What is a Mentalist?

Mentalism is a performing art in which its practitioners, known as mentalists, appear to demonstrate highly developed mental or intuitive abilities. Performances may include telepathy, clairvoyance, divination, precognition, psychokinesis, mediumship, mind control, memory feats and rapid mathematics. Hypnosis may also be used as a stage tool. Mentalists are sometimes referred to as Psychic entertainers.

Much of what the modern mentalist performs in his or her act can be traced back directly to tests of supernatural power that were carried out by mediums, spiritualists and psychics in the 19th Century. However, the history of mentalism goes back even further. Accounts of seers and oracles can be found in works by the ancient Greeks and in the Old Testament of the Judeo-Christian Bible.

Styles of presentation can vary greatly. A few performers claim to actually possess supernatural powers such as telepathy, clairvoyance, precognition, or telekinesis.

Anthony attributes his results to less supernatural skills, such as the ability to read body language and manipulate the subject subliminally through psychological suggestion.

Mentalist or Magician

Mentalists generally do not mix “standard” magic tricks with their mental feats. Doing so associates mentalism too closely with the theatrical trickery employed by stage magicians. Many mentalists claim not to be magicians at all, arguing that it is a different art form altogether.