PRACTICAL MIND-READING/PART 5
LESSON V.
SIMPLE DEMONSTRATIONS.
In beginning a public
demonstration, it will be well for you to give a short preliminary talk to the
audience, somewhat along the following lines:
OPENING TALK.
"Ladies
and Gentlemen, with your assistance I shall endeavor to give you a
demonstration of practical Mind Reading, beginning with some simple feats, and
then proceeding gradually to more complicated demonstrations. In these
demonstrations, I must have your co-operation, for the success of the
experiments depends as much upon you as upon myself. In the first place, I must
ask that you refrain from conversation, laughter, etc., while I am
demonstrating, for these things distract the mind of the Transmitter and
prevent him from concentrating his Mind and Will upon mine; and also prevent me
from maintaining that Passive Mental State which is essential to the success of
the experiments. I trust that you will help me in this way. I also ask that
during the experiments, you will all concentrate your Mind and Will upon me,
and help me in the work. In order to obtain the best results all
Mind Readers prefer that their audiences concentrate their Wills upon the
work, with the purpose of mentally willing that the demonstrator be successful.
In fact the success of the experiments depend very materially upon the Willing exerted by the audience. If you Will in my
favor, I shall be successful; if you Will that I shall fail, I shall feel the
effect. Therefore, kindly give me your aid. I ask you to blindfold me and take
such other means to prevent unfair methods and practices, as your judgment may
dictate. I am now ready to proceed with the tests."
CHOOSING THE
TRANSMITTER.
Then
have the audience select a committee to blindfold you and remain outside of the
room with you, while the remainder of the audience select the object that you
are to find, etc. When you return to the room, select someone to act as
Transmitter. If possible get someone with whom you have previously practiced,
and established rapport conditions. This will aid you very materially, of
course. If this is not possible, select someone of the audience that is in
harmony with you, and who will have a strong enough will to give you the
vibrations. Sometimes women are very good at this work, as they get very much
in earnest when interested, and therefore Will intently. If your first
Transmitter is not satisfactory, test another, and so on until you get a
good one. You may change Transmitters during the evening, if you prefer; in
fact this is a good plan, if you are an adept, for it shows the audience that
there is no collusion.
INSTRUCTING THE
TRANSMITTER.
You
should instruct the Transmitter, along the lines indicated in a previous
chapter, i.e. that he must hold the thought of direction,
fix his eyes on the chosen spot and then concentrate his
will upon it, and that your success will depend materially
upon his ability to concentrate his Mind and Will upon
the task. You should explain to him that you receive your impulses
through his thought-waves or vibrations, and that the stronger these are, the
better you will succeed. Make this plain to him. When the Transmitter fails to
concentrate his Will, you will know it at once, and should call his attention
to it, saying "Concentrate, concentrate now—harder—use
your Will," or words to that effect. You
should impress upon the Transmitter that it is the strength
of his Will that produces the mental vibrations that give you
the impressions.
BEGINNING THE TEST.
Then,
take the hand of the Transmitter, in the manner already described in previous
lesson, placing it to your forehead, or else holding it up high in front
of you. Then begin a wavering motion, or direction, preferably describing a
circle, slowly. In this meaningless wavering motion remain perfectly passive awaiting
impressions. Soon you will begin to feel a mental resistance to certain
directions, and a mental willingness that you move in another direction. Then
move along the line of the least mental resistance. In some cases you will
receive a strong mental urge, pull, or push, in the
direction of the selected spot. Here is where your practice comes in, for in
your practice experiments you have acquired the art of recognizing these
impressions as they come to you, in their different forms, and so are prepared
to yield to them and move accordingly. It is impossible to describe in writing
just how these impressions come, and feel like, for actual experience is
necessary before you will know just what is meant. But once you have accustomed
yourself to receive and recognize the impressions, the rest is all a matter of
practice and development.
And
now for the demonstrations themselves. You should begin with the simplest
feats, and then work up gradually to the more complicated and difficult ones.
This plan will build up your own powers, and will develop the Transmitter's. We
herewith give a number of interesting feats and demonstrations, explaining the
details of each. Of course, the general directions we have given regarding
the receiving of impressions, etc., will apply to all of these feats, for the
principle underlying them all is the same, precisely.
FINDING A LOCATION.
DEMONSTRATION
I. Begin by having the audience select a part in the room, which may be easily
reached by you. Then proceed as directed, until you feel that you have reached
the right place, or location.
FINDING A PERSON.
DEMONSTRATION
II. Have the audience select a person, one of their number. Find the general
location of the person. Then standing still, reach out your right hand, and
begin "feeling about." You will find that as your hand moves away
from the right person you will feel a drawing back impression,
whereas when you reach toward the person you will receive an urging forward impression. A little practice will
soon enable you to distinguish these mental impressions. Then place your hand
on the person who seems to be the centre of the impressions. If this is the
wrong person, you will receive a mental impression of "Wrong";
in which case you must start up the moving your hand to and fro, and around,
until you feel the urge impression, when you should place your hand on
the person immediately in front of you. When you reach the right person,
you will receive an unmistakable impression and mental message of "All
Right," followed by a lessening of the Will tension, and you will know
that you have succeeded. You should practice this in private before attempting
public demonstration.
FINDING A SMALL OBJECT.
DEMONSTRATION
III. Have the audience select some small object in plain sight in the room.
Then find it in the manner described of above in the case of the selected
person. The rule is identically the same. But there are some other details to
be observed, in the matter of "up or down," for the object may be
higher than your shoulder or lower, in which case you will have to either reach
up or down. In this reaching up or down, follow the same general rule as given.
When you reach the right location, you will feel an impression of "not yet
finished" from the mind of the Transmitter. Then reach up slowly. If this
is right you will receive a corresponding impression, and may go on to centre
the object. But if it is not right, you will receive a mental urge downward, which you should follow. The rule always is
to follow the line of the least mental resistance.
You will always receive the resistance when you are not succeeding, and
will always receive the lack of resistance when you are succeeding. Learn
to focus these impressions until they centre positively and constantly on the
same spot—then you have succeeded, for there will
be your object right under your hand.
FINDING A BOOK.
DEMONSTRATION
IV. Have the audience select a book on the shelves of a book case, and then
find it in the manner just related. The two feats are precisely the same, although
the latter will appear more startling to the observer.
THE FLORAL TRIBUTE.
DEMONSTRATION
V. This test is known as "The Floral Tribute." It is performed by
having a bouquet of flowers on the table. Then select some young man in the
audience, and let him pick out some young woman in the audience whom he wishes
to have the flowers. You must retire from the room, of course, while he selects
the young lady and mentions her name and position to the audience. Then
returning to the room, pick up the bouquet, and taking the hand of your
Transmitter, find the young lady and present her with the flowers. Of course
this feat is merely a fancy rendition of the simple feat of finding the person
thought of, and is performed in the same way. (Study the directions for Demonstration
II, and apply in the present case, with appropriate variations.)
THE REUNITED COUPLE.
DEMONSTRATION
VI. This test is known as "The Reunited Couple." It is performed by
having the audience select two persons, a young man and a young woman, and
stand them up in front of the room, like a couple about to be married. Then
they should have a third person, a man, selected and stood before them as the
parson who will tie the knot. The three persons should then take their seats,
and when you enter the room, and take the hand of your Transmitter, you must
first find "the Parson"; then "the Groom"; and then
"the Bride," and arrange them in their proper positions. This is a
highly effective test, and invariably brings hearty applause, and the hunt affords
much merriment to the audience. But, as you will see readily, it is but a
variation of Demonstration II.
THE HIDDEN JEWELRY.
DEMONSTRATION
VII. Have the audience select some small article, like a scarf-pin, ring, etc.,
and hide it on the person of some one of the audience. Then you are to find it.
This demonstration combines the features of Demonstration II,
and Demonstration III, that is you have first to find the person, as
described in Demonstration II, and then the object which is practically a variation
of Demonstration III. Study the details of Demonstration III, and practice the
present demonstration in private before trying it in public.
THE DISCOVERED COURSE.
DEMONSTRATION
VIII. Have a member of the audience walk around the room, following a
prescribed course selected by the audience. Have your Transmitter memorize the
course accurately, and then you must walk over the same course when you return
to the room. This is effective, but is merely a variation of the "Finding
the Corner" demonstration.
REPLACING THE PIN.
DEMONSTRATION
IX. This is called "Replacing the Pin," and is very effective when
properly performed. Have a member of the audience take a pin and insert it in
the wall in a spot plainly visible to the audience, not too high up,
however—about on the level of your shoulder is best. Then have him withdraw the
pin and hide it somewhere in the room. Then when you return to the room, and
take the Transmitter's hand, you should first find the pin, (in the manner
heretofore described) and then find the place where it had been stuck; then
circling your hand around in narrowing circles until you feel the proper
impression push the pin home in the spot in which it formerly was driven. This
final effort is really merely a modification of "finding the spot,"
and with a little practice may be easily performed.
THE THEFT DETECTED.
DEMONSTRATION
X. This feat is called "The Theft." Have one of the audience play
"the thief," and steal an article of jewelry, or similar small object
from a second person called "the victim." Then the thief should hide
his spoil in a safe place about the room. Returning you first find the thief;
then the hidden article; then the person, according to the methods already
given. This is a very effective feat, but is merely a combination of
"Finding the Person," and "Finding an Object."
THE RECONSTRUCTED
TABLEAU.
DEMONSTRATION
XI. This feat is known as the "Reconstructed Tableau." It is
performed by having several of the audience form a simple tableau group, and
then retire to their seats. Returning to the room you are to find each person;
lead him or her to the former spot; then reconstruct the group. This is
somewhat difficult, but not nearly so much so as you might suppose. A little
private practice will enable you to perform it with ease.
THE MURDER AND THE
DETECTIVE.
DEMONSTRATION
XII. This test is known as the "Murder and the Detective," and is
very spectacular and sensational, and is accordingly one that is in great favor
with the public performers. It is performed as follows: The audience selects
one man to act as the "murderer"; another to act as "the
victim"; and also some object to act as the dagger; and lastly a place in
which the body is to be concealed. Then the "murderer" picks up the
"dagger," and "kills" his "victim," afterward
concealing the body in some part of the room (usually sitting in a chair) and
the "dagger" in another place. Then when you return to the room you
first find the "body"; then the "wound"; then the
"dagger," and then the "murderer." This is usually
announced as a wonderful piece of "telepathic detective work," and is
extremely effective, and may be reserved as the "principal effect" of
your series of demonstrations.
You
will notice that the feat is merely an elaborate combination of the simpler
feats of "Finding the Person," "Finding the Object," etc.
THE RETURNED HATS.
DEMONSTRATION
XIII. Have the hats of a number of men in the audience placed on a table or
other place, and then returning to the room, blindfolded of course, you pick up
the hats, one by one, and place them upon the heads of their proper
owners, who are seated in different parts of the room. This is a simple feat
although very effective. It is, of course, merely a variation of the feat of
"finding the person." There is one point, however, that must be
remembered in this feat, and that is that the Transmitter should know just
whose hat is held in your hand—just who the owner of that particular hat is and
where he is sitting or standing. Otherwise he cannot send you the mental
impulses which will enable you to find the owner. It will be well for the
Transmitter to hold the hat so that it can be seen by the audience, requesting
the owner to rise in his seat so as to indicate his whereabouts—your back being
turned to the audience while this is being done in order to avoid suspicion of
your "peeping," etc.
THE LADY AND THE RING.
DEMONSTRATION
XIV. This feat is performed by having a lady in the audience loan the
Transmitter her ring. When you return to the room, you find the lady and
replace the ring upon the finger from which she took it. The Transmitter must
remember the lady, and the particular finger, of course—the rest is simply a
combination of the "finding the person" and "finding the
spot" feats. It is very effective, if neatly performed.
GENERAL ADVICE.
I.
We have given you a great variety of Demonstrations or Feats, but you must not
attempt to produce all of them at an evening's entertainment. It will take some
time to perform a few of them effectively, and impressively, and you should
avoid any attempt to hurry through the feats. Nor should you spoil your good
impression by cheapening the demonstrations in the direction of performing too
many at one sitting.
II.
Neither should you tire or fatigue yourself by too many feats. When your mind
or body are tired, you do yourself an injury to perform these demonstrations,
and besides, you cannot obtain the best results while fatigued. You should rest
a little while after each feat, before attempting another one.
III.
When the entertainment, or exercises are over, you should take a few strong
deep breaths, swing your arm around a little to promote the circulation, and
relieve the nervous tension. You may feel a little "dazed" at first
after performing a few feats, but will soon learn to throw off the passive
condition, and engage in the laughing conversation that will follow the
entertainment. Do not take yourself too seriously and remember that laughter
and a little boyish or girlish spirits is a wonderful tonic.
IV.
Do not become impatient if you do not progress as rapidly as you would desire.
You are practically developing a sixth sense, and are like a baby learning to
walk—it takes time, but practice will surely bring you success. Take things
calmly. The feats that will be possible for you to perform, even from the start
will be wonderful enough, without any necessity for your complaining about your
slowness in learning to perform the more complicated ones.
ABOUT TRANSMITTERS.
I.
If your Transmitter does not do his work properly, and you feel that he is not
Concentrating properly, or using his Will effectively, do not hesitate to
change him. You need not offend him, for you may say simply that the rapport
conditions are not fully developed between you, and that these things sometimes
happen, etc. Your new Transmitter will feel anxious to do better than his
predecessor, and will be most likely to Concentrate and Will to the best of his
ability.
II.
The Transmitter should be in earnest, and no levity or trifling should be
permitted. If you have the selection, pick out some earnest person, and avoid
the trifling, feather-brained class.
III.
If your Transmitter does not seem to be Concentrating properly, you should
speak to him firmly, but kindly, about it. Say to him: "Please concentrate your Mind,
and Will earnestly—fix your Mind on the
right Spot—make a determined Mental Effort
that I move in the right direction—it is your Mind and Will that gives me the
impression, remember—it all depends upon you," etc. This will often have
the effect of bracing him up to renewed mental activity, and you will notice
the improvement at once.
A WORD OF WARNING.
Beginning
your entertainment, caution the audience about placing the hidden objects in
places that you cannot conveniently touch—such as high up on the wall; under
the strings of a piano, etc. Tell them that you can find the
article anywhere, but it must be placed so that you can get at it with only
ordinary care and work. Some "Smart Alicks" may try to play pranks on
you in this way, but discourage same vigorously at the start, informing the
audience that this is a scientific test and not a circus. And, remember this,
tell them that the article must never be hidden about the Transmitter, for the
reason that he is seldom able to think as intently about his own location as
about some place away from him. These are the only restrictions that you need
make. Caution the Transmitter to guide you away from obstacles over which you
might stumble, or which you might overturn. Tell him that you place
yourself in his hands for protection, and then endeavor to think no more about
the matter, for such thought tends to distract your passivity.
The
above feats or demonstrations are all performed along the same general lines as
indicated a little further back, and all are capable of being accomplished by
anyone of ordinary intelligence, with a little study, care and practice.
Practice makes perfect, in Mind Reading as in everything else, remember, so
keep at it until you have worn off the rough edges, and have polished up the
details of the work. You may vary, improve, add to, the above feats, and may
also insert many new ones for yourself as you proceed with your work. Use your
inventive faculties.
THE WIRE CONTACT.
A
sensational and effective method of performing some of the simpler feats is
performed by some public performers, and consists in having a piece of thick
wire, about one foot in length grasped by the Receiver's left hand, and by the Transmitter's
right hand, instead of the ordinary contact. A little practice will surprise
you in the facility in which the impressions are transferred over the wire from
the Transmitter to the Receiver. The methods of operation in this case are
identical with those employed in the ordinary methods. A wooden
"ruler" may be substituted for the wire. Some performers succeed even
with a long walking-cane.
THIRD PERSON INTERPOSED.
Another
variation is that in which a third person is interposed between the Transmitter
and Receiver. Practice along these lines will enable the skilled Mind Reader to
receive the impressions as usual, notwithstanding the interposition of the
third person. Do not attempt to try these variations until you have thoroughly
mastered the ordinary methods.
(The
student is here advised to turn to the conclusion of Lesson VI, of this book,
and acquaint himself with the "Simpler Method" there described. It
may help him in this phase of his work.)
We
shall now pass on to the consideration of some of the more complicated or
difficult feats of Contact Mind Reading.
NEXT CHAPTER
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