The Psychic Agenda

The Psychic Agenda

The Psychic Agenda For Those Unscrupulous Charlatans Who Delight in Convincing the Unwary That They Have Real Psychic Powers!

by John Riggs

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The Psychic Agenda

The Psychic Agenda Dedicated to the unscrupulous charlatans who delight in convincing the public that they have uncanny powers!

Bits and Pieces of Pseudo-Psychic Entertainment 

by  John Riggs

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Copyright 1996 1996 by John Riggs. Riggs. All Rights Reserved. Reserved.

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Contents Foreword By Lee Earle Introduction

Chapter One: Some Cool Psychic Presentations Poor Man's Room Service (With LePaul Wallet Wallet Option) The New Add a Number Book  Harmonica Convergence Marc Psiman's Psi-Flasher Design Duplication Using Audience Drawings PATEquivoque They Hell Fire! The Lady and the Lock Bumbershoot Q and A The Bivalve Billetbag Chapter Two Some Secrets of Becoming a Famous Psychic The PK Recorded Tape Secret Aura Reading for the Psychically Dyslexic Right or Left? More Secrets of Private Readings Practical Applications of the Gail Sheehy Pattern On the Road Chapter Three The Seven Psychic Secrets of Success Conclusion

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By Lee Earle Mentalism is at a cusp, a point of change from which a new emphasis will emerge. This should be viewed as a natural eventuality. Every performing art must evolve to keep pace with a constantly mutating audience. Resistance to the inevitable is risky risky.. Ignoring change is fatal. Just ask the veterans of Vaudeville and Burlesque. In Mentalism, we have associated important transitions with the names of the movers and shakers shakers of the period, such such as Annemann, who helped bring Mentalism under conjuring's umbrella and Dunninger, Dunninger, who elevated our art to new heights of public awareness. Since the era of Dunninger, Dunninger, however, stagnation stagnation has set in. The increasing irrelevance of mental magic (magic tricks with a mind-reading theme) and advancing levels of audience sophistication have made necessary yet another metamorphosis. Addressing that demand, Mentalism is beginning to stand more on its own, acknowledging some overlap with the community of magicians but otherwise developing as an independent, self-sustaining self-sustaining craft. At the cutting edge, some would say the bleeding edge, of this flurry of creativity and innovation stand a few hardy souls who are blazing new trails. They are reshaping Mentalism for the new millennium. Future historians will look back on this era and will search for a name associated with the monumental evolution now occurring. I wouldn't bet against them choosing John Riggs.

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Introduction This book is dedicated to those nefarious charlatans who delight in convincing the unwary public that they have uncanny  psychic powers! The ethical debate over this issue is two doors down, in the Skeptics's Corner, where Randi, Penn and Teller, and Carl Sagan are amusing each other with stories about how clever they they are. The channeled spirit of Isaac Asimov looks on and smirks knowingly.... We will deal in this discussion with pseudo-psychic pseudo-psychic methods, real psychic methods, and out and out scamming to create a powerful magickal effect on  people who are seeking seeking readings, people people who are being read, read, and audiences in general. Certain moral demarcations demarcations will be sternly drawn, however, however, as we're out to sell a magickal experience, not candles, hexes, mojos, and messages from departed loved ones.

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We sternly affirm our abstinence from legal, financial, and medical advice. Our province is the the spiritual and psychological psychological arena, and we leave the care of the more worldly aspects of our people to doctors, lawyers, and financial planners.

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We stolidly dedicate ourselves to the entertainment of our audiences, by whatever means we deem necessary to create a strong and convincing result.

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We lovingly embrace show business and stardom in all its myriad aspects— the dizzying highs, the terrifying lows, the creamy middles. We're not satisfied with the stable, normal life upon which we so stubbornly turned our collective backs!

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We further turn our backs on the trickster’s mindset that affirms that spectators are too gullible and stupid to draw their own conclusions and who need to be saved from their own folly. We further resolve to embrace our audiences with all our hearts, and swear to treat them with loving kindness.

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We resolve to learn all we can about psychology, counseling, and spirituality in order to better serve those whom we profess to help and entertain. entertai n. We also promise to help other kindred spirits whenever  possible, that our craft craft may grow and evolve.

So mote it be!

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“You’re “You’re about to be deceived by someone who  pretends to understand you”

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Some Cool Psychic Presentations When working on developing a reputation as a Psychic, it’s sometimes very desirable to include a little demonstration or two of Mentalism, along with your genuine psychic insights. Here’s Here’s one of my favorite openers openers to use when  performing out-of-town.… out-of-town.…

Poor Man's Room Service (With LePaul Wallet Option) Those of you that own the marketed trick Room Service can use this handling to good effect. effect. If you

don’t have the marketed set, I’ve described the handling with a prop you can manufacture yourself.

Effect: “Ah, it's great to be here tonight.”  says the performer. “I feel that this is a very special night. Will you come up here here and help me?”

A woman comes up to help the Psychic. “I would like you to accompany accompany me on an imaginary imaginary journey. journey. Imagine that  you were coming coming up to my hotel room room for, for, let's say, say, a palm reading. reading. The hotel I'm  staying at has five floors. floors. I would ask you to imagine yourself stepping stepping on the elevator, and imagine that you're pushing a button to come to my floor. floor. What  floor is it?”

She says, “Five.” “Very “Very good;”  says the Psychic, writing the number on the pad. “Now,  Imagine that you're you're walking down the hall hall on the fifth floor floor,, and you stop at a room and knock. The door opens, and I greet greet you. Now, Now, what room number are  you entering?”

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“523.” “Good, good! good! I knew that tonight was special! special! When I checked checked in tonight,  I picked up my room room key. key. Just for grins, let's see what what my room room number happens happens to be.”

The Psychic removes an envelope from his wallet, and hands it to the lady. lady. She rips open the envelope and removes a hotel key. “In your vision, you saw yourself yourself visit me in room room number 523. Please tell us what my room number really is?” “523.” “523. Remarkable. Thank you!”

As she returns to her seat: “Mable, I know you haven't ever visited my hotel room, and YOU know you haven't ever visited my hotel room, but —what do  you suppose THEY are are all thinking right now?” now?”

Here's how to do it: I'll describe this first first using the homemade homemade gimmick. If you have the marketed version, it will be obvious how to modify the handling to suit you. Buy a package of key tags. These are circular circular tags, about an inch in diameter, with a string attached. You loop one end of the string through a hotel key. Hotel keys are available at any hotel. Prepare a LePaul wallet with an envelope as follows: Slit the envelope open at the bottom, and coat the inner surfaces with rubber cement for about 1/4 of an inch. Let the glue dry, dry, and carefully load the envelope onto the flaps flaps of the wallet. Zip up the wallet and and place it in your left left  jacket pocket. Place the key into the load chamber chamber of the wallet, with with the tag end dangling free. Place a Sharpie pen in the same pocket.

Performance: Remove a small writing writing pad, and remove remove the pen from your your pocket. At the

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same time, pull the key tab out, being careful not to pop the key out of the wallet, and lay the tab against against the pad. The four-inch length length of string attaching attaching the tag to the key gives you just enough room to allow this. As your lady friend calls out her numbers, you double-write them on the  pad and on the tag . If you let go of the tag, the key key drops to the bottom bottom of the wallet, pulling the tag after it. All that remains is to remove the wallet, pull out the envelope, and press the glued edges together, together, sealing the envelope. Hand it to the lady lady to open and remove the key for verification.

The Marketed Option: Obviously, if you use the marketed set, you place the key into the insertion end of the wallet, allowing the tag end of the gimmick to hang on the outside. Load the insert into the shell as you reach into your pocket to remove the wallet, and allow the whole works to drop into the wallet. Conclude as above. In fact, this is the way I currently perform Room Service -- but I used to  perform the home made version before before I broke down and and bought the marketed marketed effect from a magician at a swap meet for $5!! I think this handling is much stronger than the usual handling, simply  because the key is isolated in a secure place, and apparently apparently the only person to handle it is the lady from the audience.

Sometimes, the strongest effects are done with the aid of objects or information supplied supplied by the spectator. spectator. This is especially strong when the thoughts thoughts are supplied by the audience. Here’s Here’s a gimmick that will allow you you to perform miracles:

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The New Add a Number Book Using a double-sided notebook to switch out a set of audience-supplied numbers for numbers provided by the  performer is certainly certainly not new. new. But, in my quest for for the  perfect solution to the problem, I developed a neat gimmick gimmick that I thought I would share with you. You will need to purchase two identical spiral bound notebooks. notebooks . The ones I like are about 4 1/2 inches by eight inches. With wire pliers, cut one end of the spiral wire free so that you can twirl the wire free from from the book. book. Remove the front cover and about half half of the pages. Do the same with the second book. You will also require the back cover from one of the books. Re-assemble the two front halves so that you will have a double-sided  book. Align the back cover cover with either one of the two front front covers. The two halves of the book will be upside down to each other, but that is all right. Re-spiral the wire binding in place and you're complete. You will notice that the book looks ordinary from both sides, complete with a front and a back cover.

Operation Switchout: To preset the book, open the back cover and the front cover that lies  beneath it. Write your information information on the front front page. Close the two covers covers and you're set. Open the book from the other side, folding the front cover to the back of the  book. All three covers covers are now at the back. back. Have the spectators spectators write their information on the blank page. Retrieve the book, book, and ask a disinterested spectator come up to total the figures. As he comes up, you close the book and stick it under your arm to lead the applause. Actually close two two of the covers, the first front cover cover and the back

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cover. This in effect turns the book inside-out. You have plenty of cover for this, as all eyes are on the the spectator coming up to assist you. Open the book to your your force info, and hand it to the spectator for totaling. Rudy Hunter suggested, in Bascom's Magick , that instead of numbers,

you substitute words, using your your anagram list! list! The spectator mentally mentally selects one word out of a couple of dozen supplied by the audience ( or so he thinks!). You  pump him and get the the mentally selected thought! thought! Sometimes, when when asked to total a column of numbers in front of an audience, the assistant suddenly loses 100  points from his I.Q.! I.Q.! The words are safer..... safer..... This is a great idea, and I wish wish I had thought thought of it. I would have put it it in a  book. Well, O.K., I'll give you my pet routine using this useful gimmick. Its a little scenario I call:

Harmonica Convergence It occurred to me that when you use a turnover  book, you're not  simply  simply switching out the first  page - you're switching switching out half the book! A revolution of thought followed, and with an idea inspired by Dr. Charles Scott , the following routine was devised. “One of the most wonderful things in life is music,”  says the psychic. “Tonight “Tonight we’ll explore explore our own rich musical heritage. I’d like everyone to think of a song. As I pass among you, I'll ask you to write the name of your song on this  pad. It doesn't matter if I see it or not. We simply need a wide variety of popular  songs.”

The psychic mingles among the audience, inviting the members to write their song on individual individual pages. Please note that that they are to write one one song to a  page—this is critical.

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“My dear, will you assist me?” As the psychic recruits a helper, he's

tearing out the separate pages, containing songs, and crumpling them into balls. The balls are dropped into a nice gift bag. “Wee have about twenty different songs. Would you please take this bag and “W mix the songs. Please reach reach in and select one.”

Donning a blindfold, the psychic says, “Please go behind me, near the whiteboard, whitebo ard, and open the paper and read to yourself the song you chose. Write the name of the song on the board. board. Has everyone seen the song? song? Please erase the title and return to your your seat. Thank you!”

The psychic removes the blindfold. “Now, I would ask everyone to mentally hum the song in your head. Go! Ow. Ow. ow! Stop! You're all in different keys, and humming the song at at different different times — what cacophony! cacophony! Do it on the count of three. One, two, three!” three!”

The psychic leads the audience in their silent concert by marking time with his hand. He says, “That's better — from from the beginning.” He removes a harmonica. “One, two, three!” As people are mentally humming the song, the psychic plays a jazzy and rhythmic version on his harmonica. harmonica. Imagine the effect on an audience audience when they hear you playing along with with their mental humming! humming!

Method: Almost disappointingly disappointingly simple. On one side of your turnover book, you have written the title of your force song (for instance,  Hello Dolly, Dolly, or Stars and first twenty pages. Open the book to the the other side  Stripes Forever ) on about the first for the spectators to write their titles. As you approach your stage area, casually toss your notebook on the table, doing the turnover move. Remove the gift gift bag as you get a lady lady up to help you. you. Start tearing out the pages on the  force side , screw the paper into loose balls, and toss them in the bag. The lady can only draw out your force song.

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It’s relatively relative ly easy to learn to play one song well on a harmonica. As of this writing, however, the only two harmonica-playing mentalists I know of are Charlie Scott and me.

This routine sounds schmaltzy, schmaltzy, and I admit it, but audiences eat up this sort of thing. Remember, the only real difference between mental magic and  psychic entertainment entertainment is the emotional involvement involvement of the audience! audience! The always eclectic Dr. Charles Scott tells me the same s ame effect can be obtained using an OM Billet Box.  Needless to say, say, if you play any any other instrument, substitute substitute it. Or play the tune on the Kazoo. Your choice, my friend.

Marc Psiman's Psi-Flasher How would you like to build your own FISM flash style unit for under $5? It’s It’s useful, at times, times, for a psychic psychic entertainer to be able able to produce a flash of light. As you know, this light can be effectively picked up and reflected  by a cut crystal bowl, bowl, goblet, or locket --- producing some eerie effects. Marc Psiman shares this secret with us. Please see the accompanying

schematic.

Obtaining the parts: A source for inexpensive flasher units can be had by visiting your local  photo store and asking asking for the used disposable disposable flash camera units. units. You can usually purchase these from the store for under a buck -- the discarded units are usually sent back to the company and recycled. Take your treasure home and get out your needle nosed pliers. CAUTION!!! REMOVE THE BATTERY FIRST!!!!!!

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Building the unit: You’ll find that the camera is held together with a series of small tabs. After removing the battery battery, dismantle the camera. It will fall fall apart before your eyes, revealing our golden nugget— the inner works. You’ll see a flash unit, a battery holder, a circuit board, and a resistor. Be very careful with this this unit, it can shock the living heck out of of you. I learned this the hard way. Here's the plan: plan: Go to Radio Shack  and  and get a small doorbell and some small gauge electrical wire. wire. This wire is the same same gauge as the two wires wires that activate the flash unit. unit. Get a soldering iron iron if you don’t don’t already have have one. From a small block of Styrofoam, hollow out enough room to nestle the unit in snugly. Cover the front of the unit with a piece of matte board, with cutouts for the flasher and recharge recharge switch. Glue a small rubber knob onto the the switch. Glue the assembly together, MAKING SURE THAT THE ENTIRE CIRCUIT BOARD AND ALL ELECTRICAL CONTACTS   ARE CONTACTS  ARE COMPLETELY COVERED WITH HOT GLUE! Use hot glue to fill in ALL

the cracks. I'm not kidding -- that capacitor capacitor packs quite a wallop: 600 volts!. Solder about eight inches of wire to the two leads and run them to the doorbell. With electric tape, seal off the two leads in order to prevent a shortcircuit. Important step: With With hot glue, completely cover all the solder points, wires, and any exposed metal part, including the top and bottom of the capacitor. Barring any cosmetic cosmetic finishing, your unit unit is complete. Attach the doorbell doorbell to your belt or simply keep it in your pocket. You charge the unit by applying  pressure to the charger charger switch until the light behind the flasher flasher starts blinking. blinking. Activate the flash by pressing the doorbell. I suggest covering the flash with a red gel so it doesn't look so much like a camera flash.  Neither Marc Psiman nor the author of this book assume any any liability for injury arising out of of improperly assembling the unit. unit. Please seek out a  professional if you feel feel that you cannot cannot build this unit safely safely..

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Design Duplication Using Audience Drawings I’ve always been fascinated with design duplications — I think, properly  performed, it looks looks like the real thing. However, However, I have never loved the idea of supplying the designs for an audience member to choose from. from. It seem to hint of  preparation. I’ve owned many many great symbol decks, decks, and I think that Annemann's Extra-Sensory Perception is a classic. But I’ve sensed sensed for years years that something something has  been missing from pre-structured design design duplication effects. When I’ve performed one-on-one one-on-one design effects, using devices such as Lee Earle's Clone Pad, the results were tremendous. So what was the difference? Obviously, the audience is more involved when the drawings used in the test are supplied by the audience members themselves.

I think when we supply our own symbols, people aren’t nearly as impressed. Maybe we have 'trick 'trick symbols' that are subliminally coded coded to influence a spectator into into selecting a specific specific symbol. Maybe this “psychic demonstration” is just just another card card trick. Sleight of hand is a possibility possibility.. Perhaps the audience cannot intellectually grasp the concept of a large number of different different designs. Perhaps they do not feel, in their gut, gut, that there’s there’s truly an almost infinite set of possibilities. I had a thought one day, day, (it almost died of lonesomeness!) lonesomeness !) and tested it. A routine took shape. Now, the following routine is a staple of my repertoire when  performing before before smaller groups (around (around fifty or so). I have also used it in  psychic development development classes. I hope you like like it.

Effect: The audience members members are supplied with large (8" x 8") cardboard cardboard squares and marker pens. Everyone is requested requested to draw a simple picture of an everyday everyday

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object. The cards are gathered gathered and mixed, and a series of remote viewing viewing tests are  proposed. •

In the first test, The performer writes a target on a whiteboard, and hides his drawing from the the audiences eyes. An audience member calls out out a number from one to ten. The drawing at at that number is displayed displayed and identified by the audience artist. When the target is turned around, around, it’s it’s seen to very closely match the target!

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For the second test, several audience members concentrate on drawings. One by one, the psychic psychic duplicates them on a whiteboard. Audience involvement is keyed in as each drawing reproduced is identified by the  person who originally originally drew it.

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For the third test, The performer removes three drawings or so and  performs a detailed character reading on the drawing. Using these characteristics as cues, the psychic correctly identifies the artists!

How: Three of your cards cards are marked for easy identification. Think of them as 'A', 'B' and 'C'. As you pass the cardboards cardboards out, form a mental mnemonic mnemonic link as follows: •

Spectator 'A' is having his face eaten off by an ape.

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Spectator 'B' is being stung in the eye by a giant bee.

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Spectator 'C' is stuck in a tub of cement and is drowning at the bottom of the sea.

As you gather up the drawings, you select ten easy to remember and different objects and mnemonicize them in order, order, using the peg system. Any of Harry Lorayne's memory books describe this system in all the detail you’ll ever

need. This isn’t as hard as some some people think. think. The discarded drawings are simply placed to the bottom of your rapidly growing stack. You also position two similar drawings third and fifth from the

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top of the stack for a total of eleven cards. The rest of the drawings do not matter matter for now, now, except be sure your three marked cards are not among the top eleven. For your target prediction, draw a reproduction of the duplicate drawings at  positions 3 and 5. Mix the indifferent indifferent drawings, drawings, leaving your top stock intact. Pardon me for introducing card terminology here! Spread off and remove the top eleven cards without calling attention to the exact number. Have a random participant call out any number from one to ten. Using the European 10-11 force, you can arrive at one of the two duplicates, by either starting the count from from the top or bottom of the stack. This force has been described to death, so I'll refer you to my own Simply Tarot from my first book Heavy Mental  for  for more details on how I handle the concept. When you count to the card, be careful not to upset your mnemonicized stack.  Now,  Now, have a participant participant remove a small bunch of cards -- about about three. Have a second participant remove a small group, and give the rest to a third. Since you have mnemonicized the cards, you know exactly which drawings each spectator has. Have the first spectator spectator remove one drawing, drawing, hiding its face face from you, and concentrate concentrate on it. He places the other two aside for the moment. moment. You simply watch to see which one he removes, and painfully draw it! Repeat with the other two spectators. spectators. Be sure to ask the audience to raise their hand if the drawing used is theirs. Send the participants back to their seats, and pick up the stack of discards. Have the drawings mixed as you proclaim that you will now demonstrate the  psychic technique backward . Fan through the stack and remove your ' A', 'B' and 'C' cards. cards. Do your best cold readings and return the drawings to their owners! Be advised that this is an act in itself, to be structured around whatever message you desire. This is why I didn’t didn’t include my presentation, presentation, as I usually do.

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PATEquivoque The PATEO force (Ken Baker) is a classic way to force one of several objects. So is the Equivoque . Why not combine combine the two and allow the the synergistic interplay to strengthen the selection procedure? Briefly, the PATEO (Point At Two, Eliminate One) force involves an elimination process between the spectator spectator and the performer. performer. Let's assume that you have five colored stones in a row, and you want to force the red one. You point to two of the non-red stones and say, “Which one do you want me to eliminate?” When your helper decides, you set that stone aside. Now, Now, you you

invite the helper to point at two stones. If she points to two of the dead stones, you eliminate either one. If she  points to the red stone, you you eliminate the other other.. Now, Now, you point to the remaining two dead stones, and she eliminates one.  Now there are two stones stones remaining, and and it’s it’s your turn to eliminate eliminate one of them. You eliminate the dead stone, leaving the red one. This matches your  prediction. This is the standard procedure procedure for the PATEO force.  Now,  Now, here are my objections to this standard standard procedure. I do not like 'eliminating' items — it smacks of manipulation and tricks of the magician's  variety, of which many lay people are aware. The first alteration therefore choice variety, to perform the PATEquivoque is to point to two stones and say: “Which one do  you like? I'll keep the other other one.” one.” Digression: Often, when performing a magician's choice with two items,

the spectator points to the awkward object. object. When you set it aside, aside, they will often, often, and reasonably, ask: “Why can't we use the one I picked?” Elimination confuses them — everyone understands understands picking a favorite. favorite. Let 'em keep the one one they like  better!  Now,  Now, it’s it’s your helper's turn. turn. She points to two two stones. You say, say, “I like that one!” And take it. Set it aside.

 Now,  Now, it’s it’s her turn to pick. pick. Point to the two two dead stones. Say, Say, “Which one

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do you want to keep?” Set the other aside. “Then this one is mine.”

 Now,  Now, here is the final final convincer that all is fair. fair. You have two stones on the table. One is the force stone. It’s It’s your turn to pick one. Completely blow them away by saying, “I don't know which one I like best. Do me a favor, favor, my darling —you pick pick one for me! me! Hand it to me.”

Wow! You’ve waived your right to the final selection. selecti on. If she hands you the  predicted stone, call attention attention to it as you you casually brush the last dead stone aside. If she hands you the dead stone, set it aside and call attention to the remaining stone— the one she saved for herself! Finish the effect in grand grand style, and pass the collection plate. It doesn’t get any cleaner than this. For a cool application of this force, see Mark Striving's Warm Fuzzies Up Close. For the final word on the equivoque, See Jack Dean's book Equivoque.

They Hell Fire! Walk around mentalism is rare. To fill this need, Mark Strivings has written an excellent book,  Mobile Mentalism. And I don’t  plug Mark's book simply simply because I'm in it - it really is a good good source of material for the walk-around mind reader. Richard Webster has a videotape with cool close-up psychic

routines which is available from Flora & Co. Yet, until recently, Close-up mentalism was a neglected field. Years ago, I was desperately seeking good, convincing material for walk around mind reading situations. situations. I didn't want mental magic ; I wanted convincing demonstrations that puzzled the skeptic and enraptured the believers. So I got out Bascom's Magick , and culled out a few routines. routines. One of these these was Cicardi's Hell's Fire . I adapted it and changed changed the handling handling to sterilize it a little, and now, with Cicardi's kind permission, I give you this variation on his classic effect.

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I’d like to say at the outset that while I originally thought this would be a  pleasant little interlude, interlude, it soon became one one of the strongest routines routines of Close-Up Close-Up mentalism I’ve ever performed. performed. It is just so convincing.

Effect: “It’s been observed that the incidences of spontaneous psychic manifestations manifest ations increase when strong emotions are involved. involve d. We’ve all had a creepy feeling that something wasn't quite right about a person we’ve just met. Or a premonition of death or disaster.”

Removing a pencil and a banded  stack of business cards, the psychic removes four of them. “On these cards I'll write words that represent represent four common emotions. I'll

placed, face-down, in a row on the try to project them to you.” The four cards are placed, table. “One of these cards has a world that inspires fear and horror — Rush  Limbaugh! Just kidding!. I'm going to try to steer steer you away from from that word. word. “I’d like you to think of something that is the occasion of great great joy. joy. An event of supreme supreme happiness. And then, following following your hunches, just just touch any one of the cards.”

The helper touches a card, and the word ' Joy' is written on the back. The performer continues. “Now, I would like you to think of something you really hated. hated. This could be a visit to a dentist's office, with the sound of the whirring whirrin g drill and the smell of tooth burning away. away. Or, Or, it could be an ex-lover ex-love r or  spouse! Something or someone someone who arouses arouses hate in you. This is a private thought, and one I'll not not ask you to share. share. Just see it. Then, touch a card.”

The word 'Hate' is written on the back of the card. “Now, “Now, please, think of something something or someone that you love. Feel the emotions warming and delighting delighting your heart. Now, Now, touch either one of the two remaining cards.”

The word 'Love' is written on the back of the card.

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“The card you avoided is the card carrying the thought that inspires fear in the hearts of people. No matter what nationality or age you you happen to be, this word will cause fear and panic.”

The performer writes ' Fire' on the back of the remaining card. Turning it over, he says, “And see! You intuitively matched matched the thought thought with the action !” The word ‘Fire’ is also written on the front of the card. “But not only that— when you thought of love, you found the love card, when you thought of joy, you found the joy card, and when you thought of hate, well ...see for yourself!”

The helper matched all four emotions!

Method: The evolution of this effect can be found in Paul Curry's Probability Zero , Orville Meyer's ESP Testing Testing Game, and my own ESP Testing Testing Game 2000.

Everything Cicardi touches comes out cleaner and stronger, stronger, and this routine is no exception. To perform the effect, write the word ' Love' on both both sides of of a card. card. Under this card is another card with the word ' Hate'. And under this one is another card with 'Joy' written on both sides. This stack of three cards are placed on top of a stack of cards banded together with a rubber rubber band. This is a subtlety that makes the subsequent switching of the cards cards inconceivable. The stack goes into your your left pocket with with a  pencil. To perform, remove the stack of cards with the left hand, and hold them in dealing position in the the left hand. The three loose cards are on the bottom of the stack. Pull out four blank cards from the the stack, and drop them them onto the stack. As you’re delivering your opening remarks, write ' Fire' on all four cards . Do this in a manner so that no one can see what you’re writing. This is Cicardi's revolutionary addition to the methodology of  Probability

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 Zero that makes the ending a killer.

Table the four cards in a row, writing side down, and mix them around a bit. All this time, keep the stack of cards in your hand. When the person indicates his 'Joy' selection, write 'Joy' on the back of the card and drop it on top of the stack. Repeat with 'Hate' and 'Love', dropping them on to of the stack in the left hand. Remember, Remember, at this point, all of of the cards have 'Fire' written on the back. You're now going to get set for a gambler's move called ' The Flop'. The move is used to reverse a faced deck -- which is, after all, what we have at this  point, with 'Love' showing on each side. As you write 'Fire' on the last tabled card, your left hand turns palm down, so that the forefinger forefinger can steady the card as you you write on it. it. It is under cover cover of this natural gesture that the first half of the  Flop occurs. Many words can be used to describe the Flop, but basically, you turn your left hand palm up, but the stack does not turn over. over. Your second, third and fourth fingers curl into a fist as the hand turns palm down. This reverses the stack. As the hand turns palm up, flipping the 'Fire' card over to show that both sides match, it is perfect cover to naturally turn turn the hand palm up, and re-gripping the stack in dealing position.  Now,  Now, the gaffed cards are on top. It takes the spectator spectator about two seconds seconds to begin to wonder if 'Fire' was written on all the cards. We give them about a second and a half. half. Then, we deal the three three loose cards face up one one at a time, showing the rare synchronism at work between two minds! Cop the three dirty cards and pocket them under the ample cover you’ll have, and toss the clean and still banded stack onto the table. Or, Or, pocket the entire stack. Either way, way, there’s nothing to see. The banded stack seems to preclude the  possibility of a switch, for for those who would would even consider it it in the first place. And that is my revolutionary addition to the effect! If you want to add comedy, write the name of the current President on the fear card instead of 'Fire'.

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The Lady and the Lock It all started with Annemann's Seven Keys to Baldpate. Various evolutions occurred, such as the mechanically delightful Keyr-r-r-rect  and the Grismer lock . Some versions of the effect (expensive ones, too!) were atrocious and obvious, requiring obvious manipulation by the performer  before the final key is tried. Magic shops and other sources, sources, plus increasingly increasingly suspicious audiences, have given the audience the idea of a “trick lock.” But the various versions of Seven Keys are so strong theatrically, that it seems a shame to trash the entire effect because of this simple complication. So, these days, I ask the person booking me for the show if he would be interested in a Psychic challenge.” “What kind?” He usually answers suspiciously. “I perform a demonstration where where an audience member Psychically opens an ordinary ordinary lock. People are are suspicious if I bring my own own lock, so I wonder if you you could do me a great favor and supply a new lock, still in the original wrapper, for my show?” Usually, they agree. “I need an ordinary ordinary Master Lock Lock gate lock. lock. That's all. Bring it to the show and I'll ask for it when I need need it. Thanks.”

Comes the night of the show, and I have the lock opened by the dignitary and the key is used to open the lock. Now, Now, I introduce six other keys, and have them tried in the lock, one by one. They fail to open the lock. Since I’ve requested a known and very common style of lock, the indifferent keys are easy to  provide. The dignitary is invited to remain onstage and to indicate two other audience members of his his choice, one man and one woman. These two come up to a smattering of applause. innocentl y. No matter what “Do you believe in Psychic Intuition?” I ask innocently the answer, I lock the two men together through their buttonholes! “You’d better,

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unless you want to go home together!” I inform them.

 Now,  Now, you have a variety variety of options other other than the one I'm about to give you. Most Seven Keys routines involve switching the good key out, and making sure it is saved last during an elimination procedure. In the original version, version, seven spectators spectators each draw a key out out of a bag. The Psychic then determines determines who has the one key that opens the lock. Either of these  presentations, and the methods methods accompanying accompanying them, will work work fine with the  borrowed lock. Annemann's  original version used a small change bag and seven duplicate

good keys. The change bag is used to force one of the the good keys on a known spectator. Mark Strivings  sells an excellent updated version that uses only the

original keys, no change change bag, and is very clean. In fact, I use his handling handling when I want a quicker effect. You may contact him, or see his tape Anneman for the Nineties.

In this version, The Lady and the Lock , a different effect is created through cheating. The six indifferent keys are tried, one by one, by the lady, and dropped into an elegant glass goblet. The good key is tried, tried, the lock springs springs open, and the  performer then buttonholes buttonholes the two male guests. Swirling the keys around in the glass, the psychic drops them into the lady's hands. She's instructed instructed to clasp her hands together together loosely around the keys. The  psychic then invites the lady to concentrate, using using her best psychic psychic insight, and try to mentally locate the one key, the correct key, that will open the lock and free the two gentlemen before rumors get started! When she opens her hand, she gasps! Six of the keys keys are twisted and bent. bent. Only one key remains straight. It’s the key necessary necess ary to open the lock! Hooray!

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How to do it: As the lady hands you the six indifferent indifferent keys, you secretly bend them as you drop them into the glass. Guy Bavli's method is probably the best here. Believe me, you have lots of cover. If that method is too testicular for you (and it is for me!) try this: When you procure the goblet to drop the keys into, with the right hand finger palm a stack of six horribly disfigured disfigure d keys. You can hold the goblet in the hand with the finger palmed keys for a while, just to create some time misdirection. Pass the goblet into the left hand so that the right hand is free to take the first indifferent key from the lady, and hold it between the first finger and thumb. This is the position required to execute a coin sleight known to magicians as the Bobo Switch.

Eventually, you’ll be holding all six indifferent keys and she's trying the good key. All eyes are on her, her, and so you have plenty of cover for the following: Drag the discarded keys into finger palm as you release the finger palmed keys into the goblet. Allow the lady to drop the seventh key key into the goblet as you move close in to her. her. Let her body cover your right hand carefully carefully dropping the  palmed keys into the the pocket. Do not let her get get a good look into into the glass! The rest, as they say, is all buildup. I’ve used a pendulum at times to channel the energy from the audience to bend the keys. When the time comes, cleanly and dramatically show the bent keys, one by one. Call attention to the straight key, key, and have the lady release the two gentlemen from durance vile. *********************************** In my restless quest for the perfect Q and A method, I’ve traveled many routes. Most of these these have been documented in the Compleat Fortune-Teller  and The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller  Fortune-Teller . Here’s a handling I'm working these days

for audiences of skeptics; skeptics; where an ultra-clean ultra-clean handling is of the essence. It is  based on the Volta Hull Reversible Card , and you should refer to my handling of the card in The Compleat Fortune Teller  in Whillicker's Favorite Method .

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Bumbershoot Q and A A combinations of methods are used to rule out skeptic's theories. But first, an analysis of the the top five theories is offered. •

 Pet theory number one: The questions are are secretly read. read.

Presentation is the key key to destroying this theory. theory. If the folded cards are never opened, opened, then the idea cannot cannot come up. Get rid of your your one-ahead! Clean handling is the the key here. In the following following method, the the information is openly gleaned, but the the method hides this this action. If the billet is always handled at the extreme fingertips, and always kept in full view, it goes a long way to assure the spectator's peace of mind. •

Theory number two is the one - ahead , or some variation of it.

This theory is ruled out by changing the order order of procedure. The performer answers the question, then hands the billet to to a spectator to read read aloud. The billet is then passed back to the questioner. questioner. •

Theory number three is  planted questions. questions.

To eliminate this assumption, as many questions as possible should be answered. This should should present no problem. problem. •

Theory number four is the performer is reading the writing by feeling the raised imprint .

This seems ridiculous, but I have heard this proposed by otherwise  perfectly intelligent intelligent people. This theory is eliminated eliminated by pointing out during the writing procedure that it is impossible. impossible. Invite them to try it themselves before they turn the card in. Caution them about about bearing down too hard because it would would emboss the question on the back of the card. •

Theory number five involves the idea that the questions are opened in the bag and secretly read .

I have the questions gathered in a nice gift bag, and move into the audience

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as I answer the questions. Periodically, Periodically, I invite the querents to look in the bag to see if they can read any of the questions. questions. They admit they cannot. I give them the bag to shake up and select the next question for me. The key here is audience participation. participation. If they are are involved, they’ll they’ll by too busy to formulate destructive (to the illusion) theories.

Preliminaries: First, some pre-show pre-show information is gathered. Five or so questions questions are gathered in the audience. It doesn’t matter matter if the method destroys the billet or not —all we need is the question and the name. Plenty of methods methods exist that allow us us to get the information. information. I prefer to mingle with the crowd before dinner, dinner, and perform some readings and/or mobile mentalism (as my friend Mark Strivings calls it). At the conclusion of my performance, I have one of the spectators fill out a  billet. I use the Osterlind switch to switch the billet for a blank, and burn it. I then say that I'll answer their question during the show. The pre-show mingling assures that I can target people who are  good table I'm working shows skepticism or hostility, I end the responders . If the table  performance quickly quickly, and move on. Some may prefer prefer impression methods, methods, such as the clipboard or Lee Earle's Pre-Show Pads. At the end of my close-up performance, I innocently ask the good table if they ever thought about seeing a psychic, or perhaps call one of those psychic hotlines in order to to ask a question. Usually, Usually, a good responder will will say “Yes.” So, I tell them, why don't you write down the question that you’d like me to try to psychically answer. “Fold it up, and I tell you what — keep it until I ask for the questions during the show!” This virtually assures that I’ll receive good,

usable questions, and not something like, “Wherever did you get this nice carbon  paper clipboard?” clipboard?”

As I described in my other books on Q and A, my pre-show slips are the same color and appearance as my Q and A cards, except they are made from thin

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avoid them by touch touch during the preliminary preliminary part of of  paper . This ensures that I can avoid the Q and A performance, and save the good stuff for the end. Ideally, the five questions should be memorized, but I like to cover my  bets. Prozac has ruined ruined my short term memory, memory, so I write the names names and questions on a small, business card sized s ized cue card. The cue card is in an easy to reach location, near a large crystal crystal ball. I also write down on this card any “dirt” I have on the dignitaries present.

Phase One Cards are passed to the audience, and they are invited to fill them out by writing a psychic question on the card, folding it in half, and signing their names on the outside. outside. The cards are then folded in in half again. The cards are set up for the Volta Hull reversible card. As they are filled filled out and folded, the cards are gathered in a cardboard shoe box with a slot in the top. This assures the the spectators that that the cards are impossible to read. It also hides the fact that the folded cards tend to spring open a bit. The gathered cards are are dumped into a nice nice gift bag. One folded card is removed and held at the fingertips. “We have a card that has your name on the outside,” the psychic says. “And your secret secret question on the inside. I'll call out out  your name, and when you hear it, stand up and say 'Here!'  “Attend me carefully. It would be an easy thing to simply unfold the card, turn it over, over, and read read the question. But I'll not ever do that.  I'll use my intuition to try to give you meaningful impressions. impressions. “However, I'm not at all limited to the information written on the card. This is for verification purposes purposes only. only. I may tell you a lot of things you didn't didn't think of at at the time time you phrased your question. question. But everything everything I tell you will be meaningful to you.”

At this point, the folded billet is dropped into the bag, and is immediately opened and folded inside out. Now, Now, the question is on the outside of the card. Since it’s it’s folded into quarters, the card looks looks the same. Immediately remove remove the

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same slip and open it halfway, halfway, ostensibly to read aloud the name. “Here’s “Here’s one. James Smith. Where are you?” You’ve apparently read the

name from the front of the card— but since the card is secretly inside out, you also read the question . Fold the card back over as soon as you read aloud the name. Always handle the card at the extreme fingertips and in full view at all times.  Now,  Now, in the best manner manner possible, deliver a reading and answer the question. question . Walk briskly over to the spectator, with the bag of questions question s in your left hand, hanging by the little strap at the top. Position the visible card to perform the Umbrella Move. Don't do it yet. You’ll clean up the reversed condition of the card using a unique application of the Umbrella Move. Approach the spectator spectator whose question you’re answering, and insert your thumb into the card. Don’t stick it in too far. By this time, you’ve made your way across the room and are standing alongside the spectator. spectator. Answer his question question in fine manner (See the FortuneTeller series for how).

Openly do the Umbrella Move, and the card pops open with the question  facing the spectator! Ostentatiously keep your head turned away from the card. “Sir, “Sir, will you read read aloud the question? I don’t don’t want to even see it. Was I close?” Of course, he reads the question aloud and the audience applauds. You

have to try this to see how clean it is. “Here’s another one.”

This procedure is repeated repeated about five times. times. The secret reversal is completely covered by being performed in a bag, and the cleanup is performed in full view and is totally unsuspected, due to the weird topological properties of the Umbrella Move. It’s the perfect crime!

To make the matter even more interesting, we throw them a curve ball.

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Variation: Between Your Palms Have a pen or small ruler ruler in your right right inside jacket pocket. pocket. Read the name aloud, secretly reading reading the question, and chuckle. Start to walk the the question over to the person responding. responding. Begin your character reading at this time. Say, “I’d like to show you something interesting interesting about your signature.” Reach into your pocket with the hand containing the card (the other hand has the  bag and, if you use one, the the hand-held mike), mike), and re-fold the the card to its original original state. Remember, Remember, this brings the signature signature back to the outside. outside. Show the person her signature and make a few marks as you point out something interesting about her signature with the pen. “These tight 'o' loops tell me you're a very private person, and aren’t likely to tell anyone the whole story. There’s There’s always a piece of yourself you hold in reserve. Would you please hold your card between your palms and concentrate concentr ate on your question?”

Back away a few steps and piece together the threads of her question as she's holding it between between her palms! As soon as she verifies verifies that you’ve given given her an answer, turn away and immediately go to the next question, leaving her with a stainless, folded question in her hands that skeptics can examine to their heart's content.

Phase Two  Now,  Now, to increase the pace, simply perform the first reversal in in the basket for subsequent questions, as in the original Volta Hull Supper Club Mindreading Act. Call out the name, name, and answer the question. Ask, “Does that answer your

time for verification. verification. Do not open or un-reverse the the billet, just question?” each time drop it in your pocket or carelessly toss it aside. aside. Keep this part as brisk as you can.

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The About-Face At some point in the proceeding, I'll say: “I sense some skepticism in the back — someone is trying to figure out how I'm getting the questions. Actually, Actually, there are are quite a few people wondering wondering this. Folks, the point is not not how am I  getting the questions questions — it’s it’s how am I getting the answers? If you you ask ask yourself yourself this question, question , you’ll begin to see the point of this show. show. And as you're beginning to realize, I'm telling you a lot more than any of you wrote down!”

Phase Three To further increase the pace, stop consulting the slips entirely and remove your crystal crystal ball. Secretly palmed is your cue cue card. By reading it through the crystal ball, you read the thoughts of your your pre-show assistants. Toss in some salty sensational answers during this phase. phase. Keep the pace fast!

Phase Four Segue into a Hurling the headlines style delivery and say good-bye! Prepare to be burnt at the stake. After reading so many methods of performing Q and A in my books, you're probably probably wondering: wondering: Johnny, Johnny, what is your favorite method? Good question….

The Bivalve Billetbag I'm going to briefly describe this utility gimmick to you and let your imagination imagination run with it. I'll tell you that that I use it now to  perform FloraRiggs from The Man With the $1.98 Hands . The Ostin Billet-switching clip  is a staple in Mentalism, and many routines and uses have been devised with with it. I use it a great deal, deal, as did the late Dr. Dr. David Davi d Hoy , while performing his bold and subtle Miracles. Richard Mark  has  has written a wonderful treatment on the Ostin clip entitled

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The Invisible Hand .

I wanted a handling that would allow the spectator to remove the clip holding the billet. It occurred to me that you you could get the same effect if the billet actually went up into the bag, instead of the clip. clip. For what it’s it’s worth, here's the idea: You have a gift in an ornate bag, with a horizontal stripe pattern. A bulldog clip holds the bag shut, and under the clip a folded receipt can be seen . An audience member guesses what she thinks the gift might have cost. When she removes the receipt, the total at the bottom matches her psychic guess. To make the gimmick, construct an extra 'lip' at the top of the bag about an inch an a half half wide. This lip looks looks like one of of the stripes stripes in the bag design. Glue a rubber band to the inside top of the lip, and attach the folded billet to the band as in the Ostin clip. The band needs to be of a size that will pull pull the billet up into into the lip of the bag. Pull the billet down, into view, view, and hold it in place by placing a  bulldog clip on the top top of the bag. When your assistant calls out her estimated price (Tell her its under $10) you jot her guess down on a pad. You also double-write it on the blank spot on a duplicate receipt. I know this is a sketchy description, but but see FloraRiggs from the book cited above for more details.  Now,  Now, two movements movements occur simultaneously simultaneously.. You instruct her to remove remove the clip as your hand, with with the palmed billet, billet, turns palm up under under the clip. It looks like the billet fell from the clip into your hand! Sort of the mentalist version of the shuttle pass. The clip is clean, but the bag is dirty. Have your assistant open the receipt and read it aloud. When the applause subsides, subsides, reach into the the bag and give her the gift. Warm Snuggles!

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The Psychic Agenda

Psychic Fair Groupies

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Chapter Two Some Secrets of Becoming a Famous Famous Psychic There’s no doubt that one of the quickest way to build your name up is to work a few Psychic Fairs. Rather than being just another generic reader on the floor with about twenty others, why not work a little harder to increase your reputation as a magickal person? Even in your community, you’d like to be known as a  person around whom whom weird things happen. I often deny that weird things happen around me, while books are crashing off of the shelf behind me. I do want to point out that I personally have no need to resort to trickery to accomplish any of the the following effects. effects. I'm a real Psychic, Psychic, and I challenge anyone to prove, to my satisfaction and under my conditions,  that I'm not!

The Geller Wristwatch Trick During a Reading This is a little thing I like to throw in every now and again when I'm in a venue where I provide a lot of readings, such as a Psychic Fair or corporate party. I ordinarily don’t like to perform magic tricks during a reading, but this little gem seems to occur after  the  the reading! Read on. Here’s what I tell the sitter: I take both her hands in my own, and say, as though in afterthought: “You “You may want to remove your wristwatch and set it aside. During the course of this reading, I'm going to be interacting interacti ng with your Aura. You may sense this interaction as a feeling of peace and well- being that will come over you.

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Unfortunately, Unfortunately, it can play Hobbs with electronics electronics and watches. I'll just set it over here.”

The sitter sees me set the watch, without so much as a glance in its direction, on the table. I proceed proceed with the reading. reading. What the sitter didn't see is that I popped the stem of the watch with my thumbnail and gave the knob a spin or two before setting it down. This is a very easy trick to do, and was a staple of Geller's repertoire. You may have seen Randi demonstrate the trick as as well. By the way, way, having seen the two, Geller does it better! So, when I give her the watch back the knob is snapped back in place and she puts her watch on. on. I'm very careful to to keep her attention attention occupied with some some engrossing conclusions while she does this. Sometime later, later, she’ll notice her watch is several hours off! off! She's bound to remember my remarks about the interaction of my Aura with hers. I only perpetrate this beauty about about six times out of thirty readings or so. It’s It’s enough to start a legend going around, about all the strange things that just seem to happen all around your magickal self! Another way to gain notoriety at a Psychic fair involves demonstrating an ability that no one else else has. If you combine combine this principle with the idea that most most of the products offered at Psychic Fairs are intangibles, you can come up with a  practical use for the following despicable despicable type of dupery, dupery, that I'll discuss in detail detail next. Bear with me:

Hypno Heat as a Crystal Cr ystal Cleansing Presentation Hypno Heat is a generic term for any number of toxic

chemical preparations (such (such as mercuric mercuric chloride), that, when applied to aluminum foil, creates an exothermic reaction. In other words, words, the foil foil gets hot! The drawbacks are that the chemical is messy and

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dangerous. I personally don’t don’t like using using the chemical for safety safety reasons. However, However, I'll admit that in the past, I’ve used the following at Psychic Fairs to enhance my reputation, and — yes, to make a little money! I “cased” the clients as follows: Whenever someone bought a crystal and asked me what I thought about it, I would grasp the stone and look vacant for a moment. “Whoo, this is hot,”  I’d say with a frown. “There's a lot of anger in this stone. I think this was once part of a larger stone that was dashed to pieces in an argument. There are are tears, shouting, anger. anger. Some of the rage remains. remains. Would you like me to cleanse it?”  I ask

innocently. I look for a piece piece of metal, preferably preferably some foil. I “find” a scrap of foil, leftover from a piece of gum, chocolate, chocolate, or cigarette pack. I personally don’t don’t smoke, but most psychics seem to. Loading the foil with the chemical, I hand the balled fragment to the person to hold on the palm of their hand. I place the crystal in the other. other. I hover both hands over theirs, and hum softly. Eventually Eventual ly,, the foil becomes hot! They always react strongly. strongly. “There, there,” I croon to the crystal. “You might want to hold this under running water  for one minute to complete complete the cleansing (!). Thank you; it is a very nice crystal,” crystal,”

I tell the astonished client. This is a necessary step, in my opinion, so that any trace of the toxic chemical that remains on the foil is washed from the client's hands. Soon, word spread, and I was “cleansing” stones for the low, low price of $5 each. If you use this, you're indeed despicable! Hee, hee, hee! Sometimes, especially at Psychic fairs, the sitter s itter asks for permission to record the reading. reading. At one time, time, I would record every reading and sell the person the tape for an extra $5. If the sitter didn't want to buy the the tape, I’d recycle it. Over the course of a weekend, this incidental practice can generate a couple of extra hundred dollars. dollars. I have a nice cassette cassette insert for the tape. tape.

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But the fear was always in my mind that I might read a mother and daughter, daughter, or a series of friends, perhaps hours apart, and give similar readings. When you do fifty readings over a two day period, it’s bound to happen sooner or later. My paranoia was heightened when another reader was caught out doing canned readings to four people who knew each other!  Amateur...  Amateur... The promoter gave the four ladies comp tickets, and all four came to me. Together. One right after another. And all four listened to each others readings carefully .

 Needless to say, say, I was able to give give them four very different readings using my reading tradition, as I’ve studied real Palmistry all my life and see all hands as different. When they told me what had happened, I understood completely why they were a little defensive when they approached my table. So, I stopped recording readings. However, However, some clients strenuously insist on recording the readings themselves -- some consider it their right . They can get downright downright defensive defensive about this right to do so. So, rather than making the potential client angry, I decided to let them record the readings, but  ruin the recording! How to do this is described next.

The PK Recorded Tape Secret “We can try to record the reading, but I haven't had much luck with it...” “How so?” “Well, “W ell, I don't do real real well with electronics. When I give a reading, reading, my Aura tends to interact with yours, and this  produces  produces energy effects effects that seem to have a deleterious deleterious effect on electronic electronic equipment. equipmen t. We can try it. Just set your recorder recorder over here. In fact, you may want

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to remove your watch and set it over there  as well (remember this?)” “Oh. Okay.”

And I set their tape recorder over a small wooden box that contains a Tarot deck, a pendulum, and a  PK Micro Micro 5 magnet! Which pretty much says 'bye - bye' to any possibility of getting a usable recording. I tried to tell you so, but you wouldn't wouldn't listen. If you hate me, I don't blame you! you! In order to balance balance Karma, I'll discuss discuss how to use our power for good in the section entitled More Secrets of Psychic Readings.

By the way, if you use a PK magnet to stop someone's watch, realize that  people pay a lot of money to have expensive expensive watches demagnetized! Show a little consideration, fer cryin' out loud!

One of the most popular phenomenon today concerns the seeing and reading of Auras. For those who have have studied this phenomenon, phenomenon, the Aura is a type of energy given of offf by the spirit or soul. The ability to see and interpret Auras can be a very lucrative one. I claim that I can teach teach anyone to see Auras Auras in twenty minutes. minutes. When  people enquire or point point out about why some people see one color color while some see another, I respond, “The type of energy we perceive as the Aura is not color at all.  It’s  It’s an energy field, and the brain brain interprets interprets the energy energy as color. color. Actually, Actually, the eyes are not involved at all. Different colors mean different things to different people.  I see red as a very independent independent and passionate passionate color. color. Some see it totally differently. Some don’t don’t see the Aura at all, but smell it or feel it!”

I proceed to a demonstration. With a black or navy bandana handy, you can  perform two very startling demonstrations. demonstrations. I personally don’t don’t need the trickery trickery described, since I can really see Auras, but I include two ideas for those who can’t. One, of course, is The Ultimate Psychometry from The Compleat Fortune-Teller . Another one is on the following page:

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 Aura Reading for the Psychically Dyslexic “The Aura can be seen with the brain, not the eyes,” asserts the Psychic. Psychic. “Allow me to demonstrate demonstrate the characteristics of the Aura for you.”

Picking an obviously enthralled lady from the group, the Psychic continues. “I want you to stand over there, there, against that back back wall. Close your eyes and imagine your Aura or Energy Energy Bubble around around you. Show me the boundaries with  your hands. Good, good! “Now, slowly walk in this direction, and if you feel something enter your  space bubble, or Aura, try to avoid it.”

As she walks across the room, place your hand near the side of her head. Most of the time, she’ll she’ll try to avoid it, it, even with eyes closed! Place a hand about a foot in front of her face, and she’ll probably stop. If you get a bad reactor, don’t make a big deal out of it. Try it with someone else. This is the set up for the following demonstration. demonstration. Get a good reactor from your group, or if you're working one-on-one, use the raw material you're you're stuck with. Remove the bandana, bandana, roll it into a tube, tube, and tie it over your eyes. The following demonstration will be much more convincing if you had the forethought to roll the blindfold from either end, leaving a single-layer gap in the middle for straight-ahead viewing . This was a favorite method of Annemann's

and can be found in The Mystery of The Blackboard, from Practical Mental  Effects.

 Now,  Now, have your subject stand in front of you, and tell them to imagine their energy double, or Aura, extending out from them. “It’s “It’s said that the Buddha's aura was six miles in diameter, and covered an entire city.”

 Now,  Now, still blindfolded, blindfolded, with both hands hands describe the shape and extent of the Aura. Simply move your hands around the person's body, about six inches away, away,

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coming very close but but never touching them! them! This looks a lot better better than it reads. I keep my head turned away as much as possible, and use peripheral vision.  Now,  Now, have them extend extend their arms to their their sides. Once again, trace trace an outline around the body and arms. While you're doing this, you must deliver a reading based on the colors you “see.” For instance: “In this area is a strong violet or purple emanation, sort of a spout or  fountain coming from from the crown, crown, as my third third eye sees it, which indicates indicates a strong empathic and psychic nature. nature. Auras act as electromagnets, electromagnets, and the color violet tends to attract — well, people with a lot of personal problems! “You “You would tend to attract the personal confessions of others. The image that comes to mind is that you're sitting in a doctor's office, reading a magazine and minding your own business. Someone comes in and and sits down next to you, you, and in five minutes, they're telling telling you their life story! story! Extend your arms, please... please... “Yes, I thought so - The color green emanates strongly in this area, and  green complements complements Violet. Violet. Violet, as I see it, is the the color of responsibility responsibility.. You have a strong responsible responsible sense, and while you may only have a few actual children, you’ll be a mother to all! You’ll tend to mother your friends, and take in lost souls under your wing. “When something goes wrong, you try to make it better, even if you had nothing to do with it. When someone does something nice for you, you can't rest rest until you pay them back. You're in a period of transition, transit ion, as this green green has red  flecks in it. In a few years, those fleck or floaters will solidify solidify into a protective protective layer of more independence and self-confidence. “You’ve “You’ve already come a long way in this area. As I see it, a few years ago, if someone said something about you that wasn't nice, you’d worry and fret about it. Now, Now, you're getting to the point where you could care care less! Which is good, and as it should be.”

And so forth. Richard Webster's Aura Reading for Fun and Profit  will tell you how to give the same person the same readings years apart.

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For advanced audiences, very knowledgeable of metaphysics, you can point out the seven Chakras, and give a dissertation on the relative color and blockage of each individual area.

Right or Left? It can be very impressive when you're reading palms to say immediately upon seeing the hands: “Ah! A lefty! (or Righty)! Righty)! A certain way to tell is to to look at the belt. belt. The side that the pin of the buckle points points to is the dominant dominant hand. Not all belts have have  pins and buckles these days, days, but all of them have attachments. attachments. Get a good look and use your deductive powers. The triangle of a man's man's tie can also whisper whisper the dominant hand. hand. As a rule, the direction the point of the triangle points is the dominant side.

More Secrets of Private Readings Becoming a successful Psychic Reader is mostly a matter of style. It can never be a product product of simply memorizing  psychological truisms. truisms. I'll try to convey convey some of the real secrets of successful readers, including myself and many of the shut-eye readers whose techniques I'm familiar with.

Develop Interdependence Ultimately, Ultimately, the real secret of Psychic reading is the same as the secret to life itself: itself: People must like like you and believe that that a relationship with with you would be beneficial and rewarding. We all get where we're going through the agency of other people. If we  become too dependent, we we lose our own sense sense of direction. If we become too too independent, we struggle very hard to do things for ourselves that would be better

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left to some one else to do. The middle path, interdependence, seems to be the most successful course to follow. follow. When we're interdependent, interdependent, we rely on certain individuals individuals and institutions to provide for us as we provide provide for others. others. Sort of a sociological Golden Rule. In this way, way, the maximum of independence can be obtained with with the least effort. We want our clients to come to us, so that we can ply our trade in the world. We don’t want to be the center of a cult following, however!

Don't “Should” your clients to death! An instant turn off, for most people, is the phrase  “You need to do this.” Some similar no-no phrases are: What you ought to do.... You should do this...  and anything else that sounds

like you're imitating the authority figure in their life. A more successful approach would be to rephrase your advice in the form of suggestions. Use such modified modified sentence structure as: “You “You could benefit from taking charge of your life, and stop relying on others for answers....” ”It would be helpful for you to take this action.....” “You would be less likely to stress yourself if you reassess your  priorities...”

You get the idea. Stress the benefits of complying with a specific strategy or action. Be sure to stress that decisions decisions affecting affecting your client's life are are their responsibility, and not any other persons. If you want to make sure that presents will be rattled and peeked at before the Yule, Yule, what do you do? You put a label, DO NOT OPEN 'TIL XMAS! You might as well send the child a written invitation to peek! We're contrary animals, we humans.

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Different Strokes for Different Folks... As with everything in life, what you get out of a psychic reading depends on what you bring to to it. A person seeking insights will find them, them, even in a very  poor reading. A person seeking a curious experience may may find that as well. What does the skeptic receive? Psychic readings readings don’t make sense to to the analytical person. person. This is why Pseudo Psychometry, such a beautiful effect for 90% of your audience, flies

right over the heads heads of your skeptics. While the “feelers” in the audience are enraptured with your detailed and insightful personality readings, the analysts SIMPLY DON’T GET IT. Here is what the analytical analytical thinker sees: The performer has has five people  place items in little envelopes, and these are are mixed up. Then, the performer performer goes through some rigmarole, some psycho-babble, and figures out whose object is which. Solution: He had some way of coding the information. information. How about those those envelopes? Bingo! Puzzle solved! The best way to avoid this puzzle aspect is to simply eliminate the part where you return the object. No, I'm not crazy— the routine routine plays twice as strong this way. Using the information coded into the envelopes, you deliver a cold reading  based on visual cues and the the age of the subject. subject. Then, you describe describe a few of the  physical attributes of of the subject. Then, say: “If this is your object, please come rises and claims her object, object, the audience up here and take it.” When the person rises will make the necessary connections and will gasp audibly at how accurate the reading was. In fact, these days I'm performing my Ultimate Psychometry (from The Compleat Fortune-Teller ) this way. way. Since I'm blindfolded, it adds to the

magickal content of the experience. The analyticals completely miss the point of this routine, but they can go on to try to figure out the book test.

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The Future Futures are created, created, not predicted. predicted. I resolutely believe this. We live in a universe bursting with goodies, and all we have to do is ask for our share. As Psychic readers, we see the seeds of potential futures available to the client. We throw a little manure, a little water on these seeds and help them sprout. But nothing is written in stone, at least from our human point of view, so the fulfillment of these opportunities are the responsibility of the client. There are a lot of people out there, and if you do readings for any length of time at all, you’ll run into them, who are perfectly willing to turn their lives over to you or any other Guru. In New Age terms, they’re seeking validation and/or affirmation. affirmation. My attitude about the way I choose to live my life can be summed up very succinctly:  I neither lead nor follow relationship follow. I choose to avoid any type of relationship that smacks of domination or dependency, and I'm not interested in being anyone's Guru. The ethical responsibility of any psychotherapist is the ultimate independence of the client. client. The client must be encouraged encouraged to become their their own therapist. The universe loves to say “Yes.” If we ask for for crap, we’ll we’ll get it. But if we ask for good things, our cup will overflow with goodies. Conveying this message to my clients is my essential and unforgettable goal.

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The Faces of Man— Practical Applications of the Gail Sheehy Pattern Gail Sheehy did all of us Charlatans a favor

with her ground-breaking work  Passages. Many people, including me, have learned a lot from this book. However, a lot of people have told me they find find such books boring. boring. I suspect they have short short head lines. So, as your friend and pal, I'll detail the use I put  Passages to. It’s killer!

Cradle to Grave Passages deals with predictable predictable crises of adult adult life. Before the age of eighteen, the teenager wants to leave home, break ties with the parents, and explore possibilities. During the late teens and early twenties, the individual tries on different different hats, trying to find a sense of the individual self. Generally, the youth is attracted to fads, as remote and foreign to the parents as possible. Behind this outward show of assertiveness is the secret fear that “I really time is to seek security by placing can't take care of myself.” The objective at this time oneself in a sex role, a career role, and an ideology. ideology. During this period, the young young  person seeks out those who who verify and affirm affirm his position. position. This period is marked by being torn between the desire for independence and the need for security. Throughout the twenties the individual seeks to develop his or her dream. Questions of the inner self take a back seat as development of career and relationships relation ships (externals) (externals ) become important. We’re trying to do what we should do. Finding a mentor is common during this this phase. The conflicting conflicting impulses at this time are to be ’set,’ to build a strong and safe commitment, and the desire to experiment with possibilities.

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The tendency is to keep commitments easily reversible, and yet to stubbornly insist that we’ve found the one true course in life. Around age thirty, we experience a sense of being too narrow and restrictive. restrict ive. We experience a new vitality. vitality. We crave a change from the rut we’ve created. Often, changes changes in career and life goals occur. occur. There is a visceral visceral feeling of wasting time. Lots of thirtyish thirtyish people go back to school. school. In the mid thirties, we become very focused on career. career. We feel that time is running out for for us to achieve achieve our goals. The foot goes goes down hard on the old old career accelerator. accelerator. Its a feeling that this is the last chance to make something something of oneself. During this time, especially for men, the inner, deeply personal issues and needs go un-addressed, to surface during the late forties. By forty, many people are changing careers and even marriage partners. The late thirties and early forties are a time of reassessment and change. A new stability is achieved achieved in the mid-forties. mid-forties. A renewal of purpose purpose occurs to those who dealt with with the earlier crises. crises. A sense of stagnation occurs in those who didn't. Women are starting to look for new mountains to climb; men are starting to consider retirement options, having given up on reaching the lofty  pinnacles they envisioned during the twenties.. twenties..  Near fifty, fifty, men experience what what is known as the climacteric . This has erroneously but colorfully colorfully been described described as male menopause. menopause. At this age, the emotions that the man suppressed during his career rush surface, often leading to feelings of despair, sadness, and tears. I’ve personally seen this passage in many men this age, and also heard it described by frustrated wives who don’t know what the hell is going on with their man. It’s It’s as though the closet which held all those suppressed emotions emotions burst open, and all the feelings come tumbling out. It’s a difficult time. Those who work through the emotional reactions of the fifties reach a new  plateau of enjoyment, enjoyment, and become very direct and no nonsense. nonsense. Those who live to an active advanced age, of both sexes, become very individualistic, outspoken

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characters. It is sort of a second youth. So, how does this help us as a psychic? Other than the obvious use of telling us what crises the person is probably wrestling wrestling with? Well, a tradition that has almost become lost is the cradle to grave reading . This was a very popular type of reading decades ago, and probably best exemplified by  Robert Nelson's  Dante's Life-Span Reading .

If you read Tarot, you can make a brief overview of the client's life simply  by hitting the high points points of the above above discussion. If you perform perform Palmistry, Palmistry, as I do, I work this information in reading the Fate Line, which is the line indicating the development and evolution of the personality.

The Sheehy Sheehy Pattern Pattern Integrated In A Reading My synopsis of the Sheehy pattern is about a minute or so, and practically guaranteed guaranteed to hit anyone anyone at any age. This can  be worked into a Numerological Numerological Life Path Path Reading, A Tarot Tarot spread, or a Palm reading. I'll give an example from my reading method of choice, Chiromancy Chiromanc y. I would like to point out at the outset that this isn’t a canned reading; reading; that I work the information information in to a traditional reading of of the Fate Line. This isn’t meant meant to be used as a substitute for real reading, just an adjunct. I'll use my own  Fate Line as an example. “Looking at your fate line, which reflects the development of your  personality,  personality, I see that it starts in Luna (the (the mound of Luna), so at an early age  you felt alone in your your mind — even as a child playing with other other children, children, you may have felt different. In the family unit, you probably felt like you were from another planet! “There’s “There’s indication of turmoil in your childhood. What happened around around the age of 16 or 17? (This is a question I ask if the Head Line and Life Line are

tangled).

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“These feelings of isolation will follow you until your forties or so, when  you realize realize that no one probably probably will ever understand understand you, and you may may not even  fully understand yourself! Just learn to appreciate appreciate your uniqueness uniqueness and celebrate  yourself. “It looks like you had a mentor, someone who helped you shape your beliefs around your—oh, your—oh, late teens, early twenties. You became disillusioned with a lot of potential friends and companions when you found out they weren’t as sincere as  you thought. There’s There’s a period of disillusionment disillusionment with life in in general, and at times times  your thoughts become morbid. morbid. “Your tendency is to become a late bloomer, after several false starts, or experiments you’ll experience a renewed sense of purpose around age 34 - 35. You may find that what was once considered a hobby can become an income  producing  producing skill. “You’ll “You’ll tend to put your foot on the career career accelerator at this time. I’d like to caution you not to become so focused on career that you neglect your emotional emotiona l needs. You will in all probability stay active even in retirement, retirement, so remember that you have plenty of time. “After a brief emotional turmoil in the early fifties, you enter one of the best and most satisfying times times of your life. Your best years seem to come after age  forty-five. You’ll begin to rely rely less on the opinions opinions of others and start to trust trust the inner voice that’s really you. “You’ll continue a tendency you feel now to care less about what others say and think about you. You’ll say, say, “No more more beating around the bush! Let's get on with it!” You may become a little eccentric and outspoken as you get older. older. “When you die, you’ll look back at a life well spent— if you have the time.  I suspect death will surprise you, you’ll you’ll be in the middle middle of building building a house or learning a foreign language — you’ll begin to think that you will live forever. ”

And so on. Please notice that many many of the statements statements above are not delivered by rote, but but based on the actual actual development of my my Fate Line. But notice how the Sheehy pattern influenced the delivery of the information, based

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on my age (mid-thirties) and the crises I probably have already faced. Also be aware that the same principles of the Sheehy Pattern can be used in Tarot, Numerology, Astrology, or whatever method of reading you prefer, to give you a greater insight into the life pattern of the individual. And to deliver a hell of a reading!

On the Road This is a selection of ideas and tips learned from many years traveling to and from shows. •

Vaseline on your teeth makes your smile

a lot nicer. This is an old beauty contestant secret. •

Another beauty secret is if your hair

 becomes greasy or sweaty sweaty,, a little baby  powder combed through through can make a big big difference. difference. •

Armor-All (TM) can be purchased purchased in small packets. The packet

contains a small sponge soaked soaked in the substance. Toss a couple in your car or your case to  give your shoes a quick shine shine . •

Walking around up close, your shoes are hard to see. But on a stage, even a six-inch riser, riser, they become easily visible. A lot of folks in the the corporate arena are very detail-sensitive and still judge a person by their shoes!

•

On the subject of being judged by appearances, be sure to select a quality paper for your your business card. I’ve seen a lot of impressively designed cards spoiled by being printed on cheap paper.

•

Re-sew all your shirt shirt buttons with dental dental floss. There is nothing more more anxiety-provoking anxiety-provoking than to have a shirt button come unraveled one minute before show time. time. Sometimes, even even very expensive shirts shirts have

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the buttons sewn on in that manner that one good tug will unravel the thread. •

Always carry with with you a pharmacopoeia. pharmacopoeia. Include aspirin, decongestant, antacid, anti histamine, band aids, mouthwash, a hairbrush, shampoo, deodorant, a candy bar, Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate, soap, lotion, a razor and a toothbrush. toothbrus h. You never know....

•

While you're at it, always have a repair kit nearby. It should contain a razor blade or sharp cutter, glue, stapler, needle and thread, tape, small tools, and anything else you may need to make a quick repair to your equipment before the show. In fact, once when my zipper broke many miles from home, I stapled that sucker shut and went on with the show!

•

 Never drive to the show show in your performing performing attire, but never arrive at the show in your street clothes. Dress in the lobby lobby restroom, or stop stop at a quickie mart a couple of blocks away from the performance to change. Road-weary clothes are not very flattering!

•

You must decide whether or not you're comfortable eating dinner with your clients. My attitude has always always been if you act like like a guest, you’ll  be treated as a guest. Also, food in the the stomach pushes on the the diaphragm and creates creates mucus in the throat. throat. Either of these conditions conditions can effect your your voice. Coffee, tea, and milk will produce produce mucus as well. Caffeine makes you jittery. Drink lukewarm water to keep your throat warm and wet.

•

If you're working with a spot, have the house lights on and request the spotlight to be on to full aperture. Never use a traveling spot light-it just isn't practical for a mentalism show.

•

Always provide your own P. P. A. I cannot stress this point strongly enough. In 1996 dollars, dollars, you can tool up up pretty professionally professionally for around $600. I suggest a high quality quality hand-held wireless microphone, microphone, and sundry attachments and adapters in case you want to run your system through the house sound. Also use a mike stand with with a quickrelease clip.

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Remember that a podium is a raised stage. That thing that lecturers lecturers stand behind is called a lectern.

•

Many country clubs and hotels have speakers mounted in the ceiling, and I take advantage of of this whenever possible. possible. I also have my own amplifier amplifie r and speakers with me in the car in case I need them. You’d be amazed at some of the crap I’ve been handed in the past as “good P. A.”

•

If you're qualified to do so, dismantle your speakers and check all the connections. Re-solder those that seem weak to you. you. This will will spare you grief later on. on. A speaker going dead dead on you in the middle middle of your show is no fun! I simply don’t don’t want to worry about anything during during the show except entertaining entertaining the crowd. If you're not qualified qualified to do this this check up yourself, pay a pro to do it. It’s money well spent.

•

When performing Numerology  readings at Psychic Fairs or other highvolume events, it’s helpful to use a special s pecial calculator to convert the names into numbers. Simply write in, in, with a razor point point pen, the letters associated associa ted with each number on the number pad. Then it’s it’s a simple matter to make the addition simply by spelling the name with the keypad. Saves some brain cramping and inaccuracy inaccurac y.

•

And finally, finally, take a couple of minutes before each show to get yourself focused. Imagine energy energy streaming in the the top of your head, head, imagine extending roots into the earth, and embrace the entire crowd with your aura. Be focused!

***************************** ******************************************* ********************** ******** I'll now discus a topic that you simply won’tt believe I'm even broaching. Using the restroom. I don’t think it’s a good idea to let anyone see you using the bathroom. Period. You're a Magickal person; you're above such mundane things. It just seems to me a very image-shattering image-shattering thing to have someone come into the restroom and see the performer on the throne with his pants around his knees!

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All right, I'll tell you the story. I thought I would take this one to my grave. Once I was performing my Psychic show out of town for a Christmas party. The catch was this: I was in the middle middle of a bout with with the flu, and it had reached the point of progression progression where it had invaded invaded my intestines intestines and parts south. I had a fever, bowel cramps, explosive gas, diarrhea, and chills. The show must go on, right? Performing for a living is great 90% of the time. But there are no sick days when when you have a contract contract to honor and an audience waiting to see you. So I'm in the restroom, about thirty minutes before showtime, the rumblings and other explosive sounds from my poor gastrointestinal system, mixed with my groans and gasps, made for for a horrifying horrifying audio experience. I was aware that several gentlemen had entered the facilities, gone about their relatively quiet  business, and left, but, but, in my misery, misery, I really didn't didn't care! Comes the showtime, and I'm knockin' em dead. There are plenty of of laughs in my show, and I encourage audience participation. s pectacular mind control, you'd think he'd be able One guy says: “All this spectacular to control his BOWELS! You should have heard him in the bathroom an hour ago! God, I thought he was DYIN'”

Its best to draw the curtain of discretion discretion over certain scenarios. scenarios. I believe this is one of them.

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Chapter Three The Seven Psychic Secrets of Success I intend to pull no punches punches in this section. section. Rest assured, if I step on your toes during the following exposition that my toes are also being well-trampled. I'm as guilty as anyone of the shortcomings s hortcomings listed  below.  below. I'm an expert in in the Art of messing messing up. This is how I know what I'm talking about— I’ve done it all.

The First Step The First Step is making making a decision. Making a decision to become an entrepreneurial entertainer entertainer.. Deciding to be the best in your market. It’s It’s important to decide exactly what it is you're you're becoming. What is your goal? Who do you you want to be seen as? What, as I asked in another article, is your your  premise? Since you purchased a book entitles The Psychic Agenda , I assume

your targeted market lies in the psychic arena. Take, for example, a generic magician — one who tries to do everything. In a generic magic show, show, the magician may perform illusions, escapes, rope tricks, mentalism, and a comedy comedy card trick. He isn’t a specialist; specialist; he's a generic  performer.  performer. The audience will perceive perceive him as such. Corporate audiences, and indeed any audience market worth your time, want to obtain an expert , not a dilettante, or a jack-of-all trades. Let me go further. Darwin Ortiz is a performer who understands the concept of positioning positioning yourself. yourself. He doesn’t doesn’t bill himself as a magician. He’s He’s the world's leading card expert . He doesn’t perform card tricks— he's sharing esoteric knowledge and relating inner-circle escapades of card hustlers and other card experts.

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Consequently, he pulls down larger fees and obtains loftier gigs than most magicians. Remember that magic word— expert. expert. Be an expert expert in your field. Some magicians mix magic and escapes escapes in the same show. show. I think this is a  bad idea. It’s It’s better for the the escapologist to specialize specialize in escapes. If the audience assumes the escape is accomplished through trickery, trickery, not expertise in extricating oneself like McGiver from inescapable situations, most of the sense of danger is negated and the appeal is lost. Decide who who you are, and what what you want your your audience think you're. For example, I present myself as an expert in the silent language. I point out that body language language is one of the more more obvious examples of this language. I go on to tell my audience that experts (that word again!) who study such things have concluded that human beings communicate over 11,000 11,000 non-verbal signals. These signals are perceived beneath the conscious level and are experienced as feelings feelings based on past experience. experience. The premise of my speech, therefore, is defined by the material I use to present this message. When we want a proper job performed, we hire specialists, experts, and authorities. authorit ies. We don’t hire dabblers. I guarantee that corporations corporation s will not hire you unless you're seen as an authority in your your field. Corporate people are are  perfectionists and cannot cannot afford to let anything anything make a bad impression. Decide to  be an expert. Decide to be the expert. A lot of magicians put the fatal phrase on their business card,  Magic for all occasions. Does anyone anyone really really believe believe that? The shows presented by such

 performers reflect this aspect of their their perception. Sometimes we explain explain that we want variety variety in our shows. So, we do a coin trick, a card trick, a rope trick, with no thought thought at all to continuity. continuity. In magic, this is barely tolerable. tolerabl e. In mentalism, it’s it’s deadly. deadly. If we present ourselves as a psychic  jack of all trades, performing every effect in the psychic catalogue — PK, mind reading, Aura reading, clairvoyance —we're rightfully seen by the audience as a magician who’s somehow imitating imitating these phenomena. phenomena. In mentalism, mentalism, less is more. more.

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It’s best to keep our claims modest. It’s better to be a really good  Numerologist rather rather than a dilettante in all psychic reading reading systems. At psychic fairs, some reader advertise it all — Tarot, Palmistry, Numerology. Aura and Chakra balancing, past lives, etc. They don’t don’t attract one third  of  of the business as a  person who practices one one rewarding method method and presents it well! well! Remember, Remember, be the expert! So, when we design our shows, we can benefit greatly by developing a theme or ability that we’re demonstrating for the betterment and entertainment of our audiences. Each additional effect effect should build on the previous effect effect in order to clarify and expand expand our initial thesis. Decide upon your thesis. thesis. Since my act is built around the non-verbal language, I’ve structured effects that allow me to demonstrate how we can benefit from an in-depth understanding of these silent communicators. So, even if I'm performing performing a book test, I can work these concepts into the presentation. In this way, way, each subsequent effect strengthens the premise. Decide to be a strong performer.

The Second Step The Second Step is visualization. A clear vision vision of your ultimate goal is essential in communicating to your audience, and your market, what it is you’re selling. In Mentalism, we’ve gone to great lengths to placate those who point a  judgmental finger at us. To this end, we call ourselves ourselves Psychic Entertainers. But just what the hell is that? To an audience we're either a Psychic or a Magician, not some weird hybrid floating floating somewhere in the middle. middle. Why confuse our audiences with needless distinctions that only make a difference to a handful of individuals? Create a picture in your your mind of what a real psychic would do. Communicate this  picture to the entire entire world (when you're you're a mentalist, the the entire world is your your audience— you’re never offstage). offstage).

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So we must lucidly visualize our goals. We must know ourselves. ourselve s. Only then can we know our audiences. There can be no underestimating underestimatin g the power of visualization. visualiz ation. We know that the course of serious illness can be diverted with positive thinking and visualization. Your success or failure depends on your ability ability to visualize. A written plan is a big help in this visualization. visualization. Write down your goals. Where do you you see yourself in five years. years. In ten? How much much time do you you think you have? Visualize it! When you construct your act, visualize yourself performing the various routines in front of an audience. Before you retire at night, play a little little game with yourself, seeing yourself yourself as the star performer performer you want to become. become. If you see it, you can be it! Create pictures in the the collective mind's eye of your audience. audience. Block out your act so that you create create dramatic pictures pictures in your audience's audience's minds. Use charisma and charm in your your gestures. Use pretty bags for your your Q and A instead of a fishbowl. Above all, use your imagination. imagination. Write Write your predictions on an elegant stationary. statio nary. Or as I do in Bear Your Soul from Psychic Psoirees, write it in crayon on children's stationary stationary.. The pictures you create in your audience's audience's minds are what they’ll carry with them from the show. Visualize! isualize !

The Third Step The Third Step is education. Now that you you have decided what you want want to do, and you’ve visualized yourself as a success, you must learn the skills necessary to succeed. Learning the skills you require in order order to implement your decision. This is  by far the most costly costly step, both in time and money. money. Knowledge of the the techniques of Mentalism and psychic reading can only be found in rare and sometimes expensive books. We should spend at least two hours every day learning and studying some

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aspect of our craft. We should also study other performers -- both the good ones and especially the bad ones. ones. Learn from those those who have reached reached the lofty  pinnacles you desire -- and and do not suffer suffer the fools who’ll who’ll tell you that that you can’t follow your vision! We must also learn how to act as our own agent and PR man. No one can represent you like yourself. So, more study in salesmanship and marketing. marketing. Test runs, sample mailings, mailings, disappointments and and successes. Learn how to sell yourself, every minute of the day. Videotape your show and critique it. One of the best exercises you could  possibly do is to get an acting acting coach or produce produce to watch your your tape and offer offer relentless criticism. It hurts, but you’ll ultimately ultimately benefit from the experience. experience. And so will your audience, audience, who, after all, all, pays your bills. bills. Learn from it!

The Fourth Step The Fourth Step is making your plan . You’ve learned how to perform in a consistent consist ent and entertaining entertain ing manner. manner. You’ve developed the skills necessary necessar y to market your product. We must now lay out, step by step, each successive phase to get where we're planning planning to go. Always remember remember that our plans are subject to revisions. A timetable is very important. Goals must be achieved achieved at certain times in the plan. Short term goals must be so constructed constructed as to pave the way way to long term goals. For instance, you must have a videotape and slick promo package to book the succulent shows. So, you must first perform perform a lot in order to afford afford the tape and obtain good good footage. Even before that you have have to learn to book shows. shows. And  before that, you must learn learn to do shows. shows. It’s It’s a step at a time procedure. procedure. A five year plan seems seems to work best for me. My promo video video was to come along in year four. four. I actually did it in year year three. I’ve consistently consistently stayed ahead of my original five year plan, forcing me to reconsider the plan and modify it.

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But the key word here is  plan! Otherwise, you drift along at the mercy of fate and circumstance.

The Fifth Step The Fifth Step is implementation. We must implement our plan. Action is the key word here. We must work furiously to bring into reality the visions of our mind. When I was a youngster in school, s chool, my teachers informed me that I had a lot of potential, but lacked discipline. They told me I needed more discipline. discipline. I was almost thirty years old before I realized what discipline is. Here it is:  Discipline is  focus.

You must possess unyielding unyield ing intent in order to push ahead. It’s easy to give in to pressure, negative thinking, and disappointment. disappointment. Yet, we must keep our eyes fixed on the horizon, on that precious something we dimly perceive out there, in order to find the strength and courage to journey along our path. This is the simplest of the the steps, and can be summed summed up succinctly: succinctly: Get off your ass and do it !

The Sixth Step The Sixth Step is Maintenance. He who rests on his laurels is wearing them in the wrong place. We must go over our plan carefully and buttress up the parts we may not have covered as thoroughly as we could have. We remind ourselves of our goals, and the rewards we will get when we get there. We reevaluate our written plan, and laugh at our timidity when we first conceived conceived it. We reevaluate ourselves and find within hidden potentials we never dreamed we had. We leave our comfort zone often, pushing the fragile barriers that society and our own fears have created. If I'm not making making a few people uncomfortable uncomfortable now and again, I'm not doing my job as an entertainer carrying the banner for

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future generations of would-be psychics. Oh yes, we must never become jaded or smug; there’s always someone hungrier than us waiting to take our places!

The Seventh Step The Seventh Step is reassessment . Having carefully carefully gone over our progress and reminded ourselves of our plan, we must decide if we’ve settled for too little. Perhaps the plan was was too timid or perhaps perhaps not realistic. At this point we may decide to revise our initial plan, keeping the parts that worked for us and ruthlessly eliminating those that didn't. We’ve learned from hundreds of performances. We know what works for us and what doesn't. doesn't. Our audiences have told us! Perhaps it’s time to tear the show down and build it back up. Like in  bodybuilding, when you tear the muscle down and stronger tissue develops, this is a procedure that is not without pain and discomfort. But it’s it’s necessary and imperative for us to grow to our maximum potential!  Reassess!

Where to Then? And at this point we come full cycle, and start again with our first step. And so on!

Confession: OK, I admit it --- this is excerpted from from my motivational motivational program. But it makes you want to go out and tear up some territory, territory, eh? Do it!

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Conclusion Thank you for staying this far with me on another one of my rambling excursions into the world of Psychic Psychic Entertainment. Entertainment. I really don't have a lot more to say at this point; I would like to express my undying love and gratitude to all of you, and a few in particular: Dr. Charles Scott, Lee Earle, Jack Dean, Ford Kross, The Late David Hoy, The Late Bascom Jones

You guys are the aces, and are responsible for unleashing me on an unsuspecting public! Shame on you! My best to you all. all. May you get what you want want out of life.

Your friend

John Riggs

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My Books  Heavy Mental deals with strong presentations of Psychic and Psychic reading techniques.

 is a treatise on the Question The Compleat Fortune Teller  is and Answer effect, with some Pseudo-Psychometry thrown in.  is a continuation of The Even Compleater Fortune-Teller  Fortune-Teller  is the Q & A discussion. The Psychic Agenda  is about ways to develop a reputation as a real Psychic, with many routines of strong mentalism.  Psychic Soirees  deals with Psychic Parties and small shows.

 is an easily-learned way to perform  Phrenology for the Psychic Entertainer  is Phrenology readings.  PW-The Mentalist's Secret Weapon Weapon is devoted to Pocket Writing. The Suburban Charlatan . Elegant mental mysteries for the Yuppie Psychic, with contributions from Psiman, Pecor, and Ron Martin. The Messiah Process . No mentalism routines, but an in-depth discussion of  psychological techniques techniques to create a magickal magickal experience in the sitter sitter.. Past life regression, astral projection, hypnosis, implanting false memories. Three case histories of people who created small cults using these techniques. Fat-Free Mentalism . Tired of carrying around a trunkload of props? This  book has routines using using minimal props or preparation .