(photo credit: Tony Iacovello)
An interesting and insightful quote from Richard´s fantastic book "The Psychic Reader´s Toolbox", one of the best initiation in understanding the ethos behind being a reader both in entertaining and private settings.
What we do is powerful and beautiful. Most people develop their artistic expression and time in other more common activities, but as soon as you declare that you are a "Magician", a "Mentalist" or a "Psychic Entertainer", people´s mind will be engaged and interested.
It is a fantastic gift by itself to be the person that can allow others to experience mystery, but the experience is not effective in all situations, and the basic condition to truly appreciate the moment is to let people decide if they want to experience it.
Both in casual and professional situations, you can develop a sensitivity that can allow you to offer a piece of mystery at the right time. Not just because you have your wallet full of tricks that means that people wants to "enjoy" your one hour act.
I love Richard´s language in here, and how he uses the word "force" as a subject of power. Indeed, you can take advantage of people not just doing "cons", but actually using your abilities as effective communicator to manipulate people and be forces to watch you. This is unethical and we need to be careful about that.
We normally "force" objects and thoughts to people, is part of the essential core methods. But use your "force" in constructive ways, and if people dont want your performance, just dont do it.
Your ego starts to emerge, their focus will be somewhere else, and ultimately, mystery is not created.
The beginner path is to share as much as possible, but the proper balance of that is to perform with proper understanding between the line of sharing and just being annoying.
One technique that you can apply (as soon as presential gigs are back) is to approach a group or a table and introduce yourself in this way:
"Hello, good evening to everyone...
my name is Theodore...
and I am part of the entertainment..."
This trifecta of lines are carefully chosen. The first line opens the conversation in a caring and charismatic manner, leaving silence at the end to truly connect with everyone at the group and find the people who is most interested.
The 2nd line offers your name and change the focus of the conversation towards yourself.
The 3rd line is key, and gives you the binary Yes-No interest that you need to feel from the group. If you feel that they engage with the idea of "entertainment", you can continue with: "...interacting for a moment with our minds..." or any line that fits you persona.
The interesting aspect of that 3rd line is that you dont compromise performance on them.
Some times the table in the wedding are talking about something truly relevant, or the group in that cocktail are doing business, and they are not able to truly enjoy the performance, so if that happens, just add:
"...I will be around here, anytime you want a moment of mind entertainment,
just let me know as soon as I am free..."
Then, if they want, they can ask for your a moment.
That is why I explain to my client before hand that I will be able to "cover all tables/groups" at the event, but without proper compromise of performance. Some people just dont want that interaction, and that is fine.
So, dont force mystery to people. Be attentive to find the correct time and place, and as soon as you do it, share your powerful pieces with the world.
Thanks Richard for your powerful inspiration!
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