(Hank) Moorehouse 1934 – 2011 - The Society of American Magicians

from another planet. It is a hundred times more dense than iron.
The pencil you are holding must weigh thirty pounds, not one
ounce. Can you imagine that? Don’t open your eyes. Keep the
image in your mind.
“Try now to lift the thirty pound object. [Dramatically] You
can’t lift it. It is too dense. Your mind sees it, senses it. It is getting
even heavier. Try a little harder! You can’t lift it. Keep your eyes
closed. Say out loud to the audience, ‘I can’t lift the pencil.’”
She says with emotion, “I can’t lift the pencil.”
“Relax. The others aren’t sure what’s happening. Since your
eyes are closed, you may think I’m stopping the pencil in some
way. Try! Remember, you believe it is thirty pounds. Now open
your eyes.”
She does. Her hand may be shaking. The pencil is there,
resting on the performer’s hand. There is nothing constraining it.
Her face shows wonder.
“Please close your eyes again. Let’s change the image. The
pencil is now not thirty pounds; instead, it’s as light as a butterfly.
Use your mind. Release the weight. There is a butterfly weight in
your hand. Lift.” She does.
“Higher! Make it float up like a butterfly.” She does.
“Open your eyes and take a bow.”
Phase iii
“Let’s try the most difficult test.”
Saying this, the performer removes a small envelope from his
breast pocket. He opens it and removes a three-inch feather. He
blows on it.
He once more places the pencil on his open left hand.
“Carol, forget the audience. Concentrate on my instructions.
“This feather will gain weight when I put it on my palm. It will
weigh thirty pounds. You must create this image.”
The feather is placed across the center of the pencil.
“Carol, this time you will use both hands, but the feather will
be dense and so heavy it virtually locks the pencil down. You will
not be able to lift the pencil.
“Now grasp the pencil with the thumb and first finger of your
left hand, near one end, and grasp the other end in the same way
with your right hand.
“That’s perfect. Now close your eyes.
“Use your immense imagination. Direct your mind to making
the pencil immovable. Try, gently, to lift the pencil. Now try
harder.”
Her face shows a mixture of astonishment and self-congratulation.
“Open your eyes.”
She shakes her head in wonderment.
“Relax your grip. The feather is now as light as a...as a feather.
“Gently lift the feather with your right hand and blow on it.
Now, with your left hand, lift the pencil into the air – and take a
bow.”
She does, and the audience applauds.
“Mesmer would want you as a patient, and just as Dr. Mesmer
did, I invite you to keep the feather and the pencil as reminders of
the invisible forces in the universe and – most important – in you.”
method:
Phase i – the rise
The solution to this perplexing demonstration is a hidden loop
of invisible thread on the first joint of your left middle finger.
I originally used the
common “invisible thread”
sold in fabric shops. It is
made of strong nylon; and as
you will soon see, I still use
this in the second and third
phases of this routine. This
works fine, and I wear one
tight loop on my left hand.
I have recently discovered
an even thinner nylon
thread, which you may wish
to try. Also a sewing thread,
it is called Wonder Invisible
Thread and is made by the YLI
Corporation in Rock Hill, SC.
This clear thread is listed as size
.004 and comes on a spool holding
1,500 yards. There are, no doubt,
other similar threads available. Any
“invisible” nylon monofilament sewing thread
should work.
After trying many options, I have found
the simplest way to tie the loop is the best.
Cut off about eighteen inches of thread,
double it and tie a single over-hand knot in it,
forming a one-inch loop in the middle. Slip your
left middle finger into the loop and pull the single
knot fairly tight at the crease of the outer joint.
Because the thread is nylon, even though there
is only a single knot, it will hold. (If you doubt
this, there is little harm in tying a square
knot instead, although this knot is slightly
more visible.)
The loop should fit your finger
like a snug ring, without being
harmful. When you turn your
hand over, you may see
a mark where the loop
circles the knuckle.
Finally, snip off the ends
as close to the knot as
possible. The nylon
loop is “permanent.”
You wear it day and
night, so you are
always ready for this
demonstration.
The pencil is ordinary
but must be sharp. The
point will squeeze just
under the tight loop. You
want only the tip – the
smallest length you can dependably
use – engaged.
To cause the eraser-end of
the pencil to rise, very slightly
straighten the middle finger.
Properly done, this action is
imperceptible.
After you lower the pencil
AUGUST 2011 57