RIGHT & LEFT

Created & Written By

Luke Jermay

Copyright 2020 (C) Luke Jermay, All Rights Reserved.

All legal owners in possession of an original copy of this

manuscript have the right to perform the effects, presentations &
methods within this manuscript in all performance settings.
They are not permitted to teach, sell, resell, lecture,
manufacture, translate or otherwise use the contents.

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RIGHT & LEFT

“Have you ever heard about the relationship between

the right side and the left side of the brain? They are
responsible for different things, different thoughts and
actions. Some say the connection between the two sides
of who we are in a small way shapes our personality.”

Jermay extends both his hands, palm up and

requests that the spectator push as hard as they
can onto his palms with theirs. After a few
moments he closes his hands around the
spectators and continues:

“I believe I know all I need to know.”

Jermay reaches for a nearby paper napkin and

removes a pen from his pocket. Without allowing
anyone to see he writes something on the napkin,
folds it into a small packet and places it into the
breast pocket of his jacket. The paper remains
extending upward from the pocket for all to see as
he continues. He takes a second napkin and
writes the numbers 1 to 5 along the right hand
side in a column. He continues:

 “I am going to ask you a few simple questions. You

might not have considered these questions before and at
first it might feel a little weird to think like this.
However, remember that your body is the bridge to
intuition. So, if you find it hard to answer, just bring
your attention right here and right now back into your
body. It will show you the way. This will make sense
as we begin. There is no need to be nervous. The first
questions:

Which side is more masculine? Which side of ‘you’ is

more aggressive and masculine? Right or left. If it’s
hard to answer, just go with your intuition follow
whatever your body might be telling you in this
moment.”

Jermay records either an ‘L’ for left or ‘R’ for right

against each of the numbers on the napkin before
him. He continues with the questions:

"Which side is more passive? Which side feels more

accepting and more gentle?”

Once again Jermay records either an ‘L’ for left or

‘R’ for right against each of the numbers on the
napkin before him. He continues:

 "Which side is more intuitive. Which side is more

psychic?”

As before Jermay records either an ‘L’ for left or ‘R’

for right against each of the numbers on the
napkin before him and continues:
"Which side is more active, this one is easy it is simply
the opposite of which side is most passive, that we
learned earlier.”

Again Jermay records either an ‘L’ for left or ‘R’

for right against each of the numbers on the
napkin before him. He continues with the
questions:

“Last question. Which side is more artistic" 

With all the of the questions answered and

recorded on the napkin before Jermay continues:

"I had a strong feeling about how your body and mind
are linked during our brief moment of connection.  Our
thoughts connect with and affect our bodies.  Every
thought we have in someway affects our body.  If we
can learn to understand the way our bodies represent
our thoughts we have a direct link to the innermost
regions of our minds and the minds of others.  We can

 reach out and touch to know and understand.  I think I

understood you well."

Jermay removes the folded napkin from his jacket

breast pocket and places it onto the table. He
continues pointing to the answers recorded on the
other napkin as he goes:

“You felt that the most masculine side of you was the
right. I sensed a great deal of power and responsibility
in your touch.  A sense that you were the type of person
who does not shy away from the duties you find
yourself committed to.  This was expressed to me in the
power of your right hand, your right side.”

Jermay unfolds the napkin and is shows that he

has written ‘Masculine = Right’. He continues:

“You felt that the left side was more passive. When we
connected I felt that you are the sort of person who is
happy to allow others to be what they need to be. Even
if sometimes that means you have to actively tolerate
some treatment that you do not enjoy. That sense of
passivity within you is used as a tool to calm and
comfort others.”

Once again Jermay unfolds his prediction, written

on the napkin and it reveals the next line reading:

 ‘Passive = Left’. He seems to pick up the pace

slightly and continues:
“You felt that the left side was intuitive. I knew this
before we even made contact. You felt that the right
side was more active. I felt this clearly when our hands
touched”

Jermay unfolds the napkin two times revealing

both of these choices to be accurately predicted in
the same way as those before. He then concludes:

“The final question. Which side is more artistic. I was

confused here. I felt like it was the right side, then the
left side, then the right side again. I realised. The truth
is, you do not see yourself as creative. This question
was the most difficult for you to answer correct?”

The spectator confirms this is true. Jermay

continues:

“You are. I sense you are and deep down you know it is
waiting to be discovered by reconnecting with it. Now
is that time.”

Jermay turns the prediction napkin over and

unfolds it so its full surface is available. He hands
the pen to the spectator and comments:

“Make me a drawing. I will treasure it and we will

know that here and now was the moment that the right
and left side of your brain decided to reconnect so you
can unlock the creativity inside you.”

OPENING OBSERVATIONS

This staggeringly reliable casual demonstration

truly highlights that hidden in print is treasure of
the highest order. I first encountered the charming
idea of the right and left side of the brain being
used to underpin a prediction of sorts in the
brilliant ‘Body Magic’ written by John Fisher and
first published in 1979.

The concept was presented in ‘Body Magic’ in its

bare bones. No presentation or even premise was
offered. Here I offer my personal framing to the
concept along with a few modifications and
strategies that will increase the accuracy of the
prediction based on my personal experience of
testing the concept over many years.

METHOD

A good way to think about the method that

underpins this simple demonstration is that of
psychological forces. A strange thing has
happened in the mentalism community connected
to the technique of psychological forcing. A belief
seems to have sprung up that the words used in
such forces are literal magic words. Mentalists
seem to be under the impression that they are
casting a spell and that the words themselves are
the main mode of operation. When you really
start to examine psychological forces you quickly
come to see that the vocabulary surrounding them
might be leading us to think about them in this
way. In reality we are not forcing anything.
Rather we are removing options until those which
remain are the most commonly thought about,
making those options appealing and intuitive
when the choice is made.

While this routine does not use psychological

forcing, it does have some elements in common
with it. Here we are reframing the most common
answers to the questions, as if they were not
common. The method at work is simply that
when asked:

 ‘Which side feels more masculine’ most people will

say ‘the right side’. Each of the questions used have
this commonality in them. I have changed the
questions slightly to increase this. Before we
examine the scripting I use lets take a look at the
questions themselves:

1. Which side is more masculine?

2. Which side is more passive?
3. Which side is more active?
4. Which side is more intuitive?
5. Which side is more artistic?

Most people when asked these questions will

answer:

1. Right
2. Left
3. Right
4. Left
5. Left

I know this sounds strange. Test this by asking a

few friends. I am sure you will be pleasantly
surprised with how reliable this is. Why is this so?
Honestly I do not know. I am sure a scientist
somewhere could explain this. I can not.

 I do not need to know why this is so, I just need to

be able to trust in it. If you read the original idea
in ‘Body Magic’ you will notice that I have
changed some of the questions used.

Having performed this routine for several years I

have noticed that question 2 and 3 are affected by
the dominant hand of the person I a working with.
A right handed person will often feel that the left
side is more passive and the right side is more
active. A left hand person will often report the
opposite. This is something I have built into the
method when I perform this effect. I change the
prediction I use depending on whether the
spectator is right or left handed. This will become
clear later.

Another thing to note is that questions 2 and 3 are

actually the same question. This means that when
question 2 has been answered, I can answer
question 3 by instructing the spectator:

“This one is easy. It is just the opposite of what is most

passive.”

Effectively it turns one force into two during the

reveal at the end of the routine.

 Additionally the question I use at the end is

actually not answered in the performance. The
key addition I have made, that I believe changes
the impact from party stunt to something a little
more meaningful is the verbal readings offered
alongside the reveal of the predicted left and right
choices.

With this understood let’s examine the script as a

means to understand how to perform this for
people.

PERFORMANCE

“Have you ever heard about the relationship between

the right side and the left side of the brain? They are
responsible for different things, different thoughts and
actions. Some say the connection between the two sides
of who we are in a small way shapes our personality.”

Here we are simply introducing the concept but

also introducing something deeper within the
concept to raise the level of intrigue and also help
us reframe what will happen as being a more
meaningful experience. Once this has been
delivered I have the spectator place their hands on
mine and push as hard as they can.

This is interesting from a presentational view but

also it offers me one more advantage. I pay
attention to the arm that is pushing stronger and
with more force than the other. In this manner I
have learned the persons dominant hand. Often I
have learned the persons dominant hand much
earlier, just by watching them use their hands.
However, thesis built into the presentation to
ensure that the routine could be performed
completely cold with a total stranger.

 This piece of information will be used to inform

my prediction, as noted earlier.

“I believe I know all I need to know.”

Jermay reaches for a nearby paper napkin and

removes a pen from his pocket. Without allowing
anyone to see he writes something on the napkin,
folds it into a small packet and places it into the
breast pocket of his jacket.

The paper remains extending upward from the

pocket for all to see as he continues.

To create the prediction, fold the napkin five times

onto itself, so when unfolded each one of the
prediction letters become visible, one at a time.
This is a pleasing visual. The prediction will be as
follows:

For a right handed spectator:

1. Right
2. Left
3. Right
4. Left
5. Left

 For a left handed spectator:

1. Right
2. Right
3. Left
4. Left
5. Left

Most people are right handed. Most time you

perform this routine you will use the first
prediction. I do not actually remember these.
Instead as I write the prediction I simply ask
myself, silently, each of the questions and fill the
prediction in based on my answers as a right
handed person.

When working with a left handed person I

remember to switch predictions 2 and 3 from my
own answers. In this way I am ‘working out’ the
prediction as I write it, rather than needing to
commit things to memory.

This is useful if you do not perform this effect

often but find yourself wanting to present it on the
spur of the moment.

 Now take a second napkin and write the numbers

1 to 5 along the right hand side in a column and
continue:

“I am going to ask you a few simple questions. You

might not have considered these questions before and at
first it might feel a little weird to think like this.
However, remember that your body is the bridge to
intuition. So, if you find it hard to answer, just bring
your attention right here and right now back into your
body. It will show you the way. This will make sense
as we begin. There is no need to be nervous. The first
questions:

Which side is more masculine? Which side of ‘you’ is

more aggressive and masculine? Right or left. If it’s
hard to answer, just go with your intuition follow
whatever your body might be telling you in this
moment.”

Here we are simply taking any fear o nervousness

the spectator might feel with the strangeness of
this situation away. I want them to know that
there is no ‘test’ aspect to what we are doing and
that they can not offer a wrong answer.

 Additionally this small scripting is useful in

reframing the experience and allows you to
further the idea that the body is the bridge to
intuition for further demonstrations later. It helps
with consistency among some of the
demonstrations that I perform in these casual
settings.

You will now ask the spectator each of the

questions and on the second napkin record each of
the answers they give. The first question:

"Which side is more passive? Which side feels more

accepting and more gentle?”

The language here is important. Adding the

second qualifier really helps increase the accuracy.
By asking which side is more gentle the spectators
often find it easier to answer. If a spectator really
struggles to answer this question I have a small
dodge I use that will ensure my prediction is
correct.

Assume the spectator, when asked the question,

responds with confusion and can not answer. I
will ask them to once again push on my hands and
to notice which side feels stronger and which side
feels more gentle.

 Essentially we are forcing the outcome by

knowing that the dominant hand will be the
stronger of the two.

"Which side is more intuitive. Which side is more

psychic?”

I have no idea if what I do here actually increases

the accuracy or not. I like to think it does, but I
have no way to really know. As I ask this
question, as I say the word ‘psychic’ I place my left
hand to my chest over my heart. It may or may
not influence the spectator. As I have said, I do
not know. However, I always do it and I choose to
believe it does help. Try the demonstration with
and without and see what you choose to believe
about this.

"Which side is more active, this one is easy it is simply

the opposite of which side is most passive, that we
learned earlier.”

Here we have forced the answer, simply by using

the earlier question as the reference point which
we work with. I do not even really wait for the
spectator to answer. Instead I just record the
opposite of the earlier answer on the paper and
encourage the spectator to agree with me.

“Last question. Which side is more artistic" 

Here the answer doesn’t really matter. It will be

reframed during the reveal. If it is correct,
brilliant. If it is not, you move right past it to the
eventual conclusion of the sequence. With the
questions asked and answered it is now time to
reframe the experience as something deeper and
more impressive than it really is:

"I had a strong feeling about how your body and mind
are linked during our brief moment of connection.  Our
thoughts connect with and affect our bodies.  Every
thought we have in someway affects our body.  If we
can learn to understand the way our bodies represent
our thoughts we have a direct link to the innermost
regions of our minds and the minds of others.  We can
reach out and touch to know and understand.  I think I
understood you well.

You felt that the most masculine side of you was the
right. I sensed a great deal of power and responsibility
in your touch.  A sense that you were the type of person
who does not shy away from the duties you find
yourself committed to.  This was expressed to me in the
power of your right hand, your right side.”

 Now unfold the napkins to reveal the predictions.

When you reveal the first prediction you will offer
a simple and basic personality reading in
accompaniment to it:

“You felt that the left side was more passive. When we
connected I felt that you are the sort of person who is
happy to allow others to be what they need to be. Even
if sometimes that means you have to actively tolerate
some treatment that you do not enjoy. That sense of
passivity within you is used as a tool to calm and
comfort others.”

You can use any system of reading to offer

something sort and connected to the spectator.
Here I have offered something that will work with
most people, as it is closer to a cold reading than a
true reading generated from a true system. In my
own performance I use a true system, my ‘Invisible
Tarot’ method to generate what is said here.

However for the sake of this explanation I have

included a simple reading like statement that can
be memorised and used if you do not wish to use
a true system of reading.

This is, to my mind, the most significant addition I

have made to the routine.

 It is here that the spectator senses that you have

learned more about them, than the prediction in
isolation, would produce. Even if readings are not
your style, please do not neglect to include some
statements here. Including these will transform
the impact of the trick.

Now pick up the pace and unfold a few of the

predictions at once. Here by increasing the pace
we also increase the impact. It is a curious thing to
observe but often, in the performance of a trick
that has repetition within it, simply increasing the
pace of language and action along with increasing
the volume of speech will increase the excitement
and reaction.

This is purely an emotional reaction to the

increased pace as clearly on a logical level these
increases do not affect the impossibly of any
demonstration. To best observe this weird piece of
‘craft’ watch someone perform the classic Magic
Square routine.

Notice that providing they increase pace, volume

a n d m o v e m e n t , t o w a rd t h e e n d o f t h e
demonstration the impact will increase with it.

 “You felt that the left side was intuitive. I knew this
before we even made contact. You felt that the right
side was more active. I felt this clearly when our hands
touched”

With the reveals now quicker you have the

opportunity to slow down. This is important to
the flow of the routine. Once you have accelerated
the pace and increased the impact along with it,
take a breath and slow back down.

The key to making a routine feel like it is

interesting is not only to increase pace but to
provide contrasting pacing, bringing a sense of
texture and progression in that contrast. Now
slow down and continue:

“The final question. Which side is more artistic. I was

confused here. I felt like it was the right side, then the
left side, then the right side again. I realised. The truth
is, you do not see yourself as creative. This question
was the most difficult for you to answer correct?”

This language is designed to cover any potential

miss on the prediction. I use this question not so
much for the prediction but rather for the
conclusion of the effect.

 I find it is effective in accuracy but of all the

questions it is the one that can cause problems.
Here the script actually appears that you were able
to know more about the thought process the
spectator underwent during the questions being
answered. This is where you are seemingly
connected deeper than even the accurate
prediction of their answer.

“You are. I sense you are and deep down you know it is
waiting to be discovered by reconnecting with it. Now
is that time. Make me a drawing. I will treasure it and
we will know that here and now was the moment that
the right and left side of your brain decided to reconnect
so you can unlock the creativity inside you.”

Here we conclude the routine with something fun

and unusual. If you wished you could also now
move into a drawing duplication. Indeed, I do. I
have the spectator make the drawing, unseen by
me.

I then have them place their ‘artistic hand,’

whichever side they identified as artistic, to my
hand and once again push downwards on my
palm. I then reveal the drawing.

The method for this drawing duplication changes

depending on the context of performance and the
performance setting. Simply pick a method you
like that suits the setting you are in. The two
sequences together are very powerful.

 CREDITS

I first learned of the charming left and right side of

the brain questions in ‘Body Magic’ by John Fisher
published in 1979 by Stein and Day, where it
appears under the heading ‘Body Trick 3’ on page
18.

This routine illustrates the way in which a small

idea can be expanded by script, framing and
personal modifications to produce something
more rounded and developed.

From a small seed, a mighty tree.