CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

I Brainwashing Comes to A m e ric a ............10

II Brainwashing as Psychological T orture . . 32

III Hypnosis and the Muscle S e n s e s .............56

T he Proprioceptive Principle of
H y p n o sis................................................64

IV Brainwashing and the Visceral Senses . . . 73

T he Interoceptive Principle in
B rainw ashing....................................... 82

V Testing Brainwash V ic tim s .......................85

The CRIB Testing P ro c e d u re ..........93

VI Benevolent Brainwashing in the Future . 102

Suggested Readings
What is that sinister force influencing the
innermost recesses of the human mind,
effecting a radical transformation of beliefs
and behavior? What malevolent power
robs the human o f his free will, holding
him mentally and physically captive,
ultimately distorting his inborn instinct for
self-survival, causing him to destroy himself?
What frightening device transforms man
into an inhuman robot with no feelings or
compassion toward others, into something
less than human ?

IS IT BRAINWASHING?
I f brainwashing can convert the human
into an animal, can it not also revert the
animal back into the human — if so — that
is the hope for the future.
 PREFACE

A fter the return of the brainw ashed veterans of

the K orean W ar, startling disillusionments about
hum an nature kindled a m orbid public interest in
“brainw ashing.” T hese disillusionments led to the
popular belief that any person who had ever been
exposed to this type of Com m unist influence
autom atically becam e a robotized zombie and a
potential killer of the worst sort. M ore recently,
shocking events right here at hom e have shown
that brainwashing isn’t confined to the trained
m ind-benders of Comm unism but is even m ore
gruesom ely practiced by an A m erican crim inal
elem ent.
Yet, despite the high public interest in brainwash­
ing, the term “brainw ashing” itself is only vaguely
defined. T here is little solid inform ation on the
subject outside that in military intelligence and the
secret service agencies — and that inform ation is
not readily available. A ccording to the military,
brainwashing exerts psychological pressures that
humans cannot withstand. This implies that human
beings have no free will of their own, and that they
can — with the application of sufficient psychologi­
cal pressure — be programmed to follow the dictates
of another person’s will. All of an individual’s
personal convictions and m oral principles can be
contravened through the process of brainwashing.
The first chapter in this book addresses itself to
brainwashing as a social and historical m atter.
T hree social uses of brainwashing are identified
and discussed. Political brainwashing is brainwash­
ing in the classical sense of the term ; it has been an
instrum ent of Com m unist propaganda for years.
Criminal brainwashing adds a new twist to classical
brainwashing, substituting radical and criminal
groups for Communist mind-benders, and American
civilians for military personnel. It is in this chapter
that I discuss the cases of Patty H earst, Charles
M anson, Sirhan Sirhan and Lee Harvey Oswald.
Quasi-religious mass hypnosis, which results in great
financial gain for its perpetrators, is, like criminal
brainwashing, a relatively new entry in the “thought-
reform area. T he alien origins and weird practices
of strange religious cults will be described and
discussed.
In the next three chapters is presented my
theory of how brainwashing techniques achieve
their effects. In C hapter Two is presented the
biological and psychological foundations for two
new principles which explain how brainwashing
works. A fter presenting some basic inform ation
about the biological underpinnings of hum an
behavior and the nervous system and the brain, I
suggest ways in which an individual’s conscious
control of his own behavior may be reduced or
ended, thereby allowing other people to gain
access to his subconscious and nonconscious mind.
T he first new principle of hypnosis as related to
brainwashing is presented in C hapter T hree, and
describes the physiological basis of the universal
road to the subconscious through the muscle
senses. It suggests that, when the subconscious is
activated, the conscious part of the brain is less
operative and a person then acts quickly without
thinking. This first principle, which I call the
“muscle-sense principle,” was used far back in the
mists of time when aborigines conducted war
dances to release them selves from fear. Since
then, this principle has been used in all armies to
condition soldiers to instant obedience and disinhibit
them from fear when faced with death. Soldiers
are, and always have been, conditioned through
their muscle senses or proprioceptors. Because the
muscle-sense system goes directly to the subcon­
scious mind of man, the use of the muscle-sense
principle extends far beyond the training of men
for com bat. It is, for example, the m echanism
underlying m uch of hypnosis as well.
The second novel principle is about brainwashing
itself and is presented in C hapter Four. This
describes the shortcut to the nonconscious mind
of man. W hen the nonconscious, autonom ic part
of the hum an brain is activated through using this
second principle, the conscious thinking mechanism
is literally rendered inoperative. This second
principle, called the “visceral-sense principle,”
can be em ployed to m anipulate other people to
obey arbitrary com m ands. T he G estapo of Nazi
G erm any used this shortcut to the unconscious
w henever they interrogated Jewish refugees. All
secret service agencies — probably including our
C.I.A. — know of and use this shortcut in the
conduct of their espionage operations.
In the fifth chapter, we examine how brainw ash­
ing is today diagnosed, and present a new way of
finding out w hether an individual has, indeed,
been brainwashed. T he construction, content,
adm inistration, and possible uses of this new test
procedure for brainwashing are explained and
illustrated. T he superiority of this new procedure
over present ways of diagnosing brainwashing is
discussed, and the im plications of this test for
determining the legal responsibilities of individuals
who claim to be “brainw ashed” is evaluated as
well.
Brainwashing has been used mainly for psycho­
political, anti-social, and money-m aking purposes
in the past. T he prognosis for the future is brighter,
however, for our new knowledge of brainwashing
techniques can also be em ployed as a novel form
of rehabilitation and therapy. If applied benevolently,
“brainwashing” could em pty our overcrow ded
jails and prisons, making moral and constructive
citizens out of hopelessly crim inal derelicts.
Ultimately, used therapeutically, it could be a
m uch m ore hum ane, effective, and inexpensive
solution to the crime problem than long prison
term s or the death sentence. We know now that
the hum an cannot long withstand the psychological
pressures of brainwashing. From what is today
used for m alevolent and anti-social purposes may
be gleaned a bright hope for our future society. We
examine the possible benefits of a new conditioning
and brainwashing technology in the sixth and final
chapter.
 INTRODUCTION

T he present is out of the past and the future is

upon us — brainwashing has com e to A m erica.
O ur society is now torm ented in its efforts to deal
fairly and legally with those accused of public
transgressions while under the influence of
brainwashing.
From the M cN aghten case to the D urham rule,
the alleged brainwashing of the turncoats of the
K orean conflict, the V ietnam W ar to the M anson
case, and the H earst trial, com es the urgent
requirem ent that laws be am ended to include the
effects of brainwashing upon the hum an mind and
free will. T he very subject of brainwashing is of
urgent im portance to the law.
Indoctrination m ethods, copied from the
Communists, have been known to drastically change
beliefs and attitudes in a com paratively short span
of tim e. In our own experience I have seen girls
from good families, following forceful coercion or
skillful persuasion, resort to prostitution overnight.
This is a form of hum an enslavem ent through
brainwashing that our society must consider and
guard against.
This book explains brainwashing so that we may
have a deeper knowledge of how we may be
m entally abducted by individuals or organizations.
It also explains how hypnosis is used on a mass
basis by om inous cults of alien origin — threats of
which our country is not legally prepared to cope.
Is brainwashing a legal defense? This is a
problem which our judicial system has given scant
attention — yet a precedent-setting decision could
be achieved out of the Patty H earst case. O ur
archaic insanity laws or T he D octrine of U ndue
Influence must be revised to include brainwashing
as a new and frightening reality of A m erican life.
T he m ajor contribution of this book in relation
to the law will without doubt be the presentation of
the V erdier CRIB Testing procedure. This will
provide an objective and systematic testing of the
victims of the malevolent pressures of brainwashing.
This diagnostic procedure is intended to replace
the highly subjective methods and often contradic­
tory opinions of the experts. T he CRIB will
simplify the creation of new laws dealing with
brainwashing victims and set a standard by which
one can be tested or examined.
A m erican jurists have been understanding and
generally sympathetic to many alleged wrongdoers
charged with crim es that were claim ed to have
been political in nature. It can be said that a
slaying for a political reason, although premeditated,
is studied with compassion although not condoned.
If the reason for the conduct was describable as
politically m otivated, the resultant sentence was
usually a merciful one.
Insanity as a defense is not when one is medically
insane but legally insane. Insanity is a legal term .
The ancient theory was that a sane man had a mind
while an insane man had no mind.
Modernly, when examining alleged unsoundness
of mind, the question is not w hether the individual
had a mind or no mind, but centers on w hether he
had mind enough for the particular purpose. The
court asks, “was the mind im paired to such an
extent and in such a way as to result in some
particular incapacity?” — or was that capacity
diminished?
In 1843, the M cN aghten Rule of Legal Insanity
was handed down to us by the English court. It has
been with us ever since. Daniel McNaghten attem pt­
ed to shoot and kill Sir R obert Peel, the founder of
the m odern police forces, and from whom is
derived the term “Bobby” when referring to men
of the badge in Britain. T he jury acquitted
M cN aghten because they deem ed that “he did not
know the nature and quality of his act or if he did
know it, he did not know that his act was w rong.”
Since then we have had the “right-wrong test” and
it generally still is applied. T he M cN aghten rule
applies only in a case of a defect of reason from a
disorder of the mind.
T he first deviation from the M cN aghten rule
cam e in 1954 in Durham v. United States, and the
Federal C ourt held the test for legal insanity to be:
(1) w hether the defendant was sane or insane at the
time of the alleged crim e; and if he was insane (2)
w hether the harm ful act was the product of his
insanity. T he D urham rule is referred to as the
“product rule.” It has caused the overturning of
many guilty verdicts.
One who has been deprived of his reason has
been robbed of his pow er to respond norm ally to
whatever the situation. He is mentally irresponsible.
T o the present time, many defenses have centered
upon one being deprived of his reason by causes
such as intoxication or by drugs.
The law holds that the heat of passion and
feeling produced by motives of anger, hatred or
revenge, is not insanity. Unless brainwashing can
be affixed within the defined legal insanity, can it
be accepted as a valid defense? In brainwashing
one can say that the victim perpetuated the crime
because of being impelled to do so because of
certain beliefs, but this is not a truly certain and
recognized defense to the commission of a crime.
T here are those that place brainwashing in the
acting-under-hypnosis category. One can show
that the act was com m itted unintentionally and
unconsciously while under the spell of hypnosis.
T he actor is merely the tool of the person who
hypnotizes the actor. Every crim e requires an act
and intent. “While under spell” w ithout adding the
word “hypnosis” connotes a situation that stimulates
thought in the field of crim inal law.
It appears that som ewhere in the insanity label,
under special circum stances and the appropriate
crime, a defense of the facts resulting in brainwashing
could be utilized, or a modified form of undue
influence or coercion can be applied. This undue
influence or coercion must be determ ined scientifi­
cally, and it will require a m ethodical test. T he
V erdier CRIB T est could fill this need. Defined
rules of law will then be forthcom ing as a guideline
for the m eting of sentences, based upon the degree
to which a victim has been brainwashed.
 Dr. Paul V erdier as a professional psychologist
has been engaged in clinical conditioning and
behavior m odification in his practice for many
years. His long term experience and interest in
hypnosis and brainwashing gives him the objectivity
to analyse the deeper physiological and psychological
aspects of the problem s they pose. His knowledge
of the construction of psychological tests, of which
he has authored and copyrighted several, including
the CRI Conditioned Response Index, could provide
the innovative know-how to m ake the CRIB the
outstanding criterion to the court as to w hether a
person has or has not been brainwashed. The
CRIB could provide the m uch-needed scientific
tool which will give the law the fairness and
objectivity that a brainw ashed victim deserves.
My years of experience as a practicing criminal
trial attorney include many sad cases which could
possibly have come under the brainwashing category.
In the past, our Military justice system avoided this
great issue and mercifully de-em phasized prosecu­
tion of many so-called turncoats. T he issue is still
with us and must be resolved — one way or the
other. T he Patty H earst case is only the forerunner
of the avalanche of brainwashing cases yet to
com e to the courts. We in the legal profession
must have access to tools such as the CRIB
procedure will provide in order to assure objectivity
and justice to the victims of the m alevolent brain­
washing process.
R. R ichard Fusilier, J.D.
A ttorney at Law
Los Angeles, California
 CHAPTER I

BRAINWASHING COMES TO AMERICA

T hroughout history m an has shown a penchant

for devising ways to gain dom inion over the
thoughts and actions of others. T he Comm unists
were the first to use scientific ways to coerce
people on a mass scale into believing their political
ideologies — this was called indoctrination. W hat
they did on the personal level with individuals who
failed to see political life their way has gradually
become a process called “brainwashing.” Brainwash­
ing has, since the 1920s, com e to be considered
exclusively Comm unistic, and used mainly for
psycho-political purposes. R ecent events, here at
home, have shown us that we have developed a
dom estic brand of brainwashing that is not one
whit less cruel and sinister than the original
Com m unist variety.
Brainwashing has, by its very success, forced
political philosophers and psychologists to revise
their concepts of hum an nature. In the universities
these new ideas have been given free play through
laboratory studies of the conditioned reflex and
behavior. A t the same time, science fiction writers
and others have given the better-educateo public
some advanced ideas on molding hum an nature —
ideas quickly picked up by a radical and a criminal
elem ent. So now we have, in Am erica, anti-social
elements who are stealing items from the brainwash­
ing arsenal, so that they too can create mindless

10
robots to carry out their every com m and.
Though other term s such as “thought control,”
“thought reform ,” and “mind control" have been
used in the past, we shall stay with the m ore
commonly known term “brainwashing.” Brainwash­
ing can be defined as the process of causing a
person to undergo a radical alteration of beliefs
and attitudes. Brainwashing, hypnosis, and psycho­
logical conditioning are all similar and closely
related. All through this book there will be some
emphasis upon hypnosis, as this is a more fascinating
side of the process of depriving a person of a once-
inalienable right of free will.
T he very notion of “free will,” however, raises a
wide range of questions. Does the hum an really
possess what has been traditionally called “free
will”? Does he really control his personal convictions
by some changeless ability to think for himself
regardless of all attem pts by others to control his
thoughts and actions? Is it possible that one person
can hold another with a hypnotic power, causing
him to do his every bidding? Should he then be
considered to be responsible for his actions — if
he really has no will of his own?
These are im portant questions; and the public is
gradually becom ing aware that humans, either by
being indoctrinated through education early in life
or by the process of being influenced strongly
enough later in life, can be program m ed with
almost any belief or attitude. Of course, for the
same reason that they can be program m ed, they
should also be able to be deprogram m ed. Y et —

11
this is all a new developm ent in our traditional
concepts about hum an nature and m an’s relations
with his fellows. The very idea of “free will” is
being questioned.
D escriptions of free will tend to be m ore poetic
than scientific. William Ernest Henley, in the
poem “Invictus,” expresses it in this way:
“I am the m aster of my fate,
I am the captain of my soul.”
But Sigmund Freud, expressing the opposite point
of view, w rote that:
“. . . there is within you a
deeply rooted belief in psychic
freedom and choice, that this
belief is quite unscientific,
and that it must give ground
before the claims of a d eter­
minism which governs even
m ental life.”
T he doctrine of “free will” is also under attack
by em inent behaviorist psychologist B.F. Skinner.
Skinner has stated: “Our present outm oded concep­
tion of man keeps us from being effective.” T he list
of authors and social scientists advocating a new
public and legal attitude about man and his basic
nature is nearly endless.
Having recognized that man is determ ined by
his relations to his fellow men and the world, we
must now write an epitaph to the notion of “free
will.” It is a fact that an individual can be made to
accept as true what he previously rejected as false,
and m ade to view as false what he previously saw
as true and good. Thus, in political brainwashing, a

12
person may be totally controlled, even to his most
intim ate needs. He is insulated from the outside
world. He is left in uncertainty as to his future. He
may be tortured, he may be starved, he can be
personally hum iliated until his ego is destroyed. In
short, in order to survive he must adopt new beliefs
and attitudes.
T he brainw ashed person is conditioned by
punishm ent for undesirable beliefs and rew arded
for expressing desirable beliefs. This is the m ethod
reserved for those governm ent agencies who have
infinite am ounts of time, resources and personnel.
Y et there are also m ore scientific techniques
which use the hypnotic response and, through
guilt association and the dam pening of inhibitions,
achieve alteration of beliefs w ithout torture.
An uncom fortable reality has at last com e hom e
to the A m erican public: brainwashing, which once
seem ed exclusively a Com m unist technique, is
here in A m erica, and used by cults. Over twenty
years have passed since the first brainwashed
prisoner drifted back from the K orean conflict,
and brainwashing has expanded into other areas of
life from its original political and ideological uses
during the cold war. Brainwashing is now used by
neo-crim inal elem ents to cause others to comm it
gross acts of violence. Even our archaic laws
regarding insanity may have to be changed in the
face of steadily increasing evidence that, in some
ways at least, man is an autom aton who can be
program m ed to do the bidding of others.
To the majority of the A m erican public, brain­

13
washing appears to be a single, unitary phenomenon.
In reality, however, the term “brainwashing” is
given to very different m atters. T hree types of
brainwashing can now be identified: political
brainwashing; criminal brainwashing; and quasi­
religious brainwashing.
Political Brainwashing. Political brainwashing is
the classical brainwashing process used in Com m u­
nist countries for two purposes. T he first purpose
is to com pel an innocent person to admit publicly
that he has com m itted crimes against the state.
T he second purpose is to radically change an
individual’s viewpoint so that he rejects previously
stated beliefs and becom es an advocate of the
Com m unist way of life. Both of these objectives
can be achieved through the process of brainwashing.
G reat confusion arises from the tendency to use
the term “brainwashing” indiscriminately. This
has happened when writers are dealing with situations
in which prisoners have been com pelled to reveal
military intelligence or forced to cooperate with
their captors against their fellow prisoners. Though
superficially similar, these situations lack the essential
characteristics of classical brainwashing, which is
an aspect of political indoctrination.
W ithin the Soviet Union, early brainwashing
was based upon a rich legacy from the Tsarist
secret police. It was not until the great purges of
the 1930s, however, tnat m ajor refinem ents of
technique were w orked out. W orld-wide attention
was then draw n to brainwashing by the amazing
confessions given at the well-publicized Moscow

14
treason trials. Since then, brainwashing has become
an established Com m unist organizational device.
T hroughout history, man has shown a penchant
for devising ways to gain control over the thoughts
and actions of others. Until recently, hypnosis was
considered the ultim ate tool for control of the
mind, and is still considered the only tool by some.
Ivan Pavlov, the Russian Nobel Prize-winning
discoverer of the conditioned response, was intrigued
by hypnosis and put forth some sound theories
regarding its brain mechanism s. T he Russians
quickly adapted Pavlov’s conditioning concepts as
the basis for their techniques of psycho-political
brainwashing. T he effectiveness of their m ethods
was startlingly dem onstrated following W orld W ar
II with their display of a Rom an Catholic Cardinal
who openly repudiated and denounced his own
church. By all standards, this high-ranking church­
m an would be considered educated, dedicated,
strong-willed and tough-m inded — yet there ap­
peared no evidence that he had been subjected to
any physical coercion or torture. If the pressures
of brainwashing can subvert a dedicated Prince of
the C hurch, it is not hard to imagine how they can
affect a pleasure-seeking, undisciplined, and weak-
willed individual.
During the Korean War, some American prisoners
of w ar confessed th at they had engaged in
bacteriological warfare operations; some of the
P.O.W.s even became quite openly pro-Communist.
These forms of coerced behavior were popularly
attributed by the public to brainwashing. T hough

15
the actual num ber of cases was relatively small, the
public furor concerning them led to official inquiries
in both the U nited States and G reat Britain. Few of
these prisoners had undergone true brainwashing
in the classical sense of the term , although it must
be conceded that they had been subjected to
harrowing pressures. From that time on the term
“brainwashing” has been w idespread, even though
imprecise, popular usage.
Crim inal Brainwashing in A m erica. A m ple
testimony that brainwashing has hit the A m erican
scene is attested to by notorious m urders, kidnap­
pings and assassinations. T he M anson m urders, in
which young women mem bers of Charles M anson’s
“family” brutally stabbed to death several people,
reflects clear evidence of brainwashing. Charles
M anson definitely knew and applied techniques
com m on to brainwashing in order to keep his
“family” subject to his every com m and.
T he abduction and trial of Patricia H earst is
another case of national interest which involves
brainwashing. It has also been asserted by at least
two quite reliable specialists on hum an behavior
and hypnosis that Sirhan Sirhan was under a
hypnotic influence at the time he killed Senator
R obert K ennedy. T here are num erous unofficial
new spaper reports that Lee Harvey Oswald could
have been brainw ashed and program m ed to
assassinate John F. Kennedy.
In contrast to the political and propaganda use
of brainwashing by Communists, these just-
m entioned cases are relatively novel — they

16
involve a crim inal elem ent using brainwashing
techniques to influence the hum an mind. And,
since they were all highly publicized legal spectacles,
they probably gave other criminals even more
advanced ideas about the uses and techniques of
brainwashing. It is therefore likely that these cases
are only the forerunners of an avalanche of
criminal brainwashing cases yet to descend on the
A m erican people.
That brainwashing is now an American phenom e­
non is vividly illustrated by cases which have been
presented to the public as great legal circuses — all,
incidentally, at the taxpayer’s expense. These
cases are analyzed from the standpoint of what is
now known about the brainwashing process; and
their similarities to classical forms of psycho­
political brainwashing in Russia are startling.
The Patricia Hearst Case. Lately we have seen
how brainwashing might becom e a sinister tool of
a college-educated and fanatic anarchic group
that wishes to gain control over, and ensure the
obedience of, its mem bers. This is illustrated by
the case of Patricia H earst, who was abducted by,
and who later claim ed full m em bership in, the self-
styled Symbionese Liberation Army.
But was Patricia H earst really brainwashed? Her
lawyers claim ed diminished intellectual capacity
in order to account for her behavior during
captivity. (Diminished capacity is not an insanity
plea, but, if true, does place Patty in the brainwashed
category.) Let us note some of the facts of the
H earst case:

17
 1. She was threatened by death. T hree days of
lie detector tests by four experts support her story
that she was forced on threat of death to take part
in a bank robbery. T hreat of death is an im portant
com ponent of brainwashing.
2. She was confined and restrained. According
to reports she was tied up, blindfolded and confined
in a closet for a considerable length of time.
Isolation and physical restraint are very im portant
factors in brainwashing.
3. She was program m ed by sex. This form of
conditioning has long been used in the forcible
entry of women into prostitution and in the
coercion of prostitutes. It is evident that it was
used.
4. She identified with her abductors as a
source of com fort and reassurance. Patricia had a
lover and reassuring confidant to shelter her from
the fear of physical harm . Identification with the
captor is obvious here.
Two other aspects of the H earst case may also
indicate brainwashing:
5. Was Patty on drugs? Drugs are disinhibiting
— that is, they m ake an individual suggestible and
easier to change. T hose around her during her
abduction were known as “acid heads.” It is likely
they would not have hesitated to use drugs in
P atty’s indoctrination; it was part of their culture.
6. Was there a radical change in Patty’s beliefs
and attitudes? On the face of it, this im portant
factor is apparently true; nevertheless, it should be
exam ined carefully using accepted psychological

18
testing techniques.
T hese few factors point to a definite possibility
that Patricia H earst was brainwashed. T here is a
need, however, for an objective, scientific determina­
tion — a test which would give m ore accurate
inform ation than interviews. We would then be
able to say with greater certainty w hether Patricia
H earst was a rebel and merely converted, or
w h eth er she was forcibly in d o c trin a te d and
brainwashed. T here is a strong indication that she
was, indeed, brainwashed.
The M anson Murders. T here are the grisly
episodes involving Charles Manson, who apparently
recruited weak-willed persons — mostly young
women — and convinced them to com m it the
gruesom e Tate-LaB ianca m urders. W ere these
murders committed by inhuman robots programmed
to kill? Was any system used to indoctrinate these
mild-looking young women and make them commit
these horrendous acts? According to the prosecuting
attorney in the M anson case (Vincent Bugliosi, in
his book H elter S kelter), M anson deliberately
used the following techniques on his “family”:
1. Fear. Fear was one of Manson’s must effective
tools; it is also one of the basic factors used in
classical brainwashing.
2. Isolation. There were no clocks or newspapers
at the Spahn ranch. Cut off from the rest of
society, M anson created a tight little group with its
own value system — his values.
3. Sex. M anson taught his little group that in
sex there is no wrong, thereby gradually eradicat­

19
ing their inhibitions to the point where there was
no act they would not comm it.
4. Identification. M anson capitalized on the
psychological needs of the family m em bers and
m ade himself a father surrogate.
5. Drugs. M anson considered drugs a useful
tool. LSD was not a casual agent but a catalyst.
M anson used drugs to m ake his followers m ore
suggestible.
6. Repetition. By constantly preaching on an
almost daily basis, M anson gradually erased many
of the norm al inhibitions his followers had been
raised with. In addition, he taught his followers an
am oral philosophy which both fulfilled many of
their personal and psychological needs; this provided
self-justification and release from guilt for their
acts.
Charles M anson certainly em ployed some of the
basic techniques of brainwashing. Fear, intimidation,
fatigue, confinement, physical and sexual m istreat­
m ent — all have traditionally been used to secure
obedience and sexual com pliance from young
women who are em bryonic prostitutes. M anson
used many of these devices of dom ination on his
“family.” Mass acts of violence which brought
about a collective sense of guilt strengthened the
mutual bonds of the “family” members and increased
group cohesiveness. Sex was also used to reinforce
this bonding process. Interestingly, M anson seems
to have had difficulty in obtaining the same willing
subservience from the males in the group that he
obtained from the females. To this day the females

20
rem ain cohesive, as recently illustrated by the
actions of Lynnette “Squeaky” From m e, and other
family mem bers.
The K ennedy Assassinations. Not many years
ago we witnessed the assassination of President
John K ennedy. T here are today many published
rum ors that his alleged assassin, Lee Harvey
Oswald, was brainwshed, transform ed into a robot,
and then program m ed to kill the President. T here
are also published conjectures that Jack Ruby,
Oswald’s killer, was hypnotized to murder Oswald —
and with no recall of his actions.
T here are too many unexplained factors in this
now-famous assassination for these speculations
to be discarded out of hand. It is known that
Oswald spent time in Russia and, more importantly,
that he spent time in a Russian m ental institute,
where there was considerably parapsychological
research underway. Russia’s work in this subject is
considerably advanced over ours. Over forty years
ago the Russians had very advanced knowledge of
brainwashing techniques, and it is conceivable
that they are m uch m ore advanced today. Indeed,
they may be com pletely capable of brainwashing a
person, program m ing him to be an assassin, and
then sending him off to do the job. M oreover, they
also have the knowledge to give hypnotic commands
by rem ote control.
T he Russians as well as others know that radio
waves affect certain portions of the brain; and they
probably used this knowledge in their political
conditioning m ethods. A similar technique of

21
hypnotic indoctrination called RHIC-EDOM (which
stands for Radio Hypnotic Intracerebral Control-
Electronic Dissolution of M emory) has been des­
cribed in a domestic intelligence agency docum ent.
It has been suggested that Lee Harvey Oswald was
conditioned by radio waves to assassinate President
K ennedy. Oswald did spend some time in Russia.
It is not too far-fetched to conclude that radio­
waves of a particular spectrum can stim ulate the
brain for purposes of political brainwashing.
Y et unless the future reveals that the President
was assassinated by som eone still alive, and unless
we have access to this person’s mind, we may
never really know w hether brainw ashing was
involved in this assassination. Let us hope that we
can ultim ately find som eone who will settle the
facts of this historic tragedy once and for all.
Recently, a new spaper article w ritten by a
prom inent psychologist suggested that Sirhan Sirhan
was hypnotized into assassinating Senator R obert
Kennedy. According to Dr. Edward Simson-Kallas,
a form er San Q uentin psychologist, Sirhan Sirhan
was the victim of a sinister conspiracy. A fter
twenty interviews with Sirhan, Dr. Simson-Kallas
asserted that Sirhan was hypnotically program m ed
to be present at the assassination of Senator
Kennedy in order to provide an obvious explanation
and to prevent people from suspecting a larger
conspiracy.
Dr. Simson-Kallas rejected psychiatric testimony
that Sirhan was a paranoid schizophrenic and thus
insane. T he doctor said that Sirhan has asked him

22
many times to be hypnotized in order to find out
what really happened when Senator K ennedy was
shot. The psychologist stated that he was about to
begin hypnotic sessions with Sirhan when he was
ordered to stop seeing him. Simson-Kallas neverthe­
less believes that Sirhan should be hypnotized in
order to unlock the secrets of what really happened
prior to the assassination and to reveal Sirhan’s
real part in the plot.
From the standpoint of what we know now of
the brainwashing process, Dr. Simson-Kallas does
suggest a promising starting point in the use of
hypnosis. As Sirhan is one of the few persons alive
today accu sed and co n v icted of a political
assassination, we may yet be able to dredge from
the deep subconscious and unconscious of a
convicted killer w hether there existed a greater
psycho-political conspiracy to m urder our political
leaders.
Brainwashing in Quasi-Religious Cults. Today
brainwashing techniques in less sinister form are
used by popular, quasi-Eastern religious cults.
These cults use only a relatively mild form of
brainwashing that lacks the extraordinary methods
of physical coercion associated with political
indoctrination. The trance-like states that cult
activities produce in the cult’s m em bers are the
result of rhythm ic bodily m ovem ent and of dirge­
like chanting of nonsense syllables which have no
action-evoking potential. Similar psychological
states are also induced through the religious act of
“praying in tongues,” which produces a pleasant

23
effect often passed off as “inspirational."
In essence, these cults and sects exploit — for
money — the relaxation response. T he relaxation
response is nothing m ore than mass hypnosis.
Hypnosis is the universal way to fascinate large
masses of people; it can evoke trance-like attention
and, ultim ately, obedience. In this final section of
the chapter, we shall exam ine the effect of mass
hypnosis upon large groups of people as practiced
by strange, alien cults that have suddenly sprung
up, all with the avowed purpose of im proving the
quality of the individual’s personal life and his
relationships with other people. These cults lay
claim to techniques which tap hidden capabilities
of the m ind, body, em otions and spirit.
M odern day cults have becom e the new opiate
for the youth of the 1970s just as in the 1960s many
young people tripped out on drugs and radical
politics. H ordes of the younger set have joined
sem i-religious groups such as the C hildren of God,
H are K rishna, the Jesus People, M aharai Ji's
Divine Light Mission.
W hatever claim these cults make for guaranteeing
personal and psychological well-being, the one
thing they have achieved with indisputable success
is raising vast am ounts of money for their leaders.
T he leaders of today's sem i-religious and
consciousness-raising cults are openly portrayed
as fabulously rich and living in great opulence.
T he definition of a cult may vary according to
which dictionary is referred to. T he word "cult" is
taken from the Latin “cultis” meaning “to worship”.

24
A cult, therefore, may be given the following
general definition:
CULT:
“A group o f follow ers who adhere to a system
o f beliefs and rituals based on dogma set fo rth by
its leader. "
A nother example of a successful entrepreneur
is the guru M aharaj Ji, titular head of the Divine
Light M ission. He is hardly a model of austerity.
Among private airplanes, diam onds and Rolls
Royces he does give the im pression of a pretty
well-heeled teenager. His m other does express
some doubts about his divinity and his right to
head the D ivine Light M ission due to his life style;
yet his followers seem pleased to part with con­
siderable am ounts of m oney w henever he makes
an appearance.
The M aharaj Ji’s effect on his followers is that of
mass hypnosis, which results from the prayerful
posture he induces. Once this physical posture is
assumed at mass gatherings, he is then in an
advantageous position to program his followers
with w hatever divine or m aterialistic message he
chooses. He has the ability to generate a feverish
mass frenzy in the style of some earlier evangelists
of the A m erican scene. But it is doubtful that his
popularity will continue for a long tim e unless his
organization somehow works out a plan for constant
reinforcem ent, a requirem ent if mass hypnosis is
to turn into the longer-lasting brainwashing.
In term s of growth, wealth, organization and
discipline, the R everend Sun Myung M oon’s

25
U nification Church is by far the most controversial
m anifestation of alien evangelism on the A m erican
scene. Besides the tem porary, transient effects of
mass hypnosis, the R everend M oon’s techniques
in the indoctrination of his young followers reflect
some of the!basic elem ents of brainw ashing —
w ithout the elem ents of physical to rtu re or
coercion, however.
M oon has been denounced as a religious fake
who threatens established C hristianity. He has
also been accused of m anipulating and exploiting
the innocent young “M oonies” who follow him.
His recruiters have left behind a trail of puzzled
and hysterical parents who claim he has stolen
their children and brainw ashed them into conver­
sion and ultim ate slavery.
Sun M oon’s technique of indoctrination includes
prolonged intense prayer, endless lectures, fatigue
from lack of sleep, and isolation from family — all
fam iliar item s in the brainw ashing arsenal. U pon
exam ination, however, M oon’s m ethod m ore
closely resem bles mass hypnosis and conditioning
than it does classical brainw ashing. It does not
include the torture and physical coercion that
political brainw ashing traditionally exhibits.
Starting w ith only a few hundred m em bers in
1970, the R everend M oon lately claim ed a U.S.
following of up to 30,000 people. T he U nification
Church presently takes in about ten million dollars
a year from contributions. R ecruiting team s cover
about one hundred and fifty college campuses.
T here they attract disillusioned students who find

26
that traditional goals do not alleviate their boredom.
T hrough pam phlets, paperbacks and leaflets, the
U nification C hurch gives students a concoction
of mysticism, anti-communism, metaphysics, popu­
lar psychology and C hristianity — but with a
difference. R everend M oon is suggested to be
some sort of M essiah. Parents have tried to
forcibly rescue their sons and daughters from the
com m unes of the R everend M oon. They claim he
has brainw ashed their children into conversion
and near slavery. Parents,have sued the C hurch for
holding th eir children against their will, a charge
denied by the youths themselves, who swear that
they prefer the com m une life to living with their
own families.
Some parents approve of their children joining
M oon's m ovem ent as they think it is better than
taking drugs or drifting aimlessly. O thers appear
to believe that it is a true C hristian m ovem ent —
without, however, understanding exactly how their
children are indoctrinated. Moon usually addresses
his A m erican followers in K orean and, in a
tantrum -like style, spews out torrents of hellfire
and brim stone which few understand. Y et this
does have the effect of holding his audiences
spellbound — literally hypnotized over a two-
hour period.
It does seem that m illionaire evangelist Sun
Moon has pulled some pages out of the Comm unist
brainw ashing scrapbook. On closer exam ination,
though, his initial indoctrination is seen to be
based largely upon mass hypnosis, reinforced by

27
repetition. T his indoctrination process includes
singing and praying and testim onies by other
M oonies that life w ithin the C hurch is b etter than
life outside. T he indoctrination becom es increas­
ingly intense until prospective recruits, exhausted
from lack of sleep, num bed by endless lectures and
cut off from fam iliar friends, join the movem ent.
There is amazing similarity between the methods
that the Reverend Sun M oon uses in indoctrinating
his youthful followers and the mass m ethods of
in d o c trin a tio n of C hairm an M ao Tse T ung.
Although R everend M oon professes to be anti-
com m unistic, he evidently does not hate C om m u­
nists enough to hesitate in borrow ing M ao's
tactics. Interestingly enough — and just like M ao
— M oon wishes to be looked upon as the source of
all knowledge and hope for the future; in return,
he prom ises his followers salvation.
P ray er is im p o rta n t in cult p ra c tic e , but
interestingly the words used in prayer do not have
to be m eaningful in order to be effective. As a
m atter of record, the less m eaningful the words of
the prayer, the greater the hypnotic effect of the
prayer upon the subject. We have only to exam ine
the highly therapeutic effect of “praying in tongues’'
— technically called glossalalia — to see this dem ­
onstrated. In the traditional m anner, the C atholic
Church for centuries conducted their prayers in
L atin, w hich only a sm all p o rtio n of th e ir
parishioners understood.
Psychologists have shown experim entally that
"nonsense syllables" — that is, words that have no

28
m eaning — are m ore accurately recalled than
words that do have m eaning. This may be due to
meaningless words having less associative and
inhibitive content than m eaningful words. M ean­
ingless words seem to be m ore effective than
m eaningful words in accom plishing the hypnotic
effect of prayer. It is interesting to note that Sun
M oon conducts his two-hour serm ons in K orean,
w hich few of his audience understand; but the
results are hypnotically effective.
A nother popular form of cultism is the “con­
sciousness cults” which do not espouse religious
views. T hese cults include the transcendental
m editation (or “T .M .”) of M aharishi M ahesh
Yogi; some very rich mass audience healers; and
E rhard Sem inar T raining (or EST) begun by
W erner Erhard. These have becom e m ulti-m illion
dollar enterprises and are sweeping the country by
storm . T hese consciousness cult m ovem ents
contain less of the brainw ashing elem ents than the
semi-religious cults such as Sun M oon’s Unification
C hurch. T he true basis for their effectiveness is
the group hypnotic effect. T he effect lasts only as
long as the individual consistently practices the
breathing, relaxation and concentration exercises
these groups teach.
T ranscendental M editation, or T.M ., another
im port from the East, uses m eaningless sound to
achieve its m antra. C hanting is in m eaningless
sound; the effect is inevitably hypnotic, preparing
the participants and m aking them vulnerable to
program m ing. Mass activity with its hypnotic

29
effect m akes the group vulnerable to whom ever
decides to use this hypnotic effect for his own
ends. Mass hypnosis th ro u g h ;h e prayer posture is
much too form idable a force to be entrusted to any
single man, especially if he sould decide to use this
power for purposes other than mere m oney­
making.
C h an tin g and m eaningless p ray er w ith o u t
m orality are today being used by persons who
could becom e unscrupulous in their control over
human minds. Mass hypnosis is even more ominous
in its im plications than individual brainwashing,
for the reason th at the organized group is
continuously reinforcing its effect upon its own
m em bers as well as continuously recruiting new
mem bers. Mass hypnosis and brainw ashing are
essentially one and the same. We must, in our
A m erican society, set up legal safeguards against
indiscrim inate exploitation through these m alevo­
lent forces unless we wish to have a nation of
mindless, autom ated and glassy-eyed robots.
T he invasion has started, and it does not need
guns or force. Aliens are using the guise of
C hristian evangelism to garner zealots just as
convinced in their beliefs as the most devout
Roman Catholic or the most dedicated Communist.
T here are many writings that propose that the
next great invasion will be from the O rient, re­
minding us of the G olden H orde of G enghis Khan
which threatened Europe in the M iddle Ages.
Our A m erican culture must learn to resist this
alien form of influence if it is to survive. B rain­

30
washing must be recognized for what it is, and new
laws must be form ulated to com bat its insidious
and frequently m alevolent influence. This new
form of influencing and controlling the hum an
m ind must also be recognized as a potent force
that can be adapted to good end, however.
Mass hypnosis and brainwashing, as has been
shown, provide a very effective form ula for
garnering huge fortunes for those who exploit it.
But m ore im portant than wealth: what are the
intentions of those who acquire the pow er which
control over the young m ind brings? Will it be
wisely used for the good of A m erica? T hat is the
urgent question begging to be answered.

31
 CHAPTER II

BRAINWASHING AS PSYCHOLOGICAL
TORTURE

It has been the popular belief that brainw ashing

must be accom panied by pain and psychological
torture in o rder to be effective. A careful review of
cases shows that this belief is a fallacy. In general,
the most successful cases of brainw ashing have
not required any torture whatsoever; only psycholo­
gical conditioning and hypnosis were used. The
basic psychological paths for effective hypnosis
and ultim ate brainw ashing are, however, quite
controversial to this date.
It is necessary for those who wish to understand
hypnosis and brainw ashing that they becom e
fam iliar with some basic words and theories
which are, although som ewhat technical, com m on
to the trade, so to speak. A fam iliarity with these
ideas and term s make even the new com er appear,
to the public at least, as an expert. Brainw ashing is
basically biological, so here, w ithin this chapter,
and with the aid of a sim plified schem atic chart,
are presented in an easy-to-read way what used to
require years of serious study. Unveiled will be the
basic tenets through which brainwashing is enabled
to bypass the conscious m ind of man.
As shown in the previous chapter, brainw ashing
-has a lot in com m on with other phenom ena with
which we are quite fam iliar. Among these are
religious and quasi-religious cult behavior,

32
hypnosis and its after-effects, and psychological
conditioning. Brainw ashing differs from these
only in that its techniques, to date at least, appear
physically painful or torturous and psychologically
coercive, and its basic objective has bee^i political
or crim inal.
T o explain how brainw ashing w orks it is
necessary to do m ore than merely describe its
social and political uses. T he underlying m echa­
nisms have to be ferreted out and analy$ed. In the
next two chapters we shall exam ine two principles
that deal with both hypnosis and brainw ashing.
These principles are founded on sound verifiable
facts which can be observed, exam ined and tested
with consistency.
A basic assum ption behind both principles is
that the true nature of man m ust originate w ithin
the anatom ical functioning of the hum an body,
and therefore theory must be built up from solid
biological inform ation. From all of this data we
shall see how the individual, in the future, can be
far m ore effectively brainw ashed, not through
torture and pain, as at present, but through
disinhibition and the bypass of the cortical block.
T he past has seen theories of the greatest scope
built upon the flimsiest of prem ises; this is what
we shall avoid. For years, the author has looked
for — but never observed, directly or indirectly —
an Ego, Super-ego, or an Id, except as words.
Nevertheless, theories of fantastic scope have
been built by psychoanalysts upon these flimsy
and totally im aginary prem ises. T he principles

33
presented in tins book are built upon observable
biological entities, and the functioning of these
has been described in painstaking scientific works
by outstanding authorities.
To provide a sound biological fram ework for
clarifying brainwashing, I have constructed a
simplified schematic diagram of the most im portant
structures and functions of the hum an brain and
the hum an nervous system, and some interesting
analogies. T his diagram , of course, does not
include all the complex parts and operations of the
brain and nervous system, but is limited to generally
accepted functions and structures. T he use of this
diagram is, in many ways, sim ilar to the m ethod
used by electrical and electronic engineers when
designing a new piece of equipm ent. (See the
Neuro-Psychological Schem atic.)
Looking at the diagram , the first row down
shows the sensory systems. These sensory systems
are com posed of m illions of sense cells and
organs. T he nerves are conductors of inform ation,
in the form of sensory impulses, to and from the
brain. T here are three m ajor types of sensory
categories. T he first category is com posed of the
five m ajor sense organs, or exteroceptors. The
second category is com posed of the muscle sense
cells or proprioceptors. The third category is
com posed of the visceral sense cells or intero-
ceptors.
Each of these three sensory categories feeds
into the brain and higher nervous system. The
brain and higher nervous system, represented in

34
 Brain Psychological Brain Psychological
r v A natom ical Awareness W aves Activational
a egories Levels Levels cps Categories

THE NEURO PSYCHOLOGICAL SCHEMATIC

the second colum n of T he Schematic, is also
divided into three levels which correspond to the
three kinds of sensory systems. The cerebral
cortex is the m ajor reception area for sensory
input from the m ajor sense organs; the sub-
cortical regions of the brain receive inform ation
from the muscle sense system; and the autonom ic
nervous system ties into the visceral sense system.
In addition to these particular tie-ins, the brain's
anatom ical levels tend to function together as a
single unit, so that, for instance, inform ation
received in the cerebral cortex can be passed
down to the sub-cortical and autonom ic areas.
T he third colum n down of The Schem atic
consists of psychological aw areness states associ­
ated with the w orking of each sensory system and
its corresponding area in the brain. The major
sense organs and the cerebral cortex are involved
in awake, conscious brain activity. T he muscle
sense organs and the sub-cortical portions of the
brain are involved in subconscious brain activity.
The visceral senses and the autonom ic nervous
system are involved in the nonconscious and
unconscious activity in the nervous system.
The biological fram ework sketched out here
provides a constant schem e of reference for the
ideas about hypnosis and brainw ashing to be
p resented in the follow ing ch ap ters. Before
discussing each of these sensory systems and brain
areas in greater detail, we will illustrate the
m anner in which these different structures work
together in ordinary hum an experience.

36
 In term s of the biological fram e of reference,
hum an awareness can take place on three levels at
the same time: the conscious level; the subcon­
scious level; and the nonconscious and uncon­
scious level. Conscious hum an behavior begins
when a stimulous from the outside strikes the
sensory receptors of the five m ajor senses — the
senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch.
These sensory receptors transm it this stimulus,
now in the form of neuro-sensory impulse, to the
cerebral cortex. O nce inside the cerebral cortex,
the inform ation is processed — pieced together,
broken down, rearranged, and com pared with
other bits of inform ation. This processing takes
time; for the cerebral cortex, when integrating the
inform ation, literally gives itself time to think
before sending the inform ation on to other parts of
the brain and body for further processing and,
ultimately, a response to the stimulus.
Subconscious hum an behavior takes place when
the m uscular sense system is stim ulated by m ove­
m ent of voluntary muscle groups, and the sensory
inform ation from these muscle groups is relayed to
the brain for processing. C om pared to conscious
activity, subconscious activity seems habitual and
autom atic. T he difference can be illustrated by a
simple example. You suddenly realize that you are
thirsty and that you w ant to drink som e milk; you
go to the refrigerator, but there is no milk. So you
decide to walk to the store, just a few blocks away.
You arrive in the store, search for the milk, find it,
pick it up, pay for it, and then go hom e. Notice, in
this example, that you thought about a lot of

37
things: being thirsty, wanting milk, not finding it at
home, going to the store, finding w here the milk
was located in the store, paying for the milk. But,
didn’t have to think out the actual process of
walking. You probably didn’t even notice what
you were doing with your body, legs and muscles
when walking (though you could have noticed if
you had paid attention carefully — or if your legs
were hurting in pain). C om pared to your fully
conscious wish to go to the store and get the milk,
your actu al walking, th o u g h t voluntary, was
subconscious.
Nonconscious and unconscious hum an behavior
takes place when the internal sensory system of
the body activates an adjustm ent which is largely
beyond your control. For example, if when walking
to the store, you lost your balance and felt you
were about to fall, your autonom ic nervous system
probably caused the release of large quantities of
horm ones into your body. These horm ones m ade
your body capable of responding with greater
strength, and with m ore precision. Now, at that
point, you d on’t suddenly stop and think, “I’m
losing my balance, I will have to move my leg to
the side if I w ant to get my balance b ack.” Y our
muscle-sense system, aided by your nervous sys­
tem, allows you to quickly move your leg over,
regain your balance, and continue walking. A fter
you have gotten your balance back, you might
notice that you are breathing quickly, that your
heart is beating loudly, and that your hands are
sweaty. This reaction, which you only notice
afterwards, is also caused by your nervous system’s

38
action in releasing horm ones that aided you to
respond quickly in regaining your balance. Note
th at neither the release of these horm ones nor
your reaction to them are under conscious control:
the cerebral cortex did not instruct the nervous
system to act in any particular way. T he nervous
system responded directly and quickly to the
situation w ithout conscious effort on your part.
Admittedly, these three general categories of
hum an aw areness are som ew hat arbitrary, and
there is a great deal of overlapping and oversimplifi­
cation of stru ctu re and function w ithin the
schem atic diagram. Y et the general functioning of
each aspect in the diagram is based upon the
w ritten opinions of renow ned and outstanding
authorities, who have spent years of research and
study in their specialties.
We have seen in a general way the relations
am ong the first three colum ns of the schem atic.
We shall now exam ine in greater detail the specific
character of the sensory systems and the brain and
higher nervous system as these are categorized
within the schem atic diagram.
The M ajor Sense Organs (exteroceptors). This
sense system consists of the m ajor sense organs,
and its basic function is perceiving the outer world.
T he term “exteroceptor” is given to these senses
because the stimuli to which they are sensitive
o rig in ate externally, o u tsid e the body. T h e
contents of every hum an idea, everything an
individual thinks, learns, imagines and rem em bers
come originally through the portals of these special
sensory receptors. Each kind of sense organ in this
sensory system is sensitive to a particular kind of
stimulus and to no other kinds. Ears are sensitive
to sound, eyes to light, the nose to odors, the
rtiouth to flavor and the skin to touch. Physiologists
know, however, that the sense of touch — the
cutaneous sense — is divided into specific recep­
tors for pressure, tickle, pain and w arm th and cold.
For the general purposes of this book it is not
necessary to subdivide the m ajor sense organs any
further than the traditional five categories, or five
senses, and for convenience, the cutaneous senses
will be grouped together as the sense of touch.
The M uscle Senses (proprioceptors). Sense cells
such as the kinesthetic receptors in the muscles,
tendons and joints, and the vestibular receptors
(except those directly involved in hearing) are
within the muscle sense grouping. Unlike the five
m ajor senses, the muscle senses are located within
the body, away from direct influences of the
external environm ent. T he cells of the muscle
senses are stim ulated by the action of the body
itself, whereas the major sense organs are activated
by stim ulating conditions from the environm ent.
T hough pain and pleasure are the most noticeable
qualities of muscular sensation, humans are seldom
aware of the sense activity that is constantly going
on within them . The general lack of “sensory
color” characteristic of the muscle senses allows us
to consider them as subconscious with regard to
psychological attributes. The muscle senses, m ore­
over, may tie in directly to the sub-cortical level of
the brain, w ithout direct involvem ent of the
cerebral cortex.

40
 The Visceral Senses (interoceptors). This cell
system informs the brain about conditions within
the viscera, the internal organs within the hum an
body (for this reason, they are som etim es known
as visceroceptors). T he visceral sense system picks
up sensations such as hunger, thirst, nausea, and
various tensions necssary to m aintain balanced
conditions (or homeostasis) inside the body. For
the m ost part, the visceral senses involve the
autonom ic level of the brain and are not subject to
direct cerebral control. In norm al functioning they
can be considered nonconscious. T hese visceral
senses, or interoceptors, are the senses most
im portant to the phenom enon of brainwashing.
The Cerebral Cortex. T he brain is a spherical
organ covered by an outer m antle of grey m atter.
This outer layer of nerve cells is the cerebral
cortex. T he m ost striking difference betw een the
brain of hum ans and th at of anim als is the
enorm ous developm ent of the cerebral cortex
found in hum an beings. W ithin the brain, there is
another mass of grey m atter often referred to as
the brain stem. For the purpose of this classification
the brain stem is considered part of the cerebral
cortex.
It is within the cerebral cortex that hum an
consciousness exists. Serious dam age to the
cortical areas of the grey m atter can result in loss
of consciousness. T he large sheet of cortex which
covers the front part of the brain seems to be used
by hum ans when they are thinking, making plans,
and seeking insight into problem s of various sorts.
M emory is another psychological factor general­

41
ly believed to be a function of the cortex. It is
known that disturbances within the cortex can
result in a tem porary or perm anent loss of memory.
M oreover, there is a delay in the time in which it
takes sensory perceptions from the m ajor sense
organs to enter and to be processed by the cortex
before bodily activity can occur. This time lag is
called inhibition.
The Sub-cortical Regions. T hese are the parts of
the brain below the cerebral cortex, including the
cerebellum and the lower centers of the brain
stem , the m idbrain (or m esencephalon), the
thalam us (in the diencephalon), the limbic system
and other regions associated with it. T he sensory
inputs governing the activities of the sub-cortical
brain region com e mainly from the muscle senses.
T hese senses include, incidentally, various inputs
from the vestibular apparatus, located next to the
organs of hearing and in the individual’s sense of
balance.
T he muscle contractions which activate the
m uscular or proprioceptive cells function very
sm oothly, alm ost w ithout distinct sensational
qualities. T he sub-cortical area of the brain, into
which the m uscular senses tie, can therefore be
considered subconscious. T he influence of muscle
sensation upon the m oods and feelings of the
individual is considerable: these m oods and
feelings are, in large part, products of the activity
of the muscle sense system.
All com m ands which enter the sub-cortical
regions of the brain are instantly acted upon; there
are no critical delays or inhibitions of response.

42
Unlike the cerebral cortex, all systems in the sub-
cortical region are “G O .” Because the muscle
sense system involves impulses only indirectly
(through the activity of the voluntary muscles or of
the vestibular aparatus), the sub-cortical regions of
the brain can be reached only indirectly by
voluntary m ovem ents of the muscles.
The A u to n o m ic Systems. The autonom ic sys­
tems include parts of the brain, but consist mainly of
the autonom ic nerve cells lying next to the spinal
cord and brain stem. T hese nerve cells are, in turn,
connected to interoceptors (that is, the visceral
sensory system) in the internal organs, the blood
vessels, and various glands. This system is called
“autonom ic” because it functions w ithout volun­
tary or conscious control. This autonom ic feature
is the main reason it is classified as nonconscious
and unconscious in the diagram . A utonom ic
systems are also shown as working in connection
with the visceral sensory system.
In the brain, autonom ic centers are located
mainly in the medulla and the diencephalon. The
autonom ic system itself divides into two main
parts: the parasym pathetic portion has an inhibi­
tory effect on the internal organs, while the
sympathetic portion has an excitatory or activating
effect.
The Effectors. T he effectors, which are not
included in the diagram , are groups of muscles
located throughout the body which impel the
hum an being to action. T he effectors, working in
coordination with the various sensory systems, the
nervous system, and the brain, directly engage the

43
individual hum an in behavior. T hus behavior, as
the term used am ong psychologists, refers to the
coordinated activity of all these various systems,
including the effectors. Effector muscles are divided
into two categories: sm ooth muscles and striated
muscles. Sm ooth muscle cells are m ore primitive
and less complex in structure and function than
striated muscle cells. The latter are m ore elaborate
and elongated. T he cardiac muscle of the heart,
for example, is actually a special kind of striated
muscle. W ith reference to our simplified schem atic
diagram, it is enough to note that effector muscles
are involved in both internal m ovem ent — such as
the beating of the heart — and external movement,
like walking.

B Y P A S S IN G TH E C O NSCIO U S

In order for brainwashing to take place, an

individual’s voluntary conscious self-control must
be bypassed or short-circuited, and the desires or
dem ands of other persons substituted for the
individual’s own wishes. The biological and psycho­
logical nature of conscious behavior, and the
torturous m anner in which it is sometimes bypassed,
will be dealt with in the rem aining half of this
chapter.
Conscious Behavior. Biologically, consciousness
originates when stimuli hit the m ajor sensory
organs, and these sensory organs send neural
impulses to the cerebral cortex. T he cerebral
cortex “translates” these impulses and processes
them ; they are new inform ation with which it must

44
deal. T hough the exact processes that go on in the
cortex are not fully understood, it is likely that this
new inform ation is com pared to old inform ation
held in the individual’s mem ory; and, in the
process of inform ation com parison, the new
information is modified, perhaps added to memory,
broken down into new pieces, and com bined with
other items of inform ation in various ways. W hen
the cortex has finished processing the inform ation,
this processed inform ation goes to the sub-cortical
region of the brain in the form of a “com m and,”
and from there, to the effector muscles by which
these com m ands are carried out. C onsidered
biologically, therefore, consciousness is a four-
stage process involving: (1) transmission of new
inform ation to the cortex; (2) initial processing of
the new inform ation in the cerebral cortex, where
the inform ation may be changed, and where
“com m ands” for action may be added; (3) the
sending of the com m and for action to the sub-
cortical region below the cerebral cortex; and
(4) the carrying out of the com m and by the
effectors.
This four-stage process of consciousness can be
easily understood by an example from everyday
life. You are walking down a street and pom e to
the curb. As you are about to step into the street,
you notice that the green “w alk” sign has just
changed to a flashing red “wait” signal. Y ou think
to yourself: “If I hurry, I can m ake it across the
street before the light changes.” Im m ediately you
step into the street, hurry across, and m ake it to
the next block before the main traffic light in the

45
intersection changes. You then continue walking
as before.
Every one of the four stages of consciousness
can be found in this example. First, you noticed the
flashing red warning lights: this was new information
which had been transm itted to your brain from
one of your m ajor sensory organs, your eyes.
Second, you realized that, if you hurried, you
would be able to cross the street before the
traffic came: your brain processed the new informa­
tion (the flashing red light), interpreted its meaning
(a signal that the light would soon change), and
drew from your m em ory the notion that, since the
light will not change immediately, you might still
have time to cross the street if you hurried. Third,
you decided w hat to do: you would cross the street
quickly. W ith th at decision, the sub-cortical region
of your brain was “com m anded” to ready your
body for some brisk walking. F ourth and finally,
you crossed the street — as the effector muscles
w orked vigorously.
A t this point you may be wondering, “Is that all
there is to consciousness? Isn’t there anything
m ore?” T he answer depends on w hat you m ean by
“anything m ore.” First, consciousness is not, as
some people think, a passive layer beneath or
behind behavior: consciousness is a part of behavior.
In the exam ple of the flashing red traffic signals,
you do not suddenly change from one state,
walking, to another, thinking, and then go back to
walking again. A fter noting the flashing red lights,
your walking behavior was followed by thinking
behavior which led to further walking behavior.

46
 B IO LO GICA L EVENTS PSY CH O LO G ICA L EVENTS
STA G E I Stimuli hit the m ajor sense T he individual perceives
organs and go to the brain objects, events, persons, or
as neural impulses. situations.
Conscious and Subconscious

STA G E II T he cerebral cortex T he individual consciously

processes inform ation from interprets the m eaning of
Human Behavior

the m ajor sense organs, objects, events, persons, or

com pares it to inform ation situations, and m aps out a
Stages of

in the memory, modifies it, line of behavior to deal

and adds to it a com m and with them .
for the sub-cortical regions.
STA G E III T he processed inform ation T he individual subcon­
with com m and added goes sciously reaches a decision
to the sub-cortical regions. about w hat muscles to use to
effect this behavior.
ST A G E IV T he sub-cortical regions T he individual perform s the
cause the effectors to carry action he has decided to do.
out the com m and response
to the stimuli.
Thinking is one way of behaving; consciousness is
a type of activity. Thoughts and deeds are certainly
different, but the difference is that thought is
behavior inside a person, while a deed is behavior
that gears into the outside world. Second, this
simple example does not exhaust all the possible
ways in which people can behave in a conscious
m anner. Conscious behavior may be very quick
and sure, when catching a baseball for instance, or
very lengthy, draw n out, and elaborated, as when
an individual is trying to figure out the solution to a
pressing personal problem . It can be very practical
or it may lack im m ediate uses. Conscious behavior
may be as physical as chopping wood or as m ental
as reading a book.
T he best scientifc evidence available indicates
that consciousness is mainly a function of the
cerebral cortex. If there is dam age to the cortex,
consciousness may be limited or, in some cases,
may altogether stop. M emory, too, is one of the
functions closely tied into cortical activity. Though
there is no uniform agreem ent w hether m em ory is
lodged in the cortex or in certain cells (known as
glial cells) surrounding the cortex, there is evidence
that cortical activity can bring about changes in
the neurological activity of the glial cells. Regardless
of where future research may locate memory, it
can be safely attributed to the cortex.
Inhibition. Besides consciousness and memory,
a most im portant function of the cortex is the
inhibition of im m ediate response. Between the
perception of an event and the response to this
event by the effectors, there is a noticeable time

48
delay. This delay, or inhibition, is the processing
time required by the cerebral cortex after impulses
from the five m ajor senses reach it, but before a
com m and is sent from the cortex, through the sub-
cortical areas of the brain, and ultim ately to the
effectors. In the four stage process of conscious
behavior, this inhibition, or delay, of im m ediate
response takes place during stage two.
Inhibition of response is a norm al function of the
cerebral cortex. From the standpoint of psychology,
this inhibition is a cortical block com posed, in
essence, of every negative action and discouraging
word. It originates as the accum ulation of negative,
delaying and self-aware ideas brought about by
prohibitions and regulations containing “don’ts,”
“can’ts,” “stops,” and introspective delaying content.
Im portant also is every bad experience, failure,
discouragem ent — any incident that causes the
hum an being to stop, to delay, to doubt, or to
becom e inactive and “lost in thought.”
T he average person, after a lifetime of program ­
ming with prohibitions, frustrations, and self­
doubts, eventually becomes depressed and inactive,
with feelings of guilt and hopelessness. G radually
and insidiously, as the hum an ages, these inhibiting
messages accum ulate to the point where the
individual becom es m ore and m ore inhibited,
reflective, and unhappy. In our contem porary
society — with its overabundance of unim portant
laws, customs, mores, prohibitions and rules restrict­
ing behavior — it is only inevitable that the
memory, which is in the region of the cerebral
cortex, becomes loaded with a lifetime of memories

49
of these restrictions and frustrations. Psychological
depression becom es alm ost inevitable. All too
often the individual resorts to alcohol or drugs, at
great cost to his physical health.
As a general rule, the greater the activity of the
cortex in processing sensory input from the five
major senses, the more the cortex prevents messages
entering or leaving the lower regions of the brain.
Inhibition is both bad and good. It caí} be bad, in
that the accum ulation of negative experiences and
prohibitions over an individual’s life may cause
that person to bcom e depressed and immobilized.
Y et it is good, also, because w ithout the delay in
ongoing behavior, conscious, self-controlled human
action could not take place: the cerebral cortex
would not have enough time to process, assess,
and evaluate the inform ation fed it. In this sense,
cortical inhibition is a necessary feature of conscious
behavior.
Disinhibition. During awake, conscious behavior,
the cerebral cortex of the norm al adult causes a
delay in responding to persons and situations. Any
decrease in cortical inhibition, however, would
allow response-demanding perceptions to accelerate
through, or even bypss altogether, the cerebral
cortex. T hese response-dem anding perceptions
would then enter the sub-cortical regions where
inhibitive factors are not present. T o deal with the
nonconscious, unaw are portions of the hum an
mind, the inhibitory blocking action associated
with conscious activity in the cerebral cortex must
be dissipated. T o reach down into the subconscious
and the nonconscious, consciousness m ust be
either dim inshed or bypassed.
M any ways to rem ove this cortical block, this

50
inhibitory factor of the cortex, are known. One
com m on tem porary m ethod is to drink some
liquor. M any adults recognize and enjoy that
unique slightly euphoric feeling produced by a few
martinis. Ideas seem to flow in and feelings to flow
out; all appear to enjoy this disinhibitive feeling.
And, during the time the individual is under the
influence of alcohol, he becomes highly suggestible.
A nother m ethod by m eans of which cortical
inhibition can be lessened is the use of euphoric
drugs such as dexedrine and dexamyl. These drugs
do seem to remove depressed and inhibited feelings,
at least tem porarily. W hen the cortical block of
inhibition is diminished, the individual feels good,
has flights of ideas in rapid succession, and becomes
euphoric. In contrast to alcohol — which has a
slowing, sleep-inducing effect — euphoric drugs
m ake a person feel lively and talkative, although
som ewhat disorganized. A fter the effect of these
drugs wears off, however, the individual usually
feels burnt-out and fatigued. Intense activity in the
cerebral cortex, w hether accom panying worry,
anxiety, depression or creative, constructive thought,
is invariably followed by a period of cortical
inactivity. This inactive phase is generaly a period
of sleep. It is as if the cortex, like a battery, must be
switched off by sleep in order for it to recharge
itself.
A nother m ethod for disinhibiting the person is
used by hypnotists. In order for a person to
becom e hypnotized, the cerebral cortex must be
disinhibitive — it must not be allowed to block any
instructions from the hypnotist when these instruc­
tions arrive at the cerebral cortex from the m ajor
sense organs. Various hypnotic techniques can be

51
used to bypass the cortical block; it is not necessary
to load the subject with alcohol or give him drugs
(the latter is som etim es done when the individual is
given so-called “truth drugs”).
A com m on approach used in stage hypnosis for
rem oving the inhibitive factor of the cerebral
cortex is the intense stim ulation of the muscle
sense system through the voluntary muscles and
limbs of the subject. Hypnosis can be induced with
a minimum of muscle sense stim ulation provided
that it is simultaneously accompanied by disinhibiting
verbal suggestions that do not m eet with resistance,
doubt, or analysis on the part of the subject. In
clinical hypnosis, Dr. M ilton Erikson originated
the hand levitation technique. T he hand levitation
technique relies upon stim ulation of the muscle
sense system when stress and attention is placed
on the opposing flexor and extensor muscles of an
individual’s hand.
Before the hypnotic state can be effectively
induced, the cortical block must be rem oved and
the cortex deactivated. W hen, during the hypnotic
procedure, this time delay or inhibitory factor is
diminished, there is a lack of willful resistance and
critical analysis on the part of the hypnotized
subject. T he subject instantly obeys the instructions
and suggestions of the hypnotist. Inherent in every
successful hypnotic technique is a stimulation of the
m uscular sensory system which allows verbal
comm ands to bypass the inhibiting cerebral cortex.
According to the eminent neurologist, Dr. Wilder
Penfield, sensations of pain from the m uscular
sensory system enter the sub-cortical brain regions
directly. T o quote from his chapter on “The
C erebral C ortex and the M ind of M an” in The

52
Physical Basis o f Mind, “pain sensation goes
directly to headquarters w ithout a detour to the
cortex.” In order for a subject to become hypno­
tically suggestible and to obey without question
directions given by hypnotist, the cortex must be
disinhibitive, allowing messages to enter directly
into the subcortical regions where there are no stop
lights or inhibitory mechanisms.
M uscle sense stim ulation does appear to enter
directly into the sub-cortical areas of the brain
and, externally at least, seems to have the same
disinhibitive effect as alcohol or drugs. A ctivation
of the muscle senses rem oves the cortical block
and makes the human receptive to verbal command
or suggestion. Is it a coincidence that in virtually
every m odern army a soldier is conditioned to
stiffen his body and com e to attention before
receiving orders? T he m uscular stim ulation which
comes from the cataleptic, eyes-straight-ahead, atten­
tive stance helps overcom e his will to resist, to
doubt, or to question. It m akes the soldier m ore
receptive, m ore suggestible, and m ore obedient.
T he inhibitive function of the cerebral cortex is
reduced.
Increased suggestibility is only one effect o f
stim ulating the muscle sense system, however.
Activity which induces muscle sense stim ulation
of the sub-cortical region of the brain also m akes
the hum an feel well. We have already illustrated
this euphoric effect when discussing disinhibition
from drinking alcohol or taking m ood-altering
drugs. Sensory inputs of all sorts into the sub-
cortical brain regions produce this euphoric
effect. Individuals usually feel elated after attending
a dance. Indians and o th er natives used a war-

53
dance to give them courage to fight. One seldom
sees a sad, depressed m an who has just run a mile
or com pleted some constructive physical labor.
M uscle sense stm ulation does not, however, have
to be the result of intense physical effort as long as
it is accom panied by goal-attaining cortical activity:
the feeling of well-being a person expresses after
accom plishing a constructive day’s work, even if it
is in an office, is evidence enough of that.
M uscular activity generally produces the sensory
stim ulation which prom otes cortical disinhibition,
suggestibility, and a feeling of well-being. In the
future, physical activity may be prescribed as part
of the cure for the depression that seems to com e
with aging. Systematic physical exercise will without
doubt be an integral part of future retirem ent
program s, providing m ental as well as physical
benefits for the elderly. T he physician of the future
will probably prescribe truly nutritive foods and
physical exercise as preventive m edicine, while
the psychologist will prom ote disinhibitive and
constructive behavioral therapy to alleviate the
sadness and loneliness that often com e with age.
No longer will the older citizen have to rely upon
drugs, narcotics, and tranquilizers to the extent
that he does today.
C ortical disinhibition has both bad and good
effects. T he lessening of the cortical block m akes
the individual m ore suggestible, m ore easily
controlled by others, less organized and “in control.”
Disinhibition, however, also has the effect of
giving the individual a mild, euphoric sense of well­
being.
This discussion in this chapter may seem far
rem oved from brainwashing, yet we have seen

54
here the simple foundations for a deeper, m ore
scientific understanding of how brainw ashing
achieves its effects. In the next chapter, we shall
review in detail the biopsychological factors
underlying the most dramatic element of brainwash­
ing techniques — the phenom ena of hypnosis.

55
 CHAPTER III

HYPNOSIS AND THE MUSCLE SENSES

Hypnosis is the m ost dram atic and unique item

in the brainwashing arsenal. It is not necessarily
the m ost im portant ingredient on the road to
brainwashing, but it is certainly the m ost attention-
getting; therefore we shall devote this chapter
tow ard explaining the inner workings of hypnosis.
Mass hypnosis is often the main ingredient used by
the quasi-religious cults to garner young converts.
The average person tends to think that all brainwash­
ing can be explained as hypnosis, but it is in reality
only a part, and often not even an essential part.
T here exists also a rath er popular belief that a
person must go into a trance in order to be
hypnotized — another m isconception. Hypnosis
may happen at any time during the brainwashing
process, or a person may never go into the
hypnotic or trance state, yet he will be thoroughly
brainw ashed just the same.
T he inner relationship betw een hypnosis and
the brainwashing procedure will be reviewed in
the most simple language possible. M ost im portant
for the noviate, however, will be the presentation
of a new and biologically novel principle to explain
hypnosis in a m anner not yet known by many
experts. It will be shown how alm ost all hypnosis
relies for its working upon special senses in the
muscles of man; these special senses are technically
known as proprioceptors. W e shall explain how
these muscle senses work to produce the hypnotic
state. This previously unknow n m echanism will be
stated in the most simple language for those who

56
are only recent students of hypnosis and do not
have a strong background in biology or physiology.
A great deal has been written describing hypnosis
in a popular way; however, very little about its
underlying m echanism s has been discovered. In
the past, many fram es of reference have been used
for theories of hypnosis. Toward a better understand­
ing, we shall now review some of the better-know n
concepts.
Professor Roy M. D orcus, in his exhaustive
work H ypnosis and Its Therapeutic Applications,
after reviewing many theories, concluded that
there is no truly adequate theory to explain
hypnosis.
Franz A nton M esm er (1734-1815) form ulated
the theory of anim al magnetism. M esm er filled a
large open tub, called a baquet, with a “m agnetic
fluid” — actually w ater with iron filings in it. Iron
rods protruded out of the tub, and M esm er’s
patients would touch the iron rods. This was
supposed, by M esmer, to create m agnetic current
which induced a hypnotic state in the patients.
M esm er was fairly successful. He cured many of
his patients and noticeably helped others.
James Esdaile (1808-1859) was a physician who,
in order to put a patient in a state of hypnosis,
prom oted conditions of norm al sleep for the
patient. Dr. Esdaile had his subjects lie immobile,
close their eyes, and in a darkened room , he
carried on a steady stream of appropriate verbal
suggestions. Esdaile reported many successful and
painless operations which he carried out when the
patient was hypnotized — including num erous
am putations.
A. A. Liebault (1823-1904) preferred to place a

57
patient in an arm chair, instructing the patient to
look straight into his (Liebault’s) own eyes. W hen
the patient’s eyes becam e tired, Liebault would
suggest that the patient go to sleep, and would
proceed with other verbal suggestions.
H ippolyte M. Bernheim (1840-1919) em ployed
essentially the same technique of hypnotic induction
as that practiced by Liebault, although he preferred
to begin the first session with a clear explanation of
the entire procedure to the patient. Bernheim , a
leading m em ber of the Nancy school and a very
successful psychotherapist, studied and experiment­
ed with hypnotic phenom ena for years.
James Braid (1795-1860), when he first began
experim enting with hypnosis, used a m ethod of
visual fascination. He had his patients fixate their
eyes on a small, shining object held a little above
the p atien t’s eyes. This produced the greatest
possible strain upon the eyes and eyelids, and
enabled the patient to m aintain a steady fixed stare
upon the object. Dr. Braid later resorted m ore and
m ore to verbal suggestion. Extrem ely successful in
his m ethods, James Braid is generally recognized
as the father of m odern hypnosis.
In this century, the search for a short-term cure
for psychological and behavior disorders has led to
the use of hypnosis as a m ethod of psychotherapy.
W hen the similarities of hypnosis and conditioning
were recognized, hypnosis quickly gained status as
an im portant facet of the emerging conditioning
therapies. As early as 1958 the A m erican M edical
A ssociation endorsed hypnosis as a therapeutic
m odality and recom m ended that its m em bership
acquaint itself with hypnotic induction techniques.
Hypnosis was included as a prerogative of profes­

58
sional psychologists in the psychology licensing
law passed in California in 1967. Because the
conventional m ethods and techniques of psycho­
therapy are considered by many to be too time-
consum ing and too ineffective in curing many
behavioral or psychological problems, conditioning
and behavior therapies advantageously incorporate
hypnotic techniques.
T o date, there is no com pletely adequate
explanation of the physiological m echanism s
underlying hypnosis, despite its successful use in
psychotherapy. U nexplained factors should be
included in any com prehensive theory, and should
be integrated with general physiological truths
about the total sensory, neurological, and effector
systems of hum an beings. T o discount these
anatom ical and physiological realities in any theory
is to avoid the facts; and an adequate theory of
hypnosis must be posed in term s of the functioning
of the neuro-sensory system, the nervous system,
and the effector organs. It is now time that
biologically trained scientists take the burden of
explanation away from the endless speculation of
philosophers and introduce some uniform concepts
in scientifically verified form.
Among the theories of hypnosis analyzed by Dr.
Roy M. D orcus in his book, Hypnosis and Its
Therapeutic Applications, the ones most acceptable
are the ideom otor and the conditioned-response
theories; these m ust be associated w ith the
conditioned reflex principles propounded by the
Nobel prize winner, I. P. Pavlov. T he conditioned
response theory of hypnosis, as presented at that
time, was based m ore or less on segm ental studies
of the conditioned reflex. T he ideom otor condi­

59
tioned response concept used as its foundation the
segm ental conditioned reflex. U nfortunately, this
fram e of reference, though superior to anything
proposed before, is too m echanistic to account for
com plex factors such as am nesia and m em ory
functions. For this reason, Dr. D orcus concluded
that this theory is not adequate since it “leaves no
room for cases in which the subject is not an
autom aton.”
U ntil A ndrew Salter published his book, W hat Is
Hypnosis, in 1944, little attem pt had been m ade to
associate hypnosis with the conditioning principles
of Ivan Pavlov, the Nobel prize-winning physiologist.
Salter’s book convincingly argued for the analogy
between hypnotic phenom ena and reflex condition­
ing principles. A ccording to Salter, “hypnosis now
remains a term of convenience, it is all conditioning,
and when this is constantly kept in mind, hypnosis,
or conditioning, becom es an instrum ent of the
most fantastic power, and the person under treatment
needs neither faith, nor hope, nor confidence for
satisfactory psychotherapy.” After years of practicing
conventional psycho-therapeutic techniques, the
writer, a clinical psychologist, only began to
achieve m easurable success with his patients when
he adopted the basic m ethods of behavioral con­
ditioning therapy.
Conditioning principles do, then, give a reliable
key to the ways in which external control can be
exercised over the individual. Y et these principles
are not reliable guides to the intrinsic workings of
hum an behavior — that is, to the psycho-biological
foundations of behavior. In order to understand
how hypnosis works, the basic psychological features
of the hum an being which m ake hypnosis possible

60
at all must be understood. T he rem ainder of this
chapter is devoted to describing these physiological
factors, explaining how these factors are brought
into play by the use of the “muscle sense principle,”
how these factors are used by hypnotists in inducing
a hypnotic trance, how these factors are at work in
everyday life, and the nature of the m ajor effects
resulting from the use of these basic physiological
mechanisms.
The Neuro-Psychological Basis o f Hypnosis.
A natom ically speaking, the muscle sense cells are
located in and around the striated muscles of the
body, particularly muscles under voluntary control.
The sensory receptors of the muscles — the proprio­
ceptors — include the senses in the sem icircular
canals of the ears and special receptors in the
muscles, joints and tendons. These sensory receptors
keep the body inform ed about balance, flexion
and m uscular contractions and m ovem ents in the
limbs and joints. Inputs from these muscle senses
go directly to the sub-cortical areas of the brain.
W hen these inputs activate the sub-cortical area,
certain basic inhibitory processes in the upper part
of the brain, the cerebral cortex, are deactivated,
and the norm al thinking process is restricted. This
is the physiological basis for the muscle-sense
principle of hypnosis.
T he sub-cortical regions of the brain have great
influence on m ost of the individual hum an being’s
habitual responses, which constitute the majority
of uncontrolled habits and behaviors. T hese sub-
cortical regions are directly stim ulated by inputs
from the muscle senses, and the aw areness of these
sensations is essentially so mild and unnoticeable
that they can be considered subconscious. Thus,

61
when the muscle senses are activated, a sort of
shortcut to the subconscious causes the conscious
part of the brain to disengage from its norm al,
analytic, thinking function. T he top part of the
brain, the cerebral cortex, becom es less inhibitive.
T here is less delay in total response, reactions are
faster, and there is little questioning or thinking.
M ost im portantly, however, when the muscle
senses activate the sub-cortical regions the individual
becom es suggestible. This is the essential core of
the hypnotic phenom enon.
In accord with the data in the neuro-psychological
fram e of reference (see C hapter II), we can, by
analogy, clarify the relationships and general func­
tions of the muscle sense system and sub-cortical
brain regions in relation to the individual’s
consciousness. This analogy betw een the subcon­
scious on the one hand, and the muscle senses and
the sub-cortical regions of the brain on the other
hand, is both biologically and psychologically
reasonable. T he rationale behind this analogy is
that muscle sensory stim ulation is neither discrete
nor distinct in its character, as com pared, for
instance, to pain or to heat. M uscle sensory
activity “just happens” w ithout distinct sensational
quality. For this reason, the muscle senses can also
be compared to electrical transducers. Furthermore,
the muscle sense receptors are, for the most part,
imbedded in and around striated muscles — muscles
which stretch and contract very smoothly, with an
almost total lack of outstanding sensational quality.
Though persons suffering from rheum atism or
arthritis are aware of distinct, painful sensation
when they flex or stretch their muscles, the
average healthy person finds that the muscles do

62
their work with alm ost no conscious sensation in
the muscles themselves. People only really know
w here their arms or legs are when they deliberately
focus attention upon them . For exam ple: the
chronic nail-biter only seems to realize that his
fingers are in his m outh when som eone tells him
that they are there; the chain sm oker only knows
he has sm oked too m uch when he sees the ashtrays
full. T he conscience-less psychopath seems aware
of what he has done only when confronted by a
film of himself in the act, or similar, undeniable,
evidence. Because the muscle senses function so
smoothly and with so little sensational color or
awareness, it is reasonable to classify its functioning
as at the subconscious level and not in the forefront
of conscious awareness. This does not m ean,
incidentally, that the muscle senses cannot be
brought to the level of conscious attention. T he
muscles involved in breathing, for example, can be
activated consciously. For the most part, however,
their action is so smooth, habituated and sensation-
less, that breathing becom es virtually autom ated
and subconscious.
Because they function so smoothly, we may do
many things with our voluntary muscles w ithout
ever being consciously aware that we do these
things. The sub-cortical region of the brain is not
deceived, however, because it, too, is subconscious,
and is activated by even the smallest quantity of
input from the muscle sense system. As the sub-
cortical regions of the brain are activated, the
cortical portions becom e deactivated and lose
their inhibitory functions. Indeed, the m ore intense
the stim ulation coming through the muscle senses,
the greater the activity of the sub-cortical regions

63
of the brain, and the greater the de-activation of the
cerebral cortex. During the phenomenon of hypnosis,
the cortical by-pass is very pronounced; this
results in a very dramatic loss of conscious awareness.
The Proprioceptive Principle o f Hypnosis. In a
most general way the muscle sense principle can be
stated as follows:
“M uscle sensory stim ulation directly
activates the sub-cortical regions of the
brain. During this activity the inhibitory
functioning of the cerebral cortex is
dim inished; it is then that the subject is
susceptible to hypnosis.”
T he hypnotic process includes the following
characteristics: (1) U nder a hypnotic effect, the
norm al inhibitive and analytic, conscious functions
of the cerebral cortex are lessened to the point
w hereby the subject obeys instructions w ithout
the usual inhibitory delay. (2) M ost m ethods of
inducing the hypnotic state rely upon muscle
sensory activation of the sub-cortical areas of the
brain. (3) D irect activation of the sub-cortical
brain areas results in diminished inhibitory activity
in the cerebral cortex. This is m anifested by
im m ediate and unquestioning obedience to direc­
tions and com m ands by a person in a true hypnotic
state. (4) T he lessening of the inhibitory functions
of the cerebral cortex can simultaneously be
accomplished by (a) decreasing cerebral inhibitory
activity through control of breathing, (b) eliminating
or minimizing any distracting sensory input from
the five m ajor senses, (c) focusing, as m uch as
possible, all sensory input from the five m ajor
senses through the sense of hearing, and (d) using
the sense of hearing to give to the patient directions,

64
instructions, or suggestions. These are customarily
restricted to comm ands or suggestions of a positive
nature in order to take advantage of well-established
mechanism s of excitation.
Techniques o f Inducing Hypnosis. All successful
hypnotists have used the route to the subconscious
mind of man m apped out in the muscle sense
principle. One reason for the frequent use of
muscle-sense stim ulation by hypnotists is that the
muscle senses are under the voluntary control of
the patient, and thus, with the patients cooperation,
the psychotherapist is able to induce in the patient
a hypnotic state.
As stated in the muscle sense principle, it is the
activity of sense receptors directly upon the sub-
cortical brain regions which is the major physiologi­
cal basis of hypnosis. Involvem ent of the muscle
sensory system can originate from a rigid state
called “catalepsy.” Catalepsy refers to any posture
in which a hypnotic subject manifests immobility,
usually of the limbs, and is associated with a state
of high suggestibility. In cataleptic conditions,
“patients make no movements of their own volition;
but, if they are placed in no m atter how uncom for­
table an attitude, they m aintain it for a very long
tim e,” states E. Bleuler in The Textbook o f
Psychiatry.
Sub-cortical stim ulation from the muscle sense
system may be induced through catalepsy by
directing a patient to simultaneously activate
opposing muscle groups, for example, the flexor
and extensor muscle groups of the arm. This rigid
cataleptic condition creates intense m uscular
sensory stim ulation to the sub-cortical region of
the brain which, in turn, reduces the inhibitory

65
activity of the cerebral cortex. T he patient will not
analyze, mentally, the suggestions given him, but
will obey instantly.
The hand levitation method of inducing hypnosis,
developed by Dr. M ilton Erickson in 1928, relies
heavily upon m uscular sensory stim ulation by the
cataleptic activation of opposing flexor and extensor
muscles of the hand. Professor Roy M. D orcus in
his book Hypnosis and Its Therapeutic Applications
gives a very favorable review of this technique.
The stage hypnotist uses — frequently with dramatic
results — the well-known technique of having a
hypnotized subject attain a state of cataleptic
rigidity, and then suspending the subject betw een
two chairs while other persons are invited to sit on
the subject’s rigid body.
Similar cataleptic response can som etim es be
induced w ithout consciously using input from the
m uscular sensory system. Involuntary catalepsy
through fright is discussed by Leslie M. LeCron in
his book, Techniques o f H ypnotherapy. “If a
subject is to be hypnotized and is quite frightened,
the operator can take advantage of the fear for
easy induction. The frightened person is already in
hypnosis or on the verge of it.” T hough fright
responses involve the autonom ic nervous system,
sub-cortical excitation which has been caused by
fear can, physiologically speaking, feed back
through the five m ajor senses and the m uscular
sensory system. W hen this happens, the patient is
already in a disinhibited suggestive state.
Catalepsy of the eyelids is a frequently employed
m ethod of inducing hypnosis. The m ore the patient
tries to open his eyes, the m ore he is told that they
are stuck together, for instance. Catalepsy of the

66
muscles of the eyelids can also be caused by visual
stare fixation or by eye closure. C hevreul's
pen d u lu m test, the pen-light tech n iq u e, the
hypnodisc, and the m irror technique for inducing
hypnosis all utilize catelepsy of the muscles
surrounding the eye.
A nother example of the use of the muscle sense
principle involves the postural sway test for
hypnosis. This is a test of hypnotic readiness in
which the patient is asked to stand, look straight
ahead, and stare fixedly at som ething above his
eye level while the hypnotist stands behind and
rocks him slightly. T he hypnotist then tells the
subject that he feels draw n backw ard strongly.
U pon analysis, it can be seen that this test is
abundant with m uscular sensory involvem ent —
the eye muscle catalepsy, the rigid bodily immobili­
ty, and the trem endous proprioceptive sensory
input from the vestibular apparatus, which is
involved with the sense of balance, provides strong
evidence that the muscle sense principle is being
applied.
T he hand-clasp te c h n iq u e has b een used
successfully by hypnotists for many years. It
produces intense muscle sense stim ulation from
the straining muscle groups of the hands of the
patient, and attests surely to the effectiveness of
muscle sensory stim ulation in reducing cerebral
inhibition and enhancing susceptibility and sugges­
tibility in the patient.
W henever ideom otor questioning techniques
are used during hypnosis, we again see the use of
the muscle sensory system in stim ulating the sub-
cortical regions of the brain. Dr. M ilton Erickson
first observed that muscle m ovem ents of the head

67
or extrem ities (such as the hands, arms, and legs)
would often “respond” to questions well before his
hypnotized subjects learned to talk without altering
their trance state. Leslie M. LeCron, a psychologist,
m ade use of the m anner in which a C hevreul
pendulum would magnify the very tiny m ovem ents
of hand muscles when reacting to questions —
another exam ple of muscle sensory stim ulation at
the subconscious level during hypnosis. This type
of ideom otor questioning seems to be equally as
effective in therapy as it is in diagnosis. T he muscle
senses truly do provide a universal road to the
subconscious.
E veryday H yp n o tic P h enom enon. Highway
hypnosis, and even hallucinations, have been
experienced by many autom obile drivers. While
driving when traffic is not heavy and one may
relax, the fixation of vision on the white line in the
road com bined with the steady hum of the car
m otor, is conducive to a hypnotic trance. In
accord with our analysis so far, we can say that
visual fixation — eye catalepsy — and relaxation
— the bodily immobility of the driver — both com ­
bine to increase m uscular sensory stim ulation to
the sub-cortical regions of the brain. T he steady
hum of the m otor by-passes the inhibitory aspects
of the cerebral cortex and enters directly into the
sub-cortical regions, since there are few inhibitory
factors against a soft, steady engine hum. Too, the
engine hum is not loud enough to prevent an
auditory sensory adaptation that is subconscious
in character. T hese factors — and perhaps the
sound of the wind passing over the car as well —
com bine to explain how highway hypnosis takes
place, with its resultant toll in automobile accidents,

68
injury and even death.
The M ajor E ffects o f Hypnosis. A fter hypnosis
has been induced, the ensuing period — during
which the conscious, inhibitory functions of the
cerebral cortex are dim inished — is that time
during which the patient is m ost suggestible. He
will then follow directions or obey com m ands,
w ithout the conscious desire to question these
orders as being anyone else’s but his own. L ater on,
after being brought out of hypnosis, and unless
suggestions are given to the contrary, the patient
feels unlocalized feelings of exhilaration and well­
being. This is due to the decorticating, disinhibitory
effect that accom panies intense muscle sensory
stim ulation of the sub-cortical brain regions. From
the standpoint of the psychotherapist, this receptive
period can be used to re-program the m em ory
bank of the brain with positive, action-evoking and
beneficial suggestions, inform ation, or directions.
T hese positive factors will eventually w eaken and
finally replace the negative, anxiety-producing
messages in the memory. T here are, therefore, two
main direct effects of hypnotic trances: first, the
suggestibility during the trance phase itself; and
second, the general, mildly euphoric sense of well­
being im m ediately following the hypnotic trance.
A euphoric feeling of well-being and happiness
may characterize the hypnotic trance period itself,
resulting in a great reluctance to leave the hypnotic
state when the conscious, inhibitory functions of
the cortex are diminished. This feeling of well­
being is similar to the description of oneirosis
(which is a light form of hypnosis resem bling
som nolence).
Few people are ever annoyed by the

69
 State of hypnosis in general, but in reports
on oneirosis the expressions of surprise
and pleasure are particularly com m on.
“It was a very enjoyable and agreeable
state,” w rote one. “I felt like rem aining
that way for a long tim e,” confesses
another. “I did not w ant to com e out of
the state,” confesses the third. “T here
seem ed to be one thing that held my
attention: it was the warm joyous blood
in my veins,” states the fourth. A nother
subject reports, “there is no state com par­
able to it. It is som ewhere betw een a
waking and sleeping state — a drowsy,
com fortable inertia envelopes one.”
W hen, under the workings of the muscle sense
principle, a period ensues during which the
conscious inhibitory functions of the cerebral
cortex are diminished, we refer to what is commonly
known in hypnotic term inology as a period of post­
hypnotic suggestibility. This phrase, “post-hypnotic
suggestibility,” is som ewhat misleading; it refers
not to suggestions given after the hypnotic trance
itself, but to those offered during the trance which
are to be executed afterwards. These post-hypnotic
suggestions or rem edial directions may, when
applied in behavioral therapy, replace or w eaken
undesired behaviors and in their place im plant
desirable responses. T hese desired behaviors
eventually gain ascendance after much repetition
and reinforcem ent.
H ypnosis and Brainwashing: M uscle sense
stim ulation and hypnotic states are also im portant
phases of the brainwashing process. T he Russians
understand the im portance of stim ulating the pain
centers of the muscle-sense system. In a book by

70
K enneth Goff, Brainwashing: A Synthesis o f the
R ussian T extb o o k on P sychopolitics, this is
illustrated:
As an example of this, we find an individu­
al refusing to obey and being struck. His
refusal to obey is now less vociferous. He
is struck again, and his resistance is
lessened once m ore. He is ham m ered
and pounded again and again, until at
length, his only thought is direct and
implicit obedience to that person from
whom the force has em anated. This is a
proven principle. It is proven because it
is the main principle man, the animal,
has used since his earliest beginnings. It
is the only principle which has brought
about a wide and continued belief. An
individual who is struck again, and again,
and again from a certain source, will at
length, hypnotically believe anything he
is told by the source of the blows.
Russian political scientists do support the
belief that given enough punishm ent, all of the
people in any time or place are susceptible to
hypnotic control. They certainly do employ other
m ethods also, but by and large they use m ethods
which have the de-corticating effects of intensive
muscle sense and pain receptor stim ulation. They
know it does rem ove cortical blocks to obedience,
for it allows orders to go directly to the sub-cortical
regions of the brain, by-passing conscious control
and rearranging the cerebral circuits. A nother
universal example of the decorticating effects of
muscle sensory stim ulation and pain sense stim ula­
tion is the effective punishm ent of children, and
again we quote from G off’s book:

71
 T he behavior of children is regulated in
this fashion in every civilized country.
T he father, finding himself unable to
bring about immediate obedience and
training on the part of the child, resorts to
physical violence, and after administering
punishm ent of a physical nature to the
child on several occasions, is gratified to
experience com plete obedience on the
part of the child each time the father
speaks.
We are primarily attem pting to define the internal
response mechanisms involved in the concept of
punishment. It is likely that there is a short period of
time following corporal punishm ent when the child
is in a state of decortication — hypnosis, so to
speak. This is the ideal time to plant the positive
instructions for better behavior in the future.
U nfortunately, parents today for the most part
implant negative and inhibitory com m ands during
this critical suggestible post-punishment period.
Phrases such as “Johnny, d on’t ever do that again,”
and other negative action-retarding orders are all
too comm on. The eventual results are that children
in the long run becom e inhibitory in their general
behavior. This manifests itself in fears, tremors,
stuttering, and eventually anxiety, which affects the
entire personality structure. T he post-punishment
phase of suggestibility could be better used to
implant positive, better-action directions. Children
should always be told what to do, and seldom what
not to do — it leaves them confused and inhibited.
In the next chapter, we shall examine in much
finer detail the particulars of the brainwashing
process, and the involvement of the visceral sensory
system in changing beliefs, attitudes and behaviors.

72
 CHAPTER IV

BRAINWASHING AND THE

VISCERAL SENSES

Profound and deep em otional states must be

m ade to happen in order to brainwash the hum an
from his old established patterns. Pain and fear, for
the m ost part, have been the chief ingredients used
to date to garner confession and com pliance from
the political dissident. Exactly why these cruel
pressures have had to be used to cause the hum an
to change and to comply has never been thoroughly
explained. But it seems that no other m easures to
date have been found effective for brainwashing
purposes.
In a non-technical way, we shall spell out a
hypothesis to show that the special senses in the
viscera (the interoceptors), when stim ulated by
strong em otion, have a unique effect upon the
deepest regions of the brain. This effect causes
one to becom e m ore com pliant and disinhibited
than can be accom plished even through hypnosis.
We will tap and explore the deepest and most
private roots of the behavior of man. We shall go
down past his subconscious, into his nonconscious,
right down into the unconscious.
By studying the effects of stimulating the visceral
senses, we shall be examining the deepest founda­
tions of the brainwashing process. In this m anner
we may, in the future, bring about the same effect
as brainwashing, but without the cruel psychological
torture that has been used to this date.
For a deeper understanding of the m echanism s
underlying brainwashing it is essential to study the

73
nature of the internal senses and their effects upon
the brain and the higher m ental functions of
perception, cognition and m em ory. T he visceral
senses (interoceptors), those senses which tell us of
the conditions deep within the body — provide us
with the key to understanding brainwashing. T he
visceral senses regulate m ore profound patterns of
behavior than do the muscle senses which are
involved with the com paratively tem porary hyp­
notic state.
Brainwashing, by its very intent, has deeper and
more perm anent consequence than hypnosis, which
has com paratively transient effects. Brainwashing
creates radical and lasting changes in beliefs and
attitudes in order to attain its ends. Brainwashing
can be slow, insidious and sure when applied to
children early in life, for children have no previous
beliefs and attitudes to be replaced. They will
believe anything if they are taught it consistently
enough an d long enough. T his is why the
Communists, the Chinese and even H itler were
careful to indoctrinate young minds. M adison
Avenue knows this also when it advertises sugared
cereals to children on television — to put it on a
more mundane level. With children, “brainwashing”
is essentially a process of conditioning through
repetition; it is indoctrination, usually called
education.
T he situation is different for an adult who
already has established beliefs and values. In the
brainwashing process, these must first be eradicated
b efore new attitu d es can be substituted. R e­
education takes too long, and hypnosis by itself
does not have lasting effects unless constantly
reinforced. T he shortcut to uprooting these old

74
patterns lies in an understanding of the relation of
the visceral senses to the conditioning of the
subconscious and nonconscious of hum an beings.
T he Russians and the Chinese know that it does
work, though not exactly how it works. Some
am ateur A m erican brainw ashers are evidently
getting this specialized know-how, even at this late
date.
T he principles of excitation, outlined by Pavlov
in 1894, apply to every psychological problem no
m atter how rem ote the link may appear. C ondi­
tioned reflexes through the visceral sensory system
do not involve cognition or thought, though words
can be used to produce associative reflexes. Andrew
Salter, the A m erican Pavlovian exponent, has
shown that when one realizes that the essence of
the unconscious is conditioning, one is in a position
to develop a sound understanding of the deeper
aspects of hum an behavior. Conditioning, as we
know it, is founded upon associative reflexes that
use symbols or words as triggers for autom atic
reactions. Brainwashing is basically conditioning,
that is, the production of unconscious reactions in
the hum an through the use of associative reflexes.
In the brainwashing process, hum an behavior is
treated in term s of its fundam ental biological
entities, not as m etaphysical labels (which is the
weakness of the psychoanalytic system). Part of
the brainwashing process is to im plant deep inside
the individual’s subconscious mind a simple motive,
which is to subm it to the operator's com m ands and
to follow instructions, executing them exactly as if
one were acting a part. This role-acting is triggered
by an hypnotic cue, which may be directed by
other parties or even by rem ote control. R em ote

75
control is today an electronic reality and a
psychological possibility, for a person can be
conditioned “psychotronically” to cue in his own
brain and nervous system. (“Psychotronics” is an
Iron C urtain term for parapsychology.)
Physiological Basis o f Brainwashing. The visceral
senses, som etim es know n as the interoceptors or
the visceroceptors, are specialized sense cells
which cause an aw areness of conditions within the
viscera, the internal bodily organs. T he sense cells
within the circulatory system (which includes the
heart) are part of the visceral sensory system. The
action of the heart, which impels circulation by its
mumping action, is considered to be involuntary or
autonom ic since it is not necessary that the brain
consciously tell the heart to beat every time in
order that blood is circulated. T he person is simply
not consciously aware of each single pumping
action of the heart.
The constantly working system within the viscera,
which includes digestion as well as circulation, is
considered autonom ic in the neuro-psychologic
fram e of reference (see C hapter II). T he body has
very little conscious aw areness of the action of the
visceral sensory system and it is therefore classified
as nonconscious or unconscious in character.
These unconscious, autonom ic functions are in
general controlled through the lower sub-cortical
regions of the brain, particularly through the hypo­
thalam us. As an integral part of an independent
system which plays this unconscious but essential
role, the visceral sense organs are not a sensory
grouping that can be used to directly influence the
sub-cortical brain regions.
Intensive stim ulation of the sub-cortical brain

76
regions by visceral sensory influence also diminishes
the inhibitory functioning of the cerebral cortex,
however. W itness the sleepy com placency of the
person who has just enjoyed a satisfying meal: the
individual appears to be less negative, less inhibitory,
and m ore agreeable and responsive. T he person
who has just finished eating has a vague feeling of
well-being. T here is a saying that, if you want to
ask a favor of som eone, wait until after he has
finished lunch or dinner, for your chances of
getting w hat you want are better. T here may be a
lot of physiological truth to this saying.
Below the thalamus, and located in the lower
sub-cortical regions at the base of the brain, lies
the hypothalam us. The hypothalam us is essential
to the production of balanced states of homeostasis
in humans. T he thalam us itself acts as a relay
station, directing to the hypothalam us below it
neural impulses involved with visceral and hom eo­
static reactions. O ther than this function as a relay
center, the thalam us also has som e residual
functions as a sensory receiving area, for children
born w ithout any cerebral cortex can exhibit
simple responses of pleasure and pain. W hen
inputs from the visceral sensory system reach the
thalam us and hypothalam us, these lower brain
sections operate as unconscious, body-balancing
m echanism s with very little direct involvem ent of
the cerebral cortex. It thus appears that the
visceral senses can cause autonom ic changes to
take place with a minimal level of conscious,
cortical involvement.
Y et to induce hypnotic states in hum an beings,
it is generally not practical to use this direct
pathway through the thalam us and the hypo­

77
thalamus. T he reason for this is that the visceral
sensory system is too deeply im bedded in the body
and therefore not easily accessible. T he visceral
senses are not readily subject to the external
stim ulation needed to bring about the condition of
cortical disinhibition which is required to induce a
true hypnotic state. T he visceral sensory system is
difficult to control from the outside — its functions
are indirect and unconscious. T here is, however,
the possibility that the m ore complex reactions
involving the visceral senses can be used as a
supplem entary trigger for the hypnotic response.
Some physiological reactions — such as those
peculiar to fear, shock and anxiety — have an
intense disinhibitive effect on the hum an brain.
In contrast to the indirect, unconscious function­
ing of the visceral senses, the m uscular sensory
system can be stim ulated directly and consciously
as well as indirectly and subconsciously. This ease
of influence probably accounts for the fact that the
m uscular sensory system is universally utilized
both in the clinic and on the stage to induce
hypnosis. Thus, while visceral sensory system
involvem ent with autonom ic functions such as
digestion, for example, is probably coupled to the
activation of sub-cortical regions and the disinhibi­
tion of the cerebral cortex, general observations of
the mechanism s of inducing hypnosis show a
consistent use of m uscular sensory involvement
that is far greater than chance.
During the period when the cerebral cortex is
most inactive the unconscious is most accessible to
external influence. A possible reason for this is
that the analytic and inhibitive functions of the
cortex are dormant. There is less inhibitive blocking

78
of verbal directions or suggestions, the individual
is apparently m ore responsive and obedient to
com m ands and shows little desire to resist or
question w hat he is told. A lcohol also seems to
induce a disinhibitive state by m eans of the
visceral sensory stimulation effects associated with
intoxication, and the hum an is generally m ore
pliable and m anipulative when intoxicated.
T o bring about a suggestible state in a short
period of time, it is necessary to trigger a very
complex response; but this response must be
conditioned to external rather than internal stimula­
tion. T he internal conditions involved in the
autonom ic functions of the visceral sensory system
are not easily accessible to direct external influence.
T here is evidence, however, that these complex
responses can be conditioned to certain words,
term s that, for instance, raise the anxiety level of
the individual and thus trigger activity in the
visceral sensory system. Even acute fear itself is
dram atically tied in to certain verbal suggestions.
W hen his anxiety level is high, a person is usually
in an increased state of suggestibility. Brainwashers
as well as hypnotists acknow ledge that an individu­
al’s anxiety can be an aid in attaining their
com pletely different objectives. Indeed, intense
physiological changes within the body can be
picked up through monitoring psychological effects.
T he polygraph m ethod of lie detection relies upon
a m easure of reactio n s to w ords w hich are
associated with intense physiological reaponses —
visceral sensory responses which have a pronounced
effect on the working of the brain.
In general, when the anxiety level of a patient is
at a high level, the patient becom es increasingly

79
susceptible to hypnosis; and treatm ents employing
hypnosis are usually quick and successful. Today,
the practice of clinical hypnosis is confined to
techniques which exploit the disinhibitive effects
of m uscular sensory stim ulation. W ithin the near
future — once the deeper mechanism s underlying
hypnosis are m ore widely understood — we shall
probably tap the full potential of the visceral sensory
system as an aid in inducing a hypnotic state.
At the present time, the m uscular sensory
system is used in inducing hypnosis in alm ost all
cases. T rained clinical psychologists, with their
knowledge of the em otional im pact of therapeutic
verbalizations, possess the know-how to exploit
the potential use of the visceral senses in order to
induce hypnosis. Today, however, visceral sensory
stim ulation is for the most part confined to the
sinister type of behavior modification, brainwashing.
It som etimes surprises students to realize that
even animals low in the evolutionary scale — fish,
for instance — have similar groupings of nerves for
sensory input to the brain and for m otor outflow as
those that are possessed by humans, though the
lower animals lack the highly developed cerebral
cortex of hum an beings. Thus, the lower the form
of life, the less the conscious aw areness the anim al
possesses of what is going on in the external world.
It is the animal-like nervous structure in the
human — the muscular and, especially, the visceral
senses — which are activated for the purposes of
hypnosis and brainwashing. The cerebral cortex
seems to be that part of the brain which has the
potential to generate the uniquely hum an feature
of psychological torm ent, as well as virtually

80
unlim ited perception of the external environm ent
and the ability to rise above all other forms of life.
This same cerebral cortex must, however, becom e
disinhibited — disconnected, so to speak — if
hypnosis and brainwashing are to be successful.
Hypnosis is a conditioning process which enables
the hypnotized individual to attain a state of
dissociation — to function at the sub-cortical and
even autonom ic levels w here the effects are plea­
surable and little conscious m em ory is retained. In
brainwashing, however, the visceral senses seem
to provide the key, the direct access — a shortcut,
so to speak — to the lowest regions of the brain.
During a state of intense fear or acute anxiety,
there is intense visceral sensory input to the lower
brain regions. It is during this period that these
lower brain regions becom e activated and cause a
truly profound state of disinhibition. T he cortex is
m ore or less com pletely by-passed. It is during this
profoundly disinhibitive state that the effective
brainw asher seeks to radically alter the basic
beliefs, attitudes, and behavior patterns of his
victims.
P arallel to the m uscle-sense p rin cip le for
hypnosis, a visceral-sense principle is proposed as
the fundam ental and underlying explanation of
the in tern al dynam ics of brainw ashing. This
principle deals with a far m ore profound effect
than does the muscle-sense principle, which deals
with the biological basis of hypnosis. W hen the
muscle-sense principle is working and a subject is
under a hypnotic trance, only the sub-cortical
brain regions are affected. A t this point, the
individual is then ready for the m ore profound and
longer-lasting changes that can be brought about

81
only by reaching deeper into the brain through the
application of the visceral-sense principle.
The Interoceptive Principle in Brainwashing. In
a general way, the visceral-sense principle can be
stated as follows:
“Intense em otional experience with its
accom panying visceral-sensory activity
tends to excite the lowest regions of the
brain. This diminishes the higher cerebral
functions of perception and cognition.
The norm al inhibitory functioning of the
cerebral cortex is acutely im paired.”
During intense em otional experience it seems that
the hum an is m ore susceptible to basic changes in
beliefs, attitudes and behavioral patterns. His old
patterns are put away, so to speak, so that they do
not interfere with the new ones that his brainwashers
w ant him to adopt. Really profound changes in
personality are easier to bring about when the
person is in an em otional state.
Intense em otional experience occurs w henever
a person is in a state of extrem e fear, anxiety, pain
or apprehension. People in general are not
accustom ed to these extrem e states of em otion,
are not prepared for them — it catches them off
guard. W hen an individual is constantly under
stress, however, he can adapt to these stresses
without such profound em otional and physiological
changes. (An example of this is the effect of battle
on soldiers — most eventually adapt to the hum an
carnage around them , so that it bothers them
m uch less than it did at first; and they becom e
battle-hardened veterans.)
W hen a person becom es used to stressful
situations, the visceral-sense principle fails to work

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— it applies best to individuals in sudden, extrem e,
and unexpected states of high em otion. One of the
most pronounced em otional experiences that a
hum an being can undergo is having his or her life
threatened. T hreats of death are used as a basic
tool by brainwashing Communists. Even among
them , however, this threat to life is used sparingly,
for they know that hum ans quickly adapt to this
type of threat, especially if it is repeatedly given
but never carried out. In order to avoid this
routinization of stressful em otional situations, they
have been known to casually execute prisoners for
the apparent effect it has on others — but only
when the supply of prisoners was abundant.
T o date, sadly, this visceral-sensory effect has
been used mostly for m alevolent psycho-political
and crim inal purposes — but the future may well
see this principle — now limited to brainwashing
— used for benevolent purposes as well.
A nother m ethod of producing intense emotional
states for the purposes of brainwashing is isolation
or solitary confinem ent. This m ethod has been
used to soften up even the most hardened inm ates
of prison systems. Being com pletely alone with no
one to talk to for long periods of time is som ething
norm al people are not p rep ared to handle.
C onfinem ent alone — especially when a person is
physically restrained by being tied up or by being
kept in a restricted space — very effectively causes
a hum an to lose norm al cortical inhibitions, and
m akes the individual very am enable to change.
This is the ideal m om ent for the brainw asher to
im plant his insidious ideas and m alevolent
program s.
The interoceptors, which is a grouping of internal

83
bodily senses, has been shown to provide a shortcut
to the autonom ic parts of the central nervous
system and brain. The internal senses are stimulated
by physiological changes accom panying intense
emotional experiences. W hen these visceral senses
are activated, they “cut through” the upper portions
of the brain, the cortex, and m ake the cortex less
inhibitive. T he path is now open to the deeper
recesses of the brain, and along this path individuals
can be program m ed with instructions to act in
certain ways or with new beliefs and attitudes. This
forms the essence of how the visceral-sense principle
works, and is the core hypothesis presented in this
book. This is the neuro-psychological basis of
brainwashing.

84
 CHAPTER V

TESTING BRAINWASH VICTIMS

Brainwashing of young persons has shocked a

bewildered public and struck a totally unprepared
legal system with a series of criminal events with
no co unterpart in history. New quasi-religious
cults have callously used the brainwashing process
acquired in part from the Chinese and Russians to
gain alm ost total control over many thousands of
youngsters. It is of little com fort to the distraught
parents of these victimized youngsters that their
minds prior to brainwashing were nothing m ore
than cerebral traffic jams. T oo many childhood
doses of TV with their mindless com m ercials, no
real values, and no real sense of belonging all
com pounded to m ake the abduction of their minds
easy for the cultist m ental kidnappers.
F rustrated and despairing parents quickly found
out that their legal protests were alm ost futile, as
there existed no certain way to prove to the
satisfaction of the courts that their children had
been brainw ashed. T he courts and general public
did not even believe that such a thing as capturing
the hum an mind through brainwashing was even a
possibility. T he guilty verdict in the Patty H earst
case established clearly that the general public
does not even believe that brainwashing is now a
fact of life in the A m erican outcast com m unity.
T he parents of m entally traduced children now at
last are convinced that brainwashing has com e to
A m erica — their problem is to prove it to the
satisfaction of courts and juries.
This chapter will present the form ulation of a

85
testing and diagnostic procedure so that it can be
reliably ascertained w hether or not a person has
been brainwashed, and the extent to which he has
been brainwashed. Such a procedure, once properly
validated, could becom e a test. It could then help
courts identify brainw ash victim s, becom e a
diagnostic aid, and finally help to de-program (de­
condition) the victims of brainwashing. Such a test
procedure as we will propose could be used to
evaluate or diagnose anyone who it is suspected
has been subjected to m ental and em otional
coercion. The procedure could be used to evaluate
brainwashed military personnel, even those feigning
insanity; but most of all, it could be used to
evaluate the confused youthful victims of the
self-styled quasi-religious cults.
T he circus-like public trials of cultist m em bers
of such groups as the M anson Family, the SLA,
and others accused of m urders, abductions and
other acts of violence has put a legal focus upon
w hether the accused were responsibly aware of
the consequences of their acts. This, in the legal
sense, led to only two possibilities: either the
accused were insane, or else they had been
brainw ashed and were acting while actually under
the control of others. T he actual determ ination of
w hether the accused had been brainw ashed was of
critical im portance — but there was no sure-fire
way of finding out. No tests had ever been
specifically designed to m easure brainwashing like
there have been for m easuring intelligence.
T o point out the need for an objective test, we
have only to point to the confusing testim onies
surrounding the Patty H earst case. They provided
ample testimony to the fact that subjective opinions,

86
even from the experts, tend to be very contradictory.
We have yet to learn w hether or not Patty had
really been brainw ashed even after m onths of
psychiatric evaluations. T he obvious conclusion is
that a sound diagnostic tool for evaluating brain­
washing does not to date exist. It is interesting,
however, that in this case the most profound
evaluations of Patty were conducted by a clinical
psychologist using standardized tests, and these
test results were not allowed as evidence during
the trial. Probably they would have conflicted with
the subjective psychiatric opinions; the trial verdict
may have been different.
Consider all the em otional turm oil centering
around the myriads of children converted and
mentally enslaved by the cult led by the K orean
R everend Sun M oon. He knows enough about
mass hypnosis, conditioning and brainwashing so
that he does not even have to conduct his serm ons
in English; K orean will serve his purposes equally
well, although few of his converts understand a
word of it. Mass hypnosis does not need reason
and logic to be effective; gestures will serve
equally as well. Sun M oon follows through with
conditioning by the cult mem bers, all a part of the
brainwashing process as practised by the C om m u­
nists — whom he pretends to disdain. A good diag­
nostic test for brainwashing may very well put a
crim p in his plans for world conquest by exploiting
the young.
T he use of drugs, hypnosis, or the lie detecto r by
them selves are inadequate to unveil the complex
psychological and physical p ressu res th a t a
brainw ashed victim was exposed to. T ruth drugs
will not m ake a victim aware of things that he was

87
never conscious of. T he use of hypnosis as a sole
m eans to gain access to a brainw ashed person’s
mind will only scratch the surface. Basic conditioned
responses will rem ain untouched and hidden. Also
unexposed will be the newly indoctrinated attitudes.
T he lie detector cannot expose som ething as a lie
when the victim is sincerely convinced that it is the
truth. Only a test incorporating all of the condi­
tioned attitudes and beliefs to which the subject
was exposed will b a c k tra c k to the original
personality. T hen the victim is in a position to be
de-conditioned.
It must be accepted that brainwashing, once
exclusively Russian and Chinese, is now being
used here in A m erica by devious persons with
personal gain in mind. T hese persons have in some
instances com pelled their victims to perpetuate
acts which they them selves were too cowardly to
comm it. T he hum an mind can now, it is clear, be
captured and controlled. Free will is a myth out of
an idealistic and religious past. We are not the
captains of our souls that we imagine ourselves to
be. We are all really at the mercy of w hoever has
the knowledge and the dedicated determ ination
and facilities to subvert us to their will. We need a
test to convince the judicial that the brainwashed
did not act as he did out of his own motives.
Brainwashing far exceeds, in both intensity and
lasting effect, anything that can be im posed upon
the hum an through conventional hypnosis as we
know it today. T he legal im plications of this new
form of hum an influence are of profound im por­
tance to our future way of life all the way through
education, advertising on television as it affects
the young mind, even to the rehabilitation of hard­

88
core criminals in penal institutions. T he scientific
m ethod m ust be used through systematic testing in
o rd er to isolate the hum an factors used in
brainwashing. T hen we can backtrack to the
sinister hum an influences who are the real
perpetrators of this newly em ergent form of m ental
slavery.
T he Patty H earst case with its brainwashing
im plications cam e as a com plete surprise to the
legal and psychiatric community. They were totally
unprepared to deal with the objective evaluation
of Patty. T heir approach was to have a psychiatrist,
who is a m edical doctor primarily, have long
discussions with Miss H earst, and then write up his
clinical opinion. Instead of relaxing her and making
her feel at ease, one psychiatrist alm ost drove her
to the point of hysteria, which caused her to have a
physical relapse at the end of the trial. The
prosecution almost com pletely ignored the true
experts, who are for the most part psychologists
who engage in conditioning psychotherapy, and
some psychiatrists who appreciate the value of
psychodiagnostic testing. T he H earst case was one
of misused expertise and should not be repeated.
From the purely legal perspective, brainwashing
has not figured in any military trials since the
K orean W ar. T he H earst case was the first to make
brainwashing a civilian issue, although the M anson
m urders did touch very strongly upon brainwashing
as the m ajor influence. T he adverse verdict to
Patty could be reasonably attributed to the non­
existence of any objective test data to establish
that brainwashing had taken place. T he real
experts, including Dr. William Sargant and re­
nowned psychologist A ndrew Salter, concluded

89
that Patty had probably been brainwashed, but
there was no objective test d ata that could
objectively substantiate their conclusions.
T he tem porary insanity which is often an
afterm ath of brainwashing could be differentiated
from a truly psychotic state by a systematic test
procedure such as we propose. This could be
accom plished by supplem enting the proposed
procedure with recognized projective techniques
and tests. This could then weed out the really
insane person from the person who is tem porarily
undergoing an abreaction from the pressures of
brainwashing. A nother spin-off of the accurate
diagnosing by a system atic procedure is that it
would yield vital details to help in the therapeutic
de-conditioning of the brainwash victim. The
victim could then be therapeutically re-conditioned
back to a m ore norm al state of mind. T he value of
the proposed procedure will ultim ately be th era­
peutic.
A diagnostic test procedure for brainwashing
should be prepared and be ready and waiting for
the avalanche, of which the H earst case is only the
forerunner. T he many cults of mind control which
are m ushroom ing today should be exposed for
what they really are, which are, anti-religious,
inhum ane, and anti-A m erican. A diagnostic test
such as we will outline in this chapter would m ake
it possible to diagnose and separate those who
have been legitimately converted to an ideal, from
those who have been m entally abducted and
brainwashed. It has been estim ated that the pseudo­
religious cults in the U nited States have been
recruiting and brainwashing m ere children and
young adults at a rate of over ten thousand persons

90
a m onth. Following diagnosis by the proposed test
procedure, these cult victims could then be de­
program m ed by autogenic relaxation and behavior­
al conditioning of a type already practised by some
therapists.
The conditioned reflex is a physiological concept
that runs as a continuous thread throughout all
brainwashing. The Nobel Prize winner, Ivan Pavlov,
introduced the Comm unists to the potentials of
hum an conditioning; and since that time it has
been the cornerstone of their ideas about the
nature of hum an behavior. T he Russians have
incorporated behavioral conditioning with an
alm ost religious zeal into their explanations of
basic hum an nature, of the phenom enon of
hypnosis, but most of all into the practice of their
brainwashing techniques. For these above reasons,
we shall call the test we propose a C onditioned
Response Index for Brainwashing.
C onstructing a sound and com pletely validated
psychological test is a very time consum ing affair.
It may take many years before it is statistically
confirm ed for validity and reliability. We do not
have that period of time for research, for an
avalanche of crim inal brainwashing cases could
deluge us at any m om ent: the M anson and the
H earst cases are just the forerunners of w hat is to
come. T he need for a test is now, so that we will be
ready before we are inundated by the quasi­
religious cults which are brainwashing thousands
of youths every m onth. For these reasons, we shall
formulate the rough framework now as a procedure
and, as we apply this procedure, we will modify

91
and am end and refine each step. As we statistically
verify the procedure to each case we apply it to, we
will eventually call it a test. Tim e is too urgent, the
cases are too pressing, we do not have any
alternatives if we are to help the victims of
brainwashing.
At the present time, we know that there are at
least twenty-five distinct and separate elem ents
which com prise the brainwashing process. All of
these elem ents should be included in the test
procedure. Furtherm ore, these elem ents should
be arranged systematically and in a m anner that,
when interrogating the brainwash victim, it does
not raise his anxiety level to the point of hysteria.
H ypnotic-type relaxation suggestions would help
the victim respond with greater truthfulness. Finally,
the end results of the test procedure should be
expressed as a num erical index. This brainwashing
index should tell us if, and the extent to which, a
person has been brainwashed.
In the proper clinical practice of psychotherapy,
psychological tests (particularly projective tests
such as the R orschach ink blot test) are used to
diagnose m ental disorders and gain insight into the
subjective world of the patient. In the better
mental hospitals and institutions, psychodiagnostic
tests are used to enable the therapist to summarize
psychological factors into readily identifiable cate­
gories of m ental disorders such as the neuroses,
the psychoses, and the organic brain syndromes.
T here is no reason why to be “brainw ashed”
should not be considered as a m ental disorder, and
give the poor victim the same protection from the

92
consequences of his acts as the courts grant to a
person suffering from schizophrenia or any other
psychoses.
In our present society, we do not consider
psychotics or m ental defectives or those suffering
from brain dam age to be responsible for their
actions. We should regard those under the control
of others and not com pletely aware of their own
actions to be merely an instrum ent of the real
perpetuator (the one who brainwashed the person),
and not hold them com pletely responsible for their
actions. He should be regarded as a sick person, a
puppet in short. W hereas the m entally deranged
person is not held legally responsible for his
actions and is given psychotherapy for his malaise
— should not a brainwashed person be therapeutic­
ally de-program m ed by the same token?
The C RIB Testing Procedure:
A diagnostic procedure to determ ine if, and the
extent to which, a person has been brainw ashed is
proposed. This will be called the CRIB, which is
sh o rt for “C o n d itio n ed R esponse Index for
Brainwashing.” T he CRIB should m ake it m uch
easier and m ore reliable to accurately evaluate a
brainwash victim than present inconsistent attempts
to diagnose by mainly subjective means. T he
CRIB procedure, after being tried on many subjects,
should eventually be statistically validated to
becom e a standardized test. It could then have the
potential to becom e a legal criterion for brainwash­
ing acceptable to the courts. Let us now examine
some of the m ore im portant of the twenty-five or
more elem ents comprising the CRIB procedure.

93
 “A radical change in beliefs, attitudes, or
behavior” should have taken place if a person was
brainwashed. If no change had taken place, the
person was not brainwashed, he is the same as he
always was. Standard psychological tests could
best be used to evaluate the personality as it was
prior to the brainwashing charge. Old test results,
if available, would give a fairly accurate view of the
personality as it was prior to brainwashing. This
radical change is the most im portant single item in
the brainwashing portfolio. In the CRIB test
p ro ced u re, it receives the highest num erical
weighting of all the items. T o m easure or evaluate
if this change has taken place requires the most
sophisticated evaluation on the part of a com petent
psychologist.
“The threat of death" is one factor that is given a
high num erical weighting. This is m ore often used
in the Com m unist brainwashing arsenal when
prisoners of war are involved. This death threat,
especially when it can be effectively carried out at
any time, will bring instant com pliance from even
the m ost doughty resister. The death threat,
however, is m ore dram atic than it is effective, for it
must be constantly reinforced and the prisoner
must be constantly guarded, for the natural response
to the threat of death is to escape. This item is
included in the CRIB procedure because it can
never be excluded as long as a real criminal
elem ent, as example, in the M anson Family and
the SLA, are the ones doing the brainwashing.
“Isolation from friends, family, or other hum ans”
is an item that receives a heavy weighting in the

94
CRIB. T hat a victim is isolated and locked away
from all hum an contact causes a special kind of
sensory deprivation that m akes the hum an very
com pliant. Isolation from all hum an contact is a
very effective form of psychological torture that
few humans, with the possible exception of the
outright psychotic, can endure. It was very effec­
tively used with Patty H earst when she was locked
in a closet for weeks on end. T he very worst form
of punishm ent that recalcitrant criminals in prison
can be given is to be put in solitary. Long stretches
in solitary have caused many prisoners to becom e
psychotic. Isolation is a cruel form of psychological
coercion.
“Loss of sleep” is a factor that m akes the victim
susceptible to repetitious messages. T he quasi­
religious cults use this factor extensively in their
indoctrination of the young. T he m ental fatigue
caused by being kept aw ake for long periods of
time dims the hum an’s critical and analytic faculties,
and m akes him an easy target for hypnotic sugges­
tion. R esistance to the brainwashing process is
eventually broken down and the subject seems to
have no will of his own; he is too fatigued to resist
messages repeated over and over again.
“Ego destruction” is a psychological factor that
assures that the subject does not let his personal
needs and goals get in the way of those goals
im posed upon him by his m ental captors. An
individual’s personal sense of w orth and his self­
esteem have to be destroyed in order to assure
unquestioning obedience to every directive, no
m atter how degrading, that is set before him. This

95
is the reason that prisoners of w ar were m ade to
perform degrading tasks in front of other prisoners.
This is the reason that women, in their indoctrina­
tion as prostitutes, are com pelled to perform sex in
open view of others. T he M anson clan relied upon
this factor very heavily in order to assure compliance
from am ong the female m em bers. A com pliant
follower must not have a strong ego. T he CRIB
procedure gives ego destruction an assigned
weighting.
“Disinhibiting behavior”; as example, in sexual
intercourse, is a factor that deserves a very heavy
weighting in the CRIB. Sex was used extensively as
a m eans of reward, disinhibiting, and controlling
the m em bers of the M anson family. Sex was
engaged in freely and prom iscuously am ong their
m em bers to the point w here they would identify
only with their group and seek no personal and
norm al pairing relationships. Sex was used in a
calculating m anner by Charles M anson to effective­
ly control every m em ber of his “family.” Sex was
also used by m em bers of the SLA to control the
behavior, and assure the continued cooperation,
of Patty H earst. Sexual disinhibition has its history
in the forced indoctrination of prostitutes.
“R epetition of m essage” is an essential part of
the conditioning process in brainwashing. W hen a
piece of inform ation is repeated over and over,
again and again, the recipient eventually com es to
believe it is true, even if it is essentially false. Some
infamous politician once was quoted as saying that
if you repeat a lie often enough the people will
always com e to believe it is the truth. In the

96
psychopolitical brainwashing arena of the Com m u­
nists, the prisoner is exposed to endless lectures
and records, while he is physically exhausted and
w ithout sleep. In the A m erican brainwashing
cults, youthful victims are subjected to endless
meetings and lectures.
“T o rtu re or pain" is disinhibiting and is one of
the main instrum ents of brainwashing prisoners of
war. O nce exposed to pain, the victim will merely
have to be rem inded that he will be punished if he
does not conform or attest to belief. It is, of course,
a m atter of historical fact that religious indoctrina­
tion or confession were usually extorted through
torture on the rack or in the dungeon. Today, the
Com m unists most likely use shock treatm ents or
beatings. It is well know n th a t the forced
indoctrination of women into white-slavery is
frequently carried out through pain. Frequent
beatings or other forms of physical torture make
otherwise proud women into com pliant prostitutes.
Only some of the elem ents that have to be
included in the CRIB procedure have been de­
scribed in the preceding paragraphs. Possibly over
thirty distinct factors will constitute the main body
of the CRIB. Besides m easuring the pressures that
the brainwashing victim has been exposed to, we
must also evaluate the effects upon him. T here are
two distinct and separate aspects: the pressures
imposed, and the effects upon the hum an. The
pressures of torture, isolation and coercion affect
different people to varying degrees. Pressures and
their effects upon the hum an being are two distinct
categories of the elem ents of brainwashing within

97
the CRIB.
T he CRIB procedure should be best applied
when the subject is very relaxed, even preferably
when under hypnosis. T he direct and indirect
questioning required by the CRIB while under
hypnosis would gain inform ation from deep within
the su b co n scio u s m ind c o n c u rre n t w ith the
objective rating. T he response to every question
should be carefully recorded and assigned the
predesignated num erical value. This is the syste­
matic procedure of science.
The polygraph (lie-detector) may also be used in
conjunction with the CRIB diagnostic process, but
should be used with caution, as the lie-detector is
an anxiety-evoking device. A dditional devices,
such as the psychological stress analyzer, may help
glean even m ore inform ation when used with the
CRIB. T here are also possibilities in the utilization
of bio-feedback devices.
Relaxed rapport betw een the subject and the
investigator is the most im portant central aspect of
a valid CRIB interview, as most brainwash victims
go through a period of hysteria when being
analyzed. The use of proper psychological interview
techniques should go a long way towards averting
this hysterical flashback. T he interview skills of
the person conducting the CRIB rating are of the
greatest im portance to assure that the results are
meaningful and accurate.
The CRIB procedure is concluded with the
expression of the results by a num erical index. T he
test may require as m uch as a series of evaluation
interviews. This num erical score, let us call it the

98
“Brainwashing Index,” should give us an idea of
the person's personality as com pared to a previous
m ore norm al state. T he categories of change will
be expressed som ewhat as follows:
hypnotically b eliefs attitudes habits personality
influenced c h a n g e d modified c h a n g e d alteration

0 100
critical numerical sc o r e
--------------------------------------- ^
Brainwashing Index

T he CRIB Brainwashing Index will, as can b t seen,

consist of a diagnosis expressed in num erical
terms. It will also provide a basis for estim ating the
depth of, as well as giving some prognosis as to the
lenth of time for recovery from, the brainwashing
process. Furtherm ore, we shall also gain reliable
indications as to the type of and the intensity of the
efforts needed to de-condition (de-program) the
brainwash victim and return him to his original
m ore norm al state.
The CRIB procedure should best be administered
by a clinical psychologist experienced in psycho­
diagnostic testing. The psychological test approach
is systematic, objective, and relatively consistent
as com pared to subjective psychiatric techniques.
T hat the psychologist has some com petence in the
techniques of hypnosis would enhance the validity
of the process.
T he CRIB procedure, as a relatively objective
m ethod for diagnosing for brainwashing, could be
applied in many socially useful ways in the future.
T hose young persons who have been m entally
kidnapped by the fanatic and quasi-religious cults
should provide the im m ediate and greatest bulk of

99
subjects, until laws are enacted to control this new
and om inous form of mass brainwashing. Society is
not ready, and the courts are not prepared, to cope
with this new form of mind control that threatens
to underm ine the very structure of our society.
T he CRIB will be ready to flag-out and bring into
clear public focus exactly the insidious and ominous
forces that are warping the minds of the young.
T he courts stand to gain objectivity in their
judgm ents against crim inal elem ents, as example
in the C harles M anson case, who controls the
minds and bodies of others to m ake them com m it
heinous acts. This procedure could enable the
courts to m ake clear-cut and objective decisions as
to who has been unduly influenced by the real
crim inal perpetrators. T he CRIB could also be
used for diagnostic purposes so that the victim can
be therapeutically rehabilitated by de-conditioning.
T here is also little doubt that in an unofficial way
political schools, espionage agencies, and penal
reform groups will plagiarize the CRIB procedure
in carrying out their m ore covert activities.
T he CRIB procedure should rem ain as an open-
ended evaluation and diagnostic m ethod until
such time that statistical research, based upon
many applications, w arrants it to deserve the nam e
of a test. This will leave it open to include new
factors in brainwashing not known at the present
time. Behavior modification, of which brainwashing
is a part, is still in its infancy. Today's com puterized
techniques of statistical analysis should accelerate
the validation and weighting of factors, and so, the

100
eventual acceptance of CRIB as a true test. By that
time our legal com m unity could use the CRIB to
accurately recognize, prosecute and eliminate
sinister in flu en ces exploiting the pow ers of
brainw ashing for th e ir own selfish and anti-
A m erican ends.
It must be apologized for that this chapter on
testing for brainwashing is rather technical, but
testing is a highly technical subject and difficult to
put in com m only understood terms. T he CRIB
procedure, it is felt by the author, is the core
contribution of this book to the A m erican public
and to society at large. Let us hope that it will be
used for constructive purposes and increase our
knowledge of this sinister force in the future. It is
also em phasized that the only way in which the
individual can successfully thw art the sinister aims
of brainw ashing is through understanding its
m ethods, recognizing it for w hat it is. Ultimately,
and with the individual in mind, the best way for
the person to beat the brainwashing process is to
know as m uch about it as possible. Knowledge will
win out in the end.

101
 CHAPTER VI

BENEVOLENT BRAINWASHING
IN THE FUTURE

From the mistakes ot the past should be harvested

the bright hopes for tom orrow . T he psychological
casualties left behind provide ample evidence to
the effectiveness of brainwashing. Some innocents,
especially youthful victims of fanatic cults, could
be de-program m ed by conditioning techniques to
bring them back within the pale of conventional
society; they would not then have to rem ain glassy­
eyed zombies or hum an robots serving their selfish
masters. In the future, a change of purpose could
modify the brainwashing process in order to m ake
it a benevolent, rather than a malevolent, force for
changing the hum an personality.
As has been shown, hypnosis is a dram atic and
fascinating aspect of the brainwashing process, but
its effects are shallow and transient unless it is
constantly repeated. T rue brainwashing, which is
founded upon co rtical disinhibition and the
conditioned response under the interoceptive
principle, is, com pared to hypnosis, relatively
perm anent in its effects. Brainwashing can cause
radical and perm anent changes in beliefs, attitudes
and behavior. It has far-reaching effects because it
is based upon the deep visceral sensory system
involvem ent in the conditioning of response.
T o date, brainwashing has been used mainly for
m alevolent purposes. It had its roots in the cruel
practices of the Tsarist secret police, and it was

102
later adapted by the Russians and the Chinese to
gain public confessions for their psycho-political
propaganda machine. Brainwashing has now come
to A m erica; it has been used by a vicious crim inal
elem ent to force their victims to com m it serious
crimes. It has also been very effectively used by
semi-religious cults to gain control over the thoughts
and actions of others — to the great advantage of
these cults in term s of m oney and power.
It is theoretically possible to adapt the techniques
of brainwashing — knowledge which has been
gained at the expense of so m uch misery — to the
achievement of socially desirable goals. The process
of brainwashing — with hum ane and scientific
m eans substituted for coercion and torture — can
be m ade to serve benevolent rather than evil
purposes. It could be used effectively and
econom ically to solve many of society's pressing
hum an problem s which, until now, have seem ed
virtually unsolvable.
Rehabilitation through Brainwashing. One of
the m ore pressing of today’s social problem s is that
of the long-term, hard-core prison inmate. Rehabili­
tation through benevolent brainwashing is th eo re­
tically possible. W ith advanced biofeedback and
bio-electronic m ethods instead of trad itio n al
punishm ent, it is conceivable th at we could
rehabilitate even the most crim inal mind.
T hrough the use of scientific brainwashing
techniques — that is, by m eans of behavior modifi­
cation — we could end the ineffective and cruel
system of lengthy prison incarcerations on the one
hand and the execution of convicted m urderers on

103
the other. Instead of taking their lives, we could
give them life — but a life which could be expressed
in socially acceptable ways. T he savings in m oney
and hum an resources would be m onum ental. T he
total man-days wasted in prison, as well as the huge
am ounts of m oney spent annually by taxpayers to
incarcerate other hum ans in prisons, amply testify
to a vast waste of hum an potential by our outdated
penal system.
Prisoners on death row, for example, could be
given the alternative from am ong the death
sentence, im prisonm ent for life, or hum ane
brainw ashing through b ehavior m odification,
reconditioning and reprogram m ing. T he present
hum an derelict will change from a social pariah to
a socially contributive being. T hought reform is,
after all, preferable to death or life im prisonm ent.
Prisoners would no longer be im prisoned together
for lengthy periods of time in which they can learn
m ore and m ore sophisticated crim inal behavior
from one another.
A progressive society of the future should take
advantage of the knowledge and experiences
painfully acquired through the study and use of
brainwashing in order to bring about radical
reform s in our prisons. Rehabilitation through
painless thought reform could provide an econom i­
cal and hum ane solution for the problem s of our
present cruel and scandalously ineffective penal
system.
Education. Education in the future could benefit
trem endously from concentration conditioning.

104
A ccelerated learning could be assured through
program m ed instructions while the student is in a
semi-hypnotic state of concentration. In the future,
students could be educated to standards of achieve­
m ent unheard of today. Program m ed learning is
already an accepted technique in some special
areas of education — imagine how m uch m ore
effective this would be if com bined with concentra­
tion conditioning and proper study habits! The
removal of any cortical block that impedes learning
could be achieved — not through painful m ethods
— but through techniques of disinhibition utilizing
electronic equipm ent.
T here is an unlim ited potential for extending
behavior modification and conditioning techniques
to new areas to enhance hum an functioning and
efficiency. As new electronic techniques are
devised, for example, we can gradually discard the
crude physical m eans used today to m ake the
hum an am enable to change.
Psychotherapy. Besides greater efficiency in the
areas of education, w ork, sports and social
interaction, the most fruitful possibility will be the
therapeutic conditioning for im proved em otions
or m oods and for increased vitality. T he psycho­
therapy of the future will most likely be em otional
and behavioral conditioning.
T he psycho-biological fram e of re fe re n c e
provides the basis for a profound and effective
approach to hum an behavior. This schem atic also
allows us to exam ine and ev alu ate various
contem porary schools of psychological thought.

105
W ithout going deeply into the types of psychological
approaches which have contributed very little
towards scientific theory, some of the more relevant
psychological approaches to hum an behavior and
psychotherapy will be touched on briefly.
Behaviorism as a psychological school of thought
was spearheaded by John B. W atson in the 1920s.
Behaviorist psychologists urged others to consider
as scientific only those phenom ena which could be
observed and measured. The objective observations
and m easurem ents of hum an behavior carried out
by followers of this school are still regarded as
im portant contributions to the science of psycholo­
gy. But serious deficiencies w ith behaviorist
doctrines include its lack of sound explanations of
m an’s higher intellectual processes, em otional and
affective states, and hum an m otivation. These
w ere om itted from b ehaviorism ’s underlying
concepts — a serious deficiency.
T he G estalt School was pioneered by Max
W ertheim er in 1912, and later in the 1920s by
W olfgang K ohler and K urt Koffka. T he investiga­
tions of the G estaltists d ealt prim arily with
perceptual processes, and its experim ents are
notable for their scientific rigor. G estalt psychology
em phasized the im portant role of perception in
behavior and learning and has contributed a
wealth of inform ation concerning hum an intellec­
tual processes, especially motivation. This psycholo­
gical school did not venture to explain the emotional
make-up of hum an beings, however, or such things
as m em ory in term s of the hum an neurological and

106
biological organization.
Conditioning concepts and their relations to
psychology and psychotherapy were pioneered by
A ndrew Salter in his book C onditioned R eflex
Therapy. This m ovem ent was originally inspired
by the researches of the renowned Russian physiolo­
gist, Ivan Pavlov. Conditioning therapies are rapidly
gaining m ore and m ore adherents, and appear
destined to be the techniques most widely used by
psychotherapists in the future. At the present,
however, very little in the way of theory has
em erged from this school, particularly concerning
the most com plex aspects of hum an behavior such
as m otivation, intellectual differences, and tem ­
peram ental types. Probably this tem porary lack of
speculation is attributable to the initially rather
limited theoretical possibilities of the segm ental
aspects of the conditioned reflex. Yet the condition­
ing school may soon attain the stature it will
eventually occupy by expanding its assum ptions
and fram e of reference to encom pass the wider
relations of the hum an sensory systems, the brain
and nervous system, and the effector systems. M an
must ultimately be re-evaluated with due considera­
tion given to the anatom y and functioning of the
hum an as a biologically integrated organism.
Beyond providing a psycho-biological explana­
tion for the enigm a of hypnosis, the two principles
proposed in this book should contribute to the
application of the psycho-biological fram e of
reference to the profound psychological problem s
of hum an nature. T he psycho-biological fram e of

107
reference integrates and assigns proper impoi cance
to the various perspectives of the aforem entioned
schools of psychological thought.
While, in virtually all schools of thought, even
the psychoanalytic, there is always some unique
elem ent of useful truth, it is necessary to move
tow ard a m ore complex and holistic view of the
hum an being. It could be that the psycho-biological
fram e of reference is the m uch-needed paradigm
which provides a beginning for a m ore scientific
approach to the study and control of hum an
behavior. For example, psychological depression,
under the unifying concepts of the psycho-biological
fram e of reference, could be described as an
em otional state induced by a lifetime of program ­
ming the m em ory cells of the cerebrum with inputs
of a negative, prohibitive, and inhibitive character.
In short, every term of a negative nature — every
“no,” “stop,” “can ’t,” “difficult,” or “w on’t” —
every action-im peding message, enters into, and is
stored within, the m em ory bank of the brain. Entry
of these messages is via the doors of the auditory or
visual sense organs, and these negative inputs act
as action-retarding messages within the hum an. T o
attain a state of happiness — the opposite of the
depressive effect — these inhibitory messages or
circuits m ust be dim inished or w eakened. H appi­
ness, as a subjective state, might then be described
as a condition of dim inished cortical inhibition
induced by increased sensory inputs to the sub-
cortical brain regions.
Along the lines of everyday hum an experience,

108
when a person nas undergone a severe em otional
experience — as, for example, in fear — it is com ­
mon knowledge that the individual is then m ore
receptive to new patterns of thought and behavior.
History confirms this simple observation. Possibly
the Russians today have taken to heart the historical
behavior \o f the Mongols, back in the twelfth
century. W henever the M ongols wished to invade
a new territory, they invariably preceded their
invasion with a cam paign of terror. During this
prelim inary campaign, inhabitants were reduced
to a state of fear and rendered immobile. The
Mongols would then take walled city after walled
city w ithout any organized opposition from the
citizens.
The preceding historical example illustrates that
when a person has undergone a severe em otional
experience, the brain seems to be m ore receptive
tow ard accepting new patterns of behavior. W hen
applied to the norm al and therapeutic behavior
processes, this leads to another statem ent concern­
ing cortical disinhibition: intense stim ulation from
the m uscular and visceral sense systems — such as
that occurring during acute fear or anxiety — acti­
vates the sub-cortical and lower brain regions, and
causes a period in which the inhibitions of the
cerebral cortex are lessened. As we have noted
previously, when a person is in a state of acute
anxiety, he is a better hypnotic subject than when
in a norm al analytic state. This anxiety factor, if
present, can be utilized in the conduct of
psychotherapy. For example, the anxiety elem ent

109
is a very predom inant initial factor in therapy to
help persons rid them selves of the smoking habit.
Initial sessions are loaded with fear-inducing verbal
portrayals of persons undergoing surgery of the
entire lower jaw, pharynx, and the front of the
throat rem oval of cancerous flesh. This is then
followed by suggestive conditioning which im parts
rem edial directions for habit changes, all while the
subject is under hypnosis.
In the au th o r’s practice of behavioral condition­
ing therapy, hypnosis itself is not used as a therapy
but rather psychotherapy is conducted while the
patient is under hypnotic concentration. T h era­
peutic program s are autom ated to the greatest
extent possible, and the patient is systematically
prepared by a series of preconditioning sessions,
during which he undergoes progressive relaxation,
and from which he is able to slip into the deeply
concentrative state required for effective psycho­
therapy. These preconditioning sessions are planned
in advance, but vary according to the particular
type of problem indicated by the psycho-diagnostic
procedure.
A utom ation has m ade possible an increasing
acceptance of behavioral conditioning therapy.
Special tapes and electronic equipm ent is proving
far m ore effective in the application of hypnotic
techniques to psychotherapy than old-fashioned
m ethods that require a practitioner to drone
m onotonously at his patients by the hour. Utilizing
autom ated devices, the patient’s subconscious
suspicions of personal motives on the part of the

110
hypnotist-therapist can also be virtually eliminated.
Thus, m achine-induced hypnosis in the office of a
professional actually does the job m ore effectively
than traditional methods. It also avoids undesirable
side effects which so often inadvertently appear in
the personal, face-to-face procedure conventionally
used. Following the preconditioning sessions —
which are autom ated and on tape — the psychother­
apist may then resort to m ore individual and
conventional hypnotic techniques for therapy, for
the patient has been trained to quickly enter the
concentrative and suggestible state. This concentra-
tive state doesn’t require that the patient go into a
conventional hypnotic trance or even close his
eyes. T herapy is adm inistered while the patient is
under hypnosis in this concentrative state, and
subconsciously accepting the rem edial suggestions
given him.
As a clinical psychologist practicing behavioral
conditioning therapy, specialized electronic equip­
m ent coupled with a standard procedure is used.
The visual-auditory-conditioning system (VAC)
includes an electronic control console which
activates and controls the other equipm ent in the
system. Diagnosis, which precedes psychotherapy,
is carried out during the conduct of the precondi­
tioning sessions and employs standard psychological
tests. In special cases w here physical problem s are
involved, an exam ination by a m edical doctor is
required. T he general procedure to be followed is
explained at the start of the program . T he extent
of progress during each of the pre-conditioning

111
sessions is carefully checked using self-rating charts,
which are evaluated and explained to the patient.
This procedure, with the VAC and the hypnotic
display, elim inates subconscious anxiety and
accelerates cure.
T he latest m ethod of psychotherapy is known as
behavior therapy, and it relies heavily on learning
principles. Behavior therapy is emerging at the
same time that conditioning therapies — which are
based m ore on a Pavlovian approach — are gaining
wider acceptance. T hese two trends in therapy
have pushed traditional psychoanalytic therapies
further and further into the psychological scrap-
h eap. T re m e n d o u s clinical evid en ce of the
therapeutic and practical effectiveness of these
therapies has been accum ulating; behavioral and
conditioning therapies have, for the first time,
contributed an experimentally valid understanding
of the neuroses.
T he author refers to his clinical approach as
behavioral conditioning therapy. Hypnosis plays
an integral part but is m ore recognizable as
autogenic conditioning or training. Special paper
and pencil tests, such as the Conditioned Response
Index (CRI), are used to evaluate the psychological
difficulties a patient will en co u n ter as he is
conditioned to enter the hypnotic concentrative
state.
In this technological era, there is no reason why
hum an beings, when organized science is making
vast steps in prolonging life and traveling in space,
cannot, with the help of electronics, control

112
problem s like insomnia, simple depression, exces­
sive smoking, and sexual im potency — to name
only a few. M achine-induced hypnotic m ethods do
work effectively and are quite practical in clinical
hypnosis. T he m ethod is simplified, and results
en h an ced , by a p lan n ed p ro g ram including
systematic diagnosis and evaluation techniques.
M echanical hypnosis can be used equally well in
the norm al therapy of individuals with either
personal problem s or undesirable habits.
It remains essential that the principles underlying
therapeutic change be clear in the mind of the
therapist so that when rem edial sessions are begun,
there is consistency on the part of the therapist.
The underlying principle with which the author
works is: if a response which activates the sub-
cortical regions of the brain can be m ade to occur
in the presence of ideas or perceptions which
tends to activate or increase the inhibitory functions
of the cerebral cortex, the inhibitory influence of
these ideas or perceptions will tend to diminish. In
practical terms, this m eans that if a patient can be
m ade to consistently activate the sub-cortical
regions of the brain (for example, placing some
muscles under stress while talking over troublesome
problems), the disturbing em otional effects of his
problem s will gradually becom e som ew hat less
intense.
The author sometimes practices a m ethod rather
similar to hypnosis. A patient is requested to
stretch out one or both arms in front of his body
while he closes his eyes in hypnotic concentration.
He is then questioned about his most disturbing

113
mem ories; and simultaneously it is suggested that
the troublesom e effect of his experiences are
becom ing less and less intense.
Underlying this m ethod is the insight that muscle
sensory stim ulation by the rigid extension of the
arms activates the sub-cortical brain regions at the
same time troublesom e ideas evoke the undesirable
inhibitory activity in the cerebral cortex. This
inhibitory factor becom es less disturbing to the
patient as a result. M uscle sensory stim ulation
should take place during psychotherapy w henever
feasible. T here are many ways to induce its
disinhibitive effect, limited only by the imagination
of the therapist. In the future, m ore num erous and
more effective ways to garner the therapeutic
benefits of the m uscle-sense principle should
abound.
A u to m a ted Conditioning. T o avoid the time-
consum ing m ethods required to induce hypnosis
in individuals, the author has adopted an autom ated
control unit, a sophisticated electronic visual
display, and systematically program m ed hypnotic
tapes. All but the most stubborn patients seem to
go into a deeply concentrative state after only a
few sessions of this type of training with machines.
T he procedure is as follows. T he patient is
seated in a reclining chair in a specially designed
cham ber. T he lights slowly begin to dim, and the
display unit — called a V ortex — slowly lights up.
The chair starts gently to vibrate and stereo
speakers spell out the hypnotic text. T here are
several sessions, and each one emphasizes a distinct
effect while leading progressively to the next

114
session. Finally, there is a strong, alm ost physical
sensation that consciousness is detaching itself,
the patient becom es subconsciously concentrative.
He is now ready for rem edial or psychotherapeutic
suggestions. These sessions are carefully monitored,
and each session is rated for its effect on the
patient by the psychologist. Using a standardized
form, the psychologist then decides as to w hether
the patient shall proceed to the next session or
repeat the session over again.
In another sense, however, the patient controls
his own rate of progress by his responses to the
rating at the conclusion of each session. In a
m anner, then, this therapeutic procedure is similar
to a teaching m achine system. W ithin proper
therapeutic and rem edial restraints, the hypnotic
text is carefully prepared so that only beneficial
and positive suggestions are program m ed into the
subconscious.
This m echanized system replaces the laborious
and often inconsistent procedures human hypnotists
repetitiously apply in order to induce the hypnotic
concentrative state in their patients. It is in accord
with the concepts of the em inent clinical hypnotist,
Dr. M ilton Erickson, who recom m ends that the
p a tie n t u n d erg o p sy ch o th erap y while u n d er
hypnosis. T he tapes are w orked into a sem antic
uniformity, thereby averting norm al distractions
and hum an errors th at inevitably en ter into
personally conducted hypnosis. T he time-saving
features of the au to m ated m ethod, and the
distraction-free conditioning cham ber, enable the

115
therapist to devote more time to making a diagnosis
and working up a treatm ent plan. W hen the
patient becom es able to enter the concentrative
hypnotic state, correct therapeutic and rem edial
suggestions are developed and already awaiting
him.
To clinically assess any difficulties that a patient
may have entering the hypnotic concentrative
state, the author has designed the C onditioned
Response Index (CRI) test. This is a short paper
and pencil test to evaluate the essential features of
the patient’s receptivity to hypnosis, including
responsiveness, cooperativeness, concentration,
and imagination. T he test is com posed of fifty
basic questions which are answ ered through
multiple choice selection. T he CRI test has been
distributed through the U nited States, C anada,
and England during the past ten years. It is
adm inistered during the beginning session of the
autom ated program and is useful as a precondition­
ing and hypnotic counseling tool.
Psychotronics. We are at last beginning to see
autom ated and sophisticated electronic systems to
aid persons control undesirable habits and alleviate
psychological problems. This will have a profound
influence on the psychotherapy of the future.
R ecent research in A m erica, as well as in the
Soviet Union, is clearly pointing out that the
hum an has much potential that is yet untapped
and unutilized. T here is, dorm ant in every hum an
being, superconscious sensory pow er which can
be used to improve him in every way, including the

116
enhancem ent of psychic abilities.
This is the futuristic field of psychotronics,
which can add yet another dim ension to the
principles outlined in this book. Psychotronics,
which will be the subject m atter of a forthcom ing
book, proposes that there exists an organ for a
superconscious sixth sense of relating to the world
— an organ focused on the external environm ent,
like the five m ajor senses of touch, sight, hearing,
taste and smell. In this book, it shall be proposed
that millions of persons can simultaneously be
hypnotically influenced by rem ote control, from
thousands of miles away. Psychic ability, by
psychotronic conditioning and “still training,’' can
be increased to levels unheard of today. Psychotron­
ics, which originated behind the Iron Curtain, can
— like the muscle-sense principle of hypnosis, and
the visceral-sense principle of brainwashing — be
used to enhance the hum an personality. It is on the
horizon of tom orrow , so let it be used for good
purposes. Brainwashing has com e to A m erica; let
us now learn to defeat its sinister intent and exploit
its potentialities for improving hum an nature.

To contact the author, write:

PAUL A. VERDIER, Ph.D.

7080 Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood, California 90028

117
Some Suggested Readings:
Condon, Richard. The M anchurian Candidate,
New Y ork, Signet Books, 1960
H unter, Edward, Brainwashing, New York Pyramid
Books, 1958
Pavlov, Ivan Petrovich. Lectures on C onditioned
Reflexes, London, M artin Lawrence, 1928
Salter, Andrew. Conditioned R eflex Therapy, New
York, Farrar, Straus and Young, 1949
Salter, Andrew. What is Hypnosis? New York,
Farrar, Straus and Young, 1955
Sargant, William, Battle For The Mind, New York
H arper and Row, 1971
V erdier, Paul A. Bio-Psychology, New Y ork, Ex­
position/University Press, 1963
Wolpe, Joseph; Salter, Andrew; Reyna, L.J.; The
Conditioning Therapies, New York, Holt, R ine­
hart and Winston, Inc. 1964