You may use this article on your own website with my compliments on two conditions; you do not change it and that you include a link back to my website www.marcpaul.com

My name is Marc Paul and I'm a mind-reader. Which means I know what you are thinking, you're thinking is it possible for someone to REALLY read minds. Firstly let me give you some background.
I'm NOT psychic; at least I don't think I am. A child of 7 could do what I do with 20 years of practice!

Can I tell you what you are thinking right now?...no. BUT if I get you to isolate a single thought and then get you to think about that thought in a few different ways then YES I can tell you what it is.
I understand people and I know how they will react in certain situations that are controlled by me. This means I can "predict" how people will behave in those situations. They think they are making free choices but really they are following pre-determined actions that are ingrained in all of us. Derren Brown, the UK's prominent TV mind-reader and psychological magician once said "People's belief that they are not predicable is actually one of their more predictable traits!".

To read minds you need to be a good observer. You see, every thought we have manifests itself in

a physical reaction. If you can observe the reaction you can
interpret the thought.

This is REAL mind-reading and not some sort of magic trick.

When I was a child I got interested in magic and card tricks. I wanted to become a magician when I grew up. At the age of 12 I discovered that there is a branch of traditional conjuring that is called Mentalism. Practitioners of the art of mentalism are called mentalists. This area is far more interesting than JUST normal magic tricks as it teaches genuine techniques that enable you to develop mental skills that most people don't have or even know about. I like to call it "sleight of mind" rather than sleight of hand.
The first thing that I learnt was memory improvement techniques called "mnemonics" that enabled me to memorise a shuffled pack of cards in just a few minutes after going through it only ONCE. As a teenager I realised that these memory skills had real world applications....like memorising loads of information for exams! My teachers had not seen the particular systems that I had taught myself and seemed really impressed by what I could do.

Mentalism also teaches rapid calculation skills that, again, most people don't know. So I was able to go from being very average at maths to appearing to be a genius! Here's a quick example... someone would say what's 11 x 24...I would instantly blurt out 264 and beat my friends on their calculators. I knew from my studies that there is a very, very easy way to multiple by 11. You simply add the two digits, 2+4 in this case and put the result in the middle, 264. 11 x 13 would be 143 etc. This new found knowledge was fascinating to me and it has turned into a life time of study. What's  interesting is that there is a scientist in the US who is studying what he calls "micro-expressions" on the human face, he has been getting a lot of press coverage as the technique can be taught to the police etc. so that they can tell when someone is lying...mentalists have been doing this for the last 50 years!
So if you want to learn how to read minds you should study the art of mentalism.

With the world wide popularity of the USA television series "The Mentalist" it is hardly surprising that this rather unusual profession is now becoming known to the public. But in reality there are only a handful of true mentalists in the world. Yes there are a lot of magicians out there who do a few mind-reading tricks in their magic shows but only a few true mentalists. Derren Brown has popularised what we do and as a result made it more understandable to the public. Before this enlightened time the mind-reader was normally some sort of carnival mystic from the 1930's with a cloak and a turban. The modern mind reader is much more "normal" and is willing to let the audience in on SOME of his secrets BUT not all. I tend to play mind games with my audience rather than impress them with my ability, although that is still part of it! My show is about exploring what the mind has the potential to do and what you can learn about yourself as a human being.

I'm married with two children. My wife probably understands what I do as well as me which neutralizes any influence I might have over her in fact she can read my mind better than I can read hers! I live in Hampshire in Southern England with my family and 12 pets!

So now you know about me. Let's talk about YOU!

So you want to learn how to read minds or a least have an interest in mind-reading, mentalism or magic. Other wise you would not have found this article, that's just logic, but it also tells me some things about you at least in general terms. So even though you may be hundreds or even thousands of miles away from me right now let me get inside your head. Are you ready? Remember having your mind read can be both a thrilling and disconcerting experience in equal parts!

You are very passionate and enthusiastic about life. You know what you want and have an active mind. At times you are very imaginative and inventive. You like to be challenged by things. You are very stubborn, but you can use that to your advantage. You are very capable and generally optimistic, but can be impatient or headstrong sometimes. You are occasionally daring or impulsive. It is very hard for you to show and express your feelings with words and actions. Some of your aspirations can tend to be pretty unrealistic. At times, you are extroverted, affable, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary and reserved. You have found it unwise to be too frank in revealing yourself to others. You pride yourself on being an independent thinker and do not accept others' opinions without satisfactory proof. You prefer a certain amount of change and variety, and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations. At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing. Disciplined and controlled on the outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure on the inside. While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them. You have a great deal of unused capacity which you have not turned to your advantage. You have a tendency to be critical of yourself. You have a strong need for other people to like you and for them to admire you.

So how did I do? Okay I might not have got everything perfectly correct but I bet I did pretty well. Believe me I would have been spot on had you actually been in front of me! I could have even told you personal information that only you know!

The subtleties of mentalism teach you to know people, how they think and how they behave. If you really want to learn how to read minds then you must study mentalism. So right now the burning question in your mind is How do I start?
The classic advice to any beginning mentalist is to read "The 13 Steps to Mentalism" by Tony Corinda and "Practical Mental Effects" by Annemann also sometimes called "Practical Mental Magic". These books will give you a good foundation in a whole array of skills. But remember this is just a starting place to really learn how to read minds is going to take a life time of study, enjoy the journey.
I know, I know you want to learn NOW. Well you can't. Anything worth attaining is going to take time and thought. The sooner you accept that the better you're experience will be!

BUT if you just want a simple mind-reading magic trick that LOOKS like you can read minds then try this...  

Calendar Mind Reading

This is an example of what I would call "mental magic" it is the type of trick a magician will use when he wants it to appear that he is reading your mind.
You'll need a piece of paper and a pencil and if you have one handy a calculator.
Draw a 5 x 5 grid and write the numbers 1 to 25 in the grid in order, like this...