ffiTAL
PATRICK
FtrOMENT
TETTPATHY
Patrick Froment Article Ll22-5 of the Inlellecrual Pioperly Code. under paragraphs 2 and 3a. autnorhes only, on
tle
one haDd.
'copies oi reproductions srricllr reserved lor the priyate use
ol lhe coplisr
and not intended lor collectile use'
and, on thc other ha!d, analyses and shon quolalions lor the purpose ol example and illulration. 'any relrcsenlation or complete oi parrial reproduction nrade
r
sirho-
rhe
gnees is
lrohibited' (articl€ L.122
co'"e
, I rfe
c-rhor
C-r. holde'. or asi 4).
Ary
such repre-
RealTelepathy
sentarion or reproduction in any lorm rhus consdtutes forger\', which is punishable under articles L.335,2
ff ol
the lnlelleclual Properry Code.
Publication ove^een btr Ludovic Mignon Edired and proofread btr Richard Cauche
Trafflated bl,
Md P.ir.hard
Tlis edilion o 2011- Ma(hand
de
Advanced Pseudo-Telepathy Tru$
Marchand de T.ucs. 6 ruc du Pl6nCno 56100 Lorietrt
!wi{marchalddelrucs.com Pr']n1ed
in the EurolcanUnion b) the publisher
LlV Editiols o, belalfof
Decembei 2013
ISBN : 978-2-95 36660 5 2
EAN :9782953666052
ffi:chand dc (Lruc_s .G^
Editions
Contents
I dedicate this publication to all moaicians and mentalists who are looking for the perfect effect. MaA our pursuit be fulfilled one dag.
Publisher's
note
.......................
ForeNordby Jeao-Jacques Sanvert
............................
9
rl
Introduction to the 2o11 edition....................................
15
A personal experience
27
..........................................................
Drau'ing duplication variations Features ofcold reading The stock
.....................................
35
---...............................................
43
...................
48
reading
Psychological points
.............................................................
49
Analysis of the rcading ...................................... 55 Some real-life examples
......................................................
57
A few additional Iines
...........................................................
61
The mushroom effect
...........................................................
63
............................................................................-.-...-........
65
Arcana
And what if it doesn't u,ork?
............................................
69
............................................................
73
............-.......................................................................
77
By way of conclusion
Semantics
Publisher's note When Patdck came to see me and proposed project, this my initial reaction was one of great excitement. I immediately wanted to try Reol TelepathA o1Jt on a lew nearby guinea pigs and I was honestly blown away by the result.
While it's not the best approach, the temptation really was too much for me - the burning desire to know whether or not it actually worked. The effect is so strong on paper that you can't help but hope that it's not merely the sort of misleading advertising material that you get in any magic shop catalogue. Take the time to study the tdck and, more
importantly, make the most of performing it. You'll no doubt leave your spectators feeling t}lat they've experienced something very unusual, the sensation that you were, just for a moment, actuallv able to read their minds-.. Telepathy: People in psychic union communicating over a distance by thought
Ludo, February
zol.
Foreword by Iean-|acques Sanvert You have something very precious in your hands. A masterpiece ofthe genre. Probably the
most devastating pure mentalism effect that I'ye seen to date. Patrick Froment, its creator, performed it for me at one of Mindon Mania's wonderful meetings (he is now the group's president), and I wish you could have seen the line-up of magicians Dominique Duvivier, Ga6tan Bloom, Pascal de Clermont and me whose jaws couldn't help but drop when Patrick revealed to us the subject matter of Pascal de Clermont's drawing. The only possible explanation (apart from a CCTV camera linked to a television) was stooging. But that's not what it
-
-
lVaS,
Here, then, is the explanation for the ultimate mentalism effect, its list of conilitions closely resembling what Father Chdstmas might offer you in the magic shop of your wililest dreams: thereare no gimmicks, no stooges, it can be performed via telephone - or, if you prefer, L1
on a desert island - and, most incredible of all, you'll be able to learn it in.,. five or six minutes! That's also why I'm keen to warn you: I'm sure that a Iot ofmagicians (and not mentalists) who read the explanation will think, "that can't
work", It would be a serious mistake on your paft. Bear iI1 mind the performing conditions: you are offering a real experiment in thought transmission. I guarantee you that people, particularly those who are most opposedto it, want to believe in this kind ofthing. If, therefore, of the three t ?es of statement that you then make to your spectators, only one is correct (and I really can't see how that wouldn't be the case) you will have already done very well. But I should tell you that that's the worst-case scenado. On many occasions, two or even all three of your statements will be right, in which case you'll see how taken aback your spectators are!
As far as I'm aware, this is the first time in the world that this system has been used: applying 'cold reading' to an object. What a fantastic idea! You have an absolutely killer effect that can be carried out in'laboratory conditions', and, what's more, you know that you're the only people in the world (for the time being) to have this ultimate weapon, which makes this effect even more delightful to perform.
t2-
You're lucky to get your hands on this rare rlocument, which has a very limited pdnt run. Make the most of it. It's a perfect eiample ofthe creative genius that flows out of Mindon Mania meetings, without which Patdck Froment might
not have had this innovative idea. May this publication be the first in
a
long series.
Jean-Jacques Sanvert, April 1997.
Introduction to the 2011 edition
thought it might be interesting to introduce this new edition ofRecl Telepcthy with a history of the effect. This is the first proper edition, I should point out, insofar as this manuscript has bcen kept top secret until now. I
The story goes back some twenty years, as it was in the early r99os (1999, to be exact), that, thinking about the amazing demonstrations that genuine psychics had per{ormed for me, I came up with the idea ofusing some ofwhat I had seen to create a divination effect that didn't use any
standard magic 'tricks'. Thus Real Telepathy was born, the fruit of my interest in the field of parapsychology and my passion for mentalism.
Allow me, if you will, to start with a description ofa day in January 1997 - 18th January, to be exact - when one ofthelegendary meetings of the late lamented Mindon Mania group was held. At that time, the meetings took place once t5
a year. Each one was a real marathon, lasting from two o'clock on thc Saturday afternoon to da$,r1 on the Sunday moming. You surely had to be a little crazy to get through fifteen hours of non-stop mentalism. My abiding memory of those meetings. lhough. is one of erperiencing something unique. It's true - last century, mentalism in France didn't have the impact that it has today. The magic u,orld sau. Mindon Mania as a slrange sect praclising high)y e.oteric rile. (I'm barely exaggerating!).
We were definitely forerunners, the first
in
France with a different approach to performing mentalism. We invited guests Iike Patdce Serres (the creator of the foftune-telling game Goral) and even Jean-Pierre Girard (the 'French Uri Geller', much maligned among magicians). Believe me when I say that we weren't scared of anlthing. The techniques that we used and lreasured r'rere called cold reading. pumping. neuro-linguistic programming, Cumberlandism, Eriksonian hlpnosis, gray code, mnemonics and mulliple ouls... Wlile fhe French magic communitlr is now somewhat more au Aitwith these techniques, these strange-sounding terms were fearsome and dangerously heretical fifteen or twenty years ago.
Mindon was a wonderlul proving ground
in which to test and expe ment with all these 16
techniques. I confess that while I've always believed that mentalism had a great future ilhead of it, I'm amazed by the position ihat it now occupies. I wonder ifthere'll soon be more mentalism shows to see than magic ones. And if vorid have told me fifteen years ago that there'd be a hit American series called ?he Mentaiist .. Well...l Let's head back to that day on 18tr' January 1997...
I wasn't feeling great o[ that occasion. Arter a long illness, my father had passed ai\,ay a f'ew days earlier and I hadn't got anlthing ready fbr the meeting. Given the circumstances, I was debatingwhetherornotto go at all, but then again I did need to take my mind off things and the theme for the eyent was impromptu mentalism, too (a fantastictopic for someone v\'ho didn't have anlthing prepared) . The meeting was also pretty special because of who was attending. That day (and that night), Mindon played host to three big names from the magic world: Ga6tan Bloom, Jean-,Jacques Sanvet and Dominique Duvivier. ,{s I made my way to the meeting, I couldn't have dreamt ofthe impact it would have for me. With nothing prepared, 1 decided to perform a little effect that I'd developed four or five years earlier, when I lived in Rodez. The effect consisted ofduplicating a drawing made by a spectator
in completely impossible conditions.
-17-
I
knew that the effect was a good one, albeit slightly rislf,,, but I never imagined that it would become the highlight of the evening and that people would talk about it for years afterwards.
I
It must have been just after midnight when began my performance of the effect. Pascal
de Clermont was the 'guinea pig' and he drew a Iightbulb. I remember the moment that I stafted describing Pascal's drawing in front of that prestigious audience. remember Jean-Jacques
I
Sanvert's nervous laughter, accompanied by that of Gadtan Bloom and Dominique Duvivier. I remember seeing them spending some time looking for the "hidden micro-camera" or attempting to discover "who the stooge in the audience was and howhe had communicated the drawing to me". As you can imagine, I was under a lot of pressure, from a lot ofpeople, to 'spill the beans' that eve[i[g. I should stress that I held out. I was also helped by my friends from Mindon, who spread the word that there wasn't any tdck to what I had done (iust irtuition and feeling).
A few weeks after the meeting, 1 read an article in the magazlne Le Mqgtcien Gr' ].46 - march 1997 - page 5246) in which JeanJacques Sanvert wrote about a Jaw-dropping effect', describing the very demonstration that 18 -
he'd witnessed that evening. Jean-Jacques, who at the time didn't know the method that I was using, attributed the unusual experiment to my
intuition alone, reluctantb lending support to the notion tlat I hadn't used any'tricks' that evening.
I alreaily knew that the effect was a real gem. It was the first time that it hail been pertbrmed to mentalists and magicians and it was a hit! In addition, the only explanation for the cffect was breathtaking in its simplicity. However, I felt that lying beneath this simplicity, the cffect, like a millefeuille cake, hail a number of layers to it and that it would be worth describing them in iletail. Now, fifteen years on, I believe that the ideas explained in Real ?eiepathy form what may be t}le essence of mentalism. So I knuckled do$.n to it and spent seveIal weeks putting together a modest work tlat rlescribed the ins, outs and all-arounds of the rnethod that used to divine the spectator's drawing. In doing so, I indulged in a thorough study of drawing duplications as well as adding a few philosophical insights and a lot of psycholog/ into the mix. I ended up with around twenty pages of material, which I asked a few close Il'iends who were also mentalists to read for rne. They were enthusiastic in their responses. I showed the manusc pt to Jean-Jacques Sanvert
I
t9
-
and asked him to write the foreword, which he agreed to do. I felt that Jean-Jacques was the right person to introduce the publication as he had seen the effect, had once been convinced by the 'trickless' explanation and, finally, had been pd!l, to the actual method. I was also impressed by Jean-Jacques' open-minded approach and his passion for cetain divinatory arts as well as the history of Rennesle-Chdteau (this openminded approach is, ironicafu, relatively rare among magicians). All that remained was to find a title. It was Olivier Gutenberg, my late friend, gone all too soon, who inspired the title. Olivier was one ofthe people who read the first clrafts of this book. One day he said to me, "If real telepathy did exist, that's what it would look like." I'd founil the title!
In the months that followed, a photocopied version of Real Telepathv was distributed to a select few, mainly the members of Mindon Mania at the time and a few friends, amounting to a handfirl of people (a few dozen). On 6th October 1997, a short time after I had furtively circulated my manuscript, Mindon
l)uvivier came to see me and asked, "Will you be tloing your killer trick this evening?" I realised, of course, that the killer tdck in question was lleal Telepathy - which I had planned not to do, hoping to remain tight-lipped about an effect that was, fran}ly, getting out ofcontrol.
Dominique was able to convince me to perform a demonstration of my miracle divination that evening. It was a hit again, resulting in a number of friendly but insistent requests from people eager to know the method. Once more, I held out... The years went by and I made the most of an appearance by Jean-Pie[e Girard at Mindon Mania to show him Real Telepathy.In his usual mischievous style, France's number one psychic drew a chamber pot (!). He was amazed by my description of the drawing, which he kept carefully hidden in his pocket. That evening, JeanPiene Gimrd stated that I was an extraordinary psychic.
Over the years that followed,
I
took
Mania had the privilege of hosting a lecture at Le Double Fond, at Dominique Duvivier's behest. Four of us were scheduled to lecture: Didier Chant6me, Philippe Lange , J. Proley and me. A few minutes before the eyent started, Dominique
something of a step back from the magic world, delving into a whole host of subjects (psychotherapy techniques, personal development, human i[teraction, Tantra, Eastem spi tuality, sphynx cats, art, antiquity and more!). I nevertheless retained a passion for magic and mentalism and
-20-
-21
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Real Telepathy
always kept abreast of developments in these areas. As lhe yeals went b). imagine my surp se when people would rcfet to Reql Telepathy fiom time to time (on magic forums, for example), One person wanted to know if he could get hold of the book, someone else said that it vr'as the purest and most baffling drawing duplication ever created. The buzz was still there,..
During this period, people from the magic world would occasionally express the desire to publish Real Telepathy on a less limited scale - there was even talk of a DVD project. Strangely enough, all these projects ultimately fell by the wayside, disappearing one after the other as though some unconscious will had determined that these ideas shouldn't be shared. Some t\,vo decades have passed since I began developing Lhis effecL after drawing inspiration from the work of psychics and telepaths. It has now been fifteen years since I wrote and secretly distributed Real TelepathA. Re-reading the tq't, I feel that it has remained amazingly contempomry. Despite the fact that mentalism has made giant leaps forward in France since the mid-nineties, Real Telepathy is still pure dynamite! As a result, I have decided to publish it as is, without amending the text.
22
Keeping a secret for eighteen years is good going. The time has come to take the d)-namite out of the drawer, so that the cuuent highly promising * crop of mentalists can put it to use. When I think about the basic concept behind Real Telepathy and its philosophical implications (which are explored a little in the 'Arcana' section), I can't help but feel that there's enough behind it to inspire people for a few more years, I(eeping the miracles coming.
-
In my opinion, t}le concept can be further developed... I have in mind a book test, for instance, that makes use of this principle. Maybe one day I'll bring that out of one of my drawers, but in the meantime - shh! Real Telepathg has proved astonishing for eighteen years, not only in terms of the reactions that it provokes but also the thinking and developments that it stimulates. I get amazing feedback from mentalists who've performed it by telephone and even on Lhe lnternet using instant messaging. Something tells me that it's not over yet and that this 'little trick' still has a bright future ahead ofit.
Still, I will make this observation about it: a number of mentalists and magicians have pointed out to me, wit11 good reason, that Real T€lepafhy isn't as easy to perform as it might appear.
Real Telepathy
It
requires a fair amount of nerve, particular staging, a good understanding of the right time to do it, a decent amount of charisma and also, perhaps, some form of persuasive ability. Put together, these skills are what make a good mentalist. It is perhaps partly in this sense that Real ?elepafhy represents the essence of mentalism.
It also seems that this
essence has something to do wit}l the very nature of the principles outlined in Real Telepqthy. As you will discover over the pages that follow, these principles
are entirely psychological. It stdkes me that in modern times, we can't study paranormal phenomena in the same way that people did in the nineteenth century. Mediums don't make messages appear on slates or produce ectoplasm
from their mouths nowadays. If there is an explanation for psychic phenomena, telepathy and channelling, this explanation no longer lies in gimmicked slates, special flaps or double lifts. The explanation lies inside the human mind. Real Telepathg isn't just a trick with which to amaze your friends, it's an invitation to reflect on how the human mind works. The secret exploits a particular cognitive error in terms of how our consciousness operates and how we perceive
things.
24-
I am convinced that these techniques, so close to 'the real thing', form much of the mentaIism of tomorrow. Welcome to the world of (almost) real telepathyl
Patrick Froment, Januarv 2011
A personal experience, or ReaI Telepathy:
the effect
It
was the end of summer, the days were llreadygetting shofter and night had fallen fairly ,,urly on the capital ofthe Rouergue province.
Like every Saturday eve[i[g, the small, rlark interior ofthe Caf6 de la Paix was busy: the bar, with its wealth of beers on tap, was where l broad selection of Rodez's youths had decided lo meet. It was also home to the kind of hustle, bustle and badinage that's only found in small provincial French towns. As usual, Jean-Louis, lhe owner, uas behind the bar. The Caf6 de Ia l)aix occasionally hosted concefts in which diflcrentlocal groups would per{orm. The standard wasn't the highest, certainly, but those fun-filled cvenings remained in everyone's memory, high points of conviviality. Some years earlier, Jean-Louis had met I)at ckthe Magician. His abilities had very much 27
Real'ldeParhy
was quick to ask him beeuiled Jean-Loui:' who nights at his establishment' room was the i"rrJ i. t"'a"'ir'p. ir's"small inner f", close-uP show so it was thal " Parrick would appear in this ."";;;i ;i;""t ;i".t. with he carries lhese experiences ii" * ""4highlights o[ his Iife as a magrcran' lim forever,
,""""".".i.r*i. ;:;#;; i"l.
were That evening, no Performances as he b1' p.,frtk had
"topped "f-r"il'frr, a goodtreer and chat Lo Jia. to enjoy'ngut"t I.-",i.". Lhat were certain
:::;i';;; i".run"n r Il'l'JL"raiir.t",JacquJt the ageing anarchist' '""":";t:;hi;;;;nial spot ai Lhe corner of perpetual i'fJ u*,'p'rrlrippi. irt; painter with.the blowhis iili#o., u"J.l' r"d again popped in to
lhe beautitul c6cile' object of practi'ing ilir,'"i".rii.r.""tu"ys affeclions' wasintellectuals ir-r" ;a piano as a lew "" of che"" beMeen suPs of
)i"]l'-.i*.
rn,r-rir"
il. t."i*
&il;';;;;"" beer.
people knew Patrick .u"d k?"1 All these ' Jiu'i. i. few close-up-. shows , had "lr""t^rritu""r'lr,n" bin ai tle c{6.& h llT;
ffii,this occasion. Patrick had agatn been asked On t'J:
had gone.intolis il'Jm,ill;; Jean-Louis deck !",.;";;;; ;;;e"*d a belote ITt li:li Patdck had b€en and state sorry ;';#;l"ri, p",-fo,- ut reouSsled, T:-.Pl::1s-"; ;;;";;;" r[* r"r.lnes, cards travelled' iumped
irl""iti"*
-28-
around, transformed into other cards and the audience reacted well, with a small crowd soon forming around the magician..,
And yet... And yet something indescribable had occurred. Patrick was there, perforrning his effects, but (was it an itlusion?) he felt that something had changed, something new had taken shape in his spectators' minds. It was as though his effects, while good, were being pholed in. The spectators were doubtless unable to explain what was happening before their very cyes, and yet Patrick felt that he was no longer seen as a magician, but a juggler. Juggling, that was definitely the word his tricks were now just juggling and ultimately, the impossible had l)ecome something ordinary. Patdck felt that his magic had lost its sparkle, he no longer felt the indescribable moment that Einstein called 'the experience of the mysterious' in his spectators'eyes. No longer a magician, he had become someone who was simply highly skilled with a rlcck of cards.
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He needed to react quictly and get back on his feet - that evening, he needed to per{orm a rrriracle, not a trick. Patrick had already spent
st'veral months immersing himself in mentalism, determinedly following the roadto'the real lhing'. That was what was needed!
"It's late and I'm going to have to Ieave you soon", said Patrick, retuming the deck to its halfdestroyed box. The audience insisted on one last tdck. "I've already done quite a fewthings, and I don't have anphing else on me, but as you know, I'm also fascinated by parapsychology. I recently read an interesting book in which the author
explains simple methods for achieving mental communication and even for attempting to read someone else's thoughts... We could try that kind ofexperiment: it's by no means guaranteed to work. Telepathy is rather like hlpnosis, the subject mustn't fight it. I need to do this with someone who's happy to go along with it and really wants to give mental communication a go." C6cile seemed very interested and eagerly agreed to take part in the experiment.
"Okay, C6ci1e, I'm going to ask you to think ofan object, preferably something simple... Have you got one?!" "Erm... Yes!" Patrick grabbed a beermat, a piece ofcardboard of the kind that litter the bars of every drinking establishment around the world, and borrowed a pen. On the blank side of the beermat, he drew a square. 30
"You're going to focus your thought here. l)raw your object in the middle of the square."
With these words, Patrick turned around lnd stood back to leave C6ci1e free to draw her rnasterpiece as she wished.
"'When you ve finished the drawing. put in one ofyour pockets," Patdck stated.
it
The conditions in which the drawing was made were nothing if not straightforward and open. The spectators who where there that cyening weren't expefts in magic or trickery, but cach of them could see that it would be absolutely impossible for Patrick to know what C6cile had drawn. All the objects used (pen and beermat) had been borrowed and as soon as the drawing was finished, it had been immediately hidden, out ofPatdck's sight and reach. Had a magician, even a mentalism expert, been there that evening, he couldn't have found lault with anlthing that Patrick had done, no possible gimmicks or trickery. The image had been drau.n, then, and was safely in C6cile's pocket. Patrick's expression grew intense, everybody could feel that this was the critical moment.,.
3l
"Concentrate, C6ci1e.,. Visualise your object... Try to project its overall shape to me, imagine a giant version ofit in fiont ofyou..." Patrick closed his eyes briefly, his hands clasped together by his 1ips. When he opened his eyes again, they sparkled with light. Subconsciously, everyone felt it: "He's picked up on something".
"I sense round shapes
-
circular, cylindri-
cal... There's a shape that goes up, like this..." The same glint that flashed in Pat ck's eyes appeared in C6cile's. These few words had left C6cile, and those spectators who had seen the drawing, visibly shaken. Finally, Patrick saw in his audience the 'expe ence of the mysterious' that was so dear to Albert Einstein.
Later, Patrick would learn that alongside C6cile's experience of the mystedous was a hint offear. The first thing that she had said to herself was: "So telepathy really does exist!" Then she felt naked, stripped ofher innermost thoughts.
After a few seconds of renewed concentration, Patrick said that he also sensed that the object in the drawing had a see-through aspect to it. A collective 'ahhhh' greeted this new revelation. -32-
Patrick asked C6cile to reveal hcr druwing, which corresponded exactly to the telepathic intpressions that he had felt. Outside, it was late, and the almost-full rnoon flooded Rodez's cathedral with light.
For a long time afterwards, people in the Caf6 de Ia Paix asked Pat ck to try the drawing divination again. It had become something that few people had seen but that everyone was talking about. Patdck never again performed the expedment in the Caf6 de la Paix, but if you're ever passing through Rodez and pop in to the Caf6 de la Paix for a drink, be sure to speak to ,Iean-Louis about Patrick the Magician. Maybe, just maybe, Jean-Louis will go to his drawer and pull out an old beermat with a square sketched out on the back and, in the middle ofthis square, a drawing of a bottle.
Drawing duplication variations
"If real telepathy did exist, that's what it would look like!" A fellow magician said this to me after he'd witnessed the effect just ilescribeil, which is the focus of the book that you're now holding.
When performing, I've always sought the clearest, most straightforward and most direct cffects, alongside pudty of effect and method. In my opinion, Real Telepathy represents an important stage along this route, The basic effect resembles what, in mentalists'jargon, is known as a'drawing duplication'. ln Real Telepathg , however, you're not going to duplicate the drawing, but describe it exactly. A drawing duplication or divination is very powerful in spectators' minds, for the following reasons:
-
Generally, when a divination effect is per{ormed, the spectator has a relatively limited choice (of lifty-two cards, for example). With drawing divinations, however, the choice is huge and the spectator is free to draw whatever she wants. - The effect is extremely simple (a drawing is divined), bringing the spectators' imaginations into play and Ieaving them with a long-lasting memory ofthe effect.
I would now like to briefly go over some methods that are used by mentalists and magicians to achieve this effect. This list isn't exhaustive in any way, but I still think that it covers a good many solutions.
.
The centre teari This is a very old technique in which the spectator has to draw in the centre of a sheet of paper, which is then folded and torn up by the magician for whatever reason. At this poiflt, a small sleight is pedormed, enabling the magician to 'steal' the centre of the paper (containing the drawing) before sureptitiously Iooking at it.
.
Clipboards: A gamut of gimmicked accessories fall under this category usually designedtolooklike some sort ofjotter, notebook, notepad or desk pad on which the spectator is asked to draw an image. The principle often relies 36
on ingenious carbon-paper systems whereby the magician is able lo discover what the image is. .
Peekingr This method consists of having the image drawn on a business card and, under the guise of placing it in a wallet (or envelope), performing a small secret move that enables the image to be flashed for a split second. ' Glimpsingr This is a rather bold method in which the performer turns around for a split second while the spectator draws an image. If certain psychological principles have been mastered, this brief turling around passes unnoticed by the audience. It goes without saying that such a method requires a perfect performance and an excellent sense of timing.
.
Enuelopes: With this method, the
drawing is first placed into one envelope (which has a secret window in it) and then a second (normal) one. As the magician places the first envelope into the second, he glances at the drawing through the secret window.
.
Gimmickeil card u,alletsi Various models of gimmicked card wallet have appeared on the magic market in recent years. They allow a performer to secretly discover the image drawn or word written on a business card that's placed in the card wallet.
.
Electronic systems, These
methods make use of expensive equipment. To discuss them would be exposure, so I shall mention them onlybriefly here.
.
Pencil reading; This is a mentalism
technique rvhereby a spectator's actions $'hile drawing an image are studied, in such a r,ay that it is then possible to work out what this image is.
magicians use duplications.
in
order to pedorm drawing
. With many of these meLhods. lhe magicia n must, at some point, touch the paper on which the image is drawn. This is highly problematic tbr anybody who, like me, seels the clearest and most straightforward effect possible.
.
Few methods are complete\ impromptu,
So that's basically a summary of the tech-
niques used by magicians and mentalists to divine an image drau,Tr by a spectator. Obviously, with all these techniques, the impact of the effect lies solely in the revelation and the manner in which this is presented. The magician must draw on his full theatrical abilities in order to reveal the drawing in the most entefiaining way possible. Generally, the best approach is to reveal the impressions and shapes sensed in stages, bringing the suggestion of failure into play.
This idea is based on deliberately making mistakes while performing the divination. This makes the effect believable and increases suspense among spectators.
A number of
. Certain techniques use special or gimmicked accessories, which is a further drawback for itnybody who wants to be as clean as possible. In shoft, then,let's say that allthe standard
(lnd lesr slantlard) methods that magicians llse have a weak point from the point of view of someone looking for the truly perfect effect. And yet, and yet... There are people who sometimes pedorm drawing duplications using other rnethods and other principles, psychics being a good example. In this modest work, I have lttempted to explore and create a theoretical basis for these methods. Here we come to what I belieye to be the
rrost impofiant contribution to mentalism in recent years - studFng the methods and
observations can be made in light of this overvierv of the techniques that
concepts used, consciously or unconsciously, by people who claim to be mediums, psychics and
38
39
parapsychologists and attempting to apply these to our effects in mentalism.
in magic. It's normal for someone per{orming parapsychological effects to fail sometimes, something that also makes the rest of your
Now consider the following: . the effect described here is completely impromptu ; . you need only a piece ofpaper and a pen ; . the mentalist never touches the paper ; . the effect uses no stooges ; . the mentalist can be in another room while the image is drawn ; . the effect can also be performed over the telephone or even on the Internet, through instant messaging! . no clipboards are used ; . no carbon-paper systems are used ; . there's no 'pencil reading' ; . there are no electronics...
per{ormance believable.
Real Telepathy thus surpasses all the methods explored above. Honesty, however, compels me to acknowIedge the one weak point in my method, which I shall now explain to yoLt i\ detail: Reql Telepctthy is an effect that depends on certain psychological risks, which mean that it may not work. This will happen very rarely. Moreover, those of my readers who are very experienced mentalists know that an effect that doesn't work has much less significance in mentalism than it does 40
But now let's get down to the nitty-gritty...
Features of cold reading
My aim here is not to offer a comprehensive study of cold reading but to explain both what it is and the basic techniques that it uses. This is necessary in order to properly understand the methods employed i\ Reql Telepathy.
The French magic community seems to have discovered cold reading relatively recently. It is, however, a fairly oldtechnique on the other
side of the Atlantic (having first been w tten about in the 192os). Books by Robert Nelson, William Larsen and, more recently, Bascom ,Iones, Herb Dewey, Ron Martin and Richard Webster make up a sizeable proportion of the literature available on the subject.
Unfofiunately, there is very little about in French.
43
it
What is it?
When performed well, with
Cold reading is a range of techniques that enable performers to 'read' a person they've never metbefore - giving the person the impression that they know a wealth of relatively detailed information about people's character, past, present and future. Cold reading is the closest thing in mentalism to psychic ability. Reputations have been built entirely on this technique. Some people believe that psychic abilities are nothing more than cold reading, but that's a separate discussion.
a
good
a Iot of psychology, cold reading can slay an audience (particular\ women and spectators who have an interest in psychic abilities). As he delivers his lines, a cold reader continually attempts to involve his audience, which is where the principle of'reframing' comes into play: every comment resonates with spectators at a peNonal level, and it is the presentation and
spectators who connect various somewhat vague statements, linking them back to their orvr experiences. The spectators, we might say, 'reframe' the comments.
Hou does it uork?
A collection of lines is knowl as a reading or a stock reading.
Cold reading makes use of a number of techniques, many of which come directly from psychology. They range from morphopsychologr to neuro-linguistic programming ria various theories of personality t}?e. The foundation common to all schools ofcold reading, however, is what are known as stock readingc.
Below, for reference, is an example of a basic stock reading, this one is based on research ca[ied out by Forer, an American psychologist, in the r94os and r95os. Note that some modem stock readings are absolutely incredible in terms oftheir detail and subtlety.
Forer readbrg Stock readings are based on the premise that ceftain statements or assertions (also known as 'lines') appear to be very personal but can be successfully applied to anyone. In cold reading, these are also known as 'statements with a high accuracy rating'.
You have a need for other people to like and
admire you, although you tend to be critical of yourself. You have considerable unuscd abilities that you have not turned to your advantage. 45,
Real'lelePrriry
Some
listic.
ofyour aspirations tend to be unrea-
At times you have serious doubts as to
whether you have made the right decision or not' You do not find it easy to accept restrictions or limitations. And so on... Real Telepathy is nothing less than a cold reading applied to a drawing of an object lt is a
stock r-eading that seems to be very accurate but that co[esponds to most objects that a spectator can be expected to draw. The concept of applying cold reading to something other than the human personality is ouite orisinal and hugell effective Some menralists alJo refer to lhis principle using Lhe term 'specific generalisations'. Once again, these (in my humble opinion), a royal ."thod. road for anyone seeking pure effects that are
it"
very close to real ParaPsYchologY. On occasion, I have attended psychometry demonstrations by psychics. These are a further basis for mythinking. I noticed that the psychicsoften gave cold readings without being aware of
it. have thus developed a formula that can he aoolied to a wide range of objects as part ola singie stock reading. This lormula is com posed of thrie statements and only three statements, so if
I
46
you can memorise just three sentences, you,ll bc able to pedorm an amazing effect anyrrhere and at anytime, forthe rest ofyourlife!
Experience has also taught me Lhat the shorter the formula. the more effeclive it is.
And now for the magic words to be revealed...
The stock reading
Psychological points to ensure that the effect is as strong as possible
ftrst thmg tfrat
'Ike
roun[
sfiapes
-
I
sense are
circu[ar, c1[in[rical,.
.
.
I'm getting tfie inpression of a sliape that goes up, wit{t sonetfiing Qing on top.
I'm
d[so getting a see throuqli aspect anf a sense of frglit.
Real TelepothA can either bomb or be a miracle. This isn't a problem if you let your audience krow in adrance that it is a genuine experiment, and thus something that may not work. From my ou,n experience, my hit rate is 80 %. A'hit', for me, is when the object drawn fits the description exactly (we'll see numerous examples below).In the remaining 20 % ofcases, you'll be amazed to see the extent to which spectators are more likely to remember the correct parts ofyour reading than the misses. You need to use some suggestion before you perform your effect:
. It is imperative that you tell the spectator in advance that what you'll be doing is a real expe ment in telepathy with no trickery, as we have just seen.
.
You should ask the spectator to think of an object (not an abstract shape), preferably something simple. This enables you to avoid any Bpe of strange drawing that might not be suitable.
. It is a good idea to draw a square in the middle of the paper and then ask the spectator to draw her object inside this square. This is a subliminal suggestion that means that the spectator is more likely to draw a round object (people don't draw squares inside squares). As a result ofthis subtlety, your first statement will be a hit (l sense round shapes - circular, cylindrical...). If, when you explain to the spectator what you would like her to do, you also make a circular gesture while you show her where she should do her drawing, the first comment is unlikely not to fit.
.
The reading shouldn't be
repeated parrot-fashion. You are an actor playing the paft of someone witr telepathic powers. give your script some terlture and play with your vocal intonation as though you're genuinely sensing psychic vibrations. Take your time. .
You'll notice how the expressions 'I sense' and'I'm getting the impression' are repeated in the scdpt. Once again, you're conducting a genuine experiment in telepathy. Someone capable of reading thoughts would, like you, sense fleeting images, vague shapes etc.
have to show her drawing to the other spectators. Not doing so eliminates the idea of a stooge, although doing so does give you an advantage: you're no longer dealing with a single spectator who will reframe your statements, but the whole audience, which is much more entertaining and experience shows that the effect is thus heightened. Very often it's not the spectator who's directly involved who recognises her object first, but other spectators who have seen the drawing.
Actions play an absolutely essential anil fundamental role in Recl ?elepathg. You should illustrate your statements using clear actions. It is this visual siile of the effect that futher enables your spectators to reframe your words to fit their object. Your actions add a visual element to your reading. I have sometimes noticed spectators recognising their object more because of my actions than my words. \^Ihen you talk about round and circular shapes, then, be sure to perform the corresponding actions with your hands. Wten you say "o shape thctt goes up", yo:u ca\ gesture as follows: bring together the fingers of both hands, moving them from low to high and high to low. Then, when you talk about "something lying on top", bdng both hands up to your face, as if you're covering something round. Be
50
5l
. The spectator doesn't
'
careful, though... Make sure tlat you adapt these actions to suit your own personality, so if you're not used to'talking with your hands', change your actions. From the sublime to the ddiculous is always a very small step!
.
Real TelepathA is a performance piece with a set script, set actions and set direction.
. The hardest part of the effect to malage is, in my opinion, the end. You've just said your three statements and at this point you'll already be able to tell from your spectators' reactions whether you've hit or not. It's hard to manage this stage because you'll need to proye to your
spectators that what just happened required intense concentration from you and that it would be dimcdt for you to go any fufiher. For the majo ty of spectators, however, it's obvious that you divined the object and know what it is.
. As a result, you're going to call on your acting abilities and show that the effect has exhausted you. Generally I end by going back to the round and circular shapes, which are really the key idea that I sensed, and I ask the spectator to display her drawing. . I have sometimes performed Reol ?elepathy without making the spectator do a drawing - I simply ask her to think ofan object and then
-52-
give her the reading. This is a way of presenting
the effect, but having the spectator draw the object seems better to me, for all the reasons that we've seen.
. You'll
notice that, as with any mental effect, the memory of Real ?elepothu that's left in your spectators' minds will be significantly greater and more developed than the initial effect. Spectators never remember your reading word-for-word and they have a tendency to improve and adjust it so that it fits perfectly with the object that's been drauryr. This is a typical instance of the phenomenon of re fra ming.
. It
goes without safng that Recl Ielepat/ty isn't an effect that you can perform twice for
lhe same audience. You should also give a lot of thought to where you place it in your performance.
.
LaslTy, Reql Telepothy seems to be more of a close-up or parlour effect than a stage one.
Analysis of the reading
.
The first thing that I sense qre round shapes - circular, cylindical...
This statement will fit a wealth of objects tlat t}Ie spectator can be expected to draw. A great many objects are generally round or circuIar in shape or, at least, have round or circular parts to them. The use of suggestion also helps you to influence your spectator somewhat. MoreoYer, you are expressing three different but complementary ideas in a single sentence, although t}Ie spectators will remember only the idea Lhat fiLs wilh lheir drawing. I have always been stunned to note just powerful how a feature this statement becomes in spectators' minds, I'm getting the impression of a shape that goes up, with something lVing on top. .
-55
With this statement, you cover any object that has a handle, foot, base or other form of supporl The idea of 'something on top' is also a particularly powerful comment here and means that you have
a
wide range of objects covered.
I'm also getting a sense oflight. .
a see-through qspect
Some real-life examples
cnd
Many objects have see-through elements to them, while experience has shown me that the idea of light is one that hits very frequently. Oh yes! One last anecdote, quickly: one day, I showed the effect to a psychic in her psychic reading room. She had drawn a crystal ball on its stand... Alleluia!
Crrndle
A cylindrical shape. A shape that goes up. Something Iying on top. A sense oflight.
57-
Bottle
Telephone
r--\
A
A cylindrical shape that goes up. A see-through aspect.
Round and circular shapes. A shape that goes up. Something lying on top.
Lishtbulb
Sign
Round shapes. A sense of light and a see-through aspect.
A cylindrical shape that goes up. Something lying on top.
Amazing, isn't it?! -58,
-59-
A few additional lines...
The stock formula that's given in this modest work is the reading that I use myself. Generally, I stick to these three sentences rvith no embellishment. However, there are other magic phrases with which you can supplement or pad out the basic formula somewhat. Belowis a selection of examples, . There's a rough ideq of symmery in aour
drawing. . I sense something that suggests
thctt
part
of the object could be smooth. . cqn sense a wqrm sort of colour.., Magbe yelloug orange or brown. . get the impression of some parallel lines. . It seems to me that your object is something that you can fill up.
I I
61
The mushroom effect
I thought long and hard before deciding to publish the idea that I'm now going to describe. Ifs something that I use at the end of my reading and only when I feel tlat my formula has already had a strong impact (and therefore that it's a close fit with the object that's been drawn).
If I think this is the case, and before the spectator reveals her design, I grab a pen and paper. At
this point I draw the image shorvn
in;Egure r. As I do
this, I make t}te point that I'm trying to depict the overall shape and general idea of the drawing.
fgurc
I
You'll be amazed by the power of this kind of statement and the many ways in which your drawing can be intepreted. This time, the spec-
I'
63
tators really will recognise their drawing or, at the veryleast, part of it, Sometimes you r,r,ill have to turn your sketch around, reframingitto match the spectator's dra\aing this will only enhance the mystery in the minds ofyour audience.
With this 'mushroom effect', what you're doing is no longer a mere divination, but a bona fi de drawing duplication.
A
similar principle
is
referred
to
Arcana, or thoughts on the true nature of the secret behind Real Telepittlty
in
Banachek's book Psychological Subtletres (see chapter ro: Subtle Drara,ings).
The map is not the territory and ihc wolrls that we use are conventions with which wt, t|v lo describe reality. Reality. houever. remains forever i1tr,,,.,.' sible. We can certainly perceive part of it thlorrglr our senses (themselves a collection of frtrr-lror rsr. mirrors). but is it eren possihle lo exl)rri(.r.r. ultimate reality?
It is very difficult to answer
as simplc rrrrrl fundamental a question as that of asking: whirt is reality? Perhaps this is r.hat, In Buddhist tr ditiorr, is relerred to as 'niwana'...
For 'ordinary' human beings, rcdlity
is
simply what we're able to perceive through our five (six?) senses and what our brains interpret. Notice, incidentally, that every ltuman 65
being experiences a different reality because of the different se[ses that we each favour and the interpretatiols that we each arive at. Each interpretation is heavily conditioned by our individual worldview, which itself develops over time as we go through life. Our life experiences - our successes) our failures, our frustrations and our moments of joy - shape our worldvieu, as much as our attractions and our taboos.
I
like this story, which shows how we're constantly interpreting reality: Tuto employees arriue at thei wotk in the morning. On their desks, thelj both rtnd a note from the boss, asking them to come ond see him in the next few hours. 'Ihe rtrst is delighted as he heeds in: he belieues he'll set the promotion he want; The second, more qnxious in noture, is extremely wotried and imaglnes that he's going to getlted.
Likethe characters in this storythat reframe the note liom their boss according to their own beliefs, hopes and fears, our spectatorc relrame the words that $'e use according to the drawing that they've done.
Ultimately, we constantly reframe the messages that are given to us, we filter them through own personal frame of reference and that's undoubtedly why it's so difiicult to communicate.
AL the same lime. relraming gires us immense power, as changing our perception of reality is a way of changing reality slightly.
I'm going to finish these psycho-philosophical considerations now, at the dskofchanging the purpose of this work, which is in danger of becoming a book about self-improvement rather than mentalism. And I'll end by Ieaving the reaaler to reflect on the following thought:
The ptLrpose of
magic is to change the magician
I
And what if
it doesn't work?
I
i I I
i
I
It emerged from discussions that I had with Ludo while preparing the new edition of this book that we both thought that it would be interesting to address this question.
I
I
From the outset, though, I would like to stress that the risks are very alifferent depending on whether you're a mentalist or a magician. The issue of an experiment failing is much less problemaLic in mentalism tlan it is in magic. Mentalists can even make their predictions or divinations vague in order to ensure that they are more credible (even though it is possible to be completely accurate) - in mentalism, mistakes cease to be obstacles and instead become risks that support and strengtlen t}le rest of a performance.
The greatest performers have always worked in this way, from Joseph Dunninger to Uri Gel]er. 69-
The complete or patial failure of Real TelepGtfty is something that I've neverbeen overly concerned by. Of course, $'hen I get ready to per{orm the effect, I'm aware that it has its risks
and that how deeply it affects spectatorc wil] vary somewhat. Once again, this is something that I accept completely r,hen I suggest that it's an experiment rather than a trick. "What's the difference?" some people rvill respond. I believe that the fundamental difference lies in the effect's completely disarming purity. I'm inclined to believe that rvhen we use impression pads or other gimmicled acces5ories (however ingenious these devices may be), there's something 'impure' about them that subconsciously arouses spectators' suspicions. The question will be: "How and when did he get hold of the information?" This brings me to a broader (and also more radical) thought about magic and mentalism. It seems to me that in a Iot of cases, spectators (who are often much less 'stupid' than we imagine) know rvhat's going on during a trick or an expedment. They knorv that we're controlling their card, they knowthat the choice that we give them isn't as fair as it appears, they know that a padicular item must have beell switched, they know tiat the magician's assistant t$,ists and bends her body around inside thc box and so o11. What they do['t tnolv is how or when that
I realise that I'm labourirg this point and am in danger of becoming tiresome, but
happens.
unfortunately magic can very often be summed up by this question: how and when? ReaI TelepathA turns this question inside out: 'how' and'when' no longer exist because nothing happens.,, In an ideal scenario, the experiment appears to be a pure moment of communion.
As stated earlier, even in the worst case, at least one of your three statements will pique your spectatom' interest to a significant degree. There are also very few tangible features that spectatoN can latch on to in order to come up with a rational explanation. As you will have realised, I'm not a fan of being absolutely correct in mentalism, although I appreciate that not everyone agrees with this.
ifyou don't want to do effects in which you're not in control of every element, or if you'd like to pefibrm Real Telepctfty without taking any risks at all, all you have to do is what I So,
advised against earlier on in this section: use an impression pad.
A numbel of pads are commelcially available to magicians and you can even make 71
one youEelf usingjust a notepad and some carbon paper,
Ask the spectator to drai{ the picture in your notepad, tear the sheet offand hide it in her
By way of conclusion
pocket.
Once you've given your reading, if any features don't hit, just take the pad back, obtain the information and reveal it.
As I mentioned, though, I'm not a fan of using impression pads in mentalism. As Ted Karmilovich said, "Less is more" in mentalism, in other words, small mistakes and imperfections are more perplexing than a divination or prediIlion lhaL s completely accuraLe...
As I've already highlighted several times throughout this modest work, it was bywatching performances by people who claim to be psychic that I was able to formulate a theoretical basis for the ideas developed ir ReoI l'elepathA.
I would now like to talk about a demonstmtion that was conducted on live television by a psychic during a discussion about the topic. As is oftenthe case, passions had started running high on both sides, for and against. At this point, the psychic silenced many sceptics by per{orming the effect that I shall now describe. It makes use of the same ideas that have been developed in this book, which is n'hy I mention it. The presenter of the programme
was
holding an envelope, which was impossible to through and in u,hich a photograph had been placed. AII that ourfriend the psychic knew about the photograph was that it depicted a building that had been constructed relatively recently and that was located somewhere in France. see
73
The purpose of the experiment, of course, was to divine what was in the envelope. Here is the descdption offered by the psychic:
"I
sense that both modern and classical styles were explored when this building was constructed. There's water flowing near it. I can also see red and blue colours at the top of this building. I can see an upside-dowa 'U' shape. I can also sense a lot ofclearness and light around and inside it, I can sense a lot of movement and activity in this area, too."
It emerged that the building shown in the photograph was the headquarters of TF1 on the banks of the Seine. All the guests on the show that evening were blown away! And yet... I had a bit of fun reframing the description using a whole host of modern buildings - it hits every time! Let's think about this: It's very unusual for any location in France not to be near water or flowing water. Red and blue colours ate often on top of a wide range of buildings (think about the French flag). The upside-donl 'U' shape will fit any arch or curve. As for the 'clearness', many modern buildings are constructed using huge quantities of glass 71
and other materials that let light through. The list goes on.,. Once again, then, we have a formula that, while appearing to be very precise and to fit the details, can be applied. to a wealth of different things. When pedorming the basic effect described in Real Telepathy, you'll notice that once your spectators have reframed your comments to fit a particular object, it's extremely ilifncult for them to backtrack and realise that what you said could apply to other things. Was our friend the psychic aware of this? Or was he actually so convinced of his own power that he was able to create a cold reading that could fit any modern buililing without realising it? No-one knows!
Voild - we've reached the end of this great joumey to the centre of a miracle mental effect. As with a lot of miracles, the explanation for it is very simple, but it's the details that you add around it that make it a real miracle. I sincerely believe that the principles outlined here can be u"ed to creale killer etfecls. opening new avenues for mentalists seeking purity in their per{ormances.
Anyone who delves deep into my scdpt and the techniques described throughout this book will understand that a pafticular colception of mentalism lies hidden behind the text. I believe that these approaches are worthy ofstudy.
Semantics
One Iast comment: contrary to what some people may believe, this publication is not an attempt to demystify telepathy...
It only remains for me to wish you as much success with R€ol Telepathy as I've had with it. Be sure to keep the secret safe alld don't abuse it, or l ou risk doing it a great disservice.
MaA
the
force be with Aou! Patrick Froment
From a theoretical perspective, the fielcl of semantics covers eveq.thing in a languagc that is related to meaning, both in terms of thc meanings expressed by grammatical structures (morphologr, s],ntax) and the lexicon. Words, though, are the primaryunit ofmeaning. Forthis reason, semantics remains firm1y rooted in lexicology. Ferdinand de Saussure (Cours de lingur.stique gdndrale, 1916) formulated the principlc
of the arbitrary nature of the sign. His findings can be summarised as follows: there is a dircct link between, on the one hand, the referent (thc object referredto) and the signified (e.g. betwcen a particular table and the concept 'table') antl, on the other hand, between the signified and thc signifier (e.g. the concept 'table' and the phonc tic form /terbl/), but there is only an indircr:t lin li between the signifier and the referent. O Hachette Livrc. l99li
HTAI
'53[ERT
TETEPAIHY IF TELEPATHY EXISTED, THIS IS WHAT IT WOULD LOOK LIKE! BeaL rcLeparHr i,s one of the purest draulng dlvrnatlons Ln nentaLi"so. Fn unde.!round pLrbLicatLon ulth a v0rU s0aLL LnLtiaL prlnt run, uas knoon to onLU a seLecr fe! for
it
rf
Uou uant to pe.foro an experLljlent'rn thought transnLssLon, Leave spectators thankLng that !o!'ve read their nLnds,
o.
add an Lnprofiptu hentaLLsri effect to Uour .€pertoLre one that gou can do anuuhere and at anu tine !hi.s is
Jean-Jaceues sanvert
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lakner
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