Mentalism, written down by the people who perform it.
Once a month, Rado and Chris, two working professionals within the field of mentalism, put on paper what they actually do in front of people: complete routines, essays, and psychological and behavioral subtleties most books leave out.
Every issue.
Complete routines you can use the same night, essays, and at least one long interview with a performer we think you should hear from.
There’s a new issue every month and you read it here on your phone or laptop. Subscribers can download the PDF of every issue, and single issues are sold as a PDF or as a printed copy with your name typed inside.
Rado Sheytanoff
Mind Reader | Psychological Artist
Rado Sheytanoff is a mind reader and psychological artist. He grew up in Bulgaria, and magic found him at the age of ten, in a magic kit his parents gave him for Christmas.
As he grew older the tricks gave way to a deeper hunger, an insatiable love for psychology and for the workings of human nature. He was fascinated by James Randi and the way he took psychics apart on his show.
Then the past pulled him in. He studied, relentlessly, the long centuries before anyone called it mentalism, when psychics and seers, fortune tellers and mystics, oracles and witches drew on a wisdom that was already ancient to them. They read what was coming in crystals, in bones, dice and stones cast on the ground, in tarot and playing cards, and in the pull of their own intuition.
That was where he found his path, and he has walked it as a mentalist ever since. He lives in Dublin now, and in Sapien he writes about that work and the psychology beneath it.
Chris Michael
Behavioral Intelligence Specialist | Psychological Illusionist | Mentalism Creator & Consultant
Chris Michael operates at the intersection of behavioral science, intelligence, and psychological illusion. His work has brought him into professional environments involving the FBI, the White House, and C4ISR operations, where understanding human behavior, nonverbal communication, and psychological influence carries real-world significance.
As a Trainer and Trainer Program Innovator for Joe Navarro’s Body Language Academy, founded by the former FBI Supervising Agent who helped establish the Bureau’s Behavioral Analysis Program, Chris specializes in translating behavioral psychology into practical applications and extraordinary experiences.
Within the world of mentalism, Chris has created original effects, consulted for some of the industry’s most recognized performers, and released products through established magic companies. His work provides a rare behind-the-scenes perspective on the methods, innovations, and psychology shaping modern mentalism.
As a contributor to Sapien, he explores the intersection of behavioral science and theatrical deception, with a particular fascination for psychological methods, perception, and the subtle mechanisms that make the impossible feel real.
At the table.
Every issue pulls up a chair for someone from outside the house. In Issue No. 1 that’s Christopher Parrish, with The Red Dwarf.
Write to editor@sapienjournal.com with questions, corrections or who we should sit down with next.