Performing arts theater

There is a lot of interest in a new, amazing activity known as “Street Hypnosis”. In street hypnosis, a skilled hypnotist puts a person into a rapid trance and has him or her perform fun activities for the amusement of all passersby. This new activity is really quite old. Street hypnosis has actually been around since the eighteenth century when street performers used Mesmerism to entertain the crowds. Some would say that hypnosis would have died out hundreds of years ago if performers hadn’t kept the art alive by doing street performances. So how does one get started in this exciting activity?

The first step is to learn basic hypnosis. One of the easiest and most effective inductions is the “Dave Elman Three-Minute Routine”, as described in his book, “Hypnotherapy”. This induction is so easy to use, that all you need is a willing volunteer and the ability to read aloud. As the name implies, this induction takes only three minutes to produce a somnambulistic trance in most willing volunteers. Practicing this basic induction is best done with a willing volunteer in a private, quiet place. Hypnosis can still occur on a noisy street, but it is best learned in a more conducive atmosphere. Also, a family member or close friend may not always be your best subject. This person knows you very well and may have a difficult time believing that you can induce hypnosis. Their belief in your ability is essential in producing trance. For this reason, an acquaintance is often a better subject than someone close to you.

The next step in the process is known as “deepening”, and this is done to stabilize the trance state and ensure the subject will remain in hypnosis. A simple deepening technique can be counting slowly from ten down to one, saying each number as the subject exhales. After trance induction and deepening, you can begin the demonstration.

Safety is the most important part of street hypnosis. Always protect your subject from injury, and never ask a subject to do something that could possibly harm her. The rule of thumb is, if the demonstration could possibly injure this person if she were not in hypnosis, it can still do the same damage when she is in hypnosis.

Most street hypnotists use even faster inductions known as instants and “super rapids”, and these will be the topic of future articles. The “three-minute routine” is a very reliable way to produce hypnosis and is especially suited to subjects who might not tolerate the faster inductions. As always, carefully read the safety chapter of any hypnosis book you study. Knowing how to safely induce and emerge a subject will give you a good base from which to build your performance.