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ns Loyal user Canada 238 Posts |
Hi all
I recently watched a video of a hypnotist doing the "Voodoo doll" routine. It made me wonder what was acceptable to different hypnotists. I'm not complaining about a doll moving various body parts or dancing, but the use of needles and fire to produce an unpleasant feeling in the volunteers. It made me wonder what different hypnotists think is acceptable. To me I'll tell people that someone pinched the butt of the person beside them, and I try to use that as the line of right and wrong. Yet I see performers doing "you were just kicked in the #&%s", and giving them electrical shocks. I realize that often it's just once and maybe that's fine, but the performer I saw was poking the voodoo doll repeatedly with a sharp object and I find this not only not entertaining, but disrespectful to the volunteers. Am I too uptight or do you think I'm correct? What are the guidelines you folks use? Thanks in advance |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Ever have a volunteer slap the person who thinks pinched them? I have seen it.
Lines are tough to draw LOL. But how much more does it hurt to "needle" than to "pinch"? I guess I just don't understand your line is all. Seems as if the needle is just the hot seat, or the pinch.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
martin king Elite user 416 Posts |
IMHO Anything that inflicts pain on a subject is a BIG NO-NO!
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Anthony Jacquin Inner circle UK 2220 Posts |
Good question. On Guidelines:
Will it be entertaining? Will it actually result in pain/fear after the show? If the answer is yes it will be entertaining and two there will be no pain/fear after the event then I do not see a problem. That said repeatedly stabbing a voodoo doll does begin to look like bullying and a bit sadistic. It is not entertaining for long. There are funnier things you can do. Nothing wrong with the odd jab of the needle in my opinion though. The worst thing I have done is give someone a phobia of plasters. Their face was covered in them at the time. They removed them pretty swiftly and it was all a long forgotten memory a few seconds later as they moved into a more pleasant routine. I am stoopid and thorough enough to have tested this out on my own face before including it in my show. I stuck a load on my face and tore them off as quickly as I could. I use hypo-allergenic kids plasters, they are not actually that sticky. It does not hurt that much, just a bit of a shock and only for two seconds and leaves no permanent damage. Give the caveat 'you will not scratch your face' in the same way if you do a pinching routine, tell them 'they will be p****d off and angry but will under no circumstances get violent'. They are suggestible make sure you tell them how it will be. Anthony
Anthony Jacquin
Reality is Plastic! The Art of Impromptu Hypnosis Updated for 2016 Now on Kindle and Audible! |
ns Loyal user Canada 238 Posts |
Hi again
I think you're right about my line being a bit vague. I guess pinching a butt seems a bit like a childish prank while needles feel like something crule. Pinching usually does not leave a mark, needles do. But still I guess it's a bit vague. I dropped this routine some time ago as I wasn't comfortable with the pinching, but I still include it in some bar shows if I have the right volunteer. Better than the hypnotist I recently saw that said "the person beside you just shoved 4 fingers...." I rewatched the video of the voodoo doll routine and after watching it again I don't even think the audience found it that entertaining. Upon second viewig it looked like the spectators were uncomfortable. Sounds reasonable as the audience sees the volunteers as their own; and most of the audience wouldn't want pain inflicted on them. I'm thinking that a no pain rule would be one that all professionals should follow |
Anthony Jacquin Inner circle UK 2220 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-05-27 08:12, ns wrote: I believe it is written into the revised Hypnosis Act in the UK. Anthony
Anthony Jacquin
Reality is Plastic! The Art of Impromptu Hypnosis Updated for 2016 Now on Kindle and Audible! |
JasonLinett Loyal user Alexandria, VA 202 Posts |
I have to jump in... I've seen the voodoo bit done entertaining or just cruel.
If they're dancing to Day-O like in Beetlejuice, it's funny - though a bit dated. The poking of the bottom is a funny way to end it. I've also seen a guy just torture the doll. That just ain't right. |
Dannydoyle Eternal Order 21219 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-05-27 21:28, JasonLinett wrote: Oh now your going to claim it is all about context I suppose? Oh wait your right LOL. I could not agree more.
Danny Doyle
<BR>Semper Occultus <BR>In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act....George Orwell |
RSD Special user Toronto, Ontario 534 Posts |
I personally don't find these skits entertaining. Its something I would expect to see in a hypnosis show decades ago. For me its the equivellant of seeing a magician do a mismade girl or something. We have seen it hundreds of times before. There is sooooo much we can do as hypnotists. Use your imagination. I'm sure each one of us can find something to replace this skit with.
That being said...if you want to do and you feel its working. By all means do it. The particpants are not feeling pain after all. They are producing this event in their imagination. They are not really feeling "an unpleasant feeling" as you say. However, this is my opinion, and I'm sure many would argue. |
mindpunisher Inner circle 6132 Posts |
How do we know they aren't feeling an unpleasant sensation? After all pain is just signals sent to the brain. If the body can produce a blister under hypnosis because the unconscious believes its been burnt then surely it follows its more than likely that it believes in the pain. My experience tells me that the people ive hypnotised are not faking it. If they are then they are top notch actors.
Also what if someone has a strong phobia of needles? Or !@#ociates needles to traumatic memories? It seems to me that many stage hypnotists pick the beliefs that are most likely to support what they do rather than be objective about the reality. |
ns Loyal user Canada 238 Posts |
While the issue of feeling pain or not may be hard to dispute, I feel that making it look like volunteers are in pain is still not fun for an audience. It looks like the old sawhorse, stand on them routine. Basically a "look at me, I'm the great hypnotist and can command these people" rather than "hey everyone let's have fun".
Just brainstorming here, but what about having the doll drink some tequila to give the participants a feeling of being drunk? That hits me as a lot more entertaining than jabbing the doll. |
mindpunisher Inner circle 6132 Posts |
I don't know Ive seen audiences fall over laughing watching "pain".
Humans are a funny lot. |
JasonLinett Loyal user Alexandria, VA 202 Posts |
Quote:
On 2008-05-28 12:59, mindpunisher wrote: Your Username is "Mind Punisher." Don't you think you may be a little biased? Jason |
bobser Inner circle 4178 Posts |
Well, humans truly are a funny lot.
I have two pretty well known friends who do pseudo hypnosis in their comedy magic act. They of course will happily confess that whilst pseudoing away 'some' members slip into hypnosis(assuming there is such a thing-okay?). The interesting thing is one of them told me just yesterday that they wouldn't consider regression of any kind or memory loss because it's dangerous. BUT they're main thing is the voodoo doll, watching the punter jump all over the place as the audince also join in chanting 'yes' when asked if more is required. Yup, I'm with mindpuinisher. bobser
Bob Burns is the creator of The Swan.
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