Podcast #69: Social Hypnosis, and You’re Still Just Danny!

Brain Software hypnosis podcast

Welcome to Episode 69 of Brain Software with Mike Mandel and Chris Thompson! This is the only hypnosis podcast you need, because it’s the only hypnosis podcast on the planet that answers questions like:

If Dracula had a rash, would he still be an adequate hypnotist?

Check out the show notes below and scroll down to listen to the podcast directly on this page. Keep sending us topic suggestions and show feedback. We love hearing from all of you.

Here are the show notes for this episode:

  • Chris begins Podcast #69 brilliantly, with references to Mick Jagger, iPhones, and the kind of social diseases you actually want to get. Mike clips the word “Yes” that he likes to yell, and thinks it’s really clever.
  • Mike rips apart white people by admitting he’s a white guy who can’t dance.
  • Mike raves about slapjacks as an everyday carry self-defence weapon. He doesn’t want to go to jail for stabbing someone, and recommends Green Man Leather in Toronto.
  • Transgender hypnosis? What are they talking about? Social hypnosis is hypnosis that’s done outside a therapeutic or research setting. It’s the fun stuff onstage, in the street, or at a party.
  • Mike refers to his enormous hypnosis library. He get’s lost but recovers the discussion. He talks about the old books that recommend telling people to drink turpentine, which is dangerous and insane. (Seriously! This can be fatal! Do notattempt this ever.)
  • Mike argues that water isn’t toxic but Chris the science geek says it can be.
  • Back to social hypnosis. Mike talks about the old days back in 1975. He hypnotized a girl to keep reliving her birthday surprise party. Homoaction anyone?
  • A Storm Rider emailed about hypnotizing a guy to not recognize his girlfriend. It worked too well, but Mike and Chris aren’t buying it. It smells like flounder, Your Honour…
  • Mike explains the early days when high-school girls wouldn’t snap out of hypnosis at his shows, because he was a frickin’ Rockstar and they wanted the attention.
  • Back to the guy who couldn’t recognize his girlfriend…Implication? The man has more power than even he has!
  • Phenomena? Chris asks what can you use that can’t be faked in a social hypnosis session. Mike talks about the speed of response and going beyond what is required. Both of which are key indicators.
  • Mike reminds the listeners that the unconscious is much faster than the conscious mind.
  • This is a good podcast! Erickson said that it’s impossible to adequately fake hypnosis, because it turns into hypnosis very quickly.
  • Mike talks about Hilgard and Hilgard pain studies, and the paradox of analgesia without hypnosis.
  • Mike mentions Jacquin and Sheldrake’s belief that hypnosis is a social construct, and that their own confirmation bias is getting in the way of adequately viewing contrary data.
  • With hypnosis you can make people think the cows have come home. One of Mike’s most brilliantly funny lines yet.
  • Hypnotic rash? It can be produced in response to suggestion. Mike begins talking about an experiment done last year in his hypnosis class, but quickly digresses into inanity, using his usual elderly man voice, invoking Lady Melbury’s low cut garment and mentioning Henry Squatter. He comes back to reality, and Chris verifies the hypnotic rash occurred as Mike claims.
  • Chris begins a strange topic about onions in people’s eyes and Mike correctly names it as the allium cepa response. Chris says he likes to suggest that people are choking when they attempt to drink water, but Mike wisely reigns him in. (Chris is not permitted to do social hypnosis, because he causes too many heart attacks. Mike cannot drive Chris’ Tesla for similar reasons.)
  • Onstage hypnosis is structured. At a party most people know each other. The street version is difficult because the hypnotist is a stranger without much prestige; at least at first.
  • A phone rings in the background and Mike offers a golf bag to “caller number 17”.
  • Chris rightly says “You must control your environment!” Safety first folks! Safety for the subject as well as for the audience. Storm Rider Derek in Las Vegas is applauded for his awesome skills.
  • Mike points out that you have a foot in the door with friends. Storm Rider shirts or cool business cards provide great credibility and immediate prestige. That’s why Mike and Chris teach at St. Michael’s College, in Toronto.
  • Setting the hypnotic scene…Use trusted friends as helpers. They’ll help you deal with the jerks and manage the crowd. A Green Man Leather slapjack works well too…
  • No bad subjects, just lousy hypnotists. Pick the people who are genuinely interested.
  • Watch out for the alpha male in the group!
  • Sometimes you can just wing it, and it will work. Chris begins a Ken Sweatman story about a time he wung it. He ran a man to exhaustion on an imaginary treadmill and the man fell “like a sack of bricks on the ground”.
  • Mike recommends you do some group stuff because it will be pretty funny and easy to do.
  • Look for your best subject! External Trance Indicators are the key.
  • Hank Stone puts imaginary gerbils in people’s pants.
  • Make sure you use Yes Sets and Compliance Sets. They pave the way to an easy induction!
  • Go into standard suggestibility tests to build heteroaction.
  • Social settings need rapid inductions. Mike reminds you to deepen the trance by fractionation.
  • Mike can’t remember Drake’s last name. Chris asks what else he’s forgotten, and tells him not to have a whiteout.
  • Some hypnotists repeat things mechanically. Congruence works well to install suggestions.
  • Watch out for post-hypnotics. Take care of your subjects and protect yourself from litigation!
  • Chris is obsessed with Mick Jagger for some unknown reason, and mentions him repeatedly.
  • Mike talks about their friend Michael C. Anthony and his brilliant stage show.
  • Mike reminds the listeners to always remove test suggestions, even if they didn’t work.
  • End with positive suggestions! Make sure you bring them all the way out of trance.
  • Chris mentions the Mike Mandel Personal Development Academy! Matthias, an MD in Boston convinced Mike and Chris to create this awesome course. This is 64 HD videos with a ton of bonuses, so check it out at: mikemandelhypnosis.com/pda

Empowering Question: No empowering question this time around.

Metaphor: The story of the robot dinosaurs

Remember: Check out the MINDSCAPING training at Hypnothoughts Live in Las Vegas, in August 2016!

Ending: You’re still just Danny!

Please leave a rating in iTunes, and send in your questions by email to info(at)mikemandelhypnosis.com

Listen to the Podcast Here:

Transcript of Brain Software Podcast 69

Coming soon.