I performed my first show at four-and-a-half years of age. At the age of nine, I did my first paid performance; it was a birthday party. At the age of thirteen I was granted a performing licence to perform at London’s Covent Garden – as far as I know, I’m still the youngest ever to have been granted such a licence.
I’m the author of the book: Confidence Explosion: Destroy Your Fears & Explode Your Confidence Through the Roof! I divide my time between entertaining audiences at private and corporate events, writing, and carrying out personal mentoring, working privately with individuals who wish to express themselves more fully – more vibrantly – beyond the illusions of our consumer-driven society.
Question 1: What are your top 3 effects in magic and why?
Three of my favourite effects are:
1) Telling a person a name they are only thinking of! This has great power because it is deeply personal to the individual. It has meaning for them.
2) Making a borrowed object (a coin, for example) move from my hand into someone else’s hand; because making items appear in the hands of other people is impactful on many levels. It is a metaphor for moving past boundaries; for transcending obstacles.
3) The total vanish of a full deck of playing cards! It has a shock and surprise factor that is most delicious!
Question 2: What is your intention and goal with every performance you give?
My intention – with every performance that I deliver – is to express who I am as fully and completely as possible, using the art of magic as the vehicle. To me, that is what true art is: connecting others with a deep insight into your unique expression in the world.
Question 3: What are you currently doing to leave the craft of magic a little better than you found it?
By keeping the promise I made to myself to be the very best performer that I can be, and continuing to remember that the journey of continual personal improvement never ends. IT NEVER ENDS!
I am just as enamoured, now – just as compelled and fascinated by magic – as when I first entered into this incredible domain of expression. And I see this sense of fascination as a ‘gift’ I give to my audiences, every time that I perform.
Julian James – Extreme Mind Magician
www.MindMagician.com
Mike’s Guest Blogger Commentary
In reading his contribution, it occurred to me that he doesn’t want to waste time. Every moment is precious, especially in allowing people to get to know him, and him creating a space where people feel safe enough to share themselves with him.
If you look at his three favourite effects, you would not be able to classify them by classical titles – two of his effects are simply the vanish of an object, a coin or a deck of cards. I am of the opinion that the strongest effects in magic are the production and vanish of an object, END OF STORY.
If someone says to me, “show me a magic trick” I will not immediately go into one of my more theatrical pieces. In that moment, all the individual is looking to experience is a “moment of pure astonishment”.
Look at Julian’s first choice effect; Telling a person a name they are only thinking of!
In that moment, he has achieved an “extra ordinary moment” (a phrase coined by Ken Webber.) This effect doesn’t get any better because it achieves a profound moment of relatedness. If this effect is handled with great care and sensitivity, this will truly be memorable for your spectator.
To wrap up, Julian commitment to excellence in all that he does is fully evident. As a fellow student of magic and personal development, his ongoing quest for personal improvement is something I admire about him and his magic is waiting for you to enojoy.
Thank you Julian for your contribution and I hope you dear reader get a lot of value from his contribution.