"And I thought you said magic was fake!"
"That's when I saw that other guy! This is real."
My greatest moment in magic came to me without the medium of money, publicity, or getting laid. For those have never been goals of mine in magic. For me, magic has always been a personal journey. There was a recent thread on the subject... But I genuinely do magic for the general experience of myself and others. I'm not bragging but this is also how I present my magic.
Now, I used to be terrified to perform. Sweating and shaking hands to not even admitting I did magic. It was bad. And it wasn't that long ago. I've had this deep long thought out theory on how magic should be but I was never man enough to put one foot in front of the other to test that theory.
What happened?
I'm 21 years old and a soldier in the United States Army. It was never my intent, growing up, to be a soldier. I respected soldiers... but that wasn't me. I was going to be a performer! I was going to go to school to do the arts. I understand the possibilities of failing. But I was naive. Still am to some degree. But where did that lead me? My family left the country and I lived in the middle of the united states in a broken 2001 dodge stratus. This car almost killed me. I was literally inches from losing my life along with my fiances life. I needed a change. I gave up the idea of being a free living artist and I joined the Army.
Believe me, tears were shed. I gave up on my dream. Packed my cards and gimmicks and books in a box. Kissed my girl and left to the biggest journey of my life. In the mean time. I was thrown into a world that sculpted me into everything I needed. I did things that I never imagined having the guts to do. Such as throwing a live grenade. going into gas chambers without the assistance of a mask. and propelling off of walls using knots I've tied myself with no net below me. They prepared me to be a soldier...
There's a moral to this story... trust me. I became a more confident individual. I lied to myself. Told myself I was something special now. There was history and back story to my magic. Out of nowhere, without the use of artificial liquid confidence. I got the cards back in my hand after training. And I got back in the game stronger than ever. I knew who I was as a person which reflected in my magic. It was more personal. I performed confidently for people who I never met before. I tried things I would have never had the guts to do. When I made mistakes... I covered it without even thinking about what to say. For instance, messed up a two card monte... they saw the second change (surrounded). I went silent. shushed the crowd... "But did you see the other one?" The atmosphere change. "What?? you couldn't have!"
Open yourself up. Don't be afraid to become something more than you are. Be realistic with yourself. Sometimes to become the magician you want to become or the artist you want to become, you can't just write down personality traits and pretend to have them. Open your front door and become that person. I'm not saying join the army or get in to a life threatening accident. I'm saying live your life. Magic will always be with you. The most believable character as an artist is yourself. and the best way to show it is through your eyes. They will see through the facade so rather than having one, become you.
Life is beautiful. Live life for everything it has. And for the love of all that is holy. Be you. Magic is not a game. It's not a novelty you find next to fart putty. It's a beautiful art that should be treated and respected as thus. It's a lifestyle. Audiences love magic, believe me. They hate bad magicians. The reactions you see on television are possible. I get better reactions now than I've seen on tv. And I have performed simple magic to get it.
I'm not here to talk about myself I'm here to make you better magicians. Better artists. and better people. It's all in one.
Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
"That's when I saw that other guy! This is real."
My greatest moment in magic came to me without the medium of money, publicity, or getting laid. For those have never been goals of mine in magic. For me, magic has always been a personal journey. There was a recent thread on the subject... But I genuinely do magic for the general experience of myself and others. I'm not bragging but this is also how I present my magic.
Now, I used to be terrified to perform. Sweating and shaking hands to not even admitting I did magic. It was bad. And it wasn't that long ago. I've had this deep long thought out theory on how magic should be but I was never man enough to put one foot in front of the other to test that theory.
What happened?
I'm 21 years old and a soldier in the United States Army. It was never my intent, growing up, to be a soldier. I respected soldiers... but that wasn't me. I was going to be a performer! I was going to go to school to do the arts. I understand the possibilities of failing. But I was naive. Still am to some degree. But where did that lead me? My family left the country and I lived in the middle of the united states in a broken 2001 dodge stratus. This car almost killed me. I was literally inches from losing my life along with my fiances life. I needed a change. I gave up the idea of being a free living artist and I joined the Army.
Believe me, tears were shed. I gave up on my dream. Packed my cards and gimmicks and books in a box. Kissed my girl and left to the biggest journey of my life. In the mean time. I was thrown into a world that sculpted me into everything I needed. I did things that I never imagined having the guts to do. Such as throwing a live grenade. going into gas chambers without the assistance of a mask. and propelling off of walls using knots I've tied myself with no net below me. They prepared me to be a soldier...
There's a moral to this story... trust me. I became a more confident individual. I lied to myself. Told myself I was something special now. There was history and back story to my magic. Out of nowhere, without the use of artificial liquid confidence. I got the cards back in my hand after training. And I got back in the game stronger than ever. I knew who I was as a person which reflected in my magic. It was more personal. I performed confidently for people who I never met before. I tried things I would have never had the guts to do. When I made mistakes... I covered it without even thinking about what to say. For instance, messed up a two card monte... they saw the second change (surrounded). I went silent. shushed the crowd... "But did you see the other one?" The atmosphere change. "What?? you couldn't have!"
Open yourself up. Don't be afraid to become something more than you are. Be realistic with yourself. Sometimes to become the magician you want to become or the artist you want to become, you can't just write down personality traits and pretend to have them. Open your front door and become that person. I'm not saying join the army or get in to a life threatening accident. I'm saying live your life. Magic will always be with you. The most believable character as an artist is yourself. and the best way to show it is through your eyes. They will see through the facade so rather than having one, become you.
Life is beautiful. Live life for everything it has. And for the love of all that is holy. Be you. Magic is not a game. It's not a novelty you find next to fart putty. It's a beautiful art that should be treated and respected as thus. It's a lifestyle. Audiences love magic, believe me. They hate bad magicians. The reactions you see on television are possible. I get better reactions now than I've seen on tv. And I have performed simple magic to get it.
I'm not here to talk about myself I'm here to make you better magicians. Better artists. and better people. It's all in one.
Our Deepest Fear
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear
is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness,
that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?
Actually who are we not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn't serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people
won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine as children do.
We were born to make manifest
the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And when we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
