Why do they call "mentalism" magic?

Question

I don't think I've heard of this term before ...but the definition sure jumped out at me! I KNOW this has been done to me. It's when someone puts thoughts in your mind. I didn't realize that people could do that. I always thought it was spirits. Has anyone ever done it to you? (You'd know if they did...they're not YOUR thoughts!) Have you ever thought things that you KNEW weren't your own ideas..and a lot different from your character?) Have you ever done this to someone else? Please tell me what you know about this! Thanks1

Answer 1

When it's called magic.It's part of a stage show.Something magicians like David Copperfield, Penn and Teller or the Amazing Randi would do.One of the most famous is Kreskin.He's different in that he claims his powers are real.Here's a link or you can check out his own page.I've seen his show he's very good.

Answer 2

Mentalism is a trick, just like any other magic trick.  They all fall under the heading 'magic' although none of them are.  I've met many mentalists, and they'll tell you it's a trick.  They're just really good at it, and a lot of people fall for it and think that they're magic.  But it's just a trick.

Answer 3

I haven't heard the term 'mentalism' before, but from my point of view (a psychic), let's just say that my thoughts are NEVER my own. I pick up information everywhere I go - from people, nature, animals...But, I can also put my thoughts - or Will as it is called - onto others....It does confuse them and it is sometimes funny when people start to do things they wouldn't normally do...I don't do it to be mean, but at work it helps a lot when I have to lead my lab team out of tricky situations...

Answer 4

When some people use phrases like mentalism they are usually talking about a branch of stage magic (illusion) not magic in the sense that it's real magic or someone putting thoughts in your mind.

Lots of research for instance the Ganzfeld where you send a person (mentally) the image of the picture you are looking at would indicate that our minds are not the isolated closed off machines that dedicated materialist scientist would like us to believe.  The dream studies where people were sent images by others while they dreamed provided the same evidence before the Ganzfeld.

Since this has been done in controlled laboratory conditions with the possibilities of magic tricks being eliminated one can conclude there is evidence for these abilities. So, if it can be done in the lab it can probably be done in real life (which is harder to study). These thoughts of others are probably less likely to get through and not be confused with your own thoughts in ever day life settings.

Several links below.

The more you know....

Psi

Answer 5

Deenie:  I've never encountered the word 'mentalism' before, but I'm well familiar with what you describe.  People do it to one another a lot, many without realizing they're doing so, others deliberately.

Some are born with the ability to do it, but often don't realize it until they're older.  Others train themselves to do it by arcane methods of ritual or arcane energy directed by other means.

There are entire 'disciplines' devoted completely to what you describe, some quasi-religious, some arcane, some 'psychic', some pagan [of the old sort].

It's been going on an awfully long while.  I've found petrogyphs and pictograms on rock faces in western NM and AZ, probably [almost certainly] of pre-Columbian origin depicting precisely that happening.  Usually a single individual controlling multiple others by lighting-bolts from his head to theirs.

Edit:  Deenie, I'd suspect when you say, "Where'd that thought come from?" there's a lot greater likelihood it came from another person than that it came from a 'spirit' of any definition.  Entities getting themselves involved in human thinking usually mold a 'nest' of habits of thought around themselves and lean to encouraging a general mode of thinking in the host.  The human host doesn't wonder about it because the thought-types are of his/her own making.  They're 'grown' from a garden of thought processes as opposed to direct results of a particular seed.

Answer 6

When I was in college the activities group used to book a bunch of magicians and hypnotists. I would say we got about 8 hypnotist/magician shows per semester.

A couple of the magicians called themselves mentalists. What they did was magic tricks related to psychic phenomena. Most of the stuff they did was classic tricks. Seeing stuff blindfolded. Reading minds, etc.

One popular trick amongst mentalists is the bowl of question.

Everyone in the audience answers a few questions writes their answers on a piece of paper, puts it in an envelope  and puts them in the bowl. Then he picks some of them out, one by one and reads the answers.

The first one he reads is a plant. But the card he pulls belongs to someone else. After reading the answers, and identifying the person, he opens it up to verify the contents. However, the contents are actually the answers to someone elses paper. The next paper he draws, he reads the answers off of the last one he drew. So in actuallity, he isnt predicting whats in the envelope, he is just reading what was in the last envelope.

Answer 7

Mentalist's are more like magic shows or side shows at fairs.  Guys like the amazing Kreskin and John Edwards are using tricks to direct you to a answer or item they want you to go to.  They are different from psychics who read images they get from you.  I use no tricks to read people, but then I don't get as much as mentalist's do, because of that.  Many psychics also use cold reading and tricks also.  Once again they get more than I do.  I find that I get better results if I have my eyes closed and cant see the person I'm reading.

I have messed with mentalist's heads a few times because I know what they are doing and reverse the feedback cues, and agree with what ever they say when they are wrong and unless they are really good they don't catch on.  I did have one guy catch on and then he said he lost his guide and stopped. Yeah sure he did!