Motivational Magic String Bracelet

This is a motivational magic trick which I have immediately put to use and you will too.

I got the idea from a short video of Jeff McBride on Youtube. In the video Jeff performed a trick I remembered from my early years in magic but he added a motivational message to the trick. You will find the link to that video at the bottom of this post.

The effect: The magician removes a string bracelet from his wrist. He then instructs a spectator to hold their index finger up straight. The string is looped around their finger and they are asked to hold on to the top of their finger with their other hands. This way the string can not slip off their finger.

He then instructs the spectator to think of an obstacle which is holding them back or blocking them from getting what they want. He then explains how obstacles are only an illusion and by seeing them as an illusion you are pass right through them, be free and reach your desired goal.

They are asked to let go of the illusion, change their thinking and be free. At that moment the string passes right through the spectator’s finger.

This is a trick which is easy to make and appropriately wear on your wrist as a bracelet. Then after your performance you can give the bracelet away as a gift so they will tell others about you and your message.

Preparation: You will need a piece string about 20 inches long, (cotton yarn works best) and two small beads. Thread both beads onto the string. The beads must be large enough to slide freely across the string. Now tie a knot at each end of the string. The knots may have to be tied several times until they are large enough to keep the beads from sliding off the string.

The secret: To create the illusion of the string passing through their finger you must perform the following.

Display the string with a bead at each end of the string. Ask the spectator to hold their index finger straight up. As they do this you secretly pull both beads to one end of the string. Hiding the opposite end with you other fingers making them think the string has a bead at each end. You then place the string over their finger and ask them to hold that finger with the other hand.

Next you pull back the ends of the string bringing your hands together and ready to let go of the end of the string without the bead. When you let go of the end you will grab you will be holding a bead in each hand. Pull the two beads out away from each other. This action will pull the end of string out and around the spectator’s finger and back into your out stretched hands. This happens so fast it will give them the illusion that the string has just passed through their finger.

Experiment with the handling on this to get a smooth release of the string through the beads. Have fun.

This is the video link:
Magic at the Edge by Jeff McBride; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntlZiKd2uiI

Having a second method of creating the same effect allows you to perform it a second time when they say to you, “Do it again.”

So here is a Webpage teaching you another method you could use with this same message. http://www.learnstreetmagic.net/learnstreetmagic05.php

Steve Hart