A fragment fromthe

Orbis Ardentis
Libris I
de omnium rerum mentabilis
by Alain Bellon

2













A fragment form the
Orbis Ardentis, Libris I, de omniumrerummentabilis
(The Flaming Sphere, book I, of all things of mind power)
by Alain Bellon
2001. All Rights Reserved.

Layout, typesetting, printing and binding by Alain Bellon.


3
The Hidden Choice

We are all familiar with the equivoque principle. It is another
way to create a force or, as we saw in the previous section, to
reduce the set of possible selections. Unfortunately, the equi-
voque technique has been used and abused while its psychologi-
cal principles have been understood by just a few. Most practi-
tioners use the equivoque exclusively as an object force, which is
a very limited perspective on such a powerful technique. Equivo-
cation can be employed for forcing, reducing selection sets, inter-
preting an outcome or a situation to our own convenience, etc.
Limiting the use of the equivoque to just forcing, one object from
three, is nothing but a gross trivialization .


An Example

Commonly we see the equivoque being presented in the follow-
ing way:

Mage: We have 3 items here. We are going to eliminate two of them.
Please point to any itemyou want.

The participant points to an item. If this item is the desired one,
the procedure stops and the performer continues with the rest of
the effect. If, on the other hand, this item was not the force
selection, the procedure resumes:

Mage: Ok lets take that itemaway. Now I want you to keep one of
the items and give the other one to me.


4
If the kept item is not the desired one, the performer says that
they will use the one given to him in the experiment. Otherwise
the performer announces that they will use the item that the
subject kept.

This procedure seems effective but does not tap into the poten-
tial of the force method. So lets go back and examine how the
equivoque works.

Keep in mind that there are far better presentations for the
three-object-equivoque but I chose to present the mediocre ver-
sion as performed by many tricksters because it has more peda-
gogical value.


The Analysis

The objective of a force is to limit the set of possible selections.
In this case, with every repetition of the equivocal procedure, the
set is limited more and more and perhaps (as described in the
previous example) ends by singling out an item from the original
selection set. The desired reduction of the selection set is to be
achieved by as little repetitions as possible. Otherwise the proce-
dure will start showing its true nature.

So far this fits a general description of a force, but what makes
this procedure special is the hidden choice principle. In simple
terms, the subject is given a free choice, but no matter what is
chosen, the performer will eliminate the undesired part of the set
and keep the rest. I call it hidden choice because the subject does
not know if his choice is going to be discarded or kept. In fact the
subject should not be even know that he/she is making a choice!

5
I think that one of the factors that can weaken an equivoque is
the making it obvious that the participant is selecting something.

Furthermore, if repetitions of the procedure are to be made, its
in our best interest to present the choices in different ways each
time so that the principle is not discovered. We cannot present
them identically because our selection mechanism will change
depending on the choices. Lets keep in mind these very impor-
tant notions.

Finally, the hidden choice principle is not limited to binary set
reductions, but can most effectively reduce the selection set if
used in binary form. In some cases a more efficient set reduction
is possible by using tendency analysis and/or a little luck. An
example of this at work can be observed in the previous dialog. If
the participant selects the desired item on the first choice we rule
out two thirds of the selection set in a single operation, which
makes the procedure extremely clean. Psychological tendencies
can help us make the initial setup the most desirable one so that
we have a higher probability of getting to the force using fewer
repetitions.


The Elements

We have now dissected the hidden choice principle into 4 dis-
tinct elements that we can use to maximize the potential of the
procedure:

A choice of selection is given to the participant, but the se-
lection mechanism is never specified.
Repetitions must be presented differently to hide discrepan-
cies in the selection mechanism.

6
The mechanism is better disguised if the participant doesnt
know he/she is making a selection.
The selection set must be reduced as efficiently as possible.

Armed with our 4 elements we can now analyze the previous
sample dialog and find the points at which is falls short.

First, while the selection mechanism is not specified, the partici-
pant is told that his choice will be used to discard some items.
This statement brings the participants attention to the selection
process, which precisely what we want to avoid.

Second, if the repetition of the procedure was stated in the same
way as the first time around, a smart person might question why
the first time the selected item was discarded and the second
time it was selected. This is very undesirable even if the situation
will only happen half of the time. In the example, the performer
disguises the statement for the second selection by asking the
participant to give one item to him. This statement hides the fact
that a selection is being made.

Third, it is clear from the very beginning that the participant is
involved in a selection process of some kind. This fact alone is
quite troublesome. Why would one go through such a process if
one can pick a single object at once? It makes no sense. Also, in
most situations, the mechanism of the equivoque is more visible
if the participants know they are making a selection. Words such
as choose, pick or select should be avoided if possible. Instead a
more ingenious presentation can be devised around words that
will ultimately select but that dont point to selection right away.
This point in particular will be more clear in the effects following
this section.


7
Third, the selections are done visibly so the performer knows
what to discard. There is no attempt to cover the fact that the
choices made are known to all. When the selection process is
hidden from the participants, one can give a better illusion of a
wide and free selection. Remember that we can use the equi-
voque on more than just selecting objects, and in these cases it is
much more important to have an apparently wide selection.

Fourth, the selection is reduced as effectively as possible with 3
generic items. In the case of specific items, the selection could
combine known tendencies such that the desired item is reached
as fast as possible. Tendencies can range from position to colors
or appearance of the items (a center item might be selected more
often than any of the two extremes, or perhaps some colors are
preferred over others, etc.).

The sample dialog was not a bad procedure but it should be clear
that we can do much better.


A Broader Perspective

The equivoque is much more than a forcing method. Imagine we
start with a large selection set, perhaps world countries. We
could use an equivocal presentation to limit the set to a given
continent or even a few countries. Instead of using the words
choose, select or pick, we can easily construct a presentation
based on the premise of world conquering. Which country
would you like to conquer first?... I use this particular presenta-
tion in an effect that uses the equivoque to limit the selection to
four countries that can be predicted using any multiple outs
technique such as the Quaddro.

8
The equivoque can also be used in conjunction with other tech-
niques that use verbal or mental manipulation to create the illu-
sion of a free choice, as will be shown in my Destinys Choice
effect.
It can even be used to accommodate an outcome to make it look
as if it was the predicted or desired one. It can also be seen subtly
employed in Cold Readings.


Destinys Choice
By Alain Bellon


The Effect

The mage hands a boxed deck of cards to a person. The partici-
pant is asked to consider two aspects of his life to freely select a
card. The participant then takes the cards out of the box and is
asked to count the cards one by one on the table and to stop
when his mentally selected card is seen. The deck runs out and
there are only 51cards in the deck. Amazingly the mentally se-
lected card, which has not even been named, is missing. The
mage asks the participant for the identity of the card, and this
same card is produced from a sealed envelope inside the mages
pocket.






9
The Secret

The strong points of this effect are the facts that the card appears
to be a free choice, never named and is missing from the deck.
The production of the card in the sealed envelope corroborates
the notion that the card was removed from the deck prior to the
performance. Presented correctly this is a very strong piece of
mentalism.

Before going into the specifics let me outline the basic concept of
the effect. The card is a force using the hidden choice principle
in a very clever way (optimizing the 4 elements of the method as
outlined in the previous section). The force is not a single card
but a set of 8. These eight cards are removed from the deck and
replaced with duplicates of some cards in the deck. The 8 cards
are then placed in diverse pockets for the final revelation.

To create a convincing force we must give the impression of
great latitude when allowing the subject to chose a card. This is
done by limiting the value of the cards and limiting the suits. I
have devised two different ways to limit the values. First we limit
the subject to a number, this rules out the king, queen and jack.
Then we limit the subject to odd or even numbers. If odd num-
bers are used, we further limit the subject by ruling out the seven.
If even numbers are used then we limit the choice by asking for a
single digit. In both cases we end up with just four possible
choices: 1, 3, 5, 9 or 2, 4, 6, 8. The suits are grouped together in
pairs and a group is forced.

This sounds like a hell of a lot of forcing, but as you will see in
short, the presentation makes use of the 4 elements in the hid-
den choice principle to make it look absolutely natural and beau-
tiful. Only 2 choices are made to achieve the force!

10
So bear with me and you will see the forcing methodology.


Props

For practical matters I have decided to force the even numbers
and the spades and hearts. This leaves us with 8 force cards:

2 , 4 , 6 , 8
2 , 4 , 6 , 8

We remove these cards from the deck. The rest of the deck con-
sists now of 44 cards to which we need to add 7 to obtain 51. The
seven cards I use are:

10 , J , 3 , 5
10 , 3 , 5

You can choose any cards you want, but avoid cards that are
highly visible, like the A, or cards similar to the force cards, like
the 4 (since the person will be looking for the 4 and may rec-
ognize the 4 as appearing twice in the deck).

To assemble the deck remove all instances of the duplicate cards
(all 14 cards) and set them aside. Then shuffle the deck several
times to achieve a random distribution. Now, divide the deck
into two piles of 22 cards. Deal one card from each pile on the
table. At any point take a pair of corresponding duplicates and
place one copy on each of the two dealt piles. After all the dupli-
cates are in, put one pile on top of the other to reassemble the
deck. This ensures that each duplicate is 26 cards apart from its
copy, allowing maximum time for the subject to forget the dealt
cards.

11

As a final step in preparation, place the force cards in separate
pockets (and if you like, each in a separate envelope). I usually
use only two pockets, one for spades and one for hearts, since it is
relatively easy to pick the right card out of the pocket. If I have
more pockets I distribute them more. The important point is that
you should know exactly where each card is and be able to pro-
duce it very quickly. I have found that the envelope adds to the
effect, and so does a signature or message written with marker on
the back of the cards.


Performance

Mage: Could you please hold this deck of cards for me? I dont want
to touch it fromnow on.
Cards have traditionally been used as a divination system. The playing
cards that we use now stemfromthe original Tarot cards used for
fortune telling, and some believe that they still posses some of their
predictive attributes.

At this point one can spice up the presentation by introducing
the classic card facts used everywhere by mentalists: There are 52
cards and 52 weeks in a year, 13values and 13moon cycles in a
year, 4 suits and 4 seasons in a year, the values add up to 364, etc.
This also helps remind the audience that there are 52 cards in a
deck. A fact that will be important at the end of the effect.

Mage: I want to try an experiment with you but first I want to explore
a bit of your personality. Perhaps it is chance or perhaps it is destiny
but symbols always seemto tell us something about people. For exam-
ple, I assume you have a boyfriend (husband, partner, best friend,
etc.) Think about this person who is very important in your life. If you

12
were to assign numbers to you and him, would you be an even number
and himand odd number? Or the other way around?

This is the first hidden choice. We will reduce the selection set in
half by selecting the even numbers. The participant does not
know she is making a selection!

Participant: I would think I aman even number and my boyfriend an
odd number.

Mage: Good, but have you ever thought that maybe thinking of your-
self as an even number has a deeper meaning? I amwilling to believe
that by destiny you were assigned an even number. Or do you think is
just an interpretation? Lets go further. Think of an even single digit.
Perhaps one that you like or one that you feel associated with, but
chose it mentally only, dont tell anyone. An even single digit...

This is the second question and it is a free choice, any even sin-
gle digit can be selected. If the subject had selected to be odd and
his partner even, the line would have been: Please select a num-
ber for your partner, one that will represent himor her. A single and
even digit. No matter what the participant chooses we ask for an
even single digit. Notice that at this point the participant is not
aware of the huge reduction in the selection set that we have
achieved. As far as she knows she has freely answered the ques-
tion and freely selected a number! Also be aware that in this kind
of presentation much value can be added by the implicit meaning
of the words odd and even when it comes to personality traits.
Take advantage of this fact if you like or are conversant with
cold reading.

Participant: Ok. I got a number.


13
Mage: Good. Please keep that number in your mind and dont forget
it, as it will become very important in a moment. As I said before, the
playing cards that you hold come fromthe ancient Tarot cards that
first appeared in Egypt. They even keep the same symbolism. For
example, each suit represents something. Spades peace, Hearts love,
Clubs Strength and Diamonds Fortune. I want you to consider some-
thing. What do you have more of in your life? Love and Peace or
Strength and Fortune?

This is the second hidden choice we need to make. This will rule
out half of the suits and leave us with Spades and Hearts.

Participant: I think I have more Strength and Fortune.

Mage: Excellent, those are great qualities. So in your case you are in
need for the balancing nature of Love and Peace. Allow yourself to
have more peace and love in your life that will come if you truly desire
them. But they come to you one at a time. Pick one mentally, by its
symbol: Hearts for love and Spades for Peace. Select one of your bal-
ancing attributes and imagine its symbol in your mind. Dont tell any-
one.

If the subject had selected Love and Peace, then the line would
have been something like: Good, of those two aspects, I want you
to concentrate on one. Mentally select either Love or Peace, select the
hearts or the spades. Notice that in our two hidden choices no
answer seems to be discriminating or eliminating anything. We
are using questions with personal implications to hide the fact
that we first eliminated half of the digits and then half of the
suits. This is a very important point to remember in any hidden
choice applications. Also the illusion of free selection is en-
hanced by the use of the words pick and select at this point where
she truly has a free choice.

14

Participant: Ok. I got it.

Mage: Good. Now you have a card in your mind, composed of the
number you selected previously and the suit just chosen. A card that
you freely thought of. A card whose identity no one has any idea of.
A card that represents what you are and what you desire. Keep that
card in your mind and dont forget it.
Now we will see if it is by destiny or by chance that we associate our-
selves with given symbols. I want you to take the cards out of the box.
Start counting the cards one by one on the table and as you count, I
want you to look for your card. When you come to your mentally
selected card I want you to stop so we can see at what number your
card appears. Do it outloud so that we all can hear the number for
your card.

At this point the subject will count card after card just to reach
51 without finding it. It is important to point out and stress as
much as reasonably possible that the card is not known, has not
been named, was freely selected and that it was mentally se-
lected. These aspects are what give the effect its main strength.
Also, the fact that you emphasize the number at which the card
will appear, misdirect people towards the real ending of the
effect. This is an uncommon quality for a mental effect, as most
mentalism lacks in surprise or suspense.
Sometimes at some point near the end of the count, I interrupt
the count and ask the participant if she has not seen her card yet
(be sure to remember the number at which you interrupted, so
that you can remind the subject if needed). Of course she has
not, so I say: Really? Hmmwhat card did you think of? Oh that one.
Well keep counting, it must be at the end of the deck. This interrup-
tion gives me enough time to find the proper envelope and have
it ready in my hand (or on the table) when the count ends. This

15
can make the final production cleaner if presented appropriately.
You do not have to use this method. You can just wait to the end
of the count to ask about the card.

Participant: 48, 49, 50, 51. Hmm, my card is missing. (Audible gasps
and looks of amazement)

Mage: Its missing? Thats very odd isnt it? Much more so since no-
body here knows the identity of your card yet. Could you tell us all
what card you mentally selected?

Participant: Six of Spades.

Mage: Last night I had a vision. I knew we would meet here and now.
I decided to remove a card fromthe deck, and perhaps by chance I
decided to remove the Six of Spades.

Take the card out from the envelope and show it around.

Mage: This is the card that represents you and your desires. Maybe it
was not chance... but destiny.

Keep in mind that this is just an example of a great number of
possible presentations you could achieve by using the same prin-
ciples and this same deck.

As we can see in this effect, the 4 elements of a hidden choice
are exploited to create a very powerful and very natural effect.
The selection mechanism and the selection itself is hidden from
the subject. The repetitions are totally different and even sepa-
rated by a free selection. Furthermore, it is not clear until the
very end what all the questions are leading to. The choices are
verbally known by the mage, and the selection set it reduced very

16
efficiently to 8 cards with only 2 Hidden Choices! The rest of the
set reductions is achieved through verbal subterfuge and the fact
that the selection process is never evident.

The whole hidden choice procedure takes less than minute and
looks very natural. The effect itself when presented correctly is
likely to astound your audience. Be prepared to be accused of
using stooges. It is much more impressive to the participant of
course, since for her it has special meaning. In the eyes of your
audience, you had a person select a card mentally. She looked for
it in a deck that you never touched and even though it had not
been named yet, it was missing. Finally you show that you had
removed the card beforehand and placed it in a sealed envelope.
I will not touch upon the importance of the presentational ele-
ments that make the effect a more intimate and romantic one,
those will be covered later on.

As a last comment, I would like to address the case of the odd
cards: 1,3,5,9. If you choose to use odd cards instead of even ones,
the line could be: Select an odd number from1to 10. (slight pause)
Oh, and dont choose the 7, every one picks that one (if he actually
picked the seven it will be confirming your statement, if not you
are ok too). The rest is the same as with even numbers. I have
tried both with equal success. Except that when using odd num-
bers people tend to pick the 9 of spades. This is a tendency you
might want to take advantage of by placing the 9 of spades in a
sealed envelope and in some visible place prior to performance.
As a variation of the odd number scheme, you could discard the
Ace by using the same line for discarding the seven. Predicting
an Ace of Spades is not very impressive and it will happen some
times, so you might want to use the 3,5,7,9 force cards instead.