Manila, Philippines - “It’s a skill,” describes Nomer Lasala of his gift to read someone’s mind or also called mentalism. “That’s how I view it. I don’t consider myself special. Everybody can do it.” Viewers can witness this special ability of Nomer on GMA 7’s Mind Master second season starting July 24 after Kap’s Amazing Stories.
“(Mentalism) can be compared to singing,” he adds. “We all know how to sing. But each is on a different level. You have a Regine Velasquez who has gotten better over the years. Then there’s Charice who had no formal training. If one just focuses on it and puts one’s heart into it, one will eventually learn it.”
Does he use intuition to perform his effects or acts?
“Yes, I do,” answers Nomer. “There are people who are (born with it) and possess a strong intuition. However, there are skills like mental projection that mentalism requires. The basic skill is following your intuition. You will get better as you go along and you refine the skill.”
Nomer discovered his mind-boggling talent at the age of nine. It was one fine morning and he was in a hurry to catch his school bus. When Nomer was about to grab his lunch box on the table, it stuck on his hand without touching it.
“Telekinesis first manifested in me although I haven’t duplicated it since then,” he shares. “I’m still studying it now.”
Asked if there’s a school specializing on mentalism, Nomer replies, “There’s a university abroad and also a community of mentalists. In my case, however, I was trained by David Elefant, a well-known mentalist in Europe, at 17. I met him in a party where I performed (mentalism) before diplomats. Luck would have it, he was there. David helped me polish my skill.”
During the taping for Mind Master’s pilot episode titled Open Secret, Nomer wowed the studio audience by performing such acts as open mic mentalism, regression and ESP cards. His mentor David performed a blindfold act involving the color bar. Stunned by Nomer’s mentalism were episode host Cesar Montano, guests Heart Evangelista, Daniel Matsunaga, Jay-R and Geoff Eigenmann.
“They are two different bananas,” Nomer differentiates mentalism from doing magic tricks. “We borrow the theatrics of magic. I have respect for my magician-friends. I’m (proud) of what they do. We have different playing fields. (Mentalism) is a combination of psychic (ability) and psychology.”
Although he has done reading people’s minds for years and awed many a Filipino, Nomer thinks he hasn’t perfected his skill yet.
“There were times before that it didn’t work,” he shares. “Recent example was with Jackie Rice. That’s the thing. It is not accurate. Someone is thinking of a boxer. Then, I might pick it up as an athlete. Someone is thinking of Michael. But I could read it as Michelle.”
So, what’s the price to pay for possessing such gift?
“Time,” answers Nomer. “You have to give it time. You have to surpass the idea that the effect you are practising will not work. For instance, you want to bend a spoon. You just practise, practise, practise and perform the exercises to bend it. You will reach the point when nothing happens. Then you will start questioning yourself and say, ‘This is not true.’ You just have to surpass that doubting stage.”
Away from his mentalist persona, Nomer works as a business development officer for Intellicare. He doesn’t use his special skill to advance his career and to win his bosses’ nod of approval. He just plays fair.
“They are proud of me,” says the Lyceum of the Philippines University graduate of his parents’ reaction on his newfound fame. “It was Tito Joey’s (de Leon) program Mel & Joey that gave me the biggest break. He guested me on the show. But he took notice of me when I was invited to perform for the birthday of his daughter Jocas. He asked me to do a demonstration and do drawing duplication. We both drew a monkey. I got a good feedback. I gave my number. I received more than 16,000 messages. I’m still getting responses.”
Every Sunday night, Nomer promises ”more ironed-out” acts and a “more, bigger and beautiful” second season.