Welcome to a new section at Mentalism Center!
Each week, we will reflect about a powerful quote, that can help us in our paths as Mystery Performers.
We have already SEVERAL at our Instagram, but now I will post them also in this space.
"You can fool the mind, but you cant fool the heart"
Howard Thurston
What a wonderful way to focus our eyes (all of them) to emotions instead of the rational aspects of our performances.
First of all..why do you want to fool your audience?
Can you create your goals without "fooling" them?
Yes, methods are important, but not that much, especially if you had proper previous rehearsal. I really dislike when I see a performer that doesnt connect with his audience just because he is too worried about "fooling" them.
People dont care! People want to experience something beautiful, and lets be honest for a moment...If you cant handle the method that you are using, dont use it! Throw away your ego and if you really want to use that method but it is not well rehearsed, well...rehearse!
I invite you to see your performance from other lens, from other paradigm which includes other concepts. Engage your audience into an interesting mystery of the mind, in which your dynamics are flowing, in which everything is natural, in which you are inviting them into a real experience of Mentalism, allowing them to believe in the realism of the performance.
Only focus in methods in your practices and rehearsals, not in your performances. In your performances focus in your outer reality of script, engaging, staging and overall performing, doing a conscious effort in touching people´s emotions.
Be empathic, be open, be human.
Really look people and be thankful about their presence. Remember their names, be gentle and really care about them.
If you have a ladder to arrive to stage, be attentive enough to be there if they need assistance, if for some reason they make a mistake in your instructions, just be calm. Use everything in favor of the goal of your performance.
If you are not authentic as performer, even if you are "smart" but you are not emotional intelligent, people just will not care.
Dare, because you care.
And when you care abou them, they will care about you and even if you make a mistake, they will forgive you.
Mentalism isnt about the "brain" or just "thoughts" that are rational. Science now knows what old cultures told use centuries ago
" Why the Mind Is More Than the Brain "
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkness/201701/why-the-mind-is-more-the-brain
We are dealing with people´s minds. That means thoughts but also emotions!
As a matter of fact, the word telepathy comes from the greek and means "feeling at a distance" !
So, please dont think that Magic or Mentalism is the "Art of Deception", but the "Art of Mystery" and we can only create powerful mystery if we care about the congruency of the reality that we present while we focus in the subjective experience of our audience and participants.
Dont try to fool the heart, you just cant.
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