I've lost the magic...

[Kelek]

For me hobbies have always come and gone, most to never return ever again. I've loved doing magic; although I've only had about two year of experience under my belt, I've met all sorts of people who have helped me in the trade. I've not done any real magic for more than a year now. I believe the last deck of cards I picked up was around this time last year. I've been attending college for a semester and realized that though many would enjoy a magic trick, no one really cares anymore. High school was great; open minds, the care-free atmosphere, people who want a trick to shown to them. All of that is past now, and I have almost no reason other than my own to continue doing magic. I have so many other hobbies that I use as either a form of income, or a skill that could help me in a future job. Magic really has no place in my life right now, but I would much like to do tricks just because they are enjoyable. I ask you a deep question here, one that many of you younger forum-goers may not be able to understand; how do I get my magic back?

 

[Cliff|Bumgardner]

You must understand what so few do, Magic is a very selfish art form... and thats FINE.

There seems to be this big concern to do magic for others. Whether its fooling magicians, constantly performing, doing magic that is "popular", or buying books because others say you must.

I do magic for me, I perform what I want and I don't care what anyone thinks. I know I do the art justice by performing as well as I possibly can and that is all I ask of others. Other than that, do what YOU want. If you want to "get magic back" then just do it for your enjoyment, other things will come later.

Also, people of all ages and backgrounds love magic. Whether you are in college or a senior home, you can entertain with this art. There is astonishment running in everyone's blood, its your job to unleash it.


C
P.S. Feel free to contact me if you want to chat magic or anything else.

 

[magictruitt]

oh wow man, i so know what you mean,
i had a job this summer that took alot of the magic out, when i got home at the beggining of the school year, i had no need to do magic again.
i even (without knowing at the time) felt so depressed without it.
suddenly, i found a magic buddy at school who has been in the art as long as i have, he knew nothing about the clubs and lectures out in the magic community, so i introduced it all to him, and now we're magic buds.

So what i think you should do, is in your own time, go out and find a club, and be-friend someone who is interested in the same magic as you are, and will then see you life as magicial again, trust me, i know exactly what you're going through, i've been there too, maybe worse.
also, as hard as it may be, go ahead and pick up a deck of cards and practice, read, and (what the heck) watch some magic youtube vids.

with magic,

Adam "Poncho" Truitt

 

[Kelek]

My cousin was my 'magic bud' for awhile. He was so interested in it that I began showing him how tricks were done and eventually we did small shows for family get-togethers and did some street shows and random public events. What really blew me out of the water then was how he excelled in the trade. He has been doing magic for a year and a half and has more experience in it than I may ever hope to have. He was teaching me for awhile, but I gave up all together because there was so much I was unable to understand.

The trouble with finding a club, (I know of many in my area and have been invited to attend meetings) is that I have no time to do so. I'm currently unemployed, and trying to support my self nearly straight out of high school. My only source of income right now is in my lampwork. I make glass beads and jewelry and some sculptures. It doesn't make much, but it's enough for gas to get to school. I'm very lucky that I have my parents to support me, but it's not going to last long. This is why there isn't any room for it right now. I wish there was time for it in my life, but life itself seems to be holding me back.

 

[ZacEckstein]

I have felt this way before and here is what you do...

Go on you tube and watch a couple of live street performances

Notice The Reactions on the spectators face and look at the trick through thire eyes and you will see magic.

Then You Work on a hard hitting trick that you own

when that trick is down you go show a bunch of people on your campus

You will see the look of euphoria on their faces and trust me you'll get back in again bro...

Z-M

 

[Kelek]

I've done that from time to time. I'm really rusty on tricks, and not too many trick I know are all that hard hitting. I'll see what comes of some late night youtube magic.

 

[btaylor]

i'm shocked that people don't want to see magic. i'm a first year and i've honestly had people knock on my door and ask to see stuff. its unreal. not to mention it helps with the ladies at parties and just to make friends.

i love fooling and entertaining intellects.

 

[James Wise Magic]

I kinda disagree with you a little.

You say, now that high school is over, no one really cares to see magic..... well many adult magicians perform for other adults and college students, etc. and all those people wanted to see magic and LOVE it!



If you want to get your magic back, I've had that problem MANY MANY times. I just felt like giving up magic. BUT what I usually did was sat down watched my favorite magicans such as D+M and W:H and watch the audience's reactions, and that usually gets me all excited and lifts me up to get out there and do the same thing and get people to react.


I hope that helps some man!

 

[Morgan B]

I hope this helps, as I have felt like you before...like everything, magic has it's dips on the love factor.

When I was in University, I was performing 4 nights a week doing walk around gigs, and private parties on top. The audiences would make me feel like A GOD some nights, others...and I quote, "one step above a mime". I was meeting so many people, that I was becoming very well known...and I hated it. People didn't take magic as serious as I did, they would EXPECT me to be bad, and I would always have to win them over. Some would even apolagize because they didn't think I would "be so good". I just started getting sick of hearing the same responses, and having to continuously climb the uphill battle of sharing something that people innately hated (magician in trouble effects are BUILT off this concept). It sucked, why does a juggler drop a ball...and people cheer him on...I find the wrong card and they are happy? Just to be followed up by finding the right one, and they are surprised, and happy still...but I felt like I had to win them over.

Anyhow, I talked to one of the well known magicians on this site, and expressed how burnt out in magic I was. He said - take 48 hours where you don't touch, look, or think of magic. Then, see if you miss it. I did. Then, he said - don't forget your job. We take ourselves too seriously, your job is to mess with people...go have fun with them. Give them an experience, and that experience is you. This helped, as I didn't care if people thought it was going to be good, or bad - I told them it was going to be good - and then did good magic. There weren't educated enough to make a decision before sampling, so I got thicker skin...and still laugh when someone says, "wow, I didn't think it was going to be that good" - when I work at a gourmet restaurant where the food is HIGH end - so the food is SUPERB, but they assume the entertainment will be mediocre? Always my advantage though.

I also spent time at conventions, the magic shop, or anywhere I can be around guys better than me - I instructed at Sorcerer's Summer Safarai, so it allowed me to spend time with many guys that are very skilled and instructed as well - this allowed me to watch...most times, I didn't do much magic there, I just wanted to observe, enjoy, be inspired. Instead of pushing MY stuff on people, I took a back seat and learnt.

Which leads me to this - people get bored of magic (and I can honestly say I don't anymore) when they forget to progress. We start to think, "Oh, I am good - I fool people consistently, and people tell me how geat I am". Really - go to a lecture of a really talented and well known magician. Remind yourself you have a LONG way to go. The thing with magic, is that NO matter how good you are, you have SO much room for growth.

NO disrespect, but I bet if I looked at the effects you do, and how you do them, I could spot MANY things for you to work on. It could be a more interesting, unique or engaging way to present an effect, it could be a move, it could be a handling. You could expand your magic to other props.

I would also say this - you said you have many hobbies that you can make money off of. I don't know what that has to do with anything - I hope that it does not mean you are the jack of trades, master of none. I hope it doesn't mean, I can make money without magic. I hope it doesn't mean that the only reason you do magic is because it pays and it was easy, because people in high school ate it up.

I would hope that you are just at a part where your brain, that we don't always listen to, is saying - DUDE, WAKE UP - you need to progress in magic, that is why you are sick of it. You need to challenge yourself to do more - not just learn a new trick - but to look at your magic on a deeper level - what are you REALLY offering people. PM me and we can chat more - but the magic cure is progression....always.

SO - what venues do you do magic? Have you read the book Strong Magic - that could really motivate you - pick up Designing Miracles while you are at it. If you have read those - take a look at your magic, does it look moveless, flawless, is it what you think magic should be?

If all else fails - like was told to me...put it down for 2 days, on the third day, think about what you hate about magic - on the 4th day - think about how you want to change that - then create, practice, trim the fat!

Hope that helps, really. We have all been there.

 

[MagicianDM]

Look at Cyril, for inspiration and how many people love magic.

 

[uhhh_kyle]

I was engaged to a girl who hated the magic. I went to every show she sang at. I don't really care for opera, but I went to support her. I gave it up. When she left me, I was heart broken and even thought about suicide. But I had an old family friend ask me to do a trick for a friend of his. The amazment he had made me break out my cell phone and call Paul Vigil. Paul told me something that changed my life that day. "To children, the world is full of magic. They don't see the evil on the news, or grasp the concept of the war in Iraq. So new things and even simple things brings astonshment to their being. Thats what magic is for adults. Its not about trying to fool them. Or showing them a 'trick.' Its about believing in the magic yourself and they will believe to. When you see a TRUE magician perform, he will bring that simple feeling of astonoshment to the adults. Thats our jobs. Make everything appear to be full of magic yet again. Just like when we were innocent children. Make that your dream. To fulfill the void created when we 'grew up.'"

I strongly believe in what Paul told me. I'm not some loser kid who got a magic kit and never grew out of that phase. I am a reality tailor. I will custom fit the magic for you and only you. I will never forget that moment when Paul got me to stop thinking about suicide. If it weren't for real magicians who believe in what they do, I would not be alive to type this. Thats true magic to me. Deliver joy and you will change the world for someone.

 

[Blunk]

Download it for 5 bucks only at Theory11 1-on-1.

 

[toyrobot]

Something that got me to stop being bored was to create my own stuff. Most of it's really bad, probably impractical, and also probably thought of before by other people to much better effect. But, alone with my thoughts, they're mine - I thought of some effects, and I think about their presentation and subtleties, and performing them.

Then I keep thinking about how far I can go, what I can really create. It makes a more personalized, more unique-for-me experience.

 

[Moening]

star trek voyager | the sopranos | queer as folk

 

[Shakutau]

Believe is a powerful word.

You must see yourself and magic on a different level in order to understand it and why you use it. Maybe you could grab a piece of paper, while your mind still leaves room for an old cardboard box named "magic", and write down what magic means to you, how you perceieve magic, why you perform(ed) magic for other people, what bond does you and magic share. Write these down and evaluate them.

If you dont have time to pick up a deck of cards to practice during the days, then it cant be helped, you dont got time for a deck of cards, seriously; but it doesnt mean your flare has shut out, only means you're layin low for now. Doesnt mean you should throw it away. When you decide to make magic your own, then many doors open, which the normal hobbyist wont see or care.

You should get your magic back by looking at the Artists at T11 and what they do/their reasons for even doing this Theory11 business. You should get it back by looking at the many new forum posts of magic discussions every day, about improvements towards magic, new discoveries, etc, know that you can be a part of this, and your part really helps, whether you are alone or not.

Most importantly though you should get your magic back through one final challenge - to experience magic again. What i mean is, find one day to head out and perform just one trick, your most favourate, and do it the best you can, better than anyone else, and see if you can experience the magic or motivation you once had; but it comes at a price - you must focus all your efforts onto this one effect you want to perform and improve it in every aspect until you think you are ready to use it to enter the challenge; whether presentation or technique.

Step and go.

I never get bored of magic, and its been nearly three years, the only reason is because i make what i perform/practice/learn count. Everythin counts, you are not competing with anybody, just remember that. You are you, your magic is yours (if you have decided to make it yours), and believe you can do something with this tool of yours, whether big whether small. Everything counts man.

We're here for you.

 

[Dylan P.]

To get your magic back you must first understand why you have "lost it." Asses all of the things that lead to this.

Then you need to start practicing and performignall over again. Despite there being a lack of people who take interest it is up to you to make a name for yourself. Yuo say people don't have open minds anymore. That is because theya re taught to keep their minds closed. Make them open up again and realize what they are missing.

Take your tricks elsewhere and keep going with it. As my favorite band, the red hot chili peppers, say in one of there songs: "Pick it up and run like hell..."

Dylan P.

 

[Mikkyo]

Heres a little something to chew on. I've been out of magic for nearly 15 years. I dropped out of magic because, at the time, it was close up or stage magic and not much else in my area. I became burnt out because of the overall stigma associated with magicians at the time.

I just picked the cards back up about 3 months ago when I came across a d+m video online. I was inspired because of a fresh look and feel for me that was introduced to magic since my departure (street & underground).

Reading your story, I can empathize. It seems to me that you have a desire to practice it? I also see a lot of reasons why you can't. Eliminate the reasons why you can't. Nurture ways that you can.

Having little time, again, I can empathize. My work day regularly starts at 4:30 in the morning and ends usually at around 8 at night with a 1 hour drive. I usually work 7 days a week and teach. After picking up the cards again, I practice each and every moment I can.

If I may suggest, get your life in order so that you may have more time to devote to magic. Get employed somewhere where you can make more or as much as you do now while gaining more time to devote to magic, even if its 1 night a week (where you can attend a magic get together?). Make magic friends.

Also, pick up the cards and practice, even if its 5 minutes each day. 5 minutes of practice each day is better than none. Do you brush your teeth each day? After that, practice a one hand cut for 5 minutes. You'll be darn good at it in a month. Move on to the next thing. Practice moves while studying or taking a break. carry cards with you everywhere, and, take every available opportunity to practice something.

Work on only a maximum of 3 effects. Learn to do them well. After you learn them, move on to the next 3.

Learn to introduce magic as a way of natural conversation. Instead of saying "hey, you want to see a card trick?", introduce the card trick as part of your everyday conversation, not mentioning trickery of any kind. I just did this as part of a training seminar in a manufacturing corporation, where workers were learning about productivity. It was fun and they learned something because they were entertained. In your psych class, for example, do a card trick to add emphasis on reality / perception / conscious / subconscious topics.

Find ways to make magic a part of your life. By making magic a part of who you are, you'll find that you've never lost it. Best wishes to you!