Chapter Seven a s u b j e c t ’ s p e r s p e c t i v e

7/21/2019 Chapter Seven a s u b j e c t ’ s p e r s p e c t i v e

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Chapter SevenA S U B J E C T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V EREVEEN: Look into my eyesb y M i c h e l l e R a i n e r

“HI, pleased to meet yo!" says the man in the blac# sit as hestridescon$dently into a con%erence site at the &or Seasons 'otel( Trimand bespectacled!he is belo) a*era+e hei+ht and o% indeterminate a+e( 'is hair hasthat,Jst &or Men" sheen( 'e loo#s a bit li#e Brno -erssi! bt hecold beanyone.yor %riend’s dad! a car salesman! the ener+etic seniorciti/en )ho

)or#s at Mc0onald’s to ease the boredom o% retirement(Bt he’s not anyone( 'e’s The Impossiblist( 'e’s the man they callRe*een(As a child! there are certain siren son+s that dri%t ot o% thetele*isionset that cannot be i+nored( 1e+o! a pmmelin+ o% bratty babybrother! themost concentrated tas#s o% childhood mst be droppedimmediately pon their

intrsion! and one mst trn! yoth%l eyes +la/ed )ith mteobedience! to)ardthe TV screen(Bt o% all the 2in+les! catch3phrases! and snappy tnesindoctrinated intomy pre3adolescent brain! none )as so po)er%l or lon+3lastin+ asthe ma+icalstrains o% Ra*een’s promotional ad( E*ery year or t)o! my TV)old sin+ to me!teasin+ly! ,4o’ll ne*er %or+et Ra*een("56Chapter Seven A S U B J E C T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E

There’s somethin+ abot Re*een that %ascinates( 1i#e a TVcommercial thatrns %or 76 years and still reels in the cro)ds! he’s a )innin+ mi8o% schmalt/



and sa**y! sho)y +lit/ and #een nderstandin+ o% the hmanmind(At his sho) the ni+ht be%ore! his entrance is a caricatre o% aVe+as

sho)man or a 79th centry carni*al bar#er( The hose li+hts dim!strobe li+htsbonce and re:ect o; a +iant disco ball in time to the plsin+ o% sitably hi+hener+y msic! and the cro)d’s anticipation +ro)s ntil yo canactally %eel it(Bt it +oes on 2st a little too lon+( The msic #eeps plsin+! thestrobes#eep :ashin+! the disco ball #eeps spinnin+! and still there’s nosi+n o% the man(

Then! a%ter )e start to %eel a little restless! the crtain +oes pand Re*eenta#es the sta+e(E*en as a little boy in Astralia! Re*een )as al)ays interested intheatrics(,At a+e si8.)hich is a *ery common a+e %or people to +etinterested in con2rin+or bein+ a ma+ician.I sa) a lady ma+ician per%ormin+( Sheprodced a beati%l

bi+ rabbit ot o% this :amin+ dish and I tho+ht that )as +reat!"he tells me(,Then she +a*e s all a little drin# ot o% a bottle and said it )asraspberrycordial( Then she bro#e the bottle and plled a +inea pi+ ot o% itand saidit )as +inea pi+ )ine("Re*een )as hoo#ed( 'e be+an to learn e*erythin+ he cold abotma+ic!hantin+ the little ma+ic shops! pic#in+ p tric#s! per%ormin+them %or )hoe*erhe cold con*ince to )atch him( By the time he )as 7<! he )as a,semipro%essionalma+ician" )ho made a tidy little pro$t playin+ parties and socialsin his nei+hborhood(MASTERING HYPNOSIS A Stage Performer’s Guide



5= Then one day! he read an article in a ma+a/ine abot hypnotism(Itdescribed an American padre >preacher? )ho hypnoti/ed some

soldiers drin+@orld @ar II to entertain the troops( ,It described the )holethin+!" says Re*een,and I )as %ascinated("1i#e any 7< year3old )ho stmbles pon sch a piece o% in%ormation!Re*een tried it on a %riend( To his srprise! it )or#ed( Bt theyon+ Re*een)asn’t satis$ed 2st #no)in+ hypnosis )as possible( 'e )anted to#no) )hy(

Usin+ the money he made )ith his ma+ic sho)! he started tohant secondhandboo#stores to $nd ot more abot hypnotism( 'e read medicalboo#sabot the pioneers in the $eld )ho had tried to mo*e hypnotismbeyond theac#ery o% mesmerism! and history boo#s abot James Braid!)ho coined theterm based on the -ree# )ord ,hypnos"! the +oddess o% sleep >a

name he laterre+retted as too sensational! as hypnosis has nothin+ to do )ithsleep?(Still! Re*een ne*er planned to become a hypnotist( Altho+h histre lo*e)as theatre! his parents )anted him to be a doctor( A%ter hi+hschool he )asstallin+! tryin+ to thin# o% a )ay to +o to the Royal Academy o% theArts inEn+land instead o% +oin+ medical school( As %ate )old ha*e it!his old preoccpation)ith hypnotism came in handy )hen the sb2ect came p at aparty(,I 2mped ri+ht in and said! 4es! this is a *ery interestin+ science!’and they



trned on me( They said This is dan+eros!’ and 4o don’t #no))hat yo’retal#in+ abot(’ And I said It is not dan+eros! it is prelys++estion( It is not

some mystical %orce(’ ,I tried to e8plain it and they ar+ed bac#and I stormedot o% the party("55Chapter Seven A S U B J E C T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V EPied! Ra*een decided to tne p his hypnosis s#ills to pro*ethem )ron+('e )as still doin+ his ma+ic sho)! no) )ith a *olnteer +ropthat did sho)s%or charity( Re*een )ent to the prodcer and as#ed i% he cold do

a hypnosisdemonstration instead! and in*ited e*eryone %rom the party tocome and )atch(,To ma#e a lon+ story short!" says Ra*een! ,I )al#ed o; the sta+eat theend o% D mintes to a standin+ o*ation( The people %rom theparty all camep to me and said! Peter! yo’*e +ot somethin+ here( 4o )eretellin+ s the

trth( 4o shold ma#e this into a career(’ ,And I did( That )as+oodbye! RoyalAcademy o% the Arts and +oodbye any other ambitions("A%ter a cople o% ta)dry ma+ic and memori/ation tric#s >one o% )hichdoesn’t )or#?! and a %e) corny 2o#es >,'o) many o% yo %ol#sbelie*e inreincarnation.It’s nice to ha*e yo bac#"?! Re*een $nally +etsdo)n tobsiness(,'ypnosis!" he tells s! ,is the science o% sperconsciospsycholo+y(" Itin*ol*es nothin+ more than ,applyin+ the po)er o% s++estion tothe creati*ecapability o% the hman mind(" 'e then in*ites those members o% the adience



)ho )ant to be hypnoti/ed to come p to the sta+e(&or a moment! my %riend Michelle and I loo# at each other(,Shold )e +o+et hypnoti/ed" I as#( ,1et’s +o!" she says! and the ne8t thin+ )e

#no)! )e’re 2oinin+ the 76F or so other hope%ls on sta+e )ith Re*een(In order to )eed ot those not entirely ssceptible to the po)er o% s++estion!Re*een +oes thro+h a process o% elimination( The $rst rondin*ol*esabot hal% the men on sta+e( They are to close their eyes andclasp theirhands to+ether o*er their %oreheads( They are to listen only to thesond o%

Re*een’s *oice as he tells them to hold their hands ti+hter andti+hter to+ether(MASTERING HYPNOSIS A Stage Performer’s Guide5

They are nable to nclasp them! he tells them! ntil the toch o% his handsets them %ree(

To the rest o% s in the theatre! these men loo# ridiclos( Theystand

tremblin+ )ith the e8ertion o% their e;ort! ntil! one by one!Re*een comesarond and +rabs their $sts! Earnest An+ley style! and they arereleased %romtheir trance( It loo#s as tho+h they are all %a#in+(A%ter the test! only abot <6 percent o% them remain( Ge8t! it’s ortrn(Re*een tells s to stand p! tilt or heads bac#! and %ocs on apoint in thedistance( ,4o are %eelin+ com%ortable and rela8ed!" he says!,4or eyes %eelmoist and hea*y("Sddenly! the ble li+ht I ha*e been %ocsin+ on trns misty anddim( Myeyelids droop! and I s)ay +ently! %or)ards and bac#! still balancedon my %eet(



Re*een’s *oice >)hich sonded li#e it came %rom the bottom o% atin can.i% onecold +et a slap echo in a tin can? is all I notice or care abot( It isall arond me

and in my brain! it tells me to close my eyes and I close my eyes(It tells me toclose them ti+hter and I close them ti+hter and ti+hter! as ti+ht asI can(I )on’t be able to open them ntil the toch o% Re*een’s $n+erslets me( Ican hear the odd peal o% la+hter %rom the adience( I can %eelMichelle’s armreassrin+ly close to mine! I can see the prple li+ht a+ainst theblac# and red

o% my lids( Bt I cannot open my eyes! e*en as a part o% me)onders ho)hard I’m really tryin+(&inally! Re*een taps my %orehead( At $rst! I don’t respond( A%terall! I’m onlyspposed to open my eyes %or Re*een! and )hat i% that’s not him

Then! hetaps a+ain! more insistently! and my eyes :y open( A bitbe)ildered! I’m told to

sit bac# do)n( Michelle and I ha*e both passed the $rst test(59Chapter Seven A S U B J E C T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E@hen Re*een started ot on his career as a hypnotist! thepro%ession)as not e8actly *enerated( 'e and his )i%e tored the small citiesand to)nssrrondin+ Melborne! crammed into a tiny Pe+eot and barelyma#in+ eno+hmoney to sr*i*e(,@hat I didn’t reali/e )as that really! I )as on a missionarypro+ramme!sellin+ this( Becase the conception at that time )as thathypnotism )as totally%a#e.and it )as! as a sta+e entertainment(



,A +y )old roll into to)n )ho may ha*e had a do+ act the yearbe%ore('e )old ha*e some posters printed p! sayin+ The -reat'ypnotist’ and then

he’d )al# into a bar and +et three or %or people and say! 2mpp and do)nas i% yo’re hot e*ery time I stare at yo!’ and then e*erybody inthat small to)n)old #no) Hit )as sta+ed a%ter the +y had +one( ,@e didn’treally reali/e theimpact or sho) )as ha*in+! becase e*ery Hadience memberon or sta+e)as #no)n to e*eryone in the to)n( So! sddenly! )hen people)ent p to

estion them a%ter the sho)! they’d say! @ell! )hat )as it li#e’and they’dans)er! @ell! it %elt mar*elos! bt I’m not sre )hat I’d did!" andtheir %riends)old ha*e to e8plain it to them("@hen an American promoter con*inced him to +o to 'onoll!Re*een too#his sho) on the road( The promoter stole all his money! btRe*een’s been

torin+ the )orld e*er since( The 56 or so o% s )ho ha*e pro*enorsel*eshypnotically ssceptible sit on sta+e behind Re*een( TheImpossiblist has hisbac# to s as he addresses the %ll hose at the een Eli/abeth

Theatre( Thebac#li+htin+ ma#es a halo o% his +n3metal +rey hair! )hich is%eathered otarond his head! Bee -ees style( 'e trns arond to %ace s! andthe spotli+htscatch at the seins on his *est( I notice he is )earin+ li%ts(MASTERING HYPNOSIS A Stage Performer’s GuideF

Then! once a+ain! his *oice )ashes o*er s( @e close or eyes! ashe plls



s deeper and deeper do)n into a state o% spreme rela8ation( 'etells s orri+ht arm is +ro)in+ li+hter and li+hter! and it :oats p o% its o)naccord( 'e tells

s to let it %all! and it drops bac# into my lap )ith a thd(,4o are a +reat msician!" says Re*een( ,4o can play anyinstrmentin the )orld(" I pictre mysel% )ith t)o trntables and a mi8er)ith a plsin+cro)d +oin+ o; in %ront o% me( 4eah( ,4o are in the )orld’s+reatest marchin+band!" he contines( Marchin+ band The needle hits a scratch!then screechesacross the record as the cro)d stops dancin+ and loo#s p in

be)ilderment( Itry desperately to replace my instrment )ith the 2a// trmpet!bt it’s too late(I’*e been de3hypnoti/ed(

The )ord hypnotism’ is a misnomer!" e8plains Re*een( ,It isn’treally asleep state and it isn’t really a trance state( I% yo had someone ina trancethat person )old be totally nder yor control( 'o)e*er! i% I )ere

to +i*e as++estion that )ent a+ainst a moral or a reli+ios belie%.)hichI’m *ery care%lne*er to do.that person )old 2st instantly disobey it("In all the years he’s been per%ormin+! Re*een says no one hase*er +ottenan+ry )ith him %or the thin+s they did )hile nder hypnosis!mostly becase hene*er crosses the line bet)een harmless %n and potential cltleader( ,It’s atheatrical e8perience!" he insists! ,it’s not a de+radin+e8perienceKI ne*er +otinto the +tter )ith the sho)("A%ter I snap ot o% it! I loo# arond the sta+e to see )hat e*eryone else isdoin+( Most people are bemsed! blin#in+! disoriented(



Bt some o% them actally seem to be hypnoti/ed( A +irl in herearly t)entiesis playin+ the drms enthsiastically! #eepin+ time to the cheesymarchin+ band

7Chapter Seven A S U B J E C T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V Emsic blarin+ ot o*er the spea#ers( An old man in a trtlenec# isplayin+ thepiano! standin+ p ot o% his chair to reach the %arthest #eys(

There are :tists!*iolinists! and trombone players( Lne )oman is playin+ thespoons(I loo# o*er at Michelle %or a ,can yo belie*e this" +i++le! only to$nd that

Michelle has been ma+ically spirited a)ay! only to be replaced bya mindlessclone )ho sits! eyes closed! mtely smashin+ t)o cymbalsto+ether( I )antto la+h( I )ant to po#e her( I )ant her to #eep +oin+( I )ant tosee )hatshe’ll do(

To be hypnoti/ed! yo’*e +ot to be )illin+! says Re*een( ,I can’thypnoti/e

anybody )ho doesn’t )ant to be hypnoti/ed(" 4o’*e +ot to berela8ed andcom%ortable! and yo’*e +ot to be sane( -ot *isions o% e8tra3cra/yacid trips&or+et it( 4o can’t be nder the in:ence o% psychedelic dr+s(,I )as able to pro*e somethin+ to my #ids )hich #ept them o; thedr+spretty )ell!" says Re*een( ,@hen they sed to )or# )ith me onthe sta+e! I’dsay! Go)! see this person This person’s on dr+s! yo can see itin theireyes( They thin# they’re sper! bt yo )atch.their mind )ill notbe )orth adamn )hen they ha*e to concentrate(’ And sre eno+h! they’ll%ail it e*ery time(



Becase one’s an arti$cial! chemically3indced state! the otherone reires amental conditionin+ and a discipline("Re*een and his assistants >)ho are actally his sons? clear those

o% s )hoha*en’t been hypnoti/ed o; the sta+e( @e +o bac# to or seatsand )atch the<F or so people le%t p there! still playin+ a)ay in their ima+inaryband( Theyseem to +et more and more in*ol*ed( A )oman in a lon+ #ha#idress is playin+the *iolin li#e a *irtoso( Sddenly! she leaps %rom her seat andbe+ins tocondct the band! in*isible baton )a*in+! arms :appin+! body

+yratin+! blondeMASTERING HYPNOSIS A Stage Performer’s Guide<hair :yin+ madly arond her! ntil one o% the sta+e hands +idesher bac# toher chair(&inally! Re*een tells them to stop playin+ and +et p and ta#e abo)( 'etells them the cro)d lo*ed them( @e clap alon+ )ith the pretense!

and they +etp( Some o% them are beamin+ )ith pride! bo)in+ o*er and o*era+ain(Re*een tells them )e’re +oin+ to ta#e a brea#( 'e says they )ill)al# o; thesta+e and then dance a merry Irish 2i+ do)n the aisles( A%ter tenmintes! they’llretrn to their seats( Bt )hen the si+natre Re*een msic stri#esp a+ain!they’ll %eel an ncontrollable r+e to retrn to the sta+e(

Then! )ith <F people hypnoti/ed and immobile behind him! heta#es theopportnity to ma#e a pl+ %or his three sel%3help C0s! desi+nedto help yorela8! +ain con$dence! or it smo#in+( 0ressed in a matchin+t8edo and



seined *est! his )i%e stands beside him! holdin+ p thea%orementioned itemsli#e a Price is Ri+ht hostess(&inally! Re*een instrcts his capti*es to )al# o; the sta+e( Sre

eno+h!as soon as they’*e +one do)n the stairs! they brea# into dance(Sddenly! ado/en Michael &latleys and as many o% his cor#scre)ed partnersare prancin+do)n the aisles and ot into the lobby( I +et p and try to $ndMichelle! bt she’sdanced o; some)here( A%ter ten mintes! I see her bac# in herseat(She loo#s dll and da/ed! and says she %eels )eird.li#e she’s on

dr+s(She doesn’t remember anythin+( The hose li+hts +o do)n a+ainand Re*eentells his sb2ects! no) all bac# in the adience! that )hen hissi+natre msicstarts p a+ain! they )ill retrn to the sta+e( 'o)e*er! they )on’t)ant him tonotice! so they’ll ha*e to snea# p(D

Chapter Seven A S U B J E C T ’ S P E R S P E C T I V E The msic starts! and instantly Michelle +ets p ietly and stepspast me(She rns! croched o*er! alon+ the bottom o% the sta+e andcreeps p to her oldchair( Most o% the others retrn too! as )ell as one man )homana+ed to +ethypnoti/ed %rom his seat at the bac# o% the theatre( The old +y)ho )as playin+the piano is the best.he bypasses the stairs! pllin+ himsel% p onthe led+e o% the sta+e instead! then droppin+ into a Viet Gam *et roll ntil helands crochedbelo) his chair! then sprin+s p to ta#e his seat(&or the ne8t hor! the scene on sta+e resembles a drama class in)hich



e*ery stdent is a master o% comedic impro*isation! and no ones;ers %rom thesli+htest de+ree o% sta+e %ri+ht or sel%3dobt( Sddenly! theseordinary people

are sr*i*ors o% the Titanic! tap dancers! ma$oso crime bosses!and ballerinas(Re*een tells a clean3ct blonde +y dressed all in blac# that he’sthe )orld’s+reatest &rench lo*er! and he’s +oin+ to ma#e lo*e to themicrophone( Ri+hton ce! the +y sidles p to the mi#e! hips thrst %or)ard! eyesintent on theob2ect o% his desire( 'e +rabs it! and )ith a master%l ,J’aime( Jene sais! baby!"

breathes hea*y into its ampli%yin+ head( @hen he starts to rn histon+e pand do)n the sha%t! Re*een ic#ly rshes p and snaps him oto% it(

This is )hat ma#es it all )orth)hile %or Re*een Thistrans%ormation o% the ordinary person into someone )ho has an entire theatre %ll o% peoplecapti*ated(

,Very seldom do yo really +et instant +rati$cation( Bt in thetheatre! )edo ha*e instant +rati$cation( @e stand on the sta+e! the adience+i*es stheir emotions! %or +i*in+ a +ood sho)( HThe *olnteers areen2oyin+ thatK"'o)many people do yo #no) that +o to a party and sat in the corner)atchin+e*erybody else tell the 2o#es! and in a )ay en*y it! and thin# I)ish I cold +etMASTERING HYPNOSIS A Stage Performer’s GuideNp and +et this cro)d respondin+ to me li#e this( @ell! they do( Itrn them intostars %or that time that they’re on sta+e((( A lot o% people comebac# to ha*e the



e8perience a+ain( It’s +ood %or them( They %eel +reat( They’rereally ama/ed to$nd that they cold be that creati*e("Re*een also ses his talent to spread a little lo*e arond( Be%ore

he brin+speople ot o% hypnosis! he +i*es them a #ind o% sperconscios!inspirationalpep tal#(,The $nal part o% the sho) is *ery important to me!" he says(,That little$*e mintes )here yo really +et the chance to +i*e the peoplesome bene$ts%rom it( It’s 2st iet! it’s not preachy! bt it’s there yo )ill ha*ea +reat sel%con$denceK’

hate’ is a )ord that yo’ll lose %rom yor *ocablary as tho+h it’sa process that’s beneath the di+nity o% yor intellectKtheirpo)ers o% concentrationare +oin+ to be better! they’ll be able to rela8 and sleep better("Crios! I call Michelle the ne8t day to see i% she %eels morecon$dent andless hate%l( @hile she hasn’t noticed a chan+e in this departmentyet! she saysshe had a +reat day at )or#( ,I )as completely destressed( I %elt

really +ood!really rela8edKI )as on a hi+h("Positi*e bene$ts aside! that’s still a lot o% po)er to ha*e o*erpeople( 'asn’the e*er been tempted! 2st a little! to see ho) %ar he cold ta#eit To see 2st)hat he cold +et people to do,Go! no!" says The Impossiblist! sha#in+ his head )ith a chc#le(,My )i%e)oldn’t allo) me to +et any pompos ideas li#e that( She’d say!,@ho do yothin# yo are Re*een"6

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Chapter Seven a s u b j e c t ’ s p e r s p e c t i v e