A to Z: Dark Psychology Glossary Terms | Part I

Dark Psychology Terms

Press here to get Click to Know More About

A

• Affirmations

  • These are positive statements repeated to your subconscious mind to help form desired outcomes.
  • They are one of the most popular subconscious mind power techniques.

• Age Regression

  • In the context of hypnosis, age regression involves the hypnotist dipping into a specific past period of your life, such as kindergarten.
  • This technique aims to trigger you to seem to relive significant incidents from that period, causing you to think, talk, or act as if you were in that past time.
  • It can help you recover vital information, establish insights, or better understand yourself and cope with present circumstances.

• Alpha Male

  • The term "alpha male" is synonymous with power within society, a group, or as an individual.
  • Alpha males are typically first in line and have a peculiar habit of being in the spotlight without needing to make excessive efforts to get there.
  • They receive power on autopilot and never seek approval from others, expressing themselves and letting others choose to be with them.
  • Their strength comes from within, not from dependence on others, and they assume authority and power to gain it.
  • A cardinal step to holding power over others is by holding power over oneself.
  • Alpha males are outgoing, constantly taking on new challenges and growing by stepping out of their comfort zone daily.
  • In human society, the alpha male, or tribal leader, is responsible for the emotional, financial, social, nutritional, and physical well-being of their tribe members.
  • Characteristics/Traits:
    • Confidence: They exude confidence, believing in their abilities and understanding that failure is not an issue as long as they give their best effort. This confidence builds through practice and experience, and can be developed by mimicking confident behaviours. An unshakable confidence sets them apart and can reduce rejection.
    • Strong, but also knows when to show a softer side.
    • Good conversationalists, sharing interesting stories and knowing how to truly listen and reflect.
    • Indifference: They appear nonchalant or unconcerned, which is seen as being carefree, drawing women and people in general towards them. They do not treat attractive women differently based on their looks, showing they are fine with or without them.
    • Valuable: They know their worth intrinsically and do not seek external validation.
    • Humorous: They know how to work a room and deliver well-timed jokes, which is seen as attractive and leader-like. They can make fun of a moment because they find it amusing, which entertains others.
    • Fitness/Coordination: While not necessarily "super ripped," they possess a degree of fitness and control over their movements, with their body serving as a reliable tool.
    • Ability to build sexual tension: They can transform normal interactions into romantic or sensual ones, unapologetically displaying their sexual presence.
    • Courageous: They push past fear and break out of their comfort zones daily, becoming comfortable with the uncomfortable.
    • Bold: They are willing to speak their mind directly and undeterred, even when others hesitate. This brazen attitude is often necessary.
    • Poised: They possess an elegant bearing, moving with precision and fluidity, making them elusive and not to be underestimated. This lack of anxiousness contributes to being a "smooth operator".
    • Mysterious: They keep people guessing, not revealing everything at once, which prompts others to inquire about them.
    • Dominant: They naturally assume a dominant role, and others tend to follow. This is not about controlling or stepping on others, but rather a natural leadership quality that attracts women.
    • Authentic: Their actions and interactions genuinely reflect who they are, without resorting to trickery or manipulation.
    • Certainty: They are self-certain in their decisions, though they are willing to admit when they are wrong.
  • Alpha Male Mentality: It is not about being the loudest or most aggressive jerk who seeks constant attention. Instead, it embodies confidence, unpredictability (which attracts women), and maturity, without needing to put others down to feed an ego.
  • Body Language Secrets:
    • Eyes: They look people directly in the eyes when talking, without being psychopathic, occasionally breaking eye contact.
    • Voice: Their voice is calm and relaxed, never shouting, which helps in conversations, especially when seducing.
    • Relax: They are always relaxed, turning their head slowly when called, indicating control of the situation.
    • Location: They choose the best location in a group setting to have an overview and take up space.
    • Not checking out girls: They avoid constantly looking at attractive women, preferring that women prove themselves to them.
  • Distinction from Beta Male and Jerks:
    • A real alpha male is confident and strong, unlike men who confuse arrogance or being overbearing with alpha traits.
    • They treat women with respect and kindness, encourage self-expression, and are not intimidated by strong women. They do not make women feel like "second-class citizens".
    • They quickly assess interest and do not expect instant worship or believe women should fall madly in love with them just because they are an alpha.
    • Being an alpha is about inner confidence and belief, not just external factors like status or physical traits. External traits covering an "inner beta male" do not make one an alpha.
    • Beta males are followers, passive-aggressive, and resort to backstabbing, gossip, and whining when they don't get their way. They play it safe and look for opportunities to fall into their lap, often through bribery or "ass-kissing".
    • Alpha males are self-employed and don't seek approval by bragging about their possessions.
    • Alpha males don't apologize for who they are, don't seek approval, don't give up their status to impress women, don't whine or complain (taking responsibility instead), don't idolise women based on looks, don't try to "fix" women, don't try to impress women financially, and don't display nervousness around women.
  • How to Become an Alpha Male:
    • It can be learned and is a "way of life".
    • The key is to start acting like one. This means being more outgoing, lively, positive, and direct, tempered with grace and social skills.
    • Getting rid of beta male traits is the best way.
    • Change your mindset to process events differently from beta males.
    • Educate yourself in areas you want to change, investing in resources.
    • Take massive actions.
    • Display self-assurance and charm with both men and women.
    • Develop your social network by making friendships with other alpha males, who can become "wingmen" and provide social proof.
    • Be decisive, laying out a clear path for others, as women respect men who are emotionally strong and provide security.
    • Leave them wanting more by ending conversations first, showing you have other plans and goals.
    • Make up your mind to succeed no matter what, using your current situation as motivation.
    • Look good by following fashion trends, paying attention to shoes, shaving, and having a cool hairstyle (some alpha males consult gay male barbers for women's preferences).
  • Reasons Alpha Males Attract Women: Women are hardwired to be attracted to assertive males who are leaders and protectors. Risk-taking is an innate attractive quality, giving points even for simply approaching a woman. This provides them with the best chance of survival and access to resources.
  • Risk-taking: A hallmark of alpha males, they are willing to take risks to improve their situation, unlike beta males who play it safe. Leaders naturally take on more risks, exposing themselves to challenges. This applies to business and romance, where approaching someone is a risk that opens up more possibilities.
  • Types of Alpha Males (in the human race):
    • Powerful Alpha: Most powerful in community, family, friends, and business (e.g., tycoons, politicians, royalty); women are drawn to their position and power.
    • Intellectual Alpha: Smart on any topic, often highly educated (e.g., PhDs, consultants); women are drawn to their intellect and confidence.
    • Military Alpha: Men in uniform who possess power and an adventurous sense; attractive due to risk-taking and protective feeling.
    • Bad Boy Alpha: Can be military special forces or have a criminal past; assumes women know what he wants, does not talk a lot.
    • Artistic Alpha: Romantic type (e.g., selling drawings in museums, exotic showings); women are "adorned" by them.

• Animal Magnetism

  • A phenomenon known in the late 1700s through Austrian physician Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer.
  • Mesmer believed he could induce a trance state in people and animals by channelling a mystical force through water tubs and magnetic wands, claiming to receive powers from magnetic waves.
  • He lulled subjects into submission by having them focus on an item and repeating words monotonously. This is where the word "mesmerize" originated, meaning to be in awe and dumbstruck.
  • However, the concept of animal magnetism was dismissed in later studies of hypnotism, as early as the 17th century. Abby Faria, a 19th-century scientist, declared that Mesmer's hypnotism was due to the power of suggestion, not animal magnetism.

• Anxiety

  • A psychological condition that can be treated through hypnosis.
  • People who are troubled or anxious may be helped to be tranquil via hypnosis, avoiding the side effects of sedatives.
  • It is linked to fear and other negative emotions.
  • Being aware of your own anxieties is part of knowing your "dark side".

• Author (as an influencer trait)

  • Influencers often become authors by writing books related to their niche.
  • This practice brings a high level of credibility and serves as another form of branding.

• Autohypnosis

  • This is one of the two general ways hypnosis is performed, where the state of trance and openness to suggestion is self-induced.
  • It is synonymous with self-hypnosis.
  • The results are the same as heterohypnosis, where a hypnotist induces the state.

B

• Beta Male

  • In primate societies, the beta male is the follower.
  • They are characterised by their passivity in any given situation.
  • Beta males are often passive-aggressive, using covert methods like bribery, "ass-kissing," or doing favours to gain higher status, rather than being straightforward.
  • They resort to backstabbing, gossip, and whining when they don't get their way.
  • Their nature is to play it safe and hope opportunities fall into their lap.
  • They tend to "eat off the scraps of the alpha male's table" and are content with it, quickly shifting loyalty to whoever can best provide for them.
  • All males start as beta males, but some grow out of it to become alpha males by taking risks.
  • In a romantic context, they lose points by being passive and not taking the risk of approaching women, often waiting for women to come to them.
  • Character flaws beta males display (which alpha males avoid):
    • Apologising for who they are or their existence.
    • Constantly seeking approval from their social group, displaying neediness and clinginess.
    • Giving up their own status to impress a woman, believing that putting women on a pedestal will attract them.
    • Whining and complaining, using it as an excuse or a "crutch" for secondary pleasure, unlike alpha males who take responsibility.
    • Idolising women based on looks, overlooking significant flaws that can lead to "brutal paths of destruction".
    • Trying to "fix" women or their problems, which creates resentment.
    • Trying to impress women or support them financially by constantly giving compliments, gifts, or dinners, setting a standard where they are always the givers.
    • Displaying nervousness around women, such as looking away when caught making eye contact.

• Black (Psychology of)

  • Black is not technically a colour but rather the void of light, absorbing light and reflecting nothing. It is therefore warmer than white, which reflects all colours.
  • Both black and white, as representatives of lightness and darkness, are responsible for all hues.
  • Psychologically, black is associated with total darkness and the unknown, being the opposite of white (light, purity, goodness).
  • Negative qualities attributed to black include shame, depression, heaviness, and at its extreme, evilness.
  • Positive qualities include stability, concentration, depth, weight, power, and exclusivity.
  • It is seen as mysterious with endless depth, being highly spiritual for those who don't fear its qualities, but dangerous and evil for those who do.
  • Black is used to express the fearful and mystical, and often signifies luxury and prestige (e.g., black limousine, evening dress).
  • Black and white form an absolute polarity, where the appearance of one signifies the disappearance of the other.

• Body Language (Alpha Male)

  • Body language is responsible for 90% of a conversation.
  • Eyes: Alpha males look someone directly in the eyes when talking, taking breaks occasionally to avoid appearing psychopathic. Beta males, conversely, look away or only look when the woman is speaking.
  • Voice: An alpha male's voice is calm and relaxed, never shouting, which is a sign of nervousness.
  • Relaxation: Top alpha males are always relaxed, turning their head slowly when someone calls their name, demonstrating control over the situation rather than being controlled by others' social status or sex.
  • Location: They always choose the best location in a conversation to have an overview of the situation and spread out their body, taking as much space as needed.
  • Not checking out girls: Alpha males avoid checking out every attractive woman, instead expecting women to prove themselves to them.

• Brainwashing

  • The term "brainwashing" is commonly used in association with thought reform.
  • Its origin can be traced to a 1950 article by Edward Hunter, referring to thought reform implemented by the Chinese government on American military personnel held captive. Prisoners under this influence might become compliant or loyal to their captors.
  • The United States Army officially denied that brainwashing was used on American prisoners during the Korean War, as research produced no evidence.
  • The CIA developed its own brainwashing program in 1950 in response to other governments' experiments, exploring the topic at a covert level for decades.
  • Religious groups and cults have also used thought reform since the 1960s. One common method is to disassociate individuals from friends, family, and colleagues, making them easier to manipulate.
  • Margaret Singer and John Ja Lich described six main steps used to exert thought reform:
    1. Ensure the person is unaware anything suspicious is happening.
    2. Create a manipulated and isolated physical and social setting.
    3. Make the person being manipulated feel powerless.
    4. Manipulate through punishment and reward to disassociate the individual from former behaviour and lifestyle.
    5. Implement reward and punishment to make the group and its ideals appealing.
    6. Exert absolute authority over the manipulated individual.
  • Edward Bernay, Sigmund Freud's nephew, believed thought manipulation was essential for social structure and used it for successful marketing and public relations campaigns (e.g., Ivory Soap, promoting cigarettes using feminism, overthrowing Guatemala's government).
  • While often seen negatively, some believe thought manipulation (like hypnosis and guided imagery) can be used for positive purposes such as stopping smoking, losing weight, changing careers, improving self-fulfillment, altering thinking errors, and managing anger or anxiety.

• Brainwave Entertainment

  • In the context of mind control, brainwave entertainment refers to altering the frequency of brain waves to a specific value.
  • Particular frequencies are associated with specific experiences like deep meditation states or lucid dreaming.
  • It typically requires a high-quality pair of headphones and a binaural beat session.
  • Other technologies include isopronic tones, monaurial beats, and fodic dive (which uses light to stimulate the brain and is very powerful).
  • It helps to improve mental dysfunction disabilities such as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and other mental disorders.

C

• Clairvoyance

  • Defined as the obvious ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through means aside from the known human senses.
  • It is considered a form of extra sensory perception (ESP).
  • An individual possessing this ability is called a clairvoyant.
  • Subclasses of clairvoyance include:
    • Clairsentience: related to touching and feeling.
    • Clairaudience: related to hearing.
    • Clarescent: related to smelling.
    • Clear Aliens (Clairalience): related to tasting (misspelling in source, typically "clairalience").
    • Clear Cognance (Claircognizance): related to knowing.
    • Clear Gustance (Clairgustance): related to tasting (repeated, likely a transcription error, typically "clairgustance").

• Commitment and Dependability (Influence Principle)

  • This principle is crucial for influential success.
  • For example, when asking someone on a date, Josh needs to be committed to the task, and Jane needs to know he isn't going to deceive her.
  • A lack of commitment or deceit in influencing will not work in the long term and can lead to harm.
  • It implies that all parties involved should receive a fair deal.

• Communication (in NLP)

  • NLP, or Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is an education program that involves both human senses and their communication methods.
  • It can significantly help individuals develop new behaviours and better habits.
  • NLP helps individuals formulate great, concise, and clear words for communication, aiding in self-confidence development.
  • It encourages individuals to set a goal to have clear and sound communication with friends and family to work out issues and get rid of negative aspects.
  • Using one's five senses is needed for communication in NLP training.
  • It offers alternative communication methods like chat, mails, or emails for those who struggle with verbal communication.
  • NLP also plays a role in overcoming mental barriers related to communication, such as the fear of public speaking.
  • Consistency and honesty are vital for clear communication in maintaining influence.
  • The ability to listen deeply, read body language, and be open to ideas are important communication tools for influencing others.

• Confidence

  • Alpha males exude confidence in nearly everything they do, stemming from their self-assurance and belief in their abilities.
  • It builds through practice and experience, and one of the easiest ways to develop it is to "fake it till you make it" by mimicking confident behaviours.
  • An alpha male's unshakable confidence comes from within, not external factors like social status or surroundings. This confidence makes them less likely to be rejected.
  • A true alpha male knows what he wants and has the confidence to approach any situation with a sincere drive.
  • It is a key trait of those who wield influence.

• Conscience

  • Defined as a moral sense of right and wrong.
  • This psychological construct affects a person's behaviour and encourages functional behaviour.
  • Consciousness, thinking, awareness, and self-awareness are all relevant facets of conscience.
  • It is conceptualised as a "glass of water" ranging from empty to full, with most people's reservoirs being 1/2 to 3/4 filled.
  • The less conscience a person possesses, the more apt they are to victimise others, with the severest outcome being the criminal, deviant, or sociopathic mind.
  • The ability to sincerely say "I'm sorry" requires an internal reservoir called conscience.

• Concentration (Mind Control)

  • Concentration and focus are key for individuals who can control their minds well, such as top businessmen, leaders, and sports figures.
  • When a person learns to concentrate and focus on one thing at a time, it becomes a very effective mind controlling tool.
  • Concentration meditation is a technique where a person focuses attention on internal breathing or an external object like a candle flame.

• Covert/Conversational Hypnosis

  • This is a mind control technique derived from NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming) procedures.
  • It allows someone to control the thoughts of another person while seemingly talking to them as usual.
  • The planted thought later appears as a new theory to the other person, who believes they conceived it themselves, thus enabling manipulation and mind control.
  • This power can be used to gain power over conversations and interactions, solve problems, avoid/resolve conflicts, and persuade others, which is useful in sales pitches.

• Courageous (Alpha Male Trait)

  • Being courageous doesn't mean the absence of fear, but rather the ability to push fear aside and overcome obstacles.
  • Alpha males push themselves to break out of their comfort zone and face fears daily, which makes them comfortable with the uncomfortable and allows them to perform courageous acts.

• Criticism

  • Feedback, including criticism, is needed for a person to analyse their weaknesses and grow.
  • The fear of receiving criticism is strong in many people.

D

• Dark Psychology

  • This field encompasses persuasion, mind control, hypnosis, influence, and other techniques.

• Dark Side (Jungian Psychology)

  • In Jungian psychology, the "dark side" is referred to as the "shadow".
  • This aspect of the self contains dark impulses and hurtful inclinations within us that we may not be aware of or may be afraid to confront.
  • Signs of knowing your dark side include:
    • Awareness of how your criticisms, judgments, and anger towards others reflect your own weaknesses (a psychological defense mechanism called projection).
    • Recognising that pain, evil, and suffering exist in the world and inside yourself.
    • Knowing that your words or actions can sometimes express fear, anxiety, jealousy, envy, covetousness, greed, contempt, and spite.
  • Benefits of confronting and knowing your dark side:
    • Using creativity and imagination (e.g., drawing, mind mapping) to acknowledge disowned parts of yourself.
    • Healing relationships through more honest self-examination and direct communication, addressing hidden grudges.
    • Recognising what you project onto others, which shapes opinions and allows freedom from guilt and shame.
    • Diffusing negative emotions from daily routines.
    • Achieving genuine self-acceptance and complete self-knowledge.
  • It is best to be aware of these negative feelings and process them through psychotherapy.

• Deception

  • The dictionary defines deception as deliberately causing someone to believe something that is not true.
  • It is considered one of the "sins embedded in human nature" and can be practiced by anyone.
  • Deception can appeal to the mind or emotions, using the human desire for knowledge or information as bait.
  • It can target the mind (untrue or distorted facts), the body (performing acts with hidden side effects), or the human spirit.
  • The most serious form of deception is that directed towards the human spirit, as it can ultimately determine one's "eternal destiny".

• Depression

  • A psychological condition that can be treated through hypnosis.
  • Psychologically, depression is one of the negative qualities associated with the colour black.

• Determination

  • A crucial factor in achieving desired outcomes; through NLP, individuals can realise they can achieve whatever they want as long as they are determined, skilled, and motivated enough.
  • It is one of the factors influencing the effectiveness of hypnotism.
  • Patience and determination are a must for mastering mentalism.
  • If you want to become an alpha male, you must make up your mind to succeed no matter what, demonstrating determination.

• Disassociation (Psychology/Hypnosis)

  • This technique was used by neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot and his pupil Pierre Janet in the 1880s to treat mental conditions, especially hysteria.
  • It involves compartmentalising some of the data stored in the mind, allowing aspects like particular skills or memories from the past to be hidden or retrieved.
  • These landmark experiments influenced later works by Alfred Binet and Sigmund Freud.
  • It is also a method of thought reform used by cults to manipulate people on a spiritual level.

• Dominance (Alpha Male Mentality)

  • An alpha male will naturally assume a dominant role, and other people tend to follow him.
  • This dominance does not mean stepping on or controlling others.
  • Their dominant attitude is a main reason why many women are attracted to them.

• Dreams

  • In the context of subconscious mind power techniques, dream interpretations involve assigning meaning to dreams to better understand messages from the subconscious mind.

E

• Eating Disorders

  • These are problem habits that can be curbed through long-term therapy with the aid of hypnosis.

• Edgar Cayce (The Sleeping Prophet)

  • Known as "The Sleeping Prophet," he would induce out-of-body and near-death experiences through self-hypnosis.
  • While in a trance state, he would provide readings and diagnoses to people he had never met.
  • His followers documented nearly 14,000 "journeys into the spirit realm" made through his subconscious mind, which he referred to as the soul.

• Edward Bernay

  • The nephew of Sigmund Freud, he lived through most of the 20th century.
  • Bernay believed that thought manipulation was an essential function in any social structure.
  • He successfully used this type of manipulation to run several marketing and public relations campaigns, such as convincing Americans that Ivory Soap was superior, using the feminist movement to promote cigarettes, and creating propaganda that overthrew the government of Guatemala.

• Empathy (Influence Strategy)

  • One of the 14 ways to expand influence is to practice empathy.
  • This involves taking the time to understand the feelings, motivations, and concerns of others.
  • The source explicitly states that it must be genuine, as people will not care about your ideas unless you genuinely care about them.
  • It is a crucial personal characteristic in the influencing process.

• Entertainment (Mentalism and Magic)

  • Mentalism and magic are now perceived as performing arts rather than superhuman accomplishments.
  • To be successful in mentalism and magic for entertainment, it is crucial to engage the audience through light-hearted talk and humour.
  • Adding entertainment value is one of the principles of stage magic, warming up spectators with card tricks or simple magic tricks.
  • Connecting and establishing a rapport with the audience is a primary goal for a magician or mentalist.
  • Success involves captivating attention, distracting from surroundings, and making the audience believe they are seeing supernatural powers.

• ESP (Extra Sensory Perception)

  • Also known as "second sight" in traditional cultures.
  • It is defined as the clear capability to acquire information by paranormal means, independent of any known physical senses or prior experience.
  • Clairvoyance is considered a form of ESP.

• Exercise (Mind Control)

  • Exercising your mind and body is of utmost importance for mind control.
  • Many wrongly assume that good eating and concentration are enough, but physical fitness is necessary to "take the stride for the strive".
  • Doing regular exercise is a useful technique for controlling the mind.

F

• Faith (in Hypnosis)

  • The effect of hypnosis depends on your motivation, willingness, and faith to make it work for you.

• Failure

  • From a positive perspective, an individual greatly needs failure to gain courage and guts to face challenges.
  • Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) helps people develop a mental setup to figure out how to face or take failures in a helpful way, avoiding mental barriers to confidence and courage.
  • An alpha male doesn't see "failure" as long as they give their best effort.

• Fear

  • Hypnosis can help overcome fears such as the fear of lying or the fear of flying.
  • The fear of rejection is strong in many people, but NLP explains that it must be accepted that not everyone will like you.
  • The fear of public speaking can be overcome with NLP, allowing individuals to speak to a crowd calmly without mental or emotional barriers.
  • Psychological perception of danger causes physical responses.
  • Fear is often interconnected with other negative emotions like lack of confidence, embarrassment, dejection, inactivity, anxiety, blame, injury, consternation, stress, and panic.
  • Conscious fear is based on bad experiences or negative information received from others (e.g., a child fearing darkness after being told what might be in it). This includes phobias of concrete situations or objects.
  • Unconscious fear is a simple fear not based on experience, such as the fear of uncertainty or the unidentified (e.g., children fearing noises). We fear unknown things because we fear bad unknown things, not good ones.
  • Fear of darkness is an inherent human trait dating back to prehistoric times, rooted in the vulnerability to predators in the dark. In modern times, it often revolves around fictional spectres.
  • Hypnosis can help overcome fear of darkness by:
    1. Understanding the fear's origin.
    2. Going back to recall traumatic memories, re-experiencing them with an older state of mind to realise the dark isn't scary. (Often needs a professional).
    3. Removing the fear by immersing oneself in darkness to redefine its concept, associating it with safety, peace, comfort, and sleep.
  • Being aware of your own fears and anxieties is part of knowing your "dark side".

• Financial Success

  • Hypnosis can aid in becoming an effective business person and seeing financial growth.
  • However, it is not a guaranteed "cure-all" for financial success.

• Fitness/Coordination (Alpha Male Trait)

  • While not requiring a "super ripped" physique, an alpha male possesses a certain degree of fitness and coordination.
  • They are in control of their every move, moving with purpose and efficiency.
  • Their body is a tool they can rely on for running or defending themselves in dangerous situations.

• Friendship and Trust (Influence Principle)

  • Trust is central to influence; you cannot influence someone who does not trust you.
  • Past deceit can be incredibly detrimental to building trust.
  • Building a strong relationship with peers is essential for influencing their decisions.
  • Public perception aids influence, as being friendly, helpful, and valuable to others helps to win people to like and trust you.
  • It is one of the seven major shortcuts to influence people.

• Fudge Factor Theory

  • This theory explains how individuals can benefit from dishonesty while still maintaining a positive self-image.
  • It is a balancing act of rationalisation, where people cheat "by only a little bit".
  • When the ability to rationalise selfish desires increases, so does the "fudge factor," making one more comfortable with misbehaviour. Conversely, reducing this ability shrinks the fudge factor.

G

• Guided Imagery
  • This technique is described as a form of thought manipulation.
  • It is often performed in a counseling office with the assistance of a counselor.
  • It can help a person transform negative thought patterns into positive ones, leading to changes in habits and thoughts detrimental to well-being.

H

• Heterohypnosis

  • One of the two ways hypnosis is generally performed, where a hypnotist (another person) induces a state of trance and openness to suggestions.
  • It differs from autohypnosis, which is self-induced.

• History of Hypnosis

  • Hypnosis has been known for thousands of years.
  • Historically, altering consciousness was practiced by shamans, Wiccans, spirit mediums, and spiritual doctors.
  • Ancient civilisations like Egypt and Greece recorded rituals (similar to hypnosis, meditation, visualisation, and drugs) as the fastest way to contact the spiritual realm.
  • Experiences akin to deep sleep and anaesthesia were noted in religious documents, including the Old Testament and the Talmud.
  • Early practices include aiding childbirth (similar to Caesarean operations) where mothers reportedly felt no pain with midwives using herbs, oils, and soothing chants.
  • Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer (late 1700s, Austrian physician) introduced it to science, developing the concept of "animal magnetism" and coining "mesmerize". He believed in a mystical force channelled from himself to subjects.
  • In the 19th century, Abby Faria dismissed animal magnetism, attributing hypnotism to the power of suggestion.
  • James Braid (Scottish surgeon, 1842) was a turning point, attributing the trance state to a physiological process and coining the terms "hypnotism" and "hypnosis" (from the Greek word for sleep). He believed prolonged ocular fixation caused "nervous sleep".
  • Later, Braid and contemporaries (Ambrosie Auguste Liébeault, Hippolyte Bernheim, J.M. Charcot) were drawn to the impact of psychological motivation in hypnosis. They also pioneered medical hypnosis to treat psychological and physical symptoms.
  • Dr. James Esdaile (British doctor in India) is known as the "father of hypnoesthesia" for performing nearly 400 pain-controlled operations under hypnosis with zero reported pain, death, or post-operation infections. He integrated Western medicine with traditional Bengal trance therapy.
  • Interest in hypnotism waned with the advancement of chemical anaesthetics after the deaths of Braid and Esdaile.
  • It made a comeback in the 1880s with new versions of Braid's work, leading to new experiments in treating hysteria by Charcot and his pupil Pierre Janet using disassociation. These works influenced Sigmund Freud.
  • Ambroise Auguste Liébeault coined "rapport" to mean the critical consensus needed between hypnotist and subject.
  • During World War I and II, hypnotism served as a weapon, tactical device, intelligence technique, and medical tool. It was used to treat war trauma (repressed memories, amnesia), acquire military intelligence (protect classified information by suggesting courier would forget it), and for behaviour modification (infiltrating enemy ranks, as detailed by H. Essa Brooks' "split personality" technique).

• History of Mind Control

  • The history of thought manipulation is considered fascinating, with some believing it has been used by government agencies, religious movements, and cults.
  • The term "brainwashing" originated in 1950 by Edward Hunter, referring to thought reform by the Chinese government.
  • The CIA developed its own brainwashing program in 1950 to remain competitive in thought reform.
  • Religious groups and cults have used thought reform since the 1960s, often by disassociating people from their social networks to make them more susceptible to manipulation.
  • Edward Bernay made significant progress in thought reform, believing it was essential for social structure and applying it to marketing and public relations campaigns.
  • Despite negative uses, thought manipulation, through techniques like hypnosis and guided imagery, is believed by many to be usable for positive purposes such as changing unhealthy behavioural patterns and improving well-being.

• Honesty

  • It is one of the two qualities (with discipline) needed for successful NLP training.
  • Humans are described as being torn by a "fundamental conflict": a deep propensity to lie to themselves and others, alongside a desire to be seen as good and honest people.
  • Consistency and honesty are vital for clear communication in maintaining influence.
  • It is a trait of positive influences.
  • The authenticity and honesty of an influencer are reasons they are effective and can convert audiences into customers.

• Humour (Alpha Male Trait)

  • An alpha male knows how to work a room and deliver a well-timed joke, which is seen as attractive and leader-like.
  • Telling a joke takes guts, as there's a risk of it "bombing" and lowering social value. An alpha male understands this and uses it to his advantage by mastering the intricacies of humour.
  • Humour plays a big role in attraction for alpha males, who can make people laugh simply by being self-amusing.
  • In mentalism and magic shows, it's important to bring in a lot of humour and light-hearted talk to keep the mood light and the audience engrossed.

• Hypnosis/Hypnotism

  • Hypnosis refers to the ability of changing thoughts and behavioural patterns with a trance state of mind, involving the human subconscious mind.
  • The word "hypnosis" is derived from the Greek word "hypnos," meaning sleep.
  • How it works:
    • Hypnosis experts normally use it on a subconscious level.
    • It focuses on a particular word or person and has a powerful effect on the intellect, leading to individual surrender and allowing people to focus on achieving goals despite challenges.
    • Being under hypnotism forces the mind to focus intensely on a specific object (e.g., pendulum, monotone voice, breathing).
    • It makes the subconscious mind more open.
    • Messages can be sent at the frequency used by the subconscious mind, which are recognised at a higher conscious level, allowing suggestions to be made without conscious awareness.
  • Uses and Benefits:
    • Developing self-esteem and courage.
    • Removing addictions like smoking, drug use, eating disorders, and sexual disorders.
    • Overcoming fears, such as the fear of flying or lying, or fear of public speaking and darkness.
    • Treating certain problems and psychological conditions like anxiety, depression, trauma, and phobias.
    • Developing skills and characteristics.
    • Showing one's true inner self.
    • As a natural form of anaesthesia or painkiller for surgery, dentistry, childbirth, and war wounds.
    • Aiding post-surgery recovery by preventing infection, relieving discomfort, and increasing recovery speed.
    • Behaviour modification, going beyond superficial acts to help with long-term psychological conditions.
    • Treating physical problems due to psychological factors (psychosomatic illnesses) like child asthma, ulcers, hypertension, endocrine disturbances, and potentially heart disease, cancer, stroke, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
    • Legal aid, helping witnesses and victims recall critical information from crime scenes by intensely focusing on memories. However, police do not solely rely on it as people can still lie or withhold information.
    • Age regression to revisit past incidents for insights.
    • Improving learning capacity, memory sharpness, and performance in sports.
    • Helping with speech defects and impressive personality changes.
    • Potentially aiding in financial growth and making one an effective business person.
    • Helping insomniacs achieve sound sleep.
    • Can make you feel refreshed and free when worn out, or help you fall asleep.
    • Used as a form of thought manipulation for positive change.
  • Limitations and Misconceptions:
    • Should be done with the help of an expert or professional therapist, ideally licensed; never consider being hypnotised by a non-expert as it involves your intellect and whole being.
    • It is an alternative, not always vital or necessary.
    • A person cannot be hypnotised against their will. If your intellect is programmed not to be hypnotised, you won't be. Your intellect and will are more powerful.
    • It cannot force you to do things against your principles, instincts, or moral standards (e.g., committing illegal or immoral acts, removing clothes). Your sense of right and wrong remains unbroken. While suggestions can make you more open and easily manipulated to an extent, you can still refuse to follow them.
    • It is not a "cure-all" for all problems. There is insufficient evidence to support it as a standalone treatment for some conditions (e.g., smoking cessation).
    • Effectiveness varies by case and depends on the subject's motivation, willingness, and faith. There are no guarantees, and results can be temporary.
    • It won't make you younger or necessarily take away pain, but it can fool pain sensors.
    • Popular culture often portrays hypnotism with a "creepy mystical glow" and bad reputation, showing people acting like zombies or chickens, but this is a misconception. People under hypnosis are more alert than before, not dreaming or sleeping.
    • It is a neutral force; its impact depends on who wields it and how it is used.
    • It is vulnerable to abuse because it does not take much work to learn.
    • It is not a substitute for medical and psychological treatment. Masking pain can be dangerous if it prevents diagnosis of serious illness.
    • People under hypnosis can still decide for themselves, lie, or choose not to divulge secrets.
    • It cannot exert superpowers or make a Muslim eat pork unless they already "don't care".
    • Some individuals use supposed hypnotic skills as con artists by using actors to fool crowds for money.
  • Types/Methods:
    • Heterohypnosis: Induced by a hypnotist.
    • Autohypnosis / Self-hypnosis: Self-induced.
    • Intense Focus: Subject gazes fixedly at an object (pendulum, spiral, candle flame) until everything else tunes out.
    • "Sir, Yes Sir" (Rapid Induction): Hypnotist uses unexpected and fierce commands to convince the subject they are completely under control.
    • "Take it Easy" (Progressive Relaxation and Imagery): Aims to put the subject in a state of full relaxation and ease, making them open to suggestions. Often used by psychiatrists for patients with ailments or stress. Also used in self-hypnosis and meditation.
    • Covert/Conversational Hypnosis: Uses NLP to subtly plant thoughts in another person's subconscious without their explicit consent.
    • Stage Hypnosis: A technique used by showman hypnotists to manipulate volunteer participants for entertainment. Professional stage hypnotists use similar techniques, tweaked for entertainment. Volunteers often "go along with the show" because it's their will or they feel obliged to behave as expected. Stage tricks (lighting, sound, props, illusions) are often used to enhance the impact.
  • Signs of successful hypnosis (what hypnotists look for):
    • Red eye: Due to increased blood flow from weakened eye muscles.
    • Rapid eye movement (REM): Similar to deep sleep/dreaming.
    • Fluttering of eyelids or side-to-side movement of eyeballs.
    • Increased moisture in eye area ("crying game") from extreme muscle relaxation around tear ducts.
    • Body temperature modification: Pulse rate lowers, causing a change in warmth (can be cold or deeply warm).
    • Eyes rolling back or seeming to aim out of the forehead.
  • It is a valuable tool used by doctors and therapists for healing, freeing, and stimulating the mind.
  • It is one of the three most popular methods for reaching the subconscious mind, relying on repetition.

• Hypnotist

  • A person who induces a state of hypnosis.
  • Hypnosis should be done with the help of an expert or professional therapist, who is ideally licensed. You must give your sole trust to this expert.
  • A hypnotist uses techniques to work on a subconscious level to help people.
  • Early figures include Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer, who believed in "animal magnetism".
  • Abby Faria declared that hypnotism was due to the power of suggestion.
  • James Braid coined the terms "hypnotism" and "hypnosis" and believed the trance state was physiological.
  • Dr. James Esdaile was known as the "father of hypnoesthesia" for using hypnosis for pain control in surgery.
  • Ambroise Auguste Liébeault coined the term "rapport".
  • A hypnotist does not have paranormal powers, "strange animal magnetism," or religious affiliations.
  • To initiate a session, they use a specific visual element to concentrate on, soothing music, and a convincing, authoritative spiel repeated in a monotone.
  • Their ability and experience, along with the subject's motivation and mental conditioning, affect the results of hypnosis.
  • They cannot force subjects to do things against their will.
  • Stage hypnotists are professional entertainers who tweak techniques for entertainment, pre-selecting susceptible volunteers to ensure a successful show. They often use stage tricks and theatrical elements.
  • They watch for specific signs (e.g., red eyes, REM, temperature changes) to determine if a subject is ready for suggestions.
  • Hypnotists can guide subjects into deep relaxation and use visual imagery to promote well-being, especially for psychosomatic illnesses.

• Hysteria

  • A mental condition that was treated through hypnosis using the technique of disassociation in the 1880s by neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot and his pupil Pierre Janet.

I

• Identity (Social Media Influencer)

  • To be a successful social media influencer, one needs to establish a distinctive online persona.
  • This requires a clear sense of direction in content creation and a reputation as the reference point for specific interests.
  • A true influencer creates waves and doesn't just follow fads with generic content, balancing avant-garde ideas with market preferences.
  • The first tip for becoming an effective influencer is to determine "what is your niche?" by focusing on your passion and what unique value you can offer.

• Indifference (Alpha Male Trait)

  • Alpha males appear nonchalant or unconcerned – they are carefree.
  • This indifference draws not only women but people in general towards them, as others are accustomed to chasing approval. An alpha male is just fine with or without others.

• Influence

  • Influence is defined as the ability to get what you want, persuade others, or maintain a position of authority. It is also defined as the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behaviour of someone.
  • Motives: The first issue in influence is having moral and noble motives, and whether they are beneficial to others, grounded in respect, integrity, and compassion.
  • Not guaranteed by position: A certain role or title, knowledge, or wealth does not guarantee influence. Mother Teresa and Jesus are given as examples of influential people who were poor.
  • Why we lose it: People lose influence due to stupid choices, actions, decisions, ego, arrogance, or plain stupidity, or by believing their passion, title, or role is sufficient to maintain it. Influence is lost when others stop trusting, respecting, or believing in you, your motives, purposes, or goals.
  • Why we need it: To get what we want, whether it's specific behaviours from others, adding to our personal worth, or benefiting mankind. It is required for nearly every human behaviour, from being treated with respect to disarming conflict.
  • How to maintain it: By having moral and noble motives, maintaining integrity in actions and decisions, behaving in a way that increases trust, acting with understanding and compassion, treating others with respect, and improving communication with clarity, consistency, and honesty.
  • Seven Major Shortcuts/Principles (use with caution, too much can seem desperate):
    1. Commitment and Dependability: Being committed to the task and ensuring others perceive you as trustworthy and fair.
    2. Reciprocation and Exchange: Humans are designed to remember favors and return them; doing good often precedes receiving good.
    3. Unanimity and Conquer (Social Proof): The more people on your side, the greater your influence; people tend to follow the tide. Testimonials and reviews are examples in business.
    4. Friendship and Trust: Trust is central; influencing someone who doesn't trust you is unlikely. Past deceit is detrimental.
    5. Power or Scarcity: Rarity and exclusivity sell; being a "scarce resource" (e.g., an "extra nice guy") can increase influence.
    6. Authority: People tend to comply more with perceived authority (e.g., doctors' diplomas, lawyers' books). This may not directly apply to romantic relationships.
    7. Integrity: The most important principle; loss of integrity leads to failure, self-doubt, and a distorted self-image.
  • Patience is the eighth principle needed for long-term benefits, as building authority and goodwill can take years.
  • Positive Influence:
    • Increasingly important in the interconnected world.
    • It is a two-way street, requiring awareness of the situation and different points of view.
    • Requires considering personality types, how others perceive you (cooperative vs. demanding), and potential conflicts.
    • Personal characteristics like credibility, believability, reputation, and trustworthiness are vital.
    • Strategies include appealing to friendship, reasoned approaches, group belonging, or authority.
    • A strong social network is an important asset.
    • Utilise effective communication tools (presentation, deep listening, body language, openness to ideas).
    • Cultivate interdependence.
    • Positive influences are optimistic, disciplined, confident, supportive, cheerful, honest, and loving. They empower you to control your destiny.
    • Attitudes are contagious, so surround yourself with positive influences and separate from negative ones.
    • The amount of approval craved affects how much others influence you; avoid living to impress others.
    • "Opposites don't attract, likes do" in influence; positive influences multiply when they gather.
  • Negative Influence: To be avoided or weakened; these people are pessimistic, complaining, hopeless, deceptive, and believe life is a struggle. They try to hold you back.
  • What makes an effective influencer:
    • Building strong relationships and earning trust.
    • Pointing out advantages of propositions.
    • Branding themselves (e.g., as the face of a company or organization).
    • Displaying flexibility and adapting when goals aren't met.
    • Being their own authors (writing books adds credibility and branding).
    • Foreseeing and neutralising resistance.
    • Being versatile in content creation and channels.
    • Understanding the needs and wants of their audiences.
    • Sharing their fortune and expertise.
    • Voicing out in front of people (e.g., blogging, speaking).
  • Tips for effective influencing:
    1. Be a good listener.
    2. Give more to get more (e.g., helping teammates).
    3. Form partnerships and collaborations; open brainstorming creates brilliant ideas.
  • Steps to grow influence capacity:
    1. Value influence as a means to shift lives positively.
    2. Cultivate personal influence by nurturing character, talents, and abilities.
    3. Influence by association: Utilize relationships with influential people (mentors, endorsements).
    4. Manage influence like a commodity: budget, invest, multiply, and pass on.
    5. Increase positive influence through positive relational deposits.
    6. Influence withdrawals: Healthy demands and tension in relationships can lead to greater team performance and stronger teams.
  • 14 ways to expand influence:
    1. Understand it: Recognise your existing impact on others.
    2. Be a person of integrity and values: Be consistent and stand for your brand.
    3. Be authentic and transparent: Build trust by being real and honest.
    4. Accept responsibility: Proactively accept blame and learn from mistakes.
    5. Be a solution seeker: Focus on solutions rather than complaining.
    6. Be proactive: Take the lead, generate ideas, take risks, create movements.
    7. Practice empathy: Genuinely care about others' feelings and motivations.
    8. Appreciate and recognise others: Publicly acknowledge efforts to reinforce positive behaviours.
    9. Respond versus react: Control your response to circumstances, thinking through options.
    10. Bring out the best in others: Leverage influence for the good of others, helping them realise their potential.
    11. Practice the golden rule: Treat others as you wish to be treated; it is reciprocal.
    12. Be a giver: Share knowledge freely and often.
    13. Go above and beyond: Hold yourself to a higher standard, challenging others to do the same.
    14. Have a vision: Know where you are going to get others to follow you; be clear and communicate expectations.
  • Influencing skills: Seven critical elements: self-awareness, understanding others, understanding groups, influencing individuals, networking, influencing groups, and building trust.

• Integrity (Influence Principle)

  • Considered the most important of the seven principles of influence.
  • Any loss of integrity or deceit comes at a cost, leading to self-doubt, guilt, and a distorted self-image.
  • It is crucial for maintaining influence and avoiding failure in the long run.
  • It is a core quality for successful social media influencers; they must genuinely like a brand to sell it, otherwise, their reputation is debased.
  • A person of integrity lets who they say they are be reflected in all that they do, remaining consistent and not taking shortcuts.
  • It is a trait of positive influences.

J

• James Braid

  • A Scottish surgeon whose research in 1842 was a turning point in the study of Mesmer's ideas.
  • He was one of the first scientists to attribute the process of going into a trance to a physiological process.
  • Braid believed the trance state was not caused by the hypnotist's magnetic power, but by hard, protracted attention on a striking moving object (like a clock necklace or pendulum), which would exhaust the brain and cause "nervous sleep".
  • He coined the terms "hypnotism" and "hypnosis" from the Greek word for sleep.
  • Later, Braid and his contemporaries (Liébeault, Bernheim, Charcot) were drawn to the impact of psychological motivation in hypnosis.

• James Esdaile (Dr.)

  • A British doctor who practiced in India.
  • He is known as the "father of hypnoesthesia".
  • Performed nearly 400 pain-controlled operations with patients under hypnosis.
  • His cases included eye, ear, and throat operations, amputations, and tumour removals, with zero reported pain or death under his "mental anaesthesia".
  • He also hypnotically suggested to patients that their wounds would not result in infection or side effects, and reportedly no one caught post-operation side effects.
  • Many believed his patients' subconscious minds responded well to his suggestions, launching antibodies to fight infections.

• Journaling

  • A tool used to support other mind power techniques by reinforcing efforts to connect the conscious and subconscious mind.

K

• Kinesthetic Persons
  • In the context of mind reading, kinesthetic persons are those who primarily use "kinesthetic words" (related to feelings or sensations).
  • When asked a question, their eyes typically look down as they recognise a feeling or sensation connected to the query.
  • A mind reader can tailor their language to use kinesthetic words to build rapport with such individuals.

L

• Leadership (Mind Control / Influence)

  • The best leaders are often those who have mastered mind control techniques.
  • Learning to control the mind can lead one to emerge as a successful leader.
  • The source explicitly states: "Leadership is an influence. Nothing more, nothing less".
  • It should not be viewed as a title, office, or job description, because someone who thinks they lead but has no one following is "only taking a walk".
  • Leaders need to understand their strengths and weaknesses and delegate roles where others on their team are stronger.
  • With influence comes responsibility for the well-being of those you lead.
  • Positive leaders add value to people, while negative ones "suck the life out of them".

• Legal Aid (Hypnosis)

  • Hypnosis has been used as legal aid to help witnesses and victims of crime recall information from crime scenes.
  • It aids in pinpointing critical data by intensely focusing on memories related to the crime.
  • However, the police do not solely rely on hypnosis for solving crimes because even under hypnosis, the mind can be fragmented, and people can still lie or choose not to divulge secrets.

• Likability (Social Media Influencer)

  • A good influencer maintains their likability by investing time and effort in building trust and rapport with followers, clients, and other industry influencers.
  • Beyond appearance and creativity, an amicable personality is important.
  • Influencers need to establish healthy working relationships with brands and businesses; given similar influence, businesses prefer those who are easier to work with over "divas".
  • Common courtesy is essential for likability.

• Locus of Control

  • In a healthy context, mind control aims to put the individual more in control of their own life and internal resources, which psychologists refer to as a "locus of control".

M

• Magical Thinking (Teens)

  • This is a way of thinking observed in teens where they believe "it will never happen to me".
  • As a result, they do not think that anything bad can happen to them and may succumb to peer pressure, making negative choices like driving too fast, drinking, or engaging in risky sexual behaviour, without considering the consequences.

• Manipulation

  • Mind control is often used as a term for manipulating thoughts.
  • Edward Bernay extensively used thought manipulation for public relations and marketing.
  • Guided imagery can be described as a positive form of thought manipulation.
  • "Mind games" is an expression for psychological manipulation to gain advantage.
  • Unhealthy mind control is a destructive form of behaviour where someone takes away an individual's internal freedom and autonomy, making them compliant or dependent on someone else. This can range from cultic control to manipulative advertising or bullying.
  • While some alpha male behaviours are attractive, a true alpha male does not use trickery or manipulation.
  • True mind control techniques are subtle and not visible to casual observers or those trained in persuasive techniques.

• Meditation

  • Ancient civilisations used rituals similar to meditation to connect with the spiritual realm.
  • It is one of the available means for individuals to control their own mind.
  • Unlike other mind control techniques that activate the right hemisphere and imagination, the aim of meditation is the opposite: to stop thought creation.
  • There are hundreds of meditation techniques, including concentration meditation (focusing on internal breathing or a candle flame).
  • It is described as a great and effective way to control your mind.
  • Benefits are countless, and to see results, one must discipline themselves to practice daily.
  • It is one of the most popular methods used to reach the subconscious mind.
  • Meditation relaxes and quiets the conscious mind, making it easier to focus and listen to the subconscious mind by allowing thoughts or memories from the subconscious to come through more loudly.
  • It is a useful technique for mind control.

• Mentalism

  • Mentalism is a skill that consists of five major categories, now primarily connected to stage sorcery and psychological sorcery, perceived as a performing art rather than superhuman accomplishments.
  • It uses "slight of mind," whereas magic uses "slight of hand".
  • Five Major Categories:
    1. Telepathy: Mind reading, or the transfer of information or thoughts between people by means other than the five classical senses. Includes latent, precognitive, emotive, and superconscious telepathy.
    2. Psychokinesis: Movement from the mind, though cases like Uri Geller bending spoons have been reported, they have not been proven and are often disproved.
    3. Extra Sensory Perception (ESP): The ability to procure information by paranormal means, independent of known physical senses. Also known as "second sight".
    4. Precognition: The power to gain information about a future event through means other than known human senses. Skeptics attribute it to memory bias.
    5. Clairvoyance: The ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or event through means other than known senses. Includes subclasses like clairsentience, clairaudience, and clear cognance.
  • Earning a living as a mentalist: Possible through working tables at weddings/restaurants, cruise ships/holiday resorts (requires full stage act), creating/publishing books and DVDs, corporate events (experts in presentation and audience control), and organising one's own stage show (riskiest but can provide publicity).
  • Learning Mentalism: It is described as "very easy" through simplified methods, even for novices. It involves understanding that tricks are based on scientific methods, not supernatural powers.
  • Key Principles of Performance (often inseparable from stage act):
    1. Presentation (Stage Presence): Captivating audience attention to focus on the desired object or movement.
    2. Persuasion: Convincing the audience to follow what you say and do, building trust, often using humour to lower their guard.
    3. Throwing a Smoke Screen (Misdirection/Concealment): Misguiding or misdirecting the audience's attention to conceal background actions.
    4. Adding Entertainment Value: Incorporating funny or interesting acts (e.g., card tricks) to warm up spectators.
  • Mastering Mentalism (requires patience and determination):
    • Start with simple mind tricks and gradually move to complex ones.
    • Inculcate proper communicative skills and persuasive abilities.
    • "Look the part" and build "fluff" into conversation to enhance believability.
    • Mix routines with card tricks.
    • Mind reading is an essential part, focusing on persuasion and presentation skills in initial stages.
    • Misdirection and concealment are crucial for directing audience attention.
    • Requires keen observation and mental acuity.
    • Understanding how the human mind works is essential to make audiences believe in supernatural powers.
    • Knowledge of basic science concepts (gravity, force, air pressure) is helpful.
    • Consistent practice is vital to perfect the craft and avoid "flops".
    • Connecting with the audience and establishing rapport is key.
    • "Egg your audience on" and set them thinking on an idea, making them "eat out of your hands".

• Mesmerize

  • This word was invented from the practices of Dr. Franz Anton Mesmer in the late 1700s.
  • It is still used today to refer to the act of being in awe and dumbstruck by a specific figure.

• Mind Control

  • A broad term meaning to "seize control of the mind," which can refer to controlling one's own mind or the minds of others.
  • For controlling others' minds: Techniques are derived from various sciences and include hypnosis procedures and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). Covert or conversational hypnosis is one such method where a planted thought appears as a new idea to the other person, who believes they thought of it themselves. Traditional hypnosis and stage hypnosis are also mentioned.
  • For controlling one's own mind: A plethora of means are available, including self-hypnosis, the Silva method, meditation, and brainwave entertainment.
  • Supernatural vs. Achievable: While many people wrongly perceive mind control as supernatural, the truth is that everyone can control their own minds. You run your mind and feed it what you want.
  • Prerequisite: You cannot control others' minds unless you can control your own.
  • Best Mind Control Techniques (for self-control):
    1. Observation: Being a keen observer like James Bond.
    2. Leadership: Thinking like a leader.
    3. Concentration: Focus is key for top performers.
    4. Winner Mentality: Thinking like a winner who doesn't fear losing.
    5. Positive Attitude: Essential for avoiding failure.
    6. Exercise: Exercising both mind and body.
    7. Yoga: Centuries-old knowledge for absolute mind control through scientific postures.
  • Benefits of Self-Mind Control: Leads to being a better person, handling negative thoughts, effective decision-making, and unleashing the full potential of your subconscious mind. It enhances conscious and subconscious brain functions.
  • History: The history of thought manipulation is linked to brainwashing, CIA programs, religious cults, and the work of Edward Bernay.
  • Healthy vs. Unhealthy Mind Control:
    • Healthy: Puts the individual more in control of their own life and internal resources (locus of control), working for their benefit (e.g., proper hypnosis, self-help, visualisation).
    • Unhealthy: Takes away internal freedom and autonomy, making an individual compliant or dependent on someone else (e.g., cults, manipulative advertising, bullying).
  • Subtle Techniques: True mind control techniques are subtle, not visible to casual observers or those trained in persuasion. They are not "canned formulas" but provide deep insight into why people do what they do, allowing for varied, individualised approaches.
  • Why not everyone uses it: Many are not convinced by the power of hypnosis, viewing it as a mystery or dangerous. It requires an open mind and belief.
  • How it works (for controlling others): The brain works at different frequencies; messages sent at the subconscious frequency are recognised at a higher conscious level, allowing suggestions to be made without the person knowing.
  • It can enable leaders to influence millions, even inciting negative emotions, as seen with Adolf Hitler who reportedly had a mind control expert among his officers.

• Mind Games

  • An expression often used (e.g., by football managers) to imply psychological manipulation of another person to gain an advantage.
  • This is normally "fairly innocuous stuff".

• Mind-Reading

  • A term often used synonymously with telepathy, defined as the transfer of information or thoughts between people by means other than the five classical senses.
  • It is one of the amazing techniques of magic and mentalism, alongside levitation.
  • Techniques and Tips to Become a Mentalist (for mind-reading):
    • Be a keen observer and develop mental acuity.
    • Cold Reading: Reading a person based on their movements, dress, responses to questions, or deducing from fine details; sometimes simply common sense.
    • Understanding how the human mind works is crucial to make the audience believe you have supernatural powers.
    • Observe eye movements for clues:
      • Eyes looking up: Visual person, creating images for answers.
      • Eyes looking side to side: Auditory person, summoning sounds for answers.
      • Eyes looking down: Kinesthetic person, recognising feelings or sensations.
    • Tailor your language (e.g., using visual, auditory, or kinesthetic words) to build rapport and create a sense of similarity.
    • Consider the person's motivation and next action.
    • For magicians, presentation and convincing delivery are key.
    • Requires constant practice.
  • It is an essential part of mastering mentalism.

• Misdirection (Mentalism)

  • A crucial part of mastering mentalism, it involves drawing the audience's attention wherever the performer prefers.
  • Also referred to as "throwing a smoke screen," where the audience is misled to give 100% attention to something that is a distraction, while the true action happens concealed in the background.

• Motivation

  • Crucial for success in life; NLP helps individuals realise they can achieve what they want if they are determined, skilled, and motivated.
  • The motivation and mental conditioning of the subject are factors that affect the effectiveness of hypnosis.
  • Thoughts are described as the most motivating factor that affects the mind, making controlling thoughts primary for mind control.
  • Understanding what motivates others is part of practising empathy, a key influence strategy.

N

• Networking (Influence Strategy)

  • Building a strong network of people who share common interests is an important asset in attempting to influence others.
  • It allows for support, information, and advice.
  • Networking is often seen as a differentiator between "good and great" influencers.
  • It involves the ability to "work the room" and build a wide array of good personal contacts.
  • For alpha males, building a social network of other alpha males acts as "social proof" and can lead to invitations to events and connections with women.

• Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)

  • NLP is an education program that integrates human senses and communication methods.
  • Core Purpose/Benefits:
    • Aids individuals in developing new behaviours and better habits.
    • Helps in learning from prejudiced experiences.
    • Important for understanding how individuals create experiences in their mind and developing skills for better lifestyles and increased happiness.
    • Specialises in duplicating and learning talents, helping individuals become more determined and responsible.
    • Can enhance mental and physical talents through a mindset change.
    • Involves crucial components in fabricating necessary human experiences related to language and neurology, planned thoughts, and the psychological cognitive practices behind behaviour.
    • Provides insights into your inner self and tools for growth.
    • Helps in self-discovery, aiding in career choice and finding one's purpose.
    • Enables individuals to realise they can achieve what they want with determination, skill, and motivation.
    • Assists in developing better communication skills.
    • Helps people get more self-confidence and succeed in ventures.
    • Works by involving both human intellect and skills to communicate well.
    • Can help overcome shyness and explore new things through clear communication.
    • Requires discipline and honesty for successful training.
    • Helps in overcoming mental barriers such as the fear of rejection, fear of failure, and fear of public speaking.
    • Allows for a mental setup to achieve goals and face failures constructively.
  • Application:
    • Can be learned through specific training (various types exist) or self-study.
    • Its principles can be applied in various situations.
    • Can be expensive to attend formal training, making self-learning beneficial if one has guts, skills, and knowledge.
  • Relationship with Hypnosis: NLP is a "toolbox focused on personal development" that can help understand an individual's personality for mind control purposes. It is used in covert or conversational hypnosis.

O

• Observation (Mind Control)

  • A key technique for mind control, requiring one to "stop seeing" and "start observing" their surroundings.
  • It is considered an essential quality for mastering the art of mind control and for becoming a successful leader.
  • Being a keen observant is also fundamental for performing mind-reading techniques effectively.

• Optimism

  • Self-deception can be similar to optimism.
  • Optimistic people are a key trait of positive influences.
  • It is a common human trait that those who wield influence are often "blessed with".

P

• Pain

  • Hypnosis may not remove pain entirely, but it might "fool around with your pain sensors," making the pain seem virtually gone.
  • Physical pain occurs when a nervous impulse is transmitted from receptors to the brain, and the brain sends a response impulse to an organ.
  • Psychological pain occurs when the brain responds to changes in chemical processes in the body (e.g., under the influence of emotions), which then transmits a response impulse to an organ, causing pain. An example is fear of darkness causing heartache or discomfort in the throat.
  • Pain serves a purpose: "Pain is there to remind us that there is something wrong with us, no matter how unpleasant it is". Masking pain with hypnosis without addressing the underlying cause can lead to dangerous, life-threatening consequences.
  • The phrase "I'm sorry" originally meant both physical and psychological pain.

• Patience (Influence Strategy)

  • For long-term benefits in influence, patience is crucial, as it can take years for principles like reciprocation or building goodwill to yield results.
  • In learning mind control techniques like meditation, patience is required to see results and effectively control your mind.

• Peer Pressure

  • A significant issue many teens struggle with, influencing choices from simple things like shoes to serious matters like sexual practices or drinking.
  • Teens' susceptibility is amplified by their egocentric ("self-centered") thinking and "magical thinking" (believing "it will never happen to me"), leading them to disregard negative consequences.
  • Parents' influence is vital to combat peer pressure, as they still have the greatest influence over their teens.
  • Peers are people of the same age (e.g., classmates) who influence each other simply by spending time together.
  • Positive Peer Influence: Peers can encourage good grades, trying out for sports, or new artistic interests, leading to skill-building and strong brain development.
  • Negative Peer Influence: Examples include cutting class, drinking, or smoking. Teens may succumb to fit in, be liked, avoid ridicule, or out of curiosity.
  • Overcoming Peer Pressure:
    • Saying "no" sends a clear message for the future.
    • Choosing friends wisely is crucial, as a peer group can significantly influence one's life course, raising or lowering expectations.
    • Adult peer pressure also exists (e.g., pressure to attain wealth, physical fitness, career success).
    • Adults should ask: How do I deal with pressure (jealousy, excuses, or inspiration)?. Is what others have truly what I want, or just external pressure?. Would attaining it be a positive or negative influence on my life?. What steps am I taking daily to reach my goals if I truly want something?.
    • Ultimately, it's about being true to yourself and surrounding yourself with people who share high goals and bring you up.

• Personality (Alpha Male)

  • For women to be attracted to men with alpha male personalities, men should focus on:
    • Understanding what women want (e.g., being nice, paying attention, consistency, keeping cool even if women behave badly).
    • Stopping being a beta male and aiming for alpha male traits.
    • Respecting themselves, which leads women to respect them. Men need to be happy in relationships too.
    • Being responsible by equally dividing relationship responsibilities, granting women independence, and giving them space. Alpha males remember not to be "douchebags" by overburdening women.

• Phobias

  • Specific fears that can be treated with hypnosis.
  • They are referred to as a type of conscious fear.
  • The fear of darkness is psychological in nature and should be treated as a phobia in hypnosis sessions.

• Positive Attitude (Mind Control)

  • This is important for mind control, as without it, one becomes more prone to failure.
  • Improving a positive attitude towards everything helps to learn to control the mind in a better way.
  • An alpha male has a positive attitude and knows how to be self-amusing, which attracts women.
  • It is a trait of positive influences.

• Post-Hypnotic Suggestion

  • Any suggestion that is carried out a period of time after a hypnosis session is known as post-hypnotic suggestion.

• Power (Alpha Male)

  • The term "alpha male" is synonymous with power in society, groups, and as an individual.
  • Alpha males receive power on autopilot; they do not beg or squabble for it.
  • Their strength comes from deep within themselves, not from others.
  • They assume authority and power to get it.
  • The "cardinal step" to holding power over others is by holding power over yourself.

• Power or Scarcity (Influence Principle)

  • This principle states that scarcity sells.
  • People feel compelled to update to the newest phone or buy items when they are rare.
  • For an individual, being an "extra nice guy" may make him look like a scarce resource.
  • For a doctor, an "extra smile" can make them seem like a rarity.
  • For a business, exclusive product information can make it stand out.

• Precognition

  • Defined as the alleged power to gain information about a future event through means other than the known human senses.
  • Like other types of parapsychology, it has not been proven.
  • Skeptics suggest that human memory naturally tends to remember coincidences more than non-coincidences, leading people to remember when they were correct about a future event and forget when they were incorrect.

• Pre-selection (Stage Hypnosis)

  • Professional stage hypnotists typically initiate a pre-selection process before a show.
  • They call for volunteers from the audience (these are not "planted talents").
  • Through a series of hypnosis exercises, the hypnotist determines who among them is most susceptible and suggestible to hypnotism.
  • They select the highly suggestible ones and eliminate those not ready or open to let go, which ensures a faster pace and more successful hypnosis rate for an entertaining show.

• Presentation (Mentalism/Magic)

  • Also known as stage presence, it is crucial for a mentalist or magician.
  • The performer needs to captivate the audience's attention so they are not distracted and focus only on the desired object or hand movement.
  • A good mentalist talks and presents tricks in a way that makes them very believable and realistic, which is a key part of mind-reading techniques.
  • It is one of the principles of stage magic.

• Projection (Psychology)

  • A psychological defense mechanism where a person's criticisms, judgments, and anger towards other people reflect their own weaknesses.
  • We sometimes attribute characteristics to others that are actually our own weaknesses.
  • Recognising what you project onto others is a benefit of knowing your "dark side".

• Psychokinesis

  • Interpreted as "movement from the mind".
  • Many cases have been reported, but they have not been proven.
  • A famous case involves Uri Geller, who reportedly bent metal spoons using the power of his mind and participated in telekinesis experiments. It has been disproved repeatedly.

• Psychosomatic Illnesses

  • These are physical problems of the body that are rooted in complex psychological factors.
  • They are common when a person vulnerable to a specific illness faces stress, leading to "real measurable injury in the body".
  • Examples include child asthma, ulcers, hypertension, endocrine disturbances, and possibly heart disease, cancer, stroke, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis.
  • Hypnosis can aid in treating these by guiding the subject into deep relaxation, having them imagine their ill parts, and using visual imagery to promote well-being and ease pain/anxiety. The hypnotist can help the patient handle, overcome, or accept the pain.

• Public Perception (Influence Strategy)

  • Public perception can either aid or break your influence.
  • It is described as the "field that grows influence".
  • To cultivate it, one must strive to win people to like them by being friendly, helpful, servant-minded, and valuable to others.

R

• Rapport

  • The term was coined by Ambroise Auguste Liébeault in the 19th century.
  • It refers to the critical and required consensus between the hypnotist and the subject for a successful hypnosis session.
  • Today, it means a pleasant communication connection or "certain similarity in wavelength" between two parties.
  • Building trust and rapport is essential for social media influencers to maintain likability with followers, clients, and other influencers.
  • In mind-reading techniques, establishing rapport is crucial to provide the effect that you and the person share similarities.
  • It is an essential aspect of a magic show, where the magician must connect and establish rapport with the audience.
  • True mind control artists do not rely on 10-minute rapport building techniques, which can make a buyer feel cheated in the long run.

• Reciprocation and Exchange (Influence Principle)

  • Humans are naturally designed to remember favors and return them.
  • This principle suggests that you will likely have to do good before you can expect anything good in return.
  • For example, helping someone with a ride can slightly improve your chances of getting a date.
  • A salesman with genuine offers is more likely to get your business.
  • The long-term benefit of this principle may take years to materialise.

• Regret

  • An emotion that means to feel remorse or contrite about one's actions.
  • It is a vital term for adaptive living and, along with remorse, is often difficult for people to experience and admit.
  • It is part of the path of recognition, remorse, recovery, and rehabilitation.
  • Without remorse or regret for harmful actions, the probability of positive change is minimal.

• Relaxation (Hypnosis/Self-Hypnosis)

  • Hypnosis can induce a high level of relaxation.
  • Self-hypnosis is described as a calming, soothing experience that allows you to loosen up, ease tensions, relieve stress, and be comfortable.
  • The "Take it Easy" method of hypnosis aims to put the subject in a state of full relaxation, making them open to suggestions. This method, also known as progressive relaxation and imagery technique, is used in self-hypnosis and meditation.
  • Signs that a subject is entering a deep relaxation zone include a lowering pulse rate and a change in body warmth (either feeling cold or deeply warm).
  • For self-hypnosis, elements like a quiet venue, dim lighting, soothing music, pleasant smells (incense, aromatherapy), and comfortable physical sensations (soft cushions, clothes) help create an environment conducive to relaxation.
  • Meditation is important for reaching the subconscious mind because of how well it relaxes you and quiets your conscious mind. Hypnosis is similar to meditation in relaxation, but it goes further, connecting the conscious and subconscious.

• Remorse

  • A vital term for adaptive living and for sincerely communicating regret for misdeeds.
  • It is defined as a sense of deep regret and guilt for causing someone harm.
  • The severity of remorse can range from subtle to severe depending on the harm committed.
  • Its social purpose is to educate people on behaviour not acceptable in social interactions, and without it, people cannot learn to change their actions.
  • It is seen as necessary for the survival of society and to prevent isolation.
  • The sincerity of remorse is often suspected, and a person's character and integrity are seen as barometers of this sincerity. Genuine remorse is tied to newly learned behaviours that reduce the potential for repeated misdeeds.
  • It is part of the process of recognition, regret, recovery, and rehabilitation.
  • The ability to say "I'm sorry" and mean it requires an internal reservoir called conscience.

• Repetition (Subconscious Mind Power)

  • Repetition is vital for unleashing the full power of the subconscious mind.
  • To change ingrained original thoughts and beliefs, you must communicate with your subconscious mind by telling it what you believe in, which can take months.
  • An example is being told "you are stupid" repeatedly, which the subconscious adopts, hindering success; this can be changed by repeatedly telling yourself you are smart.
  • Meditation, hypnosis, and subliminal messages (the three most popular methods to reach the subconscious) all rely on repetition to unleash its full power.

• Responsibility

  • Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) can aid individuals in developing into more responsible people.
  • Alpha males take responsibility for their own problems, unlike beta males who complain or use excuses.
  • When influencing others, accepting responsibility for faults proactively is key; leaders are not perfect but learn from mistakes.
  • Responsibility comes with influence; leaders must understand they are responsible for and sometimes to the people they lead.

• Risk-taking (Alpha Male)

  • A hallmark of being an alpha male is a willingness to take risks to improve one's situation, contrasting with the beta male who "plays it safe".
  • Leaders (like an officer, quarterback, or CEO) inherently take more risks, as their failure puts the group at risk.
  • Taking risks opens up more possibilities than passively waiting.
  • In the context of romance, a man who takes the risk of approaching a woman (rather than standing passively) automatically triggers "attraction buttons" in her brain, increasing his chances of success.
  • Historically, women desired men who could take risks because it indicated leadership and access to resources for survival.
  • Unleashing your inner alpha side involves being decisive and taking actions that involve risk.
  • Being self-employed is considered a big step in the right direction for alpha males, despite the inherent risks.

S

• Self-Acceptance

  • Achieving genuine self-acceptance, a complete self-knowledge of who you are and who you can be, is a benefit of confronting and knowing your "dark side".

• Self-Confidence

  • Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) can be a great tool to help people gain more self-confidence and succeed.
  • It is a core trait of alpha males, who exude self-assurance in almost everything they do.
  • Confidence is an attitude that builds through practice and experience, and can be developed by mimicking confident behaviours ("fake it till you make it").
  • Self-hypnosis can also help individuals feel more confident, allowing them to better be themselves.

• Self-Deception

  • The process or fact of misleading ourselves to accept claims about us as true, even when they are false.
  • It involves convincing ourselves of a truth (or lack thereof) to avoid revealing any self-knowledge of the deception.
  • It is a useful strategy for believing the stories we tell about ourselves, helping to prevent accidental signals of inauthenticity.
  • Similar to overconfidence and optimism, it has pros and cons.
  • Pros: Can increase general well-being by coping with stress, increase persistence in difficult tasks, and encourage trying new experiences.
  • Cons: Exaggerated beliefs can be devastating when reality conflicts. It can also erode trust if others are dishonest.
  • Humans, being "storytelling creatures," create logical-sounding reasons for their actions, decisions, and feelings, especially liking stories that portray them positively.
  • This is part of the "fundamental conflict" between lying to oneself/others and wanting to be good/honest.
  • The concept of the "fudge factor theory" explains how people balance benefiting from cheating with maintaining a positive self-image by cheating "only a little bit".

• Self-Discovery (NLP)

  • NLP is fundamentally about self-discovery, which helps individuals determine their niche for success.
  • Through NLP training, people can explore and discover new things about themselves daily by engaging in clear communication with others.

• Self-Esteem

  • Hypnosis can help people develop self-esteem.
  • Loss of integrity can lead to a loss of self-esteem and a distorted self-image.
  • High self-esteem is a common trait of those who wield influence.

• Self-Help

  • Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) can be a valuable tool for self-help, aiding in gaining self-confidence and achieving success.
  • Hypnotism is a topic studied and interpreted in the field of self-help.
  • The progressive relaxation and imagery technique, often used in self-hypnosis, is also used in self-help meetings.
  • For individuals seeking to control their own minds, self-hypnosis, the Silva method, meditation, and brainwave entertainment are widely held self-help means.
  • Healthy forms of mind control (like proper hypnosis and visualisation) are categorised as self-help work because they put the individual more in control of their own life.
  • Subconscious mind power techniques, including affirmations, dream interpretations, hypnotic suggestion, journaling, meditation, and visualisation, are offered as ways to better oneself.

• Self-Hypnosis

  • A form of hypnosis where the trance state is self-induced. It is also referred to as autohypnosis.
  • Benefits:
    • Can be a calming, soothing experience that helps you relax and ease tensions.
    • Allows for self-conversation and leaving worries behind.
    • Can improve learning threshold, increase memory capacity, and enhance attentiveness during tests or presentations.
    • Provides comfort when facing emotionally challenging situations and helps clear mental clutter.
    • With regular practice, it can become a way of life, leading to deeper self-understanding and positively changing how you live, make decisions, or handle relationships.
    • Can help overcome the fear of darkness.
    • Can lead your mind slowly into oblivion to help you fall asleep.
  • Practice Elements (advised by experts):
    • Deep breathing.
    • Choose a "high time" (schedule with minimal distractions).
    • Find a "room of your own" (quiet, peaceful venue conducive to activity).
    • Set the mood: Dim lights, light candles/incense, adjust room temperature, surround yourself with pillows and cushions.
    • Use soothing music (promote a relaxed, steady beat; sounds of nature are advisable).
    • Engage your sense of smell (e.g., scented soap, aromatherapy oil, candles, incense) as smell profoundly affects mood and memory.
    • Engage your sense of touch (kinesthetic sense) by surrounding yourself with soft cushions, silk sheets, comfortable clothes, and lotion.
    • Understand the power of suggestion and using the right words in the right way (convincing, firm, soothing).
  • An example induction script is provided, focusing on visualising a flickering candle flame, breathing deeply, and feeling warmth and relaxation spread through the body, followed by visualising a peaceful natural scene (grass, mountain, stream, wind).
  • The "Take it Easy" method of hypnosis is also used in self-hypnosis exercises.
  • It involves inducing one's mind into hypnosis, usually with detailed visualizations that activate the right hemisphere and lower brainwave frequency.
  • Can be guided (listening to pre-recorded instructions) or unguided (relying solely on one's own thoughts and focus).
  • It is a useful mind control technique.
  • It is one of the three most popular methods to reach the subconscious mind, relying on repetition.

• Silva Method

  • A mind control method that is taught through simple and specific exercises.
  • One notable technique is the "three fingers technique," which is said to boost memory on demand.

• Social Media Influencers

  • The industry is often misrepresented as an easy road to fame and wealth.
  • Three Fundamental Qualities of Success:
    1. Identity: Establishing a distinctive online persona with a clear sense of direction in content creation, becoming a reference point for specific interests, and creating waves rather than just riding fads.
    2. Likability: Maintaining likability by building trust and rapport with followers, clients, and other influencers, demonstrating an amicable personality and common courtesy.
    3. Integrity: Genuinely liking a brand and its products to sell it effectively, as a mismatch can debase reputation and following. Integrity should be a constant guiding principle, even when monetising influence.
  • Their authenticity and honesty are what make them effective in converting audiences into customers.
  • They connect with customers in a way brands cannot, making influencer marketing a top strategy.
  • Customers rely on their feedback and recommendations, making it a powerful "word of mouth" method.
  • Tips to Start:
    1. What is your niche?: Choose something you are genuinely interested in and passionate about, something extraordinary and unique.
    2. Social media channels: Pick channels suited to your content type (e.g., Facebook for writing, Instagram for photography, YouTube for videos).
    3. Creating your content: Be confident, offer different perspectives, produce high-quality content consistently, and magnetise brands by focusing on their products. Content must have value.
    4. Research and list brands: Find companies responsive to your content and pitch to them, demonstrating value.
    5. Promote yourself: Invite new people to your channels, share content where relevant, and provide value.

• Socialization (Hypnosis)

  • Hypnosis can be used in long-term therapy to curb dilemmas in socialization. People who find it hard to connect with others or have limiting beliefs preventing them from showing their true selves can be helped.

• Sorry (The Phrase)

  • "Remorse, regret, and sorry are three words vital to adaptive living," increasing the probability of successful social interactions.
  • "I'm sorry" is one of the most powerful and complex phrases in communication, integral to social relationships.
  • It concretely illustrates human fallibility (actions/words can cause harm).
  • The word "sorry" dates back to prehistoric West Germanic, originally meaning physical and psychological pain. It evolved into an expression of regret. It has no etymological connection to "sorrow".
  • As an adjective, it has multiple meanings, but with "I'm," it becomes a form of apology and an expression of regret.
  • Remorse (deep regret and guilt for harm) is essential for sincerely communicating regret.
  • Purpose: Remorse educates people on unacceptable behaviour, allowing for change and conducive lifestyles. It is necessary for society to exist and for humans to thrive in group dynamics.
  • Sincerity: The phrase is often met with suspicion regarding sincerity; a person's character and integrity are barometers of this. Genuine remorse is tied to newly learned behaviours that reduce the potential for repeating misdeeds.
  • Without remorse or regret, positive change is minimal due to psychological defense mechanisms.
  • The ability to say "I'm sorry" and mean it requires an internal reservoir called conscience (moral sense of right and wrong).
  • Five Steps for Effective Apology:
    1. Expect others to be offended given perception variabilities.
    2. Initiate an apology followed by empathy for their experience (whether innocent or guilty of causing harm).
    3. Verbalise a plan for not offending in the future.
    4. Introspect and initiate a paradigm shift to reduce potential for future offending actions.
    5. Never forget, always forgive, and foster mutual respect.

• Subconscious Mind

  • The subconscious is a part of the mind that, though not fully aware, influences a person's actions or feelings. It is heavily involved in hypnosis.
  • Some consider it synonymous with the spirit or soul of a person.
  • It is said to be empowered with the ability to create your reality through messages received from your actions and beliefs.
  • It works 24 hours a day and is generally more powerful than the conscious mind.
  • It stores emotional responses, beliefs, and memories that greatly influence our lives and behaviours.
  • The "creative power of the subconscious" has only been discovered in recent years.
  • Accessing and utilising its power involves introspection.
  • The natural good intention inherent in the subconscious can be derailed or undermined by conscious reasoning and external factors like modernisation.
  • It is the key to achieving every goal and dream.
  • Techniques to unleash its power (Subconscious Mind Power Techniques):
    • Affirmations: Positive statements repeated to form desired outcomes.
    • Dream Interpretations: Assigning meaning to dreams to understand subconscious messages.
    • Hypnotic Suggestion: Suggestions made to the subconscious while deeply relaxed and receptive.
    • Journaling: Reinforcing efforts to connect conscious and subconscious mind.
    • Meditation: Deep relaxation to explore the subconscious.
    • Visualization: Mentally experiencing events as preparation.
  • Repetition is vital for communicating with and unleashing the subconscious mind's power, as it takes time to change ingrained thoughts.
  • Meditation, hypnosis, and subliminal messages are the three most popular methods for reaching the subconscious mind.
  • Brainwave entertainment techniques also help improve mental dysfunctions by influencing brain waves.
  • The subconscious mind is what Edgar Cayce referred to as the "soul" when he gave readings and diagnoses.
  • During hypnosis, the subconscious takes control when you concentrate purposefully in a trance state.
  • Messages can be sent at the frequency used by the subconscious mind and are recognised at a higher conscious level, often without the conscious mind being aware.

• Suggestibility (Hypnosis)

  • Refers to a person's openness to suggestions.
  • There are variations in suggestibility corresponding to degrees of hypnosis (light and heavy hypnotic sleep).
  • Stage hypnotists conduct a pre-selection process to identify the most susceptible and suggestible volunteers.
  • The effectiveness of hypnotism depends on the motivation and mental conditioning of the subject.
  • People who have experienced stage hypnotism report that it's easier to follow suggestions because the "active aggressive decision making part of the consciousness becomes timid when under a trance".
  • Children are perceived to be highly vulnerable to suggestion.

T

• Telepathy

  • Defined as "mind-reading," or the transfer of information or thoughts between people by means other than the five classical senses.
  • An individual who can use telepathy is claimed to possess the ability to read the minds of others.
  • There are four accepted types:
    1. Latent telepathy.
    2. Precognitive telepathy.
    3. Emotive telepathy.
    4. Superconscious telepathy.

• Thought Reform

  • A term that is used interchangeably with "brainwashing".
  • It has been implemented by governments (e.g., Chinese government on prisoners) and religious movements and cults.
  • Cults often use it by disassociating people from their existing social networks to make them easier to manipulate.
  • Margaret Singer and John Ja Lich outlined six main steps used to exert thought reform, including creating manipulated environments, making individuals feel powerless, and using reward/punishment to alter behaviour.
  • Edward Bernay made significant advancements in thought reform, believing it was essential for social structure and using it in marketing and public relations.
  • Despite its negative associations, some believe thought reform, particularly through techniques like hypnosis and guided imagery, can be used positively to change unhealthy behavioural patterns and improve well-being.

• Trauma

  • A psychological condition that can be treated through hypnosis.
  • Hypnosis was used during World War I and II to help soldiers cope with war trauma, alleviating emotional and mental pressures and helping them let go of repressed memories or treat amnesia.
  • The relaxation method in hypnosis is beneficial for patients in a state of risky stress or trauma.
  • Deep psychological trauma, especially during childhood, is often cited as a cause for phobias related to darkness. Hypnotherapy can help by revisiting these memories with a new perspective.

• Trust

  • The principle of trust is central to influence; a person has "no chance of influencing a person who does not trust the influencer".
  • Past deceit can be incredibly detrimental to building trust.
  • Maintaining influence requires behaving in a way that increases the trust of others.
  • It is one of the seven critical elements of influencing skills.
  • Social media influencers build trust and rapport with their followers. Their authenticity and honesty are key to being trusted.
  • It is vital when asking for assistance from your network.

U

• Unanimity and Conquer (Influence Principle)

  • This principle suggests that the more people are on your side, the greater your influence.
  • It is easier for people to "move with the tide than against it".
  • In a social context, if someone (like Josh) is an "all-around great guy," it significantly improves their chances of success (e.g., getting a date).
  • In business, obtaining testimonials and reviews is a simple way to gain support.
  • Social networks can be utilised in a similar fashion.

• Understanding Others (Influence Skill)

  • A critical influencing skill is the ability to know what drives people, how they think, and how they react.
  • This understanding forms a firm foundation for determining the most appropriate approach to influence.
  • Practising empathy involves taking time to understand others' feelings and motivations.

V

• Value (Alpha Male Trait)

  • An ideal man knows his worth and doesn't seek validation from others to feel it.
  • Alpha males are intrinsically valuable and carry that "price tag" everywhere.
  • They are confident enough to ask for higher salaries because they know they can deliver something unique.

• Vision (Influence Strategy)

  • It is imperative to have a vision if you are trying to intentionally influence others.
  • You must know where you are going in order to get others to go there with you, requiring clarity, setting expectations, and communication.

• Visualization

  • Ancient civilisations used rituals similar to visualisation to connect with the spiritual realm.
  • For self-hypnosis, detailed visualizations are used to activate the right hemisphere and lower brainwave frequency, serving as a symbolic way to achieve goals like quitting bad habits or losing weight.
  • It is a form of healthy mind control.
  • It is one of the most popular subconscious mind power techniques, involving experiencing an event or activity in your mind as preparation for a similar real-life event.
  • In treating psychosomatic illnesses with hypnosis, the hypnotist guides the subject to imagine each part of their personality that is physically and mentally ill, using visual imagery that promotes well-being and lightness to ease pain and anxiety.

• Visual People

  • In the context of mind-reading techniques, visual people are those whose eyes look up when they are thinking of possible answers to questions.
  • They form visual images or "visual words" in their mind to serve as answers to queries.
  • A mind reader can tailor their language to use visual words to build rapport with such individuals.

W

• Willpower

  • In a historical account, Adolf Hitler's belief that he had lost his eyesight but could see again through willpower was suggested to him under hypnosis.
  • Hypnotism is powerful, but a person's intellect and will is more powerful.
  • It is one of the factors, along with determination and motivation, that determines your results and destiny, even outside of hypnosis.

• Winner Mentality (Mind Control)

  • Thinking like a winner is a mind control technique.
  • A winner does not fear losing but sees it as part of a greater learning curve.
  • They are described as the most positive person you would ever see.

Y

• Yoga
  • This centuries-old knowledge is presented as a mind control technique that can help achieve absolute control over your mind.
  • It employs scientific postures and "creass" (likely referring to kriyas or practices) that perfect mind control techniques.
  • Doing regular yoga is also listed as a useful technique for controlling the mind.