| Mentalists have been performing an art called | | | | mentalist will "make" objects move with his or her |
| mentalism for many years. Mentalism is | | | | mind. Mentalists also use chalk slates for |
| considered a form of a performing art that | | | | predictions and give the appearance of mind |
| involves the performer to use their mental acuity | | | | control. During mind control effects, hypnosis is |
| and the principles that are basic to stage magic to | | | | commonly used. The most common form of |
| give the illusion of psychic abilities including | | | | hypnosis used during such effects is called covert |
| psychokinetic, precognition, and mind control. Most | | | | hypnosis, or conversational hypnosis. |
| mentalists also use hypnosis in their mentalism | | | | To use conversational hypnosis, they have to be |
| routines. Modern mentalism can be traced back to | | | | able to achieve several simple tasks. First, the |
| test given to people who claimed to have | | | | mentalist needs to get the attention of the |
| supernatural powers in the 19th Century. | | | | person being hypnotized, and maintain it. Once the |
| The use of hypnosis in mentalism effects are | | | | mentalist has the spectators full attention, they |
| varied. Some mentalists use hypnosis as a cover | | | | will then need to develop a rapport with the |
| for their effects while others use them as a part | | | | subject. Once the rapport is built, the mentalist |
| of the effect. | | | | can then induce a trance like state by using |
| Mentalism effects include many different forms of | | | | specific language. Once the subject is hypnotized, |
| magic. Mind reading and mind control are perhaps | | | | the mentalist can then present the subject with |
| the most common. However, utilization of effects | | | | the suggestions. This can be done in a |
| to give the appearance of psychokinetic is also | | | | conversational manner that leaves the subject |
| very common. During a mentalists routine, they | | | | completely unaware that they are being |
| will use two very standard tests based on the | | | | subjected to a form of hypnosis. |
| tests used in the 19th century. The most | | | | Many magicians now use mentalist techniques |
| common is called the book test. During the book | | | | coupled with hypnosis techniques. In the past, |
| test, a spectator will be asked to choose a page | | | | mentalists used their abilities for their own profit, |
| at random. They will then be asked to choose a | | | | more then actual entertainment. They claimed |
| word, or words, at random and concentrate on | | | | that they actually had supernatural abilities. Modern |
| the page number and the word, or words, | | | | and contemporary performers mostly state |
| chosen. The book will then be closed and the | | | | openly that their abilities come from being able to |
| mentalist will attempt to read the mind of the | | | | accurately read body language, among other |
| spectator and find the chosen page as well as the | | | | techniques used by mentalists. The abilities are |
| chosen text. This test has been modified to | | | | shown by these performers as nothing more |
| become a more compact effect that can be | | | | then a performance. However, some |
| performed anywhere. It is now performed using a | | | | contemporary mentalists still maintain that they |
| deck of playing cards. | | | | have these powers, yet fail the tests that are |
| Another popular version of mentalism is | | | | presented before them. Mentalists such as Geller |
| psychokinetic. There are many popular ways to | | | | still maintain that they have psychic abilities and |
| handle this. One of them is to make objects, as | | | | psychokinetic abilities, however, can not prove it |
| well as the mentalist, and even other people, to | | | | unless under their controlled circumstances. |
| levitate. During psychokinetic effects, the | | | | |