Yoga Philosophy

Author(s): Virchand R Gandhi, Bhagu F Karbhari
Publisher: Devchand Lalbhai Pustakoddhar Fund

Page 84

HYPNOTISM
65
the power of another person, is that this power may be used for evil purposes. Cases are on record in which, crimes have been committed in the hypnotic state, but it is also said, that a person will not go to the extent of committing a crime, if he would not do this in his ordinary state. If a person is full of love, that person wiil not comit a murder even under the influence of hypnotic suggestion. But do hypnotists try experiments on people full of universal love? But even if those persons are of that nature, the relinquishment of the will makes them weaker everyday, and the time may come, when they will be altogether susceptible to any suggestion made by any person. All of us have our weaknesses. We are deterred from committing certain acts, because our surroundings do not permit them, but in the hypnotic state, when these surroundings do not influence us, we are liable to go to that extreme in which there will be nothing to prevent us from committing the crime. Even in ordinary experiments we find that, if a person is made to think that another person is his creditor for $500, the subject may dispute this, but when the suggestion is made that he should write a promissory note for the amount he will do this. Thus the suggestion might be made that the subject should commit a crime and as all persons are not of a strong moral character, that crime may be committed. In this way it becomes dangerous in the hands of immoral or designing people. It becomes also dangerous in the hands of lawyers, who might compel the witness to give a