You will be throwing out these letters in this sequence:
R. A. I. S. E. the word (RAISE)
A lot of people use “R.I.A.S.E.” I have found from a presentational point of view it is easier to remember and flows nicer using “Raise.”
So let’s look at this in an anagram.
162
R – No – Leo, Pisces, Gemini
|
A – No – Virgo, Scorpio
|
I – No – Cancer, Taurus
|
S – No – Libra, Capricorn
|
E – No – Aquarius, Sagittarius
| Aries
The chart is incredibly easy to follow. You say a letter and if you get a No you move to the right; if you get a Yes you move down the chart to the next letter.
This is it in its simplest form. With presentation it becomes so much more, so let’s look at our example of “Capricorn”
again and break it down bit by bit so you can see my thinking.
Performer: “Do you believe in the Zodiac or horoscopes?”
163 Asking this question is the start of the anagramming process. I will base my performance on the participant’s answer. I want to create instant rapport, and therefore the way to do it is to essentially agree with their viewpoint. No performance of mine is ever the same.
Participant: “I do.”
In this performance the participant does; this is the scenario I find occurs the most frequently. If the participant says No, make judgement on their answer in a positive way. What do I mean by that?
Let’s say they say No. Respond with, “That tells me you are a logical thinker that tries to see the systematic side of things. That’s great, and I think what I am about to show you will fit perfectly with the way you think.”
You have complimented them for thinking this way, therefore keeping rapport instead of brushing against the way they think.
If the person is on the fence about believing, I might say,
“Are you open to experiencing something new and exciting that might change your viewpoint?” Then move into the line below about the stars.
Performer: “I certainly believe it is a fascinating subject. I am a massive believer in the fact that even though the stars are thousands of miles away, they really can and do have an effect on our lives here and now.
164
“I would like to read you, with your permission of course, to not only intuit your star sign, but to learn about you during that process.”
I ask for the participant’s permission to read them. This suggests that what I am doing is private, and there must be something about to be read, because if you weren’t really going to get inside their mind, why would you ask that question? It gives what you are about to do an instant air of credibility and at the same time I think it is theatrically nice.
Participant: “That is fine with me.”
In this scenario the person said Yes; if the person ever says No, then respect their wishes.
Performer: “We might be a little bit rocky in places, but this is nothing more that connection building. Building a connection emotionally and mentally can take years, as I am sure you know, and I have only known you a matter of minutes.”
This is giving you a logical early excuse for getting a No in performance. In this system you will only ever get one No answer. Most systems you get two. I have taken principles from outside of this that fit perfectly to only ever get one No answer, and the one you do get is in such a logical place it will never be remembered. I always hated being seemingly wrong after you have been right so many times, and that was one of the main faults with anagrams. Now I
165 never worry, because the excuse above is more than enough after they agree with it to even think about a miss. In fact, it opens the doors to you being bolder.
Performer: “All I need you to do is imagine for me your star sign written in the air. I want you to imagine looking over all of the letters of your star sign and just beaming them towards me. The better you can imagine this the easier this will be for me.
“There is one thing I will point out: because you have not mentally transmitted a piece of information before, I am almost certain I will not pick up on the letters in any specific order. I will just pick up on the ones your subconscious is focusing on the most at the time.”
Again, another pet hate of mine when anagramming is the seemingly random nature of picking up on letters. We don’t focus on words in a random order, so why would we receive them in a random order?
I thought about it, and this seemed very plausible and it gave me an excuse for receiving them in a random order.
Performer: “Can I take your hands?”
This is theatrical but suggests to the participant that some connection has been created. Why would you do it if it hadn’t?
The participant gives you her hands.
166
Performer: “Don’t say anything unless I ask you a direct question. Focus on your star sign written in the air between us…like…LEO. Are you seeing it there?”
This is a very important section; the timing is essential here. I first mute the participant—remember at this moment in time we don’t know what the participant’s star sign is. If we get a No on the letter R, you will see looking at the anagram there are three star signs it could be (Leo, Gemini, Pisces). I need to eliminate one of those star signs before any letter is ever thrown out.
The reason for ensuring the participant never says a word is to stop them from saying, “That isn’t my star sign,” when you throw out Leo. With that in mind, let’s look at why and how I throw out Leo, as the timing of this is essential.
If you take a look at the scripts there is a slight pause before the word “like” and then again a pause before I throw out
“Leo.” The reason for this is if the participant’s star sign is Leo, they will react as though you got it right. If they do not react straight away as though to say, “How did you do that?” then you need to quickly respond with, “Are you seeing YOUR sign in the air?”
Slightly emphasize YOUR, which suggests that you know Leo isn’t their sign and you were just using it as an example. If it is Leo, this is a miracle and then you move into the reading from here. If not, move straight on.
Participant: “I am.”
167 Performer: “Great, then we can begin. The first thing I am feeling is there is an R in this, correct?”
I discuss the importance of the word “feeling” in this book somewhere. (These are notes; they get moved so much I couldn’t outline where.) I throw out the first letter.
Participant: “Yes.”
In this scenario it is a hit; if in the eventuality it is not a hit, there is no worry there. Move straight into the line about focusing on this as a picture (outlined in this example after the letter S). For demonstration purposes, let’s say they had said No; then the signs would now be Pisces or Gemini. I would use Derren’s “Repeat It Principle”: focus on your picture and, while focusing on the picture, just keep saying the title of the picture over and over like Pisces, Pisces, Pisces. If they react you instantly jump on it with, “I was feeling that was your sign.” If they do not react, simply respond with, “Just repeat it over and over again like that.”
Now you know they are a Gemini. Seemingly, a miracle has taken place. In this scenario there is an R in Capricorn. So we would move on.
Performer: “There is also an A.”
Participant: “Yes.”
Performer: “I am getting slightly confused now, like the connection has weakened slightly. There is not a letter I in the star sign, is there?”
168
This is another important line. By claiming you are getting slightly confused, it gives you leeway for a miss.
Remember, probability is saying that the farther you get down the anagram, the greater the chance there is of getting the response of a No from the participant. I have taken this into account and have offered yet another logical excuse/reminder to wash away the No, and also I have, if you have noticed, applied a closed question.
The closed question is: “There is not a letter I in the star sign, is there?”
Say this with a little bit of a confused tone, and no matter what they answer it doesn’t matter. Look at the question again. If they answer with a Yes or a No, depending on what you counter with, it will always be perceived as a hit.
For example, and for full explanation, let’s say they respond, “No, there isn’t an I.” Quickly counter with, “I wasn’t sure I was seeing one,” and now you would move into the “focus on this as a picture” line. It’s never seemingly a miss. I have had, on one occasion (after mentioning I am losing my connection), the participant’s phone begin to ring, and when the participant stopped it I said, “Ah, that explains why. That really threw me off.
Where were we?” giving me a logical reason for getting a No later as you can point out that the phone interrupted you and you needed to refocus.
169 In this book, I have also applied this as a principle (I couldn’t tell you where, but it is definitely in here). In this scenario we got a Yes.
Participant: “Yes.”
Performer: “I might in a moment have to resort to you focusing on the picture of this star sign. Is there an ‘S’ in there?”
I am just topping up a suggestion I have made several times throughout this anagram. I am suggesting that I might fail at any moment. I have also created an excuse should it fail to shift the way the participant thinks, almost blaming them if I do get a No. In this scenario we are going to get a No now. See how I deal with it.
Participant: “No.”
Performer: “Ok, can you just in your mind count the number of letters in the star sign for me?”
The participant starts to count.
Performer: “In fact, please focus on this as an image if you can.”
The participant starts to focus.
Here I apply Michael Murray’s “CUPS Principle” (outlined in this book). I would for any other letter apply Derren’s
“Repeat It in Your Mind Principle,” but as I strive for seeming perfection on this letter I use this principle. I
170
notice the participant is struggling to count. Had it been Libra it would have been instantaneous, and I cut them off after giving them a few seconds and continue.
Performer: “Wow, this is much better; a wealth of information has just flooded in. (I would usually add scripts here but I will do this later.) I now know you focus on things aesthetically instead of analytically.
I now claim that a wealth of information has come through based on them thinking in a different way. This gives you a perfect example now to read the person and at the same time wash away the miss by simply claiming to have discovered how the participant thinks. Remember, you told the participant at the start that you needed to find the connection.
Performer: “You’re a Capricorn, correct?”
You now nail the star sign. Your work here is done, you have gained your credibility and you have with no props collected several pieces of information about the participant that you may not have known before.
Now with all that in mind, let’s take a look at the reading of the person based on their star sign. I have gone into a lot of detail about this in the “Readings” section of the book, so for the purpose of explanation let me go into the reading of a
“Capricorn” and explain how I would look at it.
So first, what is a Capricorn?
171 It is essentially a goat with a mermaid’s tail (that is what I see when I look at it).
What unique qualities does a goat have?
Well, it can climb up any obstacle no matter how steep and rocky. It is also relaxed unless pressured and backed into a corner.
What qualities does a mermaid have?
It is mysterious, it is rarely seen and it’s relaxed and placid.
It very rarely gets out of the water and is also known to be alluring and intelligent.
I also know that a Capricorn is an earth sign. Let’s take these simple qualities, mix them together and base a reading on them.
You are the sort of person that has had so many obstacles and curve balls thrown at you in the past that you have adapted to being metaphorically quick on your feet and have learnt how to overcome most of whatever life throws at you. I also feel with you there is a sense of constantly refining and aiming high; you are always aiming to better yourself and are not afraid to be honest with yourself. I feel because of this you bottle things up when portraying your feelings to others, and I bet it can often feel like your emotions can get the better of you at times.
You keep people at a distance and very few people get to see the real you; based on negative past experience, it’s almost
172
like there is an air of mystery that surrounds you. I say all of that in a real pleasant sense of course; it’s almost an air of cheekiness. You are a very grounded person that is the go-to person when people are forced to make decisions, and I bet at times that can be weighty, carrying everyone else’s problems.
I am certain for sure now. There is no other star sign that could represent you other than “Capricorn.”
As you can see, I just took the description of the drawing and turned it into a reading. Not much to it; reading is not all about doing this (as you will notice reading the readings section), but it makes a massive difference.
This concludes the way that I tend to anagram. I will also outline how to make an anagram later on in these notes and how I tend to think about them to try and detract from the letters. In the case of a star sign, it is a difficult thing to avoid.
The star sign is now revealed and you proceed with the routine.
Performer: “Now that I feel I know you a little better I think I am ready to answer the question. Have you ever heard the expression: ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’?”
Jess: “I have.”
173 Performer: “Well, as you know, my job is to read thoughts, and whilst you have not said anything out loud, I hope you seek some comfort in knowing I am reading you loud and clearly. I understand your problem and I have been in this type of scenario before.”
This is, I feel, a beautiful piece of scripting because if the participant genuinely believes you are reading their thoughts, then it will comfort them to know you have read the question from them and that you empathise.
I also suggest in my scripting here that I have been in this scenario before. I do this for two reasons: one, it suggests I can actually see the scenario they are in; if not, why would I mention it; and two, it suggests that I have been in a similar situation and therefore I have a right to be able to answer the question and talk about it without them feeling uncomfortable. Again, this is rapport building.
Performer: “I know you have been doubting yourself recently, almost feeling like you have to paint on a smile. I want to remind you of a few things; these few things will completely answer your question.”
Try to get some sort of reaction here. I don’t mean a reaction like a wow or a reaction to the effect; I mean a confirmation, some sign, that they agree with what you are saying.
Performer: “I have in the past been in a place where I felt so low, like the weight of the world was on my shoulders, that I didn’t feel like going outside to face the world in the
174
morning. I have felt that I just couldn’t get around to solving my problems and most definitely could not see solutions. It was only in hindsight that I realised that most actions stem from a thought.
“Negative thoughts create negative and null actions. Let me show you what I mean.”
This is a slight linguistic dual reality as the audience/witnesses will understand that as you are reading the participant and that is what they are experiencing (and it might well be). To the participant if it is, they will accept it as so; if not they will take it as a statement of how you have felt in the past and nothing more. It helps them to sympathise with you and makes them more suggestible to what is about to come.
Performer: “Can I please borrow your hand?”
Jess passes the performer her hand. The performer pushes Jess’ hand onto the table top.
Performer: “I want you to think of the feelings I have just been talking about. I want you in your mind to put yourself into a scenario where you felt like this.
“You will notice the moment you start to do this that your hand will become heavier. The more negative the thought, the heavier and heavier it becomes. Give me a nod when you feel your hand getting heavier.”
Jess nods.
175 This is a classic “hand stick,” but it has a premise and a purpose. The idea of sticking someone’s hand to the table seems like a daunting thing to someone who has never done it. If there is any time you are going to trust me it has to be here. It is self-working (well, to a degree); all it requires is trust in yourself and getting the participant to confirm that they feel it getting heavier. This is not set up as a challenge, so there is no reason for the participant to try and go against you at this point. Just follow the scripts I have provided and you will find this will work.
If it doesn’t the first time, don’t be disheartened. Keep trying it; it will I promise!
Performer: “We can often get so bogged down by negative thought that we end up not being able to do anything at all.
Give me a nod when you just know your hand is stuck solid.”
Jess nods.
You are practically asking the participant to give you confirmation that they cannot move their hand, that it really is stuck solidly. When they do this proceed.
Performer: “With these negative thoughts in mind, Jess, try to lift your hand and you will find you cannot. Just try to lift
Performer: “With these negative thoughts in mind, Jess, try to lift your hand and you will find you cannot. Just try to lift