Easy Mentalism

“Magicians don\’t pretend that they really have psychic powers.” – Austin Hackney

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Card Tricks are some of the most popular magic tricks that there are and equally mind-reading effects are increasingly popular, so why not combine the two and learn ow to do mind-reading tricks with cards? Not only are you tapping into the two most popular kinds of trick, but there are some simple card techniques that lend themselves naturally to the performance of mind-reading effects.

So what card tricks techniques lend themselves especially well to mind-reading effects?

Well, first of all let’s be clear what a mind-reading effect actually is. It is when a magician appears to ‘read’ or ‘see’ the thoughts or an image in the mind of a spectator. Of course, this can’t really be done and it has been scientifically demonstrated often enough that people who claim to have ‘psychic powers’ are either lying or deluded and that all the effects that people experience with them can be easily explained scientifically. That doesn’t, sadly, stop it being big business. There’s always someone unethical enough to try and make a buck from the gullible or the needy.

Magicians who do mind-reading tricks, however, fall into a different category. Magicians don’t pretend that they really have ‘psychic powers’. We know it’s a trick, we say it’s a trick but we all join in as if it was a mystic event for the fun of it. The real techniques behind mind-reading are the same as any other magic trick: misdirection, props, gimmicks, sleight-of-hand, stooges in the audience, smoke and mirrors!

So, what card effects can we use in mind-reading? The three main ones that come immediately to mind are the ‘card force’, the ‘marked or spotted card’ and ‘the controlled shuffle’. You could also use ‘palming’, ‘switching’ and any number of other sleights but to keep it relatively simple, let’s just focus on those first three.

A ‘card force’ is when the magician controls the card that a spectator chooses, seemingly by a free or even random choice. There are many techniques for achieving the force, some of them simple and others more subtle and complex. We won’t go into them here but the point is that clearly if the magician can secretly force a card on a spectator then he can very confidently ‘predict’ what the card is or ‘read the mind’ of the spectator as they concentrate on the image of the card to seemingly ‘divine’ what it is. This, simple as it is, can be dressed up with patter and other business to make a very powerful and baffling number of effects of the ‘mind-reading’ variety. You can learn card force techniques from reputable books, websites and your local magic club.

The ‘marked’ card technique is also quite straight-forward in principle. The magician allows the spectator a genuine free choice of card but then marks it out in some way, so it can be located again even if he hasn’t seen its face value. The card can be inverted, scratched or crimped, for example. Under cover of some misdirection, the kind can then be secretly viewed. Then the magician can go on comfortably to read the spectator’s mind in whatever elaborate and acted-up way the trick requires!

The final method we’ll look at here is the ‘controlled shuffle’. In this technique, the magician allows the spectator a free choice of card and then, as the card is replaced into the pack it is shuffled in to give the impression that it is thoroughly lost in the deck but actually the magician has used the technique to guide the card through the pack to wherever he wants it to be – usually the top or bottom of the deck from which point it can easily be glimpsed and then ‘mind read’ or predicted.

If you already do some card tricks and are familiar with these techniques then you can start straight away to build mind-reading routines using the skills you already have. If not, then it’s worth your while learning this basic card techniques as they’ll open up endless possibilities for you and are not difficult to learn with just a little practice. You can learn them from books, other magicians, some websites and, of course, downloadable video tutorials.

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==> www.mind-reading-tricks.com/go/exposed/

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Austin Hackney is a performing magician, entertainer, theatre practioner and writer of many years standing, always keen to share his experience and encourage the novice. His website, The Magic Tricks Homepage is a great free resource for magic tutorials, articles, visual guides, eBooks and more. If you want to learn magic well, not just a huge number of tricks but solid performance skills, the site is well worth a visit. You can download magic video tutorials here which is a great way of learning and building a repertoire.

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“I usually throw in a mistake after 2 or 3 amazing tricks then quickly follow up from the mistake with another incredible trick.” – Adam Davies

“This little secret is a powerful way to force a prediction and a nice show of mentalism.” – Blair K.

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Don’t say it! Oh no you uttered the fatal words! “Pick a card – any card.” Man, stop with the card tricks already! As soon as you pull out that deck people are on to you.

Listen. Here is a simple yet astounding little gem of magic that has been around a long time but will still get great reactions from the public (i.e. your spectator). The best part – no card deck required!

Here’s how it goes. You are going to make an impossible prediction. Really. You rip off a piece of your paper place mat when you are sitting at Buba’s 24 hr. dinner across from your friend (or better yet, your date) and tell them you are going to make a predication based on a sudden feeling you just had (perhaps Buba’s burger didn’t go down right). If you want to dress it up a bit, tell your friend you often get things backwards or reversed – mild dyslexia (this will make more sense in a moment). Write down that prediction and tell your friend to hold on to it, but not to open it – just yet. What you will write on that piece of soggy place mat and fold up to give to your friend is the number “1089″.

Now, ask your friend to write any (thats right, no forcing, total free choice) three digit number that contain no duplicate numbers (1-1-1 or 1-3-3, you get the idea, 1-2-3 would be fine). Remind him (or her if you are lucky) that this is totally up to them. Ask them if they are certain that is the number they want. Just to be safe, tell them to think of a different number if you like, just to make sure everything is on the ‘up and up’.

Now ask your friend to reverse the number (going with 1-2-3, it would be 3-2-1) and subtract the smaller from the larger (say 321-123 = 198). Now ask your friend to reverse that number (198 would now be 891). Now ask your friend to add that last sum (say, 891) to the first answer (198). You will always, always come up with “1089″.

Now dramatically ask your friend to read your prediction. Amazing! How ever did you make that impossible prediction?

This little secret is a powerful way to force a prediction and a nice show of mentalism. Try it sometime. It will work with any three digit number that doe not contain duplicate numbers!

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==> www.mind-reading-tricks.com

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If you are interested in the area of mentalism magic I would highly suggest the “Simply Psychic” DVD from FUN Inc.

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“I usually throw in a mistake after 2 or 3 amazing tricks then quickly follow up from the mistake with another incredible trick.” – Adam Davies

“Talking is a great way to distract the audience from the mechanics of a mind-reading trick.” – Anonymous

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I have always wondered how the illusionists were able to “read”, or better guess, what’s on my mind and they actually could!

1. Odds

Knowing the odds is one of the techniques behind mind-control tricks. When a magician gives the classic line “pick a card, any card,” an audience member will tend to pick the Ace of Spades, Queen of Hearts, Nine of Diamonds or Six of Clubs. A magician begins the illusion with these four cards in different pockets. Next the magician asks the audience member to concentrate on the card he has chosen. The magician then “reads the mind” of the person and whips out the correct card from his pocket when the audience member answers. The odds aren’t restricted to card tricks. Several mind-reading tricks turn on the fact that most people will choose carrot when asked to pick a vegetable (at least in the United States; other vegetables may be more popular in some countries).

2. Prestidigitation

Prestidigitation means quick fingers. It’s also known as sleight of hand, and it is used in many kinds of magic tricks, including mind-reading. Sleight of hand involves secretly moving an object, holding an object in a hand that seems to be empty, getting rid of or picking up an object without being seen, giving the impression that an action has been done when it hasn’t, directing an audience’s attention away from a secret move, and covertly moving an object or trading two objects. A skillfully—and trickily—shuffled deck of cards can be the technique behind a mind-reading feat where a magician uses his mind to determine a card a person holds in a hand of poker.

3. Showmanship

A good mind-reading trick is also a performance, one that makes the audience believe what they are seeing is no trick. For example, a magician might want to work on facial expressions that show the effort mind-reading takes. Body language is also important. The way a magician holds his body can suggest weakness after a mind reading feat, or the tension the magician feels when concentrating deeply enough to read someone’s mind. Showmanship, like any kind of acting, needs to be rehearsed, and it is as important to practice as the mechanics of a trick.

4. Patter

Patter is the words a magician uses while performing. Talking is a great way to distract the audience from the mechanics of a mind-reading trick. Patter can also make a trick more exciting and dramatic. For example, the magician could tell a story about his mind-reading powers. The story could involve the moment the mind-reader first discovered he had the gift. Or it could involve the way the mind-reader’s ability works, such as a magician explaining that when she touches an object she flashes on the thoughts of the person holding it. In any case, the story enhances the mystery and drama of the mind-reading trick.

After you understand the basics i think you should go a little bit deeper, learn how to master this and other techniques and impress your friends and strangers on the street!

Do You Want to Discover the Secrets Behind Mind Reading Magicians? Click Here to Download Mind Reading Exposed Right Now:

==> www.mind-reading-tricks.com/go/exposed/

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So if you would like to learn more about this mind reading ability feel free to check this site!
Hope you liked, I’ll post more soon.

Thank you

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“Whatever your motives, whether they be to give the audience an unforgettable experience or to blow your own trumpet and feel \’better than them\’, please make sure you do it elegantly and at the very least respect the art you are performing.” – Adam Davies