:t ie rineed tohind the auticct's heed at tho top of the nee% to
sw:nurt the head and preven't:nu:-r riFht hz.-nd puch:,u
the s-:bject's head until he is razing al:est directly upward. The,
operator then presses the riEht thunb end index fin;;er azainet the Ta-
gus nerve and carotid artery on each: side of the Adam's apple, nr...d
pressure is exerted with both finers directly to the roar rather than
in any sort of a pincer nwerent..- This is done in order to avoid ary
echstricticns in the subject's breathinr. While the rirht hand 4s'
operating as dozer:it:ad above, the left thcai.h anA second fincar are - -
pressed firrly a5:sinst the neck just balau nastoid hohind ench ear, .
This is also done to prodz:te a sli5htly detached feclinc.nile these.
pressures are boIng applied, the operator then "pours onnthe siirtTcs-
mlons. 1n1,5 rTern-..ton =0.116 iruJ Zuur -
areunt of tire involved is doterMincd by the point'in.this proece3:1_
when the isdividual relaxes completely in the hands cirthe�operatorcH,-..
It is at tnis pointsthet the presruro is released, and the individual
15 pcmitted to recline if he is in a stated position, or he is eased
into a chair if ho is in a standinz position. Durin!-: this tire the
operator's fin7ers rerain in their position;for a psychic stir-111=f
to this. proecesinz. The suuentions are continued and a deeper trance �
state is etterpted. flee, post-hyphotie curTestions can .be presented
at this tire. .If this procedure pro-';,es unsuccessful, pr.-WhitIow
nd-
yiacd that it should be tried a second and third tine, snd if ter .5
no success, then the hypnotic drugs, as mntioacd earlier 'in this relzo- .
randun, should be used. The purpose of this technique is to pernit �
the operator to "resch" the subconscious of the individual with the
greatest ZUCCCIZG and facility. It in at this point whore the usual
hypnotic techniques nay be utilized to dcterrine such thins as tha. �
stet* of the trance. Catalytic teats and the phsnomana of rerression
ra7 be attcrpted.
5. ST.IM':.; ?": PCIA.T.Tel:.; TnIVITC!:1.5
2.1; a;.7.1u,;-:.;.,T-i.:(1 prol;m7r,
by this writer lOr poosil-le i c n the dovel=ont of individuals who
would be co:..?etant to ttilizo this tcceniquo in furtherinz the secur-
ity reel:urea and objectives of this Agency.
rt.- 5-
4ElEir �
v. Eelention of Tn17!!!..1:nrs .The primary criteriz for the
selcaticn 1:14.1vicua_to sucn a training prorran would he
the c!etor7-1.rzl:ion on the vrt of eacn individual that this is 2
werkir.: .ven 1,7 n so-colied
tor, t7.cy will be able to reuolro any s.teh col:cern in their:
This uriter, bc.eauso of ikis previous experience in
luchosis t-,roz7r-euts undertaken by the Office of Security, uould
rosermond individuals as nr.41001111.0�61011001, ?
_ Lr/414NNE.
snd tha Inviter as candidates ror
a
b. Con.-Jrel.)cnsive Ra-.1c-,7 of the Literature ror those on the
team vho ere not corhleteL;; cooversrnu in articica and teNts re-
lating to the phennmana O. hypnosis, it is recommended that this
be esnoidered thn first p=se of .this traininc pro:Trm. lath a
rs-riew of the literature z o beckgrounal, all team rankers yould
have so-:e pormanznt found:tion'uson u:;ich to bass their ad7aneetl
treinin7.. Ciwp sossions should take ulna.� durins which pertnsnt or interesting iters should be discussed to enrich tba back-
ground of all concerned. - _ _
Fnrr47t-TrAininor For thosb individaz2t On the eug-ezted
zee= '1.0 asc�i tizz,:,* 1.y profssaisnal
thie, in the opinion -or this uriter, yould sz.rve-e. very uorth-
td.3110 ?urpose.7 -In denlinSWith an individual yhelconsiders hyp�
notise: az his prine field, instruction can be reccivad.on other 7
hypnotic techniques which can be interrolatodwIth this =aid.
technic-as to enhance its CiCCOZ21.
". d� Dets=rninr,tion of An.g..to FollOwing n review of .the lit-
erature tne tnih;: in program, it is rcsono- �
:sanded that at this point c review shead be mado to deterine-
vhat assets should Ue utilized in this pro,-,ram. For instance,
it richt be thzt in order to lessen the resiutcnoo of an
vidual to the hypnotic irduction process, the use of vnblininal
projection my ba conzidemd. This technique has achieved sue-
cess in corrorcial uovertiuina, as"Lct Fopcorn" or NITink Cohen
projected on a semen in cert4-in rvvie theaters ior 1/3003 of A.
second at five-second in1crvals. It my be that subliminal
projection can also be utili=d in n.:;ch n'ulty an to - `ure
V15W21 surr--+i-in such az.. �obcylamertOop or ',Obey
sinilar success. ouith
144411Wr - �
c. PotcrT7mtien of It v.-id bo at this sta;;e
of t: t:'. ti,rtt carly eclind obzlectives rihmaa 1..4"
C234.4;b1iLh::d. 1:it3 a cler-cvst series of c'ojt-etivet:, thepro-
crnm :ill have the clerit: reacosr,ry so that it will not be-
come merely a poeudo-scia:V6ific exparinnt :mien will drift
soigragiOm