MelanieM
8th July 2010, 01:00 PM
What is this and what is the Church's position on this?
DavidObeid
8th July 2010, 04:08 PM
There are various types of hypnosis. Some mild, such as suggestions that a coach might make to his athletes about their abilities ("Come on Milo, it's not a big rock, it's just a peanut. You can lift it with one arm!"), some not so mild, such as some form of psychotherapy for some form of mental or emotional trauma and some outright deadly, such as the total handing over of one's will to another in a dangerous situation.
The first is fine (so long as the coach isn't an idiot), the second is generally OK, but care would need to be taken that all parties remain within the bounds of therapy and don't get into dangerous side tracks, the third seems like an open invitation to demonic possession to me.
I'm happy to submit to the advice of those with some form of spiritual or psychological expertise that may know better.