O P I A

By
Lewis Le Val.
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Copyright © Lewis Le Val, All Rights Reserved. 

 I N T R O D U C T I O N

What I have chosen to share here is a routine that I created a

while ago, but never performed much as I failed to realise
just how strong it could be. It also felt too intimate, and for
that reason, it always just got pushed to the back of my
mind. You see, this experience is as uncomfortable for the
performer as it is for the spectator (beautifully
uncomfortable, as I will explain later). I also felt like it
wouldn't be worth releasing to the mentalism community as
I hadn't created a new method or effect, only a presentation.

However, when I actually began to perform Opia properly, I

was kicking myself for not using it sooner! I realised just
how strong it can be. I also decided to release it, knowing
that even though the method is simple and already known
by most mentalists, the presentation itself is what creates
this incredible effect and experience for your spectators. It is
the kind of routine that I know that a lot of mentalists are
looking for. If we were painters, you may already have the
brushes and paint, but it is the brushstrokes that make the
biggest difference.

So here is a quick rundown of what I will talk about in this

book. Firstly, there is the main routine, Opia. I will talk
about the scripting and presentation, along with everything
you need to know to make the routine work. It cannot really
be explained in the usual format (effect followed by method)
so I will explain everything as it comes. Built into the
scripting of Opia is a perfect way of explaining mind reading
and how it works (for real). So even if everything you do has
a secret, deceptive method, this brief explanation “makes
sense” to spectators, and kind of lets them understand (or
believe) how and why you are able to do the things that you
can do, whilst still retaining all of the mystery of your
performance. This is the golden nugget buried in this book.
Until now, we have never really been able to give a
reasonable, pseudo explanation of just how we are able to
get specific details such as names, dates, PIN numbers, etc,
but now we can!

Then I will talk about how you can perfectly justify ever
having anything written down by your spectator. Whether
your approach is psychological, spiritual or other, all of the
above can be used by any mentalist of any style.
 OPIA

To perform this, all you need are 5 marked ESP cards. If you
do not have ESP cards, you can use 5 business cards. Simply
draw an ESP symbol on each card, and secretly mark the
backs of them so that you can easily but secretly identify
which card is which symbol.

Words in italics are spoken by the performer:

“When we make eye contact with someone, it’s never really

contact. Contact would imply that a line of communication
has been opened, and very rarely do we hold eye contact
long enough for this to happen. It’s generally not socially
acceptable to maintain eye contact with someone for an
extended period of time, it can feel uncomfortable. This is
due to something called Opia. They say that the eyes are the
windows to the soul, and when we hold genuine eye contact
with someone, we feel invasive and vulnerable at the same
time, as not only are we staring right through to their inner
self, but they are also staring right into us. Our eyes can
say things that words cannot, and this can only be seen by
another person. We can’t look into our own eyes with the
same intensity. So when you push away all the social
boundaries, and allow yourself this vulnerability and trust
with another person, something truly magical happens,
and it is a beautiful experience. I would like to try that with
somebody right now, so please, raise your hand if you
would like to take part.”

This script explains Opia, which is a real concept that you

can read up on, including your spectators if they wish to do
so. It suggests that you are about to hold eye contact with
someone and acknowledges that it can be uncomfortable,
but mentions a reward for allowing yourself this discomfort.
Depending on how many people you are performing for, you
may not need to say the last part about asking who would
like to take part. Try to pick someone who will take it
seriously and won’t start giggling. You may find that most
men are not willing to volunteer, but if you choose them,
they often happily take part. Society has built a sexual
connection to eye contact and hand holding, which is
another reason some people may find this uncomfortable,
but the whole point of this is to get past that. We as a species
mustn't be held back by our personal insecurities and
societal constructs, as these are the very things stopping us
from making true human contact.

Once you have selected a volunteer, take out the 5 ESP cards
and continue:

“These five cards contain five basic shapes. However, they

are much more than that. They are the five main symbols,
archetypes, representing huge aspects of human life. No
matter who you are or where in the world you are from,
these symbols connect with you on a deep, subconscious
level. For example;

The circle represents the cycle of life, the cycle of time,

completeness, wholeness, movement, the sun, the moon, the
earth, happiness, unity, perfection, eternity.

The cross represents struggle, challenge, decisions. For

some people, religion, so faith, belief, spirituality. It could
also represent health, growth, authority, focus and targets.
The wavy lines represent travel, water, nature, depth, the
subconscious, nourishment, life, a journey, family, DNA,
fluidity. The flow of life, the flow of consciousness,
unpredictability.

The square represents structure, stability, security, home,

strength, foundation.

The star represents spirit, achievement, clarity, openness,

life, the universe, the sky, the unpredictable, hope,
happiness and creativity.

So it is the meaning that these symbols have to us that I

would like to focus on. I want you to take the cards, have a
look through them and pick one that you would like to use.
It doesn't have to have any meaning to you, just pick one
that you like the look of, and place it face down on the
table.”

I don’t expect you to remember all of the above. To know

what each symbol means, just look at them and think about
what else in life has a connection to that symbol. Everything
I have just written came from simply looking at the shape,
and thinking about what they could represent. This is a good
skill to have, as it will come in useful later on in the routine.
The connections can be abstract, you only need to make
them clear enough for there to be a recognisable connection.
At this point I will mention that, in performance, try to
name as many connections to each shape as you can. It will
serve a purpose later on in the routine.

Once you have made it clear to your spectator that they do

have many connections to all of these symbols, and that they
are more than just basic shapes, ask them to pick one that
they like the look of. Don't ask them to pick one that they
feel drawn to, as this will come in later on in the routine.
When your spectator has placed their card face down on the
table, and the other cards face down and out of the way,
secretly peek the marking on the card, remember
what symbol it is, then don't look anywhere near
that card again. Then continue:

“In a moment, we will be making direct eye contact, just

long enough for something special to happen. You can
blink, just try not to break the contact, and follow my
instructions. As I said earlier, I will be staring right into
your inner self, and you will be staring into mine. It will be
like when you hold two mirrors in front of each other and it
creates an endless reflection that goes both ways. You are
thinking of one of those symbols, and I am thinking of one
too. We will attempt to try and see the symbol that each
other is thinking of. But it will happen very strangely. Try
not to guess or see the symbol that I am thinking of.
Instead, after a few moments, some strange, random
images will just appear in your mind. Allow yourself to see
them, no matter how weird or abstract they appear to be.
Got it? Good.”

At this point, I take my spectator’s hands (you don't have to

do this if you don’t feel comfortable with it. I find that
making physical contact with them helps this process along)
and instruct them to take a deep breath as I do the same,
then the eye contact begins. Try to keep an absolute poker
face. In this moment, most people will genuinely mirror
your facial emotion times ten. If you smile, they will laugh.
After a few moments of intense eye contact, say:
“Ok now I’m beginning to see the images. Just give me a
clear yes when you begin to see them too. Just allow this to
happen, no matter how big or small, it will have nothing to
do with the symbols, just allow yourself to see with your
mind’s eye. It will be something, anything, like right before
you fall asleep at night and random images flash through
your mind. It will feel like it’s coming from your
imagination, only, you won’t be choosing what you think
about.”

With some people, this could happen almost right away,

with others, it could take a bit longer, but eventually, they
will begin to see something. What you are asking them to do
here is use their unfiltered imagination, or, imagination
without conscious application. Without actively choosing
what to think about, they are to simply allow their
subconscious to provide them with something. The most
difficult part is getting the imagery started. But once it
starts, it continues effortlessly. Some people have difficulty
letting go, but be persistent. Once they begin to relax, it
wont be long before the mind starts to get bored and literally
begins to amuse itself. It is almost like the way a screensaver
pops up on a computer when it hasn't been used for a few
minutes. Don't rush or push them, as any level of pressure
will fire up their conscious mind again, pushing any
subconscious imagery further back.

If you would like to try this for yourself, pick a spot on a wall
to focus on. Relax and just allow any imagery to flow into
your mind. Allow your imagination to show you something,
anything. You can use this technique for scrying too. I carry
a small, clear quartz crystal in my pocket which I sometimes
ask my spectator to hold in the palm of their hand while I
look into it (not during this routine). I allow the imagery
that appears in my mind to take on the form of a reading. Do
this once, and everyone will ask you to do it for them too.

So back to the routine, If your spectator says yes, thats great.

If you still don't get a yes out of them (which is rare at this
point), it doesn't matter. When you feel ready, break the eye
contact and say:

“It’s done! Now… I actually think, we both thought of the

same symbol… I thought of the *insert symbol they chose*
what did you choose?”

The above is said with a tone and expression of slight

confusion and amusement. This is your first reveal.

I used to do this with 10 ESP cards instead of 5, then I would

ask them to put down the shape they thought I was thinking
of, then I could read the markings of both cards and put
mine down to match both, but that doesn't make sense as I
have not yet told them how to get the shape from their
thoughts. It was also too much messing around with the
cards. It also becomes too much like an ESP match up
routine, which this isn't supposed to be.

So by just pretending that you thought of the same shape as

them, appears as though you both got a hit, without your
spectator really having to do anything. You can make this
more apparent by saying, “I actually think we are thinking
of the same symbol. On the count of three, I will say the
symbol I am thinking of, and you say the symbol you are
thinking of and we will see if they match. Three… Two…
One… *symbol they chose*”
Remember to behave as though this took you by surprise
and wasn't supposed to happen. The moment you both say
the same thing out loud, it creates the illusion of
synchronicity between your thoughts and theirs.

This first phase does a number of things. It helps you gain

rapport with your spectator, and gets them used to having
the eye contact with you, they will be more relaxed with it
the second time around. It also gets their first attempt at
using their unfiltered imagination over and done with. It is
much easier to do on the second attempt (which will be the
most important part of this routine). It shows that
somehow, through this process, you are able to know each
other’s thoughts (even though technically they didn't get
yours). It also means that you don't have to carry any extra
cards, and go through a complicated process of trying to
show that they were able to know what symbol you thought
of.

You begin the second phase:

“Great! It looks like we've made a good connection. Now we

will try this individually, now it is my turn to put a card
down.”

You take the cards, choose one (I’d recommend anything but
the cross or star, I will explain why later on) and place it face
down on the table.

“We will do the same thing again, only this time, I will try
and project my symbol over to you. Pay attention to
anything and everything you see, think and feel, no matter
how strange or silly it may seem. Do not try and guess the
symbol, don't even try to think about it. We will make the
eye contact again and just allow any images to come to
your mind. This time, I would like you to tell me what you
see. There is no right or wrong answer.”

Encourage them to allow random imagery to appear in their

mind, and give them the confidence to tell you exactly what
they see. Ask them to describe what is in their mind, or how
they feel as they make eye contact with you and you try to,
genuinely, project the symbol to them. Wait for them to tell
you something, then ask them more questions about it. Get
as much information about their vision as you can, because
here is the clever part, you are going to make what they
say, fit your chosen symbol! Remember all the talk of
the symbols meaning greater things in our lives on a deep,
subconscious level? And all the examples you gave for each
symbol? Well now you can use that to your advantage! As
Enrique Enriquez would say, if you were actually able to see
inside the mind of a person who is, let’s say, angry, you
wouldn't see the word ANGRY written in their mind. You
would see some images that maybe you wouldn't fully
understand, but could, in some way, interpret those images
as anger.

It is the same here. If someone was thinking of a symbol

(defined as a mark or character used as a conventional
representation of an object, function or process) and you
could actually see into their mind, you might not see the
symbol, but you would see some images that could, in some
way, be represented by that symbol. So yes, I guess this is a
mentalism routine involving a genuine attempt at telepathy,
with a few helpful advantages. You have already explained
that these symbols represent a huge amount of other things,
so you can continue with:
“Now with telepathic communication (or mind reading) the
subconscious mind’s way of interpreting what it feels, is
with the use of imagery. The skill, which you can practice,
is being able to take that imagery and find the symbolism
within it. You take the unknown, and guide it through the
known to reveal truths. Now for a first attempt, which is no
easy thing, let’s see how close you got.”

You can then use the information you got from your
spectator’s vision to try your best to find a way to the symbol
you put down. In your opening explanation of the symbols,
if you try and cover as many bases as you can, this step will
be easier. Sometimes you will be able to make a connection
right away, this is the best case scenario. Other times it will
take a bit more of a leap. Sometimes, you wont be able to
think of anything at all, which is fine, because the last phase
of this routine will have you covered.

A nice touch here, is your explanation of some of the

meanings of the symbols at the beginning. These can, in a
way, act as suggestions. In describing their vision, spectators
will quite often link back to something you mentioned at the
beginning.

When I perform this, I usually put down the circle. I find it

easier to link most things back to the symbol of a circle. If
the circle was used in the first phase, then in this one I
usually go with the wavy lines.

It is difficult to invent an example to write here, because

examples created for that purpose are usually quite different
from what is seen or spoken about during a performance, so
I will tell you about three separate performances of this
routine that I have done recently.
Example 1: I put the circle, my spectator says they had a
warm feeling, happiness. I said “now a physical warm
feeling, we would usually associate with temperature, or the
sun. An emotionally warm feeling would be happiness. Of all
the symbols here, the one most closely symbolising warmth,
the sun and happiness would be the circle.”

Example 2: I put the circle, my spectator says they saw a

lizard in their mind. I said “now a lizard is quite an exotic
animal, usually only ever seen in warm countries. The lizard
itself could be a symbol for nature and the wild, and of these
symbols, the closest one we have to representing nature or
the earth, would be the circle.”

Example 3: I put the circle, my spectator says they saw a

large truck driving straight towards them. I said “Quite an
unpleasant thing to think about, but in some way this could
represent a fear of yours being reflected back at you. Your
mind revealing it to you after interacting with the presence
of the symbol. I don't think you fear is as specific as being hit
by a truck, but I do think it is a fear of death, and more
importantly, a fear of dying before you have done everything
you want to do with your life, a fear of dying before finishing
what you started, or achieving your goals. This represents a
feeling of being complete before the end, before time runs
out. The symbol that most represents completeness,
endings, beginnings and time would be the circle.”

As you can see, the third example was a bit of a leap, but
delivered as a reading, receiving confirmations along the
way from my spectator, I was able to pull it back to the
circle. As you know the symbol that you chose, it makes it
easier to push what your spectator says in that direction. I
try to see this process as though you are trying to read a
really shit deck of tarot cards. The card is the symbol that
you chose, the image on the card is what the spectator
describes, and you have to try and make that fit with the
name of the card to find a meaning.

Dont worry about having to make huge leaps. There are only
5 symbols, so make it look like all you are doing is finding
which of the symbols your spectator’s vision could be
connected to, and as this is their first attempt at this, it
would make sense that their vision wouldn't be as easy to
find the symbolism within.

I have found that the quicker you make the connection, the
better the spectator’s reaction will be. This is something that
you get better at with practice. Try to speak as though you
are really trying to help your spectator make sense of their
very first telepathic impression, appear helpful, and avoid
looking like you are just grasping at straws to to make it fit.
Either way, good or bad, you can easily move on to the third
phase from here.

“With practice, you are able to allow more imagery into

your mind, and you can better understand and interpret
the imagery to find the possible connections to the symbols.
So one last time, I would like you to take the cards and
choose the symbol that you feel the most drawn to, in any
way, and place it face down on the table.”

When the spectator puts a card down, peek the marking so

you know what the symbol is, begin the eye contact process
again, and use these moments to CREATE some sort of
imagery that you could connect to your spectator’s chosen
symbol! You’ve got all the time in the world to think of
something good, just don't make it too, immediately
obvious. When you have something, break the eye contact
and say:

“Ok I will tell you about what I just saw…”

Now begin to describe the imagery you just created. Usually

at this point, your spectator will be able to make the jumps
back to the symbol they chose, and if they have done this,
they will begin to react. Even if nobody else saw what
symbol they chose, their reaction will signal to everyone else
that you are on the right path. So if you can, don't reveal the
symbol until last, allow your spectator to make the
connection, then this third phase will be exactly like a role
reversal of the previous phase. Try to word the imagery you
describe as though it was a reading. For example, if you
spectator has chosen the cross, don't say the old, “I feel like
you are at a crossroads in your life with a difficult decision to
make..blah blah…” but just word your impressions as
though they are impressions you received about your
spectator. For the cross, you could say, “I saw an image of
you, hiding in some way. Trying not to be seen. There is
possibly something in your life, a phase that you have no
control over. Something is happening to you or around you
that you would rather escape from. Your mind is set on one
specific thing and I don't know what, is this making sense
to you? Good. You are trying to bring something into your
life that will change things. I see you as a hunter, with your
eyes on the prize, looking through the scope of your rifle.
This is something you need, and are determined to get it. I
was torn between two symbols, but then I saw something
that I cant ignore. As you aim at your target, there is a
cross in your scope.”
We have LAYERS of things here. I speak as though it is a
reading for them, but they don't know this. When I say, “is
this making sense to you?” I’m not asking them if it applies
to their life, I am describing my vision and asking them if
what I am describing makes sense. Of course it does! The
reading can then be used to possibly explain why they felt
drawn to the symbol they chose, it resonated with them on
an unconscious level. I am also taking meanings from the
cross symbol and using them to create a narrative, and
finally including the symbol in the vision. So instead of
saying “…crossroads…difficult decision… inner conflict…”
I’ve managed to paint more of a dreamy vision, a little movie
playing in my head.

How will you know what to say? It’s simple, just look at the
symbol they chose, think of a few keywords for that symbol,
and use those keywords to create a VISUAL scene in your
mind. Describe what you see and the connection between
the spectator, the symbol and your vision will all come
together nicely.

At the end of the routine, there are three things you could
do. The first, leave it at that. The routine is done, no need for
any more. The second, after the routine is clearly over (and
your spectators know that it is over, so this doesn't look anti-
climactic) give yourself a chance to do something real and
say, “Oh and one more thing. There is something else that I
saw that has nothing to do with this, it might not mean
anything but I will tell you anyway, What is your
connection with…”

During the final eye contact process, before or after you have
constructed the imagery around their chosen symbol, allow
yourself to have a true, telepathic moment. Just as you asked
your spectator to do, allow any random imagery to appear in
your mind as you look into their eyes and remember exactly
what you see. Then at the very end of the routine, add what
you saw to that last sentence above. If your spectator makes
no connection here, that’s fine, it doesn't matter. If they do
make a connection to it, then you may have, quite possibly,
demonstrated real mind reading or telepathy! We don't
know how or why the subconscious mind shows us the
images that it does. It is entirely possible that you are using
your immediate intuition, for real. Whether you believe in
that or not, it doesn't matter. Simply allow yourself the
opportunity to say something from nowhere and see what
happens.

The third thing you could do, is to say something like this,
with a serious tone and almost apologetically:

“I’ve done this quite a lot. I’ve had a lot of practice, and I've
found that sometimes when I establish such a strong
connection with someone, I tend to see things that I wasn't
looking for, and with you I saw something that I think you
should know. It is quite important, and during that
connection we are vulnerable and left wide open, so I wont
say too much out loud. This involves something that doesn't
bother you when you don't think about it, but it is the kind
of thing that plays on your mind right before you go to
sleep at night. It is probably the heaviest thing weighing on
your emotions right now. In fact, I will write this down. I
saw this during our connection and I feel that it is
something you need to know. It is a secret, so don't show it
to anyone. Read it now and keep it for yourself, I think it
will help.”
You write something on a business card, fold it up and hand
it to them. They read it to themselves and suddenly, the
mood shifts.

This is a very strong moment that seems to take a serious

turn. There is a psychological push-pull which gives
everyone an emotional slap. There is an extended moment
of ambiguous negativity, relieved by a sudden moment of
clear positivity. A note of dissonance, suddenly resolved by a
consonance. In musical theory, this is known as
“Appoggiatura”. It is the reason why Adele’s music is so
emotionally moving, particularly the chorus of her song,
“Someone Like You”. Psychologist Martin Guhn explains
that an appoggiatura generates tension in the listener. A
note creates dissonance within the melody, and when the
notes return to the anticipated melody, the tension resolves
and it feels good. So when you put a few appoggiaturas in a
row, it creates a series of ups and downs, pushes and pulls
within a short time frame, which gets your brain pumped up
enough to bring you to tears. One appoggiatura is enough
for this routine.

Here’s a secret I didn't plan on sharing. If you put three

appoggiaturas in a row, within the same context or routine
(it won’t work if you use them in three, separate routines),
you will most likely bring your audience to tears. In my new
show, Psychic, I have a routine towards the end of the show
that contains three appoggiatura moments, or push-pull
moments, which is like dropping an emotional bomb on the
room. It took me a number of rehearsals to get past the
tearing up process myself! It can’t be helped!

You might be thinking, well, it’s not good to make people

cry, and you would be right, but there is a difference
between crying caused by sadness and crying caused by
beauty. We have all heard pieces of music where a single
moment of the piece gives you goosebumps or brings a tear
to your eye. This isn't happening because you feel sad and
gloomy, it hasn't upset you. In fact, it is the opposite. As
humans, we seek out these incredible emotional
experiences. So as long as the content of your routine isn’t
upsetting, an emotionally moving performance can be
beautiful. It makes you feel something so strongly that it
forces your emotions to the surface. I once saw a solo cello
performance in Milan, and by the end of the final movement
there was not a dry eye in the theatre. The performance
ended with a thunderous standing ovation from the
audience. People love an emotionally powerful, artistic
composition, in any form.

So what do you write on the card? Anything you want, as

long as it is motivational, uplifting and poetic. I usually
write either:

Your inner strength will see you through. Focus your

efforts and you will achieve everything you want from life.
The stars are shining for you.

Or

In time, the darkness fades and your path will become

clear. Your goals are within reach, and they’re calling your
name.

Or a less specific variation:

In time, the darkness fades and your path will become

clear. The stars will light the way.
Or a brief sentence;

Your troubles will cease and fortune will smile upon you.

Just write something that will relieve them from the tension
you built with the above script.

Depending on how much you plan to write, you could even

have the card pre-written. Take it from your pocket without
showing the writing to your spectator, and just mime the
action of writing. This will ensure you make no mistakes and
your writing will be readable (not too readable, it has to look
like you’ve written it quickly, there and then). Having the
card pre-written means you don't have to memorise
anything, lean on anything, or have to concentrate too much
in the moment. It won’t matter that you are hiding the
writing as you pretend to write, it is supposed to be a secret
anyway so it will just look like you are making sure nobody
around you sees what you write.

A common goal with readings is to leave people feeling

better about their problems than they did before the
reading. What I like about this final phase is that you never
need to know what your spectator’s problems are to give
them a useful piece of guidance. Your words guide them to
think about the heaviest thing weighing on their emotions,
so they will immediately apply your words to that specific
situation, and will leave them feeling that that is exactly
what you were talking about. This doesn't give them false
hope, it reignites their inner flame, which can be deeply
healing. It doesn't make any promises for the future, it
motivates them to shape their own future in a positive light.
Words can have a huge effect on us, for example, if you go to
see a doctor, you may end up leaving the doctor’s office
feeling ten times better or ten times worse, depending on
just the words they say to you. In a way, all words are magic
words, they have the power to completely change and
transform our emotions, health, wellbeing, state of mind
and outlook on life, so choose the most helpful, healing ones
and you may just find yourself performing REAL MAGIC,
and not just entertainment.
 JUSTIFYING WRITING

A big problem with mentalists (including myself), is that we

put too much focus on how we reveal a thought, and not
enough on how we actually get the thought to begin with.
The reveal shouldn't be a problem, once we have the
thought, we should just be able to say, “I’ve got it now, it
is…”. It could be argued that we reveal the thought as it
comes to us, but we always (depending on the routine)
resort to the same actions during this process:

- Staring at the spectator as if we are, with our physical eyes,

slowly seeing the thought in their mind.

- Asking them to repeat it in the mind as if we are somehow

hearing it.

- Maybe we place our hand on their shoulder, as if this does

anything. Sometimes throw in a few snaps of the fingers for
good measure.

We do all of this without any reason or explanation as to

what it is we are actually doing. If us asking them to repeat
something in their mind actually helps us receive the
thought, in theory, they should be able to repeat, “idiot,
idiot, idiot…” in their mind and that is what we would get
instead.

The mind processes everything, not just our thoughts. Our

conscious thoughts are always changing, constantly, by the
second. They have to in order for us to function as human
beings. Your conscious thoughts carry no substance. I like to
think of conscious thoughts as being like smoke. Proof of
this, is when somebody tells you their name, but within
seconds it’s gone again. Before you cross a road, your
conscious thoughts are on your immediate environment,
checking for cars, etc, but the moment you get to the other
side of the road, all of your conscious thoughts from
moments ago are gone, and you would probably have a hard
time recalling them exactly as they were. As you read these
words, they are your conscious thoughts, but I bet you can’t
remember what the words in the opening line of this chapter
were without going back to check. Our conscious thoughts
are like smoke. So what an extremely weak thing to attempt
to pick up on, a conscious thought. The only time we are
able to hold on to a conscious thought is with the support of
the subconscious. If I asked you to think of your mother’s
name, you would have no problem holding onto that
thought because it’s stored within your subconscious, and
with that are all of the memories, experiences and emotions
that you have that are connected to her. So why focus on the
crust when the real meat of the pie is in the centre? Why
focus on conscious thoughts when the depth lies within the
subconscious?

I often talk about the mind being like the sea. The conscious
mind is like the shore. Shallow, constantly moving,
constantly changing, busy, cannot carry much and is the
first point of contact with the sea. The subconscious is like
the open ocean. Deep, calm, mysterious, endless and full of
all kinds, efforts must be made to reach it. If we could
actually see into people’s minds, the conscious mind would
be absolute chaos, and the subconscious would contain
every single thing that makes this person who they are.
I’ve heard it said that a real mind reader wouldn't have to
ask someone to write something down, they should just be
able to read their mind right away. But I think it is the
opposite. A real mind reader would have everything written
down to lock those weak, smoky, conscious thoughts in
place. If you are going to pick up on a conscious thought, it
needs to be rock solid, and unaffected by the hundreds of
other conscious thoughts we have at the exact same time.

As mentalists, we are too much, “think, think, think..” and

not enough, “feel, feel, feel…”. We only tend to work within a
frame of thought and logic, while neglecting feeling and
emotion. We work within the rational mind but should be
targeting the primitive mind. Everyone thinks they are
intelligent enough to analyse and understand the things they
encounter at the surface level, but if you go far beyond that
and work on a deeper, unconscious level, past their limited
span of knowledge from which they shape their reality, and
beyond any logical explanation they can pull together, they
will have no choice but to just enjoy the ride. People will
question their thoughts, but they won’t question the very
things that make them human. A genuine telepathic
connection would be something you feel, not something you
think about, and we can genuinely feel the emotions of
others. No matter who you are or where you are from, your
deepest feelings and emotions will always be much more
important than your thoughts. The moment you stop
working with the head and start working with the heart,
your mentalism completely evolves. People don't mind
asking you how you did something if it deals with their
thoughts, but as soon as their feelings are involved, it
becomes much more real, and more acceptable as a genuine
human connection. No animal on the planet can read the
thoughts of another, but they can all read emotions, some
can do it better than others. So your path to revealing a
thought should take a feeling route rather than a thinking
route.

The best part is, your methods remain the same. You are still
reading a marking or getting a peek or impression, but a
subtle shift in your presentation can move mountains in
your performance.

With any new piece of information we receive in our daily

lives, the first thing we do, within seconds, consciously or
unconsciously, is compare it to our own previous
experiences or encounters to see if it creates conflict or
harmony. This is an absolute fact. So in a performance, if
that new information happens to be the subtle feelings of
another person, that you have (apparently) sensitised
yourself enough to be able to pick up on, you would use your
own, individual, previous experiences or encounters in life
to make sense of, or interpret this new information.

So let’s say you are about to do a billet peek, and they are to
write the name of someone close to them.

Firstly, you could just ask them to think of someone, but

right from the word go, you are asking them to use their
conscious mind to make a decision. Instead, have their
subconscious make the decision for them. This way, you
have already began on a subconscious level. This could be
through a trigger or a memory. For example, a way to trigger
a subconscious thought could be to say, “In a moment I will
ask you to place your hand on your heart, and the moment
you do that, the face of someone close to you in your life
will appear in your mind. Just allow this to happen, do that
for me now.” The spectator places their hand on their heart,
and of course, they will now have a person in mind. It’s that
easy, try it on yourself. To do this via memory, you could
say, “I want you to think about that last person in your life
who made you laugh.” Of course conscious thought is used
here, but conscious thought does not make the decision, this
decision has already been made by a memory. You have now
not only got them thinking of someone close to them, but
also someone who made a recent emotional impression on
them, whether by mysterious means generated by the heart,
or obvious means (laughter). You could say that recent
emotional impressions are the easiest to pick up on. So
already, you’ve made a better start than by just having
someone randomly thought of.

From here, you can explain how our conscious thoughts are
like smoke, but our feelings are much longer lasting. “…So
THINK about this person’s name, and write it down here.
That way, the thought stays in place while we focus on
other things.” Here is the only time you ask them to use
their conscious mind. You could say, “Our feelings can be
connected to many different people, including ourselves, so
I will tell you everything I can pick up on. Some of it may
be connected to this person, some of it may be connected
other people in your life, some of it may even be connected
to you. So keep this in your pocket and we will use it to get
back on track if we start to drift.” Of course by now, you’ve
done your peek and the billet is given to them to put in their
pocket (or on the table, or in your wallet depending on what
peek you are using).

Now you are in a luxury position. You know what the name
is, and you’ve given yourself permission to say anything you
want, without everything having to relate to the person they
are thinking of.
What do you say next? Anything you want, with just 2 rules.
Don't say “I think…” say “I feel…” you want to make it clear
that these are things you are feeling, not thinking. The
second rule is, don't ask them to think about anything
either. Usually in routines like this, we start asking
spectators to think about the person’s face or name or
whatever. However, that isn’t needed here as we are not
reading their thoughts, but their feelings.

There are a number of things you could do here, but to stay

consistent with this book, here’s what I would recommend.
First, do something that would establish a connection with
them. It could be the eye contact from the Opia routine, it
could be that now they should place their hand on your
heart, it could be that you both synchronise your breathing,
maybe you do it by taking their pulse, or anything else you
can think of, as long as it is something more than we already
do as mentalists (outlined at the start of this chapter). If you
have a crystal in your pocket, you could pass it to them and
ask them to hold it whilst internally recalling their favourite
memory of this person, or they could visualise the
personality of this person flowing from their hands and into
the crystal. Then you take it back from them and
(psychometry style) receive your impressions from it. They
could pick a tarot card, hold a pendulum above your hands,
you could step into their aura (or hold your hands up to
their aura) you could hold their hand and close your eyes as
you do a 60 second astral travel, I could go on and on. Just
establish a connection with them that feels like it involves
more than thinking and conscious thought.

At this point, whatever you’ve decided to do, allow an ESP

symbol to appear in your mind. Don't decide which one to
think of, just go with whatever is triggered by your
connection process. For example, if you decide to touch their
aura, after explaining what you will do, the moment you
raise your hands and visualise their aura, allow an ESP
symbol to pop up in your mind’s eye. Now use the keywords
or meanings you would associate with that symbol
(explained earlier in this book) to create a narrative in the
form of a reading. You can say as much as you want, because
remember, you have already explained that not all of this
will apply to the person they are thinking of. So basically,
they will apply anything you say, to themselves or anyone
else in their whole life. Not a bad way of making sure you
don't miss, eh? So continue to talk as much as you’d like,
hopefully your spectator will help you to make sense of your
impressions. If they disagree with anything you say, that’s
fine, just continue. As long as you be honest with your
impressions, it doesn't matter if your spectator can’t make
connections to some of them. You explained that you will
tell them everything you pick up on, and that is exactly what
you are doing. Nothing is wrong here.

Now when you feel it is time to reveal the name, you could
say something along the lines of, “Through my connection
with you, I feel a connection to them too, it’s as if I know
them. I feel a sense of familiarity with them. I’m seeing
these wonderful memories as though they are mine, but I
know they belong to you. Is their name…”

Before I continue, I would just like to mention… What is the

one thing that sums up this person in one word? What is
their symbol? That’s right, it’s their name! If this person was
a tarot card, their name would be the name of the card, they
would be the image on the card, and the card’s meaning
would be absolutely every single thing your spectator knows
and feels about this person. So you began by making a
connection with your spectator, you then interpreted what
you could feel. This allowed you to better understand your
spectator’s feelings and emotions, and from there, you have
interpreted your spectator’s feelings to better understand
their connection to the person they are thinking of. It
becomes a chain of human emotion. A chain that may not
exist in your reality, but in your spectator’s reality, it is very
real. If you were really able to sense your spectator’s
connection to this person, then that person’s name would be
tied to that. A symbol, a single word that represents that
person in their entirety. So there is no need to slowly reveal
the name. Once it appears as though you’ve established
enough of a connection, the name should be there, waiting
for you to announce it.

Leave no room for your spectator to ask, “How did you do

that?” Your presentation should allow that to become clear
along the way. With a little thought and practice, you can
reframe any of your mind reading material to become more
about feelings, emotions and the subconscious, rather than
thoughts, logic and reason.

Human emotion is undeniable. We understand our

thoughts, but our emotions remain a mystery. They make us
who we are from the deepest parts of our unconscious to the
very surface of our skin (literally) Emotions can make you
sweat, give you goosebumps, make you shake, make you cry,
make you laugh, turn you red with embarrassment or anger,
so forget the irrelevant, smoky thoughts that come and go
like the tides of the sea, and venture into the uncharted
waters of the subconscious. There’s a whole world in there,
just waiting to be explored.
There is no scientific evidence that consciousness is
produced in the brain. Modern neuroscience cannot rule out
the possibility that we are receivers of consciousness from
another source. This is a consciousness that we all share (we
know this because we are all alive). Consciousness is the
biggest mystery of modern science. We are spiritual beings
in a human form, and when you take into consideration the
size of the planet, the incredibly unfathomable, infinite
universe, our solar system, the sun, the moon, the stars, the
known and unknown galaxies, the truly magical weirdness
of it all, it’s not that much of a stretch to believe that one
human can see and feel the mind of another and explore its
contents. Our minds form our entire reality, but it is our
egos, our identity, our cultural, inherited and personal
beliefs, our religions, our opinions, ideas, perspectives and
limited span of knowledge that stop us from being able to
step outside of what we think we know to be true or false.
You and I have the ability to take people beyond those
limitations, and even if what we do does contain some
trickery, it doesn't make it any less real for those who we
create these experiences for, and just maybe that is the real
secret of true magic in this world.

If you and I never get to meet in this earthly life, let’s shine
together as the brightest stars in the next.

Until next time,

Lewis Le Val.
Christmas Eve, 2018.