In Hypnotherapy Perspective

 

 

We know that “kesurupan” phenomenon is common for some people. In Indonesia, it happens many times, even “Kesurupan Massal” (group of people which are possessed) involved many people and injured many people. The symptoms of “kesurupan” are weird, we can see from their eyes, sometimes glare, but it seems empty and nobody they are looking at. Their voice turns flat without intonation. Sometimes they cannot control their behavior, they throw anything and it is dangerous.
So, what is meant by “kesurupan”? There are many ways to answer this question. At least we have two ( 2 ) ways, which are : Metaphysical Perspective ( Supernatural ) and Hypnotherapy Perspective, which is mean, unconscious. On this occasion, I would like to talk about, How to understand “kesurupan” as a phenomenon in Hypnotherapy Perspective.

1. “KESURUPAN” AS A PRODUCT OF CULTURE
“Kesurupan” is a culture phenomenon. Kesurupan is a phenomenon in many cities of Indonesia, from Sabang ( the west edge ) to Merauke ( the east edge ). Every culture has its own method to handle “kesurupan” phenomenon. There are many words of “kesurupan”, such as : kerasukan, kerawuhan, keranjingan. The word surup, rasuk, rawuh, ranjing, means, something from the outside, go to fill in the inside. “Kesurupan” phenomenon in psychology, there are three ( 3 ) definitions, such as : 1) dissociation position, when someone is not connected with himself; 2) Hysteria, when someone has many different personalities, sometimes god, sometimes bad, sometimes happy, sometimes sad and so on. These explanations sometimes are not connected with the reality of the culture.

In Bali, “kesurupan” or “kerawuhan” are common and usual for many people. In the culture of Bali, human being is “jagat alit” (small world) and “jagat agung” (whole world). The saint people usually choosed by the Holly Spirit to communicate many rules which are forbid or forbidden in one area. The “pedanda” (the leader of religion) has a big influence in Bali. They translate, what the spirit has been said through someone who is “surup” (trance) to the community. In Java, many people think that “kesurupan” is an evil spirit which is controlled one person’s mind. Evil spirit has the power to control particular territory. There are many ways to throw away the evil spirit from the suspect, such as ; make a ritual and “sesaji” ( served food or something for sacrifice ). From this short explanation, we can now know that every culture in Indonesia has its own explanation about “kesurupan”.


2. IS THERE A RELATION BETWEEN “KESURUPAN” AND TRANCE ?

In English – Indonesian Dictionary, who is Hassan Shadily an John M Echols as the editors ( Gramedia 1988 ), said that trance = “kesurupan”. For someone who understand Indonesian culture, must have a different opinion about this. Trance is different from “kesurupan”. In “kesurupan” phenomenon, someone can be trance, but someone who is in trance, not always in “keserupan”. Trance can be happened when someone is focus, relax, enjoy and eager of something. Trance can happened anytime, such as ; when you are in focus of reading this writing, playing games, enjoy sport or dancing, listening to the music etc.
Trance phenomenon can be easily recognized ; when we see Aceh people dancing, called “Tari Saman” or singing about “ Sabil” war ; when Batak people is “bagondang” ; when Padang people ( ranah minang ) dancing “tari Piring”, standing on many glasses, without feeling pain ; when “jawara” ( champion ) play “debus” ( musical instrument ) in Banten ; when “aki – aki” ( old men ) from GARSELA ( Garut Selatan ) in west of Java, “ngengklak surak ibra” ; when “jaran kepang” dancers, dancing and eating glasses ; when “reog ponorogo” dancers, have the strength to carry “warok” on their shoulders and wearing tiger mask ; when “Barong” dancers from Bali, closing their eyes and then stabling “keris” ( sharp knife ) into their body and nobody injured ; when Bugis dancers burning their body in a fire and nobody fired ; when Maluku dancers playing “bamboo gila” ; and when young people from papua ( Irian Jaya ) dancing a war dance. From these explanations we realize that trance is different from “kesurupan” which is called possession.

3. “KESURUPAN” IN HYPNOTHERAPY PERSPECTIVE

Initially, phenomenon “kesurupan” in hypnotherapy science is a normal condition, nothing special. Something that happens to a person that is “kesurupan”, from the hypnotherapy science side, is at that moment that person is in deep trance and there is one, two, or more Ego State or active Part that controls the person’s awareness. Some hypnotherapists agreed that, that condition could be explained naturally just like what happened to the hypnosis process or hypnotherapy.
The explanation would be approximately like this, hypnosis condition may be happened when someone is having an out of limit under pressure which is allowed by his subconscious. When someone is in under pressure and having a condition that involves high negative emotion, he will only choose fight or flight. When someone is tense, the adrenaline will be pumped into the blood and preparing his physical to be ready for a fight. The symptoms might be heart beating faster, muscles become stiff, and all the systems in the body will be ready to face the danger or something that is concluded as a danger. In this case, danger might be a danger that harms physically or mentally. If this threat is too big and can not be fought, someone will spontaneously choose the second option, which is flight or run. Run can be a real run, think for another trick or escape into. When someone is escaping into, he will be in a hypnosis condition or trance condition. People are often getting into a trance or even a very deep trance.
An Indonesian hypnotherapist, Mr. Adi W. Gunawan, had shared his experience in dealing some women clients who have been collapse when they were on high school. If they were collapse, it took a long time to make them conscious again. A lot of ways have been tried but all failed. Even going to “dukun” and being read the prayers, they still could not be wakening. They would conscious in all of sudden.
By hearing the story, Mr.Adi Gunawan spontaneously said to the client, “Actually, you were not collapse. What happened was so much pressure on you, either from your family or your school that made you could not bear it anymore and in the end you chose to flight from that situation, was not that?” The client said yes and she wondered how did he know that she had so much pressure. “Of course I know. What you had was very natural. When you collapse, you could still heard the voices surround you, right?”, again he asked. She answered yes. “Why did not you come out from your collapse if you heard the voices surround you and calling your name?”, Mr. Adi asked. His client said that, when she collapse, she felt so peaceful, calm, and happy that indescribable. From this short story, could be explained that this client was not collapse but she was in a trance condition which was very deep, known as level Esdaile or Hypnotic Coma.
When someone got into this condition, he or she would feel such a euphoria feeling, indescribable happy, very comfortable, and usually people do not want to get out from the situation. This is what happened to that client. That client was not collapse. She chose to flight and turn into herself, and trance because she could not bear the pressure she had. At “kesurupan” moment, the condition of deep trance will make an abreaction or emotion that comes out while being pressed (repressed emotion).

4. HYPNOTHERAPY TECHNIQUE IN “KESURUPAN” THERAPY
There are many techniques which are can be used to help client/patient who is in “kesurupan” (possessed) which is rational enough that anyone can be practiced (see: The Real Art of Hypnosis). This book tells about Hypnotherapy perspective and how to handle it.
There are things that are useful for us to know, such as:

1. A therapist must control client’s attention and mind so that client’s mind may not be empty or distracted according to patient’s desire. So therapist must always says, “You must always hear my voice and this music. The deepest you hear the music, the deepest you sleep.”
2. A therapist must choose the right words, and may not make the client fall into a deep fantasy without control.
3. A therapist may not ask the client to imagine someone who is already passing away. Because sometimes the client can imagine to communicate with the spirit of death people that the client can be possessed.
4. Hypnosis condition is relax and focus condition and not empty and blind condition. So, do not ever ask the client to emptying and blinding their mind. Therapist must ask the client to relax and to rest their mind.
5. Therapist must know when the client is already “kesurupan” or just pretend to be “kesurupan”. Therapist must sure that the client is in psychological problem. To make sure and to know that the client is already “kesurupan” with pressing their hand(between the thumb and forefinger) when they are in pain, it means that they are “kesurupan”.
6. We have to educate people around us and make them understand that we do not have to believe in myths and the story about ghost and Satan. Because if they trust in those kind of story, those can be an influence their mind to be “kesurupan”.
7. To handle “kesurupan” client, therapist must empty the place from other people, especially women. Therapist must ask people to go far away from the client who is “kesurupan”. The end of hypnosis process can be done when the client is already conscious from their trance and hypnotism and give them therapy and support them to be a strong, struggling, and patience people. Nobody can attack them. Probably, the word: “I must be strong” or “I can take care of myself” or “I must and I can avoid all the negative or bad influence of myself”. The client has to say these words for many times, that can influence them and control their selves so that they can not be “kesurupan” anymore.

Hope this useful


Ari Wijaya, SS, CHt, MCH