talkmagic.co.uk

Mandrake I'm sure you have heard a song or maybe a smell that has immediately transported you back to some past memory. The song/smell is an anchor it has become associated in your mind with a particular event. That anchor was set by accident but it can be set on purpose, basically all you need to do is get a person into the state you want and then just as it is reaching it's most intense, you bang on a window ( not used in NLP but is in magic ) this may need to be repeated and once done simply firing ( repeating ) the anchor, which could be a word a touch or similar will return the person to the state.

So this is what you do, you ask a person, do you remember a time when you were totally confused, possibly you had too much to drink? Ok well remember how that felt? Then as they recall it, they will automatically go into that state and you set your anchor just as they are coming to the peak.

This is a very useful NLP technique used for example for Atheletes just before competing, they can fire an Anchor that puts them in the best possible State for competing. Of course this can be used for many other things, best State for performing or whatever. It's about controling your state rather than your state contorolling you.

Hope that may be of some help.

This is all totally fascinating and, of course, I'm quite sure that I would never, ever fall for such ploys. And the moon's made of green cheese! I can understand the association with words, smells, songs and so on and they are indeed very powerful items - many are used in Mnemonics or word association for memory training. It's the process of setting the 'anchor' which I didn't see - or more likely didn't realise I'd seen. All good stuff - roll on Friday for another helping!

I also didn't notice him setting the anchor, although there were definate references to confusion and memory loss but I imagine the trip took a little longer than was shown on the show so there would have been ample time for it to be included.

The anchor was not set during the bit we got to see, it must have been done off screen.

That's what I thought, I suppose that they couldn't really have shown the whole thing in the length of show that we saw so they had to cut out the bits where, as far as an audience were concerned, nothing was happening. It would have been nice to have seen it though!

Darren discussed anchoring in his book pure effect. Makes an interesting read (although sometimes a little long winded!)

Craig

I spent some time watching Derren's Mind Control DVD last night but this time with the commentary on.

When referring to the folks on the Underground who 'forgot' their destinations, Darren's comments were that it wasn't so much making them forget it was making them believe they'd forgotten. A bit subtle but I can see the distinction. He also refers to Mnemonics and memory training in respect of that and other routines so it sounds like a deep topic and hard work.

I would suggest you don't believe everything Derren says.

Nicely put! There's a lot of the commentary which is very tongue in cheek - all good fun though!

NLP can actually be an invaluable tool for a magician in many ways, some uses for anchoring have already been mentioned. I also use a technique that is probably best referred to as "Anchoring the off beat". Assuming you are familiar with the concept of performing "the move" on the "off beat" then this should make sense In a nutshell you cultivate a phrase and/or gesture that becomes associated or anchored to a break in the action. In essense when this anchor is fired off it signals the audience that is it ok to drop their guard, they have become accustomed to the fact that nothing is going to happen yet. This can be used to cover a move where you really don't want people paying attention too closely . Like with most things timing is the key and this is simply a tool rather than a crutch. I personally use it for a pretty bare faced deck switch. Unfortunately it's not easy to give an adequate description in a short forum post but if you are familiar with NLP hopefully it makes sense

Aother area of NLP that can be very usefull is the art of change itself, changing your belief systems about yourself and your abilities and challenging your limits.

The area where NLP can be of real benefit though is modelling, this has so many benefits from modelling your favourite performers (although to do this properly ideally needs you to meet and talk to them). Modelling strategies for dedication and practice, modelling strategies for misdirection and a real usefull one, modelling yourself. The last one is real usefull, basically it comes down to understanding what you think, see, feel and do when you are NOT, doing the move so that you can think, see, feel and do exactly the same thing when you ARE doing the move. It can make a huge difference, ie you can learn the retention vanish as I did by really placing the coin in the hand 1000 times before attempting the move, or you can really place the coin in the hand several times and model that and then apply the model to the retention vanish.

There are so many other ways that NLP can be useful especially for building rapport with your audience. I'd certainly recommend studying NLP to anyone that is interested in the subject, it can be applied to almost any situation in some way.

Mark

Thanks - that's helpful.

Now for those of you that are intrested in NLP and dont have a few thousand pounds to spare (for a course), you could buy "Neuro Listic Programming 'For Dummies' " (if its for dummies it will suit you lot, just kidding )
I myself have had a quick flick through, and it seems to cover quite a lot.
It looks really quite intresting, and if you want to pursue in NLP, this Im sure is a great place to start.

Surprisingly enough, I couldnt find a link for you (not even on the for dummies homepage!)

I myself saw the book at the watford branch of costco.