How Does David Blaine Levitate? Do You Know?

Originally posted by James_Moriarty
Check this trick out, the magicain is able to melt and bend a spoon simply by touching it

www.goodtricks.net...

That sounds familiar doesn't it

In fact, this one is even better. You pick a spoon up from a table, and just by touching it, you are able to bend it 90 degrees and the best part is, you can drop it right there and let them examine it. Meaning, the spoon is not the gimmick. THere is something else which is virtually invisible.

www.goodtricks.net...


[edit on 2-8-2005 by James_Moriarty]

That's great James!

Now provide us with a link to a website which explains how David Blaine made someone win $1600 in a US lottery!

Originally posted by Paul_Richard
Now provide us with a link to a website which explains how David Blaine made someone win $1600 in a US lottery!

explain the trick and i'll give you a rational explanation. for example what do you mean 'david blaine mad someone win the lottery'...did he choose the numbers??

Originally posted by Paul_Richard

Now provide us with a link to a website which explains how David Blaine made someone win $1600 in a US lottery!

Sure, in fact, I'll do more than that. Here is a website which sells all of these tricks including spoon bending (Uri Geller's famous 'trick') and David Blaine's lottery winning trick. And by the way, since we have pretty much explained most of these 'miracles' how many does it take to qualify the individual as a telekinetic? Does it take just one trick that you do not understand? Or two or three?

www.ellusionist.com...

Look near the bottom in Vol 3, you will see the lottery winning trick is available on the DVD.

In fact, im sure David Blaine's trick used an even simpler method then that guy on the DVD i just showed you. Im sure David paid off some guy who actually won the $1600 for his ticket. Maybe they threw in an extra $200 for it, in which case, the guy would be an idiot to refuse. So then he takes the winning ticket, has it palmed the entire time and just does a simple switch with that guy who 'magically' won $1600. Im sure thats what he did. Because think about man, if David Blaine did have these powers, why would he have only changed it into $1600, why not the grand prize? Why not a million dollars? Actually, if you really consider this, David Blaine should have been a millionaire even before the TV special. If has the power to change lottery tickets into the winners, then he should have won every single lottery by that time. He should be the richest man in the world right? But hes not because its a trick, just like the guy in the link i sent you last post, where he was able to predict the cards four different people were thinking about. You can watch the clip, its on the site. Its amazing, and i have know idea how he did it, but it is just a trick, which they show you if you pay the $30 for the DVD.



[edit on 3-8-2005 by James_Moriarty]

Is it just me, or was his levitation trick like some piece of crap gag, if he could really levitate, why would he only lift the back of his feet, n levitate what, a few centimetres?

I think he needs a few lessons from Yoda...

Originally posted by James_Moriarty
In fact, im sure David Blaine's trick used an even simpler method then that guy on the DVD i just showed you. Im sure David paid off some guy who actually won the $1600 for his ticket. Maybe they threw in an extra $200 for it, in which case, the guy would be an idiot to refuse. So then he takes the winning ticket, has it palmed the entire time and just does a simple switch with that guy who 'magically' won $1600. Im sure thats what he did. Because think about man, if David Blaine did have these powers, why would he have only changed it into $1600, why not the grand prize? Why not a million dollars? Actually, if you really consider this, David Blaine should have been a millionaire even before the TV special. If has the power to change lottery tickets into the winners, then he should have won every single lottery by that time. He should be the richest man in the world right? But hes not because its a trick, just like the guy in the link i sent you last post, where he was able to predict the cards four different people were thinking about. You can watch the clip, its on the site. Its amazing, and i have know idea how he did it, but it is just a trick, which they show you if you pay the $30 for the DVD.



[edit on 3-8-2005 by James_Moriarty]

James_Moriarty, are you a atheist type?.

Originally posted by ThePunisher

James_Moriarty, are you a atheist type?.

Yes I am.

I love science. The history of it, the consistency and orderliness of its methods and formulae, and its honesty when a phenomenon has not been explained to their satisfaction.
In the paranormal research records there are numerous anomalous findings that show support for the existence of unexplained abilities that defy known physical laws. Studies on the power of prayer, remote viewing, ESP, and telepathy show that in some instances, subject's claiming these abilities are indeed able to pass the test that is set before them by the researchers. Many are proven to be unable to do what they claim, and their success rates are no better than that predicted by mere chance. This does not prove that these abilities do not exist, only that there are many more people who claim to possess them than can actually pass the test when they are put into a laboratory environment where as many variables as possible are eliminated.
Just because the world is full of liars, hoaxers, swindlers, and hustlers does not mean that all of us are such people. The things I have seen, and the friends of mine who have related their physical law defying experiences are examples of phenomena that is beyond my explaining. These are things told to me by perfectly normal, successful, unassuming, conventional citizens who have no reason to lie, and in most cases, many reasons to keep quiet about them instead. The personal attacks that result from sharing these experiences are neither pleasant, nor desired, and sharing such information while knowing full well that most of the time one will be called either a liar or nuts shows self confidence and courage, in my view. If an atheist has never seen such things in person, I am not surprised that their belief would be that it does not exist. If someone has seen many things of this nature, the belief that they do not exist is not an option. The only question becomes, how is this possible?
In Blaine's levitation example, eyewitnesses who see it from five feet away, and from all angles make the camera angle argument weak. I have seen it in person, done by another magician, which, for me, makes believing what I see on camera much more believable. And it also makes it easy for me to accept the testimony of other eyewitnesses as being just as valid as my own. These people are good witnesses, no less observant or easily fooled than you or me.

David Bliane, Copperfield and Chris Angel are all ILLUSIONISTS. They themselves admit this. None of them talk about harnessing power from the other side except in their shows when used as part of their script. Do I think there is a power to be harnessed, probably. But these guys are not using it. Is is an act. Also, everything you see on T.V. Is edited. Any people that seem like ordinary bystanders or in shock or awe are shills. This is a fact! I have a friend who worked with Blaine. It is all an act. Blaine even says this himself. The levitation was done as decribed in this post with one foot off the ground. When going in the air more then a foot, Blaine is actually being lifted with harnesses and digital erasing them from the video. He openly admits to this. The reason he did that was to show people how other magicians fake levitation. The reaction from the people however was genuine, but he was only doing the 3 to 4 inch raise (one foot on tippy toes). Again he admits to this.

The 1600 dollar trick is slight of hand also, mixed with actors not a lay person from the street.

Anytime a magician takes something from someone (Like a ring) And links it with other rings. These people are in on it.

As far as someone saying I was there I saw him rise 3 feet no strings. This is just not true. They are in on it. However if you are one of these people I would love to hear from you. Not a second hand story. But that would be weird seeing how all these guys admit to doing illusions. They admit it. So there really is no debate.

As far as Chris Angel. Very entertaining. But his show has more cuts in it then sliced cabbage. Every trick has an editing cut. On fire: Smoke fills screen, cut. Ring in ice cube: Cut after he removes his hand. Dissappearing from garbage can: cut before showing roof. No continuous shots. Levitation: digital trickery.

Now these guys are not decievers because they admit to entertaining and illusion, as a matter of fact Angel's brother even stated when he put his mom on the broom, "This was one of Chris's first ILLUSIONS." By the way an old trick but very effective.

Now on to Real decievers: (Claim to have powers, not an act)

Uri Geller - I wont get into it here but here are some links about this fraud:

www.zem.demon.co.uk...

www.soylentred.net... (Great video link)

There is much more do a search.

Ok - hope this clears some of this up.

Mister Skeptic

Originally posted by Mister Skeptic

Uri Geller - I wont get into it here but here are some links about this fraud:

www.zem.demon.co.uk...

www.soylentred.net... (Great video link)

There is much more do a search.

Ok - hope this clears some of this up.

Mister Skeptic

Thank you for those two excellent links. I loved the video footage from the tonight show with Johnny Carson. It really demonstrates how these guys use simple trickery to fool people, and Carson, being an avid magician himself, knew that Uri Geller was a hoax.

'As far as someone saying I was there I saw him rise 3 feet no strings. This is just not true. They are in on it. However if you are one of these people I would love to hear from you. Not a second hand story. '
Mister Skeptic
As related earlier in this thread, I have seen an 'illusionist' levitate in person. First hand, no strings. And because of this, and many other things I have seen in my life, I must disagree with your conclusion. I believe that when these guys levitate, they are doing something more than mere trickery, and that the folks on the street, in the mall, in the park, etc., are not all 'shills'. I may be wrong, about that, but I am not at all unclear about what I have seen, and it is something I won't soon forget. I can't state how these things are done, like others here, but that doesn't matter to me.

James_Moriarty

en.wikipedia.org...

There are people like Derren Brown who use it as part of there 'ACT' that they are of a Atheist style belief, remember the word 'ACT'

Classic deception.




[edit on 10-8-2005 by ThePunisher]

Liars, frauds, phonies, and hoaxers do not disprove the things others have done, they are completely unrelated. I saw a man fly around, in person, and it is still a mystery to me, but the fact he flew is not in question to me... he did. How he did is the puzzle.

BlackGuardXIII,

I was meaning Derren Brown will be using some similar things as David Blaine like telekinesis etc, anyone on here watched Derren's shows?.




[edit on 26-8-2005 by ThePunisher]

There are people like Derren Brown who use it as part of there 'ACT' that they are of a Atheist style belief, remember the word 'ACT'

Classic deception.

[edit on 10-8-2005 by ThePunisher]

I got your point, I just disagree that I was deceived the way you seem to think. I feel he actually levitates, and that is why anyone who sees it up close in person is amazed ...... which they all are.

Thats what im saying, they use a combination of Skill, Tricks and Magick.

I admit I was wrong when I said I felt I was not deceived because I am sure that some of the tricks I witnessed were just that, and I agree that it must take exceptional skill and practice to be as good as the top magicians, and magick is the only way for me to express what went on with some of the acts. It is a mystery how levitation is done, but I am convinced that it is done. My best guess is that it requires the ability to harness a force, maybe somewhat like gravity, magnetism, or electricity. An invisible force that is more elusive than those three, and therefore not yet understood by most people. Mirrors, sleight of hand, distraction, etc. are certainly used in some tricks, but they do not explain the levitations I have seen in person, and I cannot explain them either. Do You Know? That was the original question. Me? No. Some other posters seem to.... or say they do, but I sure don't.

I have researched some of the Magicians and found that they use what could be described as ''Invisible'' help for some of there more tricky feats.

A straight forward simple definition of this would be 'Sorcery'.


''The use of supernatural power over others through the assistance of Spirits''.

Paul_Richard talks about group entities giving Blaine the power to Levitate, which is also probably applicable as it would obviously take a big amount of energy for something like Levitation.






[edit on 29-8-2005 by ThePunisher]

It was me who seen him levitate live.
It was in Chicago, I'm not sure which street exactly, but it was within 10 blocks from the Sears Tower, because that's where we headed after we saw him.
It was also right around lunch time, because we had just eaten.

Here's what happened.
I noticed a small crowd start to gather, and seen a man, who I thought could have been David Blaine, because of similar build, tight olive colored shirt, , etc, so I walked over, and sure enough, it was him.

He was doing a few tricks, the cigarette through a quarter, then he also cut himself, and pushed the blade clean through his arm.

But out of nowhere, he goes "if you believe, you can do anything... watch"
He turned with his back twords us, at this point I looked at the building right infront of him, no wires, no stands, nothing, and there were no cameras around either.
He spread his arms out, and up he went.
He was off a good foot or more, and everyone started goin "Ohhhh" but I bent down, and looked under his feet, and looked around his feet, then straight up at his arms.

Nothing.

He came down, and hung his head, started to turn to us, holding his stomach, and he got quiet for a minute.

Then he thanked us for watching, and walked off.

I can't levitate, and have not found a good explanation of how it is done. But I have seen it in person, and I trust the folks who I see on tv that also see it up close. It is not hard to trust them when I have shared the same wonder. It was called sorcery in one post, and I have read a little bit on the subject from an anthropological point of view. The definition of sorcery in my books is the act of using supernatural powers to do harm. To hex someone, to put a curse on them, etc. It was defined as different than witchcraft in that witchcraft was the use of incantations, spells, and rituals to help instead of harm. Prosperity spells, love spells, healing rituals, etc.
They were described as being two different practices.
In that model, I would lean towards the magic of Blaine et al., as being more benign in nature, and not meant to cause others any harm, and thus not sorcery. Also, it's possible that levitation just harnesses a natural force like gravity, magnetism, or electricity as it's source of energy. It is certain that science does not know everything, and quite possible that one day this force will become public knowledge.
I dread that day. The nature of our modern humanity and it's vain, careless, harmful actions make the consequences of that catastrophic, in my view.