mesmerism
Compelling mental influence
Mesmerism is an early theory of hypnotic influence, named after Franz Mesmer, who believed he could cure ailments through "animal magnetism"—invisible forces flowing between bodies.
The term now describes any hypnotic or spellbinding influence: The speaker held the crowd in a state of mesmerism.
To mesmerize is to captivate utterly.
Semiconscious, unresponsive condition
- inductionFormal admission process
- suggestionIdea proposed for consideration
- passesGoes beyond or through
- somnambulismWalking during deep sleep
hypnotherapy · autosuggestion · deep sleep · posthypnotic · regression · susceptibility · suggestibility · rapport
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- convulsionsInvoluntary muscular contractions
- VictorianOf a prim era
- quackeryFraudulent medical practice
Completely capturing one's attention
- captivationState of being fascinated
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- enthrallmentState of being captivated
- bewitchmentMagical influence over someone
allure · riveting · compelling · entrancement · absorption · engrossment · charm · intrigue
Spirit communication ritual
- spiritualismCommunion with the deceased
- clairvoyanceExtrasensory perception ability
- mediumMiddle size or state
- magnetismForce between poles
aura · divination · spirit · psychic · channeling · paranormal · supernatural · otherworldly
Underhanded control of others
- mind controlDirecting another's thoughts
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- swayRock back and forth
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
control · persuasion · subjugation · compliance · susceptibility · authority · hold · thrall
trance
Semiconscious, unresponsive condition
- inductionFormal admission process
- suggestionIdea proposed for consideration
- passesGoes beyond or through
somnambulism · hypnotherapy · autosuggestion · deep sleep · posthypnotic · regression · susceptibility · suggestibility · rapport · fixation
Franz Mesmer
- crisisDecisive dangerous moment
- convulsionsInvoluntary muscular contractions
- VictorianOf a prim era
quackery · pseudoscience · Enlightenment · magnetizer · commission
spellbinding
Completely capturing one's attention
- captivationState of being fascinated
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- enthrallmentState of being captivated
bewitchment · allure · riveting · compelling · entrancement · absorption · engrossment · charm · intrigue · rapt attention
séance
Spirit communication ritual
- spiritualismCommunion with the deceased
- clairvoyanceExtrasensory perception ability
- mediumMiddle size or state
magnetism · aura · divination · spirit · psychic · channeling · paranormal · supernatural · otherworldly · mysticism
manipulation
Underhanded control of others
- mind controlDirecting another's thoughts
- powerEnergy transfer rate
- swayRock back and forth
dominance · control · persuasion · subjugation · compliance · susceptibility · authority · hold · thrall · coercion
- paranormalghosts, paranormal, haunting, poltergeist, apparition
- Victorianaseances, Dickens, spiritualism, Sherlock Holmes, phrenology
- Psychology HistoryFreud, Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, Jung, William James
- Hypnotismhypnotist, trance, hypnotic state, hypnotic suggestion, deep trance
- medical historyHippocrates, germ theory, bloodletting, Galen, four humors
- obsolete sciencephlogiston, aether, phlogiston theory, ether, caloric
mesmerismalertness
Active mental awareness
wakefulness · lucidity · clear-headedness · awareness · consciousness
mesmerismreason
Basis or justification
evidence-based reasoning · dialectic · critical thinking · Socratic method · disenchantment
mesmerismskepticism
Disposition toward doubt
scientific method · rationalism · evidence-based medicine · empiricism · debunking
- mesmerizing stareHypnotically compelling eye contact
mesmerized, mesmerize, mesmerizing, mesmerizes, mesmeric, mesmerizer, mesmerist, mesmerization, mesmerically