Pin It

Revealing Magic Tricks

Draanor | Mar 24, 2010 |

0 Comments | Rating: 0

Magic tricks are fascinating and enjoyable to watch. Some magicians who practice mentalism, one kind of magic, claim to be able to understand the thoughts of and actually control their subjects. Techniques of this craft include an understanding of how the human brain works, simple stage tricks, and knowledge of the power of suggestion on a participant and on the audience.

The roots of mentalism can be found in the late 16th century, but tricks performed by modern mentalists have their history in the research on the supernatural world conducted by people who thought themselves psychically or magically gifted. These investigations took place during the nineteenth century.

Of the many illusions performed by early mentalists, two are still done in this day and age. One, called the book test, remains most remembered. To do this trick, an audience member chooses a book out of a pre-existing pile of books and opens it to a random page. The mentalist then instructs the volunteer to choose a word or phrase from that page and to focus on it intently. The mentalist would then reveal which word or phrase was chosen to the rest of the audience, and to the volunteer himself, all using only the powers of the mind. One would not be considered a true mentalist without having successfully accomplished this trick.

Derren Brown, a modern mentalist magician, stated that it is his ability to decipher and interpret body language and then silently influence behavior using suggestion. Other leaders in the mentalist field, like Uri Geller, actually say that supernatural powers are the key to their success.

Wherever it comes from, magic tricks fascinating to behold. As each magician has different beliefs about the reasons that mentalism works, there are many different styles in which to present this type of magic. Nonetheless, perhaps all of them are leading the audience on with their authoritative, wise, and powerful stage presences.

Mentalism is performed much in the same way as more conventional stage magic, but in truth, many mentalists would rather stay away from adding theatrical tricks, like pulling a rabbit from a hat, into their routines. They don't want their audiences to unintentionally associate the two types of magic. In fact, mentalists would rather carry that title than be called a magician, feeling that mentalism magic exists as a craft unto itself. One celebrity who blends both of these worlds and has been wildly successful is David Blaine.