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Becoming A Mentalist by Craig Browning

PostPosted: Jun 10th, '06, 09:02
by bananafish


Here is Craig Brownings latest offering to Talk Magic. Right Click on the link below and select SaveTargetAs to save it to your hard disk.

Becoming A Mentalist

There were several links that don't appear to work since it was converted to a pdf, so I have list the links below if you wish to look up any of the references he mentions.

People
Joseph Dunninger. 1892-1975
Theo Annemann. 1907-1942
Ann Riva.
Houdini. 1874-1926
Harry Kellar. 1849-1922
Stephen Minch
Banachek
Bob Cassidy

Reading
13 Steps to Mentalism. Corinda
Practical Mental Magic. Theo. Annemann
Acidus Novus
The Compleat Magick, Bascom Jones
Psychological Thought Reading. Banachek
How to Develop Mental Magic. Paul R. Hadley.
Easy Readiing. Craig Browning
Jon St Germain's Books (John Riggs?)
Answers to Questions, Geo. DeLawrence (Robert Nelson)
Effective Answers to Questions. Robert Nelson
More Effective Answers to Questions. Robert Nelson
The Astrological Reader. Will Dexter
Confessions of a Medium. Anon
How to Read Sealed Messages. Robert Nelson
Kenton Knepper. Wonder Words
Mind Reading. Kenton Knepper
Psychic Skills Workshop. Millard Longman

Places
Stephens Magic EMporium
The Underground Collective

Techniques
Asian Face Reading
Somoatypes
Palmistry



Since writing this article I've come up with a list of additional "foundation resources" I think every newbie to Mentalism should STUDY;
Bob Cassidy's Mentalism {http://www.lybrary.com/bob-cassidys-mentalism-p-206.html?manufacturers_id=41&osCsid=de876c7facf610ff3497303133507b96} is at the top of this list because of the Principia Mentalia and 4 elements lessons outlined within it; these are priceless guidelines few seem to recognize at first but that always become understood the deeper one goes on this particular path.

FUNDAMENTALS {http://www.lybrary.com/fundamentals-p-562.html?manufacturers_id=41}, SWAMI TECH {http://www.lybrary.com/swami-tech-p-607.html?manufacturers_id=41},and The Real Work on Cold Reading {http://www.lybrary.com/the-real-work-of-cold-reading-p-563.html?manufacturers_id=41 are other Bob Cassidy titles I think every new comer needs to spend time with. Then again, Bob is one of the few I give very high marks to when it comes to "proper" mentalism processing and practice.

The other couple of books you might wish to invest in during your first year to two years of initial study include Lee Earle's Gentle Art of Cold Reading {http://www.stevensmagic.com/product/cd-s--cd-rom---gentle-art-of-cold-reading---book---cd-rom-__111829.htm} and Eliot Bresler's SWITCHCRAFT {https://sites.google.com/site/ebswitch/home}.


PostPosted: Jun 10th, '06, 10:18
by bronz
Just what I needed. Thanks Craig :D


PostPosted: Jun 10th, '06, 11:48
by taneous
Thanks Craig - that's great :)


PostPosted: Jun 15th, '06, 02:12
by grum7n7
Wow, what a great guy!

thanks 8)


PostPosted: Jun 30th, '06, 18:27
by Dominick
Wow, that was quite an interesting read, Thank you for that.

:wink:


PostPosted: Jul 5th, '06, 00:07
by ian69

PostPosted: Jul 5th, '06, 00:35
by Craig Browning
ian69 wrote:Starting to put it into practice:

http://www.talkmagic.co.uk/ftopic11891-0-asc-120.php


I don't see what you're saying here Ian and how that thread relates to this one :roll:


PostPosted: Jul 5th, '06, 05:34
by ian69
If you look down the page you'll see my first ever palm readings (with quite good results, I think). I also took your advice and did it "seriously" rather than CR'ing it Rowland style.


PostPosted: Jul 5th, '06, 13:54
by Craig Browning
ian69 wrote:If you look down the page you'll see my first ever palm readings (with quite good results, I think). I also took your advice and did it "seriously" rather than CR'ing it Rowland style.


Ok... I saw that, just wasn't certain what you were pointing out.


Becoming a mentalist

PostPosted: Jul 28th, '06, 14:56
by DrTodd
This is fabulous. I can amend my growing reading list beyond the classics! Craig has provided an invaluable resource here, but he cautions quite correctly against impatience. Osterlind claims that the cups and balls and the linking rings need to be mastered like scales for a musician. Craig says the same for billet work and other foundational elements of mentalism.

If I look at most of the 'mentalist' stand-alone effects being sold today, it seems that a very large percentage of them use something from either Anneman or Corinda.

This PDF offers a great route for the serious practitioner.

Cheers,

Todd


PostPosted: Sep 30th, '06, 11:33
by lindz
wow that was interesting cheers that covers some areas im just getting into lots of helpful sources there. :D


PostPosted: Oct 5th, '06, 05:08
by johntheblob
Very nice thread. Thank you.


PostPosted: Oct 27th, '06, 20:15
by mccabe24
Thank you very much! This tread has got me interested and started on mentalism. I owe a lot to you, Craig :wink: .


PostPosted: Nov 9th, '06, 21:53
by supermagictom
Hmmmmmmmm, I had a feeling you were going to post that.

Maybe I would make a good mentalist.............

Cheers :D


PostPosted: Dec 7th, '06, 23:48
by Airamas
Well while I would have to agree that the recommendations are sound for one wanting to become a mentalist, I'm not sure how just reading the selected works would somehow empower you with the EXPIERENCE needed to become a PERFORMER.

Yes one must have a foundation in the craft to move forward but you will also need Acting, Public Speaking, Theater, and a plethora of other skills to perform and call yourself a mentalist.

You will have to learn to read people so some Psychology would help.

Anyway my point is you can't become a mentalist just by reading GET OUT THERE AND WORK.

That’s all for now.