Category Archives: Meditation and Mindfulness
James Braid on Self-Hypnosis and Hindu Yoga
Excerpt from James Braid’s collected writings, The Discovery of Hypnosis, in which the founder of hypnotherapy discusses the relationship between hypnotism and yogic meditation, from a sceptical perspective. Continue reading
The View from Above Script
This is a script for a contemplative exercise, derived from Socratic philosophy, known as the View from Above, which appears in a modified form in the forthcoming book, The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy. Continue reading
Posted in Meditation and Mindfulness, Mental Imagery, Philosophy, Stoicism
Tagged Meditation and Mindfulness, Philosophy, Socrates, stoic, Stoicism
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Being AWARE in Cognitive Therapy for Anxiety
This short article describes the AWARE acronym used by Aaron Beck in his cognitive therapy for anxiety and phobias, in the form of self-help advice to clients at the outset of therapy. Continue reading
Posted in CBT, Meditation and Mindfulness
Tagged anxiety, awareness, CBT, cognitive, Meditation and Mindfulness, mindfulness
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Did Hypnotism Originate as a Form of Meditation?
This short article explains how hypnotism actually originated, in part, under the influence of Oriental meditation techniques, described in the writings of James Braid, the founder of hypnotherapy. Continue reading
The Hypnotic Symbol Suggestion Technique
This short piece outlines the self-hypnosis method of “symbol suggestion” as found in hypnotherapy and developed by the followers of Emile Coue. Continue reading
Philosophical Premeditation & Cognitive Therapy
This article briefly reviews certain parallels between classical philosophical literature and modern cognitive-behavioural psychotherapy, specifically in relation to the use of “philosophical premeditation” and modern exposure therapies. Continue reading
Posted in Anxiety and Phobias, CBT, Meditation and Mindfulness, Mental Imagery, Philosophy, Stoicism
Tagged CBT, cognitive, Meditation and Mindfulness, Philosophy, psychotherapy, spinoza, stoic, Stoicism, therapy
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James Braid on Hypnotic Meditation
James Braid, the founder of hypnotherapy, was unaware of oriental meditation techniques until a few years after introducing his technique of eye-fixation hypnotism. He subsequently embraced the notion that hypnotism and yogic meditation were distant cousins, and even that they were more closely-related than hypnotism and its immediate precursor, Mesmer’s animal magnetism. Continue reading
