Under normal circumstances, a trip to outer space would require years of scientific training and expensive equipment.
For Sailesh the Hypnotist, it only takes one touch of the arm and a few words.
Sailesh, who was named the “Best Hypnotist on the Planet” by MTV Europe, performed in front of an audience of about 30 people Tuesday at the Reitz Union Auditorium.
Sailesh placed members of the audience under a hypnotic trance by doing controlled breathing exercises and lightly touching them on the arm.
He also incorporated humor into his performances.
The volunteers acted out scenarios, such as watching television and flying in a space shuttle. Sailesh was even able to convince one volunteer that his belt was something to be afraid of. Sailesh grabbed the belt and flipped it around. As the belt moved, the volunteer switched from being calm to being fearful.
For Sailesh, who was first introduced to hypnotism when he was 20, hypnotism acts as a natural sort of therapy. According to Sailesh, the average student falls under a hypnotic trance 112 times in the average day.
Since August 1, Sailesh has performed about 140 times and has 60 more booked.
A portion of proceeds raised from the show go toward Vitamin Angels, a charity that aims to combat child mortality worldwide.
From his performances, he hopes to be able to raise enough money to help 100,000 children, primarily those in Africa.
He has also used his talent to help people with ailments such as chronic back pain and chronic headaches.
But he still manages to keep the shows lighthearted.
“It’s the most fun you will have with your clothes on,” he said.
