Magic

Sunday, February 23, 2020

Oil and Queens (Roy Walton)

Setup:
Face up, five alternating red, black number cards on top followed by the four queens.

Method:
Show eight alternating red and black number cards (show four cards, then Hamman count to hide the Queens and show four more cards. The last two cards are shown as one).

Turn the packet over, and the put the top four cards on the table. Elmsley count the remaining five cards as four cards. Turn the packet face up, then Elmsley count showing the card are all red (or all black). Pick up the packet on the table showing they are all Queens.

See:
Impromptu Packet Tricks (Aldo Colombini)

Performance

Saturday, February 22, 2020

Hamman Count

A false count used to give the impression that the magician has more or less cards than he actually does or (more often) to hide a packet of cards within a count.

See:
Card College Vol. 2
Impromptu Packet Tricks (Aldo Colombini) Oil and Queens
Daryl Encyclopedia of Card Sleights Vol 7

Tutorial

Friday, February 7, 2020

Joel Dickinson - VOLITION v2

VOLITION v2:

This is currently my favorite impromptu business card effect to perform, it's unique, impossible and leaves your participant and spectators with a memorable effect. Three business cards are passed face down to a participant to mix. After deciding which card will go where, your participant's actions where predicted well ahead of time.

Your participant is given complete control of the cards, they are informed before hand that each card will go to a different location. This is as fair as it gets.

This is self contained, no special gimmicks are required, it's impromptu and this leaves your audience with no logical explanation.

Method:

You require five business cards or double sided blank pieces of card. You will have words wrote on the backs of these cards. Three will have the word 'POCKET'. One has the words 'Right hand' and the other has the words 'Left hand'. The card which contains the words reading 'Right hand' will require a marking on the design side of the card. I place a large nail impression on the top left and bottom right corner of the card. That way it's easily located.

SET UP:

Place the cards with the words 'left hand' and 'right hand' in your left trouser pocket with the words facing away from your participant. Place the three 'Pocket' cards in a spare pocket, or an envelope or where ever you want to store them.

PERFORMANCE:

For the duration of this effect you need to stand directly opposite your participant. Remove the three 'pocket' cards and pass them to a participant to mix. Explain 'one card will be placed in your pocket, so pass me the two cards and which ever you're left with place in your pocket'.

Place your left hand out to retrieve the two cards which will not go in your participant's pocket. You will now secretly switch the cards in your left hand for the two in your pocket. This is very easy to do and happens under the guise of an instruction. State to you your participant 'Please place your selected card in your pocket'. You will simultaneously demonstrate placing the card in your pocket which will be the moment to secretly switch the two cards in your hand for the cards in your pocket. As your hand goes in to the pocket simply ditch the two cards and come back out with the alternative cards. Don't draw attention to the fact your hand is in your pocket, focus your attention on your participant's actions.

You will now hand the cards to your participant and state 'You consciously placed that card in your pocket, your next decision will happen any moment. Without looking at the back of the cards please mix the cards and separate the cards once it feels like the right moment.' as you state this final sentence you will simultaneously and casually place both of your hands out in a palm up gesture.

As your participant separates the cards they will be left with one card in each hand. You will now watch for the marked card and if it ends up in your participant's left hand you will proceed by stating. 'Now without changing the order of selection you have made please place the cards on my hands.'

Your participant will now automatically place the card which says right hand into your right hand and the card which reads left hand into your left hand. All you are left to do now is reveal these results.

Here is the script which I use: "Nobody could have known you would have selected this card for my right hand, and this card for my left hand or that card for your pocket. What if you did know all along. In my right hand this card reads right hand and in my left hand it reads left hand. And you placed one of these cards in your pocket, please remove it and read it aloud.'"

Now let's take a look at the alternative scenario, which will leave the right cards in your participant's correct hands. If this is the case casually drop your hands from the upward gesture and state : 'You did all the mixing and you made decisions both consciously and subconsciously. Nobody could have known where these cards would end up wouldn't you agree? What if there is somebody who did know, and that person is you. In your right hand would you please turn the card over and read it aloud. Now, in your left hand please read the card aloud and finally remove the card from your pocket and read that aloud.'

Take your applause.

A nice subtlety is to have the two cards in your pocket ready to switch, but start the effect with three blank cards and a pen. Then tell your participant you are going to write down three surprise predictions, one on each card which will be revealed at the end. You will write the word 'pocket' on each card. However your participant will believe you have wrote three different predictions, this helps strengthen the effect at the end when your participant's try to back track the effect.

ALTERNATE SETUP
Take a stack of business cards and reverse half so that the white is facing both sides of the pack. Then put your 'Right Hand' and 'Left Hand' cards face down on one side so that it now just looks like a stack of cards facing the same direction.

When you perform, you now take the stack and present them as blank business cards. You say you are going to write something on three cards. You are actually writing pocket three times. They choose a card to put in their pocket and the other two cards go back on the stack. You pick up the stack and secretly turn it so that the "Right Hand" and "Left Hand" cards are given to the participant. Proceed normally from there.

Friday, January 31, 2020

Hindu False Shuffle & Controlling Card Returned During Shuffle

Tutorial
Sankey Tutorial

See:
Card College Vol 1 pg 160

Friday, January 24, 2020

Spiritualism

Spiritualim is a religious movement which began in the United States in the mid 1800s. It is based on the belief that the dead continue to exist in the form of spirits and the living may communicate with these spirits through mediums.

Origins
Spiritualism is often traced back to March 31, 1848 in upstate New York, when Margaretta Fox, 14, and her sister Kate Fox, 11, convinced their parents and neighbors that they were able to communicate with a spirit which had been haunting their home. Knocking sounds that could not be accounted for were heard on many prior nights. But it was on this night that Maggie and Kate decided to talk with the ghost. What follows is from a signed affidavit written by Mrs. Fox.

On Friday night, March 31st, 1848, we concluded to go to bed early and not permit ourselves to be disturbed by the noises, but try and get a night's rest. My husband was here on all occasions, heard the noises, and helped search. It was very early when we went to bed on this night; hardly dark. I had been so broken of my rest I was almost sick. My husband had not gone to bed when we first heard the noises on this evening. I had just lain down. It commenced as usual. I knew it from all other noises I had ever heard before. The children, who slept in the other bed in the room, heard the rapping, and tried to make similar sounds by snapping their fingers.(1)

Levitation
Modern Spiritualism, itself part of the Christian tradition, offers the case of the medium DD Home (1833-1886), who attributed his psychokinetic powers to God. Home was seen to levitate objects - including pianos and tables with people sitting on them - in good light, and often by multiple witnesses in surroundings with which he was unfamiliar. He was also said once to have floated out of an upper storey window at night and back in at another, dramatic testimony which however was vulnerable to criticism and weakly supported.(2)

Psi Encyclopedia: Fox Sisters
(1) First Spiritual Temple: The Fox Sisters
(2) Psi Encyclopedia: Religious Levitation
(3) Wikipedia: Spiritualism

http://oldoperatingtheatre.com/blog/seeing-is-believing-spiritualism-in-the-victorian-era-part-1

http://www.thearda.com/timeline/movements/movement_67.asp

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-fox-sisters-and-the-rap-on-spiritualism-99663697/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritualism

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1468-5906.2010.01515.x

https://publications.newberry.org/outofmany/exhibits/show/atlanta/spiritualism-in-nineteenth-cen

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/322631234_The_Fox_Sisters_Talking_to_the_Dead_or_Tricking_the_Alive

https://www.historynet.com/the-fox-sisters-spiritualisms-unlikely-founders.htm

https://www.fst.org/fxsistrs.htm

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Cartomancy

Speed Learning Cartomancy Notes

There are two main types of readings - the all purpose reading and the question reading. All purpose readings are ‘one size fits all’ readings for people with no specific questions who simply want some insight into their current situation, whereas question readings are far more specific - people hold a current problem or circumstance in their mind while the reading is conducted.

Chapter 1 - The Four Suites
Diamonds
•Money - Diamonds conjure up images of vast wealth, jewels and treasures
•Power: With wealth comes the power of emperors and kings
•Success: Wealth and success usually go hand in hand
•Energy: Diamonds are almost indestructible and able to cut through anything!

Hearts

•Love - The heart is the universal symbol of love

•Emotions: We may think with our heads, but we follow our hearts

•Pleasure: There’s love and there’s lust!
•Healing: The power of love to heal all wounds

*The first card is the "focus" or "subject" and the second card "sheds light" on the subject.

*Top Tip: The order of cards is important as cards shed light on one another, each card revealing something about the card before.

Clubs
• Work - The day to day ‘doing of things’ that gets us where we want to go
• Business - Making things happen, learning from some and teaching others
• Social - Meetings, partnerships and human interaction
• Progress - The idea of growing into something greater than we already are

Spades

• Swords - To be wielded in battle in our everyday struggles
• Hurdles - To be seen in advance so we may jump them
• Obstacles - That we must clear from our path or sometimes simply avoid

• Decisions - That must be made for better or for worse

*Top Tip: Whereas the red cards are considered inherently ‘good’, too many black cards together is seen as ‘bad’, even if only a few are spades.

Chapter 2 - Putting the Suits Together (pg 16)

Chapter 3 - Three Card Suit Readings (pg 24)

When you deal three cards face up for a cartomancy reading, the second card is the influence of the first card, and the third card is the influence on the second card! So we are simply doing a two card reading twice!

Time Progression

The three also allow for the concept of time and progression. They can show us how things are going and where they’re headed. Some people use a simple past - present - future reading for the three cards, and although this isn’t far off the idea it is missing the point somewhat. To do this think of the the basic color qualities as red cards are good and the black cards are bad

1) Color Readings

Black Black Red:

Things have been tough but are going to get better in the future

Red Red Black:

It’s been plain sailing so far, but look out for clouds on the horizon

Red Black Red:

You’re entering a rough patch but things will get better

Black Red Black:

Things have taken a turn for the better, but it’s not over yet

2) Suit Readings

Combining the themes of the suits from chapter one with the color themes and time progression above, you can do a simple three card suit reading.

See the chapter examples

Chapter 4 - The Spot Cards (pg 30)

Here are the basic meanings of the numbers one through ten:
1. Beginnings
2. Cooperation
3. Expansion
4. Security
5. Activity
6. Communication
7. Spirituality
8. Inspiration
9. Changes
10. Success

Think about this little story for a moment. We all begin alone (1) we couple up (2) and bring life into the world (3) before we make a home with four walls (4). There is much activity as the child grows (5) and before long the child learns to communicate (6) and ask big questions about the world around him (7). Finally he is inspired to go out into the world (8) make a difference (9) and be successful (10). He’s now alone (1) and the cycle can begin again.

Chapter 5 - Deciphering the Spot Cards (pg 46)

Simply put, we ‘read’ a card by taking the number idea (the focus) with the influence of the suit idea (the influence).

Chapter 6 - Three Card Readings

Three card reading:
1. Lay three cards face up in a row
2. Figure out what the first card means
3. Figure out what the second card means and how it influences the first card
4. Figure out what the third card means and how it influences the second card
5. Take into account which suits and/or numbers appear more than once
6. See if any other interesting and relevant numbers can be created from adding up the first two cards, second two cards or all the cards to see if this can add some further insight into the reading.

Chapter 7 - The Court Cards (pg 85)

Chapter 8 - Deck Personality (pg 107)

Chapter 9 - More on Readings (pg 117)

Chapter 10 - Beyond the Three Card Reading (pg 121)

The Nine Card Reading

The Sevens Spread

The Star Spread

Other Spreads

Chapter 11 - Numerology and Other Systems (pg 127)

Chapter 12 - Cartomancy as Language

Chapter 13 - Conclusion

Various Other Notes