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Welcome! Thank you for purchasing the Art Of

Knowing Toolbox. This is a collection of ideas
and presentations that you can begin using right
away with “Art Of Knowing”.



Please note; to get the most out of this ebook,
you must know the method to my original Art Of
Knowing routine. The instructional download
video can be purchased here:

http://www.penguinmagic.com/p/7251



Regarding the original method (handling), I still
stand by it as the best way to perform the
routine. Since its release, I have seen many other
variations created by other people. Some are
good, some are not so good, but the one thing
that connects them all is an attempt to get
around having to perform second deals.





The second deal, as a sleight, has become
ingrained in the minds of mentalists and
magicians as a fairly difficult card move.
However in the context of a mentalism routine, it
is not as difficult as it would be if it was used in a
magic or gambling style routine. If people are not
expecting sleight of hand, they won’t look for it.
Society has a preconceived expectation of how
playing cards would be handled by a magician.
Nobody has a fixed expectation of how business
cards would be handled. If you do a sloppy
second deal with business cards, it does not ring
alarm bells in the minds of spectators. These are
business cards and if you treat them as such,
nobody will have any reason to think otherwise.
Nobody sees business cards and immediately
thinks “tricks”. Playing cards on the other hand
are fairly difficult to separate from the idea of
trickery in the minds of laypeople.



Another reason why I have not created my own
alternative method to using second deals is
because I think as artists, we must be willing to
sacrifice ourselves to ourselves. We have to be
willing to put the time, effort and practice in to
better ourselves. If you want to reach the temple,
you must be willing to trek the jungle.



One of the things I love about Art Of Knowing is
the fact that it requires no gimmicks and no
setup, it is completely impromptu. A lot of the
alternative methods I have seen stop the routine
from being impromptu, and this is something
that I did not want to lose.



If you have an alternative handling or method
that you use that works for you, that is fine, but
during the explanations in this ebook, I will
assume that you are using the original method,
and it is up to you to make the necessary
changes to suit your handling.



I will also explain each presentation as though it
is being performed for three people, but of
course they could also be performed for more or
less than three.



With that being said, let’s get stuck right in!

EFFECT



Questions are written by spectators. The
performer not only reveals the questions, but
can also provide answers.



PRESENTATION



Words in italics are spoken by the performer.



“I would like each of you to think about
everything in your life. Bring your entire life to the
front of your mind. Now I would like each of you
to think of one question that you would like an
answer to. Make it as simple and as clear as
possible in your mind. Make sure it is something
important, something that would be very useful
to you if you could receive an answer in some
way. If you cannot think of a question, I would
like you to think of a single word, an important
one. Make it an aspect of your life that you would
like some more clarity on. It could be money,
ambition, travel, career, health, education,
relationships, spirituality or other. When you have
something in mind, please take one of these
cards and write it down. Make it as clear on the
paper as it is in your mind. Use as few words as
possible so you have nothing but the core
essence of your question. When you have done
that, write your first name underneath it, as
though signing a quote or a piece of art.”



The above script makes it clear that this must be
an important question. By asking them to make
it clear and using less words means that you
won’t have to read an essay when you get your
peek. Giving an alternative to writing a question
also means that you can include everyone, even
if they cannot think of a question. I like to list
some keywords to give examples of words they
could write if they are not going to write a
question.





I have taken the words from the original
MATCHES acronym and changed it to
MATCHERS.



M - Money

A - Ambition

T - Travel

C - Career

H - Health

E - Education

S - Sex



I have changed them to:



M - Money

A - Ambition

T - Travel

C - Career

H - Health

E - Education

R - Relationships

S - Spirituality



The MATCHERS acronym allows you to
remember some of the important aspects of our
lives.



By asking them to write their name underneath,
they are marking the cards for you. As long as
you know their names before you begin (you
should know their names if you are doing
something as serious as this) you will be able to
identify which card belongs to who when you get
your peek. In Q&A style routines it is normal to
have people write their names along with their
question.



The cards have been collected, mixed and
handed back to you.



You deal, deal, second deal (as in the original
method) and continue by saying,



“Our thoughts are constantly changing, every
second of every day. The thoughts that you have
now are entirely different from the thoughts that
you had seconds ago. At any given moment, the
subconscious mind receives roughly eleven
million pieces of information per second, but the
conscious mind can only process around forty
pieces per second. That is still a huge amount of
information whizzing around every second. By
writing something down, it becomes fixed, and
no matter how the thoughts in your head
change, the thought on the paper will remain
permanent. This is necessary for the amount of
focus that will be required for each of them.”



This very nicely justifies having anything written
down. Depending on the research, the numbers
often change regarding what the subconscious
receives and the conscious can process,
however, the subconscious number is always in
the millions, and the conscious always in the
tens.



Any thought reader should be aware of this. If
you are having a spectator think of something
while you reveal it, you have to take these
variables into account.



In a few moments when you get your peek, you
will need a reason to stare at their card for long
enough to read what is written on it.



At this point in the routine, you will be left
holding a stack of business cards with one of
your spectator’s questions face down on top.
Simply shuffle it to the bottom as you say,



“On one of these cards I will draw some symbols
that are consistent throughout every society in
the world. The meaning behind the symbol that
you are most drawn to is what is going to help us
find an answer to your question or some insight
into your life.”



Now, with the spectator’s card on the bottom of
the stack, you can begin to draw some symbols
on the card that is on top of the stack. I will list
the symbols I like to draw, and later we will talk
about some alternatives.



I draw a heart symbolising love.

A four leafed clover symbolising luck.

A cross symbolising health (medical cross).

A dollar sign symbolising wealth.

A star symbolising future or spirituality.



Now, with these drawings on top of the stack
and a spectator’s card on the bottom of the
stack, hold the entire stack up so that your
spectator’s can see the symbols, being careful
not to flash the question on the back of the
stack. 



“These symbols loosely represent love, luck,
health, wealth and future or spirituality. They
could also mean different things depending on
the individual looking at them.”



As you say the above, and as your spectators
are looking at the symbols, have a quick peek at
the name on the question card that is on the
back of the stack. Don’t bother trying to read the
question just yet. Look at the name, and this will
tell you which spectator to choose first.



Hover your hand above the first card on the
table. “Sense” who's card it is (in reality you will
be saying it is the card of whoever’s name you
just peeked) For example, Sandra.



“Ok Sandra I feel this first card is your one. Take
a look at these symbols, and I want you to point
to the one that you are most drawn to. It doesn't
have to have anything to do with your question,
just the one that resonates the most with you.”



Hold the stack slightly closer to Sandra, and
now you have a perfect peek at her question on
the bottom of the stack. The time it takes her to
look at the symbols, choose and point to one will
give you more than enough time to read her
question. When you have read it and she has
chosen a symbol, place the entire stack on the
first card on the table (as in the original routine).



There are a few reasons for writing or drawing
the symbols on the card. Firstly, it creates a
point of focus for your spectators, that will allow
you a much longer peek at their card.



It also creates a reason as to why you are able to
know and answer your spectator’s question.
Whether you prefer to appear intuitive or
psychological, the choosing of the symbols
becomes a sort of indicator of your spectator’s
thoughts or current state.



I used to draw some more esoteric symbols,
such as runes or planetary symbols, but the
problem I found with this is that unless you know
a lot about those symbols, the reading becomes
much more difficult. It also becomes a little more
difficult if your spectator cannot relate to the
symbols. As an alternative to those I listed
above, you could draw some things that appear
m y s t e r i o u s b u t a re s t i l l re l a t a b l e a n d
understandable as symbols, such as the suits of
a deck of tarot cards:



Sword Action, intellect, thoughts, direction

Cup Emotions, feelings, abundance, connection

Wand Inspiration, ideas, spirituality, creativity

Pentacle Finance, material possession, gain



No matter what you decide to draw, the symbol
they choose indicates their current mental state,
and that is what you will use to reveal and
answer their question.



I’ve said it in some of my other works but I will
say it again here just in case. This is not about
predicting the future, it is about revealing hidden
aspects of the present. Answering a spectator’s
question is really just about giving them a fresh
perspective to view their problems from. You do
not need to give them a direct, crystal clear
answer. Taking inspiration from all of the oracles
and seers throughout history, an answer to a
person’s question is simply a narration that they
can use to reflect on their question from a
different perspective, and find their own answer
from within.



I’ve given more information on answering
questions in my previous works, “21st Century
Shaman” and “Pythia”, but if you have not read
those, I will provide a very simple but effective
tip here. Albert Einstein famously said, “No
problem can be solved from the same level of
consciousness that created it”



So use your spectator’s chosen symbol to
reveal the question in some way, and choose a
different symbol to provide them an answer
from. Their question wouldn't be a question if
they already had an answer. In searching for an
answer, they need to look at it from a different
state of being, or a different state of
consciousness. You can show them that by
simply talking from a symbol that is different
from the one that they chose!



For example, let’s say Sandra’s question was,
“Will I move to Spain?”. Now we can clearly see
that she wants to move to Spain. If she didn't
want to, she would have asked, “Do I have to
move to Spain?” This would indicate that
something else in her life could be pushing her in
a direction that she might not want (career,
relationship, etc).



Let’s say she also pointed at the heart.



I can now begin to reveal the question through
the lens of her chosen symbol. I might say,



“I can sense here that whatever is on your mind
is something that you feel very passionately
about. Something feels as though it is calling out
to you. Would I be right in saying this is
something you want, but there are other things in
your life that may get in the way? I feel that this is
a timing sort of thing, like you are waiting for the
right time to travel or move. I feel that this would
be a place that you have an emotional
connection to. Can you speak Spanish?”



So I have revealed the question through the
symbol of the heart (passion and emotion) and
instead of just revealing the country, I’ve asked
her if she can speak the language. It is a much
nicer approach, and appears as though I’m
further into this than I actually am. Rather than
Spain becoming the reveal, I behaved as though
I got the place in my mind, then got ahead of
myself and asked her a genuine question about
it. If she answers with yes or no it doesn't matter,
she will react because I indirectly mentioned
Spain.



Now I close my eyes for a few moments, or stare
intently at Sandra as I mentally choose another
symbol. In this case, I will choose the dollar sign,
as obviously money would be required to make
this move. I can now answer by saying
something like,



“I feel that in order to make this move, there are
some things in your life that need to be in place
first. Of course follow your heart on this but don’t
forget about the other aspects of your life that
would play a big part in this too. I feel you will
make this move once everything else is set.
When there are things we want, they tend to
spend a lot of time at the front of our minds and
can occupy a lot of our thought. Imagine taking a
photograph of your life; in the middle of the
frame would be the things you want, but
remember to step back far enough to see
everything within the frame, and when everything
is in place, when everything is smiling, then will
be the time to take the picture.”





I can’t say yes or no about her moving to Spain
because I honestly don't know. What I can do is
show her the situation from another perspective.
In this case, I didn't even mention money or
finances, I didn't need to. All I had to do was
describe the situation from the perspective of
another category; a different symbol from the
one she chose.



I avoid giving direct answers, especially when
their question concerns the future. There is a
concept called the “Self Fulfilling Prophecy”. If I
told her she would move to Spain, she might do
so because I said it. If I told her she won’t move,
she might not do, again, because I said it.



Your words have the power to set things in
motion, even if they don’t believe you or take
you seriously. When you visit the doctor, you
may leave feeling ten times better or ten times
worse, simply from the doctor’s choice of words,
tone of voice or even facial expressions.



If you put something in someone’s mind, make
sure it is not something that could unfold into a
life changing occurrence. Chaos theory suggests
that the smallest action has the power to change
things drastically further down the line. Avoid
saying anything that could set something in
motion. Instead, aim to provide a fresh
perspective on the same situation.



A good way to think of it is to pretend that every
word you say will come true. This will help you to
avoid saying anything that could change a
person’s life. Even if it seems like it could be a
positive thing, just don’t do it. Sandra wants to
move to Spain, great! But if I tell her she will, I
don’t know what her plans are. She might drop
everything in her life and jump on the next flight,
causing a mess in areas of her life that I don’t
know about. We don’t know enough about our
spectators to give them solid advice. The best
thing to do is show them how they can take their
own advice, or find their own answers.



One more example before we move on. Bob’s
question says, “Am I going to be happy?” and he
points at the dollar sign.



Who doesn’t want to be happy? Who doesn’t
want someone else to be happy? It seems like
the good thing to do would be to say yes to this,
however if I do that, Bob might spend the rest of
his life waiting for his happiness to come along,
and miss opportunities to actually do what he
needs to do to find happiness or bring it into his
life. Instead, stick within the system.



I reveal Bob’s question with the dollar sign, 



“I get a sense that there is something you are
trying to bring into your life that will give you a
sense of fulfilment. I feel that you are done
waiting, and spend a lot of time thinking about
what you can do next, or continue to do to bring
you happiness.”



Again no mention of money or finances, but the
reading came from me seeing Bob trying to bring
more money into his life to find happiness. I
don’t need to say, “...more money will bring you
happiness…” as I don't know if that is true.
However, using the symbol gives me something
to go off. It provides me with a direction to take
the revelation in.



I choose a different symbol, the heart (as it
seems fitting) to provide me with a direction for
the answer, 



“This is all about being aware of what is currently
in your life. There is no reason why you cannot
bring things into your own future, but right now,
the future hasn’t happened yet. It doesn’t exist
yet and you can let it become whatever you
want, you create your own future. More
importantly, you can decide how you are going
to feel in the future. Happy or sad, the choice is
yours to make. However, take a look at what you
already have right now. Recognise the good
things, become aware of them in your daily life
and nurture them. This is the source of your true
happiness and it will continue to grow.”



No mention of love, passion, friends or family,
but the symbol of the heart gave my answer its
direction. It is basically a way of saying, “Instead
of waiting for happiness, find it instead. Start
with what you already have.”



Sometimes, it can be a little uncomfortable for
your spectator if you reveal their question in a
way that will make everyone within earshot know
what their question was. Through your
revelation, just let your spectator recognise their
question within what you say before moving on
to the answer, and that is more than enough.



With practice, answering questions gets easier.



Ok! So you’ve answered the first question, you
pick up the entire stack of cards and pretend to
read the question, when in fact you are reading
the next question and name of who wrote it!



After reading the question, I like to say, “Do you
feel that my answer is helpful in some way?” As
I make eye contact with them, and begin the
second deal. Most of the time they say yes, even
if they are just acknowledging the fact that you
were able to reveal the question in the first place.



Do the second deal, and before handing the card
directly to them, I like to put the stack of cards
down onto the next card on the table (as in the
orignal routine) and use both hands to fold their
card in half once first before handing it to them.
This is just to suggest that their writing should
remain private. What they do with the card next
is up to them.



I am now ready for the next question, which I
have just read. I know who it belongs to so I
hover my hand above the stack and say, “I feel
this next one is yours” and point to the person
who’s name and question I have just read.



I ask them to point to a symbol on that top card
and begin to provide my reveal and answer in
the same way that I did with the first one.



I can then repeat the process of picking the
stack up, reading the last question, doing the
second deal, putting the stack down, folding the
card and handing it to them.



Now I am ready for the last spectator. They point
to a symbol, and one more time, I repeat the
process for them.



A nice thing here is, when you get that first peek
at the beginning when talking about the
symbols, you do not need to repeat that same
peeking process again, as after the first
question, the rest of your peeks come from
pretending to read the question that you have
just revealed.



It makes sense to hold the symbols up when you
first introduce them, but logically there is no
reason to do that each time. you don’t need to
re-introduce the symbols, so it would make
sense that you just put the stack down
immediately, rather than holding them up again
for the next spectator to choose one. The
moment when you held the cards up to talk
about the symbols will be long forgotten. One
thing I will say though is just be consistent with
what you ask your spectators to do each time.
Don’t ask your first spectator to point at a
symbol, then ask the others to name a symbol.
Even though, after you are finished with the first
spectator, the cards are on the table and you are
not peeking, ask your remaining spectators to
point at a symbol too when it is their turn. 

EFFECT



A beautiful ritual that will help your spectators
unlock the thoughts required to manifest a future
they strive to have. 



PRESENTATION



For best effect, have some small envelopes with
you. There will be one for each spectator, in
which you will be putting their cards before
handing it to them. The envelopes are optional
but as you will see, this presentation is utterly
beautiful if you include them.







You begin by saying, 



“I would like each of you to think of something
that you would like to bring into your own future.
It could be absolutely anything that you want.
Think of one, important thing that would bring
you nothing but pure happiness if it somehow
appeared in your future. Try and sum that thing
up in a single word.”



Hand each of them a card and ask them to write
this word down. Then, above it or below it, ask
them to write the word “To” followed by their first
name, as though writing a gift card, for example,
“To Lewis”.



The cards are collected, mixed and handed to
you. As in the original routine, you;



Deal, deal, second deal.



Secretly flip the top card over, or even better,
shuffle it to the bottom of the stack (this will be
one of the spectator’s cards). As you do this,
say,



“Now the future is a blank canvas, it does not
exist yet. The only things we carry into the future
are our feelings. If you continue to tell yourself
that something won’t happen, or that you won’t
be able to do something, then guess what? That
is exactly what will happen, you will have denied
yourself what you truly want. Our thoughts really
do shape our physical reality. It is possible to
think about lemons until your mouth waters. It is
possible to think about death until you actually
begin to panic. We have a natural tendency to
lean towards the more negative side of things.
We spend too much time thinking about ‘what if’
rather than ‘what next’. If you take control of your
thoughts and aim them in a possitive direction,
then physically and psychologically you will
program yourself for success. Carrying positivity
into the future can only bring good things, in the
same way that carrying negativity into the future
can only bring stress and worry. This might not
be a magical fix, but the first step in creating a
future you want is to give yourself the right
mindset for it now.”



Hold the stack of cards up as if showing them to
your spectators, and get your peek on the back
of the stack. There will be a single word and a
name identifying who wrote it. Continue with, 



“I had you write these hopes down for a very
specific reason which we will get to at the end.”



Talking about the cards allows you to gesture
with them, giving you enough time to get your
first peek. Just be very careful not to flash the
card on the bottom of the stack.



Place the stack down on the first card (as in the
orginal routine). You are now ready to begin.



“Science has shown that consciousness exists
within us and without us. Our thoughts are not
only within our minds, they are also around us.
We only become aware of our thoughts when we
consciously choose to do so. In a similar way
that silence is actually all sound, just waiting to
be given a voice. One of the oldest natural
human abilities is the abilty to sense the feelings
and emotions of others. This shows that we are
capable of ‘sending things out’ in some way. I
would like you all now to visualise a future in
which you actually have what you’ve written. See
it, feel it! Imagine sending that out into the world
so strongly that the natural forces of nature have
no choice but to acknowledge it.”



Hover your hand over the stack of cards and
say, “I feel this first one belongs to you” and
point out whoever’s name and word you just
peeked.



Now you can begin to reveal their chosen word
as though you can some how feel it. Don’t ask
them to repeat it in their mind as you “read their
mind” and find it that way. Behave as though
their thoughts do exist outside of their mind and
you are in tune with that. Imagine that they are
generating waves that you resonate with. Begin
to describe their word as a feeling, as an esence
in which you feel the presence of. Don’t resort to
a standard mentalism reveal, let this become
something beyond normal understanding. Let
your spectators witness a true moment of sacred
wisdom as an ancient shamanic act is reborn. If
you genuinely feel it, your spectators will too.
Don’t describe a word, this is beyond words,
describe a future.



I will just mention, this isn’t the same as telling
your spectator what their future will be. You are
describing a future because it is a future that
they are imagining. This is not a prophecy. They
are imagining themselves enjoying a future with
something they want, all you are doing is
demonstrating that you can feel the thoughts
that they are sending out, and are able to
describe them.



After the revelation, pick up the entire stack, get
your next peek as you pretend to look at their
card, do the second deal, table the cards (ontop
of the next card) and now put your spectator’s
card in an envelope and hand it to them.



Repeat this entire process with the remaining
spectators. As you deal with the final spectator,
behave as though you have become tired,
drained by all of this energetic work (whilst still
giving them the full experience). Not only does
this help things to look more authentic, it also
gets you out of having to repeat the routine with
someone else. If they can clearly see it takes a
lot out of you, they will hesitate to ask you to do
it again.



At the end of the routine, you will have revealed
all thoughts, and each spectator is left holding
an envelope with their card inside. Hand them
the pen again and ask them to write the words,
“MY FUTURE” on their envelope. End by saying,



“This is a gift from me that you will gift to
yourself. Give yourself the gift of a future that you
want and deserve.”



Beautiful.



You can give further instructions by saying, 



“Keep this with you every day. Let it dominate
your thoughts. At least once a day, take the card
out and remind yourself of this gift you have
given to yourself. Repeat the visualistation you
did a moment ago, and truly see yourself with
these things in your future. On some level, in
some way, you can and will begin to define your
own future.”



I have never had to use this next line, because
the concept of this is so beautiful and so
personal that nobody would ever want to ruin it
for themselves, but if anyone bursts their own
bubble and discredits this gift, simply say,





“You might not have any faith in this, but your
subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference.
The subconscous mind accepts everything, no
matter how strange it may seem. It doesn’t know
the difference between up and down, real and
imagined, good and bad, hot and cold, black and
white, logic and reason, this is the purpose of the
conscious mind. This is why even the weirdest
dreams feel real, because the conscious mind
isn’t there to correct everything. So continue to
do this, let your subconscious mind accept this
as a gift for the future, and it will begin to behave
as such, and that just may be the key to allowing
this to manifest or appear in your future.”



If a spectator has written something highly
unlikely such as winning the lottery, then in your
reveal of it, describe it as you seeing them
inviting more money into their lives which will
allow them to live comfortably. Avoid describing
seeing them as winning the lottery. Then before
your closing statement at the end of the routine,
you could say,



“Now some things are of course out of our
control. Shaping your future might not cause you
to win the lottery, but ask yourself, is money what
you desire, or is it happiness and comfort that
you desire? Money can solve problems, and if
that is what you wish to bring to your own future
then there is no reason why you cannot do that,
just remember that you can find comfort and
happiness far quicker, and with far less money
than a lottery jackpot.”



This helps to keep them confident in the ritual
and feeling positive with their experience,
without destroying their vision of the future. This
routine is more about personal development
than it is about achieving the impossible.



If you decide not to use envelopes, you can have
them write the words “MY FUTURE” on the
other side of the card, but by using the
envelopes it becomes and feels more like a gift.



If, like me, you use blank business cards for your
Art Of Knowing routine, then already inside each
of the envelopes you could have one of your
actual business cards too. Of course if you use
your normal business cards for the routine, then
your spectator will automatically end up with
your contact details and information.
EFFECT



A reading which results in the reveal of your
spectator’s star signs.



PRESENTATION



The main thing that I wanted to share here is my
script. If you are not comfortable with giving
simple readings, you could use my Metaphysical
Alphabet, which I have included in this ebook.
There are many different approaches to giving
quick and easy readings. If you want something
more in-depth, my ebook “Thought Theatre” is a
good place to start, and my ebook “Pythia” is an
entire publication dedicated to giving the most
genuine readings possible.

I don’t often perform this routine anymore, but a
lot of people love it when our routines involve
astrology, so I felt that I should include it here.



You begin,



“When you are aware of what your star sign is,
and you read things about it, you take those
things and apply them to yourself because those
things are supposed to be talking about you.
What I am interested to see is if I do not know
your star sign, can I describe what I feel about
you and see if this will allow me to guess what
your star sign is.”



You hand a card to each spectator and ask them
to write down their star sign. If they cannot spell
it, it doesn’t matter, just ask them to guess the
spelling.



The cards are written, collected and mixed, then
handed back to you. 



Deal, deal, second deal.

Shuffle the top card to the bottom then hold the
stack up as you say,



“Although I trust you, I am asking you to write
them down so that I can see for myself at the
end if I manage to guess correctly.”



This will allow you to gesture with the cards and
get your first peek.



Place the stack down on top of the first card,
“sense” who the first card is and turn your
attention to them.



You begin to give them a reading and finally,
reveal their star sign. 



When you pick up the stack, you get your next
peek before second dealing and handing the
card back to the person who wrote it.



The stack goes down onto the next card and you
repeat the above process with the remaining
spectators.



How do you know which card belongs to who?
This is up to you how you choose to mark the
cards.



What I usually do, especially with this routine,
before I hand the cards out, I draw an oval on
the card for them to write their star sign in.



On card number one, I do not complete the oval.
I remove the pen from the card just before the
oval is complete.



On card number two, I complete the oval.



On card number three, I complete the oval and
go a little bit past it. Rather than bringing the line
back to the starting point, I go a little past it,
creating a small tail on the oval.



This allows me to identify which card I gave to
who.



Alternatively, you could draw a line on card
number one (for them to write on).



On card number two you draw two lines, one
ever so slightly under the other.

On card number three, you draw a line from left

to right, do not take the pen off the paper, then
draw another line back and slightly under the
first, so you have a double line but two of the
ends are joined at a point.



There are many things you could do. One very
old idea (the origin of which I do not know) is to
use pencils of three different lead hardnesses.
Then you will be able to recognise who wrote
what by the shade of grey of the pencil you gave
them. Be careful with this method though, it is
very easy to make mistakes, especially if you are
peeking quickly.



Now let’s talk about the readings part. You do
not need to know about the traits of the star
signs to do a reading here, you are reading the
person, not their star sign.
METAPHYSICAL ALPHABET

Originally published in my ebook “Des Fleurs”




My take on an established principle. A simple
system of mental cues. Providing engaging and
unique content for a reading has never been
easier.

I assume that you are familiar with Ken De

Courcy’s Systematic Seer, and Richard
Webster’s brilliant Psychometry from A - Z. What
follows is my system inspired by these works. It
is not a replacement for the aforementioned
systems, rather a variation to compliment them
and be used alongside them. Luke Jermay,
Jerome Finley, Neal Scryer (and many others, I’m
sure) also have fantastic variations of this system
and I recommend them all.

When I provide readings, I use as much of my

intuition as I can. The content for my readings
comes directly from what I feel I should be
saying to each person I work with. This is
something that comes naturally over time, after
doing numerous readings and working with
various systems. You begin to let go more and
more of systems as your intuition and reading
abilities strengthen. However, sometimes I just
need an extra push if my reading begins to run
dry, or for whatever reason my content isn’t
flowing as well as I’d like. That is when I fall back
on the Metaphysical Alphabet. 


The System
To use the Metaphysical Alphabet, you simply
take the first three letters of your spectator’s
name (as in Webster and De Courcy’s work) and
each of those letters will give you a keyword
from the list below.

Then all you need to do is simply explain how

your spectator is like the item from the list.
Describe the characteristics, good and bad, of
the item from the list, as if they are the
characteristics of your spectator. For example,

My spectator’s name is MIKE. I take the first

three letters of his name and I get M, I, K. From
the list below, this would give me Magnet,
Intuition, Kaleidoscope. I can now begin to
describe the characteristics of those three things
as if they are the characteristics of the spectator,
and it will become a reading!

“You have an ability to attract the things you

need into your life. Once you set your mind to a
specific thing, in some way it seems to gravitate
towards you. However, I feel that you sometimes
find yourself stuck in certain situations that you
cannot get out of, and it is only through the help
of those close to you that you are able to find
your way back to the path you wish to be on.” -
Magnet 


“Those close to you will often say that you are

the person they come to for advice. They feel
that you are always able to understand their
problems or concerns, and even if you do not
have a practical solution for their problems, most
of the time they just feel better about things after
speaking with you.” - Intuition 


“There are some things in your life that you feel

need to change. You will only be able to make
these changes by shifting your perspective, and
looking at things from a different angle or point of
view. You sometimes have tunnel vision which
stops you from seeing what may be happening
around you, but this is ok. Staying focussed on
your goals is always a good thing, just remember
to take the time to see things from all angles
before moving forwards.” - Kaleidoscope 


It is also good to have a direction for each

keyword to give the reading a bit of a structure.
So for the first letter/keyword I talk about the
person them-self, as if describing a particular
aspect of their personality. 


For the second letter I talk about how other

people see them or feel about them.


For the third letter I give them some advice for

the future. So it’s not a prediction about the
future, it is a small piece of advice that I feel they
could take. If there is one thing I’ve noticed more
than anything else when doing readings, it is that
people need something to take away from the
reading. It is not enough for them to just listen to
and be impressed by the reading. The advice is
always the “money’s worth” part of the reading
(even if your reading is free, they have still paid
with their time and attention). Also, if your
spectator follows your advice into the future, it
becomes the future. It is a much more powerful
way of speaking about the future than trying to
make predictions and saying whatever you want
and thinking it wont matter. 


The above example briefly shows the use of the

keywords and the structure (personality,
perception of others, future advice) of a reading
with the Metaphysical Alphabet. Of course the
readings can be much longer, and the above
example only scratches the surface, but no
matter how long or how detailed you choose to
make your readings, just remember to describe
the positive and negative traits of each keyword.
Readings should be a balance of positive and
negative because our lives are a balance of
positive and negative. Nobody’s life is all positive
or all negative, we have to deal with both
whether we want to or not. It is very easy to slip
into the habit of only saying positive things
because we wish to keep the spectator happy
and smiling, but to them, it will not feel right. It
will feel like you are just trying to flatter them,
and suddenly the reading falls apart. Don't forget
to mention the negatives. Don’t upset your
spectator or bring them down in any way, just
describe the negative traits of the keyword and
you will not do any harm, and your reading will
feel a lot more realistic. 


It’s a bit like this. Let’s say I am talking to a

single female friend about a single male friend I
wish to introduce her to. In describing him, if I
only say good, positive things, she will begin to
wonder what’s wrong with him. She will become
sceptical about what I am saying. However, if I
give a balanced description, it feels more
genuine. 


Notice how I use the word “negative”, and not

the word “bad”. You are not saying bad things
about the person in the reading, you are simply
including the negative traits to give a balanced
reading that doesn't just sound like pure flattery.


Regarding the advice you give, I feel this goes

without saying, however, I still feel that I should
mention it. Never give any legal, medical, marital
or financial advice. Neither should you give them
any potentially life changing decisions to make.
Your advice should be more along the lines of
positive, motivational guidance for them to carry
into the near future. A positive outlook or a fresh
perspective of their current situation should be
enough, just give them something nice and
helpful to think about, that will not have any
drastic effects on how they live their life. 


When giving your advice, try to avoid any direct

commands, such as, “You need to do this..” or
“You should be doing this...” Nobody likes being
told what to do in this way, especially from a
complete stranger. Who are you to tell them
what they should be doing or need to do?

Instead, deliver your advice as though they are

just suggestions, and not directions. Consider
this brilliant child psychology tip: 


If you tell a child “no”, they don't want to accept

it. If you tell them not to do something, they will
want to do it. If you tell them they can’t have
something, they may kick and scream and cry.
However, if you say “yes, but...” the child will feel
like the decision is theirs to make, but they will
make it wisely after considering the
consequences. You see, they may not even
really want the thing, they just want the
independence to make the decision themselves.
As we get older, this doesn't go away. 


For example:



A child wants to run out and play near a busy
road. If you say no, you can’t do that, it’s
dangerous, etc. You will get the expected
tantrum from them because you have taken their
freedom away. 


However, if you say, “Yes you can, but if you play

by the road, a car might hit you and you will have
to go to hospital, and that won’t be fun.” Then
offer an alternative, “Why don't you play here
instead?” Now the child is more likely to take the
second suggestion after considering the
consequences of playing in the road. 


It doesn't matter if you have to exaggerate the

consequence, (usually the younger they are, the
more exaggerated it needs to be for it to make
sense to them) it is just a more effective
approach than just saying no.

Child: “I wanna draw on the wall!”

Response: “You can if you want, but if you do it

will ruin the house and you won’t be able to live
here with us anymore.”

Child: “I want all this candy now”

Response: “You can eat it all, but if you do it will

make you sick and you won’t be able to go and
visit your friends later. Why don't you just have a
little?” 


The older we get, the less exaggeration we need

as our understanding of the world is much
greater, and our common sense is much more
developed. 


Friend: “I really want this new car. Should I buy

it?” Response: “Yes of course, but is the timing
right?”

As you can see, this is the same technique as

above, but without the exaggeration as it is not
being said to a child.

When people ask us things, most of the time

they're not really seeking an actual answer,
they’re looking for us to validate the answer
they have already made for themselves, and
when our answer opposes theirs, it creates
conflict.

In the above example, obviously the person

wants the car. So even if we know they can’t yet
afford it (or any other reason why they shouldn't
buy it), if we say no, what good can that possibly
do? You can argue against facts, but it is a lot
more difficult to argue against emotions. So
instead, agree and empathise with the person
and their emotions, then ask a question that will
make them examine the facts, which will make
them re-evaluate their decision. You're not
looking to change their mind, you’re answering
their question in the most helpful way.


So, back to what I was originally saying before I

took you on a word safari, not only can this
technique be used to answer questions, it can
also be used to present the advice you give
during readings. Rather than telling them what to
do, tell them what will happen if they do. E.g. If
you want to say, “You need to change your
perspective.” Re-word that as, “If you change
your perspective... *insert what will happen*.” 



I think you get the idea. 


What follows is the list of words I use for the

Metaphysical Alphabet, along with the definition
of each one. 


I have a little exercise for you to do. Read

through the words and rather than trying to
memorise each one, spend a few moments and
make a mental list of three positive traits and
three negative traits for each. Not only will this
help you to remember the words, it will also help
to condition your mind for picking words apart to
use in readings. 


For example, the first word on the list is

Abstract. Spend a few moments and think of
three positive traits of an Abstract, and three
negative traits. Now think about how you could
voice these traits to sound like you are
describing a person.

It might seem slightly difficult at first, but this

technique is only a tiny (mental) muscle, and with
a bit of work it will become very strong, very
quickly. 


If, during a reading you forget what word to use

for a particular letter, just allow your intuition to
provide you with a new word beginning with that
letter instead. This is why it is good to be able to
quickly, mentally pick words apart, rather than
just trying to memorise a load of traits to go with
a load of words.


Abstract
Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a
physical or concrete existence.

Relating to or denoting art that does not attempt

to represent external reality, but rather seeks to
achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and
textures. 

Bohemian
A socially unconventional person, especially one
who is involved in the arts.

A person who is interested in art, music, and/or

literature, and lives in a very informal way,
ignoring the usually accepted ways of behaving.



Creator

A person or thing that brings something into

existence.

Someone with the creative capacity to invent

things, objects, ideas, concepts. They start from
a beginning rather than adopting a current idea,
method or course of action.



Daredevil

A reckless person who enjoys doing dangerous

things. Reckless and daring.







Esoteric

Intended for or likely to be understood by only a

small number of people with a specialised
knowledge or interest.



Fox

A carnivorous mammal of the dog family with a

pointed muzzle and bushy tail, proverbial for its
cunning.

A cunning, crafty or sly person. Baffle or deceive

(someone).



Gypsy

A member of a travelling people traditionally

living by itinerant trade and fortune telling.

A nomadic or free-spirited person.



Hero

A person who is admired for their courage,

outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

Intuitive

Using or based on what one feels to be true

even without conscious reasoning; instinctive.



Jigsaw

A puzzle consisting of a picture printed on

cardboard or wood and cut into various pieces
of different shapes that have to be fitted
together.



Kaleidoscope

A toy consisting of a tube containing mirrors and

pieces of coloured glass or paper, whose
reflections produce changing patterns when the
tube is rotated.

A constantly changing pattern or sequence of

elements.



Lantern

A lamp with a transparent case protecting the

flame, and typically having a handle by which it
may be carried or hung.

Illuminates direction or path.



Magnet

A piece of iron or other material which has its

component atoms so ordered that the material
exhibits properties of magnetism, such as
attracting other iron-containing objects or
aligning itself in an external magnetic field.

A person or thing that has a powerful attraction.



Nocturnal

Of, relating to, or occurring in the night. A

nocturnal journey, nocturnal activities.

Active at night. A nocturnal predator.



Occult

Mystical, supernatural, or magical powers,

practices, or phenomena.

Involving or relating to mystical, supernatural, or

magical powers, practices, or phenomena.



Premonition

A strong feeling that something is about to

happen, especially something unpleasant.



Quester

One who seeks; a seeker.



Reflection

The throwing back by a body or surface of light,

heat, or sound without absorbing it.

Serious thought or consideration.



Sceptic

A person inclined to question or doubt accepted

opinions.

An ancient or modern philosopher who denies
the possibility of knowledge, or even rational
belief, in some sphere.



Tree

Represents life, prosperity, strength, growth,

nature, etc.



Urchin

Mischievous child, imp, rascal, rogue, minx,
mischief-maker, prankster.



Vanilla

A tropical climbing orchid which has fragrant

flowers and long pod- like fruit.

Having no special or extra features; ordinary or

standard.



Wagon

Relating directly to “The Chariot” tarot card.




Reaching your goal, winning, being successful,
dominating, determination, self-confidence,
mastering emotions, showing authority.

Xenoglossy

The ability to speak a language that you’ve

apparently never learnt.

(This is a very interesting one to think about!)



Youth

Relating directly to “The Fool” tarot card.




Entering a new phase, expanding horizons, the
start of something new, adventure, journey,
unknown, acting on impulse.



Zen

Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism

emphasising the value of meditation and intuition
rather than ritual worship or study of scriptures.
Peace, serenity, inner voice, intuition, seeing
hidden talents, opening up to what you could be,
seeking the hidden and unknown.


EFFECT



Possibly the most intriguing presentation ever for
revealing drawings, with an ancient psychometry
twist.



PRESENTATION



I am fascinated with ancient history and pre-
history. There is a huge mystery in the human
timeline that inspired this presentation.



“When we think of ancient people drawing on
the walls of caves, we imagine them as ape-like
cavemen, however, the human form as it is today
reached full anatomical modernity around one
hundred and ninety five thousand (195,000) years
ago. But the first clear sign of creative thought in
the form of symbols or art, didn’t show up until
around one hundred thousand years ago. This
means that for around ninety five thousand years,
human beings that looked just like you and I, with
the same sized brains, were basically zombies,
then suddenly out of nowhere, creative thought
appeared, as though fully formed. This has been
named the greatest riddle in human history. So
as someone who works with thoughts and the
mind, I always wonder, what gave birth to
creative thought?”



You hand each spectator a card.



“When you go and visit some of the oldest cave
paintings on the planet, by simply placing your
hand over them you are indirectly connecting
with the mind of another, separated by
thousands of years. But in that moment, time
seems to vanish. Suddenly, the earliest thoughts
in human history and the most recent become
one, they become connected. It really is a
special feeling, and I would like to try something
based on the idea of the first creative thought.
I would like each of you to take a few deep
breaths and relax. Clear your conscious mind
and think about nothing. Let no thoughts enter
your mind once it is clear. In a moment I will ask
each of you to place one hand over your heart.
The moment you do that, the moment you feel
the beat of life, an image will start to form in your
mind. It will be something simple, childlike,
without detail. It could be a symbol or a basic
drawing, you won’t know until you see it, but
when you do, hold it in your mind. Ok clear your
mind, and place your hand on your heart… Now.
That’s great, allow an image to form in your
mind. Hold it in place, and then draw it on the
card so you do not forget it. Once you have
drawn it, it will fade from your mind.”



Each spectator does their drawing. Ask them to
sign it with their name too (as in the previous
routines) as though signing a piece of art. This
also marks the cards so you will know who drew
what.



The cards are collected, mixed and handed to
you.

Deal, deal, second deal.




Shuffle the top card to the bottom, hold the
cards up to get your peek, as you say,



“By drawing what you saw, that image becomes
fixed in time and space, so even if you forget
what it looks like, the evidence of it remains, just
like the cave paintings.”



You place the stack down on top of the first card
on the table (peek side down, of course).



“Those ancient people with their beautiful minds
drawing on cave walls lived so long ago that their
blood undoubtably runs through our veins. By
placing your hand on your heart and allowing
your subconscious mind to show you these
images, you are in some way connecting to
those who once were; who you once were. By
doing this, you are indirectly connecting the
furthest past with the nearest present, and it
becomes a reminder that your ancestors, your
earliest family members who you never got to
meet, continue to live on through you.”

I have found that this part of the script

sometimes has an emotional effect or affect on
certain spectators. I think that by reminding
people that they are connected by blood and
spirit to these ancient people and the origin of
our kind, it resonates deep within them as it feels
forgotten but memorable at the same time. The
thought of it creates an odd, poetic, beautiful
sadness, but it is not upsetting. It has the power
to bring a tear to their eyes but they cannot
explain why.



As you mentioned putting your hand on the cave
walls earlier, and they placed their hand on their
heart to recieve the image, you can place your
hand on the stack to sense who the first drawing
came from. Of course you know who’s it is
because you peeked it.



You have two options now. You could either
reveal the drawing from that point, or, if you
bothered to say the above script, take that
spectator’s hand, look them deep within the eye
(really deep, mean it more than anything) hold
the eye contact for a few moments of silence,
then begin to describe the drawing. As you
would hold an object in psychometry to recieve
impressions, you are doing the same thing with
your spectator’s hand.



Then when you pick up the stack after your
reveal, you have plenty of time to study the next
drawing before second dealing and moving on to
the next spectator.



Repeat this process for the remaining
spectators.



Your spectators can keep their cards as a
souvenir. It will mean more to them than any
other card they end up with after a drawing
duplication.



If you really, really want an emotional kick for the
end, you can prepare one of the cards by leaving
enough space for a drawing, and writing the
words “Your grandfather’s name:_____________”
with a line for them to write on. Secretly mark the
back of the card too with a nail nick or a pencil
dot. Give this card to the spectator who seems
to be paying the most attention. When you give
everyone the instuctions of what to write, add
the line, “Fill out as much of the card as you
can… All the information.”

Then when all of the cards are handed back to

you, give them a little shuffle and just make sure
that this card is not on the bottom. 



Deal, deal, second deal.



The marked card should be somewhere on the
table. (It will be either the first or the second if
you are performing this for three people).



Continue the routine as normal, but save the
marked card until last. So after the first reveal
and you place the stack down on the table, don’t
put it on the marked card, save that one until the
end.



Then when you are peeking that last card, you
will have a drawing and their grandfather’s name
to look at. During the reveal, you can say,



“This is interesting. Not only are you connecting
with your ancient family members, but you are
also connecting with a more recent one too. I
dont know if this is your grandfather or great
grandfather, but who is *insert name*?”



Of course they will react and say it is their
grandfather. It sounds a bit morbid but I choose
to have them write their grandfather’s name
because a spectator’s grandfather is a family
member who is more likely to have passed away,
and as this is about connecting to those who
have gone, it makes more sense that you would
pick up on someone like that. There is nothing
wrong with doing this, as long as you treat it with
respect. It is a nice way of allowing your
spectator to share happy memories of this
person after the routine, alive or dead.



If you wish to hide the card from other
spectators, simply take the card, fold it in half
and hand it to your spectator while saying, 



“It is not often this happens, but when it does it
is very special. Keep this and put it somewhere
safe. Don’t show it to anyone and it will become
your own sacred space, something to look at
when you feel like you need it. You can use it to
conjure memories or find comfort. Thank you.”


I hope you find something within these pages
that you will find use for in your performances.



Some of these routines can be very powerful. In
the years since Its first release (first in Diary Of A
Travelling Man, then in AOK on Penguin Magic) I
have developed some presentations for Art Of
Knowing that suit my style and chosen path in
the mystery arts. I aim to elevate my mentalism
performances from the entertaining to the
profound. I still do not feel I am quite where I
want to be with mentalism, but I am definitely on
the right path.









The world was once full of magic, now it is full of
tricks. Yes AOK still uses trickery, but the
experience is something else, and that is what I
am chasing.



In that last routine I mentioned the greatest
riddle in human history. One very likely theory is
that the origin of creative thought came from
natural, psychedelic plants which ignited the fire
within, and built a bridge between the conscious
and subconscious mind. Just something to think
about.



Anyway, I hope you liked this project, and if you
have any questions, please feel free to contact
me.



Much love,



Lewis Le Val

2019 (5 years after AOK)



www.levalsmind.com