talkmagic.co.uk

Paul, that was absolutely beautiful... can I steal it for a book?

I would like to add the Enrique Enriquez series of books available at mevpro...excellent stuff and well worth the investment...I ditto the Ron Martin endorsements...his new swamp cards book is a great resource and an interesting blend between 'legit' reading and a mild bit of trickery

Julian (Bev) Moore's James Bond Classic Cold Reading system has made the difference for me with regard to getting out and doing readings. I understand that his palm reading book is very good also.

My advice is to have a system - this could be a 'genuine' system like palms or graphology, or one you have developed yourself.

All the best

James

most cold reading texts are too reductionist; they show you the parts, but spends very little time on the whole

you can a make a house out of bricks, but it's best to know the whole then work down to the parts.

d

abecedarianmind wrote:most cold reading texts are too reductionist; they show you the parts, but spends very little time on the whole

you can a make a house out of bricks, but it's best to know the whole then work down to the parts.

d

Could you explain this in simpler language for folks? It seems that you are trying very hard to sound either scholarly or superior to we peons

I've chimed back in on this thread because of an interesting "trend" I'm seeing; the fact that those "New" to mentalism (been involved for less than 10 years) keep recommending the newer, more biased materials, much of it composed by individuals who've NEVER made a living as a Reader, presenting to those that have purchased their books a pile of psychological theory that few of us are prepared to digest and properly employ. Too, what few make note on, is that even the author of such material is known to fall flat on their face from time to time because their theories don't work out.

The other side of this "trend" is recommending materials that are too advanced for the novice such as those composed by my friend Enrique Enriquez -- excellent material but not appropriate for the novice; it is more akin to a second and third year course of development AFTER you've created a decent foundation for yourself. His materials as well as the Rowland book, etc. simply aren't practical for those just now stepping into the proverbial pool even though the new generation of mentalism enthusiast are encouraged to think otherwise as the result of circumstance. Let me explain...

In around the same time Bizarre & Mental magic hit the popularity scene the Rowland & Tradecraft books came onto the horizon and were being pushed onto the new comers of Mentalism by the skeptic & cynic aspects of the magic culture. Even to the point of forgiving Ian on the exposure issue in that his book was not originally penned for the magic community but as a coffee table book for any and all within the standard society. As I understand it, he still offers it to the laity after his performances (I say this only based on what I've been told).

I fully admit that the Rowland book is loaded with some very solid material but that it is likewise heavily slanted and though edited heavily prior to the new release, the original offered an entire chapter dedicated to baiting and essentially stealing from local Readers and harassing them at multiple levels; an idea his supporters and promoters from within the world of magic just loved. Conversely they tend to down play and quietly detest people like Ron Martin and Richard Webster because they really are working Readers that know that the work does not require all the analytical silliness the skeptics/cynics want you to buy into.

Another Clarification... many of the people working as a Reader who are likewise Mentalists are in fact Skeptics but not Cynics. This latter attitude has come to the forefront over the past decade and has actually resulted in many an old timer RUNNING away from groups like CSICOPS and of course the Holy See of the JREF cult. The fanaticism of these self-described intellects has imposed on those that study magic and more specifically those that have a desire to work within mentalism, to not only disbelieve but in no uncertain manner discourage others when it comes to belief in anything spiritual, surreal, etc. There's is a black & white dogma that is simply unreal and not supported by science itself, which leaves room for "unknown factors" within its experiments and research processes.

Skeptics... real skeptics, approach things in a very open minded manner so as to learn and to be willing to be proven wrong. They are not out to convert everyone on the planet to Atheism and when it comes to the world of being a Reader, tend to be a quiet Police force that keeps the public and local authorities aware of the predators in the region who employ questionable tactics against the public. Like Houdini himself, they are there for the sake of Consumer Awareness and Protection, not to bludgeon the world into disbelief of any and all things. After all, some of the most noted figures of Science were men and women hosting strong religious backgrounds who were actually under threat by the church as the result of their discoveries and revelations. That however is another point altogether.

I'm not trying to say that "my way is the only way" only that what I have discovered after nearly 30 years of being a Reader on a fairly steady basis, is that it is best to start with the most basic of the basics and slowly, as you are ready, grow upward and out. That would include expansion of one's knowledge in alternative oracles; shifting from Palmistry, for an example, to the Tarot, learning the I Ching, etc.

Not to be arrogant, but of everyone that's shared an opinion in this thread, I can count less than 6 who even come close to have a genuine sense of experience as Readers and as crass as it may seem, I know of only two that have leaned on the Reader's craft at a fairly consistent level for more than 20 years. I'd think that such background would at least lend impetus to what we have said over what the new kids of the craft are encouraging... bearing in mind that some of these "new kids" are well into their 40s but they are New to Mentalism and many are still stuck on being Magicians vs. Psychic Entertainers.