He Opened A Matchmaking Agency In 18Th Century London [EN]: Chapter 45

45. The Promise Two Weeks Later

Theo raised his right index finger and said,

“Your Majesty, before you even breathe, you must first assess the level of pain you’re experiencing throughout your body on a scale of 1 to 10. One represents the weakest pain, and ten represents the most severe. Then, after breathing, you can compare the degree yourself.”

“What is the standard for the weakest pain? How much pain is considered the weakest? Give me an example that’s easier to understand.”

“Yes, I will explain in detail. A score of 1 to 2 indicates pain that doesn’t interfere with daily life but causes some discomfort. For example, a slight pain from mild neuralgia [nerve pain].

A score of 3 to 4 is pain that makes it difficult to concentrate on work or interferes with normal activities. For example, a bruise or severe neuralgia.

A score of 5 to 6 is significant pain that restricts activity and prevents you from performing other tasks due to the pain. For example, severe toothache or back pain that feels like your back is breaking.

Scores from 7 to 10 represent the maximum pain that is difficult to express. It is an extreme pain that makes it impossible to stand upright with a clear mind, so it does not apply to anyone here.”

“Sanderson, don’t gloss over it like that. Give examples of the pain levels of 7 and 10 as well. I’m curious.”

Like George III, who had a great interest in science and miscellaneous knowledge, he was showing curiosity about the pain scale.

“Yes, Your Majesty. If it’s about 7, it’s about the shock of being hit directly in the testicles, which probably every man knows. 8 is the pain of childbirth, 9 is limb amputation, and 10 is the pain of being burned alive.”

King George nodded greatly and exclaimed.

“To quantify the degree of human physical pain like this… what an unexpected and brilliant idea!”

Theo also spoke to the other nobles and officials.

“Everyone else should do the same. Measure the degree of pain in your body right now according to the criteria I mentioned.”

King George, who was intrigued, urged Theo.

“Alright. I’ve thought about my body’s pain level as a number, as you said. What should I do next?”

“It’s simple. Maintain a comfortable posture in your seat as much as possible, and keep your eyes closed while relaxing all the muscles in your body, including your shoulders.”

Following Theo’s words, King George and the nobles and officials closed their eyes and relaxed their bodies.

“And following my voice, imagine in your mind a very beautiful mountain or forest with fresh air that you have experienced, and feel as if you are there.

Then, slowly inhale through your nose, imagining that the air passes through your throat and into your stomach, and after a moment, exhale slowly through your mouth for twice as long as you inhaled, while pulling your stomach in. Very comfortably.

I’ll say it again. Imagine in your mind a very beautiful and airy…”

A bizarre scene was unfolding at Windsor Castle in the 18th century.

The king and queen, as well as the nobles and high-ranking officials, closed their eyes and focused on their breathing as Theo instructed.

The deep, gentle voice of Theo tickled their ears and gave them a strange sense of comfort.

Theo, who was the best clinical psychologist of the 21st century, had a powerful force in his words that evoked a feeling of trust in the listener, causing them to follow him without realizing it.

“Now, you are in the most comfortable state in the world. Your body is as light as a feather. Take another deep breath in and out. You will feel a refreshing sensation as the worries deep in your heart escape with your breath.”

When a person is anxious and depressed, the most physically necessary thing is the supply of oxygen between the brain and the body.

Our bodies are designed to relieve considerable depression simply by taking a deep breath when we become nervous and depressed due to something.

In this case, taking a deep breath in a comfortable position allows more oxygen to enter the brain, improving thinking and judgment.

In addition, Theo was using hypnotic suggestion to create a more psychologically comfortable posture, thereby adjusting to achieve a dramatic effect.

In fact, everyone in the room except the royal chief physician, Sir Barker, was already in a state of mild hypnosis.

We think of ‘hypnosis’ as something that requires special psychological techniques, but in reality, it is a very natural phenomenon that we commonly experience in everyday life.

The situations such as feeling that time passes faster than usual when playing a game, or not hearing someone calling you because you are focused on something, are all states of being in a mild hypnosis.

Theo induced those who opened their minds to him even a little and listened to him to enter a state of mild hypnosis.

The so-called hypnotic susceptibility does not play an important role when tested in actual clinical practice.

In particular, Theo, who could feel the other person’s emotions as his own, could easily hypnotize anyone regardless of hypnotic susceptibility.

“Your mind is very clear, and the worries in your heart have disappeared as if washed away, so your mind is so peaceful. Pleasant, clean air circulates throughout your body, making your body feel fresher and lighter than ever. Now, slowly exhale and open your eyes.”

King George and the others slowly opened their eyes one by one.

“Your Majesty, compared to before you started breathing, how much pain do you feel in your body now?”

King George had a strange expression on his face at Theo’s question.

Sir Barker, the royal chief physician, watched King George’s face with great tension.

All eyes were on King George, and the room was silent again as they waited for his answer.

But King George, who had been tilting his head with a blank expression, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Hehehe- Hahahaha-.”

King George, who had been laughing for a while, opened his mouth with an embarrassed face.

“It’s a bit absurd, but yes, yes. I’ll be honest. Frankly, as you said, the pain level has definitely decreased with just breathing. At first, it was about 4, but now it feels like it’s down to 3 or 2. It’s really amazing.”

With King George’s words, murmurs of admiration flowed out here and there among the other nobles and officials. Not all of them, but a significant number of people felt some effect.

Even if you have a good machine, it is useless if you do not know how to use it.

Even in late 18th century England, methods such as breathing exercises and meditation already existed, but they were mainly used in religious organizations or schools and were not popularly used as a method for any treatment.

If you make the other person trust you and give them confidence, and then tell them how to use it, they will see the proper effect from then on.

King George, who was impatient, urged again.

“Alright, good. I liked the preparation stage more than I thought. Then, shall we move on to the next stage? Surely, we can’t say that I’m cured with just this much effect?”

“Of course not, Your Majesty.”

King George had received a small effect from Theo’s treatment and began to trust him.

If so, the progress from the next stage will be very smooth.

Theo continued his explanation with a confident look.

“If your mind has become lighter with breathing, the next step is ‘cutting off thoughts’.”

King George looked puzzled at Theo’s words.

“Cutting off thoughts? Are you saying to cut off the thoughts in my head right now?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. However, the thoughts at this time refer to negative thoughts such as worries, complaints, and depression among the thoughts in Your Majesty’s head right now. Boldly cut off and discard those negative thoughts.”

At the mention of cutting off thoughts, wrinkles appeared on King George’s brow for a moment, and an expression with his upper lip slightly raised appeared and disappeared. He was expressing a feeling that it was difficult to accept.

“Your Majesty, you may feel somewhat uncomfortable, but the effect will be very good. I hope you will trust and follow me.”

“Alright, good. I don’t understand, but I’ll do what I’ve decided to do until the end. But, cutting off negative thoughts? Tell me more about that.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Cutting off negative thoughts means stopping the thoughts yourself when bad thoughts come to mind.

The more you connect and immerse yourself in the worries and anxieties that come up from time to time, the more those negative thoughts grow and hurt the person’s mind, eventually making even the body sick.

Therefore, every time such thoughts come up, shout ‘Stop!’ inwardly to cut off the thoughts. Or, practice turning your attention to other senses when negative thoughts arise.

And instead of dragging in regrets or fears from the past or future, focus only on the most enjoyable and happy things at this very moment.”

Theo clapped his hands to focus attention.

Clap clap clap.

“Now – everyone close your eyes… and try cutting off the negative thoughts I just mentioned. Imagine cutting off and eliminating the worries and concerns you have now. Think only of the delicious food and tea in front of you now, and leave only the pleasant feelings.”

What Theo was saying was actually one of the common treatment methods widely used in modern psychiatric psychological therapy.

But is it because it was the 18th century?

The 18th-century people, who had never encountered such a method in their lives, were feeling that their minds were strongly drawn to each and every word Theo uttered.

Even the nobles and officials who had been viewing it negatively began to be embarrassed by the subtle changes occurring in their bodies according to Theo’s words.

And the person who was feeling the change the most was none other than George III.

King George slyly opened his eyes and asked Theo again.

“Are you saying that I can just intentionally block and cut off the thoughts I’m worried about? And turn my attention to other positive thoughts?”

Theo smiled and nodded.

“Yes, Your Majesty. It’s definitely not easy, but if you repeatedly practice the conscious training of deliberately watching and blocking yourself whenever anxious and worrisome thoughts pop out, you can quickly escape from negative thoughts from a certain moment and prevent the situation from worsening.

In other words, the most important thing is to get out of negative thoughts such as anxiety and worry as quickly as possible. Don’t be intoxicated by that negative emotion and mistake it for your true emotion, but take a step back and just look at yourself immersed in the negative emotion to prevent the escalating emotion.

And furthermore, intentionally erase the negative thoughts themselves and fill them with pleasant thoughts.”

“Hmm… can I really be freed from the constant worries and anxieties by just doing that?”

“As I keep saying, it’s definitely not a one-time cure. Even a small scratch takes a few days to heal, doesn’t it? Diseases of the mind are created like persistent weeds until the moment we end our lives. Therefore, you must think that you have to manage it every day.”

King George nodded and immersed himself in ‘cutting off thoughts’ again.

The surrounding nobles and officials also seemed to be diligently following what Theo said.

Feeling the various emotions emanating from people’s expressions and bodies, Theo felt relieved.

‘Fortunately, King George’s active behavior is naturally creating a treatment atmosphere.’

It was just a rudimentary treatment stage at the level of meditation, but they were shocked by the comfort and letting go of emotions they were feeling for the first time by changing their breathing and psychological posture.

While people were calming their minds according to Theo’s words for a while, someone shouted.

“Your Majesty! It’s nonsense!”

It was Royal Chief Physician Sir Barker again.

“It’s not the first time I’ve experienced such quack charlatans. If you go to the slums, there are plenty of those who pretend to be quack doctors.”

It was absurd that an 18th-century moron doctor who didn’t even know the cause of scurvy [vitamin C deficiency] was calling a 21st-century university hospital clinical psychology doctor a quack.

King George, who opened his eyes, said in a calm voice.

“Sir Barker. I actually feel much better now. You should also observe your boiling negative emotions while taking a deep breath and try to eliminate them quickly.”

At King George’s words, Sir Barker raised his voice, panting.

“Your Majesty! That’s just a temporary illusion induced by plausible words. It will be the same again after time passes. I guarantee it as the Royal Chief Physician. That person is just playing tricks with his glib tongue in front of His Majesty!”

Then King George raised his chin and asked.

“Really? But why do I feel the most comfortable I’ve felt lately? And it really feels like a lot of what was weighing on my chest has disappeared.”

“That… that’s…”

The King raised his hand to stop Barker’s words.

“Also, why have I been taking the medicine you give me, but the bad symptoms Sanderson mentioned have been repeated or worsened?”

“Your Majesty, that… that’s because the medicine is strong, and Your Majesty took too much of it at once…”

Creak-

King George suddenly jumped up from his seat and took a few steps in place.

“Haha, look at this! My knee pain has definitely lessened. This is really amazing. My body feels this change just from a word game?”

Theo had been reading the already changed emotions from King George III’s facial expressions and gestures since earlier.

‘It’s not that his knee joint has actually improved. However, since his mental stress was greater than anyone else’s, he feels that the pain has decreased with just basic emotional control.’

Most of the causes of diseases start from stress. And that stress comes from all kinds of anxieties and worries in the mind.

Even healthy people cannot escape from thoughts of worry and anxiety, and if they continue to stay in them, the increase in stress hormones will break down the immune system and easily lead to physical diseases.

“Alright, Sanderson. Then, in my case, how many days should I try the method you mentioned to see noticeable effects?”

King George’s treatment response was better than expected.

In addition, he had considerable trust in Theo’s method, so if he continued to follow it steadily, he would see quite good results in about two weeks.

And in this case, the more confident the response you show, the more the patient will trust and follow you.

“Yes, Your Majesty. You will be noticeably different in about two weeks.”

“Oh, two weeks?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. And in addition to this, you will recover even faster if you take a light walk in the morning and get the morning sunlight. Oh, and you must stop taking the medicine you are currently taking for the effect to be doubled.”

The effect of serotonin-based drugs mainly used for generalized anxiety disorder can be seen to a small extent when receiving morning sunlight.

This is because the light signals entering through the retina of the eye activates serotonin nerves.

King George turned his head towards Royal Chief Physician Barker, who had a very aggrieved look on his face.

“Did you hear that too? I’m going to try the method Sanderson told me for two weeks. So don’t increase the medicine you usually give me during that time.”

“N-No, Your Majesty. To listen to such a quack whose origins are unknown…”

At that time, a woman interrupted the Royal Chief Physician’s words.

“Oh my, why have you been speaking so lightly in front of His Majesty since earlier?”

It was Queen Charlotte.

At this, King George smiled and said.

“Everyone, stop. Didn’t we just hear from Sanderson? Worry, anxiety, and irritation harm my body, so I have to get out of them quickly, look at myself, and have a good feeling to be healthy, haha.”

However, Sir Barker could not contain his anger. He carefully opened his mouth to King George, watching for a chance to speak, panting.

“Your Majesty, in two weeks, if there is no improvement even after two weeks, or if greater side effects occur because you do not take my medicine properly, what will you do then?”

The smile disappeared from King George’s face for a moment.

“Your words make me feel that only your prescription is correct. And you are looking at me as a pathetic human being who is listening to a pseudo-story.”

“Your Majesty, how dare I have such thoughts in front of Your Majesty? However, I am saying this out of concern that such a person is confusing the wise Majesty’s mind with recklessly spoken words, and that the precious body that you must preserve is being ruined by the author’s wicked tongue.”

“……..”

After thinking for a moment, King George opened his mouth.

“Alright, then how about this. Let’s gather in this place again after about two weeks and compare my condition at that time. Instead, I will faithfully follow Sanderson’s prescription for two weeks as promised, and I will also stop taking the medicine.”

“…”

“But what if,” King George turned his head towards Theo, and everyone’s eyes were focused.

“If, as Barker said, side effects occur and bigger problems arise in my body, you will have to pay the price for playing with me, right?”

Theo felt a chilling emotion from King George, who was speaking with a slight smile.

The depth of emotion felt from a monarch in the position of an absolute ruler in the 18th century was definitely different.

Duke David Manners, who was watching this, stepped forward.

“Your Majesty. Sanderson is doing that out of concern for Your Majesty, so how about considering it kindly?”

“Of course, I believe that too. However, if it is playing with the King’s body at will, mentioning a treatment method that will not work, as Barker said, shouldn’t he receive at least the appropriate punishment for that?”

Theo’s confident voice flowed out next to the embarrassed Duke Manners.

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will definitely be punished. Instead, on the premise that you do ‘breathing’, ‘cutting off thoughts’, and ‘soaking up the morning sun’ every day for two weeks as I said, if your body condition does not improve from before, then I will gladly accept any punishment.”

King George burst into laughter.

“Hahaha. This friend really has a great spirit. That means he is confident in his treatment method. Alright, alright. I like his confidence in judging the situation, and I like his confidence in treatment. I will really do my best for two weeks, putting the King’s honor on the line, as you said. And let’s meet again in two weeks.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”