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An Introduction to the Art of Séance

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

Copyright © 2011 P. Craig Browning/Nimeton Magic & Publishing Co. Northampton, MA http://stores.lulu.com/nimetonmagicandpublishing

This is a FREE Publication Created by the Author for the Sake of Educating Persons Curious about the Art of Séance & Paranormal Performance as it pertains to the World of Theatrical Magic

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

What is A Séance? Séance

[sey-ahns] - noun

1.

A meeting in which spiritualist attempt to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

2.

A session or sitting, as of a class or organization. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Seance

During the late 18th and early 19th centuries the French term “Séance” referred to the simple act of sitting with others in conversation, with latter adaptations to the word inferring “class” or a “scholastic gathering” such as th attending a lecture or public speaking on a given topic. It wouldn’t be until the latter part of the 19 century however that the term would gain its best known association; the idea of gathering together in observance and/or participation of a ritual in which the spirits of the dead are summoned for sake of communion – conversation or contact of some kind that allowed the petitioner to gain solace or what most refer to now days as “Closure”. Before we look deeper into understanding what a Séance is we need to digest a few facts as to what a Séance isn’t, starting with the grotesque misrepresentation found in Hollywood horror stories and the lore sewn in and around the infamous OUIJA board. Too, there are misrepresentations within our own ranks – the world of the magician, who seems to be in love more with the idea of presenting a short (sometimes long) list of typically silly effects accompanied by corny theatrical effects vs. the creation of a solid bit of theater based on actuality. But I’m getting ahead of myself on that front as well, in that there are several different forms of Séance program, some frightening enough to scare the utter hell out of you by way of one simple effect while others can only be described as a ride at your favorite theme park. When it comes to the magic world there is another thing that a Séance isn’t and that’s the sort of thing you simply throw together come October and the three weeks leading up to Halloween. In fact, if that is your only objective it would be highly recommended that you toss this book off to the side in that you are not ready to create a solid séance encounter let alone lead guests in such an adventure via which they are able to know an “experience” rather than a more personalized “adult version” of a fun house. I believe it was Rick Maue that first pointed out that Haunted Magick does not stoop down to the level of using bad rubber masks, fog machines, bad music and strobe lights. There is a huge truth to this when it comes to those of us who’ve invented a thing called “Mystery Entertainment” or “Mystery Theatre” via which we deliver programs much in the way Mentalism was presented in the not so distant past – as something “genuine” through which the mature audience experiences a very personal series of encounters with the paranormal, be it a ghostly encounter or some mode of psychic enchantment. Our 21st century world has seen a revival of sorts, when it comes to this style of amusement, not all of it built around the classic idea of sitting around a table holding hands and calling forth some long lost love or worse, asking Aunt Rose where she kept the good silver. No, the “Séance” of today falls under a serious of contexts that may include that formal Victorian setting but generally involves a far more casual and happenstantial situation such as what one might find when investigating a would be haunt complete with this and that sensor, energy meters, special cameras and of course EVP recording devices worn by one or all members of the group.

The Ghost Hunt has a cousin arena in which a group volunteers to spend the night in a building or on a specific piece of property that is rumored to be haunted, which much of the arsenal involved is the same it’s the psychology that makes this type of program potent in that guests will eventually be put in the dark with a head full of haunt-related details and a flashlight, the auspices of their own imagination bringing about an amazing array of manifestations with we, as the guides & hosts, not needing to do much more than set the stage.

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

Partly due to the televised success of personalities like John Edward, Sylvia Brown and James VanPraagh we find a twist on the old Message Bearing sessions that are still quite common within the Spiritualist church and similar gatherings; the medium standing to the front of the group and simply picking-up on this or that little detail and conveying what it is they see, smell or even taste at times. When someone identifies with the information being shared, a more refined “Cold Reading” is executed, but unlike anything you’re likely to find in any particular tome other than maybe the works of John Riggs, who has written extensively on the subject of the Question & Answer styled act, and the more contemporary works of Jerome Finley, who’s Guerilla Q&A manuscript is utterly mind-blowing when it comes to content, approach and clarity. Sadly, this latter PDF was sold as a very limited release and at a serious premium when it comes to price, but it will be well-worth every dime for anyone happening onto a legal copy thereof. There have been other tomes put out in eBook form since the release of Jerome’s piece, including several interesting volumes by the man himself, but I’ve yet to find anything that is as empowering as G Q&A even though there are some interesting ideas floating about, I’ll touch more on this later, for now let’s just look at what else is common when it comes to dealing with the ghostly hosts.

The Semi-Formal/Pseudo-Improvisational Séance is one of my personal favorites in that you can do one or two simple bits and leave folks convinced that they’ve been visited; Docc Hilford’s Mephisto’s Journey for an example, will have their hair standing on end, but for those proficient at Billet work, Docc’s “Mysterious Stranger” is just as excellent though it comes from a friendlier sense of format. Which is important for you to consider, the fact that a séance does not need to be “spooky” or “dark” or “sinister” to be effective; you can simply tell ghostly tales, closing with one simple effect, such as the popular Muse Box from Lee Earle’s MANIFESTATIONS, and you won’t only have folks believing that some kind of phenomena happened, but you’ll have most of them crying happy tears at the same time.

A Formal Séance such as those done a century or so back, can be fun but unfortunately, most of them come off as being rather silly for two chief reasons; a.) The performer wants to do a dozen magic tricks under the pretense of doing a Séance b.) Nervous Tension and even immaturity amongst the group members and the performer’s inability to gain proper control and focus. For this reason I cannot knowingly encourage the inexperienced to attempt their own séance program from scratch but rather encourage them to start small and simple; Hilford’s “$1,000.00 Séance” is an excellent foundation piece when it comes to a more formal mood of presentation. You will likewise find some excellent “Jack the Ripper” type material in Docc’s Band of the Hand manuscript ({the Spirit Bell routine in that book alone, will give you tons of by-play that, when worked right, will prove quite chilling.} I’ve already touched upon the idea of simply telling stories, but there is a catch to this tact; you need to actually know regional lore so that the stories you share prove to be a thing of interest to your guests, folks that presumably live in the region or have a destination agenda for being there. This approach is awesome when working with teen-aged groups such as the scouts out on a camping trip or even at summer camps. Be careful of content and getting too gross with stuff though is there will be exceptionally young or mentally unstable participants. Magic lovers frequently fail to remember just how powerful our work can be to the minds of those not privy to the knowledge we have; in the right context and given an individual’s emotional state or religious perspectives, the simplest trick can bring about very dramatic and dangerous ramifications. For this reason you really need to think through your material and even discuss things with a would-be contractor so as to safeguard against such negative reactions. Don’t sell this warning short!

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

One of the earliest books on the subject of communication amongst deceased persons was Communication with the Other Side by George, First Baron Lyttelton, published in England in 1760.[1] Among the notable spirits quoted in this volume are Peter the Great, Pericles, a "North-American Savage," William Penn, and Christina Queen of Sweden. The popularity of séances grew dramatically with the founding of the religion of Spiritualism in the mid-nineteenth century. Perhaps the best-known series of séances conducted at that time were those of Mary Todd Lincoln who, grieving the loss of her son, organized Spiritualist séances in the White House, which were attended by her husband, President Abraham Lincoln, and other prominent members of society. The 1887 Seybert Commission report marred the credibility of Spiritualism at the height of its popularity by publishing exposures of fraud and showmanship among secular séance leaders. Modern séances continue to be a part of the religious services of Spiritualist, Spiritist, and Espiritismo churches today, where a greater emphasis is placed on spiritual values versus showmanship

The Story Teller mode is probably the

key to most all forms of magic but has a special presence when it comes to the world of Boo and whatever it is the goes bump in the night. Most likely it’s because of how a story told well evokes one’s mind and with it, the imagination; the perfect combination for anyone specializing in things bizarre and creepy. I’d go so far to say that a solid storyteller needn’t even bother with the tricks if he/she knows how to play that cunning instrument known as “the tongue”; if you have just the right touch with words, you will have folks begging you to silence the spirits that surround them though in all truth, they reside only within the confines of their own head, you’ve merely let them out to http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=S%C3%A9ance play for a few and they most certainly do love playing with we mortal sorts, even contemporaries in modern occultism echo that particular truth, referring to such elementals as “Little Nasties” that just want to have fun, so be careful in how well you construct their natures or you may well be blasted by the biased – those that will swear that it was by your hand that they are now haunted; don’t laugh too much, there are such folk in the world and it is paramount that you’re aware of this fact, but enough warnings, I just hope you’ll understand that the layman will see things a lot differently than we do.

The Guided Séance first saw popularity when Carl Herron (Brother Shadow) gave the Mentalism community a manuscript entitled “Have Séance, Will Travel”. The gist behind this approach is that it’s little more than a mild hypnotic trance created by you, as the “guide” into the spirit world. Guests sit in a semi-circle dressed comfortably (or, given room, lay on the floor with a pillow & light blanket, which is actually superior when it comes to creating that heavy-body “floaty’ sensation for your guests). You have prefaced the “ritual” with a very basic discussion, responding to a few questions from the group and then you “set the circle” as it were; anything that’s “New-Agey” enough to trigger the mind of the observer/participant into accepting the idea that something unique is about to happen. I’ll use sage smudge or unique incense1 and from time to time I have an effect I move through known as “The Dark Crystal” but (when it comes to trickery) I’ve found that such things really aren’t that important and can actually ruin the psychology you’re depending on when doing this style of Séance work. When clients ask me about Séance type sessions that have a specific relative focal point, I’ll encourage them to work with this particular type of rite first. The reasons are very simple, starting with the fact that you are doing absolutely NOTHING when it comes to feeding them information or bearing messages from the dearly beloved who’ve passed over. Everything that happens is psychological and thus, personal. If they are honestly seeking closure, which is what most claim, they will find it by way of this presentation or, at minimum, they’ll have the opportunity to create that state of healing.

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INCENSE – Firstly, you must be careful with incense or smoke in general especially if you have older patrons that may have pulmonary health challenges. Always check with the host or the event or simply plan things that allow for the olfactory stimulation without the smoke. Secondly, the company that makes Nag Chompa incense offers a wonderful Rose as well as Orange variant to the original that work quite well in this setting. If I know guests are wanting to connect with mothers or grandmothers, I deliberately use the Rose in that it is a common scent association, especially for ancestors born in the early and mid-20th century. Other scents include magnolia and Lilac. 7

Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

How? As with any hypnotic/trance type work you have the preliminary set-up; that is your spiel about Spiritualism, Speaking with the Departed, etc. This is what helps the group, as individuals, to focus on their personal issues and the ancestor they seek to commune with. Your next step is the actual induction; as I’ve noted, you may wish to preface this with some kind of consecration & cleansing ritual; smudge is always good but you can likewise use salt, holy water or simply 2 setting quarters , or what some call a spirit trap – five large quartz crystal clusters sat at the 5 points of a pentagram. The induction is 100% scripted – you literally have it in a notebook sitting on your lap and read it as soft, soothing music plays in the background. Experiment with the sound track and the timing of your induction lines; I’ve tossed in the sounds of a slow moving stream, birds, fish splashes, etc. as a second layer to the music. It’s deliberately subtle and barely noticeable to the fully conscious mind yet, when it comes to those being lulled into a trance state, these subtle nature sounds compound the images you describe, making them more real and thus, easier for the patrons to visualize or, as the goal were, EXPERIENCE. About 10 minutes into your induction phase you will soften your tone and ultimately state that you are going to leave them with their loved one (who you’ve helped them connect with). Reinforce the idea of peace, nurturing, perfect love & perfect trust. You may even wish to have them visualize themselves with the ancestor washed in HEALING green light – emphasize the idea of Healing, Peace and so forth so that it becomes their personal focus and goal. At this point you are going to stop speaking, allow the music volume to raise just slightly. You give them at least 20-30 minutes in their own little world visiting with this departed loved-one and then quietly, begin making yourself known; start with a whispering voice and slowly move back to a normal soft but audible tone. You are only getting their attention and calling them back into reality. . . be careful how you word this; “It’s time to return to the here and now, so embrace your loved one and give to them all the love and good thoughts you can muster…” give them a positive image and mind-set that affirms the idea of healing – closure. Just as with any other deep trance, you gently bring them back. Once you have them awake encourage them to slowly stand, stretch and wake up. Give them 10 minutes to get their bearings, do the potty break thing and whatever else they may need. Then re-gather the group and begin a round-robin discussion in which each guest describes their personal journey. You will find that this step can become an amazing labyrinth of “anything you can do I can do better” in that human nature comes into play; while the first one or two guests may prove hesitant, once the pump is primed you will find things flowing exceptionally well. I ALWAYS record the Round Robin portion so everyone at the gathering has a personal record of the event, this tends to be a very prized possession by most but it serves some important commercial concerns for us as well – it’s a business card! While I’ve given you an overview on the Guided Séance idea I would encourage you to at least study the Brother Shadow manuscript as well as the various other manuscripts that you will now find on the market; spinoffs to the original, few of which have been penned by those actually working the Séance niche market. Nonetheless, they all have information that will benefit you, including what not to do.

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QUARTERS – Using colored glass holders for votive candles you place a Green light at the north, Yellow to the east, Red to the south and Blue to the west. You may want to learn how to formally call in the 4 archangels tied to each quarter or else the appropriate totem animals, etc. in that this is something easily researched; your credibility being paramount. 8

Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

Bundled Pack-Rat Séances are so named because of what they tend to be; a bundle of papers, photos, letters, post cards and other such memorabilia. Entertainer Mark Edward actually wrote a manuscript entitled “Bundles” that touches on this idea and at one point in time I was seriously collecting tales from around the globe, so as to create a series of niche sets such as love letters between a soldier on the front lines and his lady; artifacts tied to major events like the great Chicago Fire can likewise become part of a Séance Bundle. Within this concept you will find the Pack-Rat Medium; those of us that collect artifacts that are associated with a paranormal or macabre situation. Oddly, most of us tend to collect items that belonged to children, weaving tales around a child that died prematurely or under torturous circumstances, etc. My own collection of tales tends to focus on two specific child entities; Emily and Shorn Clark. Admittedly I borrowed the name Emily from Mark Piazza’s séance script and story that’s sold under that particular name but, part of my personal spin to the program is very personal, involving my real baby sister CarlaSue, who died before her first birthday. I transitioned to Emily mainly due to the fact that the character was much older and thus, far more viable as an active being. It’s far easier to invoke group belief in an 8 year old girl that can interact with life’s circumstances, than an infant that is essentially hapless. Shorn Clark was likewise a real person though the stories I’ve tied around him aren’t necessarily part of his personal life’s adventure though they are based on several historic facts; incidents that I quite literally lucked into and stitched together. I’m pointing these two things out so you can see how to more effectively build your own Séance “package” within this modular format – as a bundle. A convenient, easy to remember and ready to go program that should fit into a single small box; my Emily Show packs into an old Cigar Box + a small accordion folder that contains the official reports, etc. from the Police Department. The Shorn Clark show fits in a small canvass book bag similar to the one found by the creek area where he drowned (parts of the original are in the book bag as well) So I’ve covered a bit about convenience and the logic behind the Bundled Séance set-up; it gives you a ready-to-go program which lessens the chance of you forgetting your tools, everything needed for that act is in the kit (and yes, that means you have duplicated materials in some cases). But there is a psychological advantage with this approach as well; by knowing the kit at a glance, you are able to adjust your personal mind-set and become the storyteller/medium – the character that fits that specific set. The packaging is a kind of mnemonic that makes it easier for us to see the act mentally, know each move intuitively as well as the general script, your outs, etc. This is something I learned from Dutch performer Peter Pit and I can assure you, it’s a valuable habit to get yourself into. The other point with Bundles is making the program personal – it’s your act with your own variations to key effects and not a ton of store-bought tricks. When it comes to séance work, less really is more when it comes to show content. The other advantage you want going for you is being able to use less in order to accomplish more, which brings us to Shorn Clark and that ugly weathered greenish book you see in the photo to the right. This was the actual McGuffey Reader used by the real Shorn Clark sometime shortly after the American Civil War. I purchased this and another McGuffey Reader for less than $10.00 on eBay because they actually looked like something that had been left out in the elements for close to 100 years and yet, they were still in good enough condition to be gently handled. In other words, realism and authenticity becomes my tool rather than a device that has been artistically faked. While there are times that the latter can prove prudent, I will always encourage people to work at it and find authentic sources whenever possible. In my case I use this one book as part of a heavily modified Spirit Slate routine (see “The Psychic Coercion of the Interrupted Schoolboy” -Mind, Myth & Magic) and series of Book Tests – you could say that 90% of this particular séance focuses solely on the old text book and our young ghost having 9

The author’s 1863 edition of the McGuffey Reader featured in the Shorn Clark Séance sequence.

Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

learned the lessons he missed out on, that dreadful day he played hooky and went for a swim.

Historic Validation Even if you plan on doing a more comical “family friendly” séance show, doing a bit of footwork in order to build your story is paramount. I typically find it far easier to work from literal history and weaving in various versions of Urban Legend so as to make things “fit” the local lore. Let’s face facts, nearly every municipality that’s more than 150 years old has a lady ghost in white or blue or whatever, who roams the grounds love-lorne or jilted, etc. We can readily find the famed Crying Baby, usually near a bridge and babbling brook and a wide collection of other such common tales; the internet is full of them! What you want to do however, is research local lore and employ an old orator’s trick; personalizing your mysteries so that guests have either heard something about the spirits you are introducing into the act or, after their ordeal with you, they can readily discover some hard facts tied to the mystery, including things you didn’t even mention, etc, etc. Having material that can be validated in some way is a huge bit of psychological advantage and when it comes to this type of entertainment, the more “real” you can make it, the not only will you see exceptional wordof-mouth advantages but you will likewise find guests far more willing to participate simply because they want to have AN EXPERIENCE – they really won’t be viewing what you do as a “show” unless you are deliberately billing it that way and presenting the sillier “Disneyesque” form of program – I’ll touch on those a bit more, later into the book. Because they’ve become a bit passé of late, I thought it best to address the forms of Séance that are of present popularity and commercially viable. The two “children” bundles I work with are based on real, historically provable, situations; a young girl that was abducted and molested by an Uncle (I actually did the research to find a story to match the script idea) and with Shorn Clark, I found an incident (quite by coincidence) in which an appropriately aged lad drowned in the swimming hole found on the back end of my Ohio residents – an interesting 180 year old homestead that’s listed in the “Haunted Ohio” books as being one of the most haunted private homes in the state. While my personal affiliation to this property was pure “luck” (we had no advanced knowledge before moving in) the plethora of material that came from it gave me more than a few years’ worth of study at the Country Recorder’s Office, library microfilm files, etc. But that’s what one must do, at least that is what the majority of Bizarrist & Séance workers seem to encourage, when it comes to delivering a solid program. I’m assuming that most reading this book are just starting down this road and will be limited when it comes to travel and working more than an hour or two driving time from their residence. That being the case, it only makes sense that your cover-story when it comes to why you do the séance/ghost walks, etc. has something to do with local lore and your personal curiosity. . . . . . go back and read that line again. This is the big loop-hole element that allows the “non-believer” the advantage of doing a very effective Séance/Ghost Hunt show. Leaving your patrons with that funky “I’m not certain” after-taste, which according to the history books, is where we as mystery performers, want to leave them – bewildered and uncertain; it’s not our job to answer their questions or direct their personal decision about such things. By outwardly playing the curious, inquisitive intellectual that’s not convinced that anything paranormal exists, we’re able to let one very simple manifestation take over the whole night’s energy, allowing the imagination to go wild with the hypothetical. Especially if you and group members start walking down a list of how it may have happened and then realizing that your solution don’t fit. . . . . . spooky stuff! Historic validation is what allows this kind of presentation really hit hard. It likewise opens doors for you on other levels, such as doing talks about regional lore; this could be anything from local news magazines to classroom discussions or annual library programs (think Halloween). You might even take it upon yourself to pen a

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

book or two on the topic of Ghosts & the Macabre from within your area. This can give you an easy book signing tour with coffee houses, libraries and book merchants. The bottom line here is simple, do the footwork knowing that it will lead to your personal success in this and alternate fields of work. In time you may very well become seen as a local expert/historian and gain access to locations that were previously closed off to you (and would remain such for most performers). The other thing you will benefit from by doing all this digging is getting your hands onto actual artifacts associated with a particular haunt or regional oddity. People love to touch history and connect with those situations that flirt with the taboo. By having authentic apparatus, newspaper articles, clothing, etc. you are able to sate that hunger. As we all know, the more of the 5 prime senses we can trigger, the easier it is to anchor our patron and lead them down the path we need them to be vest in. Old items have a certain look, feel and smell that we simply can’t replicate as well as nature herself makes it; the various oils and powders that are available require a very delicate touch in that too much will draw suspicion and too little want give us the psychological triggers we’re chasing. So don’t try taking the easy way out, tailor your props as well as your stories, going out of your way to make everything as authentic and historically accurate as possible.

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

MEDIUMSHIP During the Victorian era a Medium would gather with folks at a large table and summon the spirits. Most of us are familiar with how that game worked given the many details shared by Dunninger, Houdini, Kellar, etc. but this is not the given in the early 21st century or, for that matter, the mid and late 20th century. No, in these times most Mediums simply “pick-up-on” group members and kindred souls such as we’ve seen done on Tv by individuals like John Edward, Sylvia Brown and James VanPraagh. The horrifying fact being that you really don’t have to be the best or most skilled Reader to get away with this kind of presentation, you simply need to know how to frame the program so that it fits in a believable manner, around you and your claims.

The Ghost Hunter/Investigator has become the big deal for 21st century thrill seekers, individuals that are willing to pay anywhere from $15.00 for a walk around the town tour of haunted sites to hundreds of dollars so they can spend the night in a haunted hotel, hospital, etc. and get it on film. . . hopefully meeting up with Casper and his chums. These are the teams like TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) and Ghost Hunters (Syfy) that have regular televised programs on cable. While you will need to make some serious up-front investments for Tv equipment, motion detectors, etc. it seems that this is a path that can give you quick recovery on investment. However, you will have to have some charm going for you alongside good salesmanship skills given that you MUST schmooze property owners to participate with you, especially when you do over-night events. This may require you to take out a bond or insurance policy in case of accident/injury or worse, that leaves the land owner or management company outside and not responsible on the legal end of things. This Wheeling & Dealing can likewise put a partner in your pockets, the property owner taking a cut on the take (I’d just offer them X amount up front and be done with it. The Foos Manor that I used in Ohio long ago cost me $500.00 a night for a 25,000 square foot mansion turned Bed & Breakfast.)

Message Bearing Mediums such as the John Edward style are #2 on the current hit parade and can generally be arranged as part of a group function with affiliates of the Unitarian Society, the Spiritualist church (of course), as well as your own self-promotion (Four Walling).

IT SHOULD BE NOTED This is probably the oldest form of Mediumship and likewise, the most expected by the typical layman. If you study the older books on Mentalism and particularly séance work, you will find everyone from Dante to William Larsen, Sr explaining their Message Bearing techniques and patter. Whine as much as you wish, but this is the stuff that makes Mentalism everything but Magic, in the traditional sense. If it offends you, gives you reason to hesitate DON’T DO IT! But don’t complain about those that have heart enough to pull it off and thus, pull in the stronger, steadier cash flow – the public tolerates all of our tricks & demonstrations but they want to experience the Reading or “Message”, it’s that simple. Four Walled Promotion is probably the chief marketing method used by variety entertainers; short & sweet, you rent the room, cover the ad costs and pre-event hype, collect the cash and in so doing tend to keep far more of it than working with a promoter, agents, etc. After all, the public is paying between $75.00 and $500.00 per person per seat to attend this kind of event and frequently that’s with “Mediums” no one has ever heard of, outside general hearsay and maybe a radio interview over the past week. Forget everything you’ve been told when it comes to doing this style of work; magicians and skeptics tend to make it far more difficult than it really is. Nonetheless, you will require nerves of steel and very large balls of brass to pull this style of program off. Start small; groups of 25-40 guests paying $25.00 to $50.00 each. They jot down their question along with their name on a card, drop that into a basket and when you’re ready to begin, you pick up the opened slip and read it. . . 12

Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

. . . go back and re-read that last line. Nope, there are no billet manipulations, nothing to conceal, no silliness whatsoever; you blatantly read the question, look up and identify the person (by name) that wrote the question and then move into your spill. This is exactly how the majority of real world psychics/mediums work; they either read the slip or ask people directly what’s on their mind, etc.; the moral of the story being that Magicians do tricks while Mediums & Psychics simply do Readings.

But How? How Can Anyone Just Walk-In Cold And Do A Solid Reading, Let Alone A Dozen Or More Over An Hour’s Time? Well, we do it the same exact way we’ve been told to do it for generations; 1.

2.

We know both, their name and the question; a.

Quickly work-up their numerology based on their name and begin your Reading based on that vibration, the color and other factors tied to it.

b.

Check your mental index on similar questions and the best type of response to give, including comical ones (needed some times as things get slow). Be aware of age, gender, projected gender identity issues, etc.

As you move into the Reading, weigh what you know when it comes to the patron’s “niche” group; body & face type, genetics/lineage & race factors, age, etc. All of these things are standard issue when it comes to Cold Reading techniques. a.

3.

Ideomotor Cues – study eye movement, body language, foot positioning, etc. it all tells you vital details.

Get real familiar with Gene Anderson’s SENSATIONAL MENTALISM and the Robert Nelson “Answers to Questions” series

You see, we all talk the talk but it’s a totally different story when we must depend upon the theories and techniques in order to deliver that experience folks are paying to encounter. . . . and by the way – if you plan on shattering everyone’s mind at the end of this sort of act by telling them you’re a fake, prepare to be lynched and jobless. This particular form of Séance/Mediumship demonstration is highly personal and carries some very potent emotional energy with it. Contrary to the antics and beliefs of today’s skeptics, far more damage than good will result when doing the trendy reveal at the end and indirectly insulting every member of the audience whilst ripping their guts out. It is cruel, exceptionally inhumane and personally, I feel it is unprofessional and worthy of legal action. If you want to do a mockery program, then sell it up-front as a SHOW and Demonstration of how charlatans operate; preface the situation and in so doing, give your public a bit of respect and dignity vs. the cruelty and brow-bashing that’s become “the norm” in recently years. Have some class! On this point there is a form of Mediumship that I call the “Professorial Medium” – this is someone that comes in as an expert on the paranormal and a decidedly “neutral” investigator. The best example of this is found in Rick Maue’s BOOK OF SÉANCE SECRETS (B.O.S.S.) and while the suggested scripting requires one to do some serious modifications and tailoring, the gist behind the idea is awesome, especially if you can do the footwork that puts you into actual class room & lecture hall situations. This séance style allows you to dispute the validity of things paranormal while leaving your audience holding onto to clues that would suggest the contrary. This is a very practical, easy to tailor system that every séance worker should get familiar with.

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The Sensitive is one of my favorite Mediumistic personas in that he/she can simply walk through an area and pick-up on energy then covey what they are feeling or sensing. When done right this can be a very powerful act that avoids the stickiness of direct & personal message work. It is excellent in the hands of a female that’s good at feigning the vapors and contorting her own voice so as to sound like another (especially if you’re part ventriloquist) As a rule of thumb, women tend to get the best reactions when it comes to the traditional idea of being Psychic or a Trance Medium. Though men can easily swoon and lure away the ladies much of the time, the women that take on this role can prove very devastating and for some reason, are least considered to be con-artists.

The Novice Medium is an excellent starting point for most in that you really are a novice and learning, in this case your image is that of one learning to work with the foundation tools used by Mediums i.e. the Planchette, Ouija, Pendulum, etc. The Novice Medium is an easy role to take on even if you are established as a trickster; your cover-story being that you’ve recently gained an interest in the paranormal because of events in your own life. From that point on you can be found carrying books on ghosts, hauntings, mediumship, the occult, etc. and it fits your claim. You have a logical toe-hold on things mysterious and less trick-like and thus, permission to do some “experiments” that include Glass Moving (Planchette work), Table Tipping, Pendulum & Talking Board Scrying methods, etc. Most all of it is the stuff the laity already associates with Séance type work and more importantly, most folks have a curiosity and even fears around.

Effects & Affect As recovering magicians moving into things paranormal we are faced with a terrible problem; wanting to “show off” too much. We are addicted to tricks and trickery and as such we tend to blind ourselves when it comes to working this particular side of the fence. As I’ve mentioned earlier, less can be far more awesome in this world than doing a lot or even doing big. Think back to the section on the Guided Séance. Now consider just how high into the air and how loud the screams will be from your guests if, in the midst of the dim light and quite, a loud snap, clap or bang occurred. I’ve seen this first hand, starting with Rick Maue’s DEMON RING routine (Book of Haunted Magick) along with a few of my own bits since; the act of having total silence and passivity shattered is all you need to put nerves on edge and have your guests clamoring for years to come, about what happened at your séance. You truly need little other but I want to talk about the other, what seems to be the best things to do and why; the first rule of thumb being that very, very little ever happens at the main table if you are working in a traditional setting. While the glass or planchette may move, the pendulum, swing, etc. it is not the same as having the Ouija Board float up into the air, the candle on the table extinguish or go volcanic on you, etc. Most of the time manifestations of this sort will prove to be “over the top’ and in retrospect, unbelieved; guests will view them as being a practical joke by you more than they will consider it a genuine sign of visitation. There are exceptions to this rule most of which fall under the “subtle stuff” banner; limited spirit writing for an example, such as Spirit Slates (but done in a very simple/elementary mode of handling). You may even have the Tarot Deck spit out or cut itself to a single card or any number of other SUPER SIMPLE and easily missed scenarios. Unlike a traditional performance, even as a Mentalist, Séance work is more about the Affect than it is the Effect; it’s more subliminal in how it works, more personal. Too, the majority of the folks that come to a Séance or Ghost Hunt are looking for an experience and as I’ve said in my other books, this frequently means allowing one or two people in the group to witness one certain thing that no one else saw. Not only do they get the initial 14

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experience of the visual or audio encounter, they get the experience of being psychic – of having experienced something in the real world and having no one believe them, including other people that were at that same event. Can you think of a more powerful convincer? Well, there actually is one other technique that I place at the top of the heap when it comes to spook psychology, the Six Degrees of Separation idea tabled by Greg Arce a few years back. Basically the mystic makes several guesses on a “thought” and even though he comes back to those concepts and ideas, he knows he’s not hit the target. . . at first that’s how the audience sees things until one or two members of the group recognize a pattern and how information revealed by the mystic applies to the correct answer. Once the group convinces itself that all the dots connect they spend the rest of the night trying to convince the mystic that he didn’t miss after all. Now that’s not only proof that Greg Arce is a twisted and evil man but a genius as well; anyone that could come up with such an amazing ploy deserves big kudos. Anyone that has the guts to put this ploy to work for them as part of a Séance agenda also deserves serious kudos, in that you are planting some thought seeds many would see as dubious. But who’s paying your rent, the people that are attending your gig or the clowns on the forums that criticize everything and claim they invented most of it first? CONvincing your audience is easily 90% of the job and as Stephan Minch put it years ago, a good mentalist knows no low to which to stoop in order to fulfill that requisite and make the effects affect the patron in ways that defy all logic and common sense. In short, we want them to join our church and this is how we go about getting them there (we just don’t encourage the homage however).

SIDE EFFECTS are a little something I refer to often when it comes to Séance & Ghost work. Short & Sweet, they are manifestations that happen on the periphery, such as a candle moving across a table in another room, the scant image of a person moving through the hall way, large shadows walking around the room or possibly classic things like pictures shifting position, books falling off the shelf and so forth. You don’t want 101 things happening, just one or two; something happens that sitters to one side of the room can see clearly but no others can and then the action shifts later, so others in the group witness something no one else encounters. Let’s say you have a pesky child spirit known for practical jokes, placing a small vibrating motor on a chair that you can actuate whenever desired, can give you a physical bit of phenomena – a running gag of sorts, in which one person in the group will insist that said child is picking on him/her. The catch is, you only need to activate the thing a couple of times, and their imagination will do the rest. Using the same type of arrangement, maybe a slightly larger vibrating device, mount it firmly to the leg of your table and as you talk about feeling the energy as it passes about the circle, let it come on slowly and build. The energy will move through their body, it will be subtle but it will be remembered. I could write volumes on this concept but would much rather encourage you to use your own imagination; there’s a myriad of possibilities that can be set up very inexpensively. I’ll give you one small hint; go to Radio Shack and pick up one of their mini-RC race cars, take it home, take it apart and start visualizing. I use two of them and can cause over a dozen different manifestations on cue, let’s see where you can take the same technology. A Side Effect is circumstantial, coincidental and always a thing of limited effect; that is to say, the manifestation that happens is usually targeted at one or two key people in the group be it the vibrations mentioned earlier, the idea that you’ve been touched, movement of things in other rooms, etc. This is what makes it “real” in the minds of those attending. While certain side-effects may cost you more than any of the stuff you actually feature in your act, you cannot take credit, a bow or applause for them; you’re not even aware that something has happened as far as the audience is concerned.

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An Introduction to the Art of Séance

Bigger Side Effects, such as the translucent human form floating down the hall, are easily made and because you are using dim light and distance to your advantage, they really don’t have to be finely detailed. The one I made up some time back was an old clunky Asrah form that was moved down the all via a pulley rig; the ghost ending up in a closet at the end of the hall but is never closer than about 12 feet from group participants. There’s a ton of ways of using this kind of approach but you will need some limber and stealthy helpers. Sound is a wonderful side-effect and as much as I love the idea, it is not good when it comes to an interactive EVP type séance; at least not when you are looking at concepts like Will Dexter’s “Uncanny Power”. The concept is great and with today’s electronics more that plausible. The catch is, if you do more than a couple of exchanges your audience catches on fast that it’s all a recording or someone with a microphone in a nearby room. So use sound effects and voices sparingly. Too, you want to direct the speakers used either straight down at the floor, towards the face of a wall or even the ceiling so as to confuse the senses as to the direction the sound is coming from. The other thing I do with the sound is have it move from one speaker set to another in order to create “exchange” such as an adult voice and that of a child. Sound effects need to be left in the background and do not need to be scary but do need to be practical. For example, a white noise element can help stimulate relaxation; chimes sounding in the background as certain actions take place at the séance table can go a long way towards creating anchors and psychological cues and unlike a pre-recorded scenario, today’s tech can let you access these sound cues at will, you just need an iPod. Not to be selfish, but I’ve put a ton of time into sound work & séance and as generous as I am, I think I’ll leave the rest up to you and your imagination. Just know that the sky really is the limit and you don’t need the biggest and best sound system. . . my present set-up cost less than $200.00 and makes folks jump just fine. The last of the major Side Effects systems is smell. The first time I exploited smell as a way to enhance an effect was when I was 16 or so and doing an Abbott styled Cremation . . . seems my mother was a beautician and my father, an electrician and when you combine those two things with an evil mind you end up with a small metal box that’s batter operated complete with fan and heating coil. This was filled with a small bunch of hair then placed into the ventilation chamber of the show room. About 30 seconds before we set the girl ablaze those little babies were turned on and voila! A room full of folks on the verge of barfing because they smelled burnt human flesh, and saw the smoldering relic, etc. Years later at the encouragement of Bob Fenton, I started tinkering with a similar system that would allow me to manifest familiar smells common to the elderly; perfumes that were most popular to the blue-haired ladies of the day as well as the cigar and pipe tobacco aromas common to fathers, grandfathers and the favorite uncles. There’s literally a cornucopia of smells to be worked with and several inexpensive ways of introducing these aromas near one or the entire group you have gathered. Just keep your thinking super simple and self-contained; check out the spice rack at the local grocery as well as the shaving & after shave supplies. Baked goods are always a winner when it comes to grandmother memories and depending on what smells you gather, the mothers as well. All I can say is R&D – trial & error. But use as much demographic research statistics as you can find when it comes to given eras of time and what was popular when it came to cologne, baked good, fried foods, even drink mixes; any aroma that can trigger the olfactory sense and in turn, trigger memories.

By the Way, allowing random smells to emit for short term releases in different parts of the room can 3

stimulate other guests in the room including gallery members should you elect to allow for such. This can be a very potent post-séance testimony source; laymen openly testifying that they felt the presence of this or that relative or having strong memories tied to specific events, such as a fire or the smell of gun smoke (not all of the smells need be pleasant). 3

The Gallery – this was a means used in the old spiritualist groups, to put more bodies/witnesses in the room as observers; you’d have your 12 at the table with the medium and then anywhere from 6-30 sat semi-circle around the table in a kind of theatrical seating arrangement. Needless to say tableside seats cost more or were reserved for local VIPs. 16

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An Introduction to the Art of Séance

The Great Kondor! My two favorite spoof acts when it comes to Mentalism, are Johnny Carson as “Karnack” and Robin DeWitt as “Kardor” so “Kondor” is a blending of the two, which should give you a fair idea as to what line we’re about the cross – the Hollywoodized Medium and Séance theme. This style of séance can be loads of fun and you can toss some rather tense bits of business in for the sake of drama but, the public knows it’s a show. There will be some silliness set around it as well as your own arsenal of promiscuous shenanigans that are about to be sprung upon them – your willing victims. This type of program is best done as an “installation” – that is to say, it is literally built into the facility hosting it, allowing you to set-up projectors, eavesdropping equipment, a handful of confederates and secret aids and given today’s The World Famous technology, a nice bit of software for making things happen and MAGIC CASTLE keep you on schedule. After all, you are likely to have another Hollywood, CA group waiting for their turn. The Houdini Séance at the Magic Castle being presented as much as three times a night 360ish days annually; it is the longest running show of its kind and loads of fun no matter who on the bill, plays the host medium. Presently however, it’s my old friend Leo Kotska. The original house medium to the castle was my dear friend & teacher Ed Fowler (a.k.a. Carlyle) who adjusted the original William Larsen Sr. concept, bringing it into the social norms of the 1970s & 80s whilst adding that handful of things you seem to only find in Hollywood. The program was suspenseful where it needed to be and hilarious in those places you least expected. Then again, that could be why it is the most replicated format for a Séance worldwide, followed closely by Lee Earl’s MANIFESTATIONS idea. As I’ve suggested, this style of Séance comes straight out of every family movie done on Ghosts and featuring a Séance that’s out there; the corny trimmings, obvious trickery and fantastic apparitions. While fun and even silly, these programs do incorporate legitimate use of charlatan techniques so as to reveal to guests just how easy it is to be fooled into believing a ghost is nearby. While there is never any exposure, it is in knowing that these shenanigans have been and in some instances still are being used to take unfair advantage of others, that’s the most eyeopening.

House Medium

Take a look at the following page or two, and you’ll find links to several attractions that incorporate this and other approaches already discussed. Visit them and get an idea as to what spooking is all about.

Leo Kotska In the Houdini Room of the Magic Castle, Preparing for Yet another Visit from Houdini. 17

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http://www.newenglandcuriosities.com/

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http://www.neghostproject.com/

http://www.newenglandparanormal.com/home.php

http://www.nearparanormal.com/

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That Olde Time Religion. . . As most of us know the Séance side of the magician’s craft evolved out of the popular Spiritualism th th movement of the 19 and early 20 century. However, the idea of communing with the dearly departed is a far older path than this; history being quite ripe when it comes to teachings that both, condemn the practice as well as revealing ways by which to do it. The most popular method involving some version of a Message Bearing device a.k.a. a Talking Board or Talking Stones, etc. some legends claiming that Plato used a device akin to the modernday OUIJA which is quite a poetic license point to be sure, the most common mode of divination during his time being the use of a Scrying Bowl and the Pendulum of Dowser’s Bob as some call it. Even today I use both of these devices, especially when it comes to an improvisational instant where the group I’m conversing with asks to do an experiment. What follows, as best I’m able to discern, mirrors methods of spirit communication that goes back centuries though they have a modern equivalent. In fact, the first of these methods has evolved into the commercial product we all know as the OUIJA which is the evolution of what was known as Automatic Writing. So let’s set the stage and show you ways by which to travel.

 The Oracle – in this case, involves any sort of collection that can extend a given sense of meaning such as Rune Stones, Tarot or Playing Cards, Alphabet Cards or Tiles, Dominoes, Sea Shells, Oghams, et al. The point is, you have a “language” to work with; representation of letters or items of specified meaning that can aid you in finding answers.

 The Diviner – is the tool you choose to work with such as a Pendulum, Planchette, Wine Glass or Stein, etc. You can even use a large spinner such as you have with a game of Twister and while Twister didn’t exist back in the day, spinners have been around a very long time and used for a plethora of scenarios, the spiritually sensitive believing that the spin of the pointer could be guided by unseen entities and cultivated a number of ways to exploit this particular method. Needless to say, you will need a table or flat, level surface of some form upon which to spread the Oracle and where necessary, allow the device freedom of motion, such as is required with Glass Moving & Planchette work.

Pendulum Scry When I use the Pendulum for this sort of work I will lay the Oracle (usually Tarot or Runes) in a series of circles, depending on the situation it may be 3 rings deep or for simpler settings, on large ring. Either way the action is always the same; the questioner closes their eyes once they start the bob moving gently in a clockwise motion. They are told to focus on the particular loved one and just allow the pendulum to move and their arm to drop as it will. The card or stone upon which it lands is either jotted down so the action and be repeated (no more than 3 times) or you interpret the meaning of the image, tying it into a message from the loved one your patron was focused on. You can’t get any simpler than this, there’s no trickery, just Reading skill and the ability to keep people captivated. When done as a spur of the moment demonstration it will prove a most excellent experience for most, especially when you are a polished Reader. But KNOW the oracle you are using; if it’s Tarot then know exactly what card means what. To simplify this, you may want to just use the Major Arcana until you are more comfortable with the balance of the deck. In the case of Playing Cards however, it’s all or nothing, I’ve left a somewhat generic outline on card meanings in the appendix section of this book but would strongly advise you to get familiar with a legit card divination system.

Wine Glass Scry In his book The Paranormal Entertainer UK weirdo Paul “Voudini” Bell offers a very sound synopsis of how to do a basic Wine Glass based divination routine which is the “original” version of the OUIJA Board. 20

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As with the above, the oracle would be spread about on a table top. In this instance the Inquirer along with the Medium (usually) would lightly rest their fingers on the base of an inverted Wine glass which, as the two focus and think about the personage with whom contact is desired. Within short time the glass begins to move from one place then another, slowly spelling out words, denoting numeric values, etc. In my opinion your best bet, should any OUIJA styled routine interest you, you must get Paul’s book and study it thoroughly before going any further.

Planchettes & Divination A Planchette is that small “table” you get with a OUIJA Board which is typically plastic now days. Long before OUIJA came along however, they were quite nicely made pieces of fine wood and even wood with metal and stones in-laid. The earlier Planchette hosting a small brass holder for a pencil so that the motion of the device would allow a written image to appear on the paper sat below – a primitive version of Automatic Writing. In fact, working the Planchette was considered a mode of training the novice medium in development of the writing skill. Humans being the lethargic and impatient critters they are, found an alternative which is what Mr. Fuld placed the trade name OUIJA to. Even at that, a true OUIJA Séance was not exactly expedient for those short on time and patience, they took time, a great deal of time and as such, could prove rather boring for those not directly involved with the contact. Nonetheless, understanding the method and the esoteric logic behind this technique is empowering for all Séance workers so don’t sell it short. The three systems I’ve listed here rely on Ideomotor Response; I’ll assume you are already familiar with this factor but if you are not allow me to cover it briefly; Your unconscious mind causes your body to do certain things without you actually being aware that you do it. In the case of using a Pendulum or Planchette your subconscious is causing muscles in your arms to move in a manner that takes the pointer to specific letters so as to spell a name, give an address and any number of other things. Similarly, it allows the observant to notice “Tells” that is, subconscious motions that serve as indicators which in turn allow us to literally discern a person’s unspoken thoughts once we’ve learned how to read such signals which are akin to “Non-Contact Mind Reading” vs. “Contact Mind Reading” via which we maintain contact with a patron and through that contact discern information such as where to move, stop, and locate hidden or unknown items, even write words & numbers – Muscle Reading or Hellstromism as some would call it. For the novice I’ll suggest two sources from the same gent, Banachek. Pick up Disc 3 of his PSI SERIES DVD set and the book “Psychophysiological Thought Reading”, the two are in my opinion and that of most veteran mentalists, the best available source on how to learn proper Muscle Reading. While it is quite informative and substantial, there are perspectives not including in this material, but it is not needed by anyone this early in the game, learn the basics first.

Gazing We’ve all seen the photos, a great Mind Reader or Psychic with a Crystal Ball. Truth be known, Gazing, a form of Scrying, it probably the oldest of divination techniques known to man and one of the simplest of such skills to cultivate provided you have the willingness to simply let go and let it happen. . . not as easy as it sounds. The earliest forms of Gazing used bodies of still water, reflecting pools and what most of us would see as being a “Bird Bath’ now days. These devices usually had a dark background that was concaved so as to deliberately distort reflection and stress the smaller muscle around the eye which in turn, took the diviner or seer into a state of trance (some deeper than others). While there are many different ritualistic ideas surrounding this practice the key to all of them centered around developing total focus of the mind along with a degree of deprivation; food & sleep being most customary while consuming wine (especially in the Mediterranean regions) or in some cases “tea”, even “smoke” (usually in the form of a Sweat Lodge ceremony) The point being, a physiological state would be created that resulted in mild

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An Introduction to the Art of Séance

hallucination once the seer began peering into the pool of water. On a very simple level, they merely hypnotized themselves while affirming that they would see the relevant signs. Over the ages the pool of water was replaced with Crystals as well as Mirrors, including a device known as a “Witch’s Mirror” – a dark mirror that is typically concaved, surrounded by magickle sigils, crystals and impregnated with herbs & minerals known to aid in prophetic sight. There is one other Gazing device that steps quite a distance from these better known European modes; the Dream Catcher of Native American tradition or, to be more precise, the use of a large spider’s web in conjunction with a hazel nut. I’m not at liberty to go into deeper explanation, but it was a form of primitive television by which shaman could supposedly check in on their patients and more. I mention this only as a point in trivia for those of you that may wish to move in the more native paths with things. Regardless the device Gazing involves placing yourself into a light trance state, blurring your vision a bit and translating the many odd forms you see, into identifiable things. There is always an assistant that writes down the items described by the Gazer and once the “channeling” process ends, they work with one another as well as the client/group translating each image and seeking understanding when it comes to the message. I would encourage anyone seeking to use the Gazer style of course to actually walk through these exercises several times just so you get used to what it feels like and how to deliver the information even (especially) when you don’t believe it. Such practice is akin to wearing a real blindfold for days at a time prior to doing a Blindfold act, it conditions you so that what you present is more believable and that is the key to our success. Robert Nelson penned one of the best Crystal Acts I’ve ever seen or performed, entitled “Vision of Tomorrow”; I’ll tell you right now, this is the best $20.00 you’ll ever spend when it comes to working the Séance niche. The other manuscript to study is Howard P. Albright’s “A Message from the Sky” [HINT: this routine works most excellent using a Chameleon Chest or Versadex Wallet from Larry Becker]. The latter of these two acts is quite unique in the manner by which the messages are delivered – a very unusual variation to Spirit Writing that’s rather unsettling. The Nelson material however, is practical on other levels; namely the fact that it was designed so as to conceal the One-Ahead method in play by using multi-colored paper/billets. Even if you know nothing about billets right now, you will be able to build an amazing reputation over night knowing only what is in this manuscript; all the more reason for making the investment. I should point something out at this point; maybe it will give you even more incentive when it comes to buying the Nelson material. Some years ago my high school chum Joel asked me to take a look at a preacher at some church sat out in the country near my home town of Springfield, Ohio. He knew that I was more than willing to investigate would be charlatans and in this case I certainly wasn’t disappointed. The clown in question was using the same exact billet act I was using in my Halloween show 30-minutes’ drive up the road from his church. . . . . . you guessed it, the Visions of Tomorrow techniques. He replaced the Crystal Ball with a hollowed out Bible, exactly as Nelson mentions at the close of the text.

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The Gift In this FREE eBook series I’ve been working on I’ve offered numerous hints as to what it takes to be a solid Mentalist and for that matter, a solid charlatan. Between the short overviews I’ve given on Muscle Reading and learning people’s Tells to my dissertation on Cold Reading I’ve shown to you just about every little nuance that goes with “the game”, this treatise taking us into the dangerous realm of Spirit Communication which is one of the few arenas that you will hear me extend warnings & contempt when it comes to those tempted to step over that invisible line that exist between showman & shaman – the entertainer & the con-artist. Channeling . . . the knack of giving pure Reading to your public under the Psychic Banner is one of the most powerful demonstrations we can deliver and for no other reason, it is likewise the most dangerous; especially when it comes to dealing with loss and love – interacting with the vulnerable. So I would strongly discourage when it comes to the temptation to go for the quick cash that’s to be had using these techniques. Nonetheless, the act of Channeling information – offering a Reading or Revelation – is one of the top five skills every Mentalist/Psychic Entertainer must know and must be able to do well. Though it may prove difficult to obtain, make the investment into Jerome Finley’s Guerrilla Q&A alongside everything you can find by John Riggs, Bob Cassidy, Richard Webster, Ron Martin and George Anderson and even the more dated material from Robert Nelson. Learn everything you can on this one skill and you will never find yourself wanting or totally broke unless you simply aren’t trying or the economy is in total melt-down mode (as it seems to be presently). The Human Mind is capable of so many things that even science itself is only just now discovering and in the process, bringing about pseudo-explanation as to how the magicks of our ancestors most likely happened; especially when we look at the arena of communication sat beside the auspices of psychology. But when on consciously strives to fashion their mind by either scholastic endeavor or the antics of seemingly primitive ritual, this is when we find that “Magick” is very much alive, well, and beyond probability – it IS! Modern man has merely changed the terms and context; the results are still very much the same. So when we deliberately take on the challenge of training our mind; conditioning it as an athlete would their body, we are literally transmuting lead into gold – transforming the monad into something that could be viewed in far-off days, as “divine”, a genuine “Wizard”. All that’s needed is. . . 

Imagination



Determination



Effort



Focus

And Study In The Areas Of . . . 

General Human Behavior o FACS o Demographic Statistics (a.k.a. Psychological Force Demographics)



Psychology & Profiling o Social & Societal Interactions o Demographic Commonalities o General Character Analysis o Somatotypes  Asian Face Reading o

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Body Language  L. L. Hay Correspondences

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An Introduction to the Art of Séance







Psychology & Control o Conversational Hypnosis o NLP o Effective Communications  Pacing & Leading Technique  Public Speaking/Storytelling Ideomotor Response o Pendulums & Dowsing o Muscle Reading – Contact o Muscle Reading – Non-Contact  Eye Movement  The Pointers  Nose  Toes  Shoulders  Respiratory Rate Mnemonics & Mind Skills o Mnemonic Systems & Codes o Traditional Memorization  Classic Literature  Historic & Trivia Factoids  Famous Quotes  Scripts/Plays/Stories o Mathematics  Basic Mathematical Computations (strictly mental, no paper or device)  Advanced Computational Challenges & Goals  Translations between types of measure

This list pretty much covers the whole of the category when it comes to the “Must Learn” factors of mentalism; the techniques that will allow you to work 100% clean, in the style and mode of our Shamanic forbearers. Use such things wisely and when you do find the need to “cheat” remember the following;

The Charlatan’s Gifts. . . 

The Written Word o Nail Writing o Pocket Writing o Double-Writing



Secret Sight o Billets o Peeks o Shiners o Impressions

Two categories 7 niches of special learning and a few dozen ways of exploiting each for the sake of infinite mischief; when coupled with the proceeding one can most certainly be seen as god’s chosen or Satan’s finest, whatever your preference might be. Regardless, you will be imbued with a genuine sense of power that can take

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

your life and career a very long way. Be wise however, and not foolish. Don’t under-sell it nor over-do-it. Stay humble and stay true, allowing your own sense of right & wrong – integrity – to guide your path. Blessed Be!

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

RESOURCES Aside from this short list you may wish to refer to the list on Bizarre Magick found in my book “About Bizarre Magick” part of the FREE introduction book series listed on Lulu.com as well as Lybrary.com. 1.

The Psychic Mafia by Lamar Keen

2.

Daemons, Darkling’s & Doppelgangers – Supreme Magic

3.

Encounter with a Ghost by Larry Kuhen

4.

Have Séance Will Travel by Carl Herron (Bro. Shadow)

5.

The $1,000.00 Séance by Docc Hilford

6.

Mephisto’s Journey by Docc Hilford

7.

Invisible Stranger by Docc Hilford

8.

Band of the Hand by Docc Hilford

9.

Manifestations by Lee Earle

10. Séance by Al Mann 11. Séance by Scott Davis 12. Spirits on the Table by Larry Kuhen 13. The Talking Board by Jim Magus 14. The Paranormal Entertainer by Paul “Voudini” Bell

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

FREE Introductions by P. Craig Browning Learning Cold Reading The first in the FREE Book series introduces the novice to the world of Cold Reading; not just the theories and concepts that have been so popular with early 21st century writers, but reference to the older forms of responding to questions from the stage as well as the formulas used by the old timers (prior to the mid-1970s), even leaving the student with one favored and proven method that has been used by Mystery Entertainers and real world Psychic professionals for well over 100 years to date; a simple, easy to learn system that will empower you with the ability to deliver relatively accurate character & personality Readings your patrons will remember for years to come.

MENTALISM Was released in February 2011 as the 2nd of the FREE Book series, delivering a rather unique over-view to the craft that allows the novice to become familiar with the differing schools of thought & practice while likewise explaining the nuance differences between true Mentalism, Mental Magic and just an inkling on what has become Bizarre Magick. Unlike most composition on this subject I have deliberately shared insights from esoteric literature the shines light on a little spoken of truth; the fact that a huge amount of what one learns and conditions themselves for when becoming a Mentalist mirrors the lessons and disciplines associated with Psychic Development and actual mysticism; no selling of souls or virgin sacrifices, but certainly the scholastic flavor of things.

About Bizarre Magick Book III in the FREE Book series released in the fall of 2011 with Introduction to the Art of Séance. About Bizarre Magick introduces the student to a relatively new face of modern-day magic that came into popularity in the late 1990’s by way of the earl televised special featuring David Blaine and Criss Angel. Truth is however, Bizarre Magick’s roots can be found some 30 years prior to this point in time when the likes of Charles Cameron, Brother Shadow, Tony Andruzzi and Anthony Raven hosted the reprise of magic as it was done in antiquity – a bit gruesome with a hint of the occult and smattering of death here and there. This book gives you a look at the history as well as the many modes of presentation common to this performance heavy art form.

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

Introduction to the Art of Séance I’ve been coupling magic tricks with storytelling for decades but especially so when it comes to creating a genuine sense of haunt; everything from fireside tales of fright to ghost hunts, tours and the various styles of Spirit Communion – the Séance. Like Bizarre Magick Séance work is very performance heavy and nothing remotely as mundane as many envision. It has evolved far away from the meandering of things presented by magician and pseudo-debunkers forming into a specialty niche all of its own (though closely related to both, Mentalism & Bizarre Magick) Anyone curious about developing a Séance or Ghost styled program needs to start with this tome before taking another step. It will direct you to positive, well worked material and ward you away from that which has been produced by inexperienced dreamers and plagiarists that are trying to look knowledgeable.

There’s More to Come . . . I’m presently working out book concepts dealing with Major Illusions and Escapology as part of my 2012 release as well as a handful of text you can buy. . . . . . bet you knew that was coming Of course I’ve had a long list of retail publications on the market for years, just do a search on my name through Lybrary.com or visit my storefront at Lulu.com. I have listings of material that’s exclusive to certain sites so look around.

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning

An Introduction to the Art of Séance

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Another FREE Introductory Book by P. Craig Browning