Monday, February 16, 2015
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Reviews of Five Hypnosis Books You Can Buy for Kindle (+ Douche-O-Meter)
(slang note for Italian friends: "douche" is short for "douchebag", so maybe: douche-o-meter = gradazioni di stronzo)
--
I had some lovely hypnosis in Milan recently, so this hasn't been an entirely dry spell, but until the overload of awesomeness that is the New England Erotic Hypnosis Unconference, and great events happening soon in Milan and London soon, for the most part my education only continues in the form of reading. I'm so grateful for my e-book reader, since all english-language e-books are just as easy to access here as in American, and so I've been catching up on what's out there.
I'm afraid there seems to be a big drop-off in interest from the three books specifically about erotic hypnosis, and Erickson's Hypnotic Realities, to everything else. I'm wary of both doorstop clinical textbooks and $1 sleazy self-published e-books, so I checked out five non-academic but properly published books. It was often rough going. There's a hell of an ego on some of these folks!
Based on this sample, a lot of hypnosis books are built around what I call the "hero psychiatrist" narrative - which I bet we have Freud to thank for. These are anecdotes told by the therapist that always follow the same structure:
This message bugs me a lot. Especially outside of a professional setting, I think wanting to be someone's therapist is a creepier and more destructive power fantasy than wanting to be their Master.
In writing reviews of these books, I was hearing myself complain a lot. Which was a drag. So I switched over to writing in a consumer-guide style, with a special section just for complaining. I give and explain the author's rating on a "douche-o-meter", where 5 is super douchey. This has actually helped me separate out the personality factor, and thereby see the value of each book. As well as helping me not to absorb those bad habits and attitudes along with the learning.
Of course the rating is just based on how the writing is coming across to me, and I know how hard it is to actually sound like yourself when you write. I'd probably like them a lot more in person. Or maybe not. But I hope this can be taken in a lighthearted manner, and not as intended to diminish their real contributions.
I can't wait until the next generation of erotic hypnosis books - by Lee Allure, D.J. Pynchon, Professor X, MrDream, ChewToy, and who knows who else - since they're just as lovely and consent-oriented as Wiseguy (the author of my favourite hypnosis book, Mind Play). In the meantime, you might do just as well reading blogs, like the ones on my sidebar (not to mention YouTube), rather than books. Something to remember is that just because something is set forth as a system, as books often do, doesn't mean it's scientific, or even remotely helpful, as in the case of the many discredited hypnotic depth scales. At the stage of knowledge we're at with hypnosis, scattershot accounts of firsthand experiences may be the more valid approach.
But I still enjoy the book perspective, and now I'm looking for recommendations for more.
--
I had some lovely hypnosis in Milan recently, so this hasn't been an entirely dry spell, but until the overload of awesomeness that is the New England Erotic Hypnosis Unconference, and great events happening soon in Milan and London soon, for the most part my education only continues in the form of reading. I'm so grateful for my e-book reader, since all english-language e-books are just as easy to access here as in American, and so I've been catching up on what's out there.
I'm afraid there seems to be a big drop-off in interest from the three books specifically about erotic hypnosis, and Erickson's Hypnotic Realities, to everything else. I'm wary of both doorstop clinical textbooks and $1 sleazy self-published e-books, so I checked out five non-academic but properly published books. It was often rough going. There's a hell of an ego on some of these folks!
Based on this sample, a lot of hypnosis books are built around what I call the "hero psychiatrist" narrative - which I bet we have Freud to thank for. These are anecdotes told by the therapist that always follow the same structure:
a) the patient comes to them with an life-ruining affliction that no one has been able to help,The implicit message these authors send - besides "I'm amazing!" - is that curing psychological problems with hypnosis is easy and fun. And, by the way, makes you feel like a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Jesus!
b) the psychologist makes a brilliant intuitive leap, and prescribes or administers a wildly unconventional treatment,
c) The patient is instantly cured forever.
This message bugs me a lot. Especially outside of a professional setting, I think wanting to be someone's therapist is a creepier and more destructive power fantasy than wanting to be their Master.
In writing reviews of these books, I was hearing myself complain a lot. Which was a drag. So I switched over to writing in a consumer-guide style, with a special section just for complaining. I give and explain the author's rating on a "douche-o-meter", where 5 is super douchey. This has actually helped me separate out the personality factor, and thereby see the value of each book. As well as helping me not to absorb those bad habits and attitudes along with the learning.
Of course the rating is just based on how the writing is coming across to me, and I know how hard it is to actually sound like yourself when you write. I'd probably like them a lot more in person. Or maybe not. But I hope this can be taken in a lighthearted manner, and not as intended to diminish their real contributions.
I can't wait until the next generation of erotic hypnosis books - by Lee Allure, D.J. Pynchon, Professor X, MrDream, ChewToy, and who knows who else - since they're just as lovely and consent-oriented as Wiseguy (the author of my favourite hypnosis book, Mind Play). In the meantime, you might do just as well reading blogs, like the ones on my sidebar (not to mention YouTube), rather than books. Something to remember is that just because something is set forth as a system, as books often do, doesn't mean it's scientific, or even remotely helpful, as in the case of the many discredited hypnotic depth scales. At the stage of knowledge we're at with hypnosis, scattershot accounts of firsthand experiences may be the more valid approach.
But I still enjoy the book perspective, and now I'm looking for recommendations for more.
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