Even back in its colonial days, America developed a reputation as a safe harbor for people with unusual or radical religious beliefs.
Mitch HorowitzWhen spiritualism dawned, suddenly women who wanted to engage in the civic and religious and political culture were becoming transmediums.
Mitch HorowitzI think spiritualism, mesmerism, the mental healing movement, provided some people with the most meaningful experiences of their lives.
Mitch HorowitzI think therapeutic spirituality has largely been a help in the modern world. So the fact that people can approach religion with practical needs.
Mitch HorowitzAmericans were in love with mesmerism because it was something that you could do in your own home. You could mesmerize or hypnotize your aunt or your mother or your father and people would go into these trance states and you could introduction autosuggestions tot hem or as some people saw it, you could cure them of illnesses.
Mitch Horowitz