TEDxSanJoseCA - Kim Silverman, PhD - Making Magic Meaningful

I'm going to talk about how

magic

relates to life. Now

magic

is one of my passions and one reason is because it can open people up to new possibilities. However, many magicians focus on tricking people, we try to trick you, that's why everyone calls them tricks. and that leads me to ask why we do this why we present our magic in this way well it all started at the time of the Inquisition to avoid being bird watching witches we present our magic as lighthearted entertainment some jokes some feats of magic that were essentially riddles that challenged the audience to figure out how to do simple tricks, so let's do an experiment those of you who like to be fooled those of you who like to be fooled raise your hand look around when you think about it That way That's kind of interesting, isn't it?

But magic can be much more than just tricks. Magic can change the way we think about our lives. It can alter how we feel. I'll show you an example. Thank you. Welcome. our spells and divinations class magic is not about tricks magic is not about riddles magic is about the experience of the mystery at the front could you please help me excellent? Could you please extend your left hand? Please hold that ring right there, like this, don't let go, can you feel that magic is about the experience of mystery now, as far as you understand, that shouldn't be possible, so carefully examine both rings, but be Be careful, could they still be hot?

Magic teaches us that things that seem impossible can become possible, thank you, magic teaches us that things that have been broken, things that have been separated, like people, can be put back together, that when we cannot

making

things come together the way we want, no matter how No matter how hard we try, there's always something far away, you know, there are times when we feel like we're at the bottom of the food chain, there are times when we feel like we want to give up. life completely, but no matter how alone we feel, we are all part of the single chain of human existence we are all together in this life now some people think there is a special place in this ring.

I know yes, the truth is that all points are magical, so mr. skeptical, could you please say stop while I run my finger over the ring right there? I feel that point right there. That seems solid to you. Yes, can you absolutely and completely see a hole in the ring? Let's toast because without this hole it wouldn't be like this. the leaky Riggs would be the link discs or something that was your point about there is that right magic teaches us that when there are times when we feel trapped by life it is just an illusion, when there are times when we cannot Seeming to free yourself from some problem is just an illusion when no matter which direction we turn, no matter which direction we go, we cannot free ourselves from something that is holding us back, you know what I mean, it's time for a change of perspective, the Magic is not about tricks, magic is about life, thank you, so let's talk about what we just saw when constructing my scripts.

I often draw on cognitive science, for example it is well established that negative emotions can have a negative effect on our physiology. Many studies have been done when we are depressed when we are stressed we are less healthy we are more likely to get sick when we get sick we take longer to recover we don't live as long now if negative emotions can have a negative effect on our physiology then it seems reasonable to assume that Positive emotions can have a positive effect and that is why doctors invite me to hospitals to perform magic for patients who are seriously ill and for the nursing staff who care for them and it is interesting because while I do it I see how their behavior changes.

They sit straighter Their breathing becomes deeper Their energy is renewed The color returns to their faces Their eyes shine and they smile They look more alive Why is it okay I think one of the reasons is that there is a cognitive cycle that many of us We experience sad thoughts that lead to feelings of hopelessness which in turn engender more gloomy thoughts and a downward spiral occurs. The experience of magic can intercept and break that cognitive cycle. Can I show you another example? Yes, the right ads are great, thanks. I need somebody to help me. Could you come up on stage for me?

Please let me hold your head. Give him a head up because it takes a lot of courage to show up in front of people in a place like this. Thank you what's your name? Maya Maya. that name comes from Israel, yes, Hebrew name, this is your first TEDx event, it's my first TEDx event, yes, how do you find it lovely so far? Having a chat has been an inspiring delight for you. Thank you Maya are you wearing a ring associated with a happy memory can I borrow that ring for 90 seconds please I love this moment it comes perfect thank you it is a beautiful ring it is a butterfly a symbol of change your metamorphosis true yes Maya this ring represents Your life is a circle, this represents the fears and problems that come and go, they have a beginning and also an end, you see, what happens is very common if we allow our fears and problems to enter our lives to trap us, bind us and stop, so sometimes we don't No matter which direction we turn, we can't seem to free ourselves from them.

I've been there. I've been there. If only we could grasp the bigger picture, we discover that really our fears and problems do not control us at all and then we could be. free, but problems come back because that's how life is, so when problems come back into our lives like they do, it's the universe that gives us another chance to exercise that mental discipline to once again grasp that broader perspective and set ourselves free. again because if we don't, we focus only on the negative in our lives if we hold on to our problems we get trapped again now it all depends on where we attend if we selectively attend only to the negative in our lives if we allow ourselves to get trapped in our problems To completely lose track of our happiness we have to learn a certain sense of detachment now Maya, you have been watching this closely and you have your own rich life experience to draw from, you can do it yourself here, hold this, hold this Maya Please think about something problematic that has crept into your life and is holding you back right now, take this seriously, you have something great, think about that problem and how it is holding you back as you thread your life deep into the middle, perfect, could you become righteous? slightly Oh, raise this hand, this flat and this hand flat, yes, the ring here, could you please breathe deeply, exhale and relax when troubles point at us, keep them at a distance, catch the bigger picture, stay aware of What is really important and Maya?

You too can free yourself from unnecessary anxiety, please take another deep breath, very deep and hold it. I'm going to count to three after counting to three. I would like you to exhale, relax and do this one, two, three, so why not? Won't you let me take your fears and problems and give you your life back? Thank you, please take it, thank you, he won't make it to the end of the stage. Many of us have had someone pass away in our lives and I still miss them. I still miss my parents. Some of us have had broken relationships and still feel the pain.

Here is a piece that talks about both inspired by the great magicians Alain Socket and Eugene Berger. I call this the thread of life and I wait. Do you like it when we read the great works of literature, like the works of Shakespeare, our lives seem quite mundane, but are they really? Sometimes things that seem simple are not so simple after all a simple spool of thread a single thread like our lives there is a beginning but also integrates this also an end and in the middle happiness but also sadness there is joy but also pain moments of intense love and moments of tragic separation rejection abandonment betrayal when the ties between us feel like they have been broken forever when the bonds of helplessness are in knots and hopelessness binds our souls anyone here knows what I mean suffering is a part intrinsic to human life is something that we all share unites us magic reminds us that there can be reunion that there can be reconciliation and that all of us past, present and future are part of a single contiguous thread, thank you, the subtext of all magic is that things may not be as they seem and that means there is hope, there is hope and I think it's an idea worth spreading, thank you for your time, thank you. thank you thank you thank you