I just finished reading Ricky Jay's "Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women." He has a chapter about mentalism, where describes an act where a sewing pin would be hidden somewhere in a large auditorium. The mentalist would proceed to find it without any trouble. This sounds like it would be awesome to perform at school. Anyone know where I can learn it? Hopefully, it's not that difficult.

My first guess would be muscle reading. Check out Banachek's book and dvd (Psychophisological Thought Reading and PSI Series Vol. 3) (i think I got that right)

Yeah, it's dead easy... just spend a looong time practising until you get it.

Chris

Hi Njh,

First I have to second the posts from Chris and Scott.
Yes its on Banacheks Psi-Series Vol.3 and YES you have to practise this a time.

Menawhile I am able to do this kind of stuff and it works very well for me.
But as Banchek states on his DVD you should practice a bit. The stunt to find an even small object hidden in a room shouldn't be the beginning phase of your learning.

Once you got into this a bit I would recommend to practice it with some objects laid out on a table and you try to devine the object selected by a spectator.
In laying out the objects on a table the area for practising muscle reading is smaller and easier.

BUt check out Banacheks DVD, get into this for a while and then pratice practice and practice.

regards

Thomas

I would be much easier to have a stooge in the room and an agreed coding system for him to let you know where it is or at least when you are getting hot.

There are countless coding methods involving body movements, facial expressions, coughs, words, blinking, feet, fingers etc etc etc

Then dress it up as muscle reading.

Great idea Neil.

Another good idea could for beginner could be to do it with cards.
YOu force a card on a spectator. Then some cards, including the forced one, are laid out on table.
Then you muscle read the spectator.

With such helping methods you easily can learn to get the feeling for muscle reading.

regards

Thomas

I have a surveillance system in my living room, and a little display out in the kitchen. That makes things sooooo much easier sometimes

Chris

Hi Guys,

Here's a little tip.. Have someone in the room be your secret assistant and arrange a code.. Have a volunteer secretly hide something in the room, not to complicated ie: under a plate, cushion, chair etc.. Then genuinely try muscle reading (obviously study first) then if you succeed..great if however in the heat of the moment you are having genuine trouble code your assistant who will then help you get to the location via your prearranged system..

Just a thought

Best wishes

Marc Spelmann

Lee Earle has a rountine in M.I.N.D. for a "safe" way to do the "find in a room" rountine. THe beauty of it being it's a genuine way to practice muscle reading and you only use the "out" if you're struggling.

On and by the way, am I the only one slightly scared by Christopher Wallaces post?

Hi Paul,

Great idea and a great routine. By the way I love this book as I love Syzygy. Tons of tips and good routines.



By the way I second your scary feeling about this.
Must be a real good feeling beeing guest at Chris' house. :>))

regards

Thomas

Christopher. You Voyeur you. Bad, bad. Naughty...

Hee hee.

Don't want to plug here but Shrink's 7th Sense is a good idea for this.

K

Hi folks

Glad we're in agreement about creepy christopher..

Going back to the hidden object routine..I often have the participant hide a folded piece of paper onto which they've written a word.

Using your favourite method to learn this word before they hide the paper you still have a strong revelation at the end of the routine - even if you fail at the muscle reading.

Ive just thought of this whilst writing the above...

Have the spectator write down an object in the room, and then instruct them to hide it under a different object.

This way you eliminate one possible hiding location and I would guess that the paper wouldn't be hidden close to the named object. This should give you a bit more of an edge with the muscle reading - and If you still have to admit defeat in finding the paper, you can "psychologically" link the hiding place to the written object for a stronger and more convincing revelation.

Like I said - just an idea I had now, but I think ill try it - let me know what you think..

Annemann had a great routine in which the medium stepped outside(can be watched).On returning(the mentalist leaves),and the medium find a chosen card as well as a hidden object.
This effect is found on p289 in Annemann's Practical Mental Magic and is called Thoughts in the Air.I've used it a few times to great effect.
Andre

Stick a bug with the pin. Then use a bug finder.