Mentalism & Spiritism in Magic & Conjuring: page 54

Three stunningly dark pieces of theatre that will captivate and enthrall even the most sceptical of witnesses.

With Tsarology, you will reveal your participant's personality, using a Tarot card selected by them...and be proved uncannily correct.

In Revelations, your own audience member proves that the Armageddon has already begun!

And you Shall be Forgiven, lastly, gives you the power to remove someone's sins for them, from the murky depths of their very soul.

Also included, as a chilling bonus, the good Reverend bequeaths to you 'Mark of the Beast' – an effect you can carry around...

In many mentalistic effects, the spectator answers the performer's questions in a sincere way or not, without the performer knowing the choice made.

The concept of "lie or truth" makes the effect stronger and the idea that the illusionist guesses however reinforces the memory of an effect as an exceptional event, almost a miracle.

In the effect presented here, a further degree of freedom has been added: after the first response, the viewer can decide whether to maintain the same behavior (lie / truth) or if he prefers to change it.

In practice, the two answers can be LIE / LIE, TRUTH...

Honestly, I have not been able to trace the author of this principle, which I think is lost in the mists of time. My Master of Mentalism Valerio Bovolenta taught me, and I want to give credit to him. I have done nothing but study it and try to indicate a method to be able to propose it with any number of cards.

The procedure is very simple: the spectator chooses how many cards he wants to use, puts away the remaining cards (they will not be used further), shuffles the cards he chose and, on the instruction of the performer, chooses a number, looks at a card, and reassembles the deck; even...

"Tarot is a deck of cards but the Tarot represents a person. We are the Tarot and we use the Tarot because we live." (Andrea Mecchia)

I don't know if it happens to you too ... when I particularly love a project, I start to collect elements, I work on it a bit, but it always seems that something is missing ... you leave and resume the project, but that something is always missing ... then, one day, it arrives like that in one fell swoop, and makes everything good.

This is the story of this project, which I finally want to share, with the hope that it will also satisfy your desire to present...

The content of this publication collects the notes of a conference held some time ago to friends and colleagues, dedicated to the problem of "truth / lie". The book, published in Italy, has had a flattering success in bookstores: I think it is right to share the content also in the English language.

A good mentalist must necessarily acquire a good knowledge of the messages of the body and interpret the moods of the viewer to best conduct the effect. An excellent mentalist is always able to understand if the viewer is sincere or if he is lying, often leaving him the possibility to choose...

I love the mentalism effects on the phone, and I often use them in close-up and sometimes - appropriately modified - stage performances. I have collected more than 100, in the last 2 years and, slowly, I am proposing them with these publications. Some draw inspiration from real "pearls" of great artists, which I allowed myself to face, with extreme humility, developing them with a new setting, sometimes adding some interesting details. Others are a little older, even centuries, maybe even well known, but they are often "disruptive" as never before! Still, others are mine or, better said, by...

This routine was presented some time ago and now, after having faced various situations, both on stage, in the parlor and in the living room, the time has come to apply some modifications which simplify the conduction of the effect, which can be proposed in close up, in person, on the phone (audio only) or on stage: three different and interesting ways for the same effect.

The method used is explained in detail, so that the effect can be modeled by the performer and repeated immediately afterward, making it difficult to immediately understand the method used.

The principle is interesting! ...

The presentation of a magic effect is linked to many aspects, from the personality of the performer to the type of audience, to the type of show to be staged. Mentalism is only a pretext, it lends itself better than other spells to the discussion, especially on the definition of the character, the construction of the story, on the revelation. What we will analyze is not only useful for those who want to be a mentalist, but it is a stimulus to the realization of any magical effect and to improve one's communication process, with anyone on any subject. It's a mini-course in communication/NLP...

A very effective parlor or stage effect. Cards or tickets can be used, or ESP cards or even tickets were drawn on the spot by the spectator on which to carry out an effective act of reading in the final revealing phase.

The spectator receives 4 cards, and shuffles them several times, at his discretion, while the mentalist has his back turned: at the end, he will be able to describe the correct position of all the cards.

To simplify the final phase for the performer, we propose the use of an ingenious "homemade" gimmick, which allows you to operate calmly, without fear of forgetfulness...

Synchro is a mentalism effect that can be achieved (in person or on the phone, with audio connection only) with playing cards, or with ESP cards or with tickets: this latest version also allows you to develop the final revelation in cold-reading.

The secret used in this routine is a combination of unique methods, amalgamated for an amazing finish. It can be done remotely, with cards borrowed from the spectator, or with tickets written "on the spot"; the mentalist does not need to see the cards in any way. While using various methods, it is easy to memorize, as it is based on simple patterns. ...

The performer chooses three spectators from the audience and asks them to choose numbers. There are so many effects like this. The news is that, finally, I managed to insert the Fibonacci series into an effect. Then I had to work on the screenplay to avoid noticing the only moment in which I "see" the audience numbers: but I think I succeeded.

Basically, for collaborators and the public, I give them a sheet, I have them write numbers, and then do various calculations; at the end, I use the number they obtained for other calculations, using a second principle. In the end, if I've been a...

The last few years have been a bit complicated for everyone, due to events that have influenced the lives of all of us, inhabitants of planet earth. We struggled, we resisted, we got out. And, I must admit, even with some positive notes! Our passion, Magic, has taken a few hits, from the point of view of activities and communications with the public; in some cases - as in mine - it has also acquired new operating methods.

Driven by friends and acquaintances, I started looking for effects to offer over the phone; to give them meaning, in addition to the difficulty of writing the story perfectly...

In my methodical (and stubborn) search for effects to propose over the phone, numbers are the absolute protagonist. Except for some small stratagem, the final principle is always the consequence of one or more mathematical principles. Inspired by some well-known effects, I became curious and tried to go back to the principles, so as to be able to use them, alone or with others, to generate other interesting combinations. I think the table of contents highlights the object of this publication well:

• Difference between two numbers with reversed digits
• Table with some examples with numbers...

Until a few years ago it was possible to propose an interesting effect, using a euro banknote (any), which the spectator took out of his wallet. The serial number consisted of a letter, which identified the country, and a series of numbers; the essential feature was that each country had its own control code; by removing a number it was possible, through a procedure that we will see later, to identify it.

Then new banknotes were printed, with a new type of serial number (before it had a letter, which indicated the country; now it has two letters, the first identifies the country, the second...

A new principle for business cards.

"I was badly fooled!" - Matt Mello

"I HAVE NO IDEA! This principle can be used in so many routines and ways, it's making my head spin!" - Phedon Bilek

"I would give a testimony to this effect, but I don't want you guys having it. IT FOOLED ME - I grinned from ear to ear when RedDevil shared the workings and I just don't know if I'm ready to let RedDevil share this. It's too bloody cheeky! (Said in my best British accent). I love it!" - Peter Turner

"With T.I.T.E., RedDevil has taken something that many of us have played with (no, not - get your filthy mind...

"As a creator, I have a tendency to pass up on 99% of all releases and instead only take interest in those which offer me a fresh set of tools to play with...If you are looking for a wonderful impromptu mental mystery to add to your repertoire, or are looking for some new techniques to play with, you won't be disappointed here!" -Michael Murray

"I had no idea how he could have any valuable information...The more I thought about it, the more perplexed I was. It was IMPOSSIBLE. There was absolutely no way he could know anything." - Madison Hagler

A card is chosen and lost in the deck. The deck is spread on the table. A pendulum is passed over the deck and begins to move over a group of cards. These small numbers of cards are then spread separately on the table. The pendulum is passed again over the cards and the pendulum begins to move clearly over one card. The card is revealed: it's the card of the spectator. This is a good magic trick right?

One day, I dreamed that this trick was done totally by the spectator, thanks to his intuition. I never touch the deck. I never touch the spectator. I never touch the pendulum. I never touch...

Bankteller is a powerful money prediction effect that involves several people: You hand a volunteer a prediction envelope. You show an empty stack of envelopes, you ask several people to put one coin each in that empty envelope, whilst you look away. You let the volunteer seal the envelope. After you noticed that a few of the contributors have cheated, you ask the volunteer to open the envelope and you predicted the exact amount collected; No swami writing!

Then you ask her to take any three coins and slip them in envelopes and mix them up. You will know where each coin is.

As a final thought...

SQUIDS is a manuscript that covers the power of ambiguous phrasing, psychological forcing and psychological subtleties to these five detailed effects. All these effects are built with true psychology in mind obviously backed up with foolproof magical methods

• Regress your self: an effect similar to what Derren Brown performed in His Evening of Wonders, where a spectator reads the minds of three people from the audience.
• Spectator as Mindreader: where a spectator reads your mind whilst dealing cards. You can proof you actually selected thought of card
• Forcing an American Icon: You show 30...

An effect from Raymond's former show...

Shocked by a Miracle is a realistic demonstration of voodoo-like powers where one picture gets pierced or scorched and one person is marked out by either her screams or a physical mark.

The ideal effect for hypnotists employing pre-show hypnosis but also just as effective for non-hypnotists.

1st edition 2010; 5 pages (excluding cover and blank).

The Fouray envelope is a utility device which was born out of the necessity of having a 4-way out and showing it empty. Specially designed for those close-up performances. It has been a well guarded secret for the past 2.5 years now. It's here for the working mentalist who wants 4 outs in one envelope without using himber wallets! So get out the glue and paper-cutter and make as many as you want in less than 15 minutes per envelope.

1st edition 2010; 12 pages

In this unique routine you will meet an interesting man named George who happens to be a voodoo priest. This routine is told in story form to enhance the effect and to let you see how powerful belief can be. The Cleansing is a method that uses a pendulum to help cleanse a person from negativity or other things that might be upsetting them. Through the power of a pendulum not only is the negativity or worry removed but a calming takes place within the person. This is a routine that uses the persons own mind to free them of their trouble. It is played as real and those attempting this needs to...

Have you even wanted to do something that is both fun and scary? This routine can be performed at parties and friends' homes. This is a small séance that plays big and can really be played anytime of the year that you want. It uses a common magic prop that most of us have lying in a drawer and B.O.S (balls of steel).

Mirrors have always held a fascination with people and have always been connected to stories of being a portal to other worlds.

Have you ever wondered as you prepare for bed at night how things may not be as they seem? At night we comb our hair and brush our teeth as we...

Do you want to really amaze your friends or spectator? This routine will make you stand out and seem to have powers that can't be explained. Hand them a notepad and pencil. Tell them to shut their eyes and scribble all over the page. When finished the notepad is closed and placed on the table. They now select a real playing card or one from an imaginary deck or maybe just think of an ESP symbol.

Once the selection has been made, the notepad is open and the spectator closes their eyes for a few seconds. When told to open their eyes they stare intently into their scribbling. As they stare...