The stage hypnotist has always been the source of keen interest to the public and has frequently fired its imagination with his sensational showmanship. While the stage hypnotist’s activities do appear magical to the uninitiated, the experienced know very well that his procedure is extremely scientific and carefully calculated to gain his ends. Let us sit in on a session in which the stage hypnotist is already at work and notice how scientific his approach really is.

The subject is seated upon the stage. He has already volunteered and has been accepted. The hypnotist turns to him and either commands him in soft, convincing tones to fall into a deep, sound, hypnotic sleep or merely to fall into a normal state of “sleep”. The subject complies, in a manner that reminds one of an automaton, which having no will of its own, performs its task in an automatic manner. Why this amazingly rapid response? Does the stage hypnotist possess some strange magic? No, of course not! He is just an expert technician who knows what he is about and has literally set the stage for his success, which was assured from the start, because of his ingenious procedure.

The stage hypnotist never forgets the fact that all people are suggestible and bases his entire procedure upon this understanding. He also has another advantage which has been carefully prepared, even before he makes the request for a volunteer to come upon the stage to be the subject for the stage demonstration of hypnosis. The stage hypnotist has meanwhile been gradually building up his “prestige” with the audience by his professional manner and self assurance, so that by the time he finally asks for a volunteer, it has already been generally accepted that he is an expert in the field of hypnosis.

The stage hypnotist has, in the meantime, however, taken the precaution to give the audience the group hypnotism test, and through this has become acquainted with those members of the audience who are the most suggestible of the persons assembled. He selects a volunteer from this group, and his success is thus assured. The reputable stage hypnotist never uses a “plant”. He is far too efficient to resort to such pettifoggery, since his knowledge and proficiency in the science of hypnosis is so well grounded that he is always assured of success in his undertaking. Furthermore, the effect of hypnosis on the audience is far greater when one of the familiar members of it volunteers to be the subject. This always lends an interest and excitement to the occasion, which would otherwise be lacking.

The audience is always aware of the reputation of the stage hypnotist. This is the reason they come to see him perform. The audience assumes that the man is an expert, and comes to see him perform a practical demonstration of his skill. It is, therefore, already disposed in his favor, thus constituting itself as a suggestible unit to be manipulated by him. The hypnotist comes to the stage, greets the audience in a friendly and professional manner, and informs them that an interesting experience is about to happen to them if they just sit back and relax. He gives them a short lecture on the history and purpose of hypnosis, thus creating an air of greater interest and understanding of the hypnotic science, thereby enhancing their suspense and vulnerability more than ever.

Since the audience is united by the common bond of its great interest in hypnosis, excess talk and other distractions should be kept to a bare minimum. In this manner, the path has been smoothed; interest has been heightened; expectancy has been raised; a common bond has been created; and a unified motivation for hypnosis has been achieved.

The stage hypnotist now proceeds to inquire whether there are any persons in the audience who talk in their sleep. Since a common audience rapport has already been created, its members do not hesitate to respond at all to this question. We thus find admissions being made that ordinarily are suppressed. This high sense of cooperation is further evidence that the group is well disposed both toward the hypnotist and the hypnotic experience itself. As the question is asked, the hypnotist raises his own hand to indicate that he wants those who talk in their sleep to do likewise. After these have done so, and have also lowered their hands, but not before being observed and noted by the hypnotist, he asks for a show of hands from those who have had their handwriting analyzed or fortunes told. He again mentally registers those who have responded to his questions. The most important question, however, is yet to come, and that is a show of hands from those who have been previously hypnotized. These are the ones that the stage hypnotist has been looking for, since they are the most suggestible persons in the audience, along with the others who had responded to his previous questions. This group was the final object of his search.

He is now prepared to proceed with the project of selecting a volunteer form this suggestible group. He has proceeded cleverly. The reason for this procedure has been two-fold. The audience had not only been made attentive to the requests of the stage hypnotist, but those members of the audience, who were the deliberately repeated with calm conviction, and as the hypnotist continues to turn his gaze upon the audience, he informs them that at the count of three, not one person will be able to pull his hands apart. He proceeds to the count of three, stating that now their hands inseparably bound together, and will be so, until he chooses to release them. He maintains that the harder they try to divorce one hand from another, the more frozen they will become. He continues to repeat this, as his eyes wander about the room checking which ones in the audience were still unable to unclasp their hands. He also cautions the audience to remain silent to avoid disturbing those whose hands remain frozen.

There are usually persons in the audience who are, indeed, unable to unclasp their hands. They sit there in rigid amazement, while the “unfrozen” members of the audience look upon them with mixed feelings of shock, surprise and amusement. The audience is again cautioned to remain silent while the “frozen” ones are directed to stand up. After they have risen to their feet, they are informed that at the count of three, they will be unable to keep their eyes open, and that they will fall into a deep, hypnotic sleep. The numbers are counted, all eyes are closed, and they are now under complete control of the stage hypnotist.

In this phase of the procedure, it is necessary for the hypnotist to speed up his suggestions, so that the subject will fall into the trance state more quickly. This avoids a possible dislocation of the hypnotic process.

There is yet another technique that can be used successfully by the stage hypnotists for group hypnosis. The audience is informed that a group hypnotic record is going to be played for their benefit. They are further told that if they listen closely enough, it will bring about the state of hypnosis in all of them.

As the record plays, it suggests that when it is finished, attention form it to the next voice that is heard. The voice, of course, will be that of the stage hypnotist, who takes over as soon as the record is done playing. The hypnotist then immediately continues where the recording left off, by giving the audience further suggestions of deep, hypnotic sleep. He then administers the “Eye Test” to probe the effects of the given suggestions. He does this by counting up to three slowly, saying that at the end of the third count, it will be impossible for the audience to open their eyes, no matter how energetically they may try. Those who are unable to do so are, of course, under the spell of the hypnotist. They are requested to raise their hands. When they have complied with this request, they are told that they will find it impossible to lower their arms when the count to three is completed. Those who are unable to do so are in a cataleptic state. The stage hypnotist can proceed as he sees fit from that point, instructing the subject to comply with all post-hypnotic suggestions. This technique is one of the easiest and quickest means of achieving group hypnosis.

Either one of the two techniques described can be used as the stage hypnotist sees fit. They are both excellent means of inducing mass hypnosis and merely await the animating touch of the hypnotist´s skill.