Matteo Filippini - Tarot Magic [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

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I want to thank my friends Alex Rusconi, Aroldo Lattarulo and Alberto Bassino for allowing me to use some of their routines for this ebook. I feel honoured and lucky to have you on board!

u © 2018 Matteo Filippini All rights reserved. All marketing rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

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Foreword Welcome to Tarot Magic, a collection of routines and ideas using Major Arcana Tarot cards. This ebook has not been produced with the intention to be the ultimate work on Magic and Mentalism with Tarot cards. It is not! It has been conceived with the purpose to share with the reader some little ideas, thoughts and routines for the benefit of the mystery performer. I would be so happy to know that you (being a magician, a tarot or cold reader, a mind reader or some other strange mystery animal) will use at least one of the items contained herein. Why to use only the 22 triumphs cards? Despite I know that the purists of the Tarot reading won’t agree with me, I personally only use the major arcana in my work as I consider them to be the most symbolic, arcane and mysterious cards of the deck, even to the eyes of the lay people - they already know cards like the Moon, the Devil or the Death, after seeing them in some movie. Also I bring with me a tool which is largely practical, being only 22 cards and not a full 78 cards tarot deck! And you know how much valuable is the pocket space for every pro! And I really think that with only major arcana you can, not only do some cool magic routines, but also use them proficiently to give some serious reading! I also know that the same purists don’t like to put some trickery into their reading. Yeah, different points of view. I personally believe that if you implement some “light” magic effect into the context of a reading, it can enhance the whole process a lot. We will talk again about it later. As for now, I wish you a pleasant journey within the following pages! Matteo Filippini, Italy, Winter 2017 !3

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Contents Pag. 6 - An Introductory Note Pag. 7 - The Importance Of Knowing Our Tool Pag. 11 - What To Do And Not To Do Pag. 13 - Sleights, Forces & Co. Pag. 14 - Cold Reading Pag. 16 - Storytelling With Tarot Cards Pag. 17 - Which Deck To Use?

Routines Pag. 20 - Matteo Filippini Gemini Reading Prophecy Other Routines Ideas Pag. 26 - Alberto Bassino Tarot Training Gypsy Dream The Pendulum And The Tarot Pag. 32 - Alex Rusconi Past, Present, Future Incredible Clairvoyance The Magic Of The Pendulum Pag. 40 - Aroldo Lattarulo Tarot And Numerology Pag. 46 -

SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

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An introductory note I consider the tarot cards an invaluable tool for the mystery performer. For sure due to their aura of mystery and mysticism but also because they can take people away from trickery that’s going to be used. In fact, think about it ... many self working card tricks that would be boring and obvious with normal playing cards, can be very effective if lent to the tarot; just think about all those effects in which you must to deal into piles, count cards etc ... all those «strange procedures» can become part of a «ritual» instead of some mathematical method. Or think about that: major arcana (22 cards), minus the Fool card, are great for the 21 card trick. You can find a great version of it in “The Book of Thoth” by Stephen Minch, possibly the 1st book completely devoted to effects with tarot. A Si Stebbins arrangement would work with tarot cards as well, with a little adjustment. Later in the routines section you will find a contribution by Alex Rusconi in which an ingenious principle by Juan Tamariz is even more disguised using the tarot. So my suggestion is to take from the shelf some books with automatic effects (some suggestions? The Steve Beam series, “John Scarne On Card Tricks”, the three “Card College Light”, all the self working tricks on “Greater Magic” and the list goes on and on ...) and try to adapt them to tarot cards. You could be pleasantly surprised by the results! Just remember to select those effects which are consistent with the nature of tarot - people are expecting fortune telling themed stuff, something mysterious and occult, not card tricks (torn and restored tarot card? Not a good idea). Why to include tricks in the context of a reading? We all know that people are much more interested in what the cards mean than seeing tricks, so why to use effects? I personally use them only to illustrate the power of the cards just before the real reading. If correctly used, some little effect can help to create the right atmosphere. !6

The importance of knowing our tool As we use the tarot (both to tell a story, for a simple magic effect or to do a reading) we MUST to know the tool we’re using, for many different reasons. For the serious performer is always a good idea to possess a basic culture about the tools he’s gonna use. How can you be taken seriously without knowing anything about tarot cards? You’re not gonna tell their incredible story to every sitter all the time but it could happen that, after a reading or an intimate performance, someone asks you about it. As Bob Cassidy noted in his “The Real Work Of Cold Reading” ebook many authorities in the cold reading field often suggest that it’s not important to know the different meanings of the cards or to know tarot’s history and origin. But I agree with Bob - so many times people asking for a reading knows a lot about tarot and possibly it’s not the first time they have a tarot reading. And you risk to immediately lose your credibility as a reader. Even if you are “just” a magician doing some effect using tarot, without any reading, I consider of utmost importance to learn both the history and the primary traditional meanings of each cards - basically you have just to memorise the meaning of 22 cards! And if you are serious about your craft, I’m sure you will do it with no problems. Here’s a brief chart of all the traditional meanings of the 22 major arcana I personally refer to: 0. FOOL. Beginning of a new experience or journey, new opportunities and energies. 1. MAGICIAN . Several new ideas, lotsa new stimulus, inner psychic power.

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2.HIGH PRIESTESS. Represents mystery and duality. Ambiguous figure very attractive to other sex. 3. EMPRESS. Very positive card to women. Taking care of others. Great sensitivity. 4. EMPEROR. Powerful and positive card to men. Someone who knows what he wants for his future. Less positive for women - indicates to be subject to others expectations. 5. HIEROPHANT. Energy, spirituality, true care for others. 6. LOVERS. A new important relationship or an old one reaching new peeks. It also indicates important people taking care for us. 7. CHARIOT. The need to get ahead of the situation, making important decisions for ourselves but also for the loved ones. 8. STRENGTH. Inner strength but also physical one is necessary to face some difficult situations to be fixed. Time to be conscious of our potential. 9. HERMIT. A new path of life, a new direction with spiritual implications. To rediscover our spiritual side. 10. WHEEL OF FORTUNE. Extremely positive card. Things start to turn in a very positive way. 11. JUSTICE. There’s something from the past to be fixed. Some regrets about something. Or maybe waiting for the right credit about something we’ve done. 12. HANGED MAN. The sensation not to be able to free ourself from a difficult situation, sense of helplessness. Desire to start a new life phase, to regain our happiness. Sacrifice.

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13. DEATH. Usually seen as a bad card but in reality a very positive one. Rebirth, new beginning, regeneration. 14. TEMPERANCE. In spite of sacrifices and stress, we reach a new level of consciousness that brings us to handle our life with more serenity. 15. DEVIL. Continuous anxiety about things, people and situations. Doubts about taken decisions. Sensations often useless and misleading. 16. TOWER. Big and profound changes. Often unexpected ones. New challenges. 17. STARS. Big potential and talents still unexpressed. Still searching a way to express ourselves. 18. MOON. Need to embark in a new progress. Indecision about what to do but, listening to inner voice, there’s the chance to choose the best path. 19. SUN . A very positive card. Life brings many satisfactions. Feeling loved, esteemed. 20. JUDGMENT. As for the Justice card it indicates something to be fixed. Mind often plays tricks on ourselves. 21. WORLD. New beginning. Serenity during a time of change. More awareness, sensation to be on the right path.

It’s true, it happens to get very different meanings from different books. And I mean books for general public. What I suggest is to buy different books on the subject (they usually are quite cheap and maybe you can find them in some second hand bookstore for a dollar or so!), to read them and to compile your ‘meaning chart’ of the cards. It’s enough if you make a sort of cue list/crib with the 2 or 3 more relevant meanings for each card. Then you could practice shuffling the deck, putting 3 cards at random in a spread and do a !9

reading for an imaginary sitter. At first you can keep the crib by your side, while you’re learning all the cards meanings. Then, as you go along, try to associate the words to the symbology of each card - every major arcana card is full of cues and details that can help you to memorise. And then, the deck itself will become your cliff notes, your crib! Also, as I told before, it’s important (both for the reader/mentalist and the magician) to learn some historical notions and legends about our tool. People loves to hear stories and, in our case, telling some history of our mysterious cards and their origins can be the perfect way to create the right atmosphere and to bring our spectator/client in our mystical world. There are plenty of books and documents all over the web about theories and legends on the tarot. Personally I suggest to remember a condensed history of the origins and, if possible, to learn some fascinating story or legend about tarot. If your approach is more “scientific” you could also tell something about the theories of Carl Jung, who used tarot during psychological analysis. While considered unscientific by most, Jung believed the symbolism contained within the tarot could be extremely useful to followers of analytical psychology. By using a selection of the cards to create a story, the symbols can be related to the problem being discussed with the client. And so on. You really are spoiled for choice. Just remember: no knowledge-no credibility.

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What To Do And Not To Do The Importance Of Being Simple What I’m gonna say could seem obvious but sometimes it’s better to underline even the most obvious stuff. For example, NEVER use a tarot deck in the same program where you’re using sponge balls, coloured funny items or comedy magic stuff. Even if you are a magician (and not a more mysterious artist like a mindreader or a bizarre magick performer) you should use the tarot deck with seriousness and respect for different reasons. Firstly, the 90% of the people you meet would treat the tarot with seriousness and respect, even if you’re not claiming supernatural powers. Even if they know you’re “just” a magician, if you create the right mood and atmosphere, your performance will gain a lot. According to your persona (a tarot reader, a mindreader, a conjurer, a storyteller) you will also need to face the ethical aspect of the whole thing. Please remember that A LOT of people really believe into fortune telling and the power of tarot and other divination systems. If you’re “just” doing a magic routine without incorporating any reading, maybe you could use a sort of disclaimer, saying something like “what you’re going to see tonight is not related with fortune telling ... I’m not gonna read your fortunes ... I’m just going to tell you a strange story with those mysterious cards ...”. Personally I really think that, even if you’re using a disclaimer, it shouldn’t take charm or mystery off your presentation. Another point to consider is ... NEVER scare your audience. They could have fears only when touching negative cards like The Death or The Devil. Never take advantage of their fears. You MUST to respect people’s beliefs and fears with great sensitivity and care. On his great The Magician’s Guide To The Tarot, Paul Voodini suggests several ideas about this issue (and a lot of additional great stuff!). !11

Another thing to consider if you’re going to use trickery in your work is to wisely select which kind of effects to perform with tarot. I strongly believe that, if you want to maintain the integrity of our mystical tool, you should avoid all the effects that would look like ... magic tricks! Someone would do an ambitious card routine with tarot cards. Or card transformations or transpositions. I wouldn’t. They are too magic-oriented effects. When I perform as a mentalist I really need and want to be «believable» to my spectators. So, even when I use light trickery, I only use effects that can be perceived as the REAL stuff, especially since I always implement some reading in my routines. That’s why I only like to use believable effects, that can be related to my mindreader “gift”, like premonitions, predictions, reveals, etc. The effect needs to be consistent with your persona and the tool you use. Nobody would believe you can really change the Fool card into the Emperor one with just a magical gesture. But a lot of people could believe you can predict which card they did choose (“maybe he knew I decided to go for the Lovers because he knows about my new relationship ...”). Be simple if you want to be effective as a tarot entertainer. Less is more, really.

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Sleights, Forces & co. Strictly related to the previous section (about what to do or not/ being simple) is the issue of which sleights you should use with a pack of tarot cards. And it’s not only a matter of difficulty to perform certain card sleights with bigger cards, but mainly a matter of ... yes, once again ... consistency! I really hope that it’s crystal clear that any fancy flourishes must to be totally avoided (could you imagine a real tarot reader fanning or riffle shuffling tarot cards?). But also some sleight which are “normal” for the magician, would be inappropriate to use with tarot. An example? A classic force. Even if you are a master of the classic force, to have a card selected fanning the cards towards a spectator would immediately reminds of a magician! For me, using tarot, the selection process should never seem a ... selection process! It should seem a “ritual” in which a spectator need to remove/pick/arrive at one or more cards to unleash the mystical power of the ancient tarot! Often the card(s) to be selected can be called “significator” which represents your spectator. That’s why you should always keep in mind some simple rules: - never use fancy or highly visual shuffles like faro, riffle shuffle, fancy cuts, etc. You should shuffle the cards in a very casual, almost rude, manner. - if you need to locate a card, a key card is possibly a better and more natural-looking solution than using an in-jog control followed by a double undercut. These are great techniques for regular card conjuring but not recommended for our purposes. - as already told, the ideal forces are the most simple ones: cross cut, cut deeper force and the like. Later in the routines you will get some extra ideas to force a card.

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- using a marked tarot deck or the one way feature of the faces (of the major arcana and, in some case, of the minor arcana too) can give you additional tools to locate/divine all the cards you need.

Cold Reading To add some cold reading to a magic routine with tarot really is the icing on the cake of the whole affair. It makes big difference as the tarot becomes a real divination tool even if you’re using a bit of trickery. Of course this eBook’s purpose is not that of teaching you how to do effective readings. But I really suggest you to study the subject and you will find yourself to be a much better mindreader/mentalist. So, in addition to learn the traditional meanings of the cards (they already are a big help in doing readings!), I suggest you to carefully study the classic books on cold reading. Some titles I heartily recommend: Anonymous, Tradecraft, Trickshop.com, 2003 Nice ideas and good advices. Bob Cassidy, The Real Work Of Cold Reading, Lybrary.Com 2007. The master mindreader approach. A jewel. Ken De Courcy, The Systematic Seer: A Simplified System of Fortune Telling, Supreme Magic, 1976. A great method to do readings based on the name of the sitter. Herb Dewey -Thomas K. Saville, Red Hot Cold Reading, In Visible Print, 1984. Dewey has been called one of the greatest reader of the XX century. It’s my favourite Dewey’s book on the topic. A real complete course in cold reading. Bascom Jones. King of the Cold Readers, 1989. Another great book about Dewey and his readings. !14

Lee Earle, The Gentle Art of Cold Reading, self-printed, 1989. Lee Earle takes the classic Forer stock phrases and develop them into some more usable and effective lines. Kenton Knepper & J. Tank, Completely Cold, 1998. The unique and particular Knepper approach to cold reading. Interesting stuff. Robert Nelson, The Art of Cold Reading, Nelson Enterprises, 1951. Another classic work on reading. Study it carefully even if someone is telling you that the book is outdated. Ian Rowland, The Full Facts Book of Cold Reading, 2012. Possibly the new classic about CR and one of the most famous books about it. Full of great material. Richard Webster, Quick & Effective Cold Reading, 1985. Richard is possibly the most prolific writer about reading and this one is the first Webster’s book about the topic I’ve read. Class A material.

This is only a partial list of books but I think this is the material you must carefully study if you want to become a good reader. And two more suggestions: - don’t be scared to cold read, you’re already doing it all the time. - practice, practice and practice all the time. You will be paid back for all your efforts! I promise. - tarot cards are an almost riskless method to give accurate readings. If you’re not hitting, you can always say that “usually this card means so and so ...”. And two final important advices: never give legal, medical or financial advice! Learn to listen a lot! A reading is NOT a monologue.

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Storytelling with tarot cards The tarot is the perfect tool to tell stories. And storytelling can be a valid alternative to avoid trickery with tarot if you’re not into it. I’m thinking, for example, to a marvellous routine on Roger Curzon’s “Sublimations” book - it’s called The Souls of Previous Times. You narrate the story of a small village in 1572 in which the plague takes its victims one at the time and only one survives. It’s a very captivating little story and, with just a bunch of tarot cards, you can provide 5 minutes or more of great mystery entertainment. And in Curzon’s effect the spectator takes part to the story too! What to ask for more? You could take any legend you know (maybe linked to the place you live in) and adapt it to the tarot cards. Of course using a marked deck, as my Reader’s Tarot, can be very effective to build a routine in which it’s apparently impossible for you to know the identity of the cards. Just let your imagination to set free. Other sources I really suggest you to check for ideas and inspiration are: - The section T.A.R.O.T. on Mind Myth and Magick by T.A. Waters is full of great ideas and routines (that book is just amazing!) - The bizarre magick devoted magazine Oracle (on Lybrary.com you can find the Complete Oracle in pdf format). - All the books from Christian Chelman are full of great bizarre/ storytelling stuff. - Turn Of A Friendly Card book by Jim Magus features some powerful stuff. Check it out. - Bascom Jones’ Magick is a pot of gold full of great routines and ideas. - Rick Maue, The Book Of Haunted Magick is a great resource with some cool tarot magic. !16

Which deck to use? It depends on what you’re going to do with tarot. You could be a magician including a tarot routine or two in your program to add a bit of mystery or a mentalist using just a bit of trickery to dress a reading, a pure tarot reader or a bizarre magick/storyteller kind of performer. Let’s start with the “purist” approach. If you’re doing pure reading without any trickery (and, once again, this manuscript is not intended for this kind of people), I’d personally suggest the classic Rider Waite tarot deck. Not only the major arcana but also the minor arcana cards are full of clues and hints to do some great readings. The symbolism within each card is of great help for interpretation. For me it’s just the best design for the reader and I heartily suggest its use for the novice starting to do readings . Other classic decks like the Marseille Tarot, though they are gorgeous if you’re looking for a vintage feel, are not so effective from the graphic/interpretation point of view. Another gorgeous looking tarot but still less helpful to interpretations is the JJ1 Swiss. The Oswald Wirth design, for me, is a great compromise between a vintage look and a graphic full of clues and hints for the reader. That’s why I adopted this marvellous design for my marked Reader’s Tarot deck. It helps to remember the meanings and the ancient feel is amazing. Let’s spend two words about marked tarot decks. In the last twenty years a bunch of them has been produced. Here’s a partial list, though many are not available anymore: Christian Chelman Marseille Tarot Deck. Chelman produced it around 2000. It’s out of stock now. Carnie Tarot released by Outlaw Magic in 2008 (USA). !17

The Medieval Tarot produced by Christian Schenk of Card-Shark, Germany, is the only full 78 cards marked deck available today. The graphics are ancient looking. Personally I had problems with the markings, not so easy to decipher. Telltale Tarot from Black Artefacts (U.K.) These should be still available somewhere. The set includes some routines plus two duplicate cards. Some performers «age» their cards to make them look older. Of course a worn deck is more gorgeous and believable to the eyes of your spectators, especially if you’re telling some story about getting that pack of tarot from your grandma or an old gypsy. There are plenty of methods to age your cards, using sandpaper, putting them in tea or coffee and let them dry, using a bit of brown shoe polish. Just experiment with some cheap cards then, once you’ve found the perfect method, use it for your main pack of cards. Using sandpaper or steel wool can help to give the perfect final touch.

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f Routines

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MATTEO FILIPPINI The purists of the tarot reading will find this routines section sacrilegious but for many mystery artists (me included) is absolutely normal to include some trickery from time to time. Here’re two routines I use all the time. They are very simple, still they can be very effective with the right people. I mainly use them in conjunction with readings for one or two people in intimate situations.

Gemini Reading Here’s a little idea to use while doing a reading for two people. It uses the old but ingenious Karl Fulves method, used in his Gemini Twins self working effect (on More Self Working Card Magic). In our case we’re using tarot cards instead of regular playing cards. I regularly use this little piece when doing intimate shows and, as so many times happens, two female sitters approach my table. Have the tarot deck shuffled and cut by both spectators then spread the cards face up on the table (“as you can see, after the shuffles and cuts the order of the cards is totally random”), noting the card on the far left (the top card) and the one on the right (the one on the bottom). Please note - if you are using a marked deck, you can spread the cards face down to know the identity of the two tarot cards. Let’s say we have The Stars at the top and The Fool on the bottom. Square the deck. Take two business cards and write the name of the girls on them - for example “name 1” on card 1 and “name 2” on card 2. Then, on the unprinted side of the first card write something like “creativity ... dreams ... new ideas ... as The Fool” and on the second business card write “every experience in life will bring you closer to The Stars”. Give each billet to the !20

respective spectator, without showing the written message, saying that you just wrote some random sensations. Now ask the first girl to take the deck and start dealing cards face down until she feels to stop. “Think about yourself and your life right now, then start dealing the cards and, when you feel it, just stop dealing!”. Once the first spectator stops, take her “billet” and put it on the dealt cards on the table. Then ask her to cover everything with the undealt cards still in her hands. In this way the business card will be under the card of The Fool. Now ask the second girl to do the same procedure - her billet will be under the card of The Stars. Square the tarot deck and do a brief reading for both the two girls. Of course you would say something in line with the phrases you’ve written on the two business cards. Look for every possible feedback and connections between the girls (usually friends, sisters, colleagues, etc-they will have tons of things in common ... experiences, stories, etc). After the reading, spread the tarots on the table, face down, pushing out the billets and the card at their right. Turn each tarot at once, saying “with your business cards you marked two random points into the tarot deck ... you unconsciously arrived at The Fool and The Stars”. Now turn, once at the time, the two billets, summarising the reading previously done for the two girls. Not only you performed two accurate readings but also you predicted the two tarot cards! Despite the extremely simple method, I personally used this little effect dozens of times with great success. There’s nothing stronger than using a little bit of trickery to talk about THEIR life and THEIR story.

Propeshy Here’s another prediction effect with a different method. I use it when I’m performing/reading for a single spectator. !21

Effect: A spectator shuffles a deck of tarot cards. The performer writes a quick note on a business card. Now the spectator takes the business card and stab the deck with it in a random point. The performer explains that the business card is now between two random cards. He shows them and does a reading based on their meaning. Then the performer reveals that he predicted the cards names on his business cards! Method: This little routine is based on the fantastic Bill Simon’s Prophesy Move (described on his seminal 1952 book Effective Card Magic). The spectator shuffles the deck. Thanks to the markings it’s possible to see the card on the top and the one on the bottom of the deck. While I explain that the cards order is totally random, I take a business card and I write a quick sentence using the two tarot names while I say “I’m trying to receive vibrations ... possibly the Tarot has an arcane message for you ... please don’t look at what I wrote yet, just stab the deck in a random place with this business card!”. The spectator puts the card in the middle of the deck, leaving it protruding. After a quick remark about the randomness of the procedure, you take the deck in readiness to execute the Simon’s move. Thanks to the move the deck is secretly cut with the pretext of turning the business card. Here’s a quick description: - the deck is face down in the left hand with the business card outjogged (written side down). On top and on bottom of the deck are the two force cards. - Spread through the deck from left to right until you arrive at the business card. At this point you split the spread, taking all the cards above the business card with the right hand. - Turn the right hand palm down, so that you can take the outjogged business card on the back side of the right hand's !22

packet, clipped between the right thumb and the top of the packet. - Rotate the right hand palm up again, taking the business card. You quickly show the other side of the card has really some writings on it. Don’t allow the spectator to read it. Just show it quickly. - Then, place the left hand's half on top of the right, sandwiching the outjogged business card between the two halves. - Turn the whole deck face up, spreading it on the table (this way the writing on the business card will be hidden again). At this point you show that the spectator has stabbed the card between two tarot cards. You take the two arcana and do a reading. Then you turn the business card, revealing you predicted the spectator’s choice.

Other Routines Ideas Here’s a brief description of the other routines I do with a tarot deck from time to time:

- A Pseudo-Psychometry routine (the classic Annemann piece you can find on Pratical Mental Effects book) using tarot cards and envelopes. The five envelopes are marked (simply, they are numbered inside with a light pencil so when I open an envelope I know which spectator had it). Then a marked major arcana deck. I have the deck shuffled, then I ask 5 spectators to chose 5 cards, looking at the faces and selecting a card that’s attractive for them. After they have selected their cards, I give an envelope to each spectator, asking them to seal their cards inside (of course I give envelopes in numerical order, remembering which spectator has !23

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which number). I have the envelopes mixed by a sixth spectator. Then I take one envelope at time, I open it (secretly peeking the number), look at the tarot card and “psychometrize” it, then revealing the spectator (“The Fool ... this cards suggests me that the person who held it ...”). With the last spectator I change the procedure. “Of course we know that inside this envelope there’s your tarot card ... I don’t want to see its face ... I will just try to receive the vibrations from it ...”. I just peek the marking on the back of the card and I start giving a reading for the last spectator. As a climax I reveal the identity of his selected tarot. I don’t claim any originality for this routine and I really don’t know if someone is doing it in a similar way. I think it can be very powerful, also in a parlour situation. And remember: the true power of psychometry is the reading, not to give the right card to the right spectator! Another little routine I use in more intimate situations is Jim Sisti’s Mixed Symbols. Jim uses it with five ESP cards - instead I use 5 random selected tarot cards (marked). A spectator looks the five cards and remember just one (“please concentrate on one of the cards ... just one card ... on its symbology ... in some unconscious way try to connect that card with you ... think about what you are in this very moment”). The cards are shuffled and after an elimination process the spectator remains with just one card in his hands. Without looking the card’s face, the performer does a little reading then he reveals the name of the selected tarot. That’s the very card the spectator is holding! The trick is based on an old mathematical formula which places the spectator’s selected tarot in the middle of the 5 cards. From there is an easy matter to eliminate all the cards and leave the selected one on the spectator’s hand. You then peek the marking on the back, do a reading and reveal the card! So powerful. Of course I’m not revealing Jim’s method here and I really suggest you to buy his great routine. It’s a real worker! !24

- Another simple idea I usually use: I have the marked deck

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shuffled (“this deck represents your whole life ... your past, your present, your future ...”). I note the identity of the 2 cards on top of the deck after the shuffle. I write a brief prediction/reading with the names of the cards on a business card and I lay down on the table. I ask the spectator to deal a pile of cards and to stop whenever he wants. Then I ask him to take the tabled cards and to deal into two separate piles (“those two piles will represent your past and your present”). On top of the two piles we now have the two predicted cards (for example The Fool and The Chariot). I do a quick reading then I show my prediction. Finally I say “in reality the cards are not telling anything about your future as you are the only one who can create it!”. So simple but very powerful and it gives me the chance to leave my business card with my prediction and my contacts! Another idea I often use is to ask the sitter to write his concern or question on a slip of paper before the reading. I motivate the procedure of writing on a billet, saying “I want you to concentrate on a question ... to focus even more on it, please write it on this slip of paper ... and while you are writing, just think about it intensely”. Then you will secretly gain the written information via one of the several available methods - the mentalism bibliography is full of great methods and ideas: centre tears, peeks, billet switching, impression devices. If I may suggest one cool method rarely used, check the one described in the routine Your Fortune Miss! on “Annemann’s Full Deck Of Impromptu Card Tricks” - it’s a self working billet switch that’s very easy but effective.

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f ALBERTO BASSINO My friend Alberto contributed with three routines and some additional ideas. I personally asked him for usable material - not “pipedreams” but stuff he really uses for his performances. Alberto felt in love with magic during his childhood, after receiving some magic books as a gift. The passion for the Art continued through the years and is still profound today. He regularly performs as a pro, both as a conjurer and as a mind reader, incorporating elements of local folklore to enhance the sense of mystery of his routines. In 2012, with some friends, he founded a magic club in Chivasso, near Turin, called “Circolo Magico Due Di Picche”. And here we go.

Tarot Training This is the routine I performed (and I still do!) to train myself in memorising the meanings of the various tarot cards. I use it in oneon-one situations, also during dinners, where I work with different groups of people. Very simple in the mechanics but direct and effective (the main reason for which I still perform it from time to time).

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Effect: the spectator selects a tarot card and the performer, without looking at it, does the person’s reading then revealing which is the card that usually guides that kind of person: it is the very tarot chosen by the spectator. Method: I simply force (using the cross force) the tarot card which I want to train to do a reading on. To the spectators eyes a card divination effect is a very strong one - when it’s enhanced by a reading it becomes a real experience that he’s not gonna easily forget. Even if you use the same arcana card to different people in the same evening, don’t be afraid: firstly you will be acquainted in doing real readings (talking differently about different people) then it would be very uncommon that those persons will talk about their selected tarot card. They will remember the reading, not the card. Note: if using a marked deck, once you will be acquainted with the meanings of all the 22 Major Arcana cards, you won’t need to force a particular card anymore. You will just need to read the markings on the tarot backs!

Gypsy Dream The method for the effect is marked pack of tarot. I use the following text with it: “I’d love to show you something that I experienced in a dream, a mystery born from a dream! Do you know where the dreams come from? The neurones produce acelticolin by which they send impulses to the proencepha. Those impulses become images then images become dreams. But nobody knows how we choose those particular images. That would suffice to be considered a mystery, but I wanna share with you what I dreamed some nights ago. !27

I was coming back home, walking the huge parking lot located a few meters from my house, when I saw a gypsy. She was crying, bent on herself, in front of an old wooden caravan with the yoke for draft horses - one of those caravans used a century ago. Despite the anachronism I found it absolutely normal, dreams do not necessarily have a logic. So I got closer to ask the gypsy if everything was alright. I found her with the face covered by teardrops. She told me that someone had entered the caravan and robbed her. I offered to help her but she said she would find the perpetrators of the theft by herself. I asked her if she saw or knew. She told me that she would find them by following the energy bounding to her belongings. I didn’t understand so she gave me a demonstration. She took a deck of tarots from her bag, asking me to mix them (I give the tarot deck to the spectator, asking her to do the same). Once the deck has been shuffled, she put them an the table asking me to take one card (I have the spectator to pick one card, peeking the marking on the back). Then she asked to look at it and memorise the name, the picture and to relate it to myself in some way. She asked me to keep the card tightly for some endless moment (the same happens in real performance - if I cannot immediately see the marking, now I have plenty of time and several occasions to do it) then asked me to put it back into the deck and shuffle it. Once she got the deck back, she started to put the cards on the table, one at the time without looking them, until she stopped on a card, discarding the remaining cards together with the already dealt ones. Then she started to say something about me (I start doing a reading based on the selected card, directly addressing the spectator) then asking which was the card I was thinking of (after the spectator’s reply, I turn the card over, showing that it’s her very card). I woke up very serene, inexplicably wondering if what I had dreamed was real”. In more theatrical situations I love to perform this routine, using my hand to cover my eyes thus doing a gipsy peek of the cards, while I !28

discard them searching for the selected one. Otherwise I use a blindfold to peek, as explained in several books, saying that I will let myself be guided by the unconscious. With my eyes closed, as if I was dreaming!

Pendulum and Tarot This is one of my favourite routines as it blends different widely known concepts. I personally use a pendulum even if it isn’t strictly necessary. Effect: A spectator unconsciously selects a tarot card and, after memorising it, he adds 3 or 4 more cards to it. The performer gives a pendulum to the spectator, passing the cards, once at the time, under it. After a brief moment of concentration the performer reveals the identity of the selected card. Now he shows to the spectator the workings of the pendulum through a quick demonstration. After that, as an additional demonstration of the unconscious power of our mind, the performer asks the spectator to shuffle the triumphs cards with the backs facing up so he only knows where her card is located. Passing the pendulum on the various cards, it will move with a circular motion only on his tarot. To conclude, the performer will demonstrate that the unconscious or intuition has been the only prevailing element of the experiment. In fact the choice of the cards perfectly describes the spectator. Method: In this effect the most important element is the pendulum but it’s not strictly necessary. In case you’re not using it, you should eliminate the second phase and modify a bit the third one. Instead of !29

tarot cards you could use any deck of cards but I think that they’re the ideal choice to create the right atmosphere. Phase one: The spectator shuffles the deck Then he selects one tarot card. During the selection process peek the marking on the back and remember the card. Ask the spectator to memorise the selected card and to take another three or four cards without looking at them, then to shuffle them with his selected card. Now take a pendulum and let him to hold it above the cards. At this point turn all the cards face up and, one at the time, bring the cards under the pendulum. Ask the spectator to concentrate on his tarot and to look intensely at the tip of the pendulum. After passing all the cards, ask your helper to relax. Then you tell the name of his card. - if you don’t want to use the pendulum, you can do the same procedure, simply passing your right hand on the spread of the cards while you’re holding the spectator’s hand with your left hand. Phase Two: This is one of the crucial moments of the entire routine, obviously to be done with a pendulum. Show how it works, making it move in circles and straight lines while held by spectator’s hand. There’s plenty of books explaining how to do it (for example Richard Webster’s). Don’t underestimate this phase - even in its simplicity it will hit your spectators hard! Phase Three: To demonstrate the potential of your tool, ask your helper to shuffle the arcana and to put them face down on the table, while you’re turning your back. This way you cannot influence him in any way and only the spectator knows where his card lays. Turn again and ask him to hold the pendulum as before and to pass it slowly over the cards. Tell him that when he will be over his very card the pendulum will start to move in a circular way. Say that with decision and this little suggestion will be enough to make it work 80% of the times. If it doesn’t work, don’t worry and keep calm !30

then ask him to repeat the procedure once again. When the pendulum is on his card, use the pendulum force by Pablo Amira, saying “There it is! It looks like it’s starting to move in an elliptical way, it’s making an oval, slowly it’s turning from a line to a circle”. Say these words with enthusiasm and belief and you will see the pendulum moving in a circular way. This will improve the success rate to 98%. If still is not enough, do like this: tell the spectator that he’s not relaxed enough and his unconscious is not properly working. Ask him to shuffle the cards once again, under the table or behind his back, so nobody knows where his card is, once the cards are positioned face down on the table in a line. Now you take the pendulum with one hand, while holding the spectator’s one with your other hand. Peeking at the markings on the backs, when you arrive above the spectator’s card, you will start to make the pendulum moving in a circular motion. Here the success is 100% guaranteed! (If you don’t use the pendulum, just move to the final phase - it’s like the first experiment without looking at the faces of the cards) Final Phase: An interesting moment to talk about predestination, free will, choices all with a bit of reading! The spectator’s unconscious not only made possible for the pendulum to move but also guided him to choose some particular cards: do a reading based on the chosen tarot cards.

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f ALEX RUSCONI Alex is a dear friend of mine. He’s an elegant professional conjurer and an historic researcher of all things Magic. In the last decades, he wrote several books and contributed to many Italian magic magazines. He also did a lot of lectures and he’s the president of the magic club in Brescia (Italy), La Corte Dell’Illusione. His last work, just released, is the first book completely devoted to the life and art of the amazing Bartolomeo Bosco, possibly the most famous magician of the XIX century. Several years ago, Alex released another book, I Giouchi Del Bagatto (The Games Of The Magician, referring to the first major arcana card, the Magician), completely filled of magic routines using a pack of tarot cards. Unfortunately, at the moment, the book is available only in italian language but, for the first time, three of the routines have been translated, exclusively for the book you are reading now! So read on and enjoy!

Past, Present and Future !32

This effect features one of the most simple forces, the cut deeper force, credited to Ed Balducci. I’ve been inspired by Jeff McBride who does a similar routine with a tarot deck. I just personalised the presentation and the effect a bit to reinforce the climax. Effect: Have the tarot deck shuffled then ask a female spectator to keep the cards without disturbing their random order. Ask the lady to concentrate on her past and present while you explain the cards will absorb the informations about the future from her body’s warmth. Show a slip of paper, put it on the table and write “past” on the left and “present” on the right. Ask the spectator to cut, with her left hand, a little portion of cards and to turn them on the top of the deck. The card now showing its face represents the past. Describe her past with a bit of reading, then write the card’s name (for example The Magician) on the paper, close to the past word. Continue, saying that now you will take a look at the present - ask her to cut a slightly larger portion of cards and to turn it once again on the deck. Another random card will appear - it will represent the present. Write the name of the card on the paper, while you talk about the spectator’s present. Now ask for the maximum concentration and say that future is something that arrives from the union of past and present choices. For that reason, ask the lady to spread slowly the cards and to reach for the first face down card in the spread. Before to look at it, say that that card represents the spectator’s future. Now the lady looks the card’s identity: it’s the Wheel Of Fortune. Finish the routine with a very positive reading about her future. Then say that, not only the tarot knew about her future, but you too. Turn the paper and show that on the back is depicted the image of the Wheel Of Fortune. !33

What you need: A complete deck of tarot (you can also use only the major arcana cards). A sheet of paper, quite heavy (200/250 gr) about 10 x 20 cm: you will divide it in two 10 x 10 cm sections, writing Past and Present. On the back you will print the image of the Wheel Of Fortune Tarot. A pencil or a pen. Method: Of course you will force the Wheel Of Fortune card with the cut deeper force. It’s only necessary to have it on the top of the deck. I suggest to have the cards shuffled by the spectator to enhance the effect to her eyes. After the shuffle, you can load the force card on the top of the deck in a super easy way. You keep the force card hidden under the paper (the one with the prediction) then, after the shuffle, simply put the paper on the tarot deck to reload the force card. Or maybe you can take the cards and while showing they’re in a random order, you cut the Wheel Of Fortune to the top. Your choice. Note: Don’t underestimate this effect. Even if it could appear simple and almost trivial to your conjurer eyes, remember that you’re working with spectators totally ignoring the presence of a forcing procedure, so they will be surely amazed by the unexpected climax. It will be your presentation and your reader skills that will make the difference. Your persona and your words could transform a simple trick in a miracle your audience will remember for a very long time.

Incredibile Clairvoyance

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Effect: Show the 22 major arcana cards while you explain that anyone holding in his hands this magical object absorbs a particular power and becomes more open minded. Holding the tarot cards enhances the use of our Third Eye, the one of the clairvoyance. To demonstrate your paranormal abilities, let a spectator to choose a card and, after a bit of concentration, you reveal its name. You explain that you want your audience to be sure you’re not using any trickery so you get blindfolded. Then you spread the tarot deck in front of another spectator, asking to freely pick any card, remember it and put it away in a pocket. Remove the blindfold and concentrate: once again you name the correct card. You can also have your assistant to go into the audience to have the cards selected while you will name them from the stage! To conclude with a big finish, give the entire deck to one spectator, asking him to put behind his back. Ask to cut several times and to stop whenever he wants. Now he takes the first card on the top, turn it over and put it face up into the deck. You take the cards from the spectator. Nobody knows the card’s identity. You close your eyes, concentrate and tell the name of a tarot card: after spreading the cards on the table, the only face up card is the one you’ve just named. What you need: A major arcana deck. With bigger cards you can also perform this piece on stage. Method: This is an excellent experiment, unbelievable for the lay people and, with a minimum dramatic talent, it could become one of the highlights of a show. Once again it uses a classic magic principle that, if applied to tarot cards, can be even more convincing and often baffling to the magicians too. We’re talking of a stacked deck with Si-Stebbins order. I’m sure you know and use it with regular playing cards. With major arcana it changes a bit and uses only the numbers of the cards (instead of !35

numbers and cyclical pips order). We put them in the following order, starting from the top of the deck: 1 – 4 – 7 – 10 – 13 – 16 – 19 – 22 – 3 – 6 – 9 – 12 – 15 - 18 – 21 – 2 – 5 – 8 – 11 – 14 – 17 – 20. (note: the 22nd card is The Fool). The deck is ready to execute the miracle. You can cut it at heart’s content and still the order is preserved. All you have to do is to learn the name/number association for every card. The routine develops in three phases: 1. A selected card is named by performer When the card is chosen you must cut the deck at that point, inverting the two packets. The card on the bottom (which you peek) will indicate the chosen card. You just need to add 3 to its number. If the bottom card is 10 (The Wheel Of Fortune), you add 3 and you get 13, The Devil. If the bottom card is 20, adding 3 you will start again from 1. It seems difficult but with a minimum of practice everything will be ok and the method will be impenetrable. If you want to do it blindfolded, you can easily peek the bottom card through the small openings near the nose (the classic techniques with the blindfold are described on Corinda’s 13 Steps To Mentalism). 2. The assistant has the cards chosen This second phase will be staggering to your audience and I say that on personal experience. The fact your assistant goes through the audience to have the cards chosen makes totally impossible for you to divine the cards names from the stage. !36

Once again the method is very simple: the assistant will cut the deck at the point the card is chosen, showing the bottom card to you while keeping naturally the arms behind his back. A quick glimpse to the deck and you will be able to guess the card without efforts. In this case bigger tarot cards are better. 3. Reversed card divined Another impossible effect for the lay people. Once again the secret is to peek the bottom card while your taking the deck back from the spectator. If it’s 14 (The Temperance), the reversed card will be 17 (The Stars).

THE MAGIC OF

THE PENDULUM This routine, based on a marvellous Juan Tamariz effect, will result totally incredible and baffling to the most analitic observers and, unless they already know the secret, even to the magic colleagues. The effect is identical to Neither Blind Nor Stupid (in other books called TNT and in original Spanish Ni ciego ni tonto) by Juan Tamariz with the difference that we use major arcana tarot cards instead of the regular playing cards. As you will read in the final note, this ruse will definitely enhance the development of the trick for many different reasons, making it all more effective and convincing. Effect: Show the cards to the spectators and have two helpers, possibly a man and a woman, explaining that you’re going to show an experiment about the incredible powers of the pendulum. Indeed you will have two cards selected and, without you ever touching the deck, let them to be lost into it. You then have the deck cut, divided !37

and shuffled at heart’s content but, thanks to the pendulum powers, you will incredibly locate the two selected cards. What you need: the 22 major arcana, better if large enough to be easily seen. A pendulum. Method: the method is simple and clever. Stack the cards so you have the even and the odd cards in an alternate order (you consider the Roman numbers, the precise order is not important - for example you could have an order like that: I, IV, III, VI, etc). Remember to consider the Fool card as the 22nd, so an even card. Even if you repeatedly cut the deck it keeps the alternating order. You cannot shuffle the deck (you could use a false shuffle but, when using tarot cards, sleight of hand and fancy shuffles are not indicated - you could use an overhand shuffle running an odd number of cards to maintain the order). Put the deck on the table face down and have the helper to cut several times the cards until they want to stop. Explaining that you cannot possibly know the two cards on top of the deck (Matt’s note - you could if using a marked deck! But in Alex’s routine you can use a normal major arcana set of cards), let the first helper to take the first card on top and the second spectator to take the second one. Ask your helpers to look at their cards and to remember them. Then ask the 1st spectator to put the card back on top. The same with the 2nd helper. For your audience nothing has happened but in reality the two cards numbers have been reversed and so it will be an easy matter to track them down later. Let’s have the deck cut several times. Explain that, even with many cuts, the two cards will always remain closer to each other but you need to have them divided. Tell them that you need that for some esoteric reason. Ask one helper to take the deck and to start dealing the cards into two different piles. Then each spectator will take a pile and will !38

shuffle it at heart’s content: now it seems absolutely impossible for you to locate the selected cards! In reality, if everything has been properly done, you will have one pile with all even cards and the other one with all odd cards, with the exception of two cards, one per pile: the two selections! Start to talk about the power of the pendulum and some brief note about its history while you show it. Then spread the two packets and find the two tarots. (Matt’s note: if using a marked deck you could find the second card with the backs of the cards facing up. Of course you must to perfectly know all the numbers of the tarot cards. For example, if you note that all the cards of the pile are even ones, you could see that into the pile there’s also The Hermit card. Being an odd card -tarot number 9/IX- you know for sure it’s the selection).

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AROLDO LATTARULO Aroldo Lattarulo, a dear friend of mine, is a doctor of law, a writer and a qualified trainer. He studied in close contact with the most prominent names of the Mentalism world. He regularly does lectures and workshops about training, communication and mentalism. He’s been the translator of the italian version of the Syzygy magazine for many years. 
 He’s been a member of the PEA (Psychic Entertainers Association) for twenty years - it’s the most exclusive association of psychic entertainers in the world. He created the italian mentalism forum, “Mentalisti Italiani”, an exclusive place to exchange ideas, methods and effects. He wrote several books about different topics as reading, hypnosis, mentalism and more. His personal website is www.aroldo.info

Tarot And Numerology Why to connect Tarot to Numerology ? Somebody does it even if in a very simplistic way, reducing it to merely interpreting the number of every card according to the meanings of Numerology. I firmly believe that the connection between the two divining systems is way more profound. Just note that the major arcana cards are 22 and the 22 is the last considered number in Numerology. The 22 is considered the number of “a crowd, groups or nations leader” and they say that this predisposition can bring to states of self-exaltation and even madness. Coincidentally the card of The Fool in the tarot is the 22nd one, the one with the number 0 or, in certain versions, the card without number. !41

Tarot and Numerology cross their paths in an interlacement that, as we can see, is necessary to keep in mind if you want to offer a precise reading, not a limited one. Every esoteric art about divination lean on premises and specific methods and for that reason incomplete. For this reason, to use the tarot means to entrust to subjective actions of the participants: the sitter and the tarot reader. Whatever is the chosen tarot reading procedure, the deck will be shuffled and cut by the participants. The cards manipulation done in that very moment by that very people will determine - albeit involuntarily - the unwinding of the reading. Moreover, during the tarot reading, we also deal with the reader’s intuition and his ability to interpret the chosen cards. In short, we have an inevitable «subjectiveness» in the whole procedure. And this personal, subjective, alterable aspect probably is one of the most intriguing ones of Tarology. We choose a reader instead of another. We choose a tarot deck instead of another. To cut in a particular point of the deck will bring us to some cards instead of others, and so on. Every choice affects the reading’s outcome. Nevertheless this subjectivity not only has positive consequences. One of the typical objections made by the skeptics is that the same question cannot be put again by the sitter right after the reading, for example when the reading is not a positive one. In fact, according to the skeptics, why that and just reading should be the right one and not maybe the next one with different cards? It does not exist a rationally satisfying answer to this question. Instead, in the world of Numerology, reference is made to objective and non-modifiable circumstances: underlying Numerology are dates and names, fixed and non-modifiable elements every single time. The birth date or the name of a subject will univocally determine the contents of a numerological response. As opposed to !42

tarot, there are no new data every time. So, every time the answer will be the same, being the datas the same ones. While in tarot reading the meanings are many and different if not infinite, in Numerology the meanings of the various numbers aren’t so “pliable”, they are less liable to subjective interpretations. It’s clear that also in Numerology the role of the reader is significant. But his interpretative field of action is not even remotely comparable to the unlimited possibility of creative interpretation of the tarot reader. To explain with a similitude, we could say that numerologist is like a doctor who must to interpret the symptoms of a patient and they are clear, objective and undoubtable. The good doctor will correctly interpret those symptoms as the good numerologist will do with numbers guides as they are objective, undoubtable, the same used by all the numerologists, the good and the bad ones. I want to briefly illustrate the traditional meanings assigned to every number in the Numerology system so, later, we can analyse in a simple way the possible connection with tarot reading. 1 selfhood, determination 2 docility, social relations 3 creativity 4 firmness, realism 5 flexibility, readiness 6 family love 7 spirituality, wisdom 8 materiality, worldly matters 9 social responsibility 11 guide to other people 22 dominant to other people

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Once those meanings are fixed, let’s see how is possible to give a reading that takes account of both tarot and Numerology. Once again, the following is a very simple example, just to understand how is possible to combine the two systems. The complete structure of the procedure is too much extended to be illustrated here. Those who find this very broad subject interesting, will inevitably have to develop it on their own. Let’s start. Just suppose your sitter’s birthday is January 15th, 1980. Look at the following chart:

From his name and surname you will gain the “Ego number”, briefly describing the person’s temper and aptitudes. For each letter, you take the corresponding number in the chart, the sum of the numbers is made and then reduced to a single digit - if you arrive at 11 or 22 (known as “master numbers” in Numerology) you don’t have to reduce them to a single digit. Using the name Mario Rossi, you would arrive to the single digit of 1 (one). This is the number of the selfhood and determination. MARIO ROSSI 4+1+9+9+6+9+6+1+ 1+9 = 55 = 10 = 1 From the birth date, you will get the “number of destiny”; it describes the kind of events that our client will most frequently meet in his life. In our example, Mario Rossi is born on 15/1/1980, so !44

adding these numbers one by one we arrive to 25, then reducing it to 7 (2+5). 7, the number of spirituality and wisdom. So, to make a long story short, from a numerological point of view, Mario Rossi is a resolute guy, with a well-balanced ego, in his life he will tend to reflect upon matters going beyond materialism. Good. How can we combine all this stuff with the tarot? Let’s make another very simple example just to understand the mechanic of the system. Clearly in real situations the readings will be way more extended. Let’s say that Mario Rossi gets the Death card after his question about his job (he hopes to get a promotion). The Death tarot is number 13 and, reducing numbers to one digit, we get 4: as we saw it represents firmness and realism. As every tarot expert know, the Death has different meanings, both positive and negative: they go from the overcoming of the material state to the rebirth, from test to sacrifice, from danger to opportunity, from a future full of promises to the end of hope and so on, based on the interpretation by the reader in that very moment. Which is the possible reading to give to Mario Rossi, combining Tarot and Numerology? We could say something like this: “Your hopes about your job promotion have great chances to materialise. All is quite evident by joining the Numerology datas to the tarot. You’re a resolute person in nature and naturally oriented to success. You also don’t base your life on the materialistic aspects of your goals. Instead, your concept of success is based on more wise considerations, not only economical reasons. You’re a down to earth guy and, for that reason, you know that with improving your job situation will also positively affect the way you love to live: independent and way beyond the daily material needs. In a word, you don’t like to worry about practical things each day as your aspirations are more big and less materialistic. The card of The Death and it’s number, the 13, indicate that to begin a new life cycle, !45

a more productive one, is necessary to let the previous phase to end. And that is not happening at our command. The death of the old cycle will arrive sooner or later, that’s for sure. And with your determination you’ll have the patience to wait for the right moment. Also the number 13 suggests your realism, your practicalness: you know well things aren’t magically changing from a moment to another. But the good news is that the mixture of your numerological characteristics and the interpretation of the tarot tell us that the positive change in your life is going to happen. I would also say in a relatively short time. It will come when you least expect it”. As you can see, in the reading I mixed all the various elements: the Ego number, the Destiny number, the Death tarot and its number, the 13. I really hope the system is clear even if I’ve been forced to explain it in an essential form. It’s obvious that it requires a lot of practice in the real world, doing experience with the multitude of the possible combinations and meanings. I really hope it can also be helpful for you to successfully start approaching the marvellous world of reading, the higher, most charming and emphatic form of Mentalism possible.

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Suggested Bibliography Here’s a list of books I heartily suggest if you want to further explore the magical world of tarot and magic(k) with those precious cards. Please note that the following list is not a complete one and it’s just based on my personal tastes and knowledge. The books aren’t in any particular order. Some books contains magic routines while others are only devoted to readings with the tarot.

Stephen Minch, The Book Of Thoth A collection of magic routines using a tarot deck. A classic. Paul Voodini, The Magician’s Guide To The Tarot One of the best books around for the magician who wants to delve into the charming world of the tarot. Suggested! Freddie Valentine, Tarot Reader’s Black Book Packed with advices and guidelines for the tarot reader. For magicians and mystery entertainers. I also suggest Valentine’s “Occult Magic” series of ebooks for more interesting stuff about tarot. Enrique Enriquez, Invisible Tarot A novel approach to tarot readings. Really interesting. TC Tahoe, In the Play Of Shadows Packed with magic routines, tips and bits. Great stuff. Ron Martin, The Tarot Reader’s Notebook A complete course in tarot reading. More than 200 pages full of amazing stuff for the serious reader. !47

Bob Cassidy, The Psychic Tarot The unique vision of a true master of Mentalism about tarot meanings, advices and readings. A must.

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