What Does It Take to be a Mentalist? Now, there’s a question. This is something that a lot of the younger magicians ask my fellow mentalists and me. We try to answer the question the best that we know how, but the answers never seem to be said correctly and as it should be. The young magicians find it hard to follow or understand what we try to say. We have pondered, considered and brainstormed this question and it is hard to understand. We have tried to put it in a recipe form, a scientific equation, and even in a formula; nothing seems to make a dent in the process. After, many years of thinking and many man-hours of struggling with the question, I am attempting to formulate a universal answer or at least a start to the answer.
Creating an effective and entertaining act in mentalism is not an easy task, but it is not rocket science either. You first must possess some important skills. These definitely are not in order of importance, but never the less be a building block for your act or sort of a foundation to build on. Without a doubt, some knowledge of sleights (all kinds, coins balls and etc.) is a good beginning.
Read more: How to Create an Effective and Entertaining Mentalism Act
A facilitator by definition is one who assists or aids others in completing a task; he helps ease others into and through the mission. Facilitation is really the art of leadership in-group communication, and the facilitator is the one who takes the leadership role.
So what is mentalism? The most general definition is “Magic of the Mind”. However, that definition still has the word “magic” in it and all the connotations that go with it. I prefer “using the mind to defy the laws of physics by simply using one’s power of the mind”.