Hi Rock,

Where do you live?



Best
Ray

TAC rocks! I love pocket mentalism that I can use on the fly and this meets my high expectations.


PS: I purchased this effect for my arsenal and gave it a trial run about 10 minutes after download and print job.

PSS: I was already familiar with Thought Chunnel. I think this raises the bar.

PSSS: I plan on a little lamination and this goes and stays in my top pocket.

Decomposed Into Cognitive Thought

I have been thinking this may work on stage as well. Have all the words posted on a board or sign and use it on the entire audience.

Nice idea, but even the cards would work. As Richard Osterlind says, People are your props.

Bobby

Already been thinking about this for the stage.

Not good to use for entire audience IMHO.

I think that I have come up with a very good dynamic presentation for the stage! LOL.

I will tell yachanin about my stage idea first and see what he thinks since he started this! LOL




Ray

Hi All,

Ray sent me a PM detailing his idea. I think it's a great presentation for the stage! Here it is:


"Here is what it should look like to the audience:

Invite one person on stage and show a LARGE board or pad with 80 words printed on it. You tell everyone that you will try and step into the person's mind and pick out a word that they are only thinking of.

But first you need to create the energy between this person (women) and yourself. You ask them to sit in a chair and you then guide them through a brief breathing exercise. You are also sitting in a chair facing them and holding both of their hands thus making a connection of energy. You instruct them to slow down their breathing and to look you in the eyes.

You have them breath in for the count of 5 and hold it for the same count. Then exhale for a count of 5. You continue to do this along with her. You do this about 3-4 times then tell her to close her eyes and ask her to continue breathing like this as you start giving suggestions on how relaxed she is becoming and that she may become slightly lightheaded because she is focusing her energy and opening herself to the cosmos.

After about a minute and a half, tell her that she can now breath normal and when she is ready she can open her eyes. Once she opens her eyes, you let go of her hands and walk to the board of words. Ask her to look at the words - there are so many of them - look at the words, but don't try to really read them. Let the words float off the page and swirl around in the air.

You say, 'do you see the words swirling and floating?' (she is still light-headed from the breathing and in a slight trace-like mood)

You ask her to close her eyes and she does. You tell her when you ask her to open her eyes, she is to look at the board and select a word from the board. You wait for the count of 7......... Then ask her to open her eyes and select a word.

(you do not ASK her if she has done this, you are a mind reader, you should know!) you say, 'yes, that's right. You did fine, hold that word in your mind and do not speak the word out loud.'

You ask her to spell the word in her mind over and over........ (you begin the Thought Association Card procedure at this point).

Once you have her think of the final word, ask her to CLOSE her eyes once again and to concentrate on this NEW word. You then walk to your table and remove a small dry eraser board with a marker. Standing behind the person you close your eyes and concentrate (drama) then as if a thought has entered your mind, you write a word on the dry easer board.

You turn your board around so that EVERYONE can see the word that you have just written and hold the board above her head so that your written word is visible! With the person's eyes still closed, you ask her,'In a very loud and clear voice, I want you to tell everyone here the word that you are THINKING of.' With her eyes closed, she names her thought of word and it matches the prediction that you are holding right above her head!

She opens her eyes and sees your word. Here you just go with the flow for the moment and milk it. She is asked to return to her seat as the audience gives her a deserved round of applause. Once the applause has died down...... You stand at the footlights and place your hand to your forehead........... Pause.......... 'I still feel the energy and connection from ____________ (women's name).' Looking around you notice someone in the audience and tell them to stand. 'Sir, please tell everyone your name' he does.......... 'Mr. ___________ before the show, I asked you to think of a word and NOT tell anyone. Have you told anyone? ....... Great! .... There is NO WAY that I would know the word that you are ONLY THINKING of, isn't that correct?' ..........Slap your hands together and rub them together. You do this a few times creating tension.

'Think of YOUR word. .......... See it..... Feel it......When I count to three, I want you to SHOUT it out loud IN YOUR mind, not with your voice, with YOUR MIND! ....... In your mind shout YOUR word as loud as you can!!!!!! .... ONE....TWO.... THREE! ..SHOUT IT NOW! .......... ....... No, not loud enough....... One more time.... SHOUT it NOW! .............. '

Pause for a slow count of 7 with your eyes closed.......... Then in one motion, open your eyes and snap your head toward the person. ....... You then name their word.......


Anyway that is one way of doing this..... I still use two people... only I use two people at different times to get the words that I need."


Ray, that is just terrific. I can see this playing very well on stage. Thanks for sharing this with everyone

Regards, Steve

Hi All,

I'm very close to finishing a revised manuscript of "Thought Association Card". It will contain versions for use in Canada and in the UK. It will also have a "gender-friendly" version that can be used in Canada, the UK, and the U.S. If all goes well, it should be ready by the end of next week!

Regards, Steve

Steve very kindly let me have a look at this, and it's to my shame that up until today I've only had time to give it a quick skimming.

It's great that Steve is still working on this, making versions more suitable to those outside the U.S.

With a bit of time and thought it should be able to perform a version of this in any language, but now Steve is working on more versions it makes it even more of a good thing to buy.
Some of the ideas in this thread are just great, and what the Café is all about.
Any effect of this calibre desrves looking at closely. And as it's adaptable to a multitude of performing styles and situations, it's a no-bainer as I think they say over the pond.

I'm going to be working on a Dutch version as soon as I get chance.

Regards
steve

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the kind words. Please let me know how your Dutch version goes

Regards, Steve

Hi All,

Just a quick line to let you know that the revised Thought Association Card will be available later this evening (around 9:00pm EST). It will have versions suitable for use with Canadian and UK volunteers and a more "gender-friendly" version as well.

Regards, Steve

Name: Thought Association Card - Stephen Yachanin

Available from: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/33815273/Yachanin_Magic/Welcome.html

Price: $15

Maker: Stephen Yachanin

Examinable: Yes, up to a point. The spectator can handle the card freely, but as with many props in mentalism you wouldn't give anyone the opportunity to study it in depth, particularly after the effect.

Difficulty: 3/10

Out of 10: 8/10


The Blurb:


Comments:
Previously, due to certain methodological restrictions, this effect was only available to the US. However, after a lot of work by Stephen, the UK-friendly version will soon be released. I was one of a few people lucky enough to get a sneak preview of the manuscript and helped Stephen 'road test' the effect on British audiences. So, in the interests of 'disclosure' I must state I didn't pay for this effect.

However, it plays just as cleanly as it reads in the blurb above and leaves people gobsmacked. The manuscript also teaches techniques that have changed the way I approach all word revelations - yes, the methods in this manuscript can be adapted to any effect in your arsenal that includes a word reveal. Is that worth $15? I rather think so!

So, what do you get? You get a PDF of well-written and thorough instructions, containing print templates for two different versions of the wallet card. The card itself, as the ad copy states, has 80 words printed on it - but you do not simply reveal which one of these your participants are thinking of, oh no, you do something much more impressive. Starting with any of these words, you can take two volunteers (or one if you prefer) on a guided exercise in 'thought association'. Only the starting word appears on the card, the rest are arrived at through apparently fair and free choices. Nothing is written down and yet you are still able to reveal the words in their minds at the end. Oh and I should make it clear that each of the two participants arrives at a different word by the end of the experiment. There are no "T.O.D."-style "sit down if you heard your word" ambiguities here. The effect is direct, absurdly clean and in my opinion looks pretty close to 'the real deal'.

I've performed this for individuals, couples and once to a small group in a 'parlour' setting and it consistently hits people squarely between the eyes. For the purists among us, there is no 'visible compromise', the words you reveal exist only in the participants' minds. There is apparently no possible way you could know what they are thinking and yet without fishing, writing or other shenanigans, you can reveal the contents of their minds.

Several of these 'wallet card' type effects (Kioku, Dreamweaver and others) use a b*n*** system, which requires some memorisation, but 'Thought Association' applies another method entirely, one that originates in a book by Joshua Quinn and has been developed and refined by Stephen Yachanin. There is a little memory work required for this effect but it is absolutely minimal, no more than the usual effort required to remember a script.

So for $15 and very little effort, you gain the ability to baffle audiences with something that appears completely fair and deeply mystifying. I've had some great reactions to this - it's impossible to backtrack and leaves both the participants and observers amazed. Also, as stated above, I now find myself applying the thinking in this effect to book tests and other word effects to create double revelations, where I can not only reveal the 'association' word they finally land on, but also the word the started with originally - very strong stuff!

In summary: I'm usually pretty wary of single-effect PDFs, but this is one I can recommend whole-heartedly. Strong mentalism at a very reasonable price.

Hi All,

The newly revised Thought Association Card is now available with Canadian, UK, and "gender-friendly" versions included.

All those who have previously purchased "Thought Association Card" have been sent the revised manuscript.

Regards, Steve

Hi MatCult,

Thank you for the very kind words and for all the time you took to "road test" this for the UK versions. The UK and Canadian versions would not have been possible without the help of friends "across the pond" and "up north".

Regards, Steve

Hi All,

robwar0100 made a comment in another thread and it gave me an idea for those who purchased the manuscript, but have not yet read it: the purchaser should play the part of a volunteer, begin reading the patter and follow along as a volunteer. When they reach the point in the routine where they are to choose a word, they could choose a word from the appropriate word list and then continue with the patter from the appropriate region (Canada or UK). It wouldn't be exactly the same as being an actual volunteer, but might give them an idea (sort of)

If anyone tries this, PM me and let me know how it went. Thanks.

Regards, Steve

Hi All,

I'm sending out one final revision of Thought Association Card. Everyone who has purchased it should receive it by the end of the day. Please let me know if you do not.

The revision contains an alternative handling for the "Gender-Friendly" version. I call it "Sincoff's Gambit" and, depending on your performance style, will play out very well... some may prefer it to the original handling.

Regards, Steve

Hi All,

I've received a number of excellent ideas from several of you and have begun putting together a supplement for Thought Association Card. The supplement will appear as an appendix in the manuscript and will be sent to all purchasers when it is completed. So... if you've come up with some variations, twists, subtleties, and etc. that you would like to share with other TAC owners, send them my way when you get the opportunity.

Thank you for supporting TAC

Regards, Steve

Hi All,

I'm just starting to send out the revised manuscript of Thought Association Card. It includes the "supplement" (in the Appendix) and I think you're really going to like this

Thanks, again, to all the contributors...

Regards, Steve

Thanks Steve, I received the updates today. Not had chance to read through yet.

Great customer services for an already mind blowing routine.

Chris

Hi Chris,

I think you're really going to like some of the ideas in the supplement. Let us know if you give any of them a try and how they played out for you.

Regards, Steve

I have two points to make:
This is clever.And the additions make it workable for probably most English speaking countries. I will carry it in my wallet.

But - it is a pity the only credit is given to Quinn. Clearly, the idea goes back to Grey Elephants. But this is no criticism of the author. I don't know who originated the Grey elephants idea either.
Can anyone here shed any light?