Similar books or dvd's

[Strikerche]

I bought Faith Healer by Luke Jermay a while ago and I was just astonished with the presentation of the tricks that Luke uses, especially for the first effect. I mean its just a simple coin bend, but with the presentation he makes around it, it just seems real. While I was reading the description and the presentation for a moment I just thought its really happening. Even if I know its just a trick. So I want to start performing this type of mentalism and psychism on the stage. I mean i dont like the mental card tricks like Spidey. He's an awesome performer but I just dont like this type of mentalism. Im talking about something like Luke Jermay's religious themes in his acts, or something like THIS . So can you guys recommend me books or dvd's that have this type of mentalism in it ? Thanks !

 

[Strikerche]

Comeone guys, I need your help !

 

[RealityOne]

It is hard to figure out if you are looking for mentalism resources or presentation resources. Your reference to Faith Healer seems to be looking for strong presentation. Your posting of the David Blaine video seems to be looking for methods (since David Blaine doesn't have any presentation skills and the audience overreacts because they are being filmed).

Let's start with presentation resources. I can recommend a bunch of different resources, but I'm not sure exactly what you are looking for. Are you looking to establish meaning or believability?

For me, meaning involves your magic reflecting the meaning, thoughtfulness, emotion, feeling, etc. of you script. For example, I do a routine about worrying and prayer with worry stones - the ultimate meaning being that worrying is useless because it weakens us but prayer strengthens us. The presentation involves a lot of ideas from philosophy, religion and even music and has the spectators and myself sharing thoughts about prayer. To go that route, there are a number of books that I'd recommend that have good ideas and examples

Believability means the audience believes what you are doing is real -- not necessary as magic but as another phenomenon such as psychic or mental powers or pseudo science. For this, I'd recommend a more in-depth study of mentalism and can recommend a number of starting points.

If you are looking for methods, again I'd recommend an in depth study of mentalism.

Finally, I think you are recognizing the difference between mental magic and mentalism. Mental magic is a magic trick that has a presentation related to psychic powers (think of forcing a card and the guessing what it is using your power of telepathy) where mentalism uses fewer props and focuses more on the demonstration of psychic powers (preferably without an explanation that this is all a trick).

Provide some ideas where you want to go and I think it would be easier to help you.

 

[Strikerche]

Ok so I am searching for something that will go beyond tricks at all. It might be a trick but Mr.Jermay's presentation on Faith Healer makes it look meaninful and believable. In the book says that with this manuscript you create the impression that you have supernatural divine power.

Forget about the coin bend at all. When Luke Jermay performs this effect he says to the participant that he will try to balance his aura, because he is stressed and have inside desires. After he finishes the demonstration the spectator is actually feeling better.

PK touches are also this type of psychic thing and if you combine it with similar presentation like Faith Healer with the spiritual energies and auras it can be also that touching and really stressing for the spectator.

It might sound strange, but when im doing these effects I get the feeling that im really doing this type of stuff. That I actually can do it. This feeling is really strange and sometimes when im doing it I just freak out from myself, even if i know its just a trick .

Thats why I said that i dont like Spidey's style. Actually I really like his style and his work at all, but when I do this type of tricks im not actually believing in myself that im really doing it. Thats why I love Faith Healer and PK touches so much.

So I think my answer you your question is that Im searching for both presentations of extreme nature and this type of freaky tricks. Because if spectator thinks of a card or a number and you guess it, its not freaky at all. Im agian giving the example with Faith Healer , with this type of religious presentation when they see the coin bend they will actually freak out. This means that the healing actually worked. (you may not understand the last sentence if you havent read Faith Healer)

 

[TeeDee]

What you're looking for is sometimes called "bizarre magic", but you may also want to look into the concept of "Urban Shamanism" which a few people on this forum might be able to discuss with you if you're interested in investigating further.

I would like to point out, though, that even simple "think of a card" or "think of a number" type plots can be elevated into real magick if given the right presentation. Just to start you off down this road, what if the revelation of a thought of Tarot card was the conclusion to a reading? Or, what if you were able to link the number they were thinking of with some deeper meaning through Gematria or another numerological system?

In my opinion, there are three ESSENTIAL prerequisites for performing this kind of "real" material well:

1. Acting. Can you really make the audience feel what you want them to feel and believe what you want them to believe?

2. Mentalism. Do you have a good grounding in the basic techniques of mentalism?

3. The Real Work. Do you have a good understanding of actual esoterica, religious history, witchcraft, divination, Kabbalah, Tarot and so on?

 

[RealityOne]

TeeDee nailed it. Acting, methods and knowledge.

For methods, start with the basics: Craig Browning's Introduction to Mentalism, Anneman's Practical Mental Magic, Fulves Self-Working Mentalism, Bob Cassidy's Fundamentals. Move on to 13 Steps and Psychological Subtleties and then to the rest of the 39 steps recommended by Cassidy HERE,. Learn cold reading and how to tell a fortune using tarot. Study hypnosis. Get Tarbell's course and read through it. These suggestions are not one path, but options you can take along your path.

For knowledge, start with the internet and then buy books that interest you. Talk to people who are interested in spirituality and the divine or psychology or human nature. Study the history of magic and witchcraft and the role of the shaman or medicine man. Take a class on world religions. Learn about pagan and wiccan traditions. Study these beliefs and traditions with respect and then honor the beliefs and traditions in performance. Remember that belief and faith are both personal and sacred. Again, each of these suggestions are options along your path. Follow the road that interests you.

Then put it together. Find or make props that look authentic using your understanding of classic magic (hence why I mentioned Tarbell). A great website to check out is Azure Green - you can buy beautiful items there that look real because they are real. Find ideas that interest you and apply methods that work for you to develop the presentation and the effect.