BEHIND THE CURTAIN The Open Secrets of Stage Hypnotism
Many people have found that stage hypnotism makes for great parties. Both hosts and guests alike find this form of entertainment mesmerizing. Here are some little-known facts about stage hypnotism.
Selecting a Subject: Stage hypnotists will often look for certain personality traits in their subjects. What makes a good subject? • Concentration: Entering a hypnotic trance requires concentration. • Willingness: An unwilling participant will fight the effects of hypnosis, leaving the audience disappointed. • Imaginative: People with vivid imaginations usually make the best subjects. • Trusting: Trust is an important fact in shows of hypnotism. People want to know that the hypnotist will treat them respectfully and with dignity.
Common Misconceptions People are just being hired to act silly on stage. Oh no, under hypnosis, people will often do things that they didn’t know they were capable of! Latent talent comes to light when stripped of selfconsciousness and preconceived notions, and some people have discovered singing or acrobatic talents while under hypnosis. Hypnosis is exhausting. Subjects report awaking very refreshed from hypnosis. According to some, fifteen minutes of hypnotic sleep is equal to two-three hours of a regular sleep. You can get stuck in hypnosis and never wake up. It has never happened that a subject remained in a hypnotic state for long term. Only weak-minded people can be hypnotized. False! The most talented, assertive, professional people have been subjected are often able to be hypnotized. In fact, the higher the intelligence
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and self-control and the stronger the concentration, the more easily one can be hypnotized. Offering to go onto stage means you’ll embarrass yourself. Most hypnotists (like Tuli Teitelbaum) hold a person’s welfare and dignity as their top priority and will only lead the show in a direction where the subject will not be embarrassed. People reveal secrets and do things against their will under the influence of hypnosis. This very prevalent myth is wrong. In hypnosis, the subject is in control and can choose to follow or ignore the hypnotist’s suggestions. Some extroverts whose personal boundaries allow for being funny or silly onstage will enjoy this freedom, but any suggestions outside their personal boundaries will not be heeded. Hypnosis is dangerous In 1994, a panel of experts in the U.K. was set up to examine possible harm to people participating as subjects in stage hypnosis. The report was announced in the British Parliament in 1995 that “there was no evidence of serious risk to participants in stage hypnosis, and that any risk which does exist is much less significant than that involved in many other activities.”
Glimpses of Giggles: A Taste of Stage Hypnosis There are many ways that hypnosis can be hilarious. Here are some of the ways that hypnotists encourage good-hearted laughter. Be prepared though: Volunteers should be ready for good, wholesome fun in which they are stars of the show! • A volunteer is told that he has eleven fingers. He keeps recounting, always counting until eleven. • A volunteer is told that he has a cup of water on his shoe, and that he is thirsty. He keeps lifting his foot, trying to drink. • A volunteer is told that his shoe is his phone and that he should call someone. He carries on a long conversation, using his shoe as a phone.