how many people on this website can use NLP (neuro-linguistic programming) im very curious about this. i know its not really magic related but im interested in finding out.
It is said to help you with learning faster or to help you quit smoking. However it lacks any written theory and it doesn't have any scientifical proof that the things are actually working. There are a lot better approaches to psychology and forms of therapy.
Scientifical proof??? You REALLY know what you're talking about.
NLP is probably one of the most misunderstood concepts in regards to magic performance. Ever since Derren Brown claimed he used it to achieve his televised stunts and feats, everyone thought NLP was a way to control minds and create extraordinary mentalism. While it can be used accentuate magic, it's really only a way to facilitate natural interaction with people.
NLP can be used to cue an audience to react a certain way or help them feel comfortable with being approached by a stranger to perform. Its a way to develop fluent rapport with audiences. It's a way to read people's ticks and understand why they're behaving the way they do. In this case, the study of NLP would probably benefit card players more than magicians, because anything beyond that is far-fetched and not scientifically validated.
If you're interested in knowing more about mentalism, I cannot recommend Corinda's 13 Steps enough. It's old and dryly written, but it's crazy how relevantly it pertains to today. People are still fooled by the material in that book.
Hope this helps,
RS.