Michael Jackson: Confessions Under Hypnosis

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The day after Michael Jackson died a number of tribute programmes were shown on TV documenting his life both in the early years and those that have come under the harsh and painful gaze of the media during this past two decades.  Of course there have been the usual bizarre claims, such as Michael being completely bald and emaciated, but non struck me as more peculiar than the claim by Uri Geller that he hypnotised Michael so that he could ask him whether or not he really did molest those children.  Whats ridiculous about the claim is not that Geller asked, but that he professed that because he had used the medium of hypnosis as a vehicle to ask the question Michaels denial was positive proof that he did not commit the crimes.

Now I have long since come to think of Uri as a bit of a clown.  Since his spoon bending days he seems to have inserted himself into any number of wierd and whacky situations claiming all sorts of abilities along the spectrum of the other worldly, many of which cannot be proven.  In the UK he has been seen to take part in programmes involved in the search for ghostly entities claiming to be a psychic, and quite frankly he comes across as a bit foolish with his antics.  My own view is that Uri is little more than an hysteric, and in the time honoured traditon of the ‘player’ will say and do just about anything to get himself, and keep himself in the lime light.  He thrives on it.  However this latest claim that he questioned Michael under hypnosis and Michael told him that the allegations were untrue proves that this must be the case because you cannot lie under hypnosis is at best a delusion and at worst a fabrication.  BUNKUM! POPPY COCK! HUMBUG! If Uri really were a master hypnotist he should be aware of this.

I have been using hypnosis in my therapy room for half a decade now, and I can tell you quite honestly people are just as capable of obfuscating, fantasising, fabricating, avoiding the truth and telling downright lies under hypnosis.  In hypnosis you cannot be made to do something that you don’t want to and you therefore cannot be made to confess to misdemeanours and crimes, unless of course you want to.  In fact, when using a therapeutic style that is analytical it can be the devils own job to get the client to tell you about all those things that they did that have contibuted towards their anxiety. (This based on the fact that getting rid of guilt for childhood trangressions, real or imagined creates a catharsis).  I once had a woman ask me to hypnotise her in front of her boyfriend. (She was a serial adulterer) because she wanted to convince him that she was not currently having an affair. She mistakenly thought that if I hypnotised her she would have to tell the truth and he would be satisfied with her answer and that this would save their relationship.  Nope! Sorry. I put her straight. Of course in doing so I also did myself out of a sessions worth of therapy but come on now.  One has to have some professional standards.

For those of you who have not experienced being hypnotised in a therapeutic setting I can tell you that quite often there is no feeling of being hypnotised.  You have not gone under! You don’t get taken over!.  Hypnosis only works when it aligns with the persons desires and goals. So I have to conclude that Uri was, once again, just drawing attention to himself by his statement that he got the truth out of Michael.

Whether or not Michael did touch those children in inappropriate ways I do not know. Personally I hope not, for their sakes and also for Michaels sake. I couldn’t help but like him. He and I were born just six months apart so I have grown up with him and his amazing talent. No doubt we have not heard the last of the wierd and wonderful claims to this and that.  It would be nice if we could just celebrate his wonderful contribution to the world of entertainment and let his rest in peace.

As for Uri, sorry mate…you hit a bum note.