Practical Instruction in Animal Magnetism - Guide WIP

Somewhat unceremoniously lifted from Practical Instruction in Animal Magnetism. The eventual goal is to collect enough information to revive this ritual for entertainment.

A work in progress. There’s plenty to do here, but the source translation is a pleasure to read.

Background and Lore

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.”

Mechanism of Action

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)

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

It is by the ends of the fingers, and especially by the thumbs, that the fluid escapes with the most activity. For this reason it is, we take the thumbs of the patient in the first place, and hold them whenever we are at rest. This process generally suffices to establish the communication, to strengthen which there is also one other process. It consists in placing your ten fingers against those of the patient, so that the inside of your hands are brought near to the inside of his, and the balls of your fingers touch the balls of his. The fluid seems to flow less copiously from the back of the hands than from the inside; and this is one of the reasons for turning the hands in raising them, without carrying them off too far from the body.

pp44-45

Your Approach

Feeling the Part

(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.

When a man magnetizes, he puts himself, by the exertion of his will, in a state different from his habitual one; he concentrates his attention upon a single object; he throws off and directs beyond himself the nervous or vital fluid; and this new manner of being renders him susceptible of new impressions. He first perceives a change operated in himself by the action in which he is engaged. He then experiences, by the reaction of him whom he magnetizes, various sensations which affect him more or less, according to the degree of susceptibility with which he is endowed, and according to the degree of attention which he pays to recognize and distinguish them.

p258

On temperature control

They mention on p259 that warm hands are common in magnetizers. According to Adam Eason, thermoregulation is not only possible, but reasonably easy and observable. It’s possible magnetists were imagining magnetic fluid going into their hands, and unknowingly increasing their temperature through self-suggestion. (Waving your arms will, probably, increase the temperature of your hands too.)

This is an area that benefits from a good level of research, which has shown that anybody can gain a pretty impressive level of control over body temperature in a fairly brief time, and without much difficulty (Barabsz and George, 1978; Clarke and Forgione, 1974; Dikel and Olness, 1980; Wallace and Kokoszaka, 1992).

Eason, Adam. The Science Of Self-Hypnosis: The Evidence Based Way To Hypnotise Yourself (p. 174). Awake Media Productions. Kindle Edition.

* Many magnetizers experience sensations which ought of necessity to govern them in the choice of processes. But as this precious faculty is not common to all, I shall in another chapter speak of the means of developing it in ourselves, and of the advantages arising from it.

p51

On the self-suggestion side, here’s what you may notice…

1. While drawing your hands slowly before your patient, at the distance of three or four inches, and holding your fingers slightly bent, you will feel, either at the ends of the fingers, or at the palm of the hand, different sensations, as they pass along before the affected organ of the patient. These sensations will be either of cold, or of prickly heat, or of slight pain, or of numbness. They will indicate to you the princicipal seat of the disease, and consequently the part upon which you ought to direct the action.

2. You may experience a feeling of pain or a difficulty in the internal organs of your body, corresponding with those which are affected in your patient. This is a sympathetic action noticed in many somnambulists. It is evident that this sensation intimates to us the seat and the nature of the disease. I will add one thing, the reason of which I will soon explain. If you experience pain in an organ on the right or on the left of your body, you should first approach by little and little to render the sensation more strong, and then withdraw yourself gradually to the distance of two or three feet; for it may be that the affected organ of your patient may act at a little distance upon the organ in you which is opposite; that his spleen, for instance, may make its action be felt upon your liver; but by withdrawing yourself, you may be sure that the sensation will be transferred from the right to the analogous organ on the left.

3. And here there is something more important, which has been unhappily too much neglected in our day. You will perceive, as it were, a vapor which escapes from certain parts of the body of your patient, and takes a certain direction. This vapor will act upon you as a slight force which will attract or repel your hand, and which will conduct it from one place to another, provided you abandon yourself entirely to its action.

   These are what are called the currents. The faculty of perceiving them is often acquired only after a time, longer or shorter; but when they are once recognized, you will follow them naturally; you magnetize, as it were, by instinct; you will assist nature by carrying the vital action upon the deficient organ; you will augment or moderate your force at will. It is by these currents that the analogous organs of the magnetizer are sometimes affected.

   pp262-263

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

General Advice and Lore

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.

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.

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

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.)

Definitions

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

Somnambulism

It is a well-known fact that certain persons walk, speak, and act, in their sleep; and that when they are awakened, they have no recollection of what they have been doing. These persons are called somnambulists; that is, sleep-walkers; and the state in which they are is called somnambulism. The disposition to walk in the sleep has been considered as a nervous affection, which we should endeavor to counteract, because of the accidents which might spring from it.

The apparent resemblance between spontaneous somnambulism and the crises which are often produced by Magnetism has induced men to call the latter magnetic somnambulism. A more appropriate name might have been found; but as this has been received for forty years, it is useless to change it.

Magnetic somnambulism, which we call simply somnambulism, because that term cannot be equivocal, in this work, is a mode of existence during which the person who is in it appears to be asleep. If his magnetizers speak to him, he answers without waking; he can also execute various movements, and when he returns to the natural state, he retains no remembrance of what has passed. His eyes are closed; he generally understands those only who are put in communication with him. The external organs of sense are all, or nearly all, asleep; and yet he experiences sensations, but by another means. There is roused in him an internal sense, which is perhaps the centre of the others, or a sort of instinct, which enlightens him in respect to his own preservation. He is subject to the influence of his magnetizer, and this in fluence may be either useful or injurious, according to the disposition and the conduct of the magnetizer.*

pp91-92

The Ritual

Pretalk and Preparation

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)

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

Core Ritual

[The summary of the procedure. I’ve split the text into multiple lines.]

1. Establish the communication by holding the thumbs, placing the hands upon the shoulders, and making passes along the arms with a light pressure, and placing the hands upon the stomach.
2. Direct the current from the head to the feet, or at least to the knees. Touching is useless.
3. Make passes, or else magnetic frictions, along the legs, to the extremity of the feet: soothe the patient by several passes at a distance with the open hand; and, finally, throw off the superabundant fluid, by a few transversal passes.

The first sittings ought to be about an hour in duration, when there is no reason to prolong or abridge them. I say the first sittings, because a part of the time is consumed in establishing the communication. As soon as that has been once well established the action of Magnetism is manifested at the first moment; then a sitting of half an hour, or three-quarters, provided the labor commenced is duly sustained, will be sufficient.

pp50-51

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.

General Tips

• 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.

Techniques

Warm Cloth

Place a piece of linen, several times folded, or a fragment of woolen or cotton cloth, upon the suffering part; apply the mouth above it, and breath through it; it excites a lively sensation of heat; and the breath, which is charged with the magnetic fluid, intro duces it into the system. It is also observed that the heat is not merely at the surface, as that of hot iron would be, but it penetrates into the interior. After having employed this process, make the usual passes to draw off and expel the pain.

p49

Halitosis Hazard Cooling From a Distance

Blowing cold air from the mouth at a distance produces a refreshing effect. It helps to dissipate the heat, which is withdrawn by presenting the fingers, taking care to separate them as you draw them off, in the usual manner.

p49

Cooling the Head

The head may also be cooled by putting the palm of the hands upon it, and holding the fingers elevated and separate. The fluid passes off at the ends of the fingers.

p49

Soothing vs Focusing via Magnetic Fluid

I have said that the fingers, brought near and pointed towards the part, act more powerfully, and concentrate the fluid better, than the extended hand. There is one other process, the action of which is much stronger, and which may be employed with success for local pains and for obstructions.

p49

I will not here relate the details given by M. Kluge, Professor in the Medical School of Berlin, upon the various kinds of manipulation .* What has been said suffices to indicate the processes that may be employed when no perceivable effect has been produced. I will merely add, that the action is more lively and penetrating by the digital manipulation - that is when one presents the ends of the fingers - than when he presents the hands open and the fingers straight, so as to have the fluid pass from all the interior surface. Manipulation with the open hand at a distance is a process generally used to soothe; it is often sufficient to appease the sharpest pains. The fingers, united to a point, concentrate the action upon the part towards which they are directed.

p50

Inducing Somnambulism

FWIW, the author recommended strongly against deliberately creating a somnambulistic state, but to allow it to come naturally.

Many magnetizers, in order to produce it, charge the head very much; and, by this means, they often succeed in obtaining a forced slumber, a reflux of blood towards the brain, and partial crises, which are of no utility. This method is not without danger. It is much better simply to employ Magnetism by the long pass, and not to charge the head more than the other parts. If nature is disposed to this crisis, the fluid will, of itself, be carried to the brain, and the tendency to somnambulism will be manifested by the patient’s being in a state of tranquility, by his closing his eyes, and by his sleeping. You may then, without any inconvenience, pass the extremities of your fingers five or six times at a short distance before his eyes, in order to give more intensity to his sleep.

p95

• Tips on creating somnambulism
  • “you never seek to produce somnambulism, but let it come naturally”
    • Some magnetizers try to force it by overcharging the head. (They say this is dangerous… I doubt it. From personal experience, focusing on the head / face created the most intense and fun phenomena I’ve had from any ritual. N=1, but I’m a very happy 1.)
  • If you want to check - ask them if they’re sleeping.
    • If they awake and respond, they weren’t in a somnambulism state.
    • If they continue to ‘sleep’ without answering, wait a moment, then ask again, and then perhaps terminate the session.
      • If they still don’t wake up, make passes at a distance, and gently rouse them with your voice.
    • If they respond nonverbally, they’re experiencing a pleasant zonk. Let them enjoy it!

Speaking with your somnambulist:

Some persons have distinguished many degrees or shades of somnambulism. It is useless to occupy your time with all that, and there is no need for me to enter into this examination, to point out to you the surest and the most simple path, and to instruct you how to draw all the advantages possible from somnambulism, at whatever degree it may occur.

When your somnambulist shall have given an affirmative answer to your first question, “Are you asleep?” you may address others to him. These questions should be simple, clear, well adapted, and concise: they should be made slowly, with an interval between them, leaving the somnambulist all the time he wishes to reflect upon them. If you have been able to suppress your curiosity, which is always more or less injurious; if you do not suffer yourself to be astonished to see one who is asleep answer you with propriety; if you have no other end in view but the doing of good; if you do not think of collecting observations - you will put only those questions which are necessary. The response made to the first one will suggest others to you, always in relation to the means of curing the patient.

The following may serve as an example of the series of questions to be first put to your somnambulist.

“Do you feel well ?”

“Does my manner of proceeding agree with you?”

“Will you point out any other mode ?”

“How long shall I let you sleep?”

“How shall I wake you?”

“When shall I magnetize you again?”

“Have you any directions to give me?”

“Do you think I shall succeed in curing you ?”

pp97-98

Ending the Ritual

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.”

Awakening a Somnambulist

At the close of the sitting, when you wish to waken your somnambulist, you will first make passes along the legs to free the head; then you will make some across the eyes, to open them, saying to him, ” Wake !” The eyes often remain shut after the somnambulist is awakened. You will bring them from this condition by patiently passing your fingers many times across Then you will disperse the fluid from the head, and from the rest of the body, by passes made crosswise at a distance, in order to scatter and shake it off. You will have the precaution to continue this until your somnambulist shall be perfectly roused from sleep.

pp117-118

Considerations

Since this was intended as a cure, not as a tool for phenomena, the author suggests you not worry if you don’t see any effects. You should only be concerned if you don’t see an improvement in health. (P57) Granted, you’re probably not here for an arcane ritual’s purported benefits. They suggest you approach your patient with curiosity, not expectation, and to observe closely. Response to magnetism varies greatly. (p59)

Sensations in the Magnetized

These would likely be things you’d want to verbally suggest when applying this recreationally.

The magnetized person perceives a heat escaping from the ends of your fingers when you pass them at a little distance before his face, although your hands appear cold to him if you touch him. He afterwards feels the heat through his clothes, in some parts, or in all parts of his body before which your hands pass. He often compares it to water, moderately warm, flowing over him, and the sensation precedes your hand. His legs become numb, especially if you do not carry your hands as low as his feet; and this numbness ceases when, towards the close, you make passes along the legs to the toes, or below them. Sometimes, instead of communicating heat, you communicate cold; sometimes, also, you produce heat upon one part of the body, and cold upon another. There is often induced a general warmth, and a perspiration more or less considerable…

Magnetism causes the eyes to be closed. They are shut in such a manner that the patient cannot open them, he feels a calm, a sensation of tranquil enjoyment; he grows drowsy; he sleeps; he wakes when spoken to, or else he wakes of himself at the end of a certain time, and finds himself refreshed. Sometimes he enters into somnambulism, in which state he hears the magnetizer, and answers him without awaking.

pp59-60

If you really want to follow the ritual to a T, the author provides some advice.

If the patient feels the sensation of heat or coolness from your fingers, content yourself with magnetizing with long passes. If the action of Magnetism excites pain in any organ, concentrate the action upon that organ, in order to draw it away afterwards.

If there be manifested any heat or heaviness at the head, attract it to the knees.

…

If you see any nervous movements, calm them by your will, first taking the thumbs or the wrists, and afterwards making passes at the distance of several inches, or even of several feet, with the open hand.

If Magnetism seems to act too powerfully, moderate the action, and render it more soothing, by making the passes at a distance.

If the patient sleep, let him sleep tranquilly while you continue to magnetize him. When you wish to rest yourself, take the thumbs of the patient, or place your hands upon his knees.

If the sitting has been long, and you are obliged to quit, rouse the patient gently, by telling him to awake, and by making passes transversely across the eyes.

If the eyes are closed fast, not attended with sleep, open them by transverse passes, but not till the termination of the sitting.

…

Here I ought to observe that the magnetic sleep is of itself essentially restorative. During this sleep, nature, unassisted, works a cure; and it is often sufficient to re-establish the equilibrium and cure nervous complaints.

pp61-62

Special Cases

In Bed

In case the patient cannot raise himself, take your station near his bed in the most convenient manner; take his thumbs, make several passes along the arms, and, if he can support himself upright, several along the back; then, not to fatigue yourself, use only one hand, placing it upon the stomach, and making longitudinal passes, at first slightly touching through the clothes, then at a distance. You can hold one hand fixed upon the knees or upon the feet, while the other is in motion. Finish by passes along the legs, and by transversal passes before the head, the breast, and the stomach, to scatter the superabundant fluid. When the communication is established, one can magnetize very well by placing himself at the foot of the patient’s bed, and in front of him; then directing, at that distance, both hands from the head to the feet, dashing them aside after each pass, so as not to conduct the fluid to himself. I have produced somnambulism by this process, without establishing the communication by touching.

pp45-46

Magnetizing Water

To magnetize water, take the vessel which contains it, and pass the two hands alternately from the top to the bottom of the vessel. Introduce the fluid at the opening of the vessel, by presenting the fingers close to it, several times in succession. Sometimes you may breathe upon the water, or stir it round with the thumb. You may magnetize a glass of water, by holding it by the bottom in one hand, and with the other throwing the fluid upon the glass. There is one process which I employ in preference, in order to magnetize a bottle of water, when I am certain it is not disagreeable to the person whom I magnetize. It consists in placing the bottle upon my knee, and applying my mouth to the nose. I thus throw my breath into the bottle, and, at the same time, I make passes with both hands upon all the surface. I believe this process charges strongly; but it is not necessary. It is sufficient to magnetize it by the hands.

One may magnetize a pitcher of water in two or three minutes; a glass of water in one minute. It is unnecessary to repeat here that the processes pointed out for magnetizing water, like everything else, would be absolutely useless, if they were not employed with attention, and with a determinate will.

p76