The Online Magic Store Blog: Mentalism
What are Zener cards? The history of the ESP deck
The story of Zener cards, the five-symbol ESP deck made at Duke University in the 1930s, and why mentalists still use it today.
What are Zener cards? The history of the ESP deck
How to do the pendulum trick: the swing that reads your mind
Learn the pendulum trick, where a ring on a thread follows a volunteer’s thoughts, and the ideomotor science that explains why it moves.
How to do the pendulum trick: the swing that reads your mind
Magic tricks for team building: a buyer’s guide
How to use magic at a team-building event, whether you perform for the group or teach everyone a trick, with four pieces from our shelves a…
Magic tricks for team building: a buyer’s guide
Magic tricks for public speakers: a buyer’s guide
How to choose a magic trick for a talk or keynote, with pieces the whole room can see, reveals that carry your message and free books on pr…
Magic tricks for public speakers: a buyer’s guide
Magic tricks for introverts: a buyer’s guide
How to choose magic if you’d rather not hold the floor, with quiet one-to-one tricks, ready-made patter and pieces where the prop does the …
Magic tricks for introverts: a buyer’s guide
Who was Ted Annemann?
The life of Ted Annemann, the American mentalist who founded The Jinx in 1934 and wrote 202 Methods of Forcing.
Who was Ted Annemann?
How to do the magic square trick
Build a 4×4 magic square for any number someone names, with every row, column and diagonal adding up, using one simple subtraction.
How to do the magic square trick
How to do a domino prediction
Learn the domino prediction: seal a prediction, let a spectator link a full set of dominoes into one chain, and the two end numbers match w…
How to do a domino prediction
How to do the magic number nine trick
Learn the magic number nine trick: a spectator hides one digit of a secret calculation and you name it, using a simple rule about multiples…
How to do the magic number nine trick
How to do the dice total prediction
Learn the dice total prediction: glance at a stack of three dice and name the total of the hidden faces, using the rule that opposite faces…
How to do the dice total prediction
How to do the age cards mind-reading trick
Make and perform the age cards: a set of number cards that lets you name anyone’s age, using a simple binary secret you can learn in minute…
How to do the age cards mind-reading trick
How to do the clock card trick
Learn the clock card trick: a spectator hides some cards, and their card appears at the matching hour on a clock of twelve cards. Steps and…
How to do the clock card trick
How to do the 1089 number trick
How to do the 1089 number trick, the arithmetic prediction that always lands on the same number, and why it works.
How to do the 1089 number trick
How to do magic on a video call
How to choose, frame, light and pace magic tricks for Zoom, FaceTime or Google Meet, so they still land on a small screen.
How to do magic on a video call
Mentalism tricks for beginners: how to choose your first one
How to choose your first mentalism trick by where you’ll perform it: in your pocket, with a deck, in front of a room or from a download.
Mentalism tricks for beginners: how to choose your first one
Peek decks explained: mirror peeks and shiners
What a peek is, how mirror peeks and shiners let a magician secretly see a card, and how to use one without getting caught.
Peek decks explained: mirror peeks and shiners
Metal Bending Magic: The History and Appeal of Spoon Bending (and How to Start)
Spoons, forks, keys and screwdrivers: the history of metal bending, why it's so powerful, and how to start performing it.
Metal Bending Magic: The History and Appeal of Spoon Bending (and How to Start)
What Is Mentalism? A Beginner's Guide to Mind-Reading Magic
Mentalism is magic that appears to read minds, predict the future, or influence thoughts. Here's how it differs from other magic and how to…
What Is Mentalism? A Beginner's Guide to Mind-Reading Magic
Phone Magic: A Beginner's Guide to Magic Tricks With Your Smartphone
Your phone is the one prop you always carry. Here's how phone magic works, what types exist, and how to choose your first phone trick.
Phone Magic: A Beginner's Guide to Magic Tricks With Your Smartphone
How to Start Learning Magic as an Adult: A No-Nonsense Beginner's Guide
Yes, adults can learn magic, and often faster than kids. Here's what to buy first, what to skip, and a simple 90-day path from your first t…
How to Start Learning Magic as an Adult: A No-Nonsense Beginner's Guide
