Learning Mentalism

Mar 9, 2021
44
31
Hello everyone, I am Orange.

I was wondering if any of you could suggest any courses/seminars that I can attend for free online. I want to find one online as I cannot get to places because of Covid.





sorry if you think this is a bad post
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
To my knowledge there's no overall "Mentalism" course out there. You pretty much have to do what all the other mentalists have done, and learn each skill piecemeal.

In the other thread you listed several books you said you had - those books are more than enough to get started.
 
Mar 9, 2021
44
31
To my knowledge there's no overall "Mentalism" course out there. You pretty much have to do what all the other mentalists have done, and learn each skill piecemeal.

In the other thread you listed several books you said you had - those books are more than enough to get started.


I watch a lot of shows where there are mentalists like:
Magic Castle
The Mentalist
AmericaGotTalent


And there are material that they perform that I cannot find in any book or any other source(internet)
 

RealityOne

Elite Member
Nov 1, 2009
3,744
4,076
New Jersey
And there are material that they perform that I cannot find in any book or any other source(internet)

With a solid understanding of the fundamentals (by reading the books and resources outlined in your other thread), you most likely will be able to come up with methods for that material. Obtaining the level of understanding will take several years. Many of effects you see might be published by the authors or they might just keep them to themselves because it is their performance material.

One of the things that I've always told my son is that there is no such thing as teaching, only learning. A teacher can be the best there is and there will be no learning unless the student is willing to put the work and effort into it. Similarly, a student who is unwilling to put the work and effort into learning will not learn no matter how good the teacher. You seem to be looking for an easy way to learn everything about mentalism. So let me tell you a secret... there is no easy way.

There are DVDs (Osterland's come to mind) on mentalism, but those have a cost. There have been a lot of free lectures during COVID but those are through a variety of magic groups that you need to be a member of. Also, to be honest, a lot of those lectures haven't been that great and I suspect they will not provide you with what you are looking for.

Rather than seeking methods to effects you see, approach things from a different direction. Find effects in books that you like and perform them. Reading the books ultimately will give you a broad understanding and eventually get you to your goal... but in the meantime you will be able to perform effects that you like.
 
Last edited:
Mar 9, 2021
44
31
With a solid understanding of the fundamentals (by reading the books and resources outlined in your other thread), you most likely will be able to come up with methods for that material. Obtaining the level of understanding will take several years. Many of effects you see might be published by the authors or they might just keep them to themselves because it is their performance material.

One of the things that I've always told my son is that there is no such thing as teaching, only learning. A teacher can be the best there is and there will be no learning unless the student is willing to put the work and effort into it. Similarly, a student who is unwilling to put the work and effort into learning will not learn no matter how good the teacher. You seem to be looking for an easy way to learn everything about mentalism. So let me tell you a secret... there is no easy way.

There are DVDs (Osterland's come to mind) on mentalism, but those have a cost. There have been a lot of free lectures during COVID but those are through a variety of magic groups that you need to be a member of. Also, to be honest, a lot of those lectures haven't been that great and I suspect they will not provide you with what you are looking for.

Rather than seeking methods to effects you see, approach things from a different direction. Find effects in books that you like and perform them. Reading the books ultimately will give you a broad understanding and eventually get you to your goal... but in the meantime you will be able to perform effects that you like.


Thank you so much for replying in such detail. I am going to change my mindset and start learning.
 

WitchDocIsIn

Elite Member
Sep 13, 2008
5,877
2,945
there is no easy way.

Sure there is. Just become obsessed with a variety of oddball subjects that just happen to coincide with the skills used by mentalists and study/practice them for years before even realizing it could be a stage piece.
I watch a lot of shows where there are mentalists like:
Magic Castle
The Mentalist
AmericaGotTalent


And there are material that they perform that I cannot find in any book or any other source(internet)

Well - The Mentalist, as in the show starring Simon Baker, almost everything in that show is out of 13 Steps.

Magic Castle and AGT - I would bet a significant amount of money that the list you've provided previous contains, in the least, the foundations of the methods anyone in those venues has used. Also, most of what you see in those locations is mental magic, not mentalism. Mentalism isn't terribly TV-friendly for a variety of reasons.
 
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