Dear Friends:
Those of you who frequent our Mystery School Monday webcasts will no doubt recognize the thoughtful ruminations of this month’s guest columnist, Stonewick. We greatly appreciate his work on behalf of our community!
I recently led an online discussion on one of my personal “Books of Gold.†That book is “Intimate Power†by Eugene Burger. (1983). There is a simple, yet wonderful piece of Mentalism taught in the book, that exemplifies how the ideas outlined in earlier chapters come together in a complete and scripted piece. One of the interesting aspects of the effect is the intentional error made at the end by the performer. It is a very small error. One that does not reduce the “impossibility†of the prediction, but, through this small error, a ring of truth is brought to the fore. It is a near miss that actually strengthens the effect because of the error.
I know that our teacher Eugene Burger was very much in tune with Eastern Philosophy. So I must assume he had the concept Wabi-Sabi in mind when he performed this piece of magic.
For those who may not be familiar with the term, Wabi-Sabi is a Japanese aesthetic. It loosely translates to…Beautiful Imperfection. It is meant to reflect the impermanence, rustic simplicity, and incompleteness of a thing. Besides, (at least in my view) perfection tends to be a little boring anyway.
Hand in hand with the concept of Wabi Sabi is the Japanese craft of Kintsugi.
There is legend from the 14th century of a Japanese Shogun, (Ashikaga Yoshimitsu) who, after breaking his favorite tea bowl, sent it off to China to be repaired. Upon its return the Shogun was dismayed with the ugly metal staples used to hold it together. He charged his own craftsmen with coming up with a more elegant solution. The craftsmen prepared an epoxy mixed with gold dust. Rather than trying to hide the bowl’s injuries, the cracks joining the broken pieces were emphasized and made to shine out in gold. Kintsugi highlights, and even celebrates, imperfection and brokenness.
The art of Kintsugi, as you might imagine, applies not just to pottery, but to people too. After all, we are, all of us, broken people in a broken world.
So how might Wabi Sabi and Kintsugi play out in entertainment? Three characters come to my mind right away. Although I am sure you will think of many better examples.
Someone looking at Orson Welles might think…†That is a big guy†…and they would be right. But Orson Welles’ girth gave him the gravitas and authority that was his brand. If Orson Welles had been a slender man, our impression of him would be entirely different. TV detective Columbo also comes to mind. We remember him from his smelly stub of a cigar, rumpled raincoat and his never-ending questions. Yet in spite of his off-putting appearance and manner, (or perhaps because of it) he annoyed and badgered his suspects to the degree that they would expose their hand, and eventually have to confess to their criminal deeds. Then there is Don Knotts. Not a particularly handsome man, yet he made a career of playing awkward, cowardly, yet lovable characters.
It seems that the more flawed and broken a character is, while still remaining believable, the more impact they make on us. We don’t love them in spite of their flaws. We love them because of their very visible cracks and imperfections.
So what does that mean for us as magicians? We are each playing a character. Some very much like our true selves, and some totally “out there.†Although there are many rich examples, the first modern magical performer that comes to my mind in this regard is Rob Zabrecky. Watch any Zabrecky performance, and you are witnessing a master class in highly impactful character presentation: Wabi-Sabi in all its delicious colors.
 I have spent a lot of time thinking about this, and I will ask you the same question I ask myself nearly every day: What does Wabi-Sabi mean to you in terms of performance magic? What is your own personal Kintsugi? Whether it is part of your true self, or something specifically manufactured for your performing character, what is your sublime imperfection? And how do you mix it with gold, so it shines out loud in all of its broken beauty?
“People must not be given swords before they’ve learnt how to enjoy life and its movement.†– Confucius
Greetings All,
Awaken to this fact: One of the most dangerous, yet useful items you touch every day is a blade. The same blade can be used for cutting a birthday cake or slitting a throat! (Ok, I’ve been watching too much Game of Thrones, but I’ve made my point!)
On a very practical level, we use blades every day to cut, open, and slice away what is not needed. We use blades to shave, open mail, cut foods, and some even swallow them, or throw them around living targets!
They slice, dice, stab, slash, pierce, poke, carve and cleave, rip and rend, and can even make fancy Julienne potatoes.
Doctors use blades to save lives… psychopaths use them to kill innocent people. We walk the razor’s edge between good and evil. Great skill and judgement are needed to wield this tool that holds such great power to create or destroy.
On an esoteric level, Swords are symbols of discernment, judgement, power, and precision. The Sword is one of the four tools of The Archetypal Magicians, and a symbol for the Element of Air.
“Swords†is one of the four suits of the Tarot. Hammered from steel, in the red-hot fire of the blacksmith’s forge, blades are the weapons of Kings and their Knights.
Magicians use Swords in stage illusions. They use knives for close -up magic, and pins, needles and razor blades are swallowed and regurgitated, and then threaded on string. Magicians tantalize and torture all kinds of materials with blades. No rope, silk, or even piece of paper is safe when near a trickster with shears or blade.
So, it is time to share your love, and share your magic with a sword held high! This year at the Magic and Meaning Conference we are having some serious fun:
We are looking for the VERY best magic effects with Swords. One of you will be crowned in an official ceremony as the
KING or QUEEN of Swords!
The most promising ideas will be selected and put into a special Conference PDF:
The Book of Swords
Please send your submission to us: 500 words or less.
Bring plenty of your ideas to The Magic & Meaning Conference to share, but select the BEST routines or ideas to submit for The Book of Swords, which will be a compilation of ideas, magic effects, and routines that utilize the symbol of Swords, blades, knives or anything “cutting edge.â€
Also, please note: this will be the second year in a four-year cycle that explores the Tools of the Magician: The Sword, the Wand, the Cup, and the Shield. Last year was the “Year of the Cup.†This year we will explore the history, mystery, magic, and symbolism of “The Sword.â€
“And with my sword I salute you, until that time we should return.â€
See you at the Magic and Meaning Conference—our School’s Homecoming Celebration!
If you have not already registered for this year’s Magic and Meaning Conference, this is an excellent time to do so, by going to:
http://www.magicalwisdom.com/events#602
It is also a perfect time to reserve your discounted hotel room at the Sunset Station Hotel & Casino. The rates for the rooms this year are quite reasonable: $65.00 per night for Wednesday (10/30) and Thursday (10/31), and $95.00 per night for Friday (11/1) and Saturday (11/2). (Please note: those rates are subject to the Clark County room tax, currently at 14%.)
To reserve your room, call the Reservations Department at 888-786-7389 and identify yourself as attending the “Conference 29†group and supply the Group Code of SCICE29.
One final note: there is still a couple of weeks to submit a proposal to deliver a presentation and/or a performance at the Conference. The details about how to make a proposal can be found at: http://www.magicalwisdom.com/about/call-for-presentations. Please note: the deadline for all proposals is July 15, 2019.
Yours in “cutting-edge magic events.â€
Jeff McBride
WONDERGROUND NEWS -Â July 2019
7pm – Mo-Jo Music by Richard and Thayer
   Tarot by Eliza
8pm – Comedy and Variety show
   Tim Wise is your Master of Ceremonies
   Tetro and Stacy – Hocus Hoop-us!
   Rick Maisel – Modern Master of Escape
   Jeff Lockett – Makes a Magical Point!
   Jarol Martin – Magic direct from Cuba!
   Jeff McBride – Presents a world premiere- “The Dancing Eggâ€- (you’ve never seen this!)
9pm – Close-up Show and Strolling Magic
   Will Bradshaw – Your Master of Ceremonies
   Clyde McBride – The Three Magic Wishes
   Jeff Lockett – Close-Up & In Yo- face!
   Jarol Martin – Legerdemain with a Latin Flair
   –more acts to be announced!
The WONDERBAR
   Kent Axell – Magic with your Mind
   Tim Wise – The Magic Castle Bar Show
   Steelfyre – Dice-ee-Deceptions
   –More to be announced!
10pm – Stage Extravaganza
   Jeff McBride – Is your Host
   Jeff McBride with The New World Rhythmatism Dancers – Magic by Candlelight
   Jarol Martin – From Masters of Illusion TV!
   Jeff Lockett – How to win BIG in Las Vegas
   Tetro & Stacy – A Ritual of Enchantment
   Rick Maisel – Death Defying Escape
ALL THE ABOVE PLUS:
Live Music by Richard and Thayer, Tarot by Eliza, Photography by Sheryl Garrett. Bar Magic-Scott Steelfyre & Maggie, Corey Rubino, New World Rhythmatism Belly Dancers, Psychic Sideshow with Morganne– and many more surprises and special celebrity guests.
So, see you at The Magic & Meaning Conference!
It is our Mystery School homecoming; please join us! Take a look and hear what the attendees are saying.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQVo4zsfWZ4)
See you Online or in Vegas at one of our events!
Jeff and Abigail
Greetings Friends!Â
My name is Santiago and I have no idea why I’m here. Well, except that I do know. But I don’t.
Confused?
Yeah, so am I. But the good news is that we’re not alone. And that seems to be the biggest lesson to learn about this phenomenon called “Imposter Syndrome.â€
By now you’ve probably heard about it. It’s been a popular topic in a lot of professional newsletters over the past few years. I first encountered it in my regular day job in the tech industry. I work as a Quality Assurance Engineer, which means that people build software and I try to break it. Sounds like an easy thing, yes? Not as easy as you might imagine. Sometimes it feels like I need to know more about the software than the people who wrote it. And that feeling leads to stress, which leads to thinking “am I really good enough?â€
That’s the core question of Imposter Syndrome. Am I really good enough?
Turns out this ties into every endeavor of humanity. Am I a good enough husband? Father (Uncle in my case actually)? Am I a good enough employee? Am I a good enough student? Am I a good enough teacher? Am I a good enough…. Magician?
One of the things that has taken me years to overcome is getting myself onto a theatrical stage as a magician. This, despite doing many private shows, parties, even a few weddings, and corporate events. This despite having a literal lifetime of theatrical experience as an actor!
Being on a theatrical stage as a magician is what I consider to be my ideal environment. How could it not be with all my other experiences? But Imposter Syndrome says, “There was a whole cast of people on the stage for the audience to see when it’s a play. That audience wasn’t there for you. They were there for them.†And of course, once it’s only me, the whole show lives or dies on my shoulders. “Am I a good enough magician?â€
Turns out I am. I’ve done a couple of theatrical stage shows now. Not huge venues. Audiences mostly made up of my friends and family. But it’s all about the steps you take. I’ve gotten more experience. I’ve learned more about marketing myself. I’ve developed connections. I’ve built a magic team, and I proved to myself that I will be at my best in a theatrical environment. I’ve improved my performances by setting show dates, which means deadlines that have to be met.
No more time to worry about “good enoughâ€. Now it’s all about doing the work.
There is no cure for Imposter Syndrome. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that Imposter Syndrome is very treatable, and the treatment is remarkably easy!
The best way to beat Imposter Syndrome is with success. So put yourself into a situation where you experience success often enough, that every time you begin to doubt, you are never too far away from an example of your actually being good enough. The last performance you did, the one before that, the one before that – all of them stack up to your success. And if you are on the road towards the next success, then you’ll have yet another opportunity to prove that you are, indeed, not an imposter.
That’s how you do it!
You’ve got this! I believe in you!
Greetings Friends,
This month’s Muse letter is an Invitation to Mystery… a real live magical adventure. But there is a bit of work to do on your part!
Can you find the key to this TOP SECRET MYSTERY?
Here are some hints.
If you like your magic to connect to the heart and soul… then I have a new experience for you. There is a hint in the artwork below….
Â
(I’m only going to share what I know if you email me personally Jeff@mcbridemagic.com. Just ask me for a key to the mystery)
MAGIC NEWS IN VEGAS
MAGICFLIX.COM is a new online magic platform making quite a buzz. Rumor has it that this project will debut at the IBM. National Convention. This could be the biggest magic training site ever.Â
Many of magic’s top performers are involved with the new project, and more are joining this project every week. You can get a sneak peek at what could very well become a leading force in the world of magic and entertainment here: https://magicflix.com
Lance Burton Teen Seminar at I.B.M. Convention
You can see THE NEW STARS OF MAGIC at the I.B.M. National Convention.
July 8-14 I will be at the I.B.M. Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, helping Dr. Larry Hass & Lance Burton with the Teen Magic Seminar. Many of today’s top performers have attended our event, including Shin Lim, Bill Cook, Krystyn Lambert and other award-winning magicians.
Jeff, Tetro and Lance Burton will teach YOU magic at this year’s Lance Burton Teen Seminar. If you are a teen and are interested in attending, all the info is here:
http://ibmconvention.com/lance-burton-teen-seminar/
The best part is that the Teen Seminar is FREE to all teens who register for the I.B.M. convention.
Student of The Month: Elliott Hunter –
See Elliot Hunter live at WONDERGROUND this month only!
Elliott was twelve years old when he first learned of Jeff McBride and the Magic and Mystery School through his viewing of L&L’s The Art of Card Manipulation series. He attended his first Master Class as soon as he was old enough. Once he got to college, Elliott became one of Jeff’s privately mentored students. From that time on, Elliott has become a regular performer at the Magic Castle, and he recently won the International Magic Master Summit Stage Competition.
Parents and students take note:
Elliott has built his business to the point that it helps cover the cost of his college expenses. He is currently an engineering student at Cal Poly (one of the nation’s top engineering schools), a competitive swimmer, competing on the national level, a triathlete, a volunteer swim coach, and a professional magician!
Giving back to the World:
For the last twelve years, Elliott has been refining his art to develop versatile, full evening productions to build his magic into a career. Elliott uses his talent to help numerous non-profit organizations raise tens of thousands of dollars! To find out more about Elliott, go to www.ehuntermagic.com.
Jeff McBride wears many hats – performer, teacher, producer, musician, alchemist, and master of ceremonies. One of his most magical & electrifying hats is one you will see at WONDERGROUND!
WONDERGROUND NEWSÂ
Thursday, June 20th, 2019
Doors open at 7pm
Pre-show Music with Capt. S. Rokk and Tarot by Eliza Snow
8pm Comedy magic & Variety show
Tim Wise – Host
Chris Herren – 1st Place Award for Parlor Magic – Philippines
The Magic of Lynetta & Joan – Something Tipsy
Daryl Rogers – Classic Magic with Style
Kalani Kokonuts – Queen of the Burlesque Scene!
Elliott Hunter – A Visual Vortex of Magic & Mystery
Steve Owens – International Award-winning Manipulation
9pm Close up, Strolling and Bar magic
Will Bradshaw – host
Joan DuKore -Â Die-Namic Deceptions
Chris Herren – With Mysterious StrangerÂ
Steve Owens – Mastery in MotionÂ
Elliott Hunter – Sleight of Hand Sensations Â
Daryl Rogers – Parlor magic classicsÂ
At the WONDERBAR
Captain S. Rokk – The Pirate of Prestidigitation
Kent Axell – Mind Melting Mysteries
Joan Dukore – Die-Namic Deceptions
10pm Stage Magic Extravaganza
Jeff McBride – Host
Steve Owens – Shadow Magic
Chris Herren – With his Alter Ego Mask- “FAUST”
The Magic of Lynetta & Joan – Something Knotty!
Daryl Rogers – Silken Sorcery
Kalani Kokonuts – Living Legend of Burlesque
Elliott Hunter – The Competition Act
3 great shows, plus: Dance by The New World Rythmatism Dancers, Photography by Sheryl Garrett, Strolling Magic and Bar Magic by Scott Steelfyre, Magnus Mythos, Lights and sound by Maggie, Corey Rubino, Psychic Sideshow, Tarot Reading with Eliza Snow & many more surprises and special celebrity guests.
Late Breaking News
Magicians to Attempt Five Guinness World Records
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:Â
On July 12, 2019 over 450 magicians will attempt five Guinness World Records while attending the International Brotherhood of Magician’s (I.B.M.) Magic Convention at the Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Jeff McBride is a master at the ancient magic effect named The Linking Rings. This year Jeff will join forces with magicians from around the world to attempt to break the current record for “Most Chinese Liking Rings Linked Together,” which is 534 rings. This record was set by 130 magicians at the Cleveland, Ohio I.B.M. convention in 2004. This and four other new records will be attempted at 3:00 pm on Friday, July 12, 2019.
The International Brotherhood of Magicians is the world’s largest organization dedicated to the art of magic with members in 88 countries. 450 magicians at the magic convention will attempt to set two records with the Chinese Linking Rings, two records with coins, and one record with playing cards.
Should the group succeed with the new record for Linking Rings, it will be McBride’s fourth successful attempt at setting a Guinness World Record.
Contact: Jeff@McBridemagic.com for more information.
FINAL WORD
This month, Eugene Burger would have been 80 years old. We celebrated his birthday and in doing so it reminded me of how short and sweet our lives can be. Every day is an opportunity to share your love for magic with others…. go forth and be awesome!
Blessings to all
Jeff and Abigail
