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Erotic hypnosis is the sexual interest in hypnosis and similar forms of mental persuasion or mind control. Reducing inhibitions and increasing arousal are the most common goals of erotic hypnosis.

Erotic hypnosis may be used within a Dominance and submission (or D/s) relationship as a form of erotic power exchange, with the submissive person willingly surrendering his or her will to the dominant in exchange for sexual pleasure and/or an emotional bond. Hypnosis enhances the feelings of submission to the point where a submissive can actually feel a dominant's control moving their body or influencing their thoughts. This creates an intense feeling of belonging and intimacy.

Personality transformation is another common fantasy. People who identify with the submissive side of erotic hypnosis often fantasize about being freed from responsibilities or inhibitions and transformed into someone who can freely enjoy the sexual pleasures they imagine or read about. Such sexually submissive personae include the slave, female stereotypes like the "bimbo," "slut," and stripper, and fictional characters from popular media.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Fiction 2 See also 3 References 4 External links

[edit] History

Erotic hypnosis has a long history, stretching as far back as the ancient world. Western culture (along with many others around the globe) is filled with early myths of seduction by some form of mind control. The Sirens of Greek mythology are famously depicted in Homer's Odyssey as having a "bewitching" song that lures sailors to their deaths.^[1] The witches of the Middle Ages also had a hypnotic aspect in their sexuality.

In medieval legend, an incubus (plural incubi; from Latin incubare, "to lie upon") was a demon in male form supposed to lie upon sleepers, especially women, in order to have sexual intercourse with them.^{[original research?]} A succubus (plural succubi; from Latin succubare, "to lie under"), on the other hand, was a female demon who came to men, especially monks, in their dreams to seduce them, drawing energy from the men to sustain themselves, often until the point of the victim's exhaustion or death. The succubus legend was an explanation for the phenomena of wet dreams and sleep paralysis. Examples of succubi are found in various mythologies and fantasies, such as Lilith and the Lilin (Jewish), Lilitu (Sumerian) and Rusalka (Slavic).^[2]

[edit] Fiction

In popular fiction, hypnosis and mind control often contain erotic undertones. Starting with the 1894 novel Trilby, continuing through the Hammer Studio series of Dracula films, Saturday morning cartoons, and into many modern popular books and films, hypnosis is often portrayed as a method for turning someone into a loving, devoted and/or obedient slave. Although cartoons contained little (if any) sexual references, vampire movies often contained overt sexual themes. Many people who grew up watching these shows subconsciously recognized the sexual undertones of the control aspect and later developed an interest in exploring erotic hypnosis more directly.

[edit] See also

• Carmilla
• The Incubus
• Götterdämmerung
• Lilith
• Mark of Cornwall
• Seduction
• Sirens
• The Succubus
• Trilby (See also: Svengali)

[edit] References

1. ^ Nugent, B. Pauline. "The Sounds of Sirens: Odyssey 12 184-91." College Literature, Fall 2008, Vol. 35 Issue 4.
2. ^ See History of the Succubus at http://www.cyodine.com/succubus/History.htm

[edit] External links

• "Imagine an orgasm", Salon.com
• Essay on Mind Control fetish