Emotional Intelligence

THE BLURB:
Phase 1: START SIMPLE

The performer attempts to read a spectator's mind.

The performer displays a stack of index cards / business
cards / napkins. Each card has an emotionally-charged word
written on it. The cards are mixed. A spectator is asked to
select one of the cards and remember a time they felt that
emotion.

The performer begins to vicariously experience the
emotion... vaguely at first... almost like a psychic
reading... but the performer gets more and more specific and
eventually names the emotion exactly.

Phase 2: BUILD ON IT

The performer attempts to transfer his/her psychic abilities
to a spectator.

One spectator selects an emotion card and thinks about a
time in his/her life when he/she experienced that emotion.

With the performer's help, a second spectator is able to
intuit the emotion the first spectator is thinking of and
name it exactly.

Phase 3: MAKE IT MEANINGFUL

The performer attempts to name specific details from a
spectator's life.

The cards are mixed. A spectator removes one of the emotion
cards. The performer asks the spectator to think of a
specific name and a time period they associate with the
emotion they have chosen.

The performer removes a notepad and pen. One-by-one the
performer writes down the specific details he/she is sensing
from the spectator's life. The performer is specific.
His/her intuitions are committed to writing so there can be
no mistake.

The performer is accurate to a degree that proves shocking
to the spectator. This is an emotionally-CHARGED climax that
can go in many directions. The performer is guaranteed three
hits.

A Framework for Cold Reading

EI provides the performer with three phases and five
guaranteed "hits". The methods Luke teaches are surefire and
can be depended upon in performance. EI does not rely upon
cold reading or guesswork.

That said, EI is ALSO an ideal framework for cold reading.
Within the context of EI, performers can apply cold reading
techniques without fear of failure. The three-phase
structure of the routine and the FIVE GUARANTEED REVEALS
ensure a great performance regardless of the accuracy of the
cold reading.

"I wish I had a routine like EI when I was learning cold
reading." -- Luke Jermay

Manufacturer Says
Features over an HOUR of live performance footage.
Performance venues include:

* The Magic Castle in Hollywood
* The Onyx Theater in Las Vegas
* Psychic Eye Book Shop in Las Vegas, NV

MY COMMENTS:
This is a solid and very strong routine. However,
professional mentalists need to note that there's nothing
groundbreaking here. If you're looking for some of Luke's
cutting-edge, unique thinking, which can be found in books
like 3510 and Building Blocks, you may be disappointed.
Professionals will certainly appreciate this routine, but it
just may not be what's expected. This routine comprises
classic principles put together to make a solid,
entertaining routine. It's sort of a cross between the
Osterlind Design Duplication System, Herb Dewey's reading
system, and Annemann's Fourth Dimensional Telepathy. The
basic principles of each of those are used here along with
another classic one used for the second phase which I can't
mention.

Using emotions is an intriguing and powerful angle. Greg
Arce popularized that idea within the last few years with
his brilliant Emotion-All. This routine, though, doesn't
rely completely on emotions. To clarify the blurb, the
"emotion cards" aren't cards with emotions on them, but
cards that elicit emotions. For instance, money and sex are
not emotions, but when people think of them, they do have an
emotional response to it. I'll also note that a key "SCAM"
idea Luke uses is by Herb Dewey and Luke doesn't credit the
late psychic reader. Finally, the methodology for phase two
may make some mentalists uncomfortable. Sorry, I can't be
more specific. But this phase isn't crucial. One can
always come up with a different phase or eliminate it
entirely.

In any case, if you're somewhat new to mentalism, this is a
great routine to become familiar with. It's versatile in
terms of venues. It can be used for close-up, parlour,
stage, walkaround, etc. On the DVD, Luke explains the
details of this routine. The DVD is not the slickest
production, but you get everything you'd want. There are
demos of each phase of the routine, along with commentary.
There is even a bonus section featuring Luke talking about
the art of cold reading. If you're a novice mentalist still
learning the craft, this has a lot to offer the serious
student. If you're an experienced mentalist, you may not
learn any new techniques, but if the routine interests you,
you'll definitely find it worth it for that.