The field of hypnosis and self-suggestion has evolved through various theoretical frameworks and practical applications throughout history. Among these is the Huna system, an ancient Polynesian psycho-religious approach that offers unique perspectives on consciousness and psychological well-being. This article examines self-suggestion techniques within the context of the Huna theory of mesmerism and hypnosis as presented by Max Freedom Long, exploring their historical development, theoretical foundations, and potential applications for mental wellness.
Historical Development of Self-Suggestion
The practice of suggestion-based therapies has deep historical roots. Mesmerism may be said to be as old as the serpent, while hypnotism was formally named by Dr. Braid, who coined the term for it. Self-suggestion—also known as autosuggestion and autoconditioning—had its beginnings in France around the time of World War I, though experimenters had been exploring the mechanism long before this period. The first significant attempt to describe the process and its outcomes emerged during this timeframe, marking an important milestone in the development of psychological interventions.
In the development of psychological understanding, Dr. Freud of Vienna made important contributions by partially identifying what Huna refers to as the "low self" under the name of the "id." Freud also discovered the concept of the "complex," which has influenced subsequent psychological theories and practices. This identification of subconscious elements provided a foundation for understanding how suggestion might work at different levels of consciousness.
Dr. Frederick Pierce, a psychology professor at a New England university, made a significant discovery while vacationing in Switzerland. While bowling, he observed that when his attention was withdrawn from his hand and the ball it held during moments when his focus was elsewhere, the strength left his hand and it relaxed. When his attention returned to his hand, the strength and muscular tenseness returned. This observation led him to further explore the relationship between attention and physical states, particularly in the context of self-suggestion. Pierce had been puzzling over obscurities and empty spots in the writings of a French experimenter and had come to realize that self-suggestion was difficult to administer to the inner and hidden self. He guessed that in a state of physical relaxation, the effectiveness of suggestion might be enhanced.
This discovery contributed to the growing understanding of how attention and focus relate to suggestibility and the potential for influencing psychological states through intentional focus and relaxation techniques.
The Huna Framework of Consciousness
The Huna system presents a unique framework for understanding consciousness that differs from conventional Western psychological models. According to Huna psychology, there are three fundamental elements of consciousness that interact to shape human experience:
- The low self, which corresponds to what Freud termed the "id" and is also referred to as the "subconscious" or "unconscious mind"
- The middle self, known popularly as the conscious mind, which Dr. Hart sometimes calls the "real self"
- A higher aspect of consciousness that works through these two elements
This tripartite understanding of consciousness forms the foundation for Huna approaches to psychological well-being and self-suggestion techniques. The system suggests that effective psychological intervention requires working with all these aspects of consciousness rather than focusing on only one element.
The Huna system presents these concepts as part of a "secret" psycho-religious system that was rediscovered and documented by Max Freedom Long. For those unfamiliar with Huna, an appendix in Long's work provides a brief outline of the ten simple elements that make possible the practical application of certain psychological principles considered to be unknown in modern times. This appendix enables readers to understand the ideas embodied in Huna that are frequently mentioned in Long's treatise.
Although a perusal of the appendix will enable one to understand the ideas embodied in Huna, Long notes that it will be beneficial for the serious student who wishes to have all the proofs of the veracity of Huna beliefs to read his previous books: "The Secret Science Behind Miracles," "The Secret Science At Work," and "Growing Into Light." These works contain background materials that bring readers up to date on what Long describes as perhaps the most important specialized collection of anthropological findings of the century.
The Huna system is presented as an ancient psycho-religious system of the Polynesians called "Huna" or the "Secret." Long's work on self-suggestion is presented as an addition to the scant literature on this system, indicating that Huna principles may offer valuable insights for understanding and applying suggestion techniques.
Self-Suggestion Techniques
Self-suggestion has been approached through various theoretical frameworks and practical methods. Dr. Hart describes autoconditioning as a form of post-hypnotic suggestion in which the individual, standing as the "real self" or conscious mind, gives suggestions to the "inner receptive self" or subconscious. A key aspect of this approach is the recognition that these two aspects of consciousness function as separate entities that can communicate with each other.
Hypnosis, with its basic meaning of "sleep causing," uses certain mechanisms but does not require actual sleep. In fact, Dr. Hart warns that if one goes to sleep during the process, no results will be obtained. Autohypnosis, in contrast, is described as the giving of suggestion to the subconscious when it is in a state of trance, regardless of whether this trance is light or very deep.
Dr. Hart suggests that individuals can often learn to use autohypnosis more easily if they first allow a hypnotist to administer hypnosis, induce a trance state, and provide post-hypnotic suggestions. Specifically, the hypnotist might suggest that at any later time, the individual need only speak a "trigger word" of command to cause their subconscious to enter the receptive trance state needed to accept new suggestions. This approach represents a practical method for facilitating self-hypnosis by first establishing the capability through hypnotic induction.
Going beyond conventional approaches, Dr. Rolf Alexander offers the theory that individuals are hypnotized to a considerable degree by their life experiences—the events that have happened to them or around them. He seems to blame many of our personality troubles on this form of "hypnosis-without-a-hypnotist" and offers a method which he calls "self-realization" to be used to dehypnotize ourselves. This method is urged as a preliminary step before the administering of autosuggestion and is also to be used as an antidote to remaining in a suggestible trance to some extent after the use of autohypnosis.
The practical application of these techniques has shown surprisingly great results, considering how little time or effort needs to be expended. By the summer of 1957, Dr. Hart was in demand as a lecturer and teacher, traveling as far as Los Angeles to teach his method and explain its value. His primary focus was on convincing audiences that autoconditioning is beneficial for almost everyone, easy to learn, and perfectly safe.
The theory which Dr. Hart advances in his writings is based on a belief in the "id" or subconscious as propounded by the late Dr. Freud and as accepted by all psychiatrists who hope to get employment in our government hospitals. This demonstrates how Huna concepts relate to established psychological frameworks while potentially offering additional insights and techniques.
Dr. Hart describes autoconditioning as a form of post-hypnotic suggestion in which the individual, standing as the real self, gives the suggestions to the inner receptive self. There is no recognition of the fact that these two selves are separate individuals. This represents a significant distinction from the Huna perspective, which explicitly recognizes the separate nature of these aspects of consciousness.
Applications of Self-Suggestion
Self-suggestion techniques have been applied to various aspects of mental and emotional wellness. One significant application involves addressing personality troubles that may stem from life experiences. According to the theoretical framework presented, individuals can be "hypnotized" by their experiences, leading to patterns of thinking and behaving that may not serve their best interests.
The Huna approach to self-suggestion suggests that by understanding and working with the different aspects of consciousness, individuals can reshape their psychological patterns and develop greater mental and emotional balance. This process involves identifying negative or limiting suggestions that have been internalized and replacing them with positive, constructive ones.
Another important application involves resolving the effects of past experiences that continue to influence present functioning. By accessing the subconscious mind through trance states and suggestion, individuals can work to reframe or neutralize the impact of these experiences, potentially leading to improved psychological well-being.
The effectiveness of these techniques appears to be substantial, with reports of "surprisingly great" results achieved with minimal time or investment. This has led proponents to advocate for the widespread adoption of self-suggestion methods as accessible tools for mental wellness.
Dr. Alexander's approach represents one variation on these techniques, considering autosuggestion to be a form of suggestion which we can give to the subconscious while fully awake and not in even the lightest state of hypnotic trance. This expands the potential applications of self-suggestion beyond traditional hypnotic states, suggesting that individuals can influence their subconscious functioning during normal waking consciousness.
The growing interest in autosuggestion during the mid-1950s led to the emergence of several correspondence courses, some of which were inexpensive "catch penny" kind, while others were laid out most elaborately, often with the coining of a new vocabulary of psychological terms. This proliferation of approaches indicates the significant interest in self-suggestion methods during this period and the variety of theoretical frameworks being developed to explain their mechanisms.
The Role of Language in Mental Wellness
The relationship between language and mental well-being represents another important aspect of psychological health. Alfred Korzybski, in his book, "Science and Sanity," wrote at length about what false meanings attached to words can do to throw individuals off the line of normal mental and emotional balance.
This perspective suggests that the words we use and the meanings we attach to them significantly influence our psychological states. By becoming more aware of and careful with our language, we may potentially improve our mental and emotional functioning. The Huna system appears to incorporate this understanding, suggesting that precise and intentional language is important when working with suggestion techniques.
The careful selection of words in self-suggestion becomes particularly important when considering that suggestions are directed toward the subconscious mind, which may interpret language differently than the conscious mind. This understanding has led to the development of specific guidelines for crafting effective suggestions that can positively influence psychological functioning.
In the mid-1950s, when interest in autosuggestion began to grow as early as the year 1948, there had been offered several correspondence courses, some of them of the inexpensive "catch penny" kind, and a few laid out most elaborately, often with the coining of a new vocabulary of psychological terms. Some one of the several popular theories purporting to explain suggestion was usually given with arguments to support it. This indicates the importance of language and terminology in developing