As I write this, I’ve just passed two milestones: I just finished the first “readable†draft of my new book “Wizards Ways,†and I gave my first public presentation “The Wizard’s Way,†a talk with magic, designed to inspire audiences to take on the challenge of becoming real wizards themselves. It’s been a journey of several years for me to get here, so it feels great to have come this far. And it’s got me thinking, because this whole wizard thing marks a bit of a turning point for me.
While I’ve spent many years working with Jeff and with Marco Tempest to help them develop their businesses – developing one of my own that is based around my own writings and performances is a new thing for me. I find I’ve become comfortable as that shadowy presence in the background, always pushing my clients to the foreground, and supporting them, but seldom actually stepping into the limelight myself. So the change is giving me a whole new appreciation for what all of those of you who do regularly step out in front of the footlights, those who are always the public face of their businesses, go through. I’m a little surprised – and pleased – that it takes me out of my comfort zone!
Fortunately, I do have the knowledge I need. I’ve been teaching it to others and putting it to work for others for many, many years now. But what I find myself having to really work at is the change of attitude. The need to walk the walk 24 hours a day. Suddenly, it’s no longer okay for me, professionally, to be 20 pounds overweight. Suddenly, I can’t afford to put off rehearsing that new piece of magic I wanted to learn another day. Suddenly I MUST spend at least 30 minutes a day rehearsing, and at least an hour writing. I find I’m having to re-create myself.
And, isn’t it interesting that the process of re-creating yourself..every day and again and again…is right at the heart of what it means to become a real wizard. So I find myself on the very path I recommend for others in the book. Every day, I have to make myself do things, to seek out experiences, that I unconsciously avoided before. And I have to say: If feels great!
Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears. ~Les Brown
Enough about me. I find myself wondering how many of you may be out there going through something similar? How many have been thinking, for example, “I’d love to go out there to Las Vegas and study magic with Jeff McBride and Eugene Burger, BUT….â€
What’s been stopping you? I know, if I’m honest with myself, that the thing that most often stops me from doing things I think I’d like to is FEAR. Fear that it will be too strange and I’ll be disappointed. Fear that it will put too big a dent in my finances. Fear that I’ll fall behind on my work while I’m doing whatever it is. Fear that I’ll fail.
I have some news for you: many of those very things you fear are the very things that will help you grow and change – and will ultimately help you succeed. What you’re really afraid of is having the experience of life. What good is your life if you continue to do only the five or six things you’ve done before that continue to make you comfortable? What if you were to actually go out and do some of those things that really scare you? Have you been too busy living your fears to go out and actually live your dreams?
I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not be among the best. ~John Keats
So, in my new role as wizard, my first challenge is to challenge you – to join me on my quest to become a real wizard. One who embraces new experiences in search of true wisdom. One who takes responsibility for the direction of his or her own life, and for changing the world in ways it needs to be changed. One who dares to live an effective life, a life of excellence and adventure. A wizard who truly ‘puts a dent in the world.’ That kind of life is unlikely to come looking for you – but there is nothing stopping you from going out and creating it for yourself – except your own fear.
If you choose to do that as a magical performer, I have to tell you – one of the best ways to help yourself get inspired, to move your magic and your thinking about magic up to the next level — is by coming to Las Vegas and spending a week with Jeff, Larry, Eugene, and the rest of us. We will challenge you, encourage you, teach you things we’ve learned from our many years of experience. We will provide you with an environment where you can feel safe to push at your own boundaries. We will encourage you to fail, again and again, so you can ultimately find your true excellence. Other magicians who have committed their time and money, who have challenged themselves in the same ways you have, and who are quite likely to become your true friends and colleagues for life. And you’ll find yourself surrounded by a community of others who are just as passionate about their magic as you are. Who knows, you might even meet some of Las Vegas’ stars of magic!
I hope you will opt in for the adventure, the challenge, the life fully lived. I hope you’ll choose the Wizards way. And I hope to meet you soon at one of our classes or events! There are still a few spots left for both the July and August classes.
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith
“We all have two choices; we can make a living or we can design a life.”
— Jim Rohn
We really have two choices. We can settle for what we’ve always done before, or take creative risks. The risk-takers are the leaders, the artists and the visionaries. Here at the Magic & Mystery School, we’ve helped many people make huge changes in their lives. We also walk our talk and continue to change and evolve the School to meet the needs of our students. We are making big changes, and we want you to know about them.
Here is a great new video by our friend, film-maker Jordan Wright. It shows how our School is evolving. Take a few seconds to see what we’re doing!
“Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done.”
— Louis D. Brandeis
Many people did not believe that we could actually create an online magic school, one that could offer expert teaching… Well, we’ve done just that!
We know that many students could use a bit of help paying for one of our classes here in Las Vegas, and we’ve developed our Scholarship Program to help! Learn more here: http://www.magicalwisdom.com/scholarships
The McBride Magic Experience will be in Philadelphia and Baltimore. This is a rare opportunity for my East Coast friends to see my new one man show, the brand new Ask the Show Doctor lecture, and a four hour Super Session workshop! All the information is on my calendar:
http://www.mcbridemagic.com/pages/calendar.php
“The big secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you’re willing to work.”
— Oprah Winfrey
If you’ve ever wanted to study with Eugene Burger and the full faculty of the Magic and Mystery School, the time is now. This is a life-changing event.
“The Master Class was the most transformative magic experience of my life.”
— Zac Barkowski, magician
Register now for the final classes of 2013: http://www.magicalwisdom.com/events
My invitation to you: If you’re looking for a little magical inspiration, join us at mcbridemagic.tv for uplifting and inspirational programs, free, 24 hours a day!
Please feel free to email Abbi or me if you have any questions about classes or private sessions here in Las Vegas or online. It’s really an amazing world we’re living in, that we can now hold magic classes secretly and securely on the internet. I am sure that you will find many magical gifts hidden around our websites for you to enjoy….
Yours in mystery,
Jeff
P.S. You can see a the full April WONDERGROUND show compressed down to just a few minutes, thanks to the great work of Scott Steelfyre! Just click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ8U7Y5Bv2I
We create a new show every month!
Dear Friends:
I’m always delighted when we have a Museletter written by our friend George Parker. George is a real wizard in every sense, and I know I always learn something from every conversation I get to have with him and everything I read that he writes. George lives in Amsterdam, and bills himself as a corporate alchemist – which means he helps companies and corporations, as well as individuals, create positive change, often using his magic. I know you’ll enjoy his insights below!
From George Parker:
The 7th Veil
Shakespeare once wrote: “I like your silence. It the more shows of your wonder.†I think he was right. When we experience wonder we fall silent. We react quite differently when we’re surprised, astonished, amazed, flabbergasted, stunned, astounded or startled.
I love both the experience of wonder as well as creating that experience for my audience. Yet I know that my success is often judged by how loud people scream and laugh and how much they will talk about it after the show. If I want to be perceived as successful I need to include some ‘cheerleader’-magic generating big laughs and loud cheers. If I want to be successful in my own definition I need to create the state of wonder which will in turn generate silence.
I’ve tried to solve this in a couple of ways. First, I look at my shows from a musical perspective. I want my shows to be symphonies. The instruments (script, visual effects, music, interaction, etc.) need to work together to create the bigger picture. I also want to mix in slower pieces and silent moments to create more texture.
The second solution was inspired by Sam Sharpe. In his ‘Neo Magic’ he wrote about the famous 7th veil that belly-dancers never remove while dancing: “The fine artist never attempts to withdraw the 7th veil. This means that in conjuring the greater effect is liable to be created or some sort of cover is used. To vanish a lamp from under a foulard is far more magical than to use the visible disappearance.â€
Using this principle I’m able to ‘train’ my audience to hold their attention and open up to being silent. Once they get used to postponing their need to release tension by being loud, they will be much more inclined to switch to a state of wonder later.
It’s even true in real life, I’ve discovered!
George Parker
From Tobias:
Thanks, George!
And now on the the “news†part of the Museletter newsletter.
At the end of this month, Jeff will be travelling east for just two East Coast events. The first, on May 29-30, is sponsored by our good friend Marc DeSouza, who is an amazing magician in his own right. Marc’s space for events is very small, so if you’re in the area, I would urge you to get in touch with him as soon as possible. This will sell out fast, and you’re amongst the first to hear about it. For more info, e-mail Marc directly: FKaps@aol.com.
The second event will be at Howard Katz’ Magic Warehouse, again with show, lecture and workshop. The dates are June 1-2, and I understand Jeff will be actually hosting our Monday Night Mystery School show from The Magic Warehouse on Monday, June 3. For those of you who may not be aware, The Magic Warehouse is one of our sponsors for the Monday night shows, so it will be especially fun that Jeff will be able to broadcast – and give you all a short tour “behind the scenes†with Howard while he is there. There is a link to all Jeff’s events while in Baltimore on the home page for the Magic Warehouse: http://themagicwarehouse.com/. Go…buy a ticket now. They’ll go fast!
And while you’re there – buy some magic, too!
Till next time, then.
Tobias Beckwith
tobias@yourmagic.com
Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats. — Howard Aiken
Dear Friends:
This may be the biggest story in the world of magic today!
The BBC picked up on my recent situation with the recent “copy act” and how I handled it gracefully as “a magic teacher.” They picked up on this problem, currently rampant in our magic world – acts, inventions and other intellectual property are being ripped off left and right. Read all about it here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21861418
There’s also a ‘webified’ text of the radio story that ran on PRI, but it’s much better if you click the ‘play’ button to listen to the audio of the radio show: http://www.theworld.org/2013/04/magician-jeff-mcbride/
Look at or listen to both of these stories! They are ground-breaking stories on “magic theft,†and intellectual property rights, getting notice by major mainstream media. Many thanks to our new friend, Arun Rath, the reporter who wrote both stories.
An original artist is unable to copy. So he has only to copy in order to be original? —Jean Cocteau
Q: What can you do to encourage originality and fight magic theft?
A: Support our magic school!
Become a Member. Our scholarship programs help many students find a magical education… you can help! Please go to www.magicalwisdom.com and sign up or donate now.
But there are some things, child, that you should steal. That you must steal, if you have enough love and courage in your heart. You must snatch freedom from the hands of the tyrant. You must spirit away innocent lives before they are destroyed. You must hide secret and sacred places. — Lian Tanner
Not only did I get the advice I was looking for, the inspiration from Jeff and Eugene will last a lifetime. — Dan Rodriguez, S.A.M Past National President
He is a living legend of magic. Siegfried is a Grand Master of Illusion. For 2 hours he held court and shared his marvelous teaching stories and wisdom with our class. You just never know who will drop in on our classes! Who would you like to see show up when YOU attend our class?
Here is Siegfried, with Larry Hass and me, opening his personal copy of The Show Doctor! He looks as delighted as a kid on Christmas morning!
Jeff has had such an impact on my show as well as my creativity in life.  I never would have been able to stand toe to toe with Hollywood’s biggest think tanks without the lessons  learned from my mentor and friend Jeff McBride. — Nick Norton
Here is a new character I’ve been developing. His name is “MO -NOPOLY” and he is the “Wizard with Money-Magic”.
Every month we create a NEW show for Wonderground. We are a tribe of artists and rebels, dreamers and rowdy misfits who support each other’s divine madness!
Originality is the best form of rebellion. — Mike Sasso
You are invited to The Biggest Magic Party in Las Vegas! This, and every other third Thursday April 18th at 8PM, at The Olive on Sunset.
Here are highlights from last month’s event edited by Scott Steelfyre:
http://www.vegaswonderground.com/pages/media/videos-live-from-wonderground.php
The Kings of Poker are here: http://virtual.magicalwisdom.com/lessons/view/57
See it now! The finale teaches you how to script a standing ovation into your act.
I will see you in Vegas or on our webTV show, live on Monday nights, but available 24/7 if you can’t make it on Monday: www.mcbridemagic.tv
Enjoy the magic of spring!
Yours in magical community,
Jeff McBride
“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once.”
— Albert Einstein
Dear Friends:
Today we hear from the Dean of McBride’s Magic & Mystery School, Eugene Burger. Last week while we were all in Las Vegas for the first evern “Magic for Speakers & Presenters†and our first 7-day Master Class of the year, we sat down and figured out Eugene’s book have sold over 25,000 copies over the past twenty years – which means he is probably far and away the best selling contemporary author of books for magicians. Let’s see what he has for us today:
By Eugene Burger
“Slow down, you move too fast / you got to make the morning last…â€
— Paul Simon
These words are from “The 59th Street Bridge Song,†by the American singer, Paul Simon. They were written in the 1960s. In July of 2005, in an article published in MAGIC magazine, Max Maven wrote that, if he were to give a bit of advice to all magicians, it would be to slow down because they speak too fast. It is also something that we see regularly at the Magic School: magicians talking too fast.
What about us? You and me? If we are performers, in our performances are we speaking too fast? How would we know?
The easiest way to find out is to audio record your performance and listen to it with ruthless honesty. Ask a friend to watch it a well and get their feedback. Are you speaking so fast that you are running words together? Is the pacing of your speech much the same? Is there variety in the pacing?
If I do this — really do it! — and I find that I am speaking too fast, what then?
There are several sets of questions here. The first set deals with why this is happening. Why is it that in our performances we speak too fast? What got us on this road? And does understanding the origin of our fast speaking empower us to change? Does this knowledge empower us too stop speaking too fast?
The second set of questions asks about the effects of our fast speaking. What does our rate of speed do to our performances? How does our speaking too fast impact the view our audiences have of us and what we are doing? What price are we paying for our fast talking?
Well, how did this fast talking begin? What got us on this road? A few have gotten on this road because they have consciously chosen the theatrical role of con man (or con woman). Needless to say, this is a perfectly wonderful theatrical choice.
But what about the other magicians who are fast talking? How did they get on this road? I think that our fast talking comes from a variety of sources. To mention only two of them, there is, first, the fear of silence that so many performances exhibit. A second source is the some of the models for our magic have been bad models. We have watched earlier performers, who spoke too fast, and we imitated what we saw. The magicians we watched spoke too fast and now we speak too fast. Bad models for our magic explain a lot.
But does knowing how our fast talking began empower us to end it? While Freud might have said yes, I am less convinced. Frankly, I doubt that our knowledge of origins gives us the power to do something different. In other words, while looking for origins might give us interesting knowledge, the study of origins does not necessarily give us the power to change our actions.
What, then, does give us the power to change our actions?
And this, of course, is a basic human question.
The Indian speaker, J. Krishnamurti, who repeatedly dealt with this question, asked us to look at the dangers that some of our actions can bring to our lives. If we see the danger of something, if we see it deeply, does that very seeing not empower us to change our actions? An example he often gave is this: Imagine you are in the woods and suddenly there is a poisonous snake in your path. What will you do? What will you do then? You might go up to the snake and tease it, torment it — and be bitten! On the other hand, seeing the fact that the snake is poisonous is the new action of getting out of the snake’s way. If I deeply see the danger, that seeing is the beginning of something new.
For many people, seeing the danger of their actions is enough to empower them to stop and make changes. But it does not seem to be true for many others.
For a moment, look at the real dangers of our fast talking in performance. This persona, the fast-talking-con-man-type-of-person, does have consequences for us if we find we are doing it. The biggest consequence, I think, is the loss of importance. We sacrifice the sense that what we are doing really is important. We reduce what we are doing to the status of the trivial and we reduce ourselves to the status of unimportant performers.
And we lose the sense that we are sincere human beings!
At its heart, then, this is a question of value. Is our performance communicating that what we are doing has value and importance for our audiences? Does our performance communicate that, as magicians, we are special — and talented — performers?
Or does our performance communicate that we are simply fast talking — and unimportant — con men?
Thank you, Eugene! One of the great pleasures of teaching at the Magic & Mystery School is getting to listen to one another’s thoughts about our art – and then discussing them together, and with the students. I always come back from Las Vegas feeling inspired and excited about the new directions magic is moving.
Which brings up an interesting thought, and one I know we’ve mentioned before, but which I think is worthy of mentioning once again. In the last two classes, we had no fewer than 4 students with us who had received scholarships in one form or another. All of them were wonderful additions to the class – and people who faced challenges getting there – challenges which the scholarships helped them overcome.
And since we started out this note with a few words from our Dean, it seems appropriate to end it with a few words from Dr. Larry Hass, our Associate Dean, on the subject of the scholarships:
Up above, I mentioned I had just returned from Las Vegas – and I thought you might enjoy this photo of Siegfried with one of our scholarship students, Elizabeth Scalf, whose scholarship was sponsored by the Siegfried and Roy North American Fan Club. We had a wonderful afternoon and evening with Siegfried…a true gentlemen who is just as fascinating one-on-one as he was in the incredible show he and Roy performed for so many years at The Mirage.
Finally: Jeff is currently in Thailand with Jordan, headlining a magic convention in Bangkok. We thought you might enjoy this photo, taken onsite at the festival there, more or less as I am writing this.
Thanks for taking time to read this rather long version of our Muse. I thought about trying to cut it down a bit…but then thought it would be criminal to deprive you of ANY of Eugene’s wisdom, which we feel incredibly blessed to be able to bring you here, without charge. I hope you’ve read this far, and that we’ll see you back here in just a couple of weeks.
Sincerely,
Tobias Beckwith
tobias@yourmagic.com