Let’s just say that again in case it didn’t sink in. Martin Taylor is a hypnotist, works as a hypnotist, has been a stage hypnotist for over fifteen years. Yet he doesn’t use hypnosis. So what’s going on?
Recently psychologists have dramatically revised their ideas about how hypnosis works, and the modern theory is that of social compliance. Broadly, this means that there is no altered state when you are hypnotised – no trance, no sleep, and nothing mysterious at all. Hypnosis simply works because the subjects believe it will.
On stage, it works through the hypnotist’s skill in combining three factors:
When we are told to feel something, there is a strong subconscious force which makes us really feel it.
Social pressure
People want to behave the way their friends are behaving; if their friends appear to be under a hypnotist’s power, they will want to act the same way.
People will generally do as they are told, especially by someone in authority.
So how is this relevant to Martin’s show?
Other stage hypnotists still present hypnosis the old-fashioned way as if they were inducing a mysterious state of mind – some even believe it works like this! Martin is totally up-front about what he is doing. His scientific approach means he can tell people there is no sleep, no trance, no zombie-state. That’s why he’s called the hypnotist who opens your eyes – people are ‘hypnotised’ literally with their eyes open! Yet the show still has all the laughs, the wonder, the excitement of any hypnotist show you’ll see anywhere else.
Copyright Martin S Taylor