Mentalism

Mind-reading-Russell-Morgan

Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may include hypnosis, telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats, and rapid mathematics. Mentalism is often considered a form of magic and is closely related to the older art forms of conjuring and magical illusions.

History

The practice of mentalism can be traced back to ancient times, where soothsayers, oracles, and shamans claimed to have supernatural powers that allowed them to predict the future or communicate with the gods. In the 19th century, mentalism was a popular form of entertainment in the spiritualism movement, where mediums purported to facilitate communication with the dead. The late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of mentalism as a performance art, with figures like Alexander J. Dowie and Erik Jan Hanussen achieving fame.

Techniques

Mentalists use a variety of techniques to achieve their effects, including:

• Cold reading: A technique used to give the appearance of knowing much more about the person than the mentalist actually does.
• Hot reading: Gaining preknowledge about an audience member, often through research or information gathering before a performance.
• Peek technique: Gaining a quick look at something the audience member has written or drawn, often through the use of gimmicked props.
• Billet reading: A method for reading written information secretly passed to the mentalist.
• Muscle reading: Also known as "hellstromism," this technique involves the mentalist feeling the subtle muscle movements of a participant to determine their thoughts or actions.

Performance Context

Mentalism can be performed in a variety of settings, from stage shows and television programs to corporate events and private parties. Some mentalists present their craft as a genuine display of supernatural powers, while others, such as Derren Brown, openly acknowledge the use of suggestion, psychology, misdirection, and showmanship.

Ethical Considerations

The ethics of mentalism are a topic of debate within the magic community. Some argue that claiming genuine supernatural abilities for entertainment purposes is deceitful and can undermine public understanding of science and rationality. Others maintain that as long as the audience is entertained and no harm is done, the performance is ethically acceptable.

Notable Mentalists

• The Amazing Kreskin - A mentalist who became popular on television in the 1970s.
• Derren Brown - A British mentalist and illusionist known for his mind-reading acts and psychological illusions.
• Uri Geller - Famous for his spoon-bending performances, Geller claims to have genuine psychic powers.

In Popular Culture

Mentalism has been portrayed in various forms of media, including television shows like The Mentalist, where the protagonist uses keen observation and mental acuity to solve crimes, often employing techniques similar to those used by real-life mentalists.

See Also

• Magic (illusion)
• Psychic
• Sleight of hand
• Cold reading

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