Magic in mind

Downloaded from www.vanishingincmagic.com by Eric Eswin

EDITED by
Joshua Jay

Cover designed by
Vinny DePonto
Layout by
Andi Gladwin

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Magic in Mind was prepared in cooperation with the Society
of American Magicians, and the ebook will be made available

for free to all members worldwide.

www.vanishingincmagic.com

All rights reserved. The essays in this book are copyrighted by their
respective authors and used with permission. No portion may be
reproduced without written permission from the authors.

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AcknowledgEments

Magic in Mind started out as a project intended expressly for
serious young
during my two-year endeavor is this: age has little to do with
learning.

anyone
serious about getting serious in magic. So here we are.
Thanks to all the generous magicians who have allowed me

it a favor to me, and a favor to all those who will learn from his

Thanks to Stephen Minch, whose encouragement and “pull”
helped initiate the project.

Magic in Mind

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Ken Trombly, and Mike Vance.
Thank you to Vinny Grosso for involving me in the Society of
American Magicians, which compelled me to want to help their
youth program with this project.
into the presentation of these words.

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“It is my belief that magic
would be a greater
power for inspiration
and diversion in the

future than it has ever
been in the past, if we
really wished to make
it so. But do we wish to

make it so?”
—S. H. Sharpe

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Contents

Acknowledgements ............................................................................... 3
...................................................................... 11

Part One - Thinking Like a Magician
.... 17

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.............................................. 49
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Part Two - Thinking Like our Audiences Magic in Mind
................... 71
... 83

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....................................................................... 123
..................................................................... 129

Part Three - Categorizing Magic

........................ 133
............................................ 139
.................................................. 155

..................................... 159

Part Four - Effect

......................................... 169
..................................................... 183

.......................... 193

Part Five - Method

.................................. 201
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.................... 221
............ 233

........................................ 239

Part Six - Technique

Magic in Mind ...................................... 243
....................................... 263
.................................................... 269

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.................. 275
............................................... 289
................................................ 293
............................................... 301
.............................................................. 321

Part Seven - Presentation
.............................................................. 331
.................................................. 341
............................................................... 343
......................... 353

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Part Eight - Construction
....................................................... 373

.................................................................... 375
..................... 403

Part Nine - Get Your Act Together Magic in Mind
............................................................. 409
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Part Ten - Originality

......................................... 469
.................................................... 477

..................................... 483
................................................. 489

.......................... 497
.................................................... 503

Epilogue - Art in Magic

...................................................... 509
................... 511
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....................................................................... 541
........................................................................................... 543

Magic in Mind

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Introduction

By Joshua Jay

If you could spend time with one great magician, who would
it be?

question.

one person, one path, one ideology that we should search for. A
all of them.

all the books by all the greats is expensive, particularly to a young Magic in Mind
if our newbie had the money, many of the most important titles

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Magic in Mindhow to separate the best books from the rest, and what to read

Magic in Mind
the very best parts of the very best magic books. Some of the
greatest minds in the history of magic share their most guarded
secrets here, all with their generous consent. The advice spans
nearly two hundred years, thirty authors, and three languages.
their wisdom with you; Magic in Mind is available to you and all
serious magicians free.

on their subjects. And, as much as possible, the advice should

effect from each one, look up once in awhile, and think about
how these abstract ideas can be applied to your work.

persuasive arguments, but many of them unwittingly make

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predecessors.

same way works of art in an exhibition play off one another to

have at several points chosen opposing viewpoints on the same

with this essay or that magician—only that every single essay
makes you consider a viewpoint you had not, or that it helps
works of those magicians whose thoughts resonate with you.1
Many of these articles were written in a different era, directed
to a different audience. Some you will like, some you will hate.

Magic in Mind is not just food for thought. The opinions you form
during this experience will shape the magician you become.
Good luck.

2013

1.Remember that these essays are just excerpts—teasers, really—of much Magic in Mind
larger works. A full bibliography is provided at the end, on page 543, as are
URLs to easily obtain the books you are most interested in. 13

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PARTONE

THINKING LIKE A MAGICIAN

“The value of theory may not be
so much in telling you what to
think about your magic, but that
you should think about your magic
at all, that there is a method, a

process.”
—John Carney

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me that a logical starting point would be a discussion on why
theory in magic is helpful at all. And who better to explore
this issue than Tommy Wonder, who was until his last breath
in 2006, a living treasure in magic.

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The Limitations of Theory

By Tommy Wonder,
with Stephen Minch

Since a large part of this book and its companion volume

what theoretical discussions can do for us and how important
a part theoretical concerns can play in the realm of magical
performance.

of this they point to many such performers who never practiced Magic in Mind

formally studied the theories behind their work, but rely on
some instinctive feeling for what is right for them and what is
not.

There are also magicians who study and study, who know a
great deal about the theories of magic, but when they apply these
theories in their performances they fail to achieve the great magic

that theory seems to contribute little or nothing to the making of a
better performer.

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Magic in MindRaw Diamonds

that there is a certain some-thing, an instinctive insight, a raw
knowledge, that it is essential to have to become a good performer.
been given by nature, the better the performer one can become.

become, because even if one has all the talent in the world, it
still must be developed. Talent is like a raw diamond. An uncut
diamond is not particularly interesting, but once it is polished to
perfection, it becomes a thing of beauty. The same is true of talent.
The more talent, the bigger the raw diamond, the better one can

out the brilliance of a diamond.
The idea that, without talent, no amount of work can make one

tend to think that most, if not all people have some measure of
talent – maybe not much, maybe just a speck; but a tiny little
diamond polished to perfection is far more enjoyable than an

true, there is really no need to be worried about the amount of

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diamond is. There is nothing to be gained by feeling depressed
polish the gem we have; and we should only feel discouraged if

that the phrase lack of talent is often used as an excuse for lack of
polishing.

the amount of talent we imagine ourselves to have as an excuse.
These things are senseless and will never bring us any closer to
our goals.

Feeling Right

feel almost automatically how you should do things; you will
sense when it is right. The more magic you perform, the more
experience you gain and the more your sense for “what is right for
you” can be developed. This sense can become so sharp that, after
a time, you will even be able to tell when something is right just by
imagining yourself doing it. And you will certainly be able to tell
when it is right by actually trying it.

it that way; and suddenly you feel that a particular way is, well Magic in Mind
– just right. This feeling that something is just right for you is, in

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Magic in Mindmy opinion, the primary basis for making decisions, and should
never be ignored. Many great performers make decisions about
explain exactly why they do the things they do in a particular way
– but it just feels right.
This “right feeling” is a much better, much more secure basis for
deciding these things than any theoretical analysis can ever be. Of
course, the amount of “feeling” you have will depend on how much
natural talent you possess and how thoroughly this sense has been
a shaky, possibly even a misleading basis for making decisions.

to develop it as much as you can. The intuition, the feeling, must
achieve this development, basing decisions on intuition will be an
not yet possess.

magic so thoroughly and precisely that the extant body of theory

our theoretical understanding of magic today is still limited, and
is easily overshadowed by even a moderate amount of intuition or

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Why Theory?

become a great aid. Once you have decided that something
feels particularly right, thought guided by theory can give you
important insight concerning your decision. Understanding
why something feels good can lead you to more precise or

improve and broaden those hazy lessons that intuition presents
to us.

intuition alone is unlikely to achieve the full potential of the ideas

to twist a completely misshapen assumption into something

misuse of theory is possible because our theories are incomplete.
will ever understand it all.

fruits of our intuition. That is its real purpose. Once we have, Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindthrough theoretical analysis, made the vague feelings of intuition
concrete concepts, it is much easier to determine if and how the
teachings of our feelings can be improved and better applied.

Developing Intuition

way to develop your latent intuition for magic is by practicing

believe that theoretical analysis, when properly applied as we
impression that by having constantly examined those things
that have felt right to me in my magic, my sense of intuition for
what was right became better and surer. This might be because
my mind was made to delve regularly into these matters, and
my subconscious subsequently grew more at home with such
thoughts and more adept at handling them.

they can enhance whatever raw intelligence you might possess
gained by busying yourself with matters of theory.

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Refining Theory

To broaden our knowledge of theory, it is natural to presume
that further thought about these matters will deepen our

possible to carry such exercises too far: to focus on a certain theory
and, in an attempt to elaborate and, in an attempt to elaborate

believe that theory alone should be the basis for elaborating
further theory. The true basis must always be well-grounded
intuition.

The surest source of new theoretical ideas lies less in the theories
themselves, and far more in your sense of what is right for you.

feelings, you suddenly understand something, something new,
something that can be added to your theoretical knowledge. Also
watch for those times when you discover a bit of knowledge

theoretical knowledge grows. And the greater that knowledge
becomes, the better able we will be to understand our intuitive
thoughts, and to handle those thoughts and make the most of
them.

No Rules

say abused, as if it were a set of rules to be slavishly followed. Never
permit theory to become dogma. This can only lead to disaster. Our
theoretical knowledge is far too incomplete to forge rules from it.

to furthering our understanding of intuitive insight, and for this

Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindbe of value.
intuition might come to the conclusion – and quite rightly – that
prove wrong in performance. This of course undermines their trust
in their own sense of rightness. Others may have different reasons
as a means to compensate. This is perfectly understandable, but

them. Understand the importance of intuition and the subordinate
after time, it only means that it is still underdeveloped – or that the
be enlarged; but keep working and, if there is a little talent in you,
more and more, and that your intuitive decisions more frequently
turn out to be right.
Theory is extremely important – but it can never be more than an

The Books of Wonder, Volume 1
1996

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Tommy Wonder

of magician: he was equally talented up close or

in dance and theater, and all his work had an

attention to detail is evident in every aspect of
his performance. The Books of Wonder, from which
we will excerpt several times in this collection,
are his two-volume legacy, and worthy of careful
study.

Magic in Mind

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Magic in MindThanks to Mr. Wonder, we now have a basic understanding
of how theory can be useful. It’s almost time to start talking
about our magic.
But before we do that, let us consider a more fundamental
question: what is magic?
Magic means different things to different magicians. And the

obtained through complex means using natural science,

in creating, by misdirection of the senses, the mental

theatrical art of creating the illusion of impossibility in an

affect the way you perform it.

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On A Definition of Magic

By Charles Reynolds

“Magic is the theatrical art of
creating the illusion of impossibility

in an entertaining way.”
—Charles Reynolds

shows:

2. Shows of Skill: circus, juggling, acrobatics, etc.

Drama and magic, the only two types of shows of illusion, have Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindin quite different ways.

tale, the myth, the dream. Magic accepted on this level — as

seated desire to believe in the miraculous and in a dreamlike
is too impossible to be true.”

The
Forgotten Language, discusses those elements which are stored in
the subconscious mind as “the common origin of dreams, fairy

The Dragons of Eden quotes

This is, however, a second type of story that is told by every

can react to either of these elements in a magic performance or,
more often, to both of them at the same time.

but the audience knows it is an illusion. The audience can either
their disbelief and enjoy the illusion as entertainment. To the
inveterate puzzle-solver, to whom a magic performance is a
win-or-lose game in which the cleverness of the performer is
pitted against the analytical ability of the viewer, this is sadly, a
very tough idea to sell.

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Fifth Business, The Manticore, and World of Magic in Mind
Wonder
upon this in a lecture given in 1992:

but it is unwise to seek it too vigorously; there are lots of things
in life which are more enjoyable when they are not completely
understood. A good piece of magic is a work of art and should

destroyed it, and your own pleasure.
The true magical experience should be more about wonder than

that, “There is a great difference between not knowing how

appetite for marvels — its deep-seated desire to believe in magic.
Many magicians consider their job to be the performing of

other single factor.

playing the part of a magician,” and fundamental to the
theatrical character of the magician is that he possesses magic
not like to have magic powers that could be commanded at will,
so a theatrical performance which evokes those feelings can be
a very powerful one.

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Magic in MindThe operative word here is “power,” because, from primitive
man to audiences of today, the appeal of magic is intimately
related to the subconscious desire to control the often intractable
appeal of magic to children of ages seven to adolescence, who
are involved in solving the problems of power in their own

The “power” aspect of magic is also responsible for creating the
major problem in successfully presenting it as entertainment

“fooled” by a magical effect, it follows, all too logically, that they
have been made a “fool” of and, even worse, that they are a

deception, magic is the control of perception for the purpose

as he realizes that he is being bamboozled by sleight-of-hand,

The task of the magician is to make his audience enjoy the
impossible because it is impossible, not because they believe it
then magic is not excluded.

liar and the magician is that only the liar depends on being

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believed: “The magician “To my way of
merely conceals the method thinking, magic is
of his deception; for the not a term which
liar, this is not enough - he one can define
must hide the very fact of it. accurately. Like
Another essential difference: beauty, it is in
once the methodology - the
trick, if you like - is exposed,
magic ceases to be magical,
while a lie remains a lie even
after the liar is caught out.”

The initial problem of the mind of the
every magician, other than beholder.”
mastering his craft, is how
to diffuse the puzzle aspect —S.H. Sharpe
of the magical experience, or

at least make use of it. There
is no doubt that puzzles can
be entertaining but only as

a challenge to be solved; in
magic, if the puzzle is solved, the magic ceases to exist. To treat
magic as a contest in which the magician attempts to outwit the

to the strictly intellectual appeal of the puzzle.

arrow and the bow, and out of this dialectical tension, to create
a uniquely magical experience.

be found in the tension between opposites,” then perhaps this is Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindwhere the magical experience is created: in the tension between
heart and head, between emotion and intellect.

and wonder and the irrefutable fact that we do not know all

remain unsolved.
The good magician, who entertains through his personality
and his presentation, presents seemingly impossible feats that

performance is, for a brief period, to reinvest life with a sense of
mystery and wonder and strangeness. That is a great need and
it is taken away from most of us at a very early age.

compounded of mystery.” To the degree that magic, a small but
will continue to speak to its audiences as it has for thousands of
years.

Mystery School
2003

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Charles Reynolds

several illusions for both stage and television,
and is renowned for his long-time creative

essay explained to me across the table from Mr.
Reynolds, in the library of his home in Greenwich

will you.

Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindknowing how something’s done versus his knowing that it
that the spectator completely understands but cannot
comprehend.

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The Illusion of Impossibility

By Simon Aronson

The essence of magic is “doing the impossible.” The “doing”
is accomplished by the performer, but the “impossible” must
ultimately be supplied by the audience.

That one has witnessed the impossible is a conclusion, a judgment,
a determination that must be reached by each spectator — and

followed everything, that nothing has escaped his notice.

awareness of the laws of nature and the laws of logic — laws
which he “knows” like the back of his hand. The resulting
dichotomy is the determination of impossibility: he knows what
has just happened, and yet also knows that it cannot happen,

yet, you did it.

deceive him in any way you can, but you must produce both Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindeye,” or that something was confusing, then he will not reach
the certainty, the absolute conviction, that he knows what
carefully followed everything, if he thinks the subject matter is

not reach the conclusion of impossibility. The magician must
the spectator might be likely to consider. The spectator must
be actively engaged, so that his own mind and senses together
eliminate even the possibility that — let alone any explanation
of how — the effect could have taken place. There is a world of

The performance of magic today attempts to accomplish much:
engagement and involvement; the creation of a memorable,
unique persona or character; the display of skill, of artistry. All
of these are laudable goals. They are certainly necessary if the
art of magic is to survive in a competitive, demanding, fast-
the illusion of impossibility.
The art of magic is limitless. Our creations can be as clever as our
intellect, as subtle as our imagination, and as devilish as our will
to deceive. The feeling of impossibility is a fragile, ephemeral
goal; when achieved, it is transitory, lasting only for an instant.

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creation of magical effects. To paraphrase the philosophers, “the
impossible is as wonderful as it is rare.”

Simon Aronson
The Aronson Approach
1990

Simon Aronson

Simon Aronson is a renaissance man in magic.

a name for himself for his intricate inventions and
concepts with a pack of cards, particularly the
memorized deck. Aronson is also a philosopher
of magic, as well as a mentalist.

Magic in Mind

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When Paul Harris resurfaced in 1995 to release a trilogy of
his life’s work up to that point, he was a changed man. Gone

gain him international renown. Instead, Paul emerged with
a new worldview of magic: the theory of astonishment. It
has ushered in a new generation of magicians less concerned
with fanciful presentations and comedy shtick, and more
concerned with the magical experience in the minds of the
audience. Rarely does a piece of writing change the course of
magic, but that is just what the next few pages have done.

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Astonishment is Our Magic in Mind
Natural State of Mind

By Paul Harris

“If you take any activity, any art, any
discipline, any skill, take it and push
it as far as it has ever been pushed
before, push it into the wildest edge of
edges, then you force it into the realm

of real magic.”
—Tom Robbins

What?

edges.

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Magic in Minddo magic yourself. Someone did a trick for you that made you
covered glass through a table top. A moment of ecstatic bliss
where every thought was pulled from my face leaving nothing
more than empty space.

told a story or to make small talk but to experience that moment
do magic yourself, then...well, you could have this experience

game and into the ego game and with hard work and some good
jokes and maybe even into the money game.

some of your high-entertainment-value effects and despite
yourself a profound moment of astonishment is unleashed.
the conditions are just so...there it is, a moment of total white-
light astonishment. And you look at those astonished faces and

changed your easy relationship with the audience. Something

strange experience including yourself.

children were here to see this.” And for a moment you feel
your whole game fall apart. Doing magic for children can be

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of astonishment is a childish thing makes you wonder about

me feel like a child again” or “you made me feel like a little kid

these astonished adults are really trying to say, even though

they experienced a clear, primal state of mind that they associate
with a child’s state of mind. Somehow the adult experience of
astonishment triggered some feeling of what it felt like to be a
child.

italics button: The experience of astonishment is the experience of a
clear, primal state of mind that they associate with a child’s state of
mind.

takes you right up to the crumbling edge of everything we think
we are...and just beyond to a state of mind we experienced
naturally as small children but that society devalued then made
taboo as we became adults.

because there are no options, or opinions or judgments. There is

rules of the game. And you organize all of this information into Magic in Mind
little boxes. And when any new information comes along you

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Magic in Mindyour world-view.

wall of over-stuffed boxes.
And then along comes a focused piece of strange in the form of

box will hold it. At that moment of trying to box the unboxable

from arising you have the experience of going from a cluttered
adult mind to the original clear space. Gee, it almost makes you
feel like a kid again.
because we crave the security of our missing world-view, we
quickly build a new box. The “it-went-up-his-sleeve” box or the
takes. One thought, one guess, even a wrong one, and the boxes
all come back, natural mind gets covered up, and the moment
of astonishment is over.

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Astonishment is not an emotion that’s created. It’s an existing state
that’s revealed.

So what’s the point?

our culture as an “astonishment guide” who can help others
experience their natural state of mind. This is a galactic leap

primal experience is so powerful and the taboo of “losing” our
adult mind is so great that we water down the experience with

same team...equally responsible for getting the most out of the Magic in Mind
moment.

moment and sink into the astonishment will be rewarded with a
deeper, more sustained experience. Others who feel compelled
get what they pay for...non-astonishment.

of magic once they understand the new model and take

said it was like the difference between tossing down a beer and
astonishment.”

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Magic in Mindnatural state of mind. A place we should all experience more
often.
The tricks are simply tools to help unleash the moment.

In a nutshell. You’re using magical illusions to dissolve cultural
illusions in order to experience a moment of something real. The art of
astonishment, when pushed into the wildest edge of edges, is the art of
doing real magic.

produced and stuffed into a vinyl packet-trick wallet. This will

performing for awhile to break free of old patterns.
Until then, even if magic is just your way to relax and have fun

situation is right, let your audiences know that the moment

to unleash the moment. Some people will instantly relate to this,

of magic and magicians...quickening the evolution of the art.

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A bigger challenge is to train yourself not to step on the moment.
hurry on to the next trick. Resist the urge to run away from the
and let your astonishees have a complete experience.

Paul Harris

revolutionary close-up plots in the last half-
screen, and was a part of the team that conceived

Magic in Mind

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Magic in Mindcommercial considerations will take center stage. Although
even here you can splash around in the moment an extra beat or
two to let it resonate.

your participants understand the new game, then you can
start exploring the edges. These experimental performances
are your laboratory. So whenever possible check the results by
perceptions...so you can learn how to better extend or deepen or
enhance their astonishment experience next time.

straddling my past and current approaches to magic and can

pull back from the edge to the security of our current close-up
culture, take a break for some milk and cookies, then begin our
search for some unboxable pieces of strange.

The Art of Astonishment
1996

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John Carney

exponents of sleight-of-hand. A student of Dai

in the industry, and has performed choice spots
on major television networks. To counterbalance

created an alias, Mr. Mysto, a hapless mentalist
who bungles everything he does yet still manages
to amaze.

Magic in Mind

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The previous essays by Messrs. Reynolds, Aronson, and
Harris are lofty and abstract. The next passage is at turns
inspirational and instructive, but at all times applicable.
John Carney, one of the greatest living exponents of magic,
reminds us of the timeless lesson that there are no shortcuts
to mastery.

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