10901.ghosts In My Pocket By Craig Browning.pdf

By P. Craig Browning i

Ghost in My Pocket By P. Craig Browning

 P. Craig Browning/Nimeton Publishing 81 Conz St #410 * Northampton, MA. 01061-816 Phone 413-587-3095 = [email protected]

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"By The Pricking Of My Thumbs, Something Wicked This Way Comes." Act IV scene 1 play Macbeth William Shakespeare

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hat better ghost story to start off with than Macbeth?

Let’s face it, since the time our primeval ancestors first climbed down from the trees and developed the ability to speak, some form of ghostly tales has been told. Probably not in the more fantasiful vein we share them in today, but tales of now forgotten lore were certainly a prime part of ancient culture just as getting scared via our imagination gone wild, still pumps the blood and causes us to shriek and shiver and once all the drama passes, enables us to sigh with relief… and perhaps a small does of uneasiness as we digest the “What If?” internalization tied to such things. Most ghostly tales of today host a strong tongue-n-cheek feel to them, rarely being painted in the sense of reality; the storyteller oft times lacking the skill required for invoking belief from their audience and thus, suspending disbelief in as complete a form as possible; that state that would allow you to start your own religion should you so desire. Conveniently it happens to be the state we hope to take folks to via this brief, convenient “pocket séance”; a ghostly encounter (or two) that can be presented most any time, any where but, when you learn how to create the proper mind-set within the psyche of your marks – those suckers you’ve manage to set-up for this particular one – two punch… well, let’s just say they will never look at you the same way ever again… which, depending on your outlook on life, could be a good thing. Especially if you are like me and constantly on the prowl, seeking newer, more fantastic ways to prove my connection with the strange, surreal and paranormal. The questions we need to ask ourselves however, center on both, the over-all effect we are seeking to create via our demonstrations as well as what the affect is on us as performers i.e. what it is we need to develop as well as (potentially) pack around with us so that we are ready to do our thing when the moment arrives. And that really is the big issue here, you don’t want to be running around with electronic or magnetic gizmos strapped to your legs 24/7 “Just in case” opportunity strikes. Not only is 1

that really bad magician’s thinking (habit) it is a great way of destroying or loosing items that, in some instances, cost you quite a bit. Too, the materials these things are made of, such as threads, can break-down rather fast, simply through the oils of your own skin and acidic perspiration affects; things we rarely ever consider, if at all. So what is it we must do in order to create that image of being a true Paranormalist? As with just about everything I write on I’ll tell you up-front that the first thing you need to do so as to equip yourself is STUDY! Learn not just the “Facts” but the Fiction as well; don’t get stuck in the analytical horse-pucky preached to you by the pessimists of our world, have the guts to see things through the eye of the beholder – remember what it was like when magic was still magical to you, for this is your goal be it through a haunting or a standard stage show. One wonderful research tool that I’ve come across is “1The Ghost Hunter’s Bible” by Trent Brandon, it gives you tons of valuable perspective, even going so far as to how to insure that you are not subjecting yourself to psychological deception; that is to say, misinterpreting certain sounds, images, etc. as being paranormal proof when in fact, it really is just dust particles in the air or movement of your camera that created those neat streaks or “energy spheres” in the snap shot. In other words Trent paints a very realistic, down to earth point of view. The other sources you need to find are based on both, your personal theme on things and your desire to create a potent/believable psychological portrait on things. Let me explain… We hear a great deal about “Pre-Show” in our world as Mentalists or Bizarrists. When it comes to Ghost Stories and paranormal investigation we owe it to ourselves to do some footwork tracking down those tales that allow our patrons to discover documentation that seems to support our claims. There are two fronts from which to work (initially); your own life and familial background, and that of your community, the latter possibly entailing more than one location, i.e. where you grew-up vs. where you now live or even where your family came from if immigration is part of your personal history. In 40 years of travel I’ve yet to find a community in these United States and Canada, that didn’t have Ghost Stories and lore surrounding 1 “The Ghost Hunter’s Bible” – composed by Trent Brandon – www.zerotime.com © 2002 * ISBN 09703100-5-6 * Retail = $19.95 USD.

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the Macabre or grotesque crimes. This tells me that anyone that’s even half interested in learning about such things can simply go to the local library and City Hall (Hall of Records, County Clerks office) and within a few brief hours, discover tons of material that can be readily woven into the fabric of your presentations.

Why Is This So Important? You ask The more allusion I can create around the material I present to a patron or group that has this sort of “validity” to it – a sense of common or rumored knowledge – the more powerful and believable the manifestation. Too, with this psychology in place I have to do very little when it comes to creating the idea of being in the presence of a Ghost. The “Pre-Show” aspect of all this centers on a thing known as “conditioning”; when you condition your audience you are creating a mind-set and in some cases “programming” their subconscious mind to accept certain things or, at minimum, see them in new dressing with less skepticism (in this case). Our process, as outlined herein, borrows from what could be considered “Known Of” influences in that your research trail probably started off with talking with folks about local tales, leading you to the film libraries where you found all the confirming facts. This is what gives you the story line as well as the confidence, so to speak, for creating phenomena. But, What’s Your Story?

This is a very important part of things in that the public needs to view you as an “authority” of some sort, be it the role of storyteller or actual Paranormalist… and yes, even storytellers have a background; their own story to tell, and that’s exactly what we need to look at. When it comes to YOU and your identity/character I always tell folks to never lie – be who and what you were born to be. In this instance that would mean knowing of any family ties to the strange and unusual. For an example Kevin James is a descendant of the great P.T. Barnum which is one of the reasons he employs “special” people in his shows. In my case I have a very extensive and wide line of family members with ties to both, the occult and spiritualism but then too, we have our fair share of “Bizarrists” such Edgar Allen Poe and of course, film maker Tod Browning.

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The “invention” of one’s persona however, involves your own personal history or “resume” if you would. For many of us, I know this first hand, such a foundation happens without our immediate knowledge, as a matter of happenstance. In my case it was the fact that I’d been deeply involved in the paranormal and the “New Age” movement during the late 70s and early 80s that it became an established part of how people identified with me; I was “Craig the Psychic” long before I embraced the title or, I should say, lent to the title a more affirmative sense of appreciation. The moral of the story is, you must learn to do the stuff that really is YOU!

Kevin James & Co.

You are the only person that can take this sort of inventory and draw from it those elements from around and within your life that make you different and help define you as the sort of person that really knows what he/she is talking about when it comes to the mysterious and sublime.

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The Ghosts You Chase You Never Catch. John Malkovich, London Independent,

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ow that all of that is out of the way, we need to consider the issue of circumstance; where we will be performing, why and what.

My all time favorite place for staging an “Improvisational” Séance are bookstores and libraries. You simply act as if you are looking for a specific book in the occult/paranormal sciences section. I can almost guarantee that you will have someone to strike a conversation with, in under 20 minute’s time. But, what do you talk about? How do you get things to move in the direction you need to go? The first and most logical way given this particular circumstance is to explain what you are looking for and why i.e. “I’ve heard some things about a local ghost sighting or two and I’m trying to find any sort of documentation on it.” The conversation is now initiated and it’s up to you to take some progressive steps so as to either tie-in the idea of ghosts being present or the possibility of psychic sensitivity. Your obvious arsenal being bits like PK Touches and traditional Mind Reading scenarios (billet reads, anagrams, etc.) Then again, you are surrounded by books and even a map or two if you but look around a touch. I’m not a huge fan of those that think they should do an entire show with little other than book tests or the myth that they need 101 different book test systems, but I do advocate the idea of knowing at least 2-5 methods of doing a solid book test on the spot, using any book that happens to be handy and that’s without any kind of physical aid such as the trusty swami writer or anything akin to Lee Earle’s Silver Bullet (which I happen to love). The question in your mind of course isn’t only which one to use (aside from Hoy) but how to use it as a tie-in to ghosts & haunted happenings? > > HINT < < Psychics work with “familiar” spirits and Guides e.g. you can use this same explanation when it comes to how you can “see” or “know such things.

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1. The BROOK Test – an excellent variation to the original Hoy method created by UK Mentalist Paul Brook. 2. The Dowser’s Book Test – is quite possibly the oldest one in the book i.e. standard Pendulum word location ala Muscle Reading (ideomotor response). This, along with traditional MR methods of doing a Book Test are mentioned in the Banachek PSI Series a swell as his book Psychophysioligical Thought Reading, either of which I strongly recommend. 3. The Impromptu Book Test “Simplified” by Tony Corinda – you’ll find it on page 208 of 13 Steps. Though some minor “preshow” is required, its so trivial that it can practically be done in the spur of the moment. 4. The Crossword Puzzle – also in 13 Steps is an excellent bit but you need to modify your approach; ripping pages out of a book at the public library or retail store could buy you a ton of woe. You could however employ a convenient magazine or even Newspaper. 5. Word on a List – this is a classic bit of business based on an old Living & Dead Test. You simply use a very sharp pencil and a slip of paper on which you’ve written the numbers 1-6 (or 9… it don’t really matter) in a column (using a pen, not the pencil). You then ask your participant to find their word and writing it out neatly at any one of the number locations they desire. Once this is done you instruct them to fill in the remaining spaces with any kind of random word that comes to mind. The revelation being made by study of the line thickness to each letter... the thinnest of lines reveals the first word written, i.e. the chosen word. My chum Dale Shrimpton shared a twist to this approach in a routine he entitled “The Cunning Burglar”. His method being a bit more certain and more appropriate to we old farts with bad eyes. 6

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Dictionary Premonition – is something I came up with on my own so I’m uncertain if or not it’s in print anywhere else; the method is so simple I’d be seriously surprised if it hasn’t been done. In effect, your participant locates a word from the Dictionary or simply thinks of one, then jots it down. You then place it into a paper clip so as to keep it secure and thus, prevent cheating.

After a bit of discussion you finally remove a wad of paper from your pant pocket and weed through it, ultimately finding the card/match book cover (whatever) that has a note on it that reads; “on Jan. 3, 2010 Sarah will think of the word bromide.” I have a personal habit of having a pocket full of miscellaneous papers stuffed in my pockets almost constantly. Frequently these slips have notes on them which is the ruse that conceals what’s really up – a.) You discover what the “thought of” or located word from the book/dictionary is via your preferred covert method. Given the impromptu (no prop) methods being discussed here, I’ll suggest you go with Acidus Novus (you can use a Center Tear but it’s the most illogical technique you can use in this case; AN or a standard Billet handling is far more “innocent” in appearance.) b.) You pocket write the information gleaned. Needless to say you will already have the date followed by a blank spot for the name or initials of your helper followed by the words “will think of the word” followed by your second blank for the revelation word. (And yes, this takes some practice to do) I’ll not bore you with the myriad of others that can work just off the premise of true improvisation or some limited on-the-spot (preshow) arrangements. No doubt with a pocket full of gimmicks such as imp pads, swamis, and peek wallets you could easily add to this list but there is one convenient commercial piece I’ll suggest in that I use it and too, it ties in brilliantly when discussing the paranormal and psychic issues. I refer to my friend Joshua Quinn’s ASCENSION, it readily fits in your shirt pocket and has a very innocent appearance about it (I and certain others have even gone as far as to use the template and transform these

Dictionary Premonition – is a Pocket Writing routine that I classify as “Improvisational” in that you can most likely find a pencil, break it in half and have a stubby in your pocket for doing the deed. Thus, it is still something that’s readily seen as spur of the moment and not of a major pre-set. 2

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little Horoscope books into a kind of pitchbook, complete with legit ads and retail displays so as to add to this piece’s value). Creating the idea of a ghostly presence at the improvisational level is, in my opinion, one of the best sorts of demonstrations you, as an entertainer/Paranormalist can deliver. When we start resorting to trickery via device, we may get a sense of confident reaction but we have weakened our footing by offering the potential for explanation – the “out” for our victims. This is why I feel it most wise to walk in as clean and prop free as you possibly can; not only is this sort of effort closer to how things work in the real world of the Paranormalist, it is one of the best ways of exercising your own grey matter on things found in all those books you studied early on, about mentalism and bizarre performance but set to the side so as to embrace store-bought novelties in current vogue. There’s nothing wrong with owning such contraptions but understand that they are just that… a TRAP. A true master of magical things would not be limited to such, so it might be worth considering this particular challenge and working towards said progressive edge.

But What Else Can I Possibly Do? Whines the less resourceful. One of the most convenient skills every mystery performer shouldn’t only know but master is the art of Muscle Reading; it simply empowers you to create far too many miracles or kinds of manifestations. When it comes to the idea of Séance & Ghostly visits there are at least a half-dozen or more “common” applications we must consider; 1. Table Tipping – it’s a classic of Spiritualism and yet, an exceptionally rare course of demonstration in today’s world. Oddly, I’ve found a good numbers of the right sort of table just waiting to be exploited in numerous libraries, coffee shops, bookstores, eateries and homes. I’d be an idiot to not exploit what the gods have provided me with… now wouldn’t I? 2. Rapping Communion – is likewise a classic of yesteryear Spiritualist practice that works with ideomotor response. It is a kind of pendulum technique in which you place a borrowed finger-ring suspended on a string, within a glass that is tipped just enough to allow the “pendulum” to swing and readily tap the sides of the glass. I prefer using a long stemmed wine glass for this, having the patron hold to the base of the glass in that it creates a stronger sensitivity. The rest is quite simple; one ting = No; two tings = Yes… alternatively, you can count the number of 8

tings the ring makes as it clinks the side of the glass and use that number to correspond to letters in the alphabet or items positions in a list or on a table. NOTE: This same sort of process was/can be done with the table tipping approach, using the number of raps the table legs create as it bounces up and down. 3.

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The Wine Glass Planchette – another common bit of business that predates the Victorian era by generations. The basic idea being to use an inverted glass (again, the wine glass makes for the better instrument) sat onto a smooth (well polished, or glass) surface can be used in the same exact manner as you would the Planchette of an OUIJA Board. Just use some Business cards to make up your Alphabet, Number, Yes, No, Maybe and Uncertain curds + Goodbye and voila! You are set for a full evening of message bearing.

4. Automatic Writing – believe it or not you can actually hone your MR skills to the point of being able to discern the letters, shapes and words others merely think. Some accomplish this faster and easier than others, but the affect it has on sitters when you transcribe the name of that loved one they are merely thinking of, following it up with a “message” apparently from that disembodied soul while in a trance state… trust me, you can become the head of your own cult by doing this just once with the right group of suckers…patrons. If you are not yet efficient enough to work in this manner then consider using a chart with the letters & numbers 1-9 and merely using a one hand to locate the letters while the other hand writes. Similarly, there are legitimate Planchettes that have a place to insert a pencil that were used in Victorian times for doing this sort of message bearing test. I know that such is not “impromptu” in its nature, but it is something you should keep in mind. So now you have a handful of “basic” ideas that allow you to open up conversation whilst lending an introductory sense of demonstration,

The Wine Glass Planchette – I highly recommend Paul Bell’s amazing treatise of working a “legit” Séance entitled “The Paranormal Entertainer”. It is available in ebook form through Lebanon Circle.

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but what else is there and how do we achieve the affect of delivering a genuine “Séance”?

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In Culture After Culture, People Believe That The Soul Lives On After Death, That Rituals Can Change The Physical World And Divine The Truth, And That Illness And Misfortune Are Caused And Alleviated By Spirits, Ghosts, Saints ... And Gods. Steven Pinker, How The Mind Works

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he concept of hosting a Séance is, in many ways, exaggerated; especially within the mind of the typical magic buff. We want to show off our knowledge and skill and thus, our ego blinds us to the power of both, silence and simplicity.

The first thing to bear in mind is that a Séance needn’t be some kind of long, drawn-out ritual in which you set around a table holding hands in a dark room. A séance, as we understand the idea in today’s world, is simply the act of establishing some sort of “proof” that a spirit is present and, all going well, gain some sort of communication, what the old timers referred to as “Message Bearing” between us and those on the other side of the proverbial veil. With this in mind we need to consider the second “rule” pertaining not just to séance situations but any situation in which we are involving things paranormal; Less is Always More! Within the world of the believer, seeing something more just a inch across the table can be more acceptable as a reality, than watching a candlestick move from one end of a buffet table to the other; the latter being so dramatic and large manifestation that it creates a reason to question it and thus, doubt its authenticity. Sadly though, we magicians seem to have a deep need to go far beyond what is required and too, we tend to ignore the idea of exploiting the subliminal. Side Effects…

I’ve talked about this issue at length in my Psychic Technologies book (Vol I) and when it comes to the Improvisational Séance, I’ve found that

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exploiting this course of action can prove to be far more powerful than effects that you are drawing focus towards. Let me give you an example; Let’s say we are in that bookstore and we’ve come to the second phase of our demonstration routine. You have a book in hand in that you just did a book test. Focusing on the book you call out to the spirits to use the book as a way to communicate to you if they have a message. After a minute or two have gone by and no manifestation happens with the book you and your patrons are working with, the silence is suddenly shattered as a completely different book falls off the book shelf. Why would that happen? Because the message the spirit wants to convey is to be found in this second book. The thing is, you were nowhere near that book, it happened as a matter of happenstance. Needless to say, this is just a matter of some basic thread work and clever timing on your part. You pre-set the thread earlier when you were looking for a book to be used in the Book Test portion of your demo; the time between said selection and when this rather dramatic manifestation occurs, detours the thought processes as the result of displacement, making it quite difficult to reconstruct and figure out… at least that’s so with the average mortal. Though dramatic, this is one form of “side effect” work. The other, more preferred mode (for me) is to have things happen that I never direct attention to, allowing one or two members of the group to notice them. In a staged Séance setting that could be anything from a $400.00 mechanical candle that moves across the window seal to the use of vanishing-reappearing ink. I’ve even had instances in which I’ve used magnetic inks to temporarily spell out a word – a clue in a murder mystery – that only one or two people witness. Yes, it’s a serious throw-away of some rather high tech, expensive effects but when you step back and realize how such things affect people psychologically and too, how it gives members of your group the direct experience of what a psychic goes through in the real world; witnessing things that can’t later be replicated or proven… well, you will begin to see why I love the use of side-effects At the improvisational level there are but a handful of manifestations you can accomplish, most of it using thread, but if you do some research I’m confident you’ll find several subtle bits that can embellish your demonstration. 12

Do understand that manifestations of this kind that happen away from you and seemingly outside your control, cultivate the idea within your patron’s mind that they are actually in a haunted encounter, which is powerful stuff when presented and manipulated properly. Just don’t make a show of it, keep your inner-magician curbed or it will belittle the effort and take away from the psychological snare you are placing your audience in. Focus Effects…

This is where things happen based on what you are attempting to demonstrate, be it some kind of message conveyance from the other side or proof of a ghostly presence. The range of effects that are available for this side of things includes the various versions of PK/Spirit Touches as well as Spirit Writing of various kinds. When it comes to the Touching styled effects my favorite approach is similar to Lior Manor’s “Invisible Touch” in that there is absolutely no direct point of contact between you and the subject. When you blend this approach with the Banachek, Karmilovich, or McLeod methods you end up with a quite sensational bit of drama that may even result in some pee puddles. Of course, if that should happen its proof positive that you’re doing things right and folks are going to talk. I do understand that Lior’s handling entails an elastic loop. On the other hand, you can replicate the sensation via the use of a long human hair or piece of clear nylon thread that you pull from a shirt, coat or whatever else may prove convenient. While it may not be as effective or “clean” as the original, it still works and you can clean up by simply allowing the thread fall to the floor; possibly beneath a table that’s nearby. It must be remembered that PK also entails a wide variety of other manifestations in which objects move or contort. An understanding of physical principles that allow you to roll a pencil or animate other items with or without the use of that convenient hair/thread is a must and yet, this will depend greatly as to how you prefer to approach things. If mutilation of keys, spoons and other such articles is of your fancy the objective should be to isolate the article to be destroyed in some manner. I will generally do this by placing the item into the hand of one of the participants and then use verbiage to create the psychological belief that something is manipulating said item. It’s 13

standard stuff really, but rather than you taking credit or extending it to your helper, you are placing the onus onto the visiting spirit.. Message Bearing has, in many ways, become passé in modern times but it has remained a favorite for me in my style of work. Understand that there are many means by which to convey this aspect of spirit communication be it mini-slates or, given our improvisational focus, handlings the mirror the routines offered by both Banachek & Rick Maue. Steve’s handling entails a bit of pocket writing around the scenario while Rick’s approach requires a bit of preset and some clever manipulation of the business cards used. As I mentioned previously this is Rick’s TOCAPADMO a.k.a. iTwO CArd PADdle MOve. In my approach to this sort of manifestation I’ve combined bits from either source and to be honest with you, the whole scenario came about while I was in a New Age store in Reno, Nevada as I was overhearing a young man teasing his girlfriend because she believed in ghosts, etc. (they were in the book section on said topic in fact). I’d just picked up Steve’s PK Touches manuscript a week or two previous and was itching to try it out… as the old saying goes, I asked and thus, received… I conveniently ran into the couple and introduced myself as one of the Readers at the facility and the fact that I’d caught part of their conversation. I asked the young man if he’d be willing to participate in an experiment that might help him understand the fact that there are things in this world our conscious mind simply can’t perceive. With all in position, I offered my spin on the Banachek storyline in the manuscript (using my Grandfather in such tales is quite common; he or my baby sister who died just prior to her first birthday). The Youngman saw, with his own eyes, how the invisible force was actually present and it blew his mind. In step two I prepared to offer them both my card, inviting them to come back and have a Reading. It was in this course of action that I nonchalantly showed either side of the two cards an then, as if by second thought, I begged their indulgence for one more quick experiment. Fortunately I had my glorpy with me in that I had been playing around, experimenting with another bit using him e.g. the cards were tossed into the hank along with a pencil and voila! A response… a message from the beyond; in this instance the message was “I Am With You… G” 14

This message not only had the lad obviously shaken a bit but sent the girl into tears. Why? Earlier when they were kibitzing about ghosts, etc. she had mentioned feeling that her now gone fiancé was still around her and his name was “Gary” I simply pocket wrote the whole message on the card (so no one would see me doing so) before I approached the couple. I was in position to deliver said follow-up and in so doing hit them very hard; not just between the eyes but in the heart.

That’s Just Wrong! Screams the antagonist Maybe, it really depends on what you do with it and how such feed-back is employed. I have had training in Grief Counseling and was in fact a student in what’s known as “Death Walking” – a shamanic path in which you help those that are terminal in crossing over but likewise aid friends & family during the transition. Because of this I understood that the young lady’s quest to understand ghosts, spiritualism, hauntings, etc. came from her wanting to hold on to this missing person in her life e.g. I used this hard hitting bit of business as a way to bring her into my Reader’s Parlor and help her learn how to help herself out of the hole she was digging; my intentions were all for the sake of helping and healing, nothing more! I do not encourage anyone to take this step unless you are trained and prepared to do the follow-up and do it in such a way that is not exploitive on any level. Understand that this is a very old “trick” used by the charlatans who would suck in a mark and keep them on a hook for as long as they could. This was not and is not the intent here, nor should it be part of your personal agenda. I have brought out this example however, just to remind you as to how “real” such a simple routine can be and why caution and wisdom are required when dealing with spirits. Message Bearing can be quite powerful whether you are employing this sort of handling or something a bit more “trick-like” such as the Ghost Glass style of revelation. I know I used to carry around that little glass disc for years or some other version of the message I’d made up. Though it’s not “impromptu” it’s still pure dynamite when presented properly and of course, it’s a convenient piece to have on your person. 15

I Think A Person Who Is Thus Terrified With The Imagination Of Ghosts And Spectres Much More Reasonable, Than One Who Contrary To The Reports Of All Historians Sacred And Profane, Ancient And Modern, And To The Traditions Of All Nations, Thinks The Appearance Of Spirits Fabulous And Groundless. Joseph Addison The Spectator, 1711

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hus far the majority of what we have looked at centers on what can be done on the spot without much, if any prep – true “Improvisation”. What now follows are ideas as to what we can accomplish when prepared and have things seriously thought through; the course of the thespian made medium – the magician made mystic.

Throughout most of the world into which the Western-European ideas of “civilization” have not encroached, at least not grossly, you will find the concept of magic (as in illusion & slight-of-hand) as being part of the sacred; a knowledge that has been set aside for the local shaman. The irony being that most all in the village know that this “Magick” really is trickery and though they may not be fully educated, when it comes to their tribe’s acceptance of said deceptions, the do understand what the real “power” of that magick is – a psychological tool used by the shaman for eliciting a personal course of validation or, as we might look at it, a Placebo that encourages us to heal our selves or stand with greater confidence, etc. I share this bit of anthropological reality so that you can understand how and why people tend to buy into deception when it is presented within proper context and too, how such presentations can literally empower an individual to the level of becoming seen as a holy one – a person worthy of worship and homage. So much so that if another were to walk into the village and present magic in the form of entertainment and their skill prove greater and more enchanting than that of their Shaman, you could readily find yourself facing a hit squad in that 16

you are a threat to that Elder’s territory and influence; the psychology of it all readily seen in the famed Light & Heavy Chest demonstration of a certain Mr. Houdin. The point is, these medicine men (and women) were always prepared and thus, we find for ourselves a demonstration as to what it means to be a modern-day shaman; one that is prepared to create the seeming miraculous at the drop of a hat. The challenge is however, to place our audience into that trance-like state in which disbelief is banished and the conscious mind absorbs what we deliver, validating it as reality. Accomplishing these miracles means that we must do our homework and work without the boundaries of a personal check list. For an example, when I am heading out the door and know that there is a serious probability of doing a few bits I make certain that I have some kind of thread reel on hand, a couple of loops, a magnet on the knee and one on my wrist as well as the PK ring. Add to that pile my Butterfly (imp pad), business cards (billets) a couple of extra pens/pencils (oft times including a PK type Pen/Pencil or Lighter type item) and of course one or two Swami Devices. In short, I’m loaded for bear and between all of this stuff and my wits, can easily deliver 60+ minutes of amusement. That however, is not the point! When it comes to a Paranormal Demonstration such as we’ve been discussing the goal is to equip yourself with the right tools for creating said fantasy; IT and Magnets are dynamite when it comes to this, along side a fair understanding of billet work. I do not recommend any kind of wallet/peek device OTHER THAN (maybe) the Versadex wallet in that it can be used in Message Bearing routines. I’m not big on “devices” but there are a few that I will suggest for this course of action, starting with two wonderful bits from Paper Crane Productions – FALL and WOUNDED. Though the latter is something I’d use very sparingly, in that it is a powerful way of punctuating your psi abilities or, in the case of ghostly encounters, the presence of a restless and malevolent entity. FALL however, is a fantastic follow-up or prelude to the PK Touch arrangement that will have your guests squealing. The other item I’ll make not of at this point is TARANTULA by Yigal Mesika It is quite possibly the best ITR device ever released to the general market and the things it allows you to manifest as psychokinetic energy, boggles the mind. I’m not a huge fan of thread work in that I tend to be all thumbs and 17

whenever I go to use it in a performance, it fails me… though it works every time during practice and rehearsals.

Another awesome PK device (though pricey) is Tim Wisseman & Matt Sconce’s MAGE TOUCH; I can see tons of potential with this self contained system, but as I stated, it would prove a rather costly course of venture for the non-professional, ringing in at around $300.00 through Hocus Pocus. Where all of these gadgets and gimmicks can be fun as well as empowering they are not the “secret” behind effective Séance work. That my friends centers on something you more than likely have with you at all times and even use with exceptional regularity – your own voice. The true “art” behind the Séance has little to nothing to do with “magic” as we generally know and accept it. It does however host an exceptionally strong rapport with the world of the Orator and thus, our ability to pace & lead our patrons through the spiel we manipulate in the creation of our personal web, as it were. We really are the Spider out to catch the Fly and to do so we must not only know the stories being spun, but how to convey them to our audience in a manner that invokes the imagination and in so doing evokes thoughts of eerie fantasy. A master of voice and storytelling can take five minutes in setting the plot and depart; leaving his patrons in a dark room alone with nothing other than their mind. The end result oft times being encounters with the dearly departed in that their mind created said encounter; you had next to nothing to do with it, outside the act of planting a psychological seed. I frequently joke about having the local star quarter-back squeal like a little girl or situations in which pee really does run down people’s leg when doing this kind of work; I’m not kidding you when I say that these are indicators that you’ve not only sucked them into your world, but that you have found how to accomplish your task and thus, reach your goal; not so much as scaring the hell out of the poor souls, but most certainly the act of giving them a firm jolt when it comes to the idea that they may not be alone.

The Moral Of The Story Being… well, become a damn good storyteller and then see the props and tricks as means to accent and punctuate what it is you present. This exercise accomplishing two important things; aiding you in understanding the skill of verbal 18

manipulation of others, and second, how and why you need to filter the effects you choose to do within a Haunted setting and why. After all, the Haunted Deck is a great illusion but not when taken out of context; if you just do it for the sake of doing it, it’s not just an obvious card trick but likewise an obvious tricked deck. On the other hand, if you are working in one of those Old West themed amusement parks and speaking of gamblers and card sharks of the past, the spirited cutting of a deck could be just the thing to throw your audience over, proving to them that ghosts are in fact real and in their presence. As “magicians” it is a habit of ours to constantly seek out the proverbial “Holy Grail”; that one effect or system that will make the world our oyster. Sadly, it takes some of us decades before we wake up to the fact that such an effect doesn’t exist… sort of. There are a few exceptions but only in an exaggerated way; •

The Thumb Tip – one of the most universal miracle devices in all of magic history, bar none!

•

The Swami Gimmick – regardless of the style of nail writing device you prefer, this is an amazingly flexible tool that allows us to create outstanding miracles.

•

Billet Technique – for the mentalist billets come hauntingly close to being the “ultimate” solution to creating an expedient means of establishing a solid effect. Billets, in and of themselves, have been the backbone to more careers than just about any other system associated with Mentalism with one important co-sembient exception;

•

Cold Reading – a technique that Corinda himself, heralded as being the ultimate skill of purest mentalism and quite seriously the most potentially lucrative practice any one of us can employ. It can be readily said that Cold Reading defines what mentalism is all about in that it sustains and refines 99% of what we present in some way.

So let’s not look at the issue of gimmicks & devices as being our “solution” to everything we believe need be done in a Séance presentation and more importantly, the convenient Pocket Séance idea we are trying to create via this material; material that has undoubtedly frustrated more than a few of you that are reading it, in that I’ve not yet 19

touched upon or explained actual effects or routines so, as the say, “Where’s the meat?” The short and most honest answer to that question is that the “meat” the real message of this dissertation and the solution for creating a solid bit of “improvisational” spirit manifestation is something you’ve had all along – your own sense of creativity. I loathe sharing exact routines for the most part. Like my buddy Rick Maue and several others out there, I want to give you the rudiments of what can be done and generally how, but leave it to you when it comes to creating “the act”. This way you end up with material that belongs to you vs. a poor impersonation of someone else. I don’t mean that in an insulting way, only in lieu of the fact that no two people are the same and, as I’ve pointed out numerous times, what works for one person probably won’t work for another; either you will be accused of copying someone else or you simply can’t sell the routine as it was originally presented. A rather funny story along these lines involves my old friend Franz Harary, probably one of the more noted illusion designers of our era as well as being a quite unique performer. One of Franz’s more famous illusions was originally known as the “Janet Box” in that it was built for singer-dancer Janet Jackson; one of the early versions of the prop going to David Copperfield, which is where, most of us first saw it as a multiple cutting effect. Long story short, Franz was doing a show in which the bit was featured only to be confronted by a magician following the show, complimenting him on doing “that Copperfield trick”.

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She's A Cool Ghost. Maybe Me Being Nude All The Time Is Why We Get Along. Matthew McConaughey

My Li’l Sister… One of the most valuable lessons I was given during my days working with Kirkham, was to always tell the truth in that it was always the best way to throw people off your trail. I know that sounds rather cynical but sadly, it is a reality in this particular era in which most every thinks themselves cunning and clever with it comes to semantics and linguistic gymnastics via which the “TRUTH” becomes rather shaded and less discernable; defended only on the grounds of who can afford the better lawyer or, as it seems to be in our “magician’s fraternity” who you hold close ties with. Such things are not however, the point… I’ve explained to young people for years, as has most every drama coach, professor of theater/acting, and writing pros, that you MUST create your image and your stories based on “truth”. Yes, I’m fully aware that I mentioned this earlier and even gave you a few examples as to how this works. The following routine stemming from one of my personal truth; the loss of a baby sister sometime in 1964, just prior to my own birthday; her condition being a birth defect that is readily fixed in today’s era but back then… well, it was quite rare that a child born with a perforated heart lived to see their 5th birthday. Her name was Carla Sue and given the fact that she was an infant I superimposed an impish character around her along side the legend that she was always with me. Making certain that folks I was around with any frequency, weren’t only aware of her but one of her more disturbing habits; Seems she liked to pinch and poke people that she liked.. Bear in mind, I was using this ploy long before PK Touches came out, nor had I read about the original premise. Nonetheless, I found that I could plant a very simple psychological seed in people’s minds and based on the level of my own sincerity, have them experience my baby sister’s presence. How does it work? 21

Think about one of the classic psychological demonstrations from high school; either biting into an Onion or Lemon. Think of how you physically reacted, how you own mouth watered and puckered a bit just at the thought of doing such a thing. Consider how, when you’ve had a bug (especially one that kind of creepy crawly, like a spider or cockroach). Just from that second or two of seeing it and feeling it on you, you will be almost constantly dusting yourself off for an hour or more after the fact – you believe there are more bugs and you feel them all over your body. In part, this is the essence I’m borrowing from but there are a few other psychological elements, the most important of which is the line about how she will poke and pinch people she likes… Think about this; everyone wants to be liked, but in this case there is one other attraction that emboldens this desire – the idea of being “loved” by a cute little girl who died a tragic death in infancy. In other words, we deliberately pluck at the heart-strings of our patrons through this tale, one that could use a pet that met a tragic end or most anything else that people would be drawn to… OR… … you can go in the other direction Talk about you pert Tarantula or any other type of “bug” incident. My focus on pets, siblings, etc. centers only on the fact that we are looking at a Séance or Haunted set of circumstances; do bear in mind however, that this same basic story line could tie into a local legend or a circumstance that’s tied to one of the sitters or friend in which they are being haunted by a familiar entity. I love playing with this sort of psychological manipulation in that there is a myriad of things you can do with it, especially given the subject of Ghosties and Séance. Just sitting a single person or small group in a dark room with a single candle burning, taking them into a guided meditative state and then leaving them alone for a solid half hour, will bring about uncanny reactions and even “healing” moments for folks. You’ve done nothing but set the stage within their own mind and then turned things over to the subconscious. In many ways this “technique” really is the Jedi Mind Trick in that is hosts other “real world” applications that I will not go into presently, just so we can stay on topic. I can only tell you that it’s worth researching and experimenting with. 22

In the case of Carla Sue I use her when I do my favorite “improvisational” routine; the very bit of shtick that inspired this book in fact and one that I shared some years ago, with the gang @ Magic Bunny in the UK. As you will see however, the routine has evolved a bit since then. As with all things of this sort, you have your conversation leading into the idea of Ghosts and paranormal manifestations, emphasizing your sense of “belief” based on this or that information, be it a personal experience (which works best) or some kind of analytical data, which can appeal to those patrons that are more cerebral by nature. My approach is almost always from the personal or familial ties point of view with the onus set upon Carla or my maternal grandfather (unless I’m working with one of my “possessed” artifacts, of course.) The important part of procedure being to plant those seeds and references early in the conversation; let’s use the premise behind Banachek’s PK Touches as an example… Steve’s tale centers on the old game he and his grandfather or uncle used to play… the tapping on the shoulder bit. As you converse with folks you have a myriad of “openings” available to you that will aid in an early introduction to your “familiar” and some of its antics (remember the bugs). Rather than giving a presentational bit of business such as you find in the PK Touches manuscript, you take five or so minutes to condition the subject(s). In this case I want them to feel the pokes & pinches offered by my baby sister so part of my early story line will deliver to important images by way of words; I will talk about being in the scouts and having a dream about a ghost or whatever, only to wake up and find some sort of bug or bugs crawling all over me. This cue is neat in that it allows you to be a hint skeptical in your approach to the issue of ghosts and explaining some of the phenomenon away. At the same time you have planted a psychological cue or “picture” in their mind pertaining to bugs; your follow-up being to discuss your sibling’s habit of pinching & poking. Now you just watch, you’ll see them swatting at things and wiggling here and there within a few minutes (sometimes seconds) after setting up these two similar cues. If the patron’s don’t comment on this phenomenon you can either “remind” them about your sibling’s antics or simply move into the next phase of things. 23

If you “remind” them the approach would be something like, “(smile) seems someone likes you…” You say this as you catch them in motion to deflect a non-existent bug or you sibling’s little hands. But you must catch them in the act of “readjusting” themselves so that it becomes an observed and semi-embarrassing position for them. No, this is not to be a cruelty but put yourself in their place; the majority of the world kindof-sortof believes in the paranormal but at the same time they don’t want to encounter it e.g. when you point to the one fidgeting the most AFTER you’ve commented on the sibling’s habits, the patron cannot sweep the experience under the proverbial rug. This is especially so when you have a small group of their peers present (and I can nearly guarantee you, if there are 3-6 people in the group you will have at least one damn near dancing the jig as the result of you suggestions, that’s the one you need to single out.) At this point you really need to put on your best thespian face and proceed. “If you’d like I can ask her to stop.” Regardless of what they say in response you have an after thought, “But before we do that… “ This is where you begin the set-up for doing PK Touches (via you favorite method). You will need to weave a story of some sort as to how you and sister dearest came up with said game and move on from there completing the standard routine. Of course, you have, during all this prelude period, discovered that tid bit of personal information you want to feed back to the client via your spirit message

Summary Yes, I’m quite aware that I’ve more or less repeated something I’d shared with you previously, my goal being to offer you some deeper refinements; revealing how the staging of this sort of thing isn’t as simple as walking up and doing a trick… you can do that, but folks will see you as being a magician NOT a psychic or Paranormalist or any sort of “expert” per se. Unlike magic, mentalism absorbs a good amount of time in order to set things up psychologically. In this particular breakdown of our primary routine, I’ve shown how I take 5-10 minutes of general conversation time; just to plant the psychological “anchors” I want in the minds of my patrons long before I start any sort of “experiment”. 24

The other thing I hope you have seen via this second perspective, is how I use the actions in and around both, the conversation and the PK Touch routine, as misdirection for my Pocket Writing venture… or, whatever else I might want to have at the ready. Many years ago I was having a wonderful conversation with Shimada about timing and misdirection; he and I both discovering how to make “a move” on the “off beat”. That is to say, you have things at the ready long before you use them. For an example, you stole the dove two or three moves prior to its production and in so doing, no one sees the all so common tattle-tale moves found in 98% of the bird acts out there. With Mentalism getting ahead of the game is what allows miracles to become manifest. The whole genre of Pre-show proves that working from this point of position lends to the performer an amazing sense of advantage – psychological advantage that even throws off the investigations of your detractors and critics. Not to be arrogant, but I believe this one secret is worth more than you paid for this complete treatment; my experiences and those of others in my world, testifies to that fact.. I sincerely hope you will consider it and chose to apply it in your work over the years ahead.. but let’s move on.

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Psychoanalysis Has Taught That The Dead -- A Dead Parent, For Example -- Can Be More Alive For Us, More Powerful, More Scary, Than The Living. It Is The Question Of Ghosts. Jacques Derrida New York Times Magazine

In 2003 Magic Castle Medium Mark Edward released his book “BUNDLES’ which, if you go by the ad’s wordage, offers a most wonderful concept; to be able to walk into a room with nothing other than a collection of old letters, post cards, etc. secured by a ribbon or some twin. In exploring each of these letters, or the select few, the Medium would be able to create some sense of Séance – a unique manifestation that is intricately tied to the person or people focused upon in that single bit of post. I actually loved this idea and even in reading through it, found several clever ideas but “little meat”. That is to say, Mark did not take the basic tenet to what he was expressing and turn it into the practical niche system it could be. Just pause for a moment and think of all the effects you’ve read about that employ envelopes. Add to this simple card manipulation techniques, psychological controls, etc. and you find yourself cultivating, within your own mind, a genuine miracle show in which no two performances are alike in that everything is based on random selection. What follows are but a couple of ideas for you to consider but my real hope is that this concept sparks your imagination.

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Shhh… It’s a Secret! i

TOCAPADMO by Rick Maue {The Book of Haunted Magick pg. 49}

Two cards are held by the left hand in a mechanic’s grip. The top card is blank on both sides, and the bottom card has a message written upon it’s underside. The top card is then taken between the right fingers and thumb as if to deal it. Gesture with the right hand to direct attention to it and begin to run the card over. The moment that you begin the turning motion, SIMULTANEOUSLY begin executing a paddle move with the left hand. Take note during the sequence that the card in the left hand never turns over, but the card in the right hand does. It is also important to notice that the right hand is held just a little higher and closer to the spectators. That , in addition to the fact that the right hand begins to move a faction of a second before the left, is why it receives all of the attention, thu7s making the actual paddle move almost invisible. When the action is completed, it is important that both cards come to rest in the EXACT same position in each hand at the exact same time. They are pinched between the first two fingers (on top() and the thumb( underneath) with the other fingers outstretched. As stated earlier, it is the addition of the second card that makes this so much more deceptive than a standard paddle move with a business card. This is because the right hand motion is the lead action and it looks (and is) completely legitimate. Once again, this takes the attention from the actual paddle move. When both cards come to rest in the EXACT same position, it is a perfect illusion that both hands performed the same natural action. AUTHOR’S NOTE: Following Rick’s description to this Utility Move Rick offers a routine known as TAROT & BEYOND (pg. 52) that serves as the cornerstone to my personal routine of “Spirit Writing”. TOCAPADMO Printed with Permission Rick Maue – February 2009

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