An Introduction To The Art Science of Seance PDF

An Introduction to the Art of Sance
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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

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Copyright 2011
P. Craig Browning/Nimeton Magic & Publishing Co.
Northampton, MA
http://stores.lulu.com/nimetonmagicandpublishing

This is a FREE Publication Created by the Author for the Sake of
Educating Persons Curious about the Art of Sance &
Paranormal Performance as it pertains to the World of
Theatrical Magic

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What is A Sance?

During the late 18
th
and early 19
th
centuries the French term Sance referred to the simple act of sitting
with others in conversation, with latter adaptations to the word inferring class or a scholastic gathering such as
attending a lecture or public speaking on a given topic. It wouldnt be until the latter part of the 19
th
century
however that the term would gain its best known association; the idea of gathering together in observance and/or
participation of a ritual in which the spirits of the dead are summoned for sake of communion conversation or
contact of some kind that allowed the petitioner to gain solace or what most refer to now days as Closure.
Before we look deeper into understanding what a Sance is we need to digest a few facts as to what a
Sance isnt, starting with the grotesque misrepresentation found in Hollywood horror stories and the lore sewn in
and around the infamous OUIJA board. Too, there are misrepresentations within our own ranks the world of the
magician, who seems to be in love more with the idea of presenting a short (sometimes long) list of typically silly
effects accompanied by corny theatrical effects vs. the creation of a solid bit of theater based on actuality. But Im
getting ahead of myself on that front as well, in that there are several different forms of Sance program, some
frightening enough to scare the utter hell out of you by way of one simple effect while others can only be
described as a ride at your favorite theme park.
When it comes to the magic world there is another thing that a Sance isnt and thats the sort of thing
you simply throw together come October and the three weeks leading up to Halloween. In fact, if that is your only
objective it would be highly recommended that you toss this book off to the side in that you are not ready to
create a solid sance encounter let alone lead guests in such an adventure via which they are able to know an
experience rather than a more personalized adult version of a fun house.
I believe it was Rick Maue that first pointed out that Haunted Magick does not stoop down to the level of
using bad rubber masks, fog machines, bad music and strobe lights. There is a huge truth to this when it comes to
those of us whove invented a thing called Mystery Entertainment or Mystery Theatre via which we deliver
programs much in the way Mentalism was presented in the not so distant past as something genuine through
which the mature audience experiences a very personal series of encounters with the paranormal, be it a ghostly
encounter or some mode of psychic enchantment.
Our 21
st
century world has seen a revival of sorts, when it comes to this style of amusement, not all of it
built around the classic idea of sitting around a table holding hands and calling forth some long lost love or worse,
asking Aunt Rose where she kept the good silver. No, the Sance of today falls under a serious of contexts that
may include that formal Victorian setting but generally involves a far more casual and happenstantial situation
such as what one might find when investigating a would be haunt complete with this and that sensor, energy
meters, special cameras and of course EVP recording devices worn by one or all members of the group.
The Ghost Hunt has a cousin arena in which a group volunteers to spend the night in a building or on a specific
piece of property that is rumored to be haunted, which much of the arsenal involved is the same its the
psychology that makes this type of program potent in that guests will eventually be put in the dark with a head full
of haunt-related details and a flashlight, the auspices of their own imagination bringing about an amazing array of
manifestations with we, as the guides & hosts, not needing to do much more than set the stage.
Sance [sey-ahns] - noun
1. A meeting in which spiritualist attempt to communicate with the
spirits of the dead.
2. A session or sitting, as of a class or organization.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Seance

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Partly due to the televised success of personalities like John Edward, Sylvia Brown and James VanPraagh
we find a twist on the old Message Bearing sessions that are still quite common within the Spiritualist church and
similar gatherings; the medium standing to the front of the group and simply picking-up on this or that little detail
and conveying what it is they see, smell or even taste at times. When someone identifies with the information
being shared, a more refined Cold Reading is executed, but unlike anything youre likely to find in any particular
tome other than maybe the works of John Riggs, who has written extensively on the subject of the Question &
Answer styled act, and the more contemporary works of Jerome Finley, whos Guerilla Q&A manuscript is utterly
mind-blowing when it comes to content, approach and clarity. Sadly, this latter PDF was sold as a very limited
release and at a serious premium when it comes to price, but it will be well-worth every dime for anyone
happening onto a legal copy thereof.
There have been other tomes put out in eBook form since the release of Jeromes piece, including several
interesting volumes by the man himself, but Ive yet to find anything that is as empowering as G Q&A even though
there are some interesting ideas floating about, Ill touch more on this later, for now lets just look at what else is
common when it comes to dealing with the ghostly hosts.
The Semi-Formal/Pseudo-Improvisational Sance is one of my personal favorites in that you can do one or
two simple bits and leave folks convinced that theyve been visited; Docc Hilfords Mephistos Journey for an
example, will have their hair standing on end, but for those proficient at Billet work, Doccs Mysterious Stranger
is just as excellent though it comes from a friendlier sense of format. Which is important for you to consider, the
fact that a sance does not need to be spooky or dark or sinister to be effective; you can simply tell ghostly
tales, closing with one simple effect, such as the popular Muse Box from Lee Earles MANIFESTATIONS, and you
wont only have folks believing that some kind of phenomena happened, but youll have most of them crying
happy tears at the same time.
A Formal Sance such as those done a century or so back, can be fun but unfortunately, most of them come off
as being rather silly for two chief reasons;
a.) The performer wants to do a dozen magic tricks under the pretense of doing a Sance
b.) Nervous Tension and even immaturity amongst the group members and the performers inability to
gain proper control and focus.
For this reason I cannot knowingly encourage the inexperienced to attempt their own sance program
from scratch but rather encourage them to start small and simple; Hilfords $1,000.00 Sance is an excellent
foundation piece when it comes to a more formal mood of presentation. You will likewise find some excellent
Jack the Ripper type material in Doccs Band of the Hand manuscript ({the Spirit Bell routine in that book alone,
will give you tons of by-play that, when worked right, will prove quite chilling.}
Ive already touched upon the idea of simply telling stories, but there is a catch to this tact; you need to
actually know regional lore so that the stories you share prove to be a thing of interest to your guests, folks that
presumably live in the region or have a destination agenda for being there. This approach is awesome when
working with teen-aged groups such as the scouts out on a camping trip or even at summer camps. Be careful of
content and getting too gross with stuff though is there will be exceptionally young or mentally unstable
participants.
Magic lovers frequently fail to remember just how powerful our work can be to the minds of
those not privy to the knowledge we have; in the right context and given an individuals
emotional state or religious perspectives, the simplest trick can bring about very dramatic and
dangerous ramifications. For this reason you really need to think through your material and even
discuss things with a would-be contractor so as to safeguard against such negative reactions.
Dont sell this warning short!

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The Story Teller mode is probably the
key to most all forms of magic but has a
special presence when it comes to the
world of Boo and whatever it is the goes
bump in the night. Most likely its
because of how a story told well evokes
ones mind and with it, the imagination;
the perfect combination for anyone
specializing in things bizarre and creepy.
Id go so far to say that a solid
storyteller neednt even bother with the
tricks if he/she knows how to play that
cunning instrument known as the
tongue; if you have just the right touch
with words, you will have folks begging
you to silence the spirits that surround
them though in all truth, they reside
only within the confines of their own
head, youve merely let them out to
play for a few and they most certainly
do love playing with we mortal sorts,
even contemporaries in modern occultism echo that particular truth, referring to such elementals as Little
Nasties that just want to have fun, so be careful in how well you construct their natures or you may well be
blasted by the biased those that will swear that it was by your hand that they are now haunted; dont laugh too
much, there are such folk in the world and it is paramount that youre aware of this fact, but enough warnings, I
just hope youll understand that the layman will see things a lot differently than we do.
The Guided Sance first saw popularity when Carl Herron (Brother Shadow) gave the Mentalism community a
manuscript entitled Have Sance, Will Travel. The gist behind this approach is that its little more than a mild
hypnotic trance created by you, as the guide into the spirit world. Guests sit in a semi-circle dressed comfortably
(or, given room, lay on the floor with a pillow & light blanket, which is actually superior when it comes to creating
that heavy-body floaty sensation for your guests). You have prefaced the ritual with a very basic discussion,
responding to a few questions from the group and then you set the circle as it were; anything thats New-Agey
enough to trigger the mind of the observer/participant into accepting the idea that something unique is about to
happen. Ill use sage smudge or unique incense
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and from time to time I have an effect I move through known as
The Dark Crystal but (when it comes to trickery) Ive found that such things really arent that important and can
actually ruin the psychology youre depending on when doing this style of Sance work.
When clients ask me about Sance type sessions that have a specific relative focal point, Ill encourage
them to work with this particular type of rite first. The reasons are very simple, starting with the fact that
you are doing absolutely NOTHING when it comes to feeding them information or bearing messages from
the dearly beloved whove passed over. Everything that happens is psychological and thus, personal. If
they are honestly seeking closure, which is what most claim, they will find it by way of this presentation
or, at minimum, theyll have the opportunity to create that state of healing.

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INCENSE Firstly, you must be careful with incense or smoke in general especially if you have older patrons that may have
pulmonary health challenges. Always check with the host or the event or simply plan things that allow for the olfactory
stimulation without the smoke. Secondly, the company that makes Nag Chompa incense offers a wonderful Rose as well as
Orange variant to the original that work quite well in this setting. If I know guests are wanting to connect with mothers or
grandmothers, I deliberately use the Rose in that it is a common scent association, especially for ancestors born in the early and
mid-20
th
century. Other scents include magnolia and Lilac.
One of the earliest books on the subject of communication amongst
deceased persons was Communication with the Other Side by
George, First Baron Lyttelton, published in England in 1760.
[1]

Among the notable spirits quoted in this volume are Peter the
Great, Pericles, a "North-American Savage," William Penn, and
Christina Queen of Sweden. The popularity of sances grew
dramatically with the founding of the religion of Spiritualism in the
mid-nineteenth century. Perhaps the best-known series of sances
conducted at that time were those of Mary Todd Lincoln who,
grieving the loss of her son, organized Spiritualist sances in the
White House, which were attended by her husband, President
Abraham Lincoln, and other prominent members of society. The
1887 Seybert Commission report marred the credibility of
Spiritualism at the height of its popularity by publishing exposures
of fraud and showmanship among secular sance leaders. Modern
sances continue to be a part of the religious services of Spiritualist,
Spiritist, and Espiritismo churches today, where a greater emphasis
is placed on spiritual values versus showmanship
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=S%C3%A9ance

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How?
As with any hypnotic/trance type work you have the preliminary set-up; that is your spiel about
Spiritualism, Speaking with the Departed, etc. This is what helps the group, as individuals, to focus on
their personal issues and the ancestor they seek to commune with.
Your next step is the actual induction; as Ive noted, you may wish to preface this with some kind of
consecration & cleansing ritual; smudge is always good but you can likewise use salt, holy water or simply
setting quarters
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, or what some call a spirit trap five large quartz crystal clusters sat at the 5 points of a
pentagram.
The induction is 100% scripted you literally have it in a notebook sitting on your lap and read it as soft,
soothing music plays in the background. Experiment with the sound track and the timing of your
induction lines; Ive tossed in the sounds of a slow moving stream, birds, fish splashes, etc. as a second
layer to the music. Its deliberately subtle and barely noticeable to the fully conscious mind yet, when it
comes to those being lulled into a trance state, these subtle nature sounds compound the images you
describe, making them more real and thus, easier for the patrons to visualize or, as the goal were,
EXPERIENCE.
About 10 minutes into your induction phase you will soften your tone and ultimately state that you are
going to leave them with their loved one (who youve helped them connect with). Reinforce the idea of
peace, nurturing, perfect love & perfect trust. You may even wish to have them visualize themselves with
the ancestor washed in HEALING green light emphasize the idea of Healing, Peace and so forth so that it
becomes their personal focus and goal.
At this point you are going to stop speaking, allow the music volume to raise just slightly. You give them
at least 20-30 minutes in their own little world visiting with this departed loved-one and then quietly,
begin making yourself known; start with a whispering voice and slowly move back to a normal soft but
audible tone. You are only getting their attention and calling them back into reality. . . be careful how you
word this; Its time to return to the here and now, so embrace your loved one and give to them all the
love and good thoughts you can muster give them a positive image and mind-set that affirms the idea
of healing closure.
Just as with any other deep trance, you gently bring them back. Once you have them awake encourage
them to slowly stand, stretch and wake up. Give them 10 minutes to get their bearings, do the potty
break thing and whatever else they may need. Then re-gather the group and begin a round-robin
discussion in which each guest describes their personal journey. You will find that this step can become
an amazing labyrinth of anything you can do I can do better in that human nature comes into play;
while the first one or two guests may prove hesitant, once the pump is primed you will find things flowing
exceptionally well.
I ALWAYS record the Round Robin portion so everyone at the gathering has a personal record of the
event, this tends to be a very prized possession by most but it serves some important commercial concerns for us
as well its a business card!
While Ive given you an overview on the Guided Sance idea I would encourage you to at least study the
Brother Shadow manuscript as well as the various other manuscripts that you will now find on the market; spin-
offs to the original, few of which have been penned by those actually working the Sance niche market.
Nonetheless, they all have information that will benefit you, including what not to do.

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QUARTERS Using colored glass holders for votive candles you place a Green light at the north, Yellow to the east, Red to
the south and Blue to the west. You may want to learn how to formally call in the 4 archangels tied to each quarter or else the
appropriate totem animals, etc. in that this is something easily researched; your credibility being paramount.

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Bundled Pack-Rat Sances are so named because of what they tend to be; a bundle of papers, photos, letters,
post cards and other such memorabilia. Entertainer Mark Edward actually wrote a manuscript entitled Bundles
that touches on this idea and at one point in time I was seriously collecting tales from around the globe, so as to
create a series of niche sets such as love letters between a soldier on the front lines and his lady; artifacts tied to
major events like the great Chicago Fire can likewise become part of a Sance Bundle.
Within this concept you will find the Pack-Rat Medium; those of us that collect artifacts that are
associated with a paranormal or macabre situation. Oddly, most of us tend to collect items that belonged to
children, weaving tales around a child that died prematurely or under torturous circumstances, etc. My own
collection of tales tends to focus on two specific child entities; Emily and Shorn Clark.
Admittedly I borrowed the name Emily from Mark Piazzas sance script and story thats sold under that
particular name but, part of my personal spin to the program is very personal, involving my real baby sister Carla-
Sue, who died before her first birthday. I transitioned to Emily mainly due to the fact that the character was much
older and thus, far more viable as an active being. Its far easier to invoke group belief in an 8 year old girl that can
interact with lifes circumstances, than an infant that is essentially hapless.
Shorn Clark was likewise a real person though the stories Ive tied around him arent necessarily part of
his personal lifes adventure though they are based on several historic facts; incidents that I quite literally lucked
into and stitched together.
Im pointing these two things out so you can see how to more effectively build your own Sance
package within this modular format as a bundle. A convenient, easy to remember and ready to go program
that should fit into a single small box; my Emily Show packs into an old Cigar Box + a small accordion folder that
contains the official reports, etc. from the Police Department. The Shorn Clark show fits in a small canvass book
bag similar to the one found by the creek area where he drowned (parts of the original are in the book bag as well)
So Ive covered a bit about convenience and the logic behind the Bundled Sance set-up; it gives you a
ready-to-go program which lessens the chance of you forgetting your tools, everything needed for that act is in the
kit (and yes, that means you have duplicated materials in some cases). But there is a psychological advantage with
this approach as well; by knowing the kit at a glance, you are able to adjust your personal mind-set and become
the storyteller/medium the character that fits that specific set. The packaging is a kind of mnemonic that makes
it easier for us to see the act mentally, know each move intuitively as well as the general script, your outs, etc. This
is something I learned from Dutch performer Peter Pit and I can assure you, its a valuable habit to get yourself
into.
The other point with Bundles is making the program personal its your
act with your own variations to key effects and not a ton of store-bought tricks.
When it comes to sance work, less really is more when it comes to show content.
The other advantage you want going for you is being able to use less in order to
accomplish more, which brings us to Shorn Clark and that ugly weathered greenish
book you see in the photo to the right. This was the actual McGuffey Reader used
by the real Shorn Clark sometime shortly after the American Civil War. I purchased
this and another McGuffey Reader for less than $10.00 on eBay because they
actually looked like something that had been left out in the elements for close to
100 years and yet, they were still in good enough condition to be gently handled.
In other words, realism and authenticity becomes my tool rather than a device
that has been artistically faked. While there are times that the latter can prove
prudent, I will always encourage people to work at it and find authentic sources
whenever possible. In my case I use this one book as part of a heavily modified
Spirit Slate routine (see The Psychic Coercion of the Interrupted Schoolboy --
Mind, Myth & Magic) and series of Book Tests you could say that 90% of this
particular sance focuses solely on the old text book and our young ghost having
The authors 1863 edition
of the McGuffey Reader
featured in the Shorn
Clark Sance sequence.

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learned the lessons he missed out on, that dreadful day he played hooky and went for a swim.
Historic Validation
Even if you plan on doing a more comical family friendly sance show, doing a bit of footwork in order
to build your story is paramount. I typically find it far easier to work from literal history and weaving in various
versions of Urban Legend so as to make things fit the local lore. Lets face facts, nearly every municipality thats
more than 150 years old has a lady ghost in white or blue or whatever, who roams the grounds love-lorne or jilted,
etc. We can readily find the famed Crying Baby, usually near a bridge and babbling brook and a wide collection of
other such common tales; the internet is full of them! What you want to do however, is research local lore and
employ an old orators trick; personalizing your mysteries so that guests have either heard something about the
spirits you are introducing into the act or, after their ordeal with you, they can readily discover some hard facts
tied to the mystery, including things you didnt even mention, etc, etc.
Having material that can be validated in some way is a huge bit of psychological advantage and when it
comes to this type of entertainment, the more real you can make it, the not only will you see exceptional word-
of-mouth advantages but you will likewise find guests far more willing to participate simply because they want to
have AN EXPERIENCE they really wont be viewing what you do as a show unless you are deliberately billing it
that way and presenting the sillier Disneyesque form of program Ill touch on those a bit more, later into the
book. Because theyve become a bit pass of late, I thought it best to address the forms of Sance that are of
present popularity and commercially viable.
The two children bundles I work with are based on real, historically provable, situations; a young girl
that was abducted and molested by an Uncle (I actually did the research to find a story to match the script idea)
and with Shorn Clark, I found an incident (quite by coincidence) in which an appropriately aged lad drowned in the
swimming hole found on the back end of my Ohio residents an interesting 180 year old homestead thats listed
in the Haunted Ohio books as being one of the most haunted private homes in the state. While my personal
affiliation to this property was pure luck (we had no advanced knowledge before moving in) the plethora of
material that came from it gave me more than a few years worth of study at the Country Recorders Office, library
microfilm files, etc. But thats what one must do, at least that is what the majority of Bizarrist & Sance workers
seem to encourage, when it comes to delivering a solid program.
Im assuming that most reading this book are just starting down this road and will be limited when it
comes to travel and working more than an hour or two driving time from their residence. That being the case, it
only makes sense that your cover-story when it comes to why you do the sance/ghost walks, etc. has something
to do with local lore and your personal curiosity. . .
. . . go back and read that line again.
This is the big loop-hole element that allows the non-believer the advantage of doing a very effective
Sance/Ghost Hunt show. Leaving your patrons with that funky Im not certain after-taste, which according to
the history books, is where we as mystery performers, want to leave them bewildered and uncertain; its not our
job to answer their questions or direct their personal decision about such things. By outwardly playing the curious,
inquisitive intellectual thats not convinced that anything paranormal exists, were able to let one very simple
manifestation take over the whole nights energy, allowing the imagination to go wild with the hypothetical.
Especially if you and group members start walking down a list of how it may have happened and then realizing that
your solution dont fit. . .
. . . spooky stuff!
Historic validation is what allows this kind of presentation really hit hard. It likewise opens doors for you
on other levels, such as doing talks about regional lore; this could be anything from local news magazines to
classroom discussions or annual library programs (think Halloween). You might even take it upon yourself to pen a

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book or two on the topic of Ghosts & the Macabre from within your area. This can give you an easy book signing
tour with coffee houses, libraries and book merchants.
The bottom line here is simple, do the footwork knowing that it will lead to your personal success in this
and alternate fields of work. In time you may very well become seen as a local expert/historian and gain access to
locations that were previously closed off to you (and would remain such for most performers).
The other thing you will benefit from by doing all this digging is getting your hands onto actual artifacts
associated with a particular haunt or regional oddity. People love to touch history and connect with those
situations that flirt with the taboo. By having authentic apparatus, newspaper articles, clothing, etc. you are able to
sate that hunger. As we all know, the more of the 5 prime senses we can trigger, the easier it is to anchor our
patron and lead them down the path we need them to be vest in. Old items have a certain look, feel and smell
that we simply cant replicate as well as nature herself makes it; the various oils and powders that are available
require a very delicate touch in that too much will draw suspicion and too little want give us the psychological
triggers were chasing. So dont try taking the easy way out, tailor your props as well as your stories, going out of
your way to make everything as authentic and historically accurate as possible.


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MEDIUMSHIP
During the Victorian era a Medium would gather with folks at a large table and summon the spirits. Most
of us are familiar with how that game worked given the many details shared by Dunninger, Houdini, Kellar, etc. but
this is not the given in the early 21
st
century or, for that matter, the mid and late 20
th
century. No, in these times
most Mediums simply pick-up-on group members and kindred souls such as weve seen done on Tv by
individuals like John Edward, Sylvia Brown and James VanPraagh. The horrifying fact being that you really dont
have to be the best or most skilled Reader to get away with this kind of presentation, you simply need to know
how to frame the program so that it fits in a believable manner, around you and your claims.
The Ghost Hunter/Investigator has become the big deal for 21
st
century thrill seekers,
individuals that are willing to pay anywhere from $15.00 for a walk around the town tour of
haunted sites to hundreds of dollars so they can spend the night in a haunted hotel, hospital, etc.
and get it on film. . . hopefully meeting up with Casper and his chums.
These are the teams like TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) and Ghost Hunters (Syfy) that have
regular televised programs on cable. While you will need to make some serious up-front investments for Tv
equipment, motion detectors, etc. it seems that this is a path that can give you quick recovery on investment.
However, you will have to have some charm going for you alongside good salesmanship skills given that you MUST
schmooze property owners to participate with you, especially when you do over-night events. This may require
you to take out a bond or insurance policy in case of accident/injury or worse, that leaves the land owner or
management company outside and not responsible on the legal end of things. This Wheeling & Dealing can
likewise put a partner in your pockets, the property owner taking a cut on the take (Id just offer them X amount
up front and be done with it. The Foos Manor that I used in Ohio long ago cost me $500.00 a night for a 25,000
square foot mansion turned Bed & Breakfast.)
Message Bearing Mediums such as the John Edward style are #2 on the current hit parade
and can generally be arranged as part of a group function with affiliates of the Unitarian Society,
the Spiritualist church (of course), as well as your own self-promotion (Four Walling).
IT SHOULD BE NOTED
This is probably the oldest form of Mediumship and likewise, the most expected by the typical
layman. If you study the older books on Mentalism and particularly sance work, you will find
everyone from Dante to William Larsen, Sr explaining their Message Bearing techniques and
patter. Whine as much as you wish, but this is the stuff that makes Mentalism everything but
Magic, in the traditional sense. If it offends you, gives you reason to hesitate DONT DO IT! But
dont complain about those that have heart enough to pull it off and thus, pull in the stronger,
steadier cash flow the public tolerates all of our tricks & demonstrations but they want to
experience the Reading or Message, its that simple.
Four Walled Promotion is probably the chief marketing method used by variety entertainers; short &
sweet, you rent the room, cover the ad costs and pre-event hype, collect the cash and in so doing tend to keep far
more of it than working with a promoter, agents, etc. After all, the public is paying between $75.00 and $500.00
per person per seat to attend this kind of event and frequently thats with Mediums no one has ever heard of,
outside general hearsay and maybe a radio interview over the past week.
Forget everything youve been told when it comes to doing this style of work; magicians and skeptics tend
to make it far more difficult than it really is. Nonetheless, you will require nerves of steel and very large balls of
brass to pull this style of program off. Start small; groups of 25-40 guests paying $25.00 to $50.00 each. They jot
down their question along with their name on a card, drop that into a basket and when youre ready to begin, you
pick up the opened slip and read it. . .

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. . . go back and re-read that last line.
Nope, there are no billet manipulations, nothing to conceal, no silliness whatsoever; you blatantly read
the question, look up and identify the person (by name) that wrote the question and then move into your spill.
This is exactly how the majority of real world psychics/mediums work; they either read the slip or ask people
directly whats on their mind, etc.; the moral of the story being that Magicians do tricks while Mediums & Psychics
simply do Readings.
But How? How Can Anyone Just Walk-In Cold And Do A Solid Reading, Let Alone A Dozen Or More
Over An Hours Time?
Well, we do it the same exact way weve been told to do it for generations;
1. We know both, their name and the question;
a. Quickly work-up their numerology based on their name and begin your Reading
based on that vibration, the color and other factors tied to it.
b. Check your mental index on similar questions and the best type of response to give,
including comical ones (needed some times as things get slow). Be aware of age,
gender, projected gender identity issues, etc.
2. As you move into the Reading, weigh what you know when it comes to the patrons niche
group; body & face type, genetics/lineage & race factors, age, etc. All of these things are
standard issue when it comes to Cold Reading techniques.
a. Ideomotor Cues study eye movement, body language, foot positioning, etc. it all
tells you vital details.
3. Get real familiar with Gene Andersons SENSATIONAL MENTALISM and the Robert Nelson
Answers to Questions series
You see, we all talk the talk but its a totally different story when we must depend upon the theories and
techniques in order to deliver that experience folks are paying to encounter.
. . . and by the way if you plan on shattering everyones mind at the end of this sort of
act by telling them youre a fake, prepare to be lynched and jobless.
This particular form of Sance/Mediumship demonstration is highly personal and carries some very
potent emotional energy with it. Contrary to the antics and beliefs of todays skeptics, far more damage than good
will result when doing the trendy reveal at the end and indirectly insulting every member of the audience whilst
ripping their guts out. It is cruel, exceptionally inhumane and personally, I feel it is unprofessional and worthy of
legal action.
If you want to do a mockery program, then sell it up-front as a SHOW and Demonstration of how
charlatans operate; preface the situation and in so doing, give your public a bit of respect and dignity vs. the
cruelty and brow-bashing thats become the norm in recently years. Have some class!
On this point there is a form of Mediumship that I call the Professorial Medium this is someone that
comes in as an expert on the paranormal and a decidedly neutral investigator. The best example of this is found
in Rick Maues BOOK OF SANCE SECRETS (B.O.S.S.) and while the suggested scripting requires one to do some
serious modifications and tailoring, the gist behind the idea is awesome, especially if you can do the footwork that
puts you into actual class room & lecture hall situations. This sance style allows you to dispute the validity of
things paranormal while leaving your audience holding onto to clues that would suggest the contrary. This is a
very practical, easy to tailor system that every sance worker should get familiar with.

14

The Sensitive is one of my favorite Mediumistic personas in that he/she can simply walk
through an area and pick-up on energy then covey what they are feeling or sensing. When done
right this can be a very powerful act that avoids the stickiness of direct & personal message work.
It is excellent in the hands of a female thats good at feigning the vapors and contorting her own
voice so as to sound like another (especially if youre part ventriloquist)
As a rule of thumb, women tend to get the best reactions when it comes to the traditional idea of being
Psychic or a Trance Medium. Though men can easily swoon and lure away the ladies much of the time, the women
that take on this role can prove very devastating and for some reason, are least considered to be con-artists.
The Novice Medium is an excellent starting point for most in that you really are a novice and
learning, in this case your image is that of one learning to work with the foundation tools used by
Mediums i.e. the Planchette, Ouija, Pendulum, etc.
The Novice Medium is an easy role to take on even if you are established as a trickster; your cover-story
being that youve recently gained an interest in the paranormal because of events in your own life. From that
point on you can be found carrying books on ghosts, hauntings, mediumship, the occult, etc. and it fits your claim.
You have a logical toe-hold on things mysterious and less trick-like and thus, permission to do some experiments
that include Glass Moving (Planchette work), Table Tipping, Pendulum & Talking Board Scrying methods, etc. Most
all of it is the stuff the laity already associates with Sance type work and more importantly, most folks have a
curiosity and even fears around.
Effects & Affect
As recovering magicians moving into things paranormal we are faced with a terrible problem; wanting to
show off too much. We are addicted to tricks and trickery and as such we tend to blind ourselves when it comes
to working this particular side of the fence. As Ive mentioned earlier, less can be far more awesome in this world
than doing a lot or even doing big.
Think back to the section on the Guided Sance.
Now consider just how high into the air and how loud the screams will be from your guests if, in the midst
of the dim light and quite, a loud snap, clap or bang occurred.
Ive seen this first hand, starting with Rick Maues DEMON RING routine (Book of Haunted Magick) along
with a few of my own bits since; the act of having total silence and passivity shattered is all you need to put nerves
on edge and have your guests clamoring for years to come, about what happened at your sance. You truly need
little other but I want to talk about the other, what seems to be the best things to do and why; the first rule of
thumb being that very, very little ever happens at the main table if you are working in a traditional setting. While
the glass or planchette may move, the pendulum, swing, etc. it is not the same as having the Ouija Board float up
into the air, the candle on the table extinguish or go volcanic on you, etc. Most of the time manifestations of this
sort will prove to be over the top and in retrospect, unbelieved; guests will view them as being a practical joke by
you more than they will consider it a genuine sign of visitation.
There are exceptions to this rule most of which fall under the subtle stuff banner; limited spirit writing
for an example, such as Spirit Slates (but done in a very simple/elementary mode of handling). You may even have
the Tarot Deck spit out or cut itself to a single card or any number of other SUPER SIMPLE and easily missed
scenarios.
Unlike a traditional performance, even as a Mentalist, Sance work is more about the Affect than it is the
Effect; its more subliminal in how it works, more personal. Too, the majority of the folks that come to a Sance or
Ghost Hunt are looking for an experience and as Ive said in my other books, this frequently means allowing one or
two people in the group to witness one certain thing that no one else saw. Not only do they get the initial

15

experience of the visual or audio encounter, they get the experience of being psychic of having experienced
something in the real world and having no one believe them, including other people that were at that same event.
Can you think of a more powerful convincer?
Well, there actually is one other technique that I place at the top of the heap when it comes to spook
psychology, the Six Degrees of Separation idea tabled by Greg Arce a few years back.
Basically the mystic makes several guesses on a thought and even though he comes back to those
concepts and ideas, he knows hes not hit the target. . . at first thats how the audience sees things until one or two
members of the group recognize a pattern and how information revealed by the mystic applies to the correct
answer. Once the group convinces itself that all the dots connect they spend the rest of the night trying to
convince the mystic that he didnt miss after all.
Now thats not only proof that Greg Arce is a twisted and evil man but a genius as well; anyone that could
come up with such an amazing ploy deserves big kudos. Anyone that has the guts to put this ploy to work for them
as part of a Sance agenda also deserves serious kudos, in that you are planting some thought seeds many would
see as dubious. But whos paying your rent, the people that are attending your gig or the clowns on the forums
that criticize everything and claim they invented most of it first?
CONvincing your audience is easily 90% of the job and as Stephan Minch put it years ago, a good mentalist
knows no low to which to stoop in order to fulfill that requisite and make the effects affect the patron in ways that
defy all logic and common sense. In short, we want them to join our church and this is how we go about getting
them there (we just dont encourage the homage however).
SIDE EFFECTS are a little something I refer to often when it comes to Sance & Ghost work.
Short & Sweet, they are manifestations that happen on the periphery, such as a candle moving
across a table in another room, the scant image of a person moving through the hall way, large
shadows walking around the room or possibly classic things like pictures shifting position, books
falling off the shelf and so forth. You dont want 101 things happening, just one or two;
something happens that sitters to one side of the room can see clearly but no others can and
then the action shifts later, so others in the group witness something no one else encounters.
Lets say you have a pesky child spirit known for practical jokes, placing a small vibrating motor on a chair
that you can actuate whenever desired, can give you a physical bit of phenomena a running gag of sorts, in which
one person in the group will insist that said child is picking on him/her. The catch is, you only need to activate the
thing a couple of times, and their imagination will do the rest.
Using the same type of arrangement, maybe a slightly larger vibrating device, mount it firmly to the leg of
your table and as you talk about feeling the energy as it passes about the circle, let it come on slowly and build.
The energy will move through their body, it will be subtle but it will be remembered.
I could write volumes on this concept but would much rather encourage you to use your own imagination;
theres a myriad of possibilities that can be set up very inexpensively. Ill give you one small hint; go to Radio Shack
and pick up one of their mini-RC race cars, take it home, take it apart and start visualizing. I use two of them and
can cause over a dozen different manifestations on cue, lets see where you can take the same technology.
A Side Effect is circumstantial, coincidental and always a thing of limited effect; that is to say, the
manifestation that happens is usually targeted at one or two key people in the group be it the vibrations
mentioned earlier, the idea that youve been touched, movement of things in other rooms, etc. This is what makes
it real in the minds of those attending. While certain side-effects may cost you more than any of the stuff you
actually feature in your act, you cannot take credit, a bow or applause for them; youre not even aware that
something has happened as far as the audience is concerned.

16

Bigger Side Effects, such as the translucent human form floating down the hall, are easily made and
because you are using dim light and distance to your advantage, they really dont have to be finely detailed. The
one I made up some time back was an old clunky Asrah form that was moved down the all via a pulley rig; the
ghost ending up in a closet at the end of the hall but is never closer than about 12 feet from group participants.
Theres a ton of ways of using this kind of approach but you will need some limber and stealthy helpers.
Sound is a wonderful side-effect and as much as I love the idea, it is not good when it comes to an
interactive EVP type sance; at least not when you are looking at concepts like Will Dexters Uncanny Power. The
concept is great and with todays electronics more that plausible. The catch is, if you do more than a couple of
exchanges your audience catches on fast that its all a recording or someone with a microphone in a nearby room.
So use sound effects and voices sparingly. Too, you want to direct the speakers used either straight down at the
floor, towards the face of a wall or even the ceiling so as to confuse the senses as to the direction the sound is
coming from. The other thing I do with the sound is have it move from one speaker set to another in order to
create exchange such as an adult voice and that of a child.
Sound effects need to be left in the background and do not need to be scary but do need to be practical.
For example, a white noise element can help stimulate relaxation; chimes sounding in the background as certain
actions take place at the sance table can go a long way towards creating anchors and psychological cues and
unlike a pre-recorded scenario, todays tech can let you access these sound cues at will, you just need an iPod.
Not to be selfish, but Ive put a ton of time into sound work & sance and as generous as I am, I think Ill
leave the rest up to you and your imagination. Just know that the sky really is the limit and you dont need the
biggest and best sound system. . . my present set-up cost less than $200.00 and makes folks jump just fine.
The last of the major Side Effects systems is smell.
The first time I exploited smell as a way to enhance an effect was when I was 16 or so and doing an
Abbott styled Cremation . . . seems my mother was a beautician and my father, an electrician and when you
combine those two things with an evil mind you end up with a small metal box thats batter operated complete
with fan and heating coil. This was filled with a small bunch of hair then placed into the ventilation chamber of the
show room. About 30 seconds before we set the girl ablaze those little babies were turned on and voila! A room
full of folks on the verge of barfing because they smelled burnt human flesh, and saw the smoldering relic, etc.
Years later at the encouragement of Bob Fenton, I started tinkering with a similar system that would allow
me to manifest familiar smells common to the elderly; perfumes that were most popular to the blue-haired ladies
of the day as well as the cigar and pipe tobacco aromas common to fathers, grandfathers and the favorite uncles.
Theres literally a cornucopia of smells to be worked with and several inexpensive ways of introducing these
aromas near one or the entire group you have gathered. Just keep your thinking super simple and self-contained;
check out the spice rack at the local grocery as well as the shaving & after shave supplies. Baked goods are always
a winner when it comes to grandmother memories and depending on what smells you gather, the mothers as well.
All I can say is R&D trial & error. But use as much demographic research statistics as you can find when it comes
to given eras of time and what was popular when it came to cologne, baked good, fried foods, even drink mixes;
any aroma that can trigger the olfactory sense and in turn, trigger memories.
By the Way, allowing random smells to emit for short term releases in different parts of the room can
stimulate other guests in the room including gallery
3
members should you elect to allow for such. This
can be a very potent post-sance testimony source; laymen openly testifying that they felt the presence
of this or that relative or having strong memories tied to specific events, such as a fire or the smell of gun
smoke (not all of the smells need be pleasant).

3
The Gallery this was a means used in the old spiritualist groups, to put more bodies/witnesses in the room as observers;
youd have your 12 at the table with the medium and then anywhere from 6-30 sat semi-circle around the table in a kind of
theatrical seating arrangement. Needless to say tableside seats cost more or were reserved for local VIPs.

17

The Great Kondor!
My two favorite spoof acts when it comes to Mentalism,
are Johnny Carson as Karnack and Robin DeWitt as Kardor so
Kondor is a blending of the two, which should give you a fair
idea as to what line were about the cross the Hollywoodized
Medium and Sance theme.
This style of sance can be loads of fun and you can toss
some rather tense bits of business in for the sake of drama but,
the public knows its a show. There will be some silliness set
around it as well as your own arsenal of promiscuous
shenanigans that are about to be sprung upon them your
willing victims.
This type of program is best done as an installation
that is to say, it is literally built into the facility hosting it,
allowing you to set-up projectors, eavesdropping equipment, a
handful of confederates and secret aids and given todays
technology, a nice bit of software for making things happen and
keep you on schedule. After all, you are likely to have another
group waiting for their turn. The Houdini Sance at the Magic
Castle being presented as much as three times a night 360ish
days annually; it is the longest running show of its kind and loads of fun no matter who on the bill, plays the host
medium. Presently however, its my old friend Leo Kotska.
The original house medium to the castle was my dear friend & teacher Ed Fowler (a.k.a. Carlyle) who
adjusted the original William Larsen Sr. concept, bringing it into the social norms of the 1970s & 80s whilst adding
that handful of things you seem to only find in Hollywood. The
program was suspenseful where it needed to be and hilarious in
those places you least expected. Then again, that could be why it
is the most replicated format for a Sance worldwide, followed
closely by Lee Earls MANIFESTATIONS idea.
As Ive suggested, this style of Sance comes straight out
of every family movie done on Ghosts and featuring a Sance
thats out there; the corny trimmings, obvious trickery and
fantastic apparitions. While fun and even silly, these programs do
incorporate legitimate use of charlatan techniques so as to reveal
to guests just how easy it is to be fooled into believing a ghost is
nearby. While there is never any exposure, it is in knowing that
these shenanigans have been and in some instances still are being
used to take unfair advantage of others, thats the most eye-
opening.
Take a look at the following page or two, and youll find
links to several attractions that incorporate this and other
approaches already discussed. Visit them and get an idea as to
what spooking is all about.

The World Famous
MAGIC CASTLE
Hollywood, CA
House Medium
Leo Kotska
In the Houdini Room of the Magic
Castle, Preparing for Yet another
Visit from Houdini.

18


http://www.newenglandcuriosities.com/

19


http://www.neghostproject.com/
http://www.newenglandparanormal.com/home.php
http://www.nearparanormal.com/

20

That Olde Time Religion. . .
As most of us know the Sance side of the magicians craft evolved out of the popular Spiritualism
movement of the 19
th
and early 20
th
century. However, the idea of communing with the dearly departed is a far
older path than this; history being quite ripe when it comes to teachings that both, condemn the practice as well as
revealing ways by which to do it. The most popular method involving some version of a Message Bearing device
a.k.a. a Talking Board or Talking Stones, etc. some legends claiming that Plato used a device akin to the modern-
day OUIJA which is quite a poetic license point to be sure, the most common mode of divination during his time
being the use of a Scrying Bowl and the Pendulum of Dowsers Bob as some call it. Even today I use both of these
devices, especially when it comes to an improvisational instant where the group Im conversing with asks to do an
experiment.
What follows, as best Im able to discern, mirrors methods of spirit communication that goes back
centuries though they have a modern equivalent. In fact, the first of these methods has evolved into the
commercial product we all know as the OUIJA which is the evolution of what was known as Automatic Writing. So
lets set the stage and show you ways by which to travel.
The Oracle in this case, involves any sort of collection that can extend a given sense of meaning
such as Rune Stones, Tarot or Playing Cards, Alphabet Cards or Tiles, Dominoes, Sea Shells, Oghams, et al.
The point is, you have a language to work with; representation of letters or items of specified meaning
that can aid you in finding answers.
The Diviner is the tool you choose to work with such as a Pendulum, Planchette, Wine Glass or
Stein, etc. You can even use a large spinner such as you have with a game of Twister and while Twister
didnt exist back in the day, spinners have been around a very long time and used for a plethora of
scenarios, the spiritually sensitive believing that the spin of the pointer could be guided by unseen entities
and cultivated a number of ways to exploit this particular method.
Needless to say, you will need a table or flat, level surface of some form upon which to spread the Oracle
and where necessary, allow the device freedom of motion, such as is required with Glass Moving & Planchette
work.
Pendulum Scry
When I use the Pendulum for this sort of work I will lay the Oracle (usually Tarot or Runes) in a series of
circles, depending on the situation it may be 3 rings deep or for simpler settings, on large ring. Either way the
action is always the same; the questioner closes their eyes once they start the bob moving gently in a clockwise
motion. They are told to focus on the particular loved one and just allow the pendulum to move and their arm to
drop as it will. The card or stone upon which it lands is either jotted down so the action and be repeated (no more
than 3 times) or you interpret the meaning of the image, tying it into a message from the loved one your patron
was focused on.
You cant get any simpler than this, theres no trickery, just Reading skill and the ability to keep people
captivated. When done as a spur of the moment demonstration it will prove a most excellent experience for most,
especially when you are a polished Reader. But KNOW the oracle you are using; if its Tarot then know exactly
what card means what. To simplify this, you may want to just use the Major Arcana until you are more
comfortable with the balance of the deck. In the case of Playing Cards however, its all or nothing, Ive left a
somewhat generic outline on card meanings in the appendix section of this book but would strongly advise you to
get familiar with a legit card divination system.
Wine Glass Scry
In his book The Paranormal Entertainer UK weirdo Paul Voudini Bell offers a very sound synopsis of how
to do a basic Wine Glass based divination routine which is the original version of the OUIJA Board.

21

As with the above, the oracle would be spread about on a table top. In this instance the Inquirer along
with the Medium (usually) would lightly rest their fingers on the base of an inverted Wine glass which, as the two
focus and think about the personage with whom contact is desired. Within short time the glass begins to move
from one place then another, slowly spelling out words, denoting numeric values, etc.
In my opinion your best bet, should any OUIJA styled routine interest you, you must get Pauls book and
study it thoroughly before going any further.
Planchettes & Divination
A Planchette is that small table you get with a OUIJA Board which is typically plastic now days. Long
before OUIJA came along however, they were quite nicely made pieces of fine wood and even wood with metal
and stones in-laid. The earlier Planchette hosting a small brass holder for a pencil so that the motion of the device
would allow a written image to appear on the paper sat below a primitive version of Automatic Writing. In fact,
working the Planchette was considered a mode of training the novice medium in development of the writing skill.
Humans being the lethargic and impatient critters they are, found an alternative which is what Mr. Fuld placed the
trade name OUIJA to. Even at that, a true OUIJA Sance was not exactly expedient for those short on time and
patience, they took time, a great deal of time and as such, could prove rather boring for those not directly involved
with the contact. Nonetheless, understanding the method and the esoteric logic behind this technique is
empowering for all Sance workers so dont sell it short.
The three systems Ive listed here rely on Ideomotor Response; Ill assume you are already familiar with
this factor but if you are not allow me to cover it briefly;
Your unconscious mind causes your body to do certain things without you actually being aware that you
do it. In the case of using a Pendulum or Planchette your subconscious is causing muscles in your arms to move in
a manner that takes the pointer to specific letters so as to spell a name, give an address and any number of other
things. Similarly, it allows the observant to notice Tells that is, subconscious motions that serve as indicators
which in turn allow us to literally discern a persons unspoken thoughts once weve learned how to read such
signals which are akin to Non-Contact Mind Reading vs. Contact Mind Reading via which we maintain contact
with a patron and through that contact discern information such as where to move, stop, and locate hidden or
unknown items, even write words & numbers Muscle Reading or Hellstromism as some would call it.
For the novice Ill suggest two sources from the same gent, Banachek. Pick up Disc 3 of his PSI SERIES DVD
set and the book Psychophysiological Thought Reading, the two are in my opinion and that of most veteran
mentalists, the best available source on how to learn proper Muscle Reading. While it is quite informative and
substantial, there are perspectives not including in this material, but it is not needed by anyone this early in the
game, learn the basics first.
Gazing
Weve all seen the photos, a great Mind Reader or Psychic with a Crystal Ball. Truth be known, Gazing, a
form of Scrying, it probably the oldest of divination techniques known to man and one of the simplest of such skills
to cultivate provided you have the willingness to simply let go and let it happen. . . not as easy as it sounds.
The earliest forms of Gazing used bodies of still water, reflecting pools and what most of us would see as
being a Bird Bath now days. These devices usually had a dark background that was concaved so as to deliberately
distort reflection and stress the smaller muscle around the eye which in turn, took the diviner or seer into a state
of trance (some deeper than others).
While there are many different ritualistic ideas surrounding this practice the key to all of them centered
around developing total focus of the mind along with a degree of deprivation; food & sleep being most customary
while consuming wine (especially in the Mediterranean regions) or in some cases tea, even smoke (usually in
the form of a Sweat Lodge ceremony) The point being, a physiological state would be created that resulted in mild

22

hallucination once the seer began peering into the pool of water. On a very simple level, they merely hypnotized
themselves while affirming that they would see the relevant signs.
Over the ages the pool of water was replaced with Crystals as well as Mirrors, including a device known as
a Witchs Mirror a dark mirror that is typically concaved, surrounded by magickle sigils, crystals and
impregnated with herbs & minerals known to aid in prophetic sight.
There is one other Gazing device that steps quite a distance from these better known European modes;
the Dream Catcher of Native American tradition or, to be more precise, the use of a large spiders web in
conjunction with a hazel nut. Im not at liberty to go into deeper explanation, but it was a form of primitive
television by which shaman could supposedly check in on their patients and more. I mention this only as a point in
trivia for those of you that may wish to move in the more native paths with things.
Regardless the device Gazing involves placing yourself into a light trance state, blurring your vision a bit
and translating the many odd forms you see, into identifiable things. There is always an assistant that writes down
the items described by the Gazer and once the channeling process ends, they work with one another as well as
the client/group translating each image and seeking understanding when it comes to the message. I would
encourage anyone seeking to use the Gazer style of course to actually walk through these exercises several times
just so you get used to what it feels like and how to deliver the information even (especially) when you dont
believe it. Such practice is akin to wearing a real blindfold for days at a time prior to doing a Blindfold act, it
conditions you so that what you present is more believable and that is the key to our success.
Robert Nelson penned one of the best Crystal Acts Ive ever seen or performed, entitled Vision of
Tomorrow; Ill tell you right now, this is the best $20.00 youll ever spend when it comes to working the Sance
niche. The other manuscript to study is Howard P. Albrights A Message from the Sky [HINT: this routine works
most excellent using a Chameleon Chest or Versadex Wallet from Larry Becker]. The latter of these two acts is
quite unique in the manner by which the messages are delivered a very unusual variation to Spirit Writing thats
rather unsettling. The Nelson material however, is practical on other levels; namely the fact that it was designed
so as to conceal the One-Ahead method in play by using multi-colored paper/billets. Even if you know nothing
about billets right now, you will be able to build an amazing reputation over night knowing only what is in this
manuscript; all the more reason for making the investment.
I should point something out at this point; maybe it will give you even more incentive when it comes to
buying the Nelson material.
Some years ago my high school chum Joel asked me to take a look at a preacher at some church sat out in
the country near my home town of Springfield, Ohio. He knew that I was more than willing to investigate would be
charlatans and in this case I certainly wasnt disappointed. The clown in question was using the same exact billet
act I was using in my Halloween show 30-minutes drive up the road from his church. . .
. . . you guessed it, the Visions of Tomorrow techniques. He replaced the Crystal Ball
with a hollowed out Bible, exactly as Nelson mentions at the close of the text.


23

The Gift
In this FREE eBook series Ive been working on Ive offered numerous hints as to what it takes to be a solid
Mentalist and for that matter, a solid charlatan. Between the short overviews Ive given on Muscle Reading and
learning peoples Tells to my dissertation on Cold Reading Ive shown to you just about every little nuance that
goes with the game, this treatise taking us into the dangerous realm of Spirit Communication which is one of the
few arenas that you will hear me extend warnings & contempt when it comes to those tempted to step over that
invisible line that exist between showman & shaman the entertainer & the con-artist.
Channeling . . . the knack of giving pure Reading to your public under the Psychic Banner is one of the
most powerful demonstrations we can deliver and for no other reason, it is likewise the most dangerous; especially
when it comes to dealing with loss and love interacting with the vulnerable. So I would strongly discourage when
it comes to the temptation to go for the quick cash thats to be had using these techniques. Nonetheless, the act of
Channeling information offering a Reading or Revelation is one of the top five skills every Mentalist/Psychic
Entertainer must know and must be able to do well. Though it may prove difficult to obtain, make the investment
into Jerome Finleys Guerrilla Q&A alongside everything you can find by John Riggs, Bob Cassidy, Richard Webster,
Ron Martin and George Anderson and even the more dated material from Robert Nelson. Learn everything you can
on this one skill and you will never find yourself wanting or totally broke unless you simply arent trying or the
economy is in total melt-down mode (as it seems to be presently).
The Human Mind is capable of so many things that even science itself is only just now discovering and in
the process, bringing about pseudo-explanation as to how the magicks of our ancestors most likely happened;
especially when we look at the arena of communication sat beside the auspices of psychology. But when on
consciously strives to fashion their mind by either scholastic endeavor or the antics of seemingly primitive ritual,
this is when we find that Magick is very much alive, well, and beyond probability it IS! Modern man has merely
changed the terms and context; the results are still very much the same. So when we deliberately take on the
challenge of training our mind; conditioning it as an athlete would their body, we are literally transmuting lead into
gold transforming the monad into something that could be viewed in far-off days, as divine, a genuine
Wizard. All thats needed is. . .
Imagination
Determination
Effort
Focus
And Study In The Areas Of . . .
General Human Behavior
o FACS
o Demographic Statistics (a.k.a. Psychological Force Demographics)
Psychology & Profiling
o Social & Societal Interactions
o Demographic Commonalities
o General Character Analysis
o Somatotypes
Asian Face Reading
o Body Language
L. L. Hay Correspondences

24

Psychology & Control
o Conversational Hypnosis
o NLP
o Effective Communications
Pacing & Leading Technique
Public Speaking/Storytelling
Ideomotor Response
o Pendulums & Dowsing
o Muscle Reading Contact
o Muscle Reading Non-Contact
Eye Movement
The Pointers
Nose
Toes
Shoulders
Respiratory Rate
Mnemonics & Mind Skills
o Mnemonic Systems & Codes
o Traditional Memorization
Classic Literature
Historic & Trivia Factoids
Famous Quotes
Scripts/Plays/Stories
o Mathematics
Basic Mathematical Computations (strictly mental, no paper or device)
Advanced Computational Challenges & Goals
Translations between types of measure
This list pretty much covers the whole of the category when it comes to the Must Learn factors of
mentalism; the techniques that will allow you to work 100% clean, in the style and mode of our Shamanic
forbearers. Use such things wisely and when you do find the need to cheat remember the following;
The Charlatans Gifts. . .
The Written Word
o Nail Writing
o Pocket Writing
o Double-Writing
Secret Sight
o Billets
o Peeks
o Shiners
o Impressions
Two categories 7 niches of special learning and a few dozen ways of exploiting each for the sake of infinite
mischief; when coupled with the proceeding one can most certainly be seen as gods chosen or Satans finest,
whatever your preference might be. Regardless, you will be imbued with a genuine sense of power that can take

25

your life and career a very long way. Be wise however, and not foolish. Dont under-sell it nor over-do-it. Stay
humble and stay true, allowing your own sense of right & wrong integrity to guide your path.
Blessed Be!


26

RESOURCES
Aside from this short list you may wish to refer to the list on Bizarre Magick found in my book
About Bizarre Magick part of the FREE introduction book series listed on Lulu.com as well as
Lybrary.com.
1. The Psychic Mafia by Lamar Keen
2. Daemons, Darklings & Doppelgangers Supreme Magic
3. Encounter with a Ghost by Larry Kuhen
4. Have Sance Will Travel by Carl Herron (Bro. Shadow)
5. The $1,000.00 Sance by Docc Hilford
6. Mephistos Journey by Docc Hilford
7. Invisible Stranger by Docc Hilford
8. Band of the Hand by Docc Hilford
9. Manifestations by Lee Earle
10. Sance by Al Mann
11. Sance by Scott Davis
12. Spirits on the Table by Larry Kuhen
13. The Talking Board by Jim Magus
14. The Paranormal Entertainer by Paul Voudini Bell


27

FREE Introductions by P. Craig Browning

Learning Cold Reading
The first in the FREE Book series introduces the novice to the world of Cold
Reading; not just the theories and concepts that have been so popular with
early 21
st
century writers, but reference to the older forms of responding to
questions from the stage as well as the formulas used by the old timers
(prior to the mid-1970s), even leaving the student with one favored and
proven method that has been used by Mystery Entertainers and real world
Psychic professionals for well over 100 years to date; a simple, easy to learn
system that will empower you with the ability to deliver relatively accurate
character & personality Readings your patrons will remember for years to
come.

MENTALISM
Was released in February 2011 as the 2
nd
of the FREE Book series,
delivering a rather unique over-view to the craft that allows the novice to
become familiar with the differing schools of thought & practice while
likewise explaining the nuance differences between true Mentalism,
Mental Magic and just an inkling on what has become Bizarre Magick.
Unlike most composition on this subject I have deliberately shared insights
from esoteric literature the shines light on a little spoken of truth; the fact
that a huge amount of what one learns and conditions themselves for
when becoming a Mentalist mirrors the lessons and disciplines associated
with Psychic Development and actual mysticism; no selling of souls or
virgin sacrifices, but certainly the scholastic flavor of things.

About Bizarre Magick
Book III in the FREE Book series released in the fall of 2011 with
Introduction to the Art of Sance.
About Bizarre Magick introduces the student to a relatively new face of
modern-day magic that came into popularity in the late 1990s by way of
the earl televised special featuring David Blaine and Criss Angel. Truth is
however, Bizarre Magicks roots can be found some 30 years prior to this
point in time when the likes of Charles Cameron, Brother Shadow, Tony
Andruzzi and Anthony Raven hosted the reprise of magic as it was done
in antiquity a bit gruesome with a hint of the occult and smattering of
death here and there.
This book gives you a look at the history as well as the many modes of
presentation common to this performance heavy art form.

28

Introduction to the Art of Sance
Ive been coupling magic tricks with storytelling for decades but
especially so when it comes to creating a genuine sense of haunt;
everything from fireside tales of fright to ghost hunts, tours and the
various styles of Spirit Communion the Sance.
Like Bizarre Magick Sance work is very performance heavy and nothing
remotely as mundane as many envision. It has evolved far away from
the meandering of things presented by magician and pseudo-debunkers
forming into a specialty niche all of its own (though closely related to
both, Mentalism & Bizarre Magick)
Anyone curious about developing a Sance or Ghost styled program
needs to start with this tome before taking another step. It will direct
you to positive, well worked material and ward you away from that
which has been produced by inexperienced dreamers and plagiarists
that are trying to look knowledgeable.
Theres More to Come . . .
Im presently working out book concepts dealing with Major Illusions and Escapology as part of my 2012 release
as well as a handful of text you can buy. . .
. . . bet you knew that was coming
Of course Ive had a long list of retail publications on the market for years, just do a search on my name through
Lybrary.com or visit my storefront at Lulu.com. I have listings of material thats exclusive to certain sites so look
around.


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