By P.

Craig Browning
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 Ghost in My Pocket
By P. Craig Browning

 P. Craig Browning/Nimeton Publishing

81 Conz St #410 * Northampton, MA. 01061-816
Phone 413-587-3095 = Nimeton@earthlink.net

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 "By The Pricking Of My Thumbs, Something
Wicked This Way Comes."
Act IV scene 1 play Macbeth
William Shakespeare

W hat better ghost story to start off with than Macbeth?

Let’s face it, since the time our primeval ancestors first climbed
down from the trees and developed the ability to speak, some
form of ghostly tales has been told. Probably not in the more
fantasiful vein we share them in today, but tales of now forgotten lore
were certainly a prime part of ancient culture just as getting scared via our
imagination gone wild, still pumps the blood and causes us to shriek and
shiver and once all the drama passes, enables us to sigh with relief… and
perhaps a small does of uneasiness as we digest the “What If?”
internalization tied to such things.
Most ghostly tales of today host a strong tongue-n-cheek feel to them,
rarely being painted in the sense of reality; the storyteller oft times lacking
the skill required for invoking belief from their audience and thus,
suspending disbelief in as complete a form as possible; that state that
would allow you to start your own religion should you so desire.
Conveniently it happens to be the state we hope to take folks to via
this brief, convenient “pocket séance”; a ghostly encounter (or two) that
can be presented most any time, any where but, when you learn how to
create the proper mind-set within the psyche of your marks – those
suckers you’ve manage to set-up for this particular one – two punch…
well, let’s just say they will never look at you the same way ever again…
which, depending on your outlook on life, could be a good thing.
Especially if you are like me and constantly on the prowl, seeking newer,
more fantastic ways to prove my connection with the strange, surreal and
paranormal.
The questions we need to ask ourselves however, center on both,
the over-all effect we are seeking to create via our demonstrations as well
as what the affect is on us as performers i.e. what it is we need to develop
as well as (potentially) pack around with us so that we are ready to do our
thing when the moment arrives. And that really is the big issue here, you
don’t want to be running around with electronic or magnetic gizmos
strapped to your legs 24/7 “Just in case” opportunity strikes. Not only is
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that really bad magician’s thinking (habit) it is a great way of destroying
or loosing items that, in some instances, cost you quite a bit. Too, the
materials these things are made of, such as threads, can break-down
rather fast, simply through the oils of your own skin and acidic
perspiration affects; things we rarely ever consider, if at all. So what is it
we must do in order to create that image of being a true Paranormalist?
As with just about everything I write on I’ll tell you up-front that
the first thing you need to do so as to equip yourself is STUDY! Learn
not just the “Facts” but the Fiction as well; don’t get stuck in the
analytical horse-pucky preached to you by the pessimists of our world,
have the guts to see things through the eye of the beholder – remember
what it was like when magic was still magical to you, for this is your goal
be it through a haunting or a standard stage show.
One wonderful research tool that I’ve come across is “1The Ghost
Hunter’s Bible” by Trent Brandon, it gives you tons of valuable
perspective, even going so far as to how to insure that you are not
subjecting yourself to psychological deception; that is to say,
misinterpreting certain sounds, images, etc. as being paranormal proof
when in fact, it really is just dust particles in the air or movement of your
camera that created those neat streaks or “energy spheres” in the snap
shot. In other words Trent paints a very realistic, down to earth point of
view.
The other sources you need to find are based on both, your
personal theme on things and your desire to create a potent/believable
psychological portrait on things. Let me explain…
We hear a great deal about “Pre-Show” in our world as Mentalists
or Bizarrists. When it comes to Ghost Stories and paranormal
investigation we owe it to ourselves to do some footwork tracking down
those tales that allow our patrons to discover documentation that seems
to support our claims. There are two fronts from which to work
(initially); your own life and familial background, and that of your
community, the latter possibly entailing more than one location, i.e.
where you grew-up vs. where you now live or even where your family
came from if immigration is part of your personal history.
In 40 years of travel I’ve yet to find a community in these United
States and Canada, that didn’t have Ghost Stories and lore surrounding

1 “The Ghost Hunter’s Bible” – composed by Trent Brandon – www.zerotime.com © 2002 * ISBN 0-

9703100-5-6 * Retail = $19.95 USD.

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the Macabre or grotesque crimes. This tells me that anyone that’s even
half interested in learning about such things can simply go to the local
library and City Hall (Hall of Records, County Clerks office) and within a
few brief hours, discover tons of material that can be readily woven into
the fabric of your presentations.

Why Is This So Important? You ask

The more allusion I can create around the material I present to a
patron or group that has this sort of “validity” to it – a sense of common
or rumored knowledge – the more powerful and believable the
manifestation. Too, with this psychology in place I have to do very little
when it comes to creating the idea of being in the presence of a Ghost.
The “Pre-Show” aspect of all this centers on a thing known as
“conditioning”; when you condition your audience you are creating a
mind-set and in some cases “programming” their subconscious mind to
accept certain things or, at minimum, see them in new dressing with less
skepticism (in this case). Our process, as outlined herein, borrows from
what could be considered “Known Of” influences in that your research
trail probably started off with talking with folks about local tales, leading
you to the film libraries where you found all the confirming facts. This is
what gives you the story line as well as the confidence, so to speak, for
creating phenomena.

But, What’s Your Story?

This is a very important part of things in that the public needs to
view you as an “authority” of some sort, be it the role of storyteller or
actual Paranormalist… and yes, even storytellers have a background; their
own story to tell, and that’s exactly what we need to look at.
When it comes to YOU and your identity/character I always tell
folks to never lie – be who and what you were born to be. In this
instance that would mean knowing of any family ties to the strange and
unusual. For an example Kevin James is a descendant of the great P.T.
Barnum which is one of the reasons he employs “special” people in his
shows. In my case I have a very extensive and wide line of family
members with ties to both, the occult and spiritualism but then too, we
have our fair share of “Bizarrists” such Edgar Allen Poe and of course,
film maker Tod Browning.

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 The “invention” of one’s persona
however, involves your own personal history
or “resume” if you would. For many of us, I
know this first hand, such a foundation
happens without our immediate knowledge,
as a matter of happenstance. In my case it
was the fact that I’d been deeply involved in
the paranormal and the “New Age”
movement during the late 70s and early 80s
that it became an established part of how
people identified with me; I was “Craig the
Psychic” long before I embraced the title or,
I should say, lent to the title a more
affirmative sense of appreciation.
The moral of the story is, you must
Kevin James & Co.
learn to do the stuff that really is YOU!
You are the only person that can take
this sort of inventory and draw from it those elements from around and
within your life that make you different and help define you as the sort of
person that really knows what he/she is talking about when it comes to
the mysterious and sublime.

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 The Ghosts You Chase You Never Catch.
John Malkovich,
London Independent,

N ow that all of that is out of the way, we need to consider the issue of
circumstance; where we will be performing, why and what.
My all time favorite place for staging an “Improvisational”
Séance are bookstores and libraries. You simply act as if you are looking
for a specific book in the occult/paranormal sciences section. I can
almost guarantee that you will have someone to strike a conversation
with, in under 20 minute’s time. But, what do you talk about? How do
you get things to move in the direction you need to go?
The first and most logical way given this particular circumstance is
to explain what you are looking for and why i.e. “I’ve heard some things about
a local ghost sighting or two and I’m trying to find any sort of documentation on it.”
The conversation is now initiated and it’s up to you to take some
progressive steps so as to either tie-in the idea of ghosts being present or
the possibility of psychic sensitivity. Your obvious arsenal being bits like
PK Touches and traditional Mind Reading scenarios (billet reads,
anagrams, etc.) Then again, you are surrounded by books and even a map
or two if you but look around a touch.
I’m not a huge fan of those that think they should do an entire
show with little other than book tests or the myth that they need 101
different book test systems, but I do advocate the idea of knowing at
least 2-5 methods of doing a solid book test on the spot, using any book
that happens to be handy and that’s without any kind of physical aid such
as the trusty swami writer or anything akin to Lee Earle’s Silver Bullet
(which I happen to love).
The question in your mind of course isn’t only which one to use
(aside from Hoy) but how to use it as a tie-in to ghosts & haunted
happenings?

> > HINT < <

Psychics work with “familiar” spirits and Guides e.g. you can use this same
explanation when it comes to how you can “see” or “know such things.

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1. The BROOK Test – an excellent variation to the original Hoy
method created by UK Mentalist Paul Brook.
2. The Dowser’s Book Test – is quite possibly the oldest one in
the book i.e. standard Pendulum word location ala Muscle
Reading (ideomotor response). This, along with traditional MR
methods of doing a Book Test are mentioned in the Banachek
PSI Series a swell as his book Psychophysioligical Thought Reading,
either of which I strongly recommend.
3. The Impromptu Book Test “Simplified” by Tony Corinda –
you’ll find it on page 208 of 13 Steps. Though some minor “pre-
show” is required, its so trivial that it can practically be done in
the spur of the moment.
4. The Crossword Puzzle – also in 13 Steps is an excellent bit but
you need to modify your approach; ripping pages out of a book at
the public library or retail store could buy you a ton of woe. You
could however employ a convenient magazine or even
Newspaper.
5. Word on a List – this is a classic bit of business based on an old
Living & Dead Test. You simply use a very sharp pencil and a
slip of paper on which you’ve written the numbers 1-6 (or 9… it
don’t really matter) in a column (using a pen, not the pencil).
You then ask your participant to find their word and writing it
out neatly at any one of the number locations they desire. Once
this is done you instruct them to fill in the remaining spaces with
any kind of random word that comes to mind. The revelation
being made by study of the line thickness to each letter... the
thinnest of lines reveals the first word written, i.e. the chosen
word.
My chum Dale Shrimpton shared a twist to this approach in a
routine he entitled “The Cunning Burglar”. His method being a bit
more certain and more appropriate to we old farts with bad eyes.

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 2
6. Dictionary Premonition – is something I came up with on my
own so I’m uncertain if or not it’s in print anywhere else; the
method is so simple I’d be seriously surprised if it hasn’t been
done.
In effect, your participant locates a word from the Dictionary or
simply thinks of one, then jots it down. You then place it into a
paper clip so as to keep it secure and thus, prevent cheating.
After a bit of discussion you finally remove a wad of paper from
your pant pocket and weed through it, ultimately finding the
card/match book cover (whatever) that has a note on it that
reads; “on Jan. 3, 2010 Sarah will think of the word bromide.”
I have a personal habit of having a pocket full of miscellaneous
papers stuffed in my pockets almost constantly. Frequently these
slips have notes on them which is the ruse that conceals what’s
really up – a.) You discover what the “thought of” or located
word from the book/dictionary is via your preferred covert
method. Given the impromptu (no prop) methods being
discussed here, I’ll suggest you go with Acidus Novus (you can use
a Center Tear but it’s the most illogical technique you can use in
this case; AN or a standard Billet handling is far more “innocent”
in appearance.) b.) You pocket write the information gleaned.
Needless to say you will already have the date followed by a blank
spot for the name or initials of your helper followed by the words
“will think of the word” followed by your second blank for the
revelation word. (And yes, this takes some practice to do)

I’ll not bore you with the myriad of others that can work just off
the premise of true improvisation or some limited on-the-spot (preshow)
arrangements. No doubt with a pocket full of gimmicks such as imp
pads, swamis, and peek wallets you could easily add to this list but there
is one convenient commercial piece I’ll suggest in that I use it and too, it
ties in brilliantly when discussing the paranormal and psychic issues. I
refer to my friend Joshua Quinn’s ASCENSION, it readily fits in your
shirt pocket and has a very innocent appearance about it (I and certain
others have even gone as far as to use the template and transform these

2 Dictionary Premonition – is a Pocket Writing routine that I classify as “Improvisational” in that you can
most likely find a pencil, break it in half and have a stubby in your pocket for doing the deed. Thus, it is
still something that’s readily seen as spur of the moment and not of a major pre-set.
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little Horoscope books into a kind of pitchbook, complete with legit ads
and retail displays so as to add to this piece’s value).
Creating the idea of a ghostly presence at the improvisational level
is, in my opinion, one of the best sorts of demonstrations you, as an
entertainer/Paranormalist can deliver. When we start resorting to
trickery via device, we may get a sense of confident reaction but we have
weakened our footing by offering the potential for explanation – the
“out” for our victims. This is why I feel it most wise to walk in as clean
and prop free as you possibly can; not only is this sort of effort closer to
how things work in the real world of the Paranormalist, it is one of the
best ways of exercising your own grey matter on things found in all those
books you studied early on, about mentalism and bizarre performance
but set to the side so as to embrace store-bought novelties in current
vogue. There’s nothing wrong with owning such contraptions but
understand that they are just that… a TRAP. A true master of magical
things would not be limited to such, so it might be worth considering this
particular challenge and working towards said progressive edge.

But What Else Can I Possibly Do? Whines the less resourceful.
One of the most convenient skills every mystery performer
shouldn’t only know but master is the art of Muscle Reading; it simply
empowers you to create far too many miracles or kinds of manifestations.
When it comes to the idea of Séance & Ghostly visits there are at least a
half-dozen or more “common” applications we must consider;

1. Table Tipping – it’s a classic of Spiritualism and yet, an

exceptionally rare course of demonstration in today’s world.
Oddly, I’ve found a good numbers of the right sort of table just
waiting to be exploited in numerous libraries, coffee shops,
bookstores, eateries and homes. I’d be an idiot to not exploit
what the gods have provided me with… now wouldn’t I?
2. Rapping Communion – is likewise a classic of yesteryear
Spiritualist practice that works with ideomotor response. It is a
kind of pendulum technique in which you place a borrowed
finger-ring suspended on a string, within a glass that is tipped just
enough to allow the “pendulum” to swing and readily tap the
sides of the glass. I prefer using a long stemmed wine glass for
this, having the patron hold to the base of the glass in that it
creates a stronger sensitivity. The rest is quite simple; one ting =
No; two tings = Yes… alternatively, you can count the number of
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 tings the ring makes as it clinks the side of the glass and use that
number to correspond to letters in the alphabet or items positions
in a list or on a table.
NOTE: This same sort of process was/can be done with
the table tipping approach, using the number of raps the
table legs create as it bounces up and down.
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3. The Wine Glass Planchette – another common bit of business
that predates the Victorian era by generations. The basic idea
being to use an inverted glass (again, the wine glass makes for the
better instrument) sat onto a smooth (well polished, or glass)
surface can be used in the same exact manner as you would the
Planchette of an OUIJA Board. Just use some Business cards to
make up your Alphabet, Number, Yes, No, Maybe and Uncertain
curds + Goodbye and voila! You are set for a full evening of
message bearing.
4. Automatic Writing – believe it or not you can actually hone your
MR skills to the point of being able to discern the letters, shapes
and words others merely think. Some accomplish this faster and
easier than others, but the affect it has on sitters when you
transcribe the name of that loved one they are merely thinking of,
following it up with a “message” apparently from that
disembodied soul while in a trance state… trust me, you can
become the head of your own cult by doing this just once with
the right group of suckers…patrons.
If you are not yet efficient enough to work in this manner then
consider using a chart with the letters & numbers 1-9 and merely
using a one hand to locate the letters while the other hand writes.
Similarly, there are legitimate Planchettes that have a place to
insert a pencil that were used in Victorian times for doing this
sort of message bearing test. I know that such is not
“impromptu” in its nature, but it is something you should keep in
mind.

So now you have a handful of “basic” ideas that allow you to open
up conversation whilst lending an introductory sense of demonstration,

3The Wine Glass Planchette – I highly recommend Paul Bell’s amazing treatise of working a “legit”
Séance entitled “The Paranormal Entertainer”. It is available in ebook form through Lebanon Circle.
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but what else is there and how do we achieve the affect of delivering a
genuine “Séance”?

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 In Culture After Culture, People Believe That The
Soul Lives On After Death, That Rituals Can
Change The Physical World And Divine The Truth,
And That Illness And Misfortune Are Caused And
Alleviated By Spirits, Ghosts, Saints ... And Gods.
Steven Pinker,
How The Mind Works

T he concept of hosting a Séance is, in many ways, exaggerated;

especially within the mind of the typical magic buff. We want to
show off our knowledge and skill and thus, our ego blinds us to
the power of both, silence and simplicity.
The first thing to bear in mind is that a Séance needn’t be some
kind of long, drawn-out ritual in which you set around a table holding
hands in a dark room. A séance, as we understand the idea in today’s
world, is simply the act of establishing some sort of “proof” that a spirit
is present and, all going well, gain some sort of communication, what the
old timers referred to as “Message Bearing” between us and those on the
other side of the proverbial veil.
With this in mind we need to consider the second “rule” pertaining
not just to séance situations but any situation in which we are involving
things paranormal; Less is Always More!
Within the world of the believer, seeing something more just a inch
across the table can be more acceptable as a reality, than watching a
candlestick move from one end of a buffet table to the other; the latter
being so dramatic and large manifestation that it creates a reason to
question it and thus, doubt its authenticity. Sadly though, we magicians
seem to have a deep need to go far beyond what is required and too, we
tend to ignore the idea of exploiting the subliminal.

Side Effects…
I’ve talked about this issue at length in my Psychic Technologies book
(Vol I) and when it comes to the Improvisational Séance, I’ve found that

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exploiting this course of action can prove to be far more powerful than
effects that you are drawing focus towards. Let me give you an example;
Let’s say we are in that bookstore and we’ve come to the second
phase of our demonstration routine. You have a book in hand in that
you just did a book test. Focusing on the book you call out to the spirits
to use the book as a way to communicate to you if they have a message.
After a minute or two have gone by and no manifestation happens
with the book you and your patrons are working with, the silence is
suddenly shattered as a completely different book falls off the book shelf.
Why would that happen?
Because the message the spirit wants to convey is to be found in
this second book. The thing is, you were nowhere near that book, it
happened as a matter of happenstance.
Needless to say, this is just a matter of some basic thread work and
clever timing on your part. You pre-set the thread earlier when you were
looking for a book to be used in the Book Test portion of your demo;
the time between said selection and when this rather dramatic
manifestation occurs, detours the thought processes as the result of
displacement, making it quite difficult to reconstruct and figure out… at
least that’s so with the average mortal.
Though dramatic, this is one form of “side effect” work. The
other, more preferred mode (for me) is to have things happen that I
never direct attention to, allowing one or two members of the group to
notice them. In a staged Séance setting that could be anything from a
$400.00 mechanical candle that moves across the window seal to the use
of vanishing-reappearing ink. I’ve even had instances in which I’ve used
magnetic inks to temporarily spell out a word – a clue in a murder
mystery – that only one or two people witness.
Yes, it’s a serious throw-away of some rather high tech, expensive
effects but when you step back and realize how such things affect people
psychologically and too, how it gives members of your group the direct
experience of what a psychic goes through in the real world; witnessing
things that can’t later be replicated or proven… well, you will begin to
see why I love the use of side-effects
At the improvisational level there are but a handful of
manifestations you can accomplish, most of it using thread, but if you do
some research I’m confident you’ll find several subtle bits that can
embellish your demonstration.
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 Do understand that manifestations of this kind that happen away
from you and seemingly outside your control, cultivate the idea within
your patron’s mind that they are actually in a haunted encounter, which is
powerful stuff when presented and manipulated properly. Just don’t
make a show of it, keep your inner-magician curbed or it will belittle the
effort and take away from the psychological snare you are placing your
audience in.

Focus Effects…
This is where things happen based on what you are attempting to
demonstrate, be it some kind of message conveyance from the other side
or proof of a ghostly presence. The range of effects that are available for
this side of things includes the various versions of PK/Spirit Touches as
well as Spirit Writing of various kinds.
When it comes to the Touching styled effects my favorite approach
is similar to Lior Manor’s “Invisible Touch” in that there is absolutely no
direct point of contact between you and the subject. When you blend
this approach with the Banachek, Karmilovich, or McLeod methods you
end up with a quite sensational bit of drama that may even result in some
pee puddles. Of course, if that should happen its proof positive that
you’re doing things right and folks are going to talk.
I do understand that Lior’s handling entails an elastic loop. On the
other hand, you can replicate the sensation via the use of a long human
hair or piece of clear nylon thread that you pull from a shirt, coat or
whatever else may prove convenient. While it may not be as effective or
“clean” as the original, it still works and you can clean up by simply
allowing the thread fall to the floor; possibly beneath a table that’s
nearby.
It must be remembered that PK also entails a wide variety of other
manifestations in which objects move or contort. An understanding of
physical principles that allow you to roll a pencil or animate other items
with or without the use of that convenient hair/thread is a must and yet,
this will depend greatly as to how you prefer to approach things.
If mutilation of keys, spoons and other such articles is of your
fancy the objective should be to isolate the article to be destroyed in
some manner. I will generally do this by placing the item into the hand
of one of the participants and then use verbiage to create the
psychological belief that something is manipulating said item. It’s

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standard stuff really, but rather than you taking credit or extending it to
your helper, you are placing the onus onto the visiting spirit..
Message Bearing has, in many ways, become passé in modern times
but it has remained a favorite for me in my style of work. Understand
that there are many means by which to convey this aspect of spirit
communication be it mini-slates or, given our improvisational focus,
handlings the mirror the routines offered by both Banachek & Rick
Maue. Steve’s handling entails a bit of pocket writing around the scenario
while Rick’s approach requires a bit of preset and some clever
manipulation of the business cards used. As I mentioned previously this
is Rick’s TOCAPADMO a.k.a. iTwO CArd PADdle MOve.
In my approach to this sort of manifestation I’ve combined bits
from either source and to be honest with you, the whole scenario came
about while I was in a New Age store in Reno, Nevada as I was over-
hearing a young man teasing his girlfriend because she believed in ghosts,
etc. (they were in the book section on said topic in fact).
I’d just picked up Steve’s PK Touches manuscript a week or two
previous and was itching to try it out… as the old saying goes, I asked
and thus, received…
I conveniently ran into the couple and introduced myself as one of
the Readers at the facility and the fact that I’d caught part of their
conversation. I asked the young man if he’d be willing to participate in
an experiment that might help him understand the fact that there are
things in this world our conscious mind simply can’t perceive.
With all in position, I offered my spin on the Banachek storyline in
the manuscript (using my Grandfather in such tales is quite common; he
or my baby sister who died just prior to her first birthday). The
Youngman saw, with his own eyes, how the invisible force was actually
present and it blew his mind.
In step two I prepared to offer them both my card, inviting them
to come back and have a Reading. It was in this course of action that I
nonchalantly showed either side of the two cards an then, as if by second
thought, I begged their indulgence for one more quick experiment.
Fortunately I had my glorpy with me in that I had been playing
around, experimenting with another bit using him e.g. the cards were
tossed into the hank along with a pencil and voila! A response… a
message from the beyond; in this instance the message was “I Am With
You… G”
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 This message not only had the lad obviously shaken a bit but sent
the girl into tears.
Why?
Earlier when they were kibitzing about ghosts, etc. she had
mentioned feeling that her now gone fiancé was still around her and his
name was “Gary”
I simply pocket wrote the whole message on the card (so no one
would see me doing so) before I approached the couple. I was in
position to deliver said follow-up and in so doing hit them very hard; not
just between the eyes but in the heart.

That’s Just Wrong! Screams the antagonist

Maybe, it really depends on what you do with it and how such
feed-back is employed.
I have had training in Grief Counseling and was in fact a student in
what’s known as “Death Walking” – a shamanic path in which you help
those that are terminal in crossing over but likewise aid friends & family
during the transition. Because of this I understood that the young lady’s
quest to understand ghosts, spiritualism, hauntings, etc. came from her
wanting to hold on to this missing person in her life e.g. I used this hard
hitting bit of business as a way to bring her into my Reader’s Parlor and
help her learn how to help herself out of the hole she was digging; my
intentions were all for the sake of helping and healing, nothing more!
I do not encourage anyone to take this step unless you are trained
and prepared to do the follow-up and do it in such a way that is not
exploitive on any level. Understand that this is a very old “trick” used by
the charlatans who would suck in a mark and keep them on a hook for as
long as they could. This was not and is not the intent here, nor should it
be part of your personal agenda.
I have brought out this example however, just to remind you as to
how “real” such a simple routine can be and why caution and wisdom are
required when dealing with spirits.
Message Bearing can be quite powerful whether you are employing
this sort of handling or something a bit more “trick-like” such as the
Ghost Glass style of revelation. I know I used to carry around that little
glass disc for years or some other version of the message I’d made up.
Though it’s not “impromptu” it’s still pure dynamite when presented
properly and of course, it’s a convenient piece to have on your person.
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 I Think A Person Who Is Thus Terrified With The
Imagination Of Ghosts And Spectres Much More
Reasonable, Than One Who Contrary To The
Reports Of All Historians Sacred And Profane,
Ancient And Modern, And To The Traditions Of All
Nations, Thinks The Appearance Of Spirits
Fabulous And Groundless.
Joseph Addison
The Spectator, 1711

T hus far the majority of what we have looked at centers on what can
be done on the spot without much, if any prep – true
“Improvisation”. What now follows are ideas as to what we can
accomplish when prepared and have things seriously thought through;
the course of the thespian made medium – the magician made mystic.
Throughout most of the world into which the Western-European
ideas of “civilization” have not encroached, at least not grossly, you will
find the concept of magic (as in illusion & slight-of-hand) as being part
of the sacred; a knowledge that has been set aside for the local shaman.
The irony being that most all in the village know that this “Magick” really
is trickery and though they may not be fully educated, when it comes to
their tribe’s acceptance of said deceptions, the do understand what the
real “power” of that magick is – a psychological tool used by the shaman
for eliciting a personal course of validation or, as we might look at it, a
Placebo that encourages us to heal our selves or stand with greater
confidence, etc.
I share this bit of anthropological reality so that you can
understand how and why people tend to buy into deception when it is
presented within proper context and too, how such presentations can
literally empower an individual to the level of becoming seen as a holy
one – a person worthy of worship and homage. So much so that if
another were to walk into the village and present magic in the form of
entertainment and their skill prove greater and more enchanting than that
of their Shaman, you could readily find yourself facing a hit squad in that
16
you are a threat to that Elder’s territory and influence; the psychology of
it all readily seen in the famed Light & Heavy Chest demonstration of a
certain Mr. Houdin.
The point is, these medicine men (and women) were always
prepared and thus, we find for ourselves a demonstration as to what it
means to be a modern-day shaman; one that is prepared to create the
seeming miraculous at the drop of a hat. The challenge is however, to
place our audience into that trance-like state in which disbelief is
banished and the conscious mind absorbs what we deliver, validating it as
reality.
Accomplishing these miracles means that we must do our
homework and work without the boundaries of a personal check list.
For an example, when I am heading out the door and know that there is
a serious probability of doing a few bits I make certain that I have some
kind of thread reel on hand, a couple of loops, a magnet on the knee and
one on my wrist as well as the PK ring. Add to that pile my Butterfly
(imp pad), business cards (billets) a couple of extra pens/pencils (oft
times including a PK type Pen/Pencil or Lighter type item) and of course
one or two Swami Devices. In short, I’m loaded for bear and between all
of this stuff and my wits, can easily deliver 60+ minutes of amusement.
That however, is not the point!
When it comes to a Paranormal Demonstration such as we’ve been
discussing the goal is to equip yourself with the right tools for creating
said fantasy; IT and Magnets are dynamite when it comes to this, along
side a fair understanding of billet work. I do not recommend any kind of
wallet/peek device OTHER THAN (maybe) the Versadex wallet in that
it can be used in Message Bearing routines.
I’m not big on “devices” but there are a few that I will suggest for
this course of action, starting with two wonderful bits from Paper Crane
Productions – FALL and WOUNDED. Though the latter is something
I’d use very sparingly, in that it is a powerful way of punctuating your psi
abilities or, in the case of ghostly encounters, the presence of a restless
and malevolent entity. FALL however, is a fantastic follow-up or prelude
to the PK Touch arrangement that will have your guests squealing.
The other item I’ll make not of at this point is TARANTULA by Yigal
Mesika It is quite possibly the best ITR device ever released to the general
market and the things it allows you to manifest as psychokinetic energy, boggles
the mind. I’m not a huge fan of thread work in that I tend to be all thumbs and

17
whenever I go to use it in a performance, it fails me… though it works every
time during practice and rehearsals.
Another awesome PK device (though pricey) is Tim Wisseman &
Matt Sconce’s MAGE TOUCH; I can see tons of potential with this self
contained system, but as I stated, it would prove a rather costly course of
venture for the non-professional, ringing in at around $300.00 through
Hocus Pocus.
Where all of these gadgets and gimmicks can be fun as well as
empowering they are not the “secret” behind effective Séance work.
That my friends centers on something you more than likely have with
you at all times and even use with exceptional regularity – your own
voice.
The true “art” behind the Séance has little to nothing to do with
“magic” as we generally know and accept it. It does however host an
exceptionally strong rapport with the world of the Orator and thus, our
ability to pace & lead our patrons through the spiel we manipulate in the
creation of our personal web, as it were. We really are the Spider out to
catch the Fly and to do so we must not only know the stories being spun,
but how to convey them to our audience in a manner that invokes the
imagination and in so doing evokes thoughts of eerie fantasy.
A master of voice and storytelling can take five minutes in setting
the plot and depart; leaving his patrons in a dark room alone with
nothing other than their mind. The end result oft times being encounters
with the dearly departed in that their mind created said encounter; you
had next to nothing to do with it, outside the act of planting a
psychological seed.
I frequently joke about having the local star quarter-back squeal
like a little girl or situations in which pee really does run down people’s
leg when doing this kind of work; I’m not kidding you when I say that
these are indicators that you’ve not only sucked them into your world,
but that you have found how to accomplish your task and thus, reach
your goal; not so much as scaring the hell out of the poor souls, but most
certainly the act of giving them a firm jolt when it comes to the idea that
they may not be alone.

The Moral Of The Story Being… well, become a damn good

storyteller and then see the props and tricks as means to accent and
punctuate what it is you present. This exercise accomplishing two
important things; aiding you in understanding the skill of verbal
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manipulation of others, and second, how and why you need to filter the
effects you choose to do within a Haunted setting and why. After all, the
Haunted Deck is a great illusion but not when taken out of context; if you
just do it for the sake of doing it, it’s not just an obvious card trick but
likewise an obvious tricked deck. On the other hand, if you are working
in one of those Old West themed amusement parks and speaking of
gamblers and card sharks of the past, the spirited cutting of a deck could
be just the thing to throw your audience over, proving to them that
ghosts are in fact real and in their presence.
As “magicians” it is a habit of ours to constantly seek out the
proverbial “Holy Grail”; that one effect or system that will make the
world our oyster. Sadly, it takes some of us decades before we wake up to
the fact that such an effect doesn’t exist… sort of. There are a few
exceptions but only in an exaggerated way;

• The Thumb Tip – one of the most universal miracle

devices in all of magic history, bar none!
• The Swami Gimmick – regardless of the style of nail
writing device you prefer, this is an amazingly flexible tool
that allows us to create outstanding miracles.
• Billet Technique – for the mentalist billets come
hauntingly close to being the “ultimate” solution to creating
an expedient means of establishing a solid effect. Billets, in
and of themselves, have been the backbone to more careers
than just about any other system associated with Mentalism
with one important co-sembient exception;
• Cold Reading – a technique that Corinda himself,
heralded as being the ultimate skill of purest mentalism and
quite seriously the most potentially lucrative practice any
one of us can employ. It can be readily said that Cold
Reading defines what mentalism is all about in that it
sustains and refines 99% of what we present in some way.

So let’s not look at the issue of gimmicks & devices as being our
“solution” to everything we believe need be done in a Séance
presentation and more importantly, the convenient Pocket Séance idea
we are trying to create via this material; material that has undoubtedly
frustrated more than a few of you that are reading it, in that I’ve not yet

19
touched upon or explained actual effects or routines so, as the say,
“Where’s the meat?”
The short and most honest answer to that question is that the
“meat” the real message of this dissertation and the solution for creating
a solid bit of “improvisational” spirit manifestation is something you’ve
had all along – your own sense of creativity.
I loathe sharing exact routines for the most part. Like my buddy
Rick Maue and several others out there, I want to give you the rudiments
of what can be done and generally how, but leave it to you when it comes
to creating “the act”. This way you end up with material that belongs to
you vs. a poor impersonation of someone else.
I don’t mean that in an insulting way, only in lieu of the fact that
no two people are the same and, as I’ve pointed out numerous times,
what works for one person probably won’t work for another; either you
will be accused of copying someone else or you simply can’t sell the
routine as it was originally presented.
A rather funny story along these lines involves my old friend Franz
Harary, probably one of the more noted illusion designers of our era as
well as being a quite unique performer.
One of Franz’s more famous illusions was originally known as the
“Janet Box” in that it was built for singer-dancer Janet Jackson; one of the
early versions of the prop going to David Copperfield, which is where,
most of us first saw it as a multiple cutting effect.
Long story short, Franz was doing a show in which the bit was
featured only to be confronted by a magician following the show,
complimenting him on doing “that Copperfield trick”.

20
 She's A Cool Ghost. Maybe Me Being Nude All The
Time Is Why We Get Along.
Matthew McConaughey

My Li’l Sister…
One of the most valuable lessons I was given during my days
working with Kirkham, was to always tell the truth in that it was always
the best way to throw people off your trail.
I know that sounds rather cynical but sadly, it is a reality in this
particular era in which most every thinks themselves cunning and clever
with it comes to semantics and linguistic gymnastics via which the
“TRUTH” becomes rather shaded and less discernable; defended only on
the grounds of who can afford the better lawyer or, as it seems to be in
our “magician’s fraternity” who you hold close ties with. Such things are
not however, the point…
I’ve explained to young people for years, as has most every drama
coach, professor of theater/acting, and writing pros, that you MUST
create your image and your stories based on “truth”.
Yes, I’m fully aware that I mentioned this earlier and even gave you
a few examples as to how this works. The following routine stemming
from one of my personal truth; the loss of a baby sister sometime in
1964, just prior to my own birthday; her condition being a birth defect
that is readily fixed in today’s era but back then… well, it was quite rare
that a child born with a perforated heart lived to see their 5th birthday.
Her name was Carla Sue and given the fact that she was an infant I
superimposed an impish character around her along side the legend that
she was always with me. Making certain that folks I was around with any
frequency, weren’t only aware of her but one of her more disturbing
habits; Seems she liked to pinch and poke people that she liked..
Bear in mind, I was using this ploy long before PK Touches came
out, nor had I read about the original premise. Nonetheless, I found that
I could plant a very simple psychological seed in people’s minds and
based on the level of my own sincerity, have them experience my baby
sister’s presence.
How does it work?

21
 Think about one of the classic psychological demonstrations from
high school; either biting into an Onion or Lemon. Think of how you
physically reacted, how you own mouth watered and puckered a bit just
at the thought of doing such a thing.
Consider how, when you’ve had a bug (especially one that kind of
creepy crawly, like a spider or cockroach). Just from that second or two
of seeing it and feeling it on you, you will be almost constantly dusting
yourself off for an hour or more after the fact – you believe there are
more bugs and you feel them all over your body.
In part, this is the essence I’m borrowing from but there are a few
other psychological elements, the most important of which is the line
about how she will poke and pinch people she likes…
Think about this; everyone wants to be liked, but in this case there
is one other attraction that emboldens this desire – the idea of being
“loved” by a cute little girl who died a tragic death in infancy. In other
words, we deliberately pluck at the heart-strings of our patrons through
this tale, one that could use a pet that met a tragic end or most anything
else that people would be drawn to… OR…
… you can go in the other direction
Talk about you pert Tarantula or any other type of “bug” incident.
My focus on pets, siblings, etc. centers only on the fact that we are
looking at a Séance or Haunted set of circumstances; do bear in mind
however, that this same basic story line could tie into a local legend or a
circumstance that’s tied to one of the sitters or friend in which they are
being haunted by a familiar entity.

I love playing with this sort of psychological manipulation in that

there is a myriad of things you can do with it, especially given the subject
of Ghosties and Séance. Just sitting a single person or small group in a
dark room with a single candle burning, taking them into a guided
meditative state and then leaving them alone for a solid half hour, will
bring about uncanny reactions and even “healing” moments for folks.
You’ve done nothing but set the stage within their own mind and then
turned things over to the subconscious.
In many ways this “technique” really is the Jedi Mind Trick in that
is hosts other “real world” applications that I will not go into presently,
just so we can stay on topic. I can only tell you that it’s worth
researching and experimenting with.

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 In the case of Carla Sue I use her when I do my favorite
“improvisational” routine; the very bit of shtick that inspired this book in
fact and one that I shared some years ago, with the gang @ Magic Bunny
in the UK. As you will see however, the routine has evolved a bit since
then.
As with all things of this sort, you have your conversation leading
into the idea of Ghosts and paranormal manifestations, emphasizing your
sense of “belief” based on this or that information, be it a personal
experience (which works best) or some kind of analytical data, which can
appeal to those patrons that are more cerebral by nature.
My approach is almost always from the personal or familial ties
point of view with the onus set upon Carla or my maternal grandfather
(unless I’m working with one of my “possessed” artifacts, of course.) The
important part of procedure being to plant those seeds and references
early in the conversation; let’s use the premise behind Banachek’s PK
Touches as an example…
Steve’s tale centers on the old game he and his grandfather or uncle
used to play… the tapping on the shoulder bit.
As you converse with folks you have a myriad of “openings”
available to you that will aid in an early introduction to your “familiar”
and some of its antics (remember the bugs). Rather than giving a
presentational bit of business such as you find in the PK Touches
manuscript, you take five or so minutes to condition the subject(s). In this
case I want them to feel the pokes & pinches offered by my baby sister
so part of my early story line will deliver to important images by way of
words; I will talk about being in the scouts and having a dream about a
ghost or whatever, only to wake up and find some sort of bug or bugs
crawling all over me.
This cue is neat in that it allows you to be a hint skeptical in your
approach to the issue of ghosts and explaining some of the phenomenon
away. At the same time you have planted a psychological cue or
“picture” in their mind pertaining to bugs; your follow-up being to
discuss your sibling’s habit of pinching & poking.
Now you just watch, you’ll see them swatting at things and
wiggling here and there within a few minutes (sometimes seconds) after
setting up these two similar cues. If the patron’s don’t comment on this
phenomenon you can either “remind” them about your sibling’s antics or
simply move into the next phase of things.

23
 If you “remind” them the approach would be something like,
“(smile) seems someone likes you…” You say this as you catch them in
motion to deflect a non-existent bug or you sibling’s little hands. But you
must catch them in the act of “readjusting” themselves so that it
becomes an observed and semi-embarrassing position for them.
No, this is not to be a cruelty but put yourself in their place; the
majority of the world kindof-sortof believes in the paranormal but at the
same time they don’t want to encounter it e.g. when you point to the one
fidgeting the most AFTER you’ve commented on the sibling’s habits, the
patron cannot sweep the experience under the proverbial rug. This is
especially so when you have a small group of their peers present (and I
can nearly guarantee you, if there are 3-6 people in the group you will
have at least one damn near dancing the jig as the result of you
suggestions, that’s the one you need to single out.)
At this point you really need to put on your best thespian face and
proceed. “If you’d like I can ask her to stop.”
Regardless of what they say in response you have an after thought,
“But before we do that… “
This is where you begin the set-up for doing PK Touches (via you
favorite method). You will need to weave a story of some sort as to how
you and sister dearest came up with said game and move on from there
completing the standard routine.
Of course, you have, during all this prelude period, discovered that
tid bit of personal information you want to feed back to the client via
your spirit message

Summary
Yes, I’m quite aware that I’ve more or less repeated something I’d
shared with you previously, my goal being to offer you some deeper
refinements; revealing how the staging of this sort of thing isn’t as simple
as walking up and doing a trick… you can do that, but folks will see you
as being a magician NOT a psychic or Paranormalist or any sort of
“expert” per se. Unlike magic, mentalism absorbs a good amount of time
in order to set things up psychologically. In this particular breakdown of
our primary routine, I’ve shown how I take 5-10 minutes of general
conversation time; just to plant the psychological “anchors” I want in the
minds of my patrons long before I start any sort of “experiment”.

24
 The other thing I hope you have seen via this second perspective,
is how I use the actions in and around both, the conversation and the PK
Touch routine, as misdirection for my Pocket Writing venture… or,
whatever else I might want to have at the ready.
Many years ago I was having a wonderful conversation with
Shimada about timing and misdirection; he and I both discovering how
to make “a move” on the “off beat”. That is to say, you have things at
the ready long before you use them. For an example, you stole the dove
two or three moves prior to its production and in so doing, no one sees
the all so common tattle-tale moves found in 98% of the bird acts out
there.
With Mentalism getting ahead of the game is what allows miracles
to become manifest. The whole genre of Pre-show proves that working
from this point of position lends to the performer an amazing sense of
advantage – psychological advantage that even throws off the
investigations of your detractors and critics.
Not to be arrogant, but I believe this one secret is worth more than
you paid for this complete treatment; my experiences and those of others
in my world, testifies to that fact.. I sincerely hope you will consider it
and chose to apply it in your work over the years ahead.. but let’s move
on.

25
 Psychoanalysis Has Taught That The Dead -- A
Dead Parent, For Example -- Can Be More
Alive For Us, More Powerful, More Scary, Than
The Living. It Is The Question Of Ghosts.
Jacques Derrida
New York Times Magazine

In 2003 Magic Castle Medium Mark Edward released his book

“BUNDLES’ which, if you go by the ad’s wordage, offers a most
wonderful concept; to be able to walk into a room with nothing other
than a collection of old letters, post cards, etc. secured by a ribbon or
some twin. In exploring each of these letters, or the select few, the
Medium would be able to create some sense of Séance – a unique
manifestation that is intricately tied to the person or people focused upon
in that single bit of post.
I actually loved this idea and even in reading through it, found
several clever ideas but “little meat”. That is to say, Mark did not take
the basic tenet to what he was expressing and turn it into the practical
niche system it could be.
Just pause for a moment and think of all the effects you’ve read
about that employ envelopes. Add to this simple card manipulation
techniques, psychological controls, etc. and you find yourself cultivating,
within your own mind, a genuine miracle show in which no two
performances are alike in that everything is based on random selection.
What follows are but a couple of ideas for you to consider but my
real hope is that this concept sparks your imagination.

26
Shhh… It’s a Secret!
i TOCAPADMO by Rick Maue {The Book of Haunted Magick pg. 49}
Two cards are held by the left hand in a mechanic’s grip. The top card is blank on both sides, and
the bottom card has a message written upon it’s underside. The top card is then taken between
the right fingers and thumb as if to deal it. Gesture with the right hand to direct attention to it
and begin to run the card over. The moment that you begin the turning motion,
SIMULTANEOUSLY begin executing a paddle move with the left hand.
Take note during the sequence that the card in the left hand never turns over, but the card in the
right hand does. It is also important to notice that the right hand is held just a little higher and
closer to the spectators. That , in addition to the fact that the right hand begins to move a faction
of a second before the left, is why it receives all of the attention, thu7s making the actual paddle
move almost invisible.
When the action is completed, it is important that both cards come to rest in the EXACT same
position in each hand at the exact same time. They are pinched between the first two fingers (on
top() and the thumb( underneath) with the other fingers outstretched.
As stated earlier, it is the addition of the second card that makes this so much more deceptive
than a standard paddle move with a business card. This is because the right hand motion is the
lead action and it looks (and is) completely legitimate. Once again, this takes the attention from
the actual paddle move. When both cards come to rest in the EXACT same position, it is a
perfect illusion that both hands performed the same natural action.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Following Rick’s description to this Utility Move Rick offers a
routine known as TAROT & BEYOND (pg. 52) that serves as the cornerstone to
my personal routine of “Spirit Writing”.
TOCAPADMO Printed with Permission
Rick Maue – February 2009