Essay On Stage Hypnosis

1451 Words6 Pages
Stage Hypnosis Thought provoking, mystifying and amusing, comedy stage-hypnosis, frequently perceived as an excellent form of entertainment. Stage hypnotists, commentators and researchers have served to illustrate a number of factors, specific to stage performances, providing valuable insight into the illusion and deception involved in stage hypnosis. Often people equate hypnotherapy with stage-hypnosis, formulating ideas of hypnosis and hypnotherapy based on perceptions of stage-hypnosis. I feel it is very important to demystify hypnotherapy and thus, I believe it is therefore necessary to demystify stage-hypnosis. This article aims to give a brief overview of the deception and misdirection involved in stage performances, as opposed to hypnosis or psychology. Indisputably, stage-hypnosis contains trickery and conspiracy and differs greatly from hypnosis used in the professional context of a clinical setting. Misleading and persuading the audience that the hypnotist has a source of power, that they somehow acquired the skill of telepathy through training, undeniably involves creating an illusion. Many stage performers refer to themselves as illusionists. Hypnosis is therefore, not an accurate description for much of what is occurring on the stage. Ormond McGill, who was…show more content…
The participant listens to the instructions of the voice via the microphone such as, 'Blink! Now blink again, great! And blink again and now close your eyes please'. The supposed hypnotist on the stage, in an authoritarian and domineering tone (which cannot be heard by the participant) is suggesting 'your eyes are heavy, extremely heavy, you try to keep them open, but you will fail to do so...' Thus, the hypnotist suggests he has control over the participant mind. This is just one version of what is commonly referred to as 'private
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