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“The Busch Factor” by Richard Busch
Review by Anthony Jacquin

The Busch Factor provides a fresh and compelling look at how mentalists can build connection and intimacy with their participants so that they can heighten the impact their presentations have. This is achieved by eliciting and developing what Busch calls the ‘hypnotic relationship’. It is a passionate and in places poignant examination of issues that mystery performers should in my opinion be aware of and examine. However this is not just a book of theory. It is very much about practical applications and has over 20 effects to get your creative juices flowing. Although stage hypnotists will benefit from reading TBF it is very much a book for mentalists. As Busch makes clear the hypnotic relationship is genuine mentalism.
The book begins with a wonderful introduction that immediately seized my attention and at the same time sent my mind reeling. I will not spoil the surprise and tell you who wrote it. It is good enough that I read it twice before turning another page.
Busch then begins to define TBF by challenging and effectively destroying many of the common misconceptions regarding hypnosis. These misconceptions have I am sure kept some mentalists away from hypnosis and equally encouraged others to adopt the charging forceful approach of the cliché hypno-bull. I was surprised and pleased to find that as well as turning to dust some of the more well known misconceptions Busch also set his sights on the oft repeated myth that ‘All hypnosis is self-hypnosis’. I have never believed this as my experience with this art just does not support it. However do not be fooled into thinking that the only alternative to this position is that hypnosis is therefore something you do to people by bending their will. By the end of the introduction it is clear that there is a third way and Busch takes it, going straight between the horns. He demonstrates that if we begin to think of hypnosis as a relationship it logically follows that to cultivate that relationship you should work with your participant in an ever evolving dance rather than working on them. The hypnotic relationship is therefore an experience built upon a foundation of connection and raised awareness then refined using the focused guided attention of your participants mind and suggestion. This is real mind power that uses the tools we all have: concentration, imagination and creativity, should we choose to use them.
The subtitle of the book hints at the practical possibilities of The Busch Factor.
“Eliciting the Mind/Body’s Hypnotic-Ideomotor Expression: The Hypnotic Relationship Its Theory and Practice in The Art of Mentalism”.
The ideomotor expression is something that is dear to me in both my work as a hypnotist and mentalist. I love using what I call the ‘soft touch’ or ‘invisible touch’ of hypnosis in my mentalism effects. Ideomotor movements are a great example of that. If you are not familiar with ideomotor expression it is really pretty simple - when a sincere thought is held with focused attention the body will respond and reveal it. How can a mentalist not be excited by that?
Eliciting this expression both concentrates and releases the mind. You will find that by bringing your participants attention down to one point you can then send it scattering. That is not something mystery performers can afford to ignore.
Clearly many mentalists are already aware of some of the possibilities of ideomotor work and use pendulums or perhaps Ouija in their work. There are so many other ways to use this stuff though and Busch outlines many classic examples and some that were entirely new to me but immediately made it into my repertoire.
I appreciate that for some the surface effect achieved with ideomotor work can just seem too small and certainly if delivered with a blasé presentation can fall into the realm of being a playground trick. However I urge you to keep the foundation of TBF in mind and I can assure you these things fly. They fascinate the mind and build response potential. These physical effects serve as the means to achieve the connection with your participant and that will intensify the reactions you get. Mix it in to your standard mentalist methods and you can amaze your participants. Their amazement will be with their own abilities as much as yours because you are genuinely giving them an insight into the power of their own mind.
After outlining numerous physical applications Busch then outlines another dozen effects utilizing the TBF approach and ideomotor expression. Many of these are classics revisited, most are impromptu, many are propless, some use props that you may have long since put in the back of the drawer. Even when revisiting a classic such as coin in hand or haunted key or a card effect Busch will show you something new and further your understanding of TBF as a whole. Taking the smallest effect or trick or puzzle and loading it up with potential so it becomes a fascinating experience is common to all of the routines in TBF. Certainly the routines are best suited to more intimate settings rather than a rushed walk around set or large stage presentation. However in the right setting they play extremely well. More importantly they will provoke your own creative mind.
The writing voice of Busch has a folksy quality I love. It makes this work easily accessible yet still it carries so much weight and wisdom with it. Throughout the book I really felt he was talking to me, showing me things, teaching me things and gently lifting me out of any entrenched views I had picked up along the way. The book is peppered with intriguing insights that will both challenge you and encourage you to look again at how you can mix hypnosis with mentalism without resorting to the style of the cliché stage hypnotist, indeed without mentioning the word hypnosis ever again.
This is a book I consider to be important and one that I recommend to every mentalist who I train in hypnosis. It is a book I will come back to again and again. One to be grateful for, written by a master. One effect in particular is very well-known and costs far more to buy than the cost of TBF ... except that Richard teaches you his method without any gimmicks, completely impromptu! A true anywhere, anytime miracle.
Beautifully printed and bound in a hardcover limited edition of 500 copies. This book has never been widely publicized. You can only get it direct from Richard Busch from his website.
www.RichardBusch.com

Go to the Mentalism tab and pump in the password.
The cost, at the time of writing this, including postage is below.
In the USA: US $106 by PayPal.
In Canada: US $114 by PayPal.
Other Foreign: US $116 by PayPal

Any additional items ordered from his site will result in a savings because of a shared postage, plus a discount for ordering additional items. Contact Richard direct for these rates by e-mailing him at RichardBusch@RichardBusch.com.

If you have any questions about my interpretation of The Busch Factor then let me know.

Best regards,

Anthony Jacquin

Hmmm around £85... Sounds like it's worth it though!

I'm quite shocked

To date I was one of the few that gave that book a "reasonable" review only to have Richard raise all sorts of hell over not "being fair enough" and, in his mind, "not getting the point" and more or less being too "stupid" to do such.

Sorry, Richard is a great theorist but HE IS NOT A PERFORMER! What he has released, such as his "peeks" lean far more upon the shirt-tails of being a magician with 101 variants to the Center Tear than true novel thoughts, such as we find with Elliott Bresler.

The Busch Factor could prove quite heady for the average bear... a bit too much theory for most to digest let alone recognize just how to apply e.g. it is not one of those texts I find easy to recommend to anyone, other than those who have an overly analytical sense of processing.

Frankly, I feel it's worth less than half the asking price but I feel that way about all of Richard's books in that they tend to be 80% self-gratification, 15% explanation and 10% potential. The sad reality being that few "real world" mentalist rely on Richard's material at any level though a lot of magician and Magic Cafe members think him a god.

they tend to be 80% self-gratification, 15% explanation and 10% potential

105% in a book, well maybe that's why they're priced so high!

HI Craig,

hope all is well with you. Sorry to have shocked you I value it. I appreciate from reading other reviews that it polarizes opinion. I didn't realize his Peek work did though. I only read good things about it.

You say you posted a reasonable review of The Busch Factor is it on a forum anywhere I can read it? If it was reasonable I guess you found something of value in the book, what exactly?

Just for the record, this is the only Richard Busch product I own. No one is a God in my eyes.

Anthony

Jacquin wrote:HI Craig,

hope all is well with you. Sorry to have shocked you I value it. I appreciate from reading other reviews that it polarizes opinion. I didn't realize his Peek work did though. I only read good things about it.

You say you posted a reasonable review of The Busch Factor is it on a forum anywhere I can read it? If it was reasonable I guess you found something of value in the book, what exactly?

Just for the record, this is the only Richard Busch product I own. No one is a God in my eyes.

Anthony

It was one of the first reviews done on the book on VISIONS eZine. Within day's of it being posted Richard went to other members of the staff trying to get them to do a "corrected" review which didn't only shock folks, but really revealed him to be a rather small and desperate man.

I do fully understand why someone in your position and with your background would find reason to appreciate it; I did as well for what are probably the same reasons. For those same reasons however, I do not believe this a sound investment for the novice in that it could prove confusing as well as confounding.

Richard has soured himself in the minds and mouths of many in the past 3-5 years. It's sad actually, in that he could be a very nice gent to have enlightening conversation with. Unfortunately he has a desperation that seems to cancel out that good.

Thanks for letting me know Craig. The promotional material for the book and indeed throughout the book, Richard goes to some lengths to point out that it is not a book for the novice. I think that is made very clear.

It is a shame to hear that this has soured your relationship with him. I am sure if you were to converse on good terms it would be a wonderful conversation to listen too.

All the best

Anthony

A wonderful book, and a wonderful review.

Anthony, I have your book too, and have enjoyed it immensely. The Busch book is wonderful (imho). Everything I have read of his has been superb (the "Peek" books are great). He is a very talented man, having won several awards and honors from the PEA (Psychic Entertainers Association). There is a long list of top-notch entertainers that recognize the value of his work, but of course, not everybody will. I suppose that is true for all of us.

This particular book is a bit of a "niche" book, because it is not for beginners, and warrants a very careful study.

The fact that you found the book to be so valuable confirms my feelings, as I respect your opinion regarding this particular area of study, especially after having read your very informative book.