Why I Started Learning Card Magic

Alright, alright. I know you may be immediately skeptical about how card magic is remotely related to storytelling, but hear me out!

Magic is a lot like storytelling, and that’s why I wanted to learn card magic.

Start With the Card Magic You Know

At some point, my Dad taught me the classic 21 Card Trick, which, if you know what that is, then you know it is a no setup “mathemagic” card trick that is honestly pretty boring to watch (but has a spectacular finish).

While I can’t definitively say that I always wanted to learn card magic, I can say I always found it interesting. I loved the process of the magic because, ultimately, you and the magician are creating a story together. The cards will be different pretty much every time and even the reveal can be different just about every time. 

So, when I decided I wanted to try and tell stories with card magic, I started with what I knew: the 21 Card Trick.

Making Someone Else Magical

I started learning to do variations on this trick because I wanted to make it as nearly hands-off as possible and make it very clear I was not the magician: the crowd had all the magic.

When people can get involved with the card trick, then the experience becomes so much more magical.

I learned this a long time ago in college…

I was tutoring Koine Greek and this one individual was just not getting it (we were learning prepositions), so I created some note cards with all the prepositions, drew a big old circle on the whiteboard with lines going in, out, alongside, on top, below, etc.

Then, I handed them the prepositions and some tape and said, “Now, you try.”

Within ten minutes they were able to draw the same diagram in their notes with all the appropriate prepositions in place. Within a few more study sessions they were easily recalling all the prepositions and their forms and meanings for quizzes and tests.

Now, am I a great tutor? Yes, I am, but that has little to do with this story. All I did was make them an active participant in the study session.

They saw me as some all-knowing Greek tutor, but the Greek magic was in them all along!

Do the Messy Shuffle

Another example of card magic being a way to create and tell stories is with one of my all-time favorite card tricks: the Messy Shuffle.

Essentially, it is a no setup card trick that involves flipping cards upside down and getting them all mixed up.

At several points throughout the trick I like to include my audience by making them look at how awful and messed up the cards were. I complain about having to fix them all. I make sure they can see that some cards are back-to-front, others are front-to-back, and even some are back-to-back.

I’ll ask questions to make them especially interested in how this trick will end, but my favorite power move of all is to hand them the deck at the end, snap my fingers, and ask them to spread the cards.

All the cards are back to face-down order except for their card in the middle of the deck is face-up.

This trick has never failed to amaze the audience. Having them be a part of the story and stand in amazement asking them, “how did you do that?” as if they were the magician makes it for a great time and a fun memory and story to share.

The Worst Magician Ever

Recently, I even had the opportunity to preach at a youth group (I was a youth pastor for a while once upon a time!) and I opened the message with card magic.

The long and short of it is that I had the crowd involved, with one special assistant to communicate everything clearly for the group. I messed up several card tricks back-to-back and used multiple decks of cards to show that I wasn’t up to any funny business. Each deck was brand-new.

The reveal at the end?

I not only found their initial card in a new deck but I found their card in my pocket and even in my phone case.

What was the point?

That every failure was intentional. It was a part of the process to create a bigger, better reveal at the end.

What doesn’t always make sense to us doesn’t mean it can’t have purpose. 

Your Story

I don’t know where you are at in life. I may not even know who you are on a personal level.

What I do know is that there can be purpose for whatever is going on in your life: good, bad, ugly, or anything in between.

But, I also know that your story is important.

So is mine.

Card magic taught me that even silly, simple card tricks can make a great story or even invite someone into your story.

Thank you for letting me be a part of yours today.

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If you liked what you read today, then I would love for you to check out my other blog posts, too. 

I am a writer and storyteller. My business, DSM Story Forge, focuses on telling, creating, and sharing better stories. Whether your business needs help communicating their story through blog posts, copywriting, or even About pages OR you are wanting to tell your story somehow, then I would love to be a part of your story. Just reach out on my contact page if you are interested in working together professionally. If you are wanting to reach out personally, then please email me and I would love to chat.

A good story takes time and skill. Let me forge your story!