Q. Can a card trick really change a person’s life?
A. Yes! A card trick changed my life.
I Was Tricked Into It
I was seven years old and I knew, at that moment, what I wanted to do. Some people go their entire lives without finding their passion. I’ve devoted my life to following my passion and empowering others to discover theirs. It was a simple piece of magic, taught to me by Linda and Susan Van Etten. They were the same age as me, but somehow, they learned this amazing card mystery… it was called The Kings of Poker.
Kings of Poker had a story and everything. These two little seven-year-old girls told me a story I never forgot. I still perform it these days, knowing the impact it can have. If you’re curious, you can learn more about it here:
https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/l/street-magic/kings-of-poker
One Card Trick Can Change A Life!
Kings of Poker was the first card trick I remember, and I think it’s because it had a good story. That’s what made it memorable, and easy for me to practice. The trick itself is super easy to perform, self-working actually, and highly entertaining. Sixty years later, I’m still performing Kings of Poker. Sixty years later, I’m still working on pieces of magic I learned when I first started.
Powerful Impressions
This month at Wonderground, I am going to perform, for the very first time, two pieces of magic I’ve been working on for nearly sixty years. It’s about time I bring them to the stage. It’s never too late!
First Impressions
I encourage my students to go back to those very first powerful magic impressions they experience, and to recall them and to learn and perform those important pieces of magic that transformed their lives. Mat Franco actually shares the story about the first time he experienced card manipulation… it was me on the NBC television show World’s Greatest Magic!
A True Story
Each night Mat performs at his hit show, Magic Reinvented Nightly. Mat tells the story of the first time he saw a magician pull cards out of the air. That moment changed his life–one simple card routine… I am proud to say that that magician was me, and I am part of Mat’s story–the story he tells each night at the LINQ hotel here in Vegas. It’s a true story, and I’m proud to be a part of that story. The chain of magic continues, and the secrets of magic are passed down from teacher to student.
The Quest for Secrets
Magicians are secret-collectors. They are constantly looking for “the new thing.” This has led to an endless search for the latest and greatest, and often magicians are overwhelmed with the amount of literature, products, and distractions in the marketplace, chasing what Eugene Burger called “the tyranny of the new.” I’ve had good teachers, Eugene being the most important one of all. He told me, “The real secrets of magic are not in books or videos. They cannot even be purchased in a magic shop. The real secrets of magic are handed down from teacher to student… in whispers!” I’ve decided not to publish many of my secrets. I prefer to pass them on to my personal students, one at a time, or in very small groups. We meet Monday night at 7pm Pacific time, and we’ll see you in the classroom.
https://shop.magicalwisdom.com/m/magic-mystery-school
Keep inspired, my friends!
Jeff and Abigail