| Mentalism is a form of magic performed by mentalists | | | | the do not get the answers they were hoping for. Hot |
| that relies heavily on psychology and misdirection. | | | | reading is actually far more simple. A mentalist will |
| Some mentalists will try to have you believe that they | | | | know about the subject before the reading takes |
| possess some incredible supernatural powers like the | | | | place by either researching themselves or by getting a |
| ability of mind reading, mind control, psychokinesis, | | | | stooge to do so, possibly someone in the audience. |
| levitation, etc. However despite what you are told, no | | | | Yes, mentalists will often lie and cheat to perform their |
| mentalists i am aware of hold any of these powers. | | | | illusions. |
| The tricks of the mentalist are based on tricks similar | | | | - Body Language - Similar to cold reading but body |
| to those of the magician, and require a lot of practice | | | | language relies solely on physical movements and |
| to master. Some mentalists will also mix hypnotism into | | | | postures. When we communicate we don't just use |
| their acts to further enhance their performance. | | | | words, we use our body language as well to get our |
| But mentalism is all based on illusion. The skills of the | | | | point across. All humans use body language and we all |
| mentalist will defy whether or not the illusion is | | | | attempt to read eachother as well, but this is usually |
| performed successfully and the audience are to | | | | done subconsciously. There are obvious signs like |
| believe in the show. You do not need any special | | | | laughter and crying, but some signs are much more |
| powers to be a mentalist and the tricks involved can | | | | difficult to spot. Learning body language is very useful |
| be learned by anyone, but it is no easy task. You not | | | | and puts you at an advantage when communicating in |
| only need to master the tricks, but also the | | | | our day-to-day lives, but a mentalist can take this to |
| performance to make your mentalism seem more | | | | the next level. Learning about body language and more |
| believable. To learn mentalism requires patience and | | | | advanced skills like muscle reading and eye |
| practice, just like any other performing art. Although | | | | movements can give quite remarkable results, and |
| sometimes props are used (often expensive props | | | | mentalists will often read body language to give the |
| sold only in specialist magic shops), the mentalist differs | | | | impression of mind reading. |
| from the stage magician because most of his tricks | | | | - Memory Techniques - Some of the extraordinary |
| are psychological and take place in the mind. | | | | feats performed by magicians and mentalists are done |
| To achieve their results mentalists will often use some | | | | so by using advanced memory techniques known as |
| of the following techniques: | | | | mnemonics. Mnemonics can be used to greatly |
| - Hypnosis - If a mentalist can hypnotize someone to | | | | improve your memory and involve techniques that |
| do what he wants or to play along with their tricks | | | | anyone can learn. It is not that difficult to memorize a |
| then he is at a great advantage! A mentalist will not | | | | deck of cards with a bit of practice, and most good |
| necessarily put someone in a trance and then tell them | | | | mentalists will know how to do this. However |
| what to do (this is what is known as stage hypnosis) | | | | mentalists will often use misdirection so that you may |
| but they may use clever hypnotic language and | | | | believe the trick is done some other way, when for |
| techniques to get the subject to play along. This would | | | | example they have merely memorized a sequence of |
| only be used by the top mentalists who have studied | | | | cards. |
| hypnosis closely, as they are often hypnotizing their | | | | - Traditional Magic - Mentalism is really just another |
| subject without the subject or the audience knowing | | | | form of magic, so traditional techniques are often used |
| what is happening. This form of hypnosis is commonly | | | | by mentalists when performing. These often involve |
| known as conversational or covert hypnosis. | | | | clever sleight of hand tricks that require a lot of |
| - Cold/Hot Reading - These readings are commonly | | | | practice, and possibly a prop like a coin or a card. Card |
| used by psychics and mediums and can give the | | | | coin tricks are very common for magicians and |
| impression of mind reading. These reading can make | | | | mentalists alike, although a mentalist may be seeking a |
| the mentalist seem to know things he could not | | | | different result when performing, like trying to convince |
| possibly know. Cold reading takes time to learn and | | | | you that he has used psychic powers to guess your |
| involves using thing like age, race, clothing, body | | | | card when in fact he has used a simple sleight or |
| language etc. The reader would then make educated | | | | memory trick, or perhaps a prop deck of cards. |
| guesses about the subject they are trying to read, | | | | Mentalism is a great skill to learn and is based on the |
| often using 'Barnum Statements'. These are cleverly | | | | art of illusion. Don't be fooled into thinking you need |
| used statements that can appear quite personal to the | | | | special powers or skills, mentalism is something that |
| subject, but could in fact be true to many people. An | | | | anyone can learn if they are prepared to put in the |
| example of a Barnum statement would be "you are a | | | | time and effort to do so. Whether you want to |
| confident individual who likes to be the life and soul of | | | | become a serious mentalist, learn how to read people |
| the party, thou you can become more withdrawn | | | | better, or just learn some cool tricks to impress your |
| when meeting new people". This may seem quite | | | | friends, there is no doubting that mentalism is a |
| personal but when you think about it could be applied | | | | fascinating topic with some really cool tricks and skills |
| to most people. An experienced cold reader will also | | | | that anyone can learn if they are prepared to put in |
| be very good at talking themselves out of a situation if | | | | the time and effort to learn, practice and perform. |