Hi

I was thinking about getting the above book but have read somewhere that the book contains many instructions that include trickery and stooges.

Could anyone shed any light onto this for me, is it true ?

Thanks

If your talking about the Ormond Mcgill book, I just bought it, revised, the other day...I have yet to find any reference whatever to stooges...he does, however, give you countless ways to achieve different levels of hypnosis in your spectators...

He alludes to the fact also that, "stage hypnosis IS STAGE hypnosis" in other words, what goes down on stage, is verily going to be different than what goes down in your living room. So, that's the closest thing I can think of as far as trickery...its actually still the hypnotist that's doing the tricking...explaining to the volunteers to "just go along with what I say" kind of vibe...

great book, jam packed with quality information...some people say that its outdated..I disagree...the pictures are a from the "happy days," but the info, it seems, is timeless.

Baba

The McGill book is a great reference, but there are several caveats that I would make regarding it as well:

Many of the routines for the volunteers are outdated or downright embarrassing;
Several of the techniques are downright DANGEROUS (carotid artery method and one using chloroform come immediately to mind);
He does NOT tell you which methods or routines are dangerous...

So - if you are dead-set on becoming a stage hypnotist (and there seems to be a new one cropping up every ten minutes these days!) then I STRONGLY suggest that you get Professional Training as a Hypnotherapist first.

Here's why - stage hypnotist is working with people that he or she knows nothing about. No idea of what psychological problems might be walking up onto stage, what hidden fears, worries or allergies a person might have, no idea of their physical limitations.

If you do not know how to handle abreactions, mis-reactions, define suggestion scope and deal with the myriad of other problems such as spontaneous regression to infancy, hysteria and the like, you will be in for a world of hurt of one of these admittedly rare events should occur while you are performing.

If you don't know what these terms mean, then it's doubly sure that you need to get the training in the field before stepping in front of an audience as a stage hypnotist - or even working with a single individual.

Safety first!

Lee Darrow, C.H.