What is Contact Mind Reading?
Contact Mind Reading (also known as
Muscle Reading, Hellstromism, and Cumberlandism) is a
method of reading a person's thoughts by receiving impulses transmitted through
muscle movements. Performed well, it is the closest thing to genuine mind
reading that can be reliably demonstrated.
The method was first developed in
the late Victorian period where it was sometimes used by psychics and mediums.
In the 20th Century it was used by mentalists such as The Amazing Kreskin in
their mental magic acts.
The method is not difficult to
learn, but does require some practice. You should try out the following
experiments with several different people to learn some of the different
sensations to feel out for. Also some people are much better transmitters than
others and, from experience, you will learn how to judge whether or not a person
will be a good subject.
Contact Mind Reading works because a
person's intentions will, quite subconsciously, determine their physical
movements. This ideomotor response is the same one that is responsible for
the movements of the pendulum or divining rod in dowsing.
By becoming aware of another person's ideomotor responses, it is possible to
discover their thoughts and intentions.
How to read ideomotor responses
The basic method used in these
experiments is to detect the slight unconscious movements in a person's hand
that will indicate their conscious intentions.
It is important that you hold the
person's hand in the correct way. You should lightly take hold of the
person's left wrist (from above) with your right hand, gently supporting their
fingers and thumb with your left hand. In this way, you will be able to easily
detect the subtle movements in the hand that will indicate their intentions.
Quite unknown to them, and
undetectable by anyone else, the person will subtly "lead" you by moving their
hand in a particular direction. You can detect this simply by paying attention
to the slight hand movements which will be towards the intended direction.. You
will also notice a slight pull of resistance if you attempt to move in the wrong
direction.
You will soon learn how to follow
these movements. Generally, Contact Mind Reading involves nothing more than
following the direction of least resistance in the person's hand
movements. It is really as simple as that.
You will find it much more
impressive (and actually easier to do) if you are blindfolded during the
procedure. Also you should specifically tell the person NOT to lead you
(they will not be able to stop their unconscious movements).
Experiment 1: Find the object
In this experiment, ask someone to
hide a small object (such as a coin, or pin, or postage stamp) somewhere in the
room, or in a small garden. State that the object should not be hidden above the
level of your shoulders or below the level of your knees.The object should be
hidden while you are safely out of sight. If working with a group of people, ask
someone to accompany you at this point so that everyone can be sure that you did
not peep.
When this has been done, you should
return and ask for a volunteer whose mind you will attempt to read. Make sure
that the person you choose knows where the object is, and do NOT choose someone
you suspect will try to make things difficult for you.
Stand in the middle of the space and
ask to be blindfolded. Then take hold of the person's wrist, as described above.
Ask this person (and everyone else) to concentrate intently on the DIRECTION in
which the object is hidden.
Now pay attention to, and follow,
the movements of the person's hand. This will allow you to slowly walk the
person towards the direction indicated. Make sure that you walk them, not vice
versa. Every now and again, remind the person to concentrate intently on the
direction of the object and NOT to lead you.
Whenever you feel a slight pull of
resistance, you will know that you are moving in the wrong direction. When this
happens, feel for a movement in another direction since this will indicate which
way you should now move. By following these impulses and pulls, you will slowly
be led close to the hidden object.
When you feel a clear resistance to
any movement, you will know that you are quite close to the object. At this
point, ask the person to concentrate as hard as they can on the object itself,
and to repeat silently to themselves "go right", or "go left", or "go up", or
"go down", whichever is appropriate.
In this way, by following the
person's hand movments, you will be clearly guided to the object itself.
Experiment 2: Find the person
This is good with a large group of
people. While you are out of the room, ask the group to choose one person to be
"It". You then use the same procedure as Experiment 1 to discover the chosen
person (make sure it is not the person who is leading you).
Experiment 3: Find the card
This is good if you are working with
one person. Spread several playing cards (at least ten) face up on the table and
ask the person to think intently of one of the cards. With a willing
participant, you should easily be able to find the correct card.
If you do not have any cards handy,
you can do the same experiment with several coins of different denominations
and/or other small objects.
Tips for successful performance
- Generally it is best to choose
someone who believes that the experiment will work.
- Don't try this when you have been
drinking alcohol, and don't choose a person who has been drinking..
- If the person you are working with
is not a good subject, choose someone else if you can.
- Make sure that your instructions are
clear, and repeat them as often as necessary.
- If someone asks you how you are able
to do this, do not be afraid to call it "Contact Mind Reading". However, do not
call it "Muscle Reading".
Further Reading
Muscle Reading
(Wikipedia)
Atkinson, W.W. (2007).
Practical Mind Reading: A Course of Lessons on Thought Transference .
Cosimo Classics.
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