Autosuggestion and Self Mastery by Emile Coue - Article Example

In the first chapter, Coue has some observations on what autosuggestion can do. Suggesting that there are two "absolutely distinct selves within us", both of which are intelligent he goes on to describe certain acts we do in spite of the opposition of the Will. He calls the other entity Imagination, which according to him, is more powerful than the Will. Coue then proceeds to elaborate on Suggestion and Autosuggestion.The describing suggestion as "the act of imposing an idea on the brain of another"(Coue p 11), Coue defines autosuggestion as "the implanting of an idea in oneself by oneself".( p 11). He describes some experiments to teach patients how to make autosuggestions.

He describes methods and procedures for curing patients, giving impressive examples of people who were cured of various illnesses ranging from asthma to kleptomania by autosuggestion The practitioner need not put the patient to sleep before giving the suggestion. The important thing about his method of autosuggestion is that it is optimistic and positive. The individual is required to repeat many times to himself the chant, "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." Although the book is written in an easily readable style, which even a layman can understand, the author often uses complicated sentences that detract from the flow.

The book sometimes has a moralistic tone. He says that it is possible to "bring physical health to the sick and oral health to the neurotic and the erring" He also avers that by his method, it is possible to "guide into the right path those who had a tendency to take the wrong one"(Coue p5)The author describes how habitual drunkards drink against their will, because they imagine that they cannot prevent themselves from drinking. According to him, even criminals can be reformed by the use of autosuggestion.

As Coue himself remarks, autosuggestion is a powerful tool, which can be dangerous too. One can imagine the power of this psychological tool in the hands of unscrupulous people. Emile Coue was born in an old noble family of Breton in France, in 1857. He was a pioneer in hypnotism, which he used for curing ailments and for self-improvement. In his clinic, he used autosuggestion as a supplement to medicines, which proved to be beneficial to his patients He is called the "Father of Applied Conditioning" Coue's published his book in 1920, and it became a best seller in Great Britain and U.S.A.

In spite of its slightly moralistic tone, My Method and Self Mastery through Autosuggestion is a book worth reading.