Practical Instruction in Animal Magnetism

I’ll write the contents of this partial summary from the point of view of the authors. It’d be wasteful to dilute the ritual.

Life of Deleuze

Among the instances of this which I might adduce, there is one I cannot pass over in silence. M. Virey says, p. 404 of his article on Magnetism, “Should Mesmer, or one of his most able successors, throw a horse or an ewe into somnambulism, then I would recognize the empire of universal Magnetism.” To this strange demand, M. Deleuze contented himself with replying : “Everybody knows very well, that M. Virey will never be convinced if he must first witness such a phenomenon as this.”

Introduction

• Ch1 - Principles
• Ch 2 - Processes “when somnambulism does not take place.”
• Ch 3 - Observing effects
• Ch 4 - Intensifying magnetism
• Ch 5 - Working with somnambulists
• Ch 6 - Precautions in choosing a magnetizer
• Ch 7 - Treatment of specific diseases
• Ch 8 - Dangers of Magnetism
• Ch 9 - Becoming a stronger magnetist
• Ch 10 - Studies

Chapter I - General Views and Principles

In summary - Magnetism is an influence we wield through will on those “who are submitted to their will.” While its substance cannot be directly observed, we can clearly observe its effects. This gives us an affordance to speak plainly about its application.

5. As we cannot comprehend how a body can act upon another at a distance, without there being some thing to establish a communication between them, we suppose that a substance emanates from him who magnetizes, and is conveyed to the person magnetized, in the direction given it by the will. This substance, which sustains life in us, we call the magnetic fluid. The nature of this fluid is unknown; even its existence has not been demonstrated; but everything occurs as if it did exist, and that warrants us in admitting it while we are indicating the means of employing Magnetism.

   pp29-30

Magnetism influences both body and soul. As such, Magnetism interacts in physical, spiritual, and mixed domains. (Later, the book will discuss how to distinguish which domain Magnetism is influencing.)

Magnetism can travel through intermediaries which we can charge.

Three conditions are required for magnetism.

• Will
• Confidence
• Benevolence

Because Magnetism directs the fluid through will, confidence in the influence of Magnetism is required, where we must act “without effort and without distraction.” (p30)

Individuals must be in moral and and physical sympathy. When this is present, the individuals are in communication.

Wielding Magnetism should, ideally, come naturally.

12. A constant will supposes continued attention; but attention is sustained without effort, when one has entire confidence in his powers. A man who makes towards a designated goal is always attentive to avoid obstacles, to move his feet in a proper direction; but this sort of attention is so natural to him as to be easy, because he has first determined his movement, and feels in himself the force necessary to continue it.

p31

Magnetizers should be healthy and of good moral standing - otherwise the patient may not be positively influenced.

Everyone has the ability to magnetize, but not equally. It depends on their intentions, empathy, ability to focus, ability to remain calm “in the midst of the most alarming cries” (p32), and health. Their ability to influence grows with practice.

The entire body exudes magnetic fluid - but we can most accurately magnetize through use of our hands, eyes, and words.

The very tones of the magnetizer, being produced by the vital energy, act upon the organs of the patients.

p33

Magnetism can work at a distance, but it requires better communication (in the sense of the sympathetic relationship.)

Not all individuals can be influenced by Magnetism. Those currently healthy and difficult to influence may respond differently when in poor health. Some patient/magnetizer pairs are also just a poor match - they may just have not found the right magnetizer.

(Ugh. They discovered top-drop.)

24. Many persons feel much fatigue when they magnetize; others do not feel any. This is not owing to the movements that are made, but to the loss of the vital principle or magnetic fluid. He who is not endowed with great magnetic force would exhaust himself in the course of time, if he were to magnetize every day for several hours. Generally speaking, every one in good health, and not enfeebled by age, might undertake the treatment of a single patient, and give him a sitting of one hour each day. But every one has not the strength necessary for magnetizing several persons, nor several hours in succession. As to the rest, the more one exercises himself in it, the less he is fatigued; because he employs only just as much force as is necessary.

p34

Confidence in Magnetism is required by the magnetizer, but not in the patient. It can work fine if the patient “yields himself up passively, making no resistance.” (p35)

Having a practiced method is ideal - you’ll be more effective if you’re confident and not fumbling around.

(Interesting - it looks like magnetizers autosuggested their influence as well.)

30. When one has acquired the habit of concentrating his attention, and of abstracting himself from everything foreign to the object he has in view, he will feel in himself an instinctive impulse to convey the action to this or to that organ, and to modify it according to circumstances. It is necessary to obey this impulse, without searching into the cause of it. When the patient yields himself entirely to the action of Magnetism, without being distracted by other ideas, it often happens that a similar instinct causes him to indicate the processes which are the most proper for him; the magnetizer should then suffer himself to be directed.

p36

(Maybe… leave this bit out if doing a ‘modernized’ version of magnetism.) When curing an ailment, there may be temporary pain as the organ is excited. This is transitory. In addition, do not interrupt a crisis.

Chapter II - Of The Processes in Animal Magnetism

The chapter starts with something we should see more of in hypnosis literature - this is just his way of doing it, if what you’re doing is already effective, you probably don’t need to make any changes.

Definitions:

• Pass - “It signifies all the movements made by the hand in passing over the body. Whether by slightly touching, or at a distance.”
• Magnetic Frictions - passes made while touching with the entire length of the hand, applying a gentle pressure. Sometimes used on the arms, legs, back, and spine.
• Long Pass (magnetisér à grands courans) - moving fluid from the head to the extremities in general

Their pretalk includes:

• Having the minimum number of individuals necessary in the room.
• Ensuring their relatives and physician don’t object.
• Ensuring you want to do this.
• To continue treatment until the condition is healed, and not limit yourselves to one go.
• Ensuring they will follow your advice.
• Tell only those “who ought naturally be informed of it.”

Preparation:

• Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
• Remove “all persons who would be troublesome”
• Make sure you can move easily
• Prevent distractions

Ritual:

• Have the patient sit comfortably.
• Sit in front of them, slightly elevated, with their knees between yours, and your feet at the side of theirs.

Request the following - as a functional pretalk (or - in other terms - coaching engagement):

Demand of him, in the first place, that he give himself up entirely; that he think of nothing; that he do not trouble himself by examining the effects which he experiences; that he banish all fear, and indulge hope; and that he be not disquieted or discouraged if the action of Magnetism produces in him temporary pains.

(Of course, modify to taste. )

Continuing the ritual:

• Take a minute to collect yourself.
• Take their thumbs between your thumb and index finger, so that your thumbpads are touching.
  • Wait until there’s a sensation of temperature equilibrium, or just stay there for 2-5 minutes.
• Remove your hands and wave them to the sides sides, with the palms facing out.
• Raise your hands to their head, then let them rest at their shoulders for about a minute.
• Draw your hand down their arms, moving all the way down to their fingers, touching lightly.
  • Repeat this pass five or six times.
  • Between passes, sweeping your hands ‘off’ slightly each time before returning.
• Bring your hands to their head, holding for a moment, then draw them down the face “at the distance of one or two inches,” all the way down to the bottom of the sternum.
  • Let them remain there for about two minutes.
  • Pass your thumb along the pit of their stomach, your fingers running down their sides. (I’m going to assume this means tracing the outline of the bottom of the rib cage, then down to the sides.)
  • Continue slowly along the body, down to the knees, and if you can reach comfortably, down to the feet.
  • You can repeat this process for the majority of the session.
• Sometimes, you can move closer to your partner, placing your hands behind their shoulders, slowly moving down the spine, then to the hips, thighs, to the knees, or even down to the feet.
• After the first few passes, you can start making your passes beginning at the shoulders, or starting at the stomach.

Ending the ritual:

• Make prolonged passes, drawing out from their hands multiple times, “shaking your fingers each time.”
  • Repeat the same process for the feet.
• Make a few passes “transversely before the face,” as well as the breast “at the distance of three to four inches”
  • “these passes are made by presenting the two hands together, and briskly drawing them from each other, as if to carry off the superabundance of fluid which the patient may be charged.”
• Make a few passes from the knees to the tips of their feet. You’ll want to move to your knees for this.
• Make a few more passes from two or three feet to wrap up
• An alternative way to end the ritual:
  • Get your patient to stand up
  • Move to the side of your patient
  • Make passes at the distance of one foot with both hands, one in front of them and one behind them, moving from the head down to the feet
  • “This process frees the head, re-establishes the equilibrium, and imparts strength.”

Tips / misc:

• Always make passes moving towards the extremities of the body. Don’t magnetize “towards” the head. (Ascending passes don’t magnetize.)
• It’s good to get in the habit of shaking your fingers slightly after each pass.
• Manage your distance with the patient depending on their anxiety and comfort. (More distance can make it more comfortable for the patient.)
• Movements should be slow and easy to make, requiring almost no physical exertion.
  • Moving from head to toe should take about 30 seconds.
  • The fingers should be separated and slightly spread, pointed towards the patient.
• Need to reduce intimacy? Sit by their side. Establish communication by holding just one thumb. Use only one hand to do the whole ritual.

Multiple sittings:

• It’s rare, but you may be unable to magnetize your patient on the first sitting.
• After the first time this works, “the action is renewed.” (Very similar to how once someone ‘learns how to go into trance,’ it’s easy for them to get back in.)

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