Hypnotic Fascination

Book excerpt: Gaze has an incredible power. Even our auditory perception of space is influenced by gaze and experimental studies have also shown that in social interactions a steady gaze is a sure asset and that the eyes can change the answer of our partner (Keating, Mazur, Segall 1977). The eyes are even more important in the first contact with somebody, as many experts have observed that the first 30 seconds and the first 4 minutes of an encounter have crucial significance (Zunin 1976). In these cases many times we get answers from other people that in reality we create unconsciously. It has also been experimentally proved that the effectiveness of certain therapies can be directly related to the gaze interaction (Harrigan, Oxman e Rothental 1985). Other experimental studies have shown that our logical mind is reduced and emotions are felt more intensely when somebody looks at us intensively. In hypnotism, the effects of the hypnotic gaze inductions are noteworthy. However, we should also consider that there are two types of inductions referred to as "hypnotic gaze induction." In the first one, the use of the eyes is intermixed with words. In the second type, the most powerful and mysterious, no words at all are used, just the eyes and sometimes the hands. How we practice it in our school is as a completely non verbal technique. It is called "fascination." Behind it there is a very ancient secret school, that we can trace back to the Ancient Romans' time and even before. Aristotle, Plutarcus, Plinius, Marsilius Ficinus, Simone Maiolo, and even St. Thomas, Albertus Magnus and many others acknowledged the existence of such a power. Even the Greek tradition of the power of the Medusa is connected to it.