“Take a deep breath and exhale slowly. Imagine all your muscles slowly relaxing one by one. Closing your eyes, imagine yourself on the beach listening to the rhythmic beating of the waves against the shore. The salty breeze is the most calming thing on earth and it makes you want to lie down and not think about your worries, but only about the tranquility by the ocean. The hypnotist says these things as one slowly enters the hypnotic trance. This is one of the ways modern hypnotists use to bring someone into a hypnotic trance. Although many believe that hypnosis is used purely for entertainment purposes; this is not the case. It is also used in various situations in psychological therapy and has proven itself. Let's take a closer look at this intriguing technique. Originally considered witchcraft, hypnosis did not get off to a good start with people, who rejected its validity. What we now call hypnotists were once called witches, and later, charlatans who were mere entertainers (Temes 3). Franz Anton Mesmer, considered the father of hypnosis, began practicing magnetic healing in the 1700s (Castleman 395). Magnetic healing later evolved into mesmerizing, a term that comes from his last name and means entrance (Castleman 395). His practices were discredited but his supporters continued in his footsteps. The Marquis de Puységur discovered that patients could enter a sleep state while still communicating and being responsive. (Hadley 10) While John Elliotson used hypnotic trances in his medical practice to perform one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four surgical operations without pain (Hadley 10). Sigmund Freud chose to disbelieve that hypnosis could reveal repressed memories and used the technology...... middle of paper ......used in many social occasions for harmless pleasure when a stage hypnotist comes to make people do funny things. Fraternities and sororities sometimes hire one for socializing and entertainment. Over the years, it is easy to see how hypnosis has progressed. What started as ordinary entertainment now has the potential to truly change habits and thought processes. If anyone is looking for a natural way to relieve a phobia, pain, behavior, etc. With no serious harmful side effects, hypnosis is a powerful solution. It is important to remember, however, that only those who want to and believe it can help will achieve the best results. Although it can be used for more serious aspects, hypnosis is still used today for creative entertainment purposes. Anyone can and should take advantage of its useful influences to overcome or improve anything, because it is a natural remedy..