by mark lewis » Apr 24th, '08, 01:14
I don't know if I have posted this before but even if I did there is no harm in posting it again. It mentions the person above but does not identify him. This is an extract from my book on stage hypnosis which will probably be finished about the year 3021.
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Before I leave this topic I’d like to tell you a story. When I first started my performing career I asked a legendary stage hypnotist for advice. This fellow had retired from the stage and had become a hypnotherapist.
I looked him straight in the eye and asked him straight out “Are the people on stage really hypnotised? Are they really in some sort of altered state of consciousness or are they just kidding me and themselves?” My guru started to look uncomfortable and become evasive in his answers. However, I persisted and he gave in. He looked shiftily at his receptionist outside in the hallway then closed the door so she wouldn’t hear the conversation. He then looked at me and proceeded in a few sentences to explain the key to stage hypnotism. And it was probably the most profound lesson I had ever heard or will hear on the subject. This is what he said. “Look, I was a pioneer in this field. I was number one for about 30 years. In that 30 years I am quite sure I never hypnotized a single person on stage!”
This was quite a shock to me and although I had pushed for the answer I was nevertheless stunned to receive it. One of the most legendary stage hypnotists of all time had just, in so many words, told me he had been faking it for 30 years! After I recovered I asked him “Well, in that case, how do you make the people do all those crazy things?” He stared at me and then uttered the key revelation which opened up a new career for me. “You manipulate them, don’t you?” You do, of course “manipulate them” and I’ve been
manipulating them ever since.