The Art of Reading Minds

the art of reading minds by henrik fexeus understand others to get what you want

can you become a mind reader?

while the ability to directly access someone's thoughts may seem far-fetched, developing a keen understanding of human behaviour can provide valuable insights into what others are thinking.

by mastering the art of psychology, mentalism and observation, you can learn to interpret subtle cues, micro-expressions and word choices, unveiling the hidden meanings behind what is said and unsaid.

this powerful skill allows you to decipher the unspoken thoughts and emotions of those around you, giving you a clearer picture of their mental landscape.

and the best part?

honing this skill is simpler than you might think.

in this chapter, you'll discover a set of tools that, once mastered, will deepen your connections to others.

rapport is the foundation of persuasion mentalism is the practice of using psychological principles and perception to create the illusion that a mentalist can read minds.

but the discipline's fundamental techniques aren't just a gimmick or stage show trick.

they can be applied to any form of persuasive communication.

true persuasion requires more than just suggestion.

it demands the establishment of rapport.

when you establish rapport with someone, they instantly become more open and receptive to your influence.

mentalists excel at building rapport through various techniques, such as through body language.

for instance, a subtle postural echo, where you mirror or match the other person's body language, can create an instant connection.

this could be as simple as crossing your arms when they do, or placing your hand on your wrist when they touch their face.

it's essential to tone down the gesture and delay the mirroring slightly to avoid appearing obvious.

another effective technique is matching the other person's tempo or pace.

by subtly aligning your speech patterns, breathing and movements with theirs, you create a subconscious sense of familiarity and rapport.

it's crucial to remember that body language isn't a universal dictionary.

every person has their own unique set of gestures and meanings.

the key is to observe without over-interpreting and to understand the individual's specific body language patterns.

as you become more attuned to their non-verbal cues, you'll be better equipped to comprehend their thoughts and emotions.

mentalists also use their body language to influence others.

for example, if someone appears dejected, a mentalist might initially mirror their slumped posture to establish rapport, then gradually open up and lift their body language, subtly influencing the other person's mood and energy.

to develop your rapport-building skills, try observing couples and groups in public settings.

notice how they convey rapport through their body language, gestures and attitudes.

identify the subtle cues that create a sense of connection and try to incorporate them into your own interactions.

by understanding the principles of mentalism and the importance of rapport, you can unlock a powerful set of tools for effective persuasion and communication.

approach these techniques with respect, ethical considerations and a genuine desire to connect with others, and you'll be well on your way to mastering the art of influence.

there's a reason we're genetically conditioned to look someone in the face when we're uncertain about their meaning.

the face offers invaluable clues about emotional states.

we display our true emotions on our faces unconsciously and involuntarily.

of the 40 muscles in the face, many can't be consciously controlled.

additionally, these muscles often react quicker than the mind, meaning that someone's face can reveal an impending emotion before they even become aware of it themselves.

this is one of the keys to mind-reading, picking up on someone's emotional state before they do.

there are seven universally recognized emotional states.

surprise, anger, sadness, joy, fear, disgust and contempt.

typical facial expressions that indicate surprise include the face opening up, arching eyebrows, wide eyes and an open mouth.

the more open someone's mouth, the greater the surprise.

anger is often characterized by lowered and contracted eyebrows, a lowered upper eyelid.

even these subtle expressions in the eyes on an otherwise neutral face can signal controlled anger.

a closed, tight mouth and clenched jaw are often the first signs of this emotion.

sadness is typically marked by a lack of muscle tension in the face, downcast eyes and the inner corners of the eyebrows being pulled up, one of the hardest facial movements to make voluntarily, providing a good indicator of true sadness.

a genuine smile, indicative of joy, employs both the muscles around the mouth, known as the zygomaticus major, and the muscles around the eyes, which are called the orbicularis oculi.

only 10% of humans can control their orbicularis oculi, which is why looking at the eyes is the best way to tell if a smile is genuine.

fear is characterized by raised but straight eyebrows, wrinkles appearing on the forehead and tense, open eyes.

disgust is displayed through a wrinkled nose, raised upper lip and sometimes lowered eyebrows, although eyebrows aren't critical to this expression.

like anger, disgust is an easy emotion to fake.

contempt, related to disgust but pertaining specifically to other people and their actions, is displayed mainly through a tightened and raised corner of the mouth, like an elvis-like sneer and downward turned eyes.

we literally look down on those we feel contempt for.

because we often want to mask our true feelings, humans are adept at trying to conceal their emotional states.

this is why you need to look for micro-expressions, brief, involuntary facial expressions that reveal an individual's true emotions, partial expressions, when only a portion of the face displays the emotion, and slight expressions, subtle, low-intensity displays of emotion.

by mastering the art of reading facial cues and signals, mentalists can develop an accurate understanding of the emotional states of those around them.

this skill not only enhances communication and persuasion abilities, but also fosters deeper connections and empathy.

however, it's crucial to approach this knowledge with respect and ethical considerations, using it to build trust and understanding rather than for manipulation or deception.

as a mentalist, being able to detect when someone is lying is a crucial skill.

while words can be easily manipulated, the human body often betrays the truth through subtle non-verbal cues and signals.

it's a common misconception that the face is the primary indicator of dishonesty.

while facial expressions can reveal certain emotions, the body is often the most reliable source of information when it comes to detecting lies.

many people are unaware of the wealth of information their bodies unconsciously convey, making it harder to control these non-verbal cues.

when someone is telling the truth, their words, facial expressions, and body language are harmoniously aligned, conveying a consistent message.

however, when someone is lying, they are essentially communicating two contradictory messages, the truth and the cover-up story.

this disharmony can lead to unconscious signs known as leakage, creeping in and contradicting the verbal message.

it's important to note that not everyone displays leakage when lying, and leakage can also be attributed to other factors such as preoccupation or emotional stress.

therefore, it's crucial to consider the context before concluding that someone is being dishonest.

one non-verbal cue to watch out for is in the eyes.

when someone is lying or under emotional pressure, their chapters may last longer than typical chapters.

additionally, eye movements can reveal whether someone is recalling a memory or constructing a new thought, such as a lie.

while there's no universal pattern for these eye movements, each individual has their own unique system.

by establishing the eye movement patterns of your subject, you can discern when they're lying or telling the truth.

unlike the face, the body is less connected to the emotional centre of the brain, and this is where leakage most frequently occurs.

gestures towards the face, such as covering the mouth, scratching the nose, or tugging at glasses or ears, can indicate dishonesty.

interestingly, these same gestures in someone listening to another person can signal doubt about the truthfulness of what they're hearing.

another telltale sign of deception is a gestural slip, a recurring looped action designed to release anxiety.

this could be something as simple as repeatedly clicking a pen, shredding paper into small pieces, or tapping fingers.

while these gestures may seem innocuous, they can reveal an internal conflict and a need to release tension.

when lying, our speech patterns also change.

we may employ pauses that are longer or shorter than normal, or pause in places we don't typically pause.

we may lengthen our vowels, stretching them into e or a sounds to buy time.

repetition and saying the same thing over and over again can also be indicators of dishonesty.

by developing a keen eye for non-verbal communication and understanding the nuances of body language, mentalists can unveil deception and gain a deeper understanding of the true intentions behind the words spoken.

while learning to read micro-expressions, bodily cues, and verbal tells is undoubtedly valuable for discerning what others are thinking, it also holds immense potential for persuasion.

by mastering the art of non-verbal communication, mentalists can skillfully plant ideas, opinions, and images in someone's mind without them even realising it, a powerful tool in the realm of influence.

one potent technique mentalists employ is the use of suggestion, which involves subtly proposing ideas to the unconscious mind.

unlike propositions made to the conscious mind, which are subjected to an analytical filter, suggestions bypass this filter, allowing the unconscious mind to accept them as objective truths.

so, how can mentalists effectively conceal these suggestions and proposals?

one simple method is through negation.

for example, saying, don't think of a polar bear, immediately conjures an image of a polar bear in the listener's mind.

this phenomenon occurs because a polar bear is a concrete thing, while negations like not, don't, or no are abstractions.

in instances like these, the brain clings to the concrete image rather than the abstract negative.

another approach is to embed commands within sentences.

for example, the statement, i'm starting to feel tired, conceals the command, feel tired.

while a single embedded command may not be very effective, repeated instances can have a substantial impact.

ambiguity and intentional omissions can also be powerful persuasion tools.

product packaging often displays partial phrases like, now even brighter, or ten times more flavour, leaving the consumer to fill in the gaps and create their own plausible interpretation.

because individuals invest their own interpretations, they become more inclined to accept them as truth.

anchoring is another valuable technique in the mentalist's arsenal.

anchors are associations created by pairing a specific gesture or touch with a word or statement.

for instance, a mentalist could lightly touch someone's arm while saying, what a great day.

by repeatedly reinforcing this association, the mentalist can later activate the anchor by touching the person's arm and making a statement like, it would be great if we could allocate some more budget for this project.

anchors are most effective when initiated in an emotional state that mirrors the desired effect.

if the goal is to create an anchor that evokes feelings of happiness, it should be planted during a time when the subject is already experiencing joy, such as at a party.

conversely, if the desired outcome is to create an anchor that elicits doubt or hesitation, it should be established when the subject is already feeling those emotions.

even more interesting is that this technique isn't only useful with other people.

mentalists can create anchors within themselves to trigger specific states like energy, enthusiasm or confidence whenever they're needed.

in this chapter-2, the art of reading minds, by henrik feixius, you've learned that non-verbal cues and signals can become tools for fostering understanding, building rapport and achieving mutually beneficial outcomes.

when wielded with integrity and care, the art of mentalism can unlock profound insights into the human mind and facilitate meaningful connections between individuals.

ok, that's it for this chapter.

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see you in the next chapter.