test
Automatic writing
Automatic writing is a practice in which a person writes without conscious control of the content, letting the hand "write by itself". It is used in spiritualism as a method of communication with non-physical entities, in psychoanalysis (surrealism, André Breton) as access to the unconscious, and in contemporary creative writing practices.
Origin
It spread in nineteenth-century spiritualism as a technique of mediumistic communication. Helene Smith and other mediums produced extensive texts attributed to entities. Later, the Surrealists (André Breton, Manifesto of Surrealism, 1924) claimed it as a poetic method to access the unconscious. Carl Gustav Jung too experimented with similar forms of "active imagination".
Explanation
The writing produced does not come from external entities but from the unconscious of the subject. The phenomenon involves the ideomotor effect and the activation of subconscious material. The value is subjective: texts are often symbolically rich, useful for self-exploration, not communications from spirits.
FAQ
Do they come from spirits?
Scientifically no. They come from the unconscious of the subject. Subjectively, many practitioners recognise the value without taking a metaphysical stance.
Is it dangerous?
Generally no. For people with dissociative or psychotic disorders it can be less advisable: better to consult a professional.
Can I try it?
Yes. Pen, paper, a relaxed attitude, let the hand move without planning. It is close to "free writing" in creative writing.