Burke Centre Festival Shines

Community festivals are an ideal venue for my Hypnotic Experience show. 

The fun and family friendly nature of my content plays well with the typically diverse group of attendees at a festival.  I’m also flexible in how I perform (i.e. stage show, booth and/or roving entertainer) which makes it easy for an organizer to incorporate me into their line-up of entertainment.

Plus, I never charge a fee to perform and participate at a community-based or non-profit event.  It’s one of my ways of giving back and affords me the opportunity to talk up the meaningful life changes that can be achieved through positive visualization.

  

Yesterday, I had the pleasure and privilege to be part of the 37^th annual Burke Centre Festival in Northern Virginia.  This was my second year performing at the event, which attracts thousands of attendees for rides, games and entertainment.

There’s also plenty of space set aside for community groups and local businesses to exhibit, which helps promote the importance of supporting local organizations. 

 

Here are a couple of observations from yesterday’s festival:

--I was situated in an area set up for dining, which gave me excellent visibility and a steady stream of volunteers.  The event organizers also provided me with a table, chairs and power source, which positioned me as part of the entertainment.

--During my five hours at the event, I attracted more than 70 volunteers – individuals and small groups of three or four.  All told, I conducted 38 separate hypnotic inductions.

--Rather than a comedy routine, I focused my message on how positive visualization can inspire confidence and self-esteem, and improve academic, career and athletic performance.  I took volunteers through a basic hypnotic induction followed by one of my “go to” visualizations for confidence.

--As with most community events, the majority of my volunteers where tweens and teens.  They are fun to work with and typically respond well to hypnosis.  A few of my adult volunteers had fascinating stories, such as the woman interested in managing stress around an upcoming Cesarean section and a person who is uncomfortable around balloons (not good at a festival).

Many thanks to Jeannie Winslow and the team at Burke Centre Conservancy for including me.  I hope to be invited back in 2015!

My booth sign at the Burke Centre Festival.  A fun day at a wonderful community event.

A Tornado of Color through Hypnosis

During a hypnotic induction, this woman experienced a "tornado of color."

Teaching the practice of self-hypnosis is a personal passion and something I find incredibly rewarding. 

I’ve received appreciative notes from people who have made meaningful changes in their life thanks to the power of positive visualization.  You can check out a few of these comments at this link to my testimonials page.

That’s why it is frustrating if a session on self-hypnosis falls short.  It happened to me earlier this year in a follow-up meeting with a person who attended my “Hypnosis for Exceptional Living” show.  I explained what happened in this blog post.

And it occurred last week when I met with a young woman who is interested in hypnosis as a tool for stress management which, in turn, could help her manage blood sugar levels.  She is a type 1 diabetic which is a chronic condition I am (unfortunately) all too familiar with.

Similar to the person who I met with in April, this woman has quite the active mind.  Incredibly creative and passionate, she is a flood of thoughts, views, opinions and ideas.  It is inspiring, yet also creates a challenge when trying to identify an appropriate visualization that leads to a relaxed, focused and hypnotic state.

Here are a couple of fascinating comments she shared during our time together:

--She uses a reward system as a vehicle for self-motivation.  Could this methodology be leveraged as part of a hypnotic induction?

--As a visual person, she often dictates moods through clothing choices -- what she refers to as “power outfits.”

--When going through a simple deepening tactic (i.e. count back slowly from ten) she explained she was surrounded by a tornado of color, with aqua blue serving as the dominant visual.  The “color of hypnosis” is something I first wrote about last year when sharing self-hypnosis with another highly intelligent and creative person.

--And finally, my use of power words to stimulate feelings of confidence proved relatively ineffective because of her preference for visual reinforcement.  This is something I continue to think about.   

Expect Success

Span's expectation for success set the stage for last night's victory.

A 10-game winning streak in professional baseball is tough to pull off.  Four walk-off victories in five days as part of that streak is a near impossibility. Yet, that is exactly what the Washington Nationals have accomplished during the past two weeks.

Yesterday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks was a pitching and defensive exhibition when Nationals center field Denard Span came to bat in the bottom of the ninth inning.  With no runs on the board for either team, Span hit a bloop single to center field.

According to the Washington Post, Span arrived at first base and thought, “Here we go again.”

Diamondbacks’ first baseman Mark Trumbo whispered to Span, “Just how you guys like it.”

Span proceeded to steal second base and then trot home with the winning run after the Diamondbacks third baseman threw wild to first on a relatively basic ground ball off the bat of Anthony Rendon.

Nationals win!

When asked during his post game presser about the string of victories, Nationals manager Matt Williams emphasized the daily preparation, training and effort his players invest to put themselves in a position to achieve success.  Yet, I’m confident the Diamondbacks put forth a comparable level of preparation.

The wild card here may very well be an expectation for success stirring in the Nationals dugout.  The team is confident it will achieve, while, at least last night, the Diamondbacks expected failure.

Success is the intersection of talent, preparation and confidence. 

Beach-Nosis

As a fixture during the past two years on the track and field team, she is already an accomplished high school athlete. 

 

For her senior year she is attempting at join the varsity volleyball team.  She practiced all summer; spending hours on the beach working on basic skills and fitness.

Yet, the initial anxiety arrived the moment she walked in the gym.  The doubt in her mind doubled when the coach expressed surprise in her appearance at try-outs.

“I thought you were just a runner,” the coach commented.

Would this mental adversity thwart her volleyball aspirations?  Could hypnosis help this athlete discover the fortitude required to perform at a high level?

Last week my family enjoyed its annual trek to the Delaware shore for a vacation.  Each evening, the city of Rehoboth Beach lights up two blocks of sand and encourages guests to enjoy some athletic activity.

My two older sons and I make a visit to the beach for at least an hour every night to throw the baseball.  It is wonderful bonding time and gives my wife the opportunity to get our baby to bed.

I met this aspiring high school volleyballer, and we struck up a conversation about how hypnosis can serve as a tool to inspire confidence and enhance athletic performance.  She immediately expressed an interest in giving it a try with the goal of finding balance and focus at each tryout.

A few thoughts from our impromptu hypnosis session:

--Often referred to as street hypnosis, the ability to help a person achieve a deep level of trance and suggestibility in a public setting presents some unique challenges.  There are constant and ongoing distractions that can interrupt flow.  Hypnotizing someone on a beach (i.e. beach-nosis) can be daunting.

--In this case, I employed a couple of focus exercises before utilizing the heavy/light arms visualization.  It was the right approach for her as she dropped deep into hypnosis when given the sleep suggestion.  She remained relaxed and in trance for the entire 15 minute session, going deeper with every breath and heartbeat.

--From there, it was simply taking her through a few visualizations designed to inspire confidence.  I have a couple of “go to” ones I use for athletes, which I then marry up with a power word.  When a person then thinks or whispers the power word the result in a swell of confidence at the subconscious level.

--When I saw her the next evening, she reported a much more productive and successful second day at tryouts.  In fact, the coach asked her to demonstrate the appropriate technique for setting to the rest of the team. 

Although an athlete must have skill and talent, this beach-nosis experience serves as a reminder of the potency of confidence and mental strength. 

The hypnotist and his family on vacation last week.

Scenes from the Arlington County Fair

Today I had the pleasure (and honor) of being part of the line-up of entertainers at the Arlington County Fair.  My “Hypnotic Experience” show was a headline act on the indoor stage.

Like other community-based events where I have performed, the Arlington County Fair brings together an eclectic mix of family friendly activities.  There are midway games and rides, local musicians, dancers, funny animal acts and cultural-based presentations.

Most important is that these events foster a sense of togetherness among neighbors.

I have included below a couple of photos I snapped at the Arlington County Fair.  For more images, check out their Facebook page at this link.

A special thanks to Kim Le and the rest of the Arlington County Fair board of directors for including me.  Their dedication and commitment to the community inspires!

PS  So…how did my show go?  It was ride in stride with what I hope to accomplish at these events.  A bit of stand-up comedy and entertaining anecdotes combined with the creativity and imagination of volunteers who were open to giving hypnosis a try.

The Outdoor Stage featured local musicians and drew an enthusiastic crowd.

The Racing Piglets are always a crowd favorite at the Fair.  My show conflicted with the running today, so I'll have to check out the piglets in 2015.

The Indoor Stage featured a mix of entertainment, including some old fashioned country dancing.

 

I'm not quite sure what this ride is called, yet it was popular with the kids.

Hypnotic Experience at Arlington County Fair, Saturday August 9 @ 4 PM

Every Hypnotic Experience show starts with an entertaining introduction about the power of visualization. (Welcome Club of Northern Virginia, 2013)

“This may be the only show at the Fair where you can be the star!”

That’s how I plan to welcome guests to my Hypnotic Experience performance at the Arlington County Fair next weekend.  I am the featured entertainer on Saturday, August 9 at 4 PM on the Indoor Stage.

It’s a true pleasure (and honor) to be part of such an important community event.  Run by a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization, the Arlington County Fair is one of the largest free events on the east coast.  It has provided residents of Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland with a diverse mix of entertainment, midway rides and games, vendors and educational sessions for more than 35 years.

Am I feeling a bit of pressure to deliver an exceptional performance?

Sure…a bit, I guess.  However, I am well up to the task having performed at more than a dozen community festivals and street fairs in the past year.

The show will be fun, appropriate for all ages, and demonstrate the creativity and imagination that can be achieved through the power of visualization.

My hope is for the audience to have a wonderful time and come away with a positive view of hypnosis as a tool for: 1) health; 2) wellness; 3) athletic, academic and careers success; and 4) exceptional living.

Email me at m.russell.hausman@gmail.com or call/text (301) 538-8100 if you plan to check out my show at the Fair.  I’ll be sure you receive VIP treatment!

Check out these photos from a couple of my shows during the past few years.

Sleep suggestion instantly drops these volunteers back into hypnosis.  (Bradley Farm Haunted House Festival, 2012)

 

Hypnotic Experience is a volunteer only show.  Many in the audience choose to watch and enjoy the power of visualization in action.  (Professionals in the City, New Years Eve 2013)

I'm not hypnotized, yet every time someone says "smile" I can only make a funny face.  (Timberline Lake Camping Resort, 2014)