MIND, MYTH& MAGICK TA. WATERS Illustrated by Kelly Lyles Fro‘luetrative photography by 'T.A. Waters and Debt Hermetic Press Seattle, WAWith Thanks To: Max Maven, David Michael Evans and Milt Kort, who between them dug out two dozen elusive citations; and to Jim Steinmeyer, who turned each of these pages under a careful eye. Copyright © 1993 by T.A. Waters. Reproduction er utilization of this Work in any form, by any means now known or hezeinafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, and in any information storage and retrieval system, is forbidden without written permission from the copyright holder. Printed and bound in the United States of America, ISBN 0-945296-10-X First Edition 65432Contents Introduction nit New Thoughts For Old il Rox Office 5 ‘Tryptrych 8 On The Button 2 Flipsight | 16 Flipsight II 18 Burning Questions 20 Burning Questions II 2 Clippoline 25 ‘Unknown Power 28 Synchroincidence 31 ‘Vespers 34 Framedown 37 "The Psychic Coercion Of The Interrupted Schoolboy 41 Cross-Reference 46 Cerberus 47 ‘Tridex 53 Booka 34 “riposte 58 OTL. Omega 63 Cross-Reference 68 ‘Arionie 68 Cross-Reference 86 Omnimancy 87 LcNormand’s Legacy 99 LeNormand’s Legacy 11 101 Muarot 103 Mule 106 IndexRay 108 Palmystic 0 Coda n2 Suggested Readings 43 Cross-Reference 4 Psychometry us Presentation 121 Selling The Psychometry Bifect 123 Performance Situations—Good And Bad 123 How Many Items? 135Single Object Readings Concealed Items ‘Unknown Objects Known Objects Blindfolds Locating The Participants The Psychometry Act General Technique ‘Object Reading Object-Linking ‘Eraser's Edge Stampede Post Facto ‘Comered Branded Printsiple ‘Seequence Psychomelryst Bagatelle ‘Tray Chic Quantum Subsidiary Technique Locating The Participants he Last ‘Iwo terns Clipboard Readings Combinations With Other Effects Ringkle Miscellaneous Notes With A Medium In The Dark ‘Trayce Giveaway Collecting Box Contact Mincreading Afterword Cross-Reference Sorypt Billet Technique Switches Hand To Hand No. 1 Hand To Hand No. 2 Pad Switches ‘The ‘Takeaway ‘The Tearway ‘The Fipaway Bill-ctte Mechanical Switches Padded Flipover Wallets Steals 125 126 126 127 127 128 120 131 131 136 137 137 137 137, 137 138 138 138 140 141 141 143, 143 144 45 146 146 147 147 148 148 149 149 149 150 151 154 157 187 158 158 158 159 159 160 160 161 162 163Conter-Tear ‘The Occultear Routine No. 1 Routine No. 2 Variant Routine Routine No.3 Variant Routine Triton Concluding Remarks ‘The Double Routine ‘No. 1: Great Minds Still Think Alike No. 2: On The Wired Thought No. 3: The Prediction Reading No. 4: Card Reading No. 5: Name Coincidence Additional Notes Gcometear ‘Trinkle Afterword Addendum Cross-Reference Deckalogue Chubbie Daisection Talismanacle ‘Variation One: Memorized Deck Variation Two: Siripper Pack Variation Two-And-A-Helf. Stripper Pack Variation Three: Stripper Pack Decideal Imposition Hoydle Automanticard ‘Twinkey ‘Tetrance Coincideck Insight Straight Seller's Markcut ‘Trio ‘Waikikut Narrowzarrow Outstrip Charlicrsatz ‘Version No.1 Version No. 2 Afterword Cross-Reference Grymwyr ‘SOREcory 166 im 174 175 176 W7 178 179 180 181 183 183, 184 184 186 189 189 392 193 397 200 203 204 205 205 205 206 209Pinance Elementeerie Pastell (Pocean Alexicon Hallowgram Zodiaxis ‘Tarotell Mailefactor ‘morte Pointalism ‘Tarotate Quintasense Chronomadic Cauldron Keystome Chromantic Candleabra Shelfish Backhand Penially Demon Key Cross-Reference Octasm Tapinage Adamsmyth Doublet Optionail Indiair Blackard Spyhole Indivision Outlander Choption| Wheelie Flipout Selectrick Revelleda Thinky Anagramarye KeyKnow Cross-Reference Mindscript 1: The Book Test Riffle No. 1 Riffle No. 2 Riffledex Peekquivalent Jato Dubbook 313 31g 321 324 327 330 332 334 336 342, 347 349 353 359 302 367 370 373Miscellanea SideSid Al Final Notes Cross-Reference, Mindscript 2: The Newspaper Test Duplicitests X-Fositions Mindscript 3: The Symbol Test ‘Symbol Cards Pairity Grayven Graydation Grayce Grayze Trisonic Symbol Charts Pairception Chartruse On The Color-Counting Frame Cross-Reference Magazine Miscellanea Hellaphone Albertest Impromptu Version Indition Dell-epathy Auroradle Kystic No/No. “Touche Signse Ultrast Heartbreaker ‘The Crimson Count Cartomanic Countact Psychl ‘Tricessive, Namewave vanussam Alpharoah ‘ranceScript Handbook ‘Windecks Hexchange 400 PsychoGraphitti Cardworm Meow 441 443, 444 446 443 450 452 454 457 460 463 465 470 473 476 479 483 487 489 491 493 496 499 501 504 507 507 508Velleda Baby Blas-Om Symbo-Chart Quindary RoTarot Geminight Headlines Foot(crystal)ball Poker Phase Cross-Reference Cardiact Pierception Attaploy Hallmark: Disposition Cross-Reference Mynd Flaraulet Clockout Cashseor Poison Mr. Ree Essencery Perception Kemarkerabie ‘Threesam ‘Trivariations ‘Staballoon Wipeout Sellerority Cross-Reference Spyryt Bellsamo Palimptest Trayt ‘The Hand ‘The Skull The Spirit Buzzer ‘The Spirit Bell ‘The Shoe The Alarm Clock Hcl Cross-Reference Thynk. ‘Tri-Beaut Zodiaccent Verbal Glowsure Glowsout Speakay 508 S09 510 512 513 51S 817 517 517 519 521 527 530 533 535 540 541 545, 549 553 585 555 555 555, 587 561 961 562 562 564 565 571 576 579 581 581 581 582 582 582 584 587 589 595 600 602 604 606 607Cardblanche 609 Synsign 612 Courtship Groupease ‘Twinner Twindow “Twinsome, ‘Tranceplant Chronologic Chronogram Cross-Reference ‘Trivarication Fentad Longwave Blockhead Standout Boxcards Qwhite ‘Mutatle ‘Backdate Folderell Quinsation PAct Cross-Reference Mystyx ‘Tridonym Psidentify, 685 Girclet 588 Synchrowave 691 Spywave 594 ‘Tarnary 596 BlueCue 699 Carousel! 701 Increditable 707 Creditouch - 707 Creditell 707 Pentamoney 709 Pyrotica 7 ‘Symbold 713 Cross-Reference 716 Fynys a7 Sublimagery 73 Glimpression 25 Swindow 728 730 792OManation Zodiaccount Synwitch Pagency Cutout Pholder Kineslate ‘Wrinitial Quintastic Cross-Reference TAROT Reads Stuckup Coverup Encounter DemiJohnsson TareTwo Layout Concepts DoubleCheck Deal Bffecis Pyralarot astraspecalum Stablean Staboo Gypsce ‘Trumpery ‘Trumpwave Spiriltump Spooks Hauntkerchief Pallbox ‘Technical Concerns Stacks Procedure A Procedure B One-Way Decks ‘Marked Decks Bibliography Cross-Reference Afterword 735 BI 733 741 743 745 738 751 753 755 737 761 762 764 766 768 7” 773 714 778 7 778 780 782 784 785 787 788 730 792 792 792 793 794 794 795 798 801 B02 803‘The reader is presumed to have come knowledge of the basic, effects and techniques of mentalism; the material in this collection is not intended for the begirmer in this field, LANGUAGE NOT: Lhave attempted to keep the following text as free of sexist language as possible. However, given the structure of English, as a matter of convenience in writing | will sometimes employ the masculine personal pronouns. It is just that, a matter of convenience, and no more; certainly the Women I have encountered in the field of mentalism are at Ieast as competent as the men, and in many cases much more than that. (CREDIT NOT: Thave tried to be as scrupulons and accurate as possible in assigning credit for source materials. rrors will creep in, however, andI would appreciats any further informa- tion oF corrections readers may care to offer. ‘TITLE NOTE: Ucreated the Minn, MYTH & MaGicx tlle in 1973 for a full-evening show; | have continued to use the title on various publicity pieces. This title was inspired equally by a Joseph Campbell television series called Mask, Myth And Dream and an occult book series titled MaN, MYTH AND Macic. [later Jeamed that David Berglas had used Man, Myth And Magic as the title for a show he performed in Britain in the 1970s, in the 1980s my friend Jeff McBride independently created the Mask, Myth and Mogic title for his performances; as, identified with this title, he has achieved considerable prominence, Tasked him, whether he thought my continued use of my title would cause any confusion or bother. Jeff assured me that it was not a prob- Jem. Come to think of it, T guess there isnt that much chance of one of us being mistaken for the other. MANUFACTURING RIGHTS: Readers are, of course, free to make up items trom this book for their private use. Dealers, however, should note that commercial manufacturing and selling rights are strictly reserved; those interasted in said manufacture and sales may contact me through Hermetic Press. Please note that | will consider infringement of these rights a vory serious matter.‘LA. WATERS oto hy Frika Larsonfor The Unholy Three: RICKY JAY MAX MAVEN JOHNNY THOMPSONINTRODUCTION EIGHTEEN OF THE twenty-one books in this anthology have their own Introductions, so | don't feel it's quite fair (o inflict yet another one on you A few words, however, of description and explanation’ These books represent nearly all of my published work between 1979 and 1987. Assome of you will know, most of itwas originally published as saddle- stapled or plastic-bound softcover works of fairly clomentary production value, and with illustrations which—except for Phil Goldstein's in NEW THOUGHTS FOR OLD—took the most charitable interpretation of that term. Tam therefore pleased to seo my work in this more permanent form, courtesy of Stephen Minch's Hermetic Press—and with illustrations by Kelly Lyles. Ifyou have read some of this material in its earlier incarnation, a careful xe-reading is advised; all of it has been edited and in many cases expanded to make the descriptions as clear as possible, and also to provide additional suaterial and information, ‘The books appear here as sections, for the most part in the order in which cy were published; you will note, if you read in sequence, the evolution of ‘ous effects over the years. In no case do I pretend to have achieved ‘perfection—partly hecause even I don't have an ego that large, and partly -cause perfection in any petformance art can only be achieved (or even empted) in performance. ‘4s mentioned in the preceding Credit Note, T have tried to be as scrupu- Sous as possible regarding proper crediting, and have in a number of instances sevised credit histories of various effecis herein to reflect new information, doing this I have generally tried to ascertain the original inventor of a psinciple or other aspect, and have not listed later variations by others unless ‘hese effects directly inspired the ttem under discussion. m happy to note that many items herein have inspired other creators to come up with their own versions and veriations—but not so happy w notenti Min, Myra & Macick. that in some cases their source of inspiration was not mentioned. At the ‘beginning of each section its original publication date is indicated, which may prove useful to those wishing to determine the genesis of a particular effect. What I have tried to do here is simply to provide some blueprints for mystery; it's up to you to build the structure of entertainment, Thope you like what follows. TA. Waters January 1993NEW THOUGHTS FOR OLD [1979]INTHE FOLLOWING pages you Will find effects and coutines for many different Kinds of situations, from close-up to platform, from mystical to parapsy- chological Thereis one thing, however, that you will not find; Ihave carefully avoided giving any more than the most general indications as to presentation. ‘Thisis not through inability or cussediness, but asa result of my stronghelief that the one thing that must be unique to a performer is his or her presenta- tion; it’s the only thing you have to separate yourself from the rest of the crow, to become a unique entity. In saying this | am, I1ealize, going against the popular view of things, which is that methods and procedures don't matter and presentation is everything. Well—in the first place, there area lot of methodsand procedures that could. stand improving; as Annemann said over fifty years ago, ‘Audiences are far from being as dumb as some performers seem to think.” In the second place, ifa number of performers get their presentation from abook or magazine, they all end up sounding the same. Worse, as soon 2s a spectator recognizes the patter line as something heard before, the performer is immediately demoted from the status of a special and unique individual to ‘..one of those people who do that stuff’ In magic this would be bad enough bat in mentalism it is absolutely fatal; it has to occur but once in an act (© make it impossible to create any kind of dramatic reality. Within magic there was, recently, a prime cxample of this Kind of thing; the Anderson Newspaper Tear popularized by Doug Henning, So damned many performers lost their audiences (or atleast amused thom —unintention- ally) by going into the same ‘illusion and reality’ patter that the audience had heard before—it was enough to make some of us break out in arash. It tooka Jack Goldfinger to bring a fresh approach to this trick and tum it into an absolute show-stopper. Butsuppose you aren't a Jack Goldfinger—or, to take an example from within mentalism, a Max Maven? Maybe you just don’t have the particular creative tum of mind ittakes to pul the drapery of illusion on the framework ofartifice and gimmickry; what then?MIND, Myra & Macick You have two avenues open to you. ‘The firstis to look through the clderbooks.and magazines, Eventually you'll discover an approach that no one else is using now, something that perhaps hhasn'tbecn seen in forty years and would play as brand new. Take it, adapt it, make it your own. ‘The second way is that uscd by most professional performers in other fields of show business, ic, if you can't come up with your own material you find someone who can create it for you—and you pay him or her to do it, Mystery, you see, is supposed to be rare and special; that’s part of what makes it mysterious. For you tobe special as a mystery performer you must ‘be—or appear to bo—unique. You must do your best to make them think they have never seen anything like you hefore, and accomplishing that is worth whatever effort it takes. You won'talways succeed, of course; nobedy can. Ifyou keep trying, though, You'll move closer to that enchanted boundary—and you'll feel better abot your work both as artist and professional performer. And if you dont try, you're wasting your audience's time—and your own,NEW THOUGHTS FOR OLD [1979]INTHE FOLLOWING pages you Will find effects and coutines for many different Kinds of situations, from close-up to platform, from mystical to parapsy- chological Thereis one thing, however, that you will not find; Ihave carefully avoided giving any more than the most general indications as to presentation. ‘Thisis not through inability or cussediness, but asa result of my stronghelief that the one thing that must be unique to a performer is his or her presenta- tion; it’s the only thing you have to separate yourself from the rest of the crow, to become a unique entity. In saying this | am, I1ealize, going against the popular view of things, which is that methods and procedures don't matter and presentation is everything. Well—in the first place, there area lot of methodsand procedures that could. stand improving; as Annemann said over fifty years ago, ‘Audiences are far from being as dumb as some performers seem to think.” In the second place, ifa number of performers get their presentation from abook or magazine, they all end up sounding the same. Worse, as soon 2s a spectator recognizes the patter line as something heard before, the performer is immediately demoted from the status of a special and unique individual to ‘..one of those people who do that stuff’ In magic this would be bad enough bat in mentalism it is absolutely fatal; it has to occur but once in an act (© make it impossible to create any kind of dramatic reality. Within magic there was, recently, a prime cxample of this Kind of thing; the Anderson Newspaper Tear popularized by Doug Henning, So damned many performers lost their audiences (or atleast amused thom —unintention- ally) by going into the same ‘illusion and reality’ patter that the audience had heard before—it was enough to make some of us break out in arash. It tooka Jack Goldfinger to bring a fresh approach to this trick and tum it into an absolute show-stopper. Butsuppose you aren't a Jack Goldfinger—or, to take an example from within mentalism, a Max Maven? Maybe you just don’t have the particular creative tum of mind ittakes to pul the drapery of illusion on the framework ofartifice and gimmickry; what then?MIND, Myra & Macick You have two avenues open to you. ‘The firstis to look through the clderbooks.and magazines, Eventually you'll discover an approach that no one else is using now, something that perhaps hhasn'tbecn seen in forty years and would play as brand new. Take it, adapt it, make it your own. ‘The second way is that uscd by most professional performers in other fields of show business, ic, if you can't come up with your own material you find someone who can create it for you—and you pay him or her to do it, Mystery, you see, is supposed to be rare and special; that’s part of what makes it mysterious. For you tobe special as a mystery performer you must ‘be—or appear to bo—unique. You must do your best to make them think they have never seen anything like you hefore, and accomplishing that is worth whatever effort it takes. You won'talways succeed, of course; nobedy can. Ifyou keep trying, though, You'll move closer to that enchanted boundary—and you'll feel better abot your work both as artist and professional performer. And if you dont try, you're wasting your audience's time—and your own,BOX OFFICE aaa In this prediction effect the spectator does all the work; in fact (while I dont recommend it), the mentalist could be out of the room the entire time! EFFECT After a brief introduction in which you discuss the mystical powers of various amulets, You call the audience's attention tw 4 small chest which sits on the table before you. ‘Ihe lid 1s ifted back to reveal a tray on which are several amulets of various designs and colors. Asspectator is acked to assist (in this specific presontation a lady would be preferable) and chooses one of the amulets by removing tt trom the tray.Min, Mra & Macick “There is something else for you," you say; you lift the tray from the chest and ask the lady to remove what she finds resting on the floor of the chest proper ‘What she finds is a folded slip of paper; on being opened it proves to be a prophecy which you have her read aloud: “In your future there lies a journey; you have, therefore, taken the amulet which protects travelers—the green scarab." METHOD For this you will need a small ornate chest or jewel box having a tray which Jifts out; this tray should be roomy enough for several amulets and can be of the kind scparated into compartments. The only other requircment is that tho floor of the tray be as thin as possible and not made of metal. ‘The amulets can be made in a number of ways; the easiest, perhaps, is to shape them out of plastic wood. They should be distinctly different in appear- ance—an occult sourcebook can be helpful here—and of different colors. Embedded in each amulet is a strong magnet. This magnet should be so positioned in the amulet that it will be close to the floor of the tray when the araulet is placed there. A prediction is written along the lines suggested above for each of the amulets; since you are creating the amulets you have every right to decide what they mean ‘The folded slips of paper are secured with paper clips. Each amulet is placed in the tray and the appropriate slip placed under the tray, where its paper olip is held by the attraction of the magnet in the amulet. The tray is placed in the chest and all is ready. Your performance follows along the lines suggested under Ffect; as should now be clear, when the spectator removes the amulet the appropriate prediction is released from beneath the tray and falls to the floor of the chest. Care should, of course, be taken that the spectator does not glimpse the underside of the tray. Also: make sure the spectator decides on an amulet first and ihien removes it from the tray, sinoe—while you could probably cover it with suitable patter—it is better to avoid the problem of two prophecies being found in the chest. NOTES ‘The objects in the upper tray can be of just about any Kind, as long as thoy can be fitted with the magnets. Chess pieces, wooden blocks, figurines—theNew Twouers FoR OLD possibilities are as limitless as your imagination. (Chess pieces may not, in fact, be a good idea—some travel chess sets tise magnetic pieces, and a spec- tator may be aware of that; use your own judgment.) Do not choosea spectator who is wearing metallic bracelets or other jewelry; aswinging chain, forcxample, mightbc attracted to the magnet in the amulet. Also, before the spectator makes her selection, indicate a spot on the table in front of the chest where she is to place it, and so instruct her. This way, she ‘will ake the amulet from the chestand place tt directly down, and the chances of accidental discovery of the magnet are materially reduced. Itmightbe that you wish to do a further effect using the objects in the tray; if this is the case a slight additional preparation is made. Guta piece of very thin card or construction paper to a size matching the interior surface of the tray. Be certain that it will lear the ledges which support the tray and will therefore drop cleanly to the bottom ofthe chest. The upper surface of this flap should match that of the interior boitom of the chest. When the tray is prepared for performance this flap is first placed up against the bottom of the tray and the predictions are pat in position underneath it ‘The attraction of the magnets to the paper-clipped predictions will hold the paper flap in place. The effect is performed as usual; removal of just one of the amulets, and the release of its prediction, will not affect the flap. When the rest of the amulets are temoved for whatever subsequent effect you have planned, the predic~ tion billets will drop to the floor of the chest and the paper flap, with nothing to hold it, will drop to cover them. At the conclusion of the efffct the tray can be removed to gather up the amu- Jets; if any carious spectator should glance into the chest it will appear empty. This additional preparation suggests a presentation in which a prediction is made and dropped into the chest proper and the drawer (with the flap held wnder the billets beneath the tray) then set in place; the flap drops, covering the original prediction, and the effect proceeds as usual Another approach, forthe mechanically minded, would havea spring-loaded flap hinged at one side of the hottom of the tray; a fillet of wood in the bottom of the box would hold this flap open until the drawer was lifted. When the edge of the flap cleared the wood strip, it would swing up into position and conceal the remaining billets. I don't feel that this necessarily adds anything to the presentation as given; in certain circumstances, however, it might find an application Many import stores scll small decorative chests with an upper tray anda lower drawer. Using one of these, the spectator is invited to open the drawer after making her selection. These chests will usually require some slight alteration (removingan interior separation between the tray and drawer), but since this doesn't have to de a neat job—as itis never seen—it's a fairly simple bitof carpentry.Minp, MrtH & Macick CREDITS ‘The concept of having the spectstor’s action in removing an object from a display trigger the operation of some mechanism or process is nota new one; ithasbeen used most notably in Ed Mellon's Quantimental stand. Under the title WhosGotWet Bric Lewis described some similar items of apparatus in his Crownme Mmactes!. To the best of my knowledge, however, using the spectator’s action in this ‘way to complete the effect itself is an original concept, 3Page 202.TRYPTRYH mmm The three-object divination has exerted a peculiar fascination ‘on mentalists, and many have becn the methods employed to bring about the effect, ranging from the old Apple, Orange And Banana mathematical feat to electronic devices such as the chess-piece divination marketed by Harry Stanley some yeats ago. ‘The routine to be described is interesting in that it uses nothing, from the audience's point of view, but the three objects themselves. EFFECT For purposes of description we will imagine you ta be seated ata dinner table, You have arranged three objects in the shape ofa triangle: asalt shaker, a pepper shaker and a (capped!) sauce bottle. Pattering briefly about the mystical properties of the triangle, you turn your back and inetruct the spectator seated across from you to remove two of the objects, placing them in left and right jacket pockets, The third object is held by the spectator under the table, When this has been done you turn around; after a moment of concentration while you consult a small crystal or stare into your water-glass, you name the locations of all three objects. ‘There is no hedging or pumping of any kind. METHOD ‘This very straightforward effect is achieved by means ofarather peculiar gimmick and a bit of advance preparation, ‘The gimmick can be constructed for a total investment of around fifty cents and about fifteen minutes’ work; once you ‘understand the principle involved you can make it with what- ever suttablé metertals you have on hand.10 MIND, MYTH & MAGICK ‘The gimmick consists of a triangular piece of plastic, about the size and shape of a guitar pick (mine, in fact, was a guitar pick); holes have been ‘punched or drilled at each comer and a three-inch length of elastic thread tied to each hole. The other ik end of each piece of elastic ends in ‘tab’ madeby folding a piece of cloth tape over on itself wich a few turns of the clastic trapped between the sticky surfaces. Having made the gimmick, find three reasonably heavy objects and place them on a table in a triangular arrange- ment; put one of the tabs of the gimmick under each object. If the three objects are placed far enough apartto put tancion on tho olactic throad, you will note that removal of ‘two of the objects will cause the plastic triangle to move from its central position to one of six ending positions— and that final position ells you the order in which the objects were removed! There is no need to memo- rize the diagram shown on the ight, since common sense and $s 6 logic will indicate the sequence: ACB ABC the plastic triangle will always end in a position closest to the last object removed, on alline (imaginary) between it and the next-to-last object removed.