Mystery School

An Adventure into the Deeper Meaning of Magic

2003
Written by Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride
Work of Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride, Various
448 pages (Hardcover), published by The Miracle Factory
Illustrated with drawings by Katlyn Breene
Language: English
155 entries
This publication has been reviewed by
Cover photograph
Creators Title Comments & References Page AA Categories
Acknowledgments
10
Todd Karr Editor's Note
11
Robert E. Neale Preface
13
Jeff McBride, Katlyn Breene Arcana illustrated texts about fire, water, earth, pages not numbered
 		16
Jeff McBride Welcome
17
Eugene Burger Why a "Mystery School"?
19
Eugene Burger, Todd Karr, Jeff McBride A Conversation about the Mystery School gatherings
 		21
Faculty
35
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Jack Adams
37
Jack Adams The Jack Adams Visual Quick Change
39
Jeff McBride Eugene Burger
41
Eugene Burger On the Structure of Magic Effects
Also published here 43
Eugene Burger Violence in Theatrical Magic
  • 1. Background
  • 2. Theatrical Magic and Violence
  • 3. Terminal Violence
  • 4. Violence Transcended?
  • 5. Subtle Violence
  • 6. Final Words
 		46
Eugene Burger Jeff McBride
51
Jeff McBride The Shaman's Bag "An Initiation into the Four Magical Elements"
one of the four elements (earth, air, fire, water) is chosen and predicted
 		53
Air
56
Jeff McBride The Butterfly fake butterfly produced from rolled paper
Inspired by
  • Germain's silk butterfly production (Germain the Wizard)
 56
Jeff McBride Fire on using fire
 		58
Jeff McBride The Fireball fireball production from empty hands
 		58
Jeff McBride McBride's Candle flame of candle is taken off and brought back
 		59
Jeff McBride Flashing Knives two knives are hit onto each other and spark
 		61
Jeff McBride The Fire Knife fire-eating torches
 		62
Jeff McBride Fire Manipulation with Fickle Fire gimmick
 		62
Jeff McBride The Phoenix Flower flame becomes spring flower bouquet
 		63
Water
64
Jeff McBride Working with Liquids
64
Jeff McBride Rain Fire paper ribbon held between the hands is burned, then water fountain comes out of both hands, hidden balloons
 		65
Earth
65
Jeff McBride Mango Tree slow-motion growing and blooming tree
 		65
Jeff McBride Earth Flowers spring flower production at fake tree branch
 		67
Jeff McBride Green Man figure outside in the woods, green mouth coils combined with spring flowers, "Enviro-magic"
 		68
Jeff McBride, Michael Marlin Alchemy of the Elements routine with fire, knives, hourglass and some of the previously described items
 		69
Jeff McBride Four Faces of the Magician
73
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Robert Neale Robert E. Neale
 		75
Robert E. Neale Ritual Magic
77
Robert E. Neale Suspension of Disbelief
78
Robert E. Neale Oddly Magic
80
Robert E. Neale A Ritual Gesture
81
Robert E. Neale Three Way to Become an Oracle see following items
 		82
Robert E. Neale Dream Die using a twelve-sided dodecahedron for rituals or so
 		84
Robert E. Neale Runed chosen runes spell "SCAM", Sands's prime number force
 		86
Robert E. Neale Systematic Creativity Stimulation
  • Scientific Age Fortune-Telling
    • Stimulation Design Cards for Personal Creativity Reading
  • Five Symbols
  • Four Changes
  • Dynamics of the Reading
  • Addenda
 		89
Guests of Honor
103
Jeff McBride Dan Harlan
105
Dan Harlan Soulmates spectator cuts deck and removes top card, thirteen cards used to locate a card with the same value and suit with spectator
 		107
Dan Harlan Horror Matrix story presentation
 		109
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Max Maven
111
Max Maven Simplicide two different-backed cards transform into blank cards, "Appointment in Samarra" story presentation
Inspired by 113
Max Maven Pragmatic Simplicity vs. Expert Simplicity
113
Max Maven On Bizarre Magic
115
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Ormond McGill
121
Ormond McGill Let's Pretend Magic
123
Ormond McGill The Presentation of a Miracle thirteen rules
Also published here 124
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Stephen Minch
127
Stephen Minch Diary of a Mystery Friend "A Reflection from 1997"
on the Mystery School
 		129
Stephen Minch, Max Maven Cognitive Dissonance two spectators name a card, deck spread, a business card is found in the center next to one of the cards, other card predicted on business card
Inspired by
  • "Apologia" (a plot by Max Maven shared in a 1980 letter)
 133
Jeff McBride Charles Reynolds
141
Charles Reynolds On a Definition of Magic
143
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Peter Samelson
147
Peter Samelson Why, What, and Who? "A Theory of Questions"
 		149
Peter Samelson The Phoenix paper napkin set on fire, then restored, bird fold and Phoenix story presentation
 		151
Alumni
155
Eugene Burger David Abram
157
David Abrams The Joker is Wild on believing in real magic, (here spelled "David Abram" same guy?)
 		159
David Abrams The Ecology of Magic with definition of magic
 		161
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Jen Adams
175
Jen Adams The Sorcerer's Apprentice
177
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Tobias Beckwith
181
Tobias Beckwith Magic Theater 101
  • A live performer before a live audience
  • You cannot not communicate
  • Art as the art of making choices
  • All shows have a story
  • Physicality and Movement
  • Body Training
  • The Stage
  • Audience
  • Costume
  • Lighting
  • Scenery and Props
  • Onward
 		183
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Katlyn Breene
195
Katlyn Breene Katarot using the Major Arcana, divination of three cards
Also published here 197
Jeff McBride Kevin Dunn
201
Kevin Dunn Alchemy
  • 1. The Alchemy of Originality
    • Solve
      • Mercury
      • Sulfur
      • Salt
    • Coagula
  • 2. Transmutation
    • Mercury
    • Sulfur
    • Salt
Related to 203
Jeff McBride Mont Dutson
213
Mont Dutson Teachings of the Medicine Wheel medicine wheel appears with four different-colored ribbons, they are taken off and changed into a four-colored ribbon
 		215
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Bob Fellows
219
Robert Fellows Beginning in Mentalism
221
Robert Fellows The Magazine Clippping Prediction spectator's birthday is divined and predicted on magazine clipping
 		223
Robert Fellows Five-Minute Murder Mystery combination of Seven Keys to Baldpate, murder mystery presentation, Premonition
 		224
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Bob Fitch
229
Bob Fitch Why a Director?
231
Bob Fitch Thesis 1
233
Bob Fitch Undropped french drop applications
  • 1. Production of first coin
  • 2. Penetration
  • 3. Transposition
  • 4. Transposition
  • 5. Feint
  • 6. Repeat Production
  • 7. Doubling
  • 8. Doubling no. 2
  • 9. Doubling no. 3
  • 10. Transposition no. 2
  • 11. Vanish and Penetration
  • 12. Final Feint Vanish
 		233
Bob Fitch Thesis 2
236
Bob Fitch Flipped applications of flipping coin and catching it on hand
  • Phase 1: Production
  • Phase 2: Vanish and Reappearance
  • Phase 3: Feint
  • Phase 4: Mid-air Disappearance and Reproduction
  • Phase 5: Penetration
  • Phase 6: Revolve Penetration
  • Phase 7: Reverse Penetration
  • Phase 8: Crazed
  • Phase 9: Vanish and Reappearance
  • Phase 10: Disappearance and Ditch
  • Phase 11: Reproduction and Jumbo Climax
 		236
Jeff McBride Adam Fleischer
241
Adam Fleischer The Magic of Mystery
243
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Paul Harris
245
Paul Harris Orange orange cut in quarters, one quarter is eaten, then rest is shown to have vanished leaving only the peel behind
  • The Peel
  • The Fruit
  • The Juice
 		247
Jeff McBride Brad Henderson
251
Brad Henderson Cupid's Arrow "A Love Ritual"
heart drawn on a blank card, arrow on another, arrow travels over to heart
Inspired by 253
Eugene Burger Jay Inglee
255
Jay Inglee Psychotherapy and Magic
Also published here 257
Jay Inglee Three on Mystery School
 		267
Jay Inglee Crystal Clear candle appears, crystal ball vanishes and travels inside a ball of black clay
 		268
Jay Inglee Treasure Chest spectator chooses one of four imaginary items, it's a playing card, that choice is predicted as well as whether the card is facing up or down
 		272
Jay Inglee Stroll prediction with hypnosis presentation
 		276
Jay Inglee Nail Writer Construction
277
Jay Inglee Additional Thoughts
280
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Jade
283
Jade Expecting a Miracle performer is pregnant woman, unborn baby kicks to indicate "stop" as spectator deals to locate card
Also published here 285
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Kevin James
287
Kevin James Sword of the Samurai appearing samurai sword
 		289
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Just Alan
291
Just Alan The Three Treasures "Transcending Time and Space"
presentation for Professor's Nightmare
 		293
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Todd Karr
297
Todd Karr, Timothy Leary The Timothy Leary Magic Inter-View
299
Todd Karr Crystal Heart quartz stone changes into crystal heart in hand of spectator
 		303
Todd Karr Numbers presentation of a magic square routine
 		304
Todd Karr Prince Rainier's Plume animated feather dips into ink and draws a portrait by itself on a signed piece of paper
Inspired by
  • John Carney's animated pen routine
 307
Jeff McBride Bryce Kuhlman
311
Bryce Kuhlman Accentuate the Positive invisible coin and is flipped into the air, coin and heads/tails is predicted
Inspired by 313
Jeff McBride Joe Lantiere
317
Joe Lantiere The Witchcraft Potential Test 3x3 cards laid out, spectator moves broom around according to instructions
 		319
Jeff McBride Vito Lupo
323
Vito Lupo zenStticks thin sticks are balanced in impossible conditions
 		325
Vito Lupo Magic and Mime
  • Tools and Technique
  • The Absurd
  • Simplicity
 		327
Vito Lupo Preparation for a show
 		329
Vito Lupo Music
331
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Patrick Martin
333
Patrick Martin Peace of Paper folded paper bird becomes real bird in flash
Related to 335
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Sean Masterson
339
Sean Masterson The Magician's Initiation
341
Eugene Burger Dan Mindo
345
Dan Mindo Two-by-Four Shackles Chain Link Handcuffs escape
 		347
Jeff McBride Alain Nu
349
Alain Nu Zodiattack
  • The Astrology Game
  • Background
  • Attack 3
  • Virgo, Aries, Gemini
  • Nine Other Symbols
  • Forgiven Reactions
  • The Scales
  • Size Matters
  • Water Signs
  • Alternative Handlings
  • Doppelreading
 		351
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride David Parr
361
David Parr Fear on stage fright
 		363
David Parr Blood From a Stone
366
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Dr. Jennifer Pauls
369
Dr. Jennifer Pauls A Physicist Talks About Magic, or "A Strange Thing Happened on the Way to the Lab"
371
Dr. Jennifer Pauls Inside physics, science and magic
 		371
Jeff McBride, Eugene Burger Father Daniel Rolland
375
Father Daniel Rolland Bubble Magic soap bubble becomes solid
 		377
Jeff McBride Samina
379
Samina Into Gold lump of lead to gold coin
 		381
Jeff McBride Luna Shemada
383
Luna Shemada M For...
385
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Abbi Spinner McBride
387
Abigail Spinner McBride Drumming in the (He)art of Magic
389
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Margaret Steele
391
Margaret Steele Musical Inspiration
393
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride John Tudor
397
John Tudor Developing A Leak in the Universe
  • The Original Version
  • The Box as Redemption
 		399
Eugene Burger Newell Unfried
401
Newell Unfried The 203rd 4rce
  • Background
  • Basic 203rd Force (Original Christ Method)
  • Spectator Handling Subtlety (Clayton Rawson)
  • Easy Multiple Force Variation
  • Revolving Block Multiple-Card Force Principle
  • Adding and Ditching the Double-Backer
  • Business cards
Inspired by 403
Newell Unfried Messenger of Death spectator should avoid death card (Ace of Spades), he chooses the Queen of Hearts which is predicted, all other cards are Aces of Spades
 		405
Newell Unfried Hot and Cold spectator feels heat with gum-wrapper foil, non-toxic version of Hypno-Heat
 		406
Appendices
409
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Rogan Taylor
411
Rogan Taylor Magical Mysteries and Harry Houdini
  • Introduction (2003)
  • Eastern Magic Tricks
  • The Great Bosco
  • Robert-Houdin
  • Harry Houdini
 		413
Other Voices
441
Terence McKenna Magic, Science, and Language
443
Eugene Burger, Jeff McBride Goodbyes
445
Data entered by Denis Behr, April 2023.