“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
— Benjamin Franklin
Greetings friends,
You are invited to our celebration, as McBrideMagic.tv celebrates the beginning of our second year of online broadcasting. If you’ve not seen McBride’s Mystery School Monday, and what we’re doing online, you can watch, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! All episodes are available on demand, at your convenience. We’re having a party to mark the occasion, and all of you are invited!
It’s a party at the Mystery School, which is broadcast on the internet! Each week, I invite all of the friends and faculty of the Mystery School for a celebration of imagination, creativity, magical performance and philosophy. Consider this your invitation to a most magical time with us. Be sure to tune in every Monday at 7pm pacific time to mcbridemagic.tv
Over the years, I have met many creative and passionate magicians. Perhaps the most enthusiastic Houdini fan and collector I’ve ever met is Roger Dreyer. Roger has created a magical oasis in the center of NYC. It is the home of one of the greatest magic shops in the world, and also the home of an awesome Houdini magic collection that is on display for you to see when you visit the shop!
Roger is always donating his time and energy to create extraordinary events for our magic community, both in New York and here in Las Vegas. Now, Roger is helping us bring our gifts of magic to you, all around the world, so you can watch our shows and educational magic training programs from the comfort of your own home.
We would like to welcome our friend and magical creator Roger to our team!
He is our newest sponsor on McBrideMagic.tv
Go visit the virtual shop or, even better, drop into the REAL shop when you are in New York City! Take a peek: Fantasma Magic!
“In the long run, men hit only what they aim atâ€
— Thoreau
As a magic teacher, it often feels like I am helping my students perfect their aim, so they can hit the bull’s eye of their target.
Target = intention
Aim = Energy + focus + regular practice. These are just some of the “pointers” to manifesting your goals… hitting your target.
What goals or targets are you setting up for yourself in 2012 my friends?
One of the maxims I live by is, “People support what they help create,” whether that is an organization, a political movement, or even a vision of a better way to perform magic. This year, consider those around you who can empower your vision of excellence, and work with you to help you achieve your goals.
Our favorite filmmaker, Jordan Wright, has posted the newest outstanding presentations from last year’s Magic and Meaning Conference. If you have watched the TED talks, you will notice that these are similar, but they deal with themes related to magic, performance, and psychology.
Why one of the simplest little magic effects in my repertoire receives the most comments and fan mail…
Richard Shadwell wrote me to say:
“Your Ritual of Liberation is one of the simplest yet most powerful effects that I perform. I have done it for friends and strangers alike. One person who I did this piece for (over 2 weeks ago) saw me at one of my regular haunts, and told me that after I gave him the little bracelet, he felt like a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders and was able to work out his problem in time. Of all the effects I do, this is my number one because it goes deeper then ‘just a trick’ …this truly is a ritual. Thank you for this beautiful ritual that I know will touch many, many more lives than I can ever hope to meet.â€
Do YOU perform this effect? If you do, what are your thoughts about it? If you don’t perform it, why not? Let us know at mcbridemagic.tv in the chat room… We want to know!
“I came home from Master Class infused with a wisdom and a truth that is priceless and lasting.”
—Kevin McPherson
In January, we have the only three day Master Class of 2012. Go online to see if there are still any seats available, and get yours! http://www.magicalwisdom.com
February brings me to Bogota, Colombia, and Buenos Aires, Argentina. All the info is here:
I will have a couple of free days while I’m there, so heads up, students in South America, if you want to have a private session with me while I’m in your city, email me directly, Jeff@mcbridemagic.com and we’ll get you scheduled!
I hope you stick to all of your New Year’s resolutions, and make this year the year that you visit us here at the Magic and Mystery School!
Your friend in magic,
Jeff
Dear Friends:
This is Tobias, writing to wish you all a very happy New Year, and bring some interesting news. But first:
This month’s Museletter is from Larry Hass, Associate Dean:
Photo credit: Arto Airaksinen
“Its Always the Beginning of the Worldâ€
Dear Friends in Magic and Mystery,
Happy New Year! This edition of the Museletter should arrive in your mailbox on the first day of 2012. This is a big deal and a beautiful thing: turning the page, a fresh start, the beginning of a new year.
If you are like me, the past few weeks have been extremely busy with a slate of holiday parties, shopping and planning, then perhaps traveling, or hosting friends and family. All of this is a pleasure, but over the years I have come to find an even deeper pleasure in making some good time during New Year’s week to think about renewal.
You see, I have never been one for New Year’s “resolutions.†That practice always seems tinged by regret, self-scolding, and stern promises that can be hard to maintain—which thus leads to further regret and scolding. Instead, I prefer to use these days to carefully meditate on my forward path in life and in magic. What would I like to experience on this journey? How can I reconnect with things that really matter to me? How can I transform a goal or a dream into something real?
In the spirit of my meditation, I would like to share some of my own practices for renewal in life and magic. I hope you find them helpful as you start 2012.
1. “What do I really need right now?†Over the years, I have found the “What do I really need†question to be very healing and helpful. It is easy to get lost in others and their needs, in duties and responsibilities. It can be restorative to ask what you really need, and what your exploration of magic really needs. Perhaps it is more time to practice, perhaps it is a script for one of your new pieces, perhaps it is time with a director or a teacher. . . . The beautiful thing about asking yourself this question, and listening to the answer, is that it usually becomes obvious how to get what you need.
2. Re-arrange and restore. I always take time around New Years to put away all the props from my December shows, to go through the piles of papers and magazines that have built up, to weed through my bookshelves and trick drawers, to put books and DVDs back on the shelves, to throw things out or give them away. For me, this just feels good. I am making room for new things and liberating myself from old ones. For me, this isn’t a “chore†or a labor. It is an opportunity to make way for my fresh start.
3. Read a great magic book; study a great DVD. Nothing is more inspirational than reading a great magic book or sinking into a worthwhile DVD set. Perhaps there are one or two you have been meaning to explore, but haven’t yet had the time to do so. Well, now is a good time! For me, I always make it a classic work—something that will be good for my soul and also good for my knowledge base.
4. How am I going to learn and grow? Education, and the growth that comes from learning, is one of the great goods in human life. Like health, learning is both “good in itself†and “good for all the consequences it brings.†(That makes it one of the highest goods according to Plato.) I have discovered that it is important to make a concrete plan for my own growth and learning in the year ahead, either through experiences, classes, or working with teachers and directors. What will you do to learn and grow in 2012?
I hope you already feel how different this renewal approach is from stern resolutions and failed promises. It is about touching base with yourself and taking stock. It is about making the time to engage in reflections and practices that will feel good and help you get what you need. It brings peace and pleasure, and it is a great thing to share and discuss with your loved ones.
One of the most dispiriting things in magic (and in modern life) is the incessant grind of information overload, the battery of our psyches at the hands of constant selling and advertising, and all the messages you are failing and lacking because you don’t own, can’t perform, or haven’t achieved this or that. This New Year season can be a special time to reconnect with yourself and your gifts, to remember, in the spirit of Gautauma, that “you are already a magic Buddha.†And to remember the deep truth articulated by Rob Brezsny (in his book Pronoia) that “it is always the beginning of the world.â€
As always, Larry brings us interesting and useful thought on improving our magic. If you haven’t yet had a chance to attend one of our master classes when he is in residence, you’re certainly in for a treat!
And, speaking of classes: We have one coming up mid-January that is still has slots available. It will be the rare class taught by Jeff McBride alone, with the rest of us coming in for Q&A via Skype. But, since there ARE a few slots left, this is a great opportunity for a few students to get more intense, one-on-one attention from Jeff personally, in the context of a master class. I really can’t think of a better way to quickly “up your game†for the new year.
We’ve recently seen a spurt of growth in viewership and participation in our “Mystery School Monday†streamed broadcasts (also available 24/7 as archived material at mcbridemagic.tv). Watch this space in the coming weeks as we prepare something brand new for that fast developing branch of the Magic & Mystery School.
Finally: We’re looking for a few strong magic organizations with leaders not afraid to take on sponsorship of the “McBride Magic Experience.†As a result of Jeff’s working with George Parker recently in Amsterdam, we are currently re-thinking this event in order to make it easier for our sponsors to present, and to get students maximum exposure to Jeff’s work – as performer, lecturer and teacher. The “McBride Experience†has become one of our favorite ways to get Jeff’s work seen, and it usually takes less risk, with a far larger potential for gain, than having in a lecturer alone. Visit our page at http://tinyurl.com/
That’s all for now: All of us at the McBride Magic & Mystery School send you best wishes for a very happy and successful 2012!
Tobias
Greetings from sunny Las Vegas!
Many of my best ideas started out as being completely ridiculous. Magical creations have come in flashes of inspiration — not grounded, not logical, some not even possible, but that didn’t stop me from trying. I did not know when we created Wonderground, what a hit it would be! The magic community here in Las Vegas and around the world really wanted and needed a home where they could share and celebrate their creativity.
We created it, and wow! What a ride it has been!
Now we are going into another year of shows! Many of you have seen the show in Vegas. Others have seen the show for free, online at www.streetofcards.com.
Wonderground Celebrates 2 Years of Excellent Magic and Variety in Las Vegas
Here is an article from Las Vegas’ City Life Magazine talking about how Wonderground is one of the ultra-cool places to be in Las Vegas!
The McBride House of Mystery – Virtual Tour
If you want to look around the Mystery School, you can take a “Holiday Tour†here:
(Yes, this really is what our House of Mystery looks like, be sure to click around for hidden surprises!)
What Happens in Vegas…
Much of this month, I am home here in Las Vegas for the holidays with Abbi. If you need your stocking stuffed, I am here doing private sessions and some Skype sessions. Drop me an e-mail if you’d like to set up a time!
Did you read about “The Virtual Keys?â€Â We’ve created a new way for you to get your own “Holiday Package” of my magic, available just for the next few weeks. This is a great new way to bring magic to you for the holidays.
Free Magic from the Mystery School
I have a new essay about First Impressions for you that is up on the Secret Art Journal. I will be interested in hearing your feedback when you read it!
We have almost completed a full year of our web tv show, Mystery School Monday at MCBRIDEMAGIC.TV — Yes, we have almost 50 hours of free magical teaching, insight and news waiting for you! Just go to www.mcbridemagic.tv to start watching at any time.
I’ll be on the road again in January, both here in the USA and in South America, so check the tour schedule and that will tell you where we can meet! I look forward to seeing you soon, either here in Las Vegas, or on the road!
Jeff
P.S. Special thanks to Sue West for the use of his photos (first and last) in this Museletter.
From Tobias:
Thanks to all of you who have been clicking through to the yourmagic.com catalog and buying. We’ve seen a significant up-tick in sales this past month. I suppose that’s partly due to the upcoming holidays (you did ask for magic for under the tree, didn’t you?)…but also because we have so many great products that have just become available. Chief among them are, of course, Jeff’s new Manipulation Coins and special Manipulation and Fanning Decks, and his great new DVD (and special gimmick) “Squeak Technique,” still available only through yourmagic.com.
I’m pleased to announce (finally) that I now have the “Get Your Career in Gear” class completely updated and re-formatted into 12 individual lessons, each with it’s own video introduction, and now again avialable through the Yourmagic.com shop. We’re making the first two lessons (a $59.95 value all together) available now as our gift to you. Get your free download by clicking the “Career Class” icon on the front page at http://shop.yourmagic.com. If you like the first two lessons, tell your friends. I hope some of you will decide you want other lessons or the whole course…but if not, that’s fine, too. These two lessons are designed to stand on their own, and will give you a taste of the kind of in-depth work we regularly provide for students at the McBride Magic & Mystery School.
Happy Holidays!
Tobias Beckwith
Hi all,
Bryce here.
As some of you may know, I’m one of the founders of MyLovelyAssistant.com, the internet’s largest repository of magic product reviews. Every product that gets an “official” review on our site comes through me (a couple dozen a month). I sample every DVD. I skim every book. I test out every trick.
For those of you who aren’t magicians, imagine getting a box of books or DVDs or kitchen tools from your favorite supplier every month. They’re yours to keep. All you have to do is tell the rest of the world what you think of them. Sounds cool, huh? Read on, my friends.
Luckily, I have a wonderful team of reviewers (about a dozen of them) that take on the arduous task of reviewing most of what comes in. I keep a few things for myself when they interest me or when I am the most qualified to tackle them.
These days I’m also being forced to keep more junk than I normally would. In addition to the reviews I write for the site, Jeff somehow talked me into doing a review segment every Monday night on McBrideMagic.tv. He has branded them “Kick A** Reviews.” Either the product kicks butt or needs its posterior flogged. People seem to like the hiney-kicking reviews the best, even though I take very little pleasure in ripping apart someone else’s work. But I have to give my audience what they want.
I hear from a lot of magicians that are envious of my position. I get to see all of the hot, new stuff the minute it comes out and I choose what I want to keep. It sounds like a never-ending shopping spree to them.
It’s true that I’ve learned a lot in the past decade thanks to MyLovelyAssistant. I’m still in the lead with 270 reviews. But most of the important lessons have come from the process, not the products. Here are a just a few…
I once wanted to write an ad that began with, “Are you waiting for someone to invent the trick that will make you a superstar?” Not gonna happen. The knives don’t make the chef. The brushes don’t make the painter. The tricks don’t make the magician.
There are times when I’m doing my Mystery School Monday segment and thinking to myself, “My viewers would be better off if they shut down the computer and started practicing.” Of course, I can only say this about my part of the show. The insightful and inspiring segments from my colleagues are priceless. I still can’t believe we’re not charging for this.
But, seriously, why aren’t we all working on perfecting the effects we already have instead of constantly searching for something new?
We live in a hyper-connected world. Everyone has a voice and the audience can be millions. While I think this is a wonderful thing, there are pitfalls. I would guess at least thirty percent of products I receive are some “new” idea that is actually one or more of the following:
I’m blessed to have spent the past two decades working with and learning from Jeff, Eugene, Tobias and all of the other professionals that are part of the Magic & Mystery School‘s extended family. What we say on the web site and in our ads is really true: The best learn from the best. While many people think that all of the secrets are readily available for free on the internet or a DVD, they’re only fooling themselves. The most important secrets are still passed directly from teacher to student, behind closed doors. The reason they’re called Master Classes is because we’re doing our best to create the next generation of Masters.
So, Santa, here’s all I want for Christmas (yes, he gets the Museletter; doesn’t everyone?):
Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season,
Bryce
P.S. I realize that was probably the worst preface to a sales pitch ever, but people want honesty these days and that’s what I’m giving you, at least as I see it. If you believe that the best learn from the best, we’ve just created a couple of new ways for you to gain access to our faculty of master teachers.
If you have a magician in your life that is ready to take the next step towards mastery, we have just added Magic & Mystery School Gift Certificates to the catalog. You can find them in the YouRMagic Shop
We’d also like your help testing out a new concept: The Keys to the Magic & Mystery School. Jeff (with a lot of programming from yours truly) premiered the concept during his recent European tour. We’re working on the next phase and have three Keys to offer you for the 2011 Holiday Season:
My plan is to only leave them up through December, 2011. If people like them, we’ll keep working on the concept and create more and better versions for some day in the future.
From Tobias:
Thanks, Bryce! I’d just like to chime in to remind you all that while we love the “original” 3-day master classes, we only managed to schedule one of them for 2012 – and it is Jan. 27-29. If you’ve been thinking of trying one of our classes, but may not yet be ready for the full investment of a week, the 3 days class is a fantastic way to quickly raise the level of your magic.
We’ve also just posted our first ever 10-day “Career Enhancement Seminar.” This will be limited to 10 professional or soon to be professionals who want to learn as much about creating their own successful business in magic as possible, in as short a time as possible. Think of it as an MBA in the magic business. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to read the description of the course it won’t be for everyone, but for those of you that it’s perfect for…well, we promise an enlightening 10 days.
All the best for a magical holiday!
Tobias
tobias@yourmagic.com