Hi guys-
Just finished reading Ormond Mcgill's fantastic encyclopedia. Just wondering, how relevant is it in a close up mentalism set? And is it feasable to present the effects as something other than hypnosis (say you are putting someone under a spell?) If you were to stick someone's hands together, is it then relatively easy to put them into a trance, as he states?

He says that when someone is in a deep trance, you can get them to act upon wakening. I was wondering if it is possible to give someone a command to obey your instructions when they are awake, so you can avoid putting them to sleep each time. For instance, have them awake, and then tell them to stick a hand to a wall for example.

Thanks for the advice- fascinating area!
Simon

Yes, hypnosis is VERY facinating. But as a trick in a more close up setting, you'll have to work around a little of this. For waking sugestions(the hands sticking together) for example, All you do is go ahead and give the suggestions, and it should work.

It takes a lot of practice to get right, tonality in a waking experiment is key to the suggestions taking hold. (or so I find in my experience). You will want to start out with a softer tone, giving the suggestions as a sort of "please do this for me" manner, if you understand what I mean. As the suggestions go, by the end you will want a forceful, commanding tone. You will want to be saying things like "Your hands are stuck, the more you pull, the more they stick together!" Make sure you say this in a commanding manner as if showing who was in control of this situation.

For a deep trance type of hypnosis as you were speaking of, this will usually take a little time. Or so I find with what I have done in hypnosis. Normally in a close up setting, people will get bored with it. I have tried this once; I won't do it again. But if you do choose to do this, more power to you.

But to your question, yes this can be done. You would want to give some signal to have them clear the suggestions completely from their minds. You will want to do this before you give new suggestions lest the two combine and even may negate each other and ruin the whole thing. You will also want to give a suggestion so that whenever you for example, wave your hand a certin way, they will listen to your suggestions and follow them without inhibition. You'll want to come up with your own way of saying this, that's why I'm trying to stay away from just giving you a script to read from.

But in short, yes, what you said is possible, it can be very good with mentalism, I am actually doing a show now with the first half being mentalism and the second half hypnotism, people love the show, and the mentalism to start out with aids in people believing in you therefore making the trance induction faster. This is what I have found in my experience, I hope it helps you.

Thank you for the advice. That sounds perfect, telling them that they will accept the suggestions after a certain gesture. I do not intend to do this at each table, for example, but normally at the end of my set, I have quite a few people still around me, so this would be perfect.
Any way of presenting this as more magic, or do you think it is necessary to discuss hypnosis in order for it to work?
Thank you,
Simon

It's not necessary to talk about it being hypnosis, the recognition of it by the spectators will come around after you start. For this setting, you may want to explain it a little and use a rapid/instant induction for it. The trance which comes about by using this type of induction isn't that deep, but you can deepen it. I reccomend getting other books about the subject. Also talk to some people to see how it works for them; my opinion isn't near as upheld as some of the big names out there. I would personally prefer you talk to a professional stage hypnotist about it. He/she could give you much better advice than I am capable of giving you.

Hi Simon,

I agree with Scheda for the most part except I'd like to add a few subtleties....

Firstly, in the UK, unless its a private party, you cannot perform hypnosis without Public Liability Insurance - The Only person I know with this is Paul Mckenna, and I don't know how he still has it!

So the way to get round this is not to mention hypnosis at all. However, you can still obtain waking trance phenomenon.

As Scheda says tonality is important.

However, I would go further and say that the most important thing in hypnosis/suggestion is YOUR emotional state.

i.e. If you go into a relaxed trance state, you can lead others into this suggestive state.

Another everyday example would be if you tell a joke in a happy excited way, it’s more likely to produce the required response tahn if you did this in a depressed state and a depressed voice.

I actually teach Covert Waking Trance, using state control and other verbal techniques.

If you want to have a chat please e-mail me through my site, as I unfortunately don't log on to the Magic Café as much as I'd like!

Marc

There are a few hypnotists getting licenses by getting general theatrical insurance. This seems to be enough for some councils. Perhaps they don't realise that there is no legal protection if someone sued on the basis of psychological damage..

Of course the whole insurance/legal thing is terribly easy to get around.

/bamba

Hi Simon,
I am a Stage Hypnotist so I hope I can help you out here. I suggest if you are looking for methods of rapid induction and methods for covert trance one of the very best places to look would be the fantastic book by Bandler & Grinder called TRANCE-formations (ISBN: 0-911226-22-2)
However, I must caution you that this is an advanced book and requires some knowledge of hypnosis and or NLP. I would also advise you to re-read and re-read again Ormond McGill's master work as it really is a wonderfull book which I still read regularly even after having been a profesional Stage Hypnotist for the last six years.
Hope that helps you out.
Dave

Hypno(Dave)
Trance -formations...If only. This has been out of print for sometime. The only ones you can get are second user..at ridiculous prices.

Unless you know otherwise?

Howard

I got mine several years ago when I saw it in a regular bookshop. It has a sticker on the back from "Airlift book company, 8 The Arena.Enfield,Middx, EN3 7NJ England." However, if you say it is now out of print, it is unlikely that they will have a copy. I will think about another book to recommend and let you know when one comes to me.
Dave

What is the best way to practice hypnosis and what tests can you do to make sure people aren't faking?

Lee

After hunting for a long hard 2 minutes I found this link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/det......i=glance Trance-Formations

Is this the book your are talking about?

Lee

Human nature seems to value items that are rare. Really you are wasting good money if you pay these prices for this book. Sure its not a bad book however there lots of titles around just as good some even better at normal prices.

I located a copy of this book in Canada for about $25 American. I think you could call that a fair price.....

lee

That's a lot better than $135.

Maybe, I should buy all the Trance-formation books and sell them on ebay. I would be rich......

Ohhhhh... yah

Lee

Lee,
In answer to your question about "practicing", it is not something that you can merely practice with a friend or spouse...it takes groups of people who beleive you can indeed do what you purport to do in order to begin unless you are talking about "clinical hypnosis" which is very different.

Then to answer your next question, it takes practice to know if they are faking or not AND that is not as applicable for stage work than clinical work.

PSIncerely Yours,
Paul Alberstat
Ab Stagecraft
world-wide

Is that Trance-formation book I found the one they're talking about?

Lee

Hi Lee
I just looked at your link and yes that is the book I am talking about and I realy can't recomend it highly enough it is recomended reading for any serious student of hypnosis.
Dave

Thank you for your help and I will order it soon. I am not really that good at hypnosis and maybe if I learn more methods I can understand it better.

Lee

Lee
I can't urge you strongly enough to re-read the Ormond McGill book again it is full of more than enough information for any student of hypnosis.

I also feel that while TRANCE-formations is a fantastic hypnotic book you should realy have a good undestanding of the principles in Ormond's book befor trying to tackle the more advanced techniques in TRANCE-formations, as this book may do little to enhance your understanding.

If you are having trouble with a particular aspect I would be happy to offer any advice I can.

Dave