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themagicwand wrote:When we ask whether hypnosis exists or not, I think we are missing the point. The point, surely, is whether the subject believes hypnosis exists or not.

Which also depends on how hypnosis is defined by the therapist, entertainer, magician, client, audience member etc.

Wishmaster wrote:Which also depends on how hypnosis is defined by the therapist, entertainer, magician, client, audience member etc.

Possibly, but not necessarily. The subject will hopefully have a notion in their own mind of what hypnosis is. As long as we are vague enough in our description, we should reinforce the subject's preconceived ideas. If we describe in too much detail what hypnosis is, we risk confusing the subject and causing internal conflict which would be detrimental to the hypnotic process.

If we can tap into the subject's preconceived ideas, we are laughing. Which is why it is a great idea to ask the subject right at the start, "So, do you have an idea about what hypnosis actually is?" Then we should simply agree with whatever the subject replies.

anything can exist in your own mind, and therefore anything can exist in your version of the world...

IAIN wrote:anything can exist in your own mind, and therefore anything can exist in your version of the world...

Exactly! That's such an important concept to grasp hold of in much of our work.

themagicwand wrote:Possibly, but not necessarily. The subject will hopefully have a notion in their own mind of what hypnosis is. As long as we are vague enough in our description, we should reinforce the subject's preconceived ideas. If we describe in too much detail what hypnosis is, we risk confusing the subject and causing internal conflict which would be detrimental to the hypnotic process.

I was mainly talking about those who are afraid or wary of hypnosis and have pre-concieved, negative ideas about it. Not having had much experience with hypnosis (which doesn't exist ) used in an entertainment context, I'm finding it hard to get my head around the differences.

themagicwand wrote:If we can tap into the subject's preconceived ideas, we are laughing. Which is why it is a great idea to ask the subject right at the start, "So, do you have an idea about what hypnosis actually is?" Then we should simply agree with whatever the subject replies.

But, doesn't this assume that they are ok with using hypnosis? What if they replied that they don't like the idea of using it based on a bad experience in the past or similar? I've encountered this in a therapy setting and it can be hard to alter deep seated preconceptions. How do you get around this?

Wishmaster wrote:But, doesn't this assume that they are ok with using hypnosis? What if they replied that they don't like the idea of using it based on a bad experience in the past or similar? I've encountered this in a therapy setting and it can be hard to alter deep seated preconceptions. How do you get around this?

To be honest, I wouldn't get around it. If they are so wary of hypnosis, chances are they won't go under or if they did go under I'd worry they'd abreact. I'd probably tell them that perhaps hypnosis wasn't for them - whether that be in a therapy or entertainment setting.

themagicwand wrote:To be honest, I wouldn't get around it. If they are so wary of hypnosis, chances are they won't go under or if they did go under I'd worry they'd abreact. I'd probably tell them that perhaps hypnosis wasn't for them - whether that be in a therapy or entertainment setting.

That would be a worry. I've often wondered how stage hypnotists deal with an abreaction - it must happen sometimes. Even those who aren't necessarily afraid of hypnosis can have one, given the right trigger. In therapy, an abreaction is often a good thing, but I wouldn't want to have to deal with it in a show.

I have done hundreds of stage hypnosis shows and I have never seen a single "abreaction". I am not sure they even exist. If they do it simply means the volunteer is nuts in the first place. You just have to cover this in your introductory remarks and discourage nutters from coming up on the first place. And if they do manage to get through you send them back once you spot them. And if you are any good you can spot them very easily.

mark lewis wrote:I have done hundreds of stage hypnosis shows and I have never seen a single "abreaction". I am not sure they even exist. If they do it simply means the volunteer is nuts in the first place. You just have to cover this in your introductory remarks and discourage nutters from coming up on the first place. And if they do manage to get through you send them back once you spot them. And if you are any good you can spot them very easily.

Mark, I might not agree with some things you say, but you certainly have a knack for posting very entertaining comments. The line "it simply means the volunteer is nuts in the first place" is still making me laugh

mark lewis wrote:I have done hundreds of stage hypnosis shows and I have never seen a single "abreaction". I am not sure they even exist. If they do it simply means the volunteer is nuts in the first place. You just have to cover this in your introductory remarks and discourage nutters from coming up on the first place. And if they do manage to get through you send them back once you spot them. And if you are any good you can spot them very easily.

Lol

Wishmaster wrote:I've often wondered how stage hypnotists deal with an abreaction - it must happen sometimes.

Not once in fifteen years.
I am with Mark Lewis on this.
An abreaction (if it exists) will not occur without hypnosis (if it exists), and if you need to hypnotise your volunteers for a stage hypnosis show, you are probably doing it wrong.

TonyB wrote: if you need to hypnotise your volunteers for a stage hypnosis show, you are probably doing it wrong.

Can I borrow that line for a forthcoming book on hypnosis?

Tony's remark about needing to do hypnosis in a hypnosis show was indeed funny.

It was?

I was considering booking a hypnosis course early next year and it makes me very worried about spending £400! Now I'm completely put off because I am scared I'm wasting a lot of money.

My course is a hell of a lot cheaper than 400 pounds. It is only $200 which is a hundred quid or so and postage to the UK is free. My course consists of 3 DVDs and an audiocassete tape. The DVDs are around 90 minutes each in length and that goes for the audiocassette as well. I don't think I mention in the course that hypnosis is a load of hooey but if you bear in mind that is actually the way I look at it you will be aware of the way I feel about it.

I am actually writing a book about stage hypnosis which will be published about the year 3025. If anyone purchases my hypnosis course they can also have as a bonus the 34 pages I have written which do explain my belief that hypnosis is bunk.

Here is an extract from the course. I am telling you all now that I don't believe a single one of the participants were actually hypnotised although one lady (who wasn't a good subject) no doubt thought she was. I have no proof that my best subject was playing along but I think he was.
Anyway here it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KooAZlDT ... re=related

However just because I am stating that hypnosis doesn't exist that doesn't mean to say that Dave's money is necessarily wasted. You still have to learn how to present the "phenomena" on stage and if any course can truly teach you that then it is money well spent.

The trouble is that not a single course to my knowledge will openly admit that hypnosis is bunk. Either because they believe it would be bad for business or because, more likely, that they are daft enough to truly believe in the supposed phenomena.

Actually the greatest secret to learning this stuff is to realise right away that it is pure bunkum. I wasted a tremendous amount of time trying to learn it until I finally realised that it was baloney. Once I found that out I made progress faster than you can imagine.

No matter what course Dave takes he will find it far easier to learn once he realises that it is all a load of bunkum. I don't think he realises what a fantastic secret I have given him. And before he dismisses it I would remind him that one of the most legendary hypnotists of the twentieth century gave me the same secret.