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Engali Elite user 435 Posts |
First off, I have to apologize for not writing this review sooner given the time limit on the special Mr. Waters put on. I bought this eBook during Mr. Waters’ special and have had only a week to read and re-read Contemplations. Second, I want to state that I am in no way affiliated with Mr. Waters and have no vested interest in the sale of this product. Third, I wanted to state that I am fairly new to mentalism coming from a background in magic, although I have a fairly extensive knowledge of psychology/influence. That said, the special is now over, but whether you managed to get in on the deal or will buy it full price I’m sure you’ll find the value in the material is more than commeasurate with the cost.
I have had my eye on Mr. Waters’ work for a while now. My interest was first piqued by his thoughtful posts regarding mentalism and his general unwillingness to simply tout his own work as the answer when people asked for advice. I researched his products(all glowing reviews as far as I can tell) and have been eyeing this eBook for a while. When the special occurred I pounced on the opportunity. Having read the book I am glad I got a discount(and the free effect from his upcoming eBook), but I would’ve gladly paid full price knowing what I do now. The thing that what will strike you the most, aside from the sheer size of this lengthy eBook, is Mr. Waters’ sincere love of mentalism, psychological effects, and the people for which he creates these experiences. His genuine care for mentalism and performance in general emenates from the book, woven into the fabric of his presentations and the structural design of the book. The layout is logical, elegant, and thorough. The entire eBook is a joy to read and I look forward to doing so again and again to capture some of the more subtle ideas embedded in this text. Let’s look at some of the contents of the book: Reflexology - One of the items I was most excited about and it really did live up to my expectations. You show how touching parts of the hand can have an influence on thoughts. As with all of the effects the method itself is solid and workable. What makes this effect so distinct, in my opinion, from most other effects is just how intimate it is and can be. Even if you don’t use the script that Mr. Waters provides, you can see how he uses his language to evoke certain emotions and set the stage for the effect itself. The emotional hook is genius and the whole effect is a gestalt where the experience for the spectator is far beyond the sum of the method and patter. I love effects where, instead of displaying “skill”, you reveal how universal these seemingly supernatural abilities are and use the spectator to demonstrate. I believe it makes the spectator care. A standout effect for me and fairly impromptu. Fit what I was looking for. Horseshoes and Hand Grenades – An essay on missing and how to do it well when you do. Some very good thoughts worth considering. I will be putting this into practice. Perhaps this will make people a bit bolder in their methods, which is certainly a good thing when talking about effects where the method is psychologically based and that may not always work perfectly. Sands of Time – Another stand out effect for me. Again, it’s not the effect itself, but the way Mr. Waters frames it that creates an emotional hook and makes the spectator care about what’s going on. The effect by itself, that of the spectator turning the time on an analog watch to a time you wrote down(spectator doesn’t see it), is impressive by itself. However, it lacks any real emotional investment on the part of the spectator. Mr. Waters structures this effect as an illustration of the rhythms of the body and grounds it in reality with well-chosen, real life examples. By doing so he makes the effect itself more credible/believable and, ultimately, more impressive. This is clear example of using the effect as evidence/demonstration of something bordering on impossible rather than making the effect by itself the focus and “dressing it up” with patter. Make the effect subservient to the “vision”, not the other way around. Another perfect effect for me. The DC Technique – A simple to understand, challenging to do technique for improving rapport. It works and should be a life-long pusuit and ideal to live up to. I, myself, was humbled by this essay and reminded of what’s really important when it comes to human interaction. Read between the lines and you’ll discover how to increase the impact of all influence techniques… Elementary – A display of body language and mind reading wrapped in a “murder mystery” presentation. The effect is smart and to the point, as is the method. For me, however, I don’t think I’ll be using this because it doesn’t fit my performance constraints Still, a very clean effect. Landscape Architecture – An essay on using you’re the audience to your advantage. This mirrored some toughts I’ve had recently about spectator selection and I whole heartedly agree with the conclusion. Worth thinking about. Hand Out – A Handy prediction, as the effect description reads. I honestly didn’t like this one that much. It is noted to be a good opener to show some influence skills and I see it fitting that need. For me, a little too involved in method for what I think you can get out of it. Manchurian Candidate – A VERY intriguing effect that is sure to make the audience’s collective mind unravel. It took a second reading for the effect that the specatators see to really sink in. Just plain brilliant with some great thinking in how to re-frame an effect with a few words and psychology. The idea of using the “three words” as a call back is extremely clever as well. A stand out upon second reading—really like this one. As If – Two tools all mentalists(or anybody) should use. I’ll vouch for the effectiveness of both techniques discussed from personal experience. With the first technique suggested, Mr. Waters adds an important ingredient to the process that many who teach such mind technologies gloss over and is CRUCIAL for full benefit and impact. So many times people say that “such-and-such” is worth the price of the book/dvd/whatever alone and many times I want to grab these people by the shoulders, vigorously shake them, look them dead in the eye and tell them, “No, no it’s not.” If you took nothing else from this eBook, but applied the first technique described with the ingredient Mr. Waters suggest it would be, unequivocally, worth the price of this eBook, all subjectivity aside. It really would, and this coming from someone who loathes the hackneyed phrase. Two deceptively simple axioms to follow imho though are: 1) A little bit everyday is better than a lot once in a while 2) Start small, build big in all ways, lest you want to end up violating axiom1 The second techqniue also “works”(if you do). If you want the most out of this technique, the inferred “state” or quality of character in The DC Technqiue should be embodied prior to using this technique. Otherwise, you’re kind of missing the point. The techqniue name itself can be misleading because of semantics, so think through what you’re trying to accomplish when you’re using this technique. Illuminati – Mr. Waters must be a mind reader because his prediction in the pre-amble to the effect is dead on. I was at first fairly disinterested in this effect. I think it was because I expected a serial number divination and got something else. When I read it second time, it started to really set in that, if done right, this can seem like pure mind reading. The structure is deceptive and uses a quality of the dollar bill to great effect. The kicker ending has the potential to really seem like you’re in the spectator’s mind’s eye. Best of all it’s a very “pure” effect in that all you really need is a bill that a spectator has on their person and something to write with and on. Another perfect fit for me. Regarding Rope – A parable about the effect our feats can have on the spectator. Good anaology and worthy food for thought. Beyond Touch – This is a full “color sensing” rotuine using a deck of cards. The structure is very nice and, by the end, all possible solutions have been negated. The audience is left with no other explanation. I don’t think I’ll end up using this, but I still appreciate the very thorough and methodical thought that was obviously put into the construction of this effect. As with all items in this eBook, even if you don’t think you’ll use an effect the thinking behind it is worth dissecting. A great effect that I think many will find to be their favorite. Looks like pure mind reading. The Extra Mile – There’s a wealth of information even in this bonus section. As this review is getting quite lengthy I won’t detail everything here. Suffice it to say I think I’ll find the most use out of Which Hand(ling) and maybe even Photographic Memory. Devious methods. I think I’ll get the most in terms of food for thought by looking at how Mr. Waters tackled the conditions he set for himself in The Missing Link. This sort of thing is always very instuctive. All in all I got four, yes FOUR, effects that I fit my performance preferences that I will use. I also got a lot of insight into how to make otherwise cold and sterile occurrences engaging for laymen by grounding them in reality through presentation. The essays say a lot more than they do at first glance and is worth studying, as is the rest of this eBook. The entire thing is very well crafted and I almost wish I could’ve gotten it in hardcopy format. If you’re looking for mentalism with a strong psychological bent, this eBook is worth far more than your attention. My highest recomendations. |
necro555 Veteran user 335 Posts |
I didn't know about this ebook, so thank you for the review.
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Waters Inner circle 2508 Posts |
Engali,
Wow! Thank you for the thorough review; I truly appreciate it. I am glad that you found ideas suitable for your personal performances. Most of all, I am glad that the essays have "spoken" to you. It truly makes me happy that you are pleased with your purchase. With regards, Sean |
Engali Elite user 435 Posts |
Necro555,
No problem, just wanted to do something to give back in any small way I can. Sean, Thanks for writing this eBook. I really got a lot more out of it than I expected so I was kind of overwhelmed by the end...kinda felt guilty for waiting until the special happened to roll around to finally pick this up lol. I just didn't know what to expect. Hopefully this review will make people curious enough to investigate a bit further. Have a good one. |
The Mac Inner circle 1982 Posts |
The essay parts are intriguing and provide food for thought.You can tell when someone does a book for money and when they do it for the love of the art.Sean is all about the love! I enjoyed his work on KENT.
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muse Special user Scotland 925 Posts |
Sean's style is gentle and understated, but it's thoughtful, and there's a lot to it. It's well put together, interesting to read, and I would unhesitatingly recommend 'Contemplations'.
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dmoses Inner circle 2261 Posts |
And if you liked Contemplations... you'll love Ponderings!
"You're a comedian. You wanna do mankind a service, tell funnier jokes."
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Scott F. Guinn Inner circle "Great Scott!" aka "Palms of Putty" & "Poof Daddy G" 6586 Posts |
Sean's work is always strong, practical, and commercial. It doesn't matter what you buy from him--you'll find it to be useful, usable, real-world stuff of the highest caliber.
"Love God, laugh more, spend more time with the ones you love, play with children, do good to those in need, and eat more ice cream. There is more to life than magic tricks." - Scott F. Guinn
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Waters Inner circle 2508 Posts |
Thank you for the posts gentleman.
Scott, I truly appreciate the kind words about my material. I am both honored (and humbled) to have your support. I feel deeply blessed to have received the support that I have. I am indebted to each of you, who has supported my creative work. I hope the ideas serve you well. Sincerely, Sean |
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