Amand-Marie-Jacques de Chastenet, Marquis of Puységur
January 31, 2023
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The Marquis de Puységur learned about Mesmerism from his brother Antoine-Hyacinthe, the Count of Chastenet. One of his first and most important patients was Victor Race, a 23-year-old peasant in the employ of the Puységur family. Race was easily "magnetized" by Puységur, but displayed a strange form of sleeping trance not before seen in the early history of Mesmerism.
Puységur noted the similarity between this sleeping trance and natural sleep-walking or somnambulism, and he named it "artificial somnambulism".[1] Today we know similar states by the name "hypnosis", although that term was invented much later by James Braid in 1842. Some characteristics of Puysegur's artificial somnambulism were in any case specific of his method.
Puységur rapidly became a highly successful magnetist, to whom people came from all over France. In 1785, Puységur taught a course in animal magnetism to the local Masonic society, which he concluded with these words:
I believe in the existence within myself of a power.
From this belief derives my will to exert it. The entire doctrine of Animal Magnetism is contained in the two words: Believe and Want. I believe that I have the power to set into action the vital principle of my fellow-men; I want to make use of it; this is all my science and all my means.
Believe and want, Sirs, and you will do as much as I.
Puységur's institute for training in animal magnetism, Société Harmonique des Amis Réunis, grew rapidly until the Revolution in 1789. During the revolutionary era the institute was disbanded and Puységur spent two years in prison. After the Napoleons' overthrow, the new generation of practitioners of mesmerists (and later of hypnotists) looked to Puységur as their patriarch, and came to accept his method of inducing a sleeping trance in preference to the original methods of Mesmer. Puységur, however, always portrayed himself as a faithful disciple of Mesmer, and never took credit for having invented the procedure that is now known as hypnotic induction.[2] His contributions were gradually forgotten, until Nobel prize-winner Charles Richet rediscovered his writings in 1884, and showed that most of what other people had claimed as their discoveries in the field of magnetism and hypnotherapy were originally due to the Marquis de Puységur.[1]
Henri Ellenberger, the great historian of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy, wrote that Puységur was "one of the great forgotten contributors to the history of the psychological sciences." The details of the life and work of Puységur may be found in Ellenberger's book, The Discovery of the Unconscious, pp. 70–74. Ellenberger's view of Puységur was supported and amplified in Peter Sloterdijk's book Critique of Cynical Reason.[3] In this work, Sloterdijk emphasized Puységur's contributions in his refutation of the common idea that intellectuals of the Enlightenment were not interested in the subconscious mind.
Footnotes
^ abcdEllenberger, Henri (1970) Discovery of the Unconscious: The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry, New York: BasicBooks, pp. 70-74.
^King, John (1837). An Essay of Instruction on Animal Magnetism. New York City: J. C. Kelley. pp. 4–9.
^Sloterdijk, Peter (1988). Critique of Cynical Reason. Theory and History of Literature. Vol. 40 (1 ed.). Univ of Minnesota Press. ISBN978-0816615865.
References
Gauld, A., A History of Hypnotism, Cambridge University Press, 1992.
Harte, R., Hypnotism and the Doctors, Volume I: Animal Magnetism: Mesmer/De Puysegur, L.N. Fowler & Co., (London), 1902.
January 31, 2023
amand, marie, jacques, chastenet, marquis, puységur, this, article, relies, largely, entirely, single, source, relevant, discussion, found, talk, page, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, citations, additional, sources, find, sources, news, news. This article relies largely or entirely on a single source Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page Please help improve this article by introducing citations to additional sources Find sources Amand Marie Jacques de Chastenet Marquis of Puysegur news newspapers books scholar JSTOR July 2014 Amand Marie Jacques de Chastenet Marquis de Puysegur French amɑ maʁiʒak de ʃastenɛ maʁkidpɥizegyʁ 1751 1825 was a French magnetizer aristocrat from one of the most illustrious families of the French nobility He is now remembered as one of the pre scientific founders of hypnotism a branch of animal magnetism or Mesmerism 1 Amand Marie Jacques de Chastenet Marquis of PuysegurBorn1 March 1751 Died1 August 1825 aged 74 OccupationWriter The Marquis de Puysegur learned about Mesmerism from his brother Antoine Hyacinthe the Count of Chastenet One of his first and most important patients was Victor Race a 23 year old peasant in the employ of the Puysegur family Race was easily magnetized by Puysegur but displayed a strange form of sleeping trance not before seen in the early history of Mesmerism Puysegur noted the similarity between this sleeping trance and natural sleep walking or somnambulism and he named it artificial somnambulism 1 Today we know similar states by the name hypnosis although that term was invented much later by James Braid in 1842 Some characteristics of Puysegur s artificial somnambulism were in any case specific of his method Puysegur rapidly became a highly successful magnetist to whom people came from all over France In 1785 Puysegur taught a course in animal magnetism to the local Masonic society which he concluded with these words I believe in the existence within myself of a power From this belief derives my will to exert it The entire doctrine of Animal Magnetism is contained in the two words Believe and Want I believe that I have the power to set into action the vital principle of my fellow men I want to make use of it this is all my science and all my means Believe and want Sirs and you will do as much as I Marquis de Puysegur 1 Puysegur s institute for training in animal magnetism Societe Harmonique des Amis Reunis grew rapidly until the Revolution in 1789 During the revolutionary era the institute was disbanded and Puysegur spent two years in prison After the Napoleons overthrow the new generation of practitioners of mesmerists and later of hypnotists looked to Puysegur as their patriarch and came to accept his method of inducing a sleeping trance in preference to the original methods of Mesmer Puysegur however always portrayed himself as a faithful disciple of Mesmer and never took credit for having invented the procedure that is now known as hypnotic induction 2 His contributions were gradually forgotten until Nobel prize winner Charles Richet rediscovered his writings in 1884 and showed that most of what other people had claimed as their discoveries in the field of magnetism and hypnotherapy were originally due to the Marquis de Puysegur 1 Henri Ellenberger the great historian of psychoanalysis and psychotherapy wrote that Puysegur was one of the great forgotten contributors to the history of the psychological sciences The details of the life and work of Puysegur may be found in Ellenberger s book The Discovery of the Unconscious pp 70 74 Ellenberger s view of Puysegur was supported and amplified in Peter Sloterdijk s book Critique of Cynical Reason 3 In this work Sloterdijk emphasized Puysegur s contributions in his refutation of the common idea that intellectuals of the Enlightenment were not interested in the subconscious mind Footnotes Edit a b c d Ellenberger Henri 1970 Discovery of the Unconscious The History and Evolution of Dynamic Psychiatry New York BasicBooks pp 70 74 King John 1837 An Essay of Instruction on Animal Magnetism New York City J C Kelley pp 4 9 Sloterdijk Peter 1988 Critique of Cynical Reason Theory and History of Literature Vol 40 1 ed Univ of Minnesota Press ISBN 978 0816615865 References EditGauld A A History of Hypnotism Cambridge University Press 1992 Harte R Hypnotism and the Doctors Volume I Animal Magnetism Mesmer De Puysegur L N Fowler amp Co London 1902 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Amand Marie Jacques de Chastenet Marquis of Puysegur amp oldid 1097266506, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
