First, let me make it clear that while I think Derren Brown is a WONDERFUL performer, he’s not what he says he is . . . and that’s okay. In his act, he claims to be using suggestion or psychology alone to accomplish his feats when in fact he also uses trickery. As he is a performer first, that’s okay . . . to a point.

Now, here’s a really nice bit from him . . . read the text AND watch the video . . . that is both a trick and the power of suggestion . . . The Magic Doll.

That really is a nice effect. The instant induction is rather easy to do for a competent hypnotist and I’ve done something similar with my "vicarious memory machine" process as far as the use of a voodoo doll goes . . . Marshal Sylver and umpteen other stage hypnotists have likewise used the effect.

Derren’s bit with the ring serving as the doll’s soul is very well done.

For another bit that combines trick with suggestion(Ericksonian hypnotic language patterns), see The Power of Suggestion and Are You Feeling Sleepy?

If any of our regular readers here have any Derren Brown videos they’d like to send this way, drop me an email. We can’t get the show here in Taiwan (it’s on in the UK).

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