First held in 1992, Eugene Burger and Jeff McBride’s Mystery School promised to be a magic conference unlike any other: a group of magicians dedicated to seriously exploring the deeper sides of the art of magic. This event would not be held in a hotel or restaurant, but at a beautiful retreat center in nature where creativity and fellowship across differences could be inspired. Nine years later, after eleven incredibly successful sessions, Jeff and Eugene ended Mystery School at its peak.

Now, in Eugene Burger and Jeff McBride’s first-ever collaborative work, the rest of us may at last peer into the shadowy conclave known as Mystery School. In this most unusual collection of essays, magic, ideas, and artwork the spirit of a very unique group of artists has been preserved, while still guarding the secrecy in which they met.

Featuring Jeff McBride stage masterpieces revealed for the first time, new pieces by Burger, and essays by Mystery School faculty member Robert Neale, plus magic and writings by some of the world’s most magical thinkers, including: Bob Fitch, Dan Harlan, Paul Harris, Kevin James, Vito Lupo, Patrick Martin, Max Maven, Stephen Minch, Alain Nu and Peter Samelson.

Contents:

11 Editor’s Note (Todd Karr)
13 Preface (Robert Neale)
Arcana (Jeff Mcbride And Katlyn Breene)
17 Welcome (Jeff Mcbride)
19 Why A “Mystery School”? (Eugene Burger)

21 A Conversation (Eugene Burger, Todd Karr, Jeff Mcbride)

39 Faculty

39 Jack Adams
39 The Jack Adams Visual Quick Change (Jeff Mcbride)

43 Eugene Burger
43 On The Structure Of Magical Effects
46 Violence In Theatrical Magi

53 Jeff Mcbride
53 Shaman’s Bag

56 Air
56 The Butterfly

58 Fire
58 The Fireball
59 McBride’s Candle
61 Flashing Knives
62 The Fire Knife
62 Fire Manipulation
63 The Phoenix Flower

64 Water
64 Working with Liquids
65 Rain Fire

65 Earth
65 Mango Tree
67 Earth Flowers
68 Green Man

69 Alchemy Of The Elements
73 Four Faces Of The Magician

77 Robert Neale
77 Ritual Magic
78 Suspension Of Disbelief
80 Oddly Magic
81 A Ritual Gesture
82 Three Ways To Be An Oracle
84 – Dream Die
86 – Runed
89 – Systematic Stimulation Of Creativity

106 Guests Of Honor

107 Dan Harlan
107 Soulmates
109 Horror Matrix

113 Max Maven
113 Simplicide

123 Ormond Mcgill
123 Let’s Pretend Magic
124 The Presentation Of Miracle

129 Stephen Minch
129 Diary Of A Mystery Fiend
133 Cognitive Dissonance (With Max Maven)

143 Charles Reynolds
143 On A Definition Of Magic

149 Peter Samelson
149 Why, What, And Who
151 The Phoenix

158 Alumni

159 David Abram
159 The Joker Is Wild
161 The Ecology Of Magic

177 Jen Adams
177 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

183 Tobias Beckwith
183 Magic Theatre 101

197 Katlyn Breene
197 Katarot Max Maven

203 Kevin Dunn
203 Alchemy

215 Mont Dutson
215 Teachings Of The Medicine Wheel

221 Bob Fellows
221 Beginning In Mentalism
223 The Magazine Clipping Prediction
224 Five-Minute Murder Mystery

231 Bob Fitch
231 Why A Director?
133 Thesis 1
233 Undropped
236 Thesis 2
236 Flipped

243 Adam Fleischer
243 The Magic Of Mystery

247 Paul Harris
247 Orange Bryce Kuhlman

253 Brad Henderson
253 Cupids Arrow: A Love Ritual

257 Jay Inglee
257 Psychotherapy And Magic
267 Three
268 Crystal Clear
272 Treasure Chest
276 Stroll

285 Jade
285 Expecting A Miracle

289 Kevin James
289 The Sword Of The Samurai

293 Just Alan
293 The Three Treasures (Joseph Ricciardi)

299 Todd Karr
299 The Timothy Leary Magic Inter-View
303 Crystal Heart
304 Numbers
307 Prince Rainier’s Plume

313 Bryce Kuhlman
313 Accentuate The Positive Eugene Burger

319 Joe Lantiere
319 The Witchcraft Potential Test

325 Vito Lupo
325 Zenstticks
327 Magic And Mime
329 Preparation
331 Music

335 Patrick Martin
335 Peace Of Paper

341 Sean Masterson
341 The Magician’s Initiation

347 Dan Mindo
347 Two-By-Four Shackles Eugene Burger

351 Alain Nu
351 Zodiattack

363 David Parr
363 Fear
366 Blood From A Stone

371 Dr. Jennifer Pauls
371 A Physicist Talks About Magic
371 Inside

377 Father Daniel Rolland
377 Bubbles

381 Samina
381 Into Gold

385 Luna Shemada
385 M for…

389 Abbi Spinner Mcbride
389 Drumming In The (He)Art Of Magic

393 Margaret Steele
393 Musical Inspiration

399 John Tudor
399 Developing A Leak In The Universe

403 Newell Unfried
403 The 203rd 4orce
406 Hot And Cold

412 Appendices

413 Rogan Taylor
413 Introduction (2003)
417 Magical Mysteries And Harry Houdini

443 Other Voices

443 Terence Mckenna
443 Magic, Science, And Language

445 Goodbyes