Ancient Civilization and Hypnosis

Ancient civilizations were perhaps the first to practice hypnosis in group settings. Many rituals, such as mass chanting and meditation to a steady drum beat were parts of religious ceremonies. The continuation of these rhythms combined with the energy of the group placed its members in a sort of trance-state. The purpose of this was to rejuvenate or heal the members taking part in the ceremony. Essentially, there was healing of the mind through early hypnosis before any formalized medical practice came into being.