Life is often plagued by uncertainty and anxiety. There are methods for adapting to change; maybe therapy comes to mind, or perhaps you might consider a prescription. You probably don’t include hypnosis and magic in the list of solutions.
When Steve Taubman comes to Naples on March 26, those are exactly the options he will explore with humor, entertainment and insight.
Taubman, a former physician turned mentalist, is bringing his show “Mind Magic” to the Norris Center. His performance is part lecture, part theater, part psychological exploration and all fun. He has appeared before thousands on arena stages and looks forward to bringing his unique approach to self-discovery to the intimate 200-seat Naples theatre.
Even while Taubman maintained a thriving chiropractic practice in New York for three decades, he was still plagued by neurosis. He describes himself as an “ex-neurotic,” who underwent a personal life transformation that led to his helping others discover the keys to their success. Taubman created an entertaining show that includes elements of his training with showmanship and creates an enjoyable night out that might just change your perspectives.
“Chiropractic is predicated on the notion that the body needs no help, it needs no interference,” he explained, describing how his previous profession led him to deeper self-insight.
Steve Taubman incorporates a card trick into his act. (PHOTO COURTESY STEVE TAUBMAN)
“It still sounds odd that a stage experience can be and lead to insight. Taubman said that “as a mentalist, I play with a lot of things. There’s a bit of influences, a lot of hypnosis, a lot of intuition, a lot of mind reading and a bunch of games and experiments that leave the audience wondering what’s real and what’s not.”
“With mental health,” he said, “when we open channels of communication between the brain where knowledge is stored; the heart, where intuition is stored, and the body, where our history, with all its trauma, is stored, we create a channel for healing. As a mentalist, my job is to demonstrate the remarkable abilities that lie within us, and to show through experience how healing that experience can be.”
“It still sounds odd that a stage insight. Taubman said that “as a mentalist, I play with a lot of things. There’s a bit of influence, a lot of hypnosis, a lot of intuition, a lot of mind reading, and a bunch of games and experiments that leave the audience wondering what’s real and what’s not.”
Taubman was careful to clarify that there are differences among hypnosis, mind-reading and the work of a mentalist. But all three have in common the notion that we hold the secret to changing our perspectives.
“Hypnosis is in a category by itself, as it involves more of influencing the thoughts and behavior of another,” he said. “Hypnosis removes or softens the critical factor of the brain; the part that feels the need to compare it to your existing version of reality.”
Under hypnosis, subjects do not question the notions being presented to them; this reprogramming long-held beliefs and potentially seeing new options occurs.
“A mind reader is reaching in and capturing some of those beliefs or the thoughts and emotions generated by them,” Taubman said. “He or she is studying the cues that are being communicated non-verbally, while themselves staying open to their intuition.
“As stagecraft, it’s a combination of intuition, experience and the sheer nerve to make educated guesses without being thrown off by being wrong. While none of us, I believe, are pure mind readers, we can cultivate the skills to increase our chances of being right.”
If his fans are any proof, then it appears Taubman has touched the lives of many through his showmanship and clarity.
“They all allude to the same thing,” he said. “My combining laughter with wisdom and practical tools for dealing with stress and emotional blockages” is most frequently mentioned.
Lynn Sanders, who saw Taubman’s show in San Diego, said, “What struck me most wasn’t just the inaccuracy, even when we say nothing, all. Thought is not contained, it’s expressed through presence, posture, tone and energy. Watching this unfold was both playful and humbling. One message from the evening stood out above all others: to thus quiet, your heart. ‘May your mind be quiet, your beast open and your legacy inspiring.'”
To open the heart and tap into potential requires a good deal of suggestibility, which some find intimidating. By combining his theories for living with his entertaining approach, Taubman explained that layers of self-protection can be peeled away.
“Magic is a trigger for mindfulness, awareness plus equanimity,” he said. “How else do you convince the mind-bound that there’s something beyond their version of reality? You mess with their version and do it in a way that feels safe and pleasurable. That’s the real magic!”
Taubman’s mission is to open the minds in his audience and let them understand how changeable they can actually be.
“Whatever they conclude, they get to leave the show transformed. Astonishments are inherently healing.” Because they quiet the internal dialogue that keeps us stuck in patterns of thought and feeling which reinforce our preexisting, and often faulty, belief systems,” he said.
“If I can challenge your notion of what’s possible and make you laugh at the same time, you drop something that’s very precious to you, yet unnecessary; your conviction in always being right. Drop that, and you’re free. Drop that, and your mind goes into a perpetual state of curiosity.