Magic
Of The
The Mind
Read the large, bold phrase just above this sentence.
“Magic of the Mind,” right?
Most people don’t see the “something” different. If you didn’t, read it one more time.
Now what do you see? In my shows when I hold up a large version of these words only about 5% of the audience sees something entirely different than the rest of the audience. If you did see something unusual at first glance, you’re in the minority and unusually perceptive.
If you didn’t see the word “the” in the phrase twice – Magic Of The The Mind” – don’t feel badly. You’re in the vast majority. Most people don’t see it. As I explain to my audiences, there are a couple of reasons why most people don’t see the second “the.”
First, our minds typically follow familiar patterns when processing information. In the English language, two “the”s back to back in the same phrase is an unfamiliar pattern for us, so our brains default to the familiar pattern of only one “the.” In reality your eye did see the second “the,” but in the tiny nano-second it took for the image to travel you’re your computer screen, into your pupil, onto your retina, up your optic nerve and into your brain for processing, your brain literally cancelled out the second “the” in order to conform the image to what is familiar.
Second, in the first line of this article I planted a tiny but effective suggestion. I bolded the phrase “Magic of the Mind,” then added the italicized word “right” to suggest that that was the same wording as in the title.
In my Mentallusions show I utilize this tendency of the human brain to follow patterns and suggestions to create mental magic for the audience. What seems impossible becomes possible, not just in theory, but right before their eyes. And we all have a ball interacting with these seeming miracles of the mind. It really is magic of the mind!
Rod Robison is a mentalist, magician, author and speaker who helps companies and organizations create unforgettable events for their employees and clients.
www.TucsonMentalist.com