Hypnosis is about becoming relaxed–all the way to your core. And because a calm state of mind is helpful for so many medical treatments, a researcher in Israel–where the procedure is very popular–decided to try it for in vitro fertilization.

Of course, in this study they had to choose women who were already good candidates to be hypnotized (they don’t say what those specifications are, but a quick search indicates experts say it’s basically anyone who’s willing). The success rate (twice as many of the women who were hypnotized became pregnant in a single cycle of treatment) points up the power of a peaceful mind.

The hypnosis was introduced at a “crucial point of the treatment…the point in which the embryos comes in contact with the womb of the woman”–which is the most stressful part of the treatment. The stress is said to be so extreme that the uterus may begin having tiny contractions which would make it difficult for the embryo to attach itself–and might even expel it even as it’s being introduced.

Mantras. Meditation. Massage. Deepak Chopra and an increasing number of other highly respected research scientists and medical practitioners recommend them all. Happily, the conjoining of medical wisdom from east and west grows ever closer.