Swami Theory 101 by Hal Saxon

Swami Theory 101 by Hal Saxon

"As a total newbie, I've always wanted to explore swami or nail writing, but there were too many choices so I had no idea where to start. I also love the list of tricks. I think I'll proceed down the lie detector route too. Thanks a bunch Hal." - Bill Peterson

Swami Theory 101 is a workshop-style swami writing tutorial for true beginners to this form of magic and mentalism.

The swami writer magic and mentalism trick is a classic effect where the magician appears to predict or reveal a thought-of piece of information, such as a number or word. The trick relies on a small, concealed device known as a "Swami gimmick" or "Swami writer," which allows the performer to secretly write or make notes without the audience's knowledge.

The true brilliance of a swami writer lies in its ability to create a strong impression of psychic abilities without relying on complex technology or elaborate setups. By maintaining the gimmick's secrecy and using sleight of hand, the magician can seamlessly integrate a swami writer into a variety of routines. Whether performing a prediction, detecting truth or lies, or perhaps revealing a hidden choice, a swami writer allows for a wide range of mentalism effects, making it a versatile tool in the magician's arsenal.

In this beginner course, you will discover my goals for swami writing, what gimmicks are readily available today, what writing surfaces are ideal, and what writing implements should be utilized. You will also see my recommended setup for the true beginner.

When I close my eyes and visualize a great swami performance, what would I like to see?

VERY IMPORTANT: This list of goals will dictate the type of writer I will employ, and this list of goals will eliminate many of the writers available. You see, many of the writers available today will fail to meet one or more of these goals or expectations and only a few types of writers will meet every expectation I set. Here are my minimum expectations or goals.

1. Show both hands freely and completely empty at any time of my choosing.
2. Show "real" writing with the gimmick hidden or palmed.
3. Write easily.
4. No fast, wacky, or odd moves and gestures.
5. Slow and natural. Choreographed.
6. An easy and powerful EDC - I want a perfect Every Day Carry and impromptu magic/mentalism effect available at any time.
7. Stability. No risk of losing the gimmick and blowing an effect.
8. A zero failure rate.
9. Easy on and easy off. I don't want the gimmick to come off unless I want it off. It must be easy to put back on, transfer repeatedly, and ditch.
10. Ability to use my misdirection plug-ins at any time.

When you see this list above and then watch as I compare the different swami writing gimmicks, there are clear losers and winners. You will also uncover what determines your ideal beginner setup. You will learn what works with varied proximity such as close up, parlor, or stage? We will look at the material to be written on such as plain paper, currency or card stock, glossy paper or cards, and even slate. We will discuss writing implements the spectator thinks you are writing with and what gimmick is a good match. Things like slate/chalk, ballpoint pens, sharpies, gel pens, and pencils.

All of these topics will be boiled down into the perfect beginner setup. Then we will look at many of the incredible magic and mentalism tricks with the swami gimmick. There are 40+ tricks in the accompanying ebook.

You will be able to perform swami writing mentalism feats with several different "angles." Your "angle" will be one of the following: A prediction, lie detecting, or mind reading such as thought transmission or thought reception.

You will also see a few phenomenal uses that marry swami writing with other effects in your arsenal that will create a much more magical situation.

The Swami Theory 101 Beginner Course includes 6 workshop-style videos totaling over 70 minutes of gold and one PDF workbook.

1st edition 2024, PDF 37 pages, video 1h 11 min.
word count: 7567 which is equivalent to 30 standard pages of text

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Ken Archer
★★★★★   Date Added: Monday 07 October, 2024

 

This is a good primer for beginners on the Swami. A lot of essential ground is covered with a wide range of useful inputs. Of course, success with the Swami can come only with sustained practice. My only minor quibble here is the accompanying 38-page PDF has almost 15 pages of ads not related to Swami.