Just what is this thing we call “magic”? Let’s consider the definition that comes to us from Webster’s dictionary:

“The art of persons who claim to be able to do things by the help of supernatural creatures or by their own knowledge of nature’s secrets….

Something that charms; any seemingly hidden or secret power; as, the magic of a voice; the magic of a great name….

Sleight of hand….

Seemingly requiring more than human power; startling in performance; producing effects which seem supernatural….”

Pretty interesting stuff, right?! In this definition we get a whole bunch of different ideas, all of them working together and yet somehow contradicting each other.

On the one hand, we have the idea that there’s something supernatural at work. Something superhuman, or “out of this world.”

But at the same time we are meant to understand that it’s only “seemingly” so. Magicians “claim” to have special powers, but whether they actually do is up for debate.

Nevertheless, Webster’s definition of magic helps to give us a starting point for our journey through this ancient art form.

What Is Magic?

At its most basic, the word “magic” carries with it the idea of special powers, or at least the illusion of possessing such powers.

At one end of the spectrum, the word implies someone who has the ability to do things that few other mortal beings can do. A magician in this sense would be someone who, for example, is able to walk on fire, levitate off the ground, or read other people’s minds.

The other end of the spectrum, however, has a more practical or even cynical understanding of the term. It takes the view that magic is a form of trickery, even deliberate deceit. A magician in this sense of the word is someone skilled at lying and who is cleverer than his audience. He is intent on “pulling the wool over” others’ eyes.

In reality, and for our purposes, let’s come to an understanding of magic that takes the middle ground. Magic isn’t pure supernatural power, but it isn’t garden variety mean-spirited deception, either.

A good magician is one who gives the appearance of possessing special powers, an impression that both he and his audience agree to believe in together. Magic is meant not to outwit, fool or upset anyone-it’s meant to surprise, astonish and delight.

In this view, magic is something wonderful and enjoyable, both for the practitioner and for the audience members who are also involved. It is an entertainment, a diversion, an escape from our mundane, ordinary lives. It is a chance for all of us to brush up against the possibility of something greater than ourselves!

The Magic Superstars

Just as there are movie stars, super athletes, and Nobel Prize-winning authors, there are also some magicians whose talents and skills set them apart from the rest. All of us amateur magicians admire them and can stand to learn a lot from these magic superstars!

This article was extracted from the book ‘Discover The Magic Trick Secrets You’re Not Supposed To Know’. To find out more please visit www.DiscoverMagicTricks.com
About the Author

Chris Lloyd is the author of “Discover The Magic Trick Secrets You’re Not Supposed To Know”. His website can be found at www.DiscoverMagicTricks.com

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Did you know that we all have the ability to enhance self-healing, increase comfort and improve nutrition, exercise, communication and flexibility? This article explains clinical hypnosis and how it can bring relief to clients suffering from arthritis. Hypnosis is easy to learn, you can do it on your own and it empowers you to take an active role in your healthy well-being.

The subconscious mind has many jobs. It quietly and effectively regulates our bodily functions and stores all of our values, beliefs and memories. It also balances our blood pressure, heart rate and co-ordinates each step we take everyday of our life. The negative effects of arthritis extend into many areas of a client s life, as does the positive resolve and relief of hypnosis. Hypnotherapy is the simple process of accessing and directing the subconscious mind to support certain positive changes. It is the language of the mind, it access the most powerful level of awareness and down loads new applications of freedom and relief.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. It causes a deterioration of the protective lining of cartilage in our joints. This deterioration occurs due to a breakdown of the chondrocytes that form cartilage. Osteoarthritis affects men and women equally. Most people over 30 years of age have some features of early osteoarthritis. The degree of limitation depends on the location of the inflammation. The major areas of concern are hips, knees and spine. The development of osteoarthritis may be related to trauma, aging or heredity.

The symptoms of stress play a big role in exacerbating the situation. Communication with family and friends plays a key role in managing stress and hypnosis makes this a lot easier. Suggestions offered to a client during a hypnosis session encourage them to share what s on their mind enabling them to offload concern and frustration, giving them more time doing things they enjoy.

It takes energy to deal with any physical or emotional burden. Hypnosis creates ideal sedation allowing for sound sleep. We all follow the path of our most dominant thoughts and if the last thoughts a client has at bedtime involve deep restful sleep, they are in a much better position to recharge their body and mind for tomorrow s challenges.

For those suffering with arthritis it s often difficult just keeping up with the fast pace of day-to-day life. Hypnosis helps individuals adjust to a more appropriate pace and also to release the frustrations and anxiety associated with any limitation. Clients who routinely relax with hypnosis are more centered, balanced and less affected by things they can not control.

Increasing muscle tone reduces stress to affected joints, which increases mobility and comfort. Low impact activities like swimming; walking and range of motion exercises are commonly recommended to clients with arthritis. With hypnosis it s easier to integrate new regimes and to establish positive subconscious connections between healthy activity and improved mobility, comfort and freedom.

The more protection in your joints, the more comfort and mobility you create. Since the subconscious controls the multitude of our bodily function, hypnosis can direct it to increase the production of chondrocytes, which increases the growth of healthy new cartilage. Pain is often the biggest issue with arthritis. Some pain, however, is necessary; it acts as a warning system telling us that something isn t right. The responsible approach with hypnosis is to only reduce unnecessary pain, leaving intact the body s ability to signal us and protect us from further complications.

Hypnosis can also be used to regulate the flow and distribution of endorphins, which are the feel good chemicals the body uses to create comfort and relaxation. Using hypnosis to regulate endorphin production plays a big role in putting the client in control. Hypnosis can also alter the perception of where the pain is located. By redirecting sensitivity away from key areas such as hips, knees and vertebrae to a less critical part of the anatomy like a finger tip, the client has much more control.

The same approach can be used to attach a different quality to pain. A sharp pain can be perceived as dull; burning pain can be perceived as cool. Involving other senses is one of the distinct advantages hypnosis offers in managing the symptoms of arthritis. Another technique involves using one color to represent pain and another to represent comfort, and then blending the two offering instant relief.

Lastly, by attaching a number value to pain creates the option of change. By imagining a yardstick during hypnosis a client can pick the number that best reflects their current level of pain, and then they are directed to different numbers which changes their perceived level of discomfort.

With hypnosis arthritis sufferers gain a distinct advantage in managing and even reversing the limitations of arthritis. Hypnosis is simple, empowering and extremely effective. A few sessions with a hypnotherapist gets you started and with a little practice you begin to effect healthy positive changes in your life. We all have remarkable self-healing abilities and hypnosis is an excellent way to jumpstart a return to a healthier more active life.

About the Author

Paul Gustafson RN, BSN, CH runs HealthyHypnosis.com of Burlington, Massachusetts. His 11 years of acute cardiac and hospice experience offer a solid foundation supporting his clinical approach to hypnotherapy. Visit HealthyHypnosis.com or call toll free at 888-290-3972.

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This card trick is very impromptu and can be done with a borrowed deck. There is no need to practice and no sleights needed.

Trick:

You predict a card without even touching the deck.

Method:

You hand a whole deck to your spectator and tell him to shuffle it. You then tell him to count 26 cards which is half of the deck. As he/she is counting, you remember the seventh card. Then tell him/her to set aside the 26 cards counted. You then write your prediction to a piece of paper. Next, tell him/her to pick any three cards from the other half. After that tell him to put the other half on top of the counted 26 cards. Put the three cards in a row order face up. Tell him for each card how many will he add to make it 10. For example the three cards are a six, seven, and a king. You will add four cards to six, three cards to seven and zero to king as it is considered 10 together with jack or queen. You then add the three cards: six + seven + 10 (king) = 27. You then tell the spectator to get the remaining cards face down and count until the 27th card is reached. The 27th card is the card you predicted.

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