talkmagic.co.uk

Tomo wrote:
The idea is to encourage your subconscious to deliver answers based on its heuristic knowledge.

I rather feel this is how intuition works.

themagicwand wrote:I rather feel this is how intuition works.

Indeed, didn't Mark Lewis mention on here, that after so many years of doing readings, his intuition had improved to the point where it was virtually indistinguishable from what would appear to be 'psychic' abilities?

Heckler wrote:Indeed, didn't Mark Lewis mention on here, that after so many years of doing readings, his intuition had improved to the point where it was virtually indistinguishable from what would appear to be 'psychic' abilities?

Yes, I'd agree. When doing my intuitive Q&A act I explain (and totally believe) that intuitive ability is really just the subconscious acting as a giant database, remembering every face, situation, conversation etc that you've ever experienced, and tapping into this pool of knowledge to give you a heads-up on the situation you are in now. Your subconscious (unconscious) is passing information to your conscious mind, but your conscious mind is a bit dim and doesn't understand where that information is coming from. In fact perhaps the conscious mind doesn't acknowledge the existence of the unconscious and so edits out the source of the information. But perhaps this is a little deep!

I'm completely with Paul on this one, the skill of being 'intuitive' does come with experience and often you leave yourself perplexed and astonished as to where some major hits came from.

If this is the route you intend to work in, Lee, I recommend studying (as Paul said) both open and shut eye presentation and methods. Regarding the shut-eye courses, you will learn a lot about presentation and the subject itself. You will often get asked questions or have sitters that have some interest or experience in the field and you do need to - or appear to - know your stuff.

I am sure you will gain a lot of useful ideas and information from a course such as this. The shut-eye world is a complicated and fascinating one which has far more depth and levels to it than those that are generalistic about it would have you believe.

Although my interest in shut-eye comes from a research perspective rather than with the aim of performance, it is something I'm still keen to address. Are there any difficulties or pitfalls for "outsiders" to attend these kind of events, or is it simply a matter of strolling into the local spiritualist church?

I am not overly comfortable with the mediumistic stuff. I am not sure it is ethically sound. I tend to agree with Tony Corinda who said in the Thirteen Steps that it is not a very high level. There is a case to be made for it but on balance it is something I prefer to avoid. I personally cannot contact spirits and I have my doubts that anyone else can. I just don't find mediums terribly convincing, by and large. They are well meaning and sincere, certainly but I just don't think they are very effective. As for the more successful ones that you see on television and the media I don't get good vibes at all. I sense deception and fraudulent methods. My cynical nature I suppose.

I would steer clear of that stuff and keep to regular psychic readings. Remember that a medium and a psychic are two different things.

mark lewis wrote: Remember that a medium and a psychic are two different things.

Always worth reiterating. I'm constantly perplexed and annoyed by how the two words and abilities get mixed up and confused.

Madelon Hoedt wrote:Although my interest in shut-eye comes from a research perspective rather than with the aim of performance, it is something I'm still keen to address. Are there any difficulties or pitfalls for "outsiders" to attend these kind of events, or is it simply a matter of strolling into the local spiritualist church?

Look in your local newspaper and keep an eye out for adverts for mediumship shows. Many mediums work hand-in-hand with local newspapers to promote their events. The newspaper places a large advert free of charge, the medium hires the hall or room in a hotel. They then split the ticket sales.

Anyway, find an event, buy a ticket, and just go along. That's what I do.

Spiritualist churches often insist (in the nicest possible terms) on giving you a cup of tea and a biscuit. I prefer the anonymity of the public shows. But that's just me.

Mancunian Lee wrote:If I was to go on one of these courses that teach you ow to become a medium what would I be thought? Cold reading? How to channel spirits? I'm curious that's all.

Contrary to some of the thoughts shared, the majority of those from the magician's/mentalism world that do Seance have more than a rudimentary sense of contact with the shut-eye side of things, several of the more noted making annual excursions to this or that Spiritualist Camp with a handful of us having family members who actually practiced some form of psychic/spiritual type work. So if this is a format you think you may someday wish to present theatrically it would be wise, or so say most of the more successful performers doing this work, to get your feet wet, learn the lingo as well as the "motions". . . there's a huge difference between getting a reaction from a trick and delivering a believable experience for folks and when it comes to this kind of work the public tends to want as close to a genuine experience as they can get to, NOT something akin to a day at Disneyland.

There are several excellent shut-eye books that can be found on Amazon that will give you the general idea as to what is involved with developing "Psychic" and "Mediumistic" ability which would be the first place to start. . . sorry, but before you get a head full of skeptic/magician theory study the topic as it's understood in the real world so you can better relate to and connect with the public when it comes to this kind of thing and too, so you're not as jaded as so many magic buffs think you must be when it comes to this sort of thing.

themagicwand wrote:

Madelon Hoedt wrote:Although my interest in shut-eye comes from a research perspective rather than with the aim of performance, it is something I'm still keen to address. Are there any difficulties or pitfalls for "outsiders" to attend these kind of events, or is it simply a matter of strolling into the local spiritualist church?

Spiritualist churches often insist (in the nicest possible terms) on giving you a cup of tea and a biscuit. I prefer the anonymity of the public shows. But that's just me.

They do usually have set times open to people outside the usual congregation. The advantage is the ones I've been to were free, just voluntary donations, whereas public shows can vary massively in price. Tea and biscuits are compulsory though at the churches. You may cause offence if you don't eat them or at least buy a raffle ticket.

Heh, fair enough. <academic hat on> I'm really interested in ideas of performance in a religious setting; have done some work on Christianity with that (work in progress) and still want to address gospel magic, hence my predisposition of actually visiting a spiritualist church as opposed to a public show. So many issues to look at! <academic hat off>